EAGAN, MN — After weeks of camp practices, two preseason games (with one left to play), and two days of intense joint practices against the Ravens, the Vikings’ roster seems almost set. The biggest battles seem mostly settled, while multiple rookies have stolen the show. The team is entering a pressure-packed year with massive implications, especially for quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Kevin O’Connell. Assistant HC Frank Smith has brought in a revamped run game to make the team more dynamic on offense, while defensive coordinator Brian Flores aims to continue his defensive dominance.With those goals in mind and weeks of reps and tape to review, here is how I see the Vikings’ final 53-man roster coming together at the 5 p.m. CT deadline this Sunday. Quarterback (3)QB1: Kyler MurrayQB2: Carson WentzQB3: J.J. McCarthyMy hottest take starts us off: J.J. McCarthy has a 50/50 chance of being on a different team by week one. The cracked marriage simply seems unmendable asMcCarthy’s inaccuracies continue to emerge. An incredibly low trade value is what keeps him as QB3 for now, but if the Vikings can even get a fifth-round pick, it might be time to hit a reset for both sides. McCarthy and Myles Price cant connect on 4th down from the goal line. pic.twitter.com/S8YEUFEMhk— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) August 22, 2026Running back (4)RB1: Aaron JonesRB2: Jordan MasonRB3: Demond Claiborne RB4: Zavier ScottI’ve gone back and forth between rostering 4 RBs or 6 WRs, but as of now, I’m ultimately prioritizing the newfound focus on the running game. Zavier Scott lacks the explosiveness of Demond Claiborne, but the rookie’s ball security issues require a safety net. Hence, Scott. — VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 20, 2026Fullback (1)FB1: Max BredesonMax Bredeson continued to impress last week in joint practices against the Ravens. The Vikings are already moving him all over the field to use him in creative ways. Expect to see a lot of him in 2026. Wide receiver (5)WR1: Justin JeffersonWR2: Jordan Addison WR3: Jauan Jennings WR4: Tai Felton WR5: Miles PriceI've held on to the idea of six wideouts for most of camp, but the focus on the new-look running game may have swayed me. Dontae made strong cases for the 53 but hasn't popped like Felton or Price. Jeshaun Jones was just suspended three games for violating the league's substance abuse policy (h/t WillRagatz), so his spot on the bubble seems all but decided. Tight end (3)TE1: T.J. Hockenson TE2: Josh OliverTE3: Gavin BartholomewThis group seems fairly set to me. Gavin Bartholomew continues to impress this summer, and Murray continues to build a strong rapport with T.J. Hockenson. Ben Yurosek would be a very solid piece on the practice squad. Gavin Bartholomew has had a GREAT camp after missing his entire rookie year last season. Keeping up the impacts today. pic.twitter.com/Bzf36uON09— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) August 22, 2026Offensive line (9)LT: Christian Darrisaw LG: Donovan JacksonC: Blake BrandelRG: Will Fries RT: Brian O’Neill Reserves: T Ryan Van Demark, G Joe Huber, T Caleb Tiernan, C Michael JurgensBlake Brandel is the risk here. After a decent performance in joint practices, I have him back as the projected starter. Still, I do see the team looking into additional options at center, especially with rookie Gavin Gerhardt being very shaky, but given the recent center injuries across the league, it may be hard to find. Defensive Line (5)DE: Caleb Banks, Jalen Redmond, Elijah WilliamsDT: Domonique Orange, Levi Drake RodriguezElijah Williams has been one of the bright spots in camp. Given the inconsistency we’ve seen from Caleb Banks, Williams appears to be a sure bet to make the 53, even if it's just to provide relief along a rotating defensive front. OLB (5)OLB: Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Bo Richter, TBD playerTyrion Ingram-Dawkins has started to catch my eye more of late and seems to be benefiting from his position change this offseason. Jake Golday will also rotate into this room, as he has split positional reps in camp, even taking first-team snaps in place of Andrew Van Ginkel. The team would benefit from adding more depth here, which hasn't changed in my opinion. MLB (5)MLB: Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, Jake Golday, Ivan Pace Jr., Jacob RobertsFormer Calgary Stampeder Jacob Roberts made sure his presence was felt on Saturday against the Ravens with a 6-tackle performance that tied the team lead for the day. Roberts has been a consistent playmaker in camp, but Saturday’s showing after an interception in the first preseason game has me moving him on the final roster. — NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026Cornerback (4)CB: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Charles Demmings, James PierreSticking with my projection here. Dwight McGlothern had a chance to make the final room before being waived Tuesday with an injury designation. The team can add him to the injured reserve if he clears waivers. Chuck Demmings has been a bit quiet since an explosive start to camp, but his physicality and fight will serve him well in Flores’s scheme. Safety (6)S: Joshua Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Jakobe Thomas, Tavierre Thomas, Jacob ThomasThis must be the summer of Jacob for the Vikings, as Jacob Thomas shared the team lead in tackles with Jacob Roberts on Saturday. Then, there's Jakobe Thomas, who missed much of last week nursing a back injury. Tavierre Thomas will likely be a main contributor on special teams. We may need some nicknames for the Thomas boys to avoid confusion this season. - Undrafted out of JMU- INT in his first preseason game - First team reps in joint practices against the Ravens - Leads the team in tackles in second preseason game Jacob Thomas may be the story of Vikings camp. 📸: Alli Rusco pic.twitter.com/EZDS2tYpHu— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) August 22, 2026Special Teams (3)K: Will ReichardLS: Andrew DePaolaP: Johnny HekkerThe Vikings definitely have something in rookie punter Brett Thorson, but having him develop through the NFL International Player Pathway Program may prove too valuable an option, pending he clears waivers. Johnny Hekker isn’t what he once was, but he’s reliable enough to roll with for now. Plus, he’s proven to be a capable passer, which this team may actually need. Get Vikings On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow