/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71228513/usa_today_18497290.0.jpg)
With their first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders coming up on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings have released their first depth chart of the 2022 season. Are there any surprises on it? Well, let’s take a look.
As the team’s website points out, the team’s defense is listed as a 3-4 for the first time in a couple of decades, so there’s a bit of a different feel to it. Backups are listed in the order that they appear on the depth chart, with a couple of positions listed as “OR,” apparently implying that a backup hasn’t been chosen yet.
Offense
Quarterback
Starter: Kirk Cousins
Backups: Sean Mannion OR Kellen Mond
Running Back
Starter: Dalvin Cook
Backups: Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu, Ty Chandler, Bryant Koback
Fullback
Starter: C.J. Ham
Backup: Jake Bargas
Wide Receiver
Starters: Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson
Backups: K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette; Bisi Johnson and Myron Mitchell; Trishton Jackson OR Jalen Nailor and Dan Chisena; Albert Wilson; Thomas Hennigan and Blake Proehl (Proehl is currently on the Active/PUP List)
Tight End
Starter: Irv Smith, Jr.
Backups: Johnny Mundt; Ben Ellefson; Zach Davidson; Nick Muse; Shaun Beyer
Offensive Tackles
Starters: Christian Darrisaw (LT) and Brian O’Neill (RT)
Backups: Blake Brandel (LT) and Olisaemeka Udoh (RT); Vederian Lowe (LT) and Timon Parris (RT)
Interior Offensive Linemen
Starters: Ezra Cleveland (LG), Garrett Bradbury (C) and Jesse Davis (RG)
Backups: Chris Reed (LG), Austin Schlottmann (C) and Ed Ingram (RG); Kyle Hinton (LG), Josh Sokol (C) and Wyatt Davis (RG)
Defense
Defensive Ends
Starters: Dalvin Tomlinson and Armon Watts
Backups: Jonathan Bullard and James Lynch; Jaylen Twyman and Esezi Otomewo; Jullian Taylor
Nose Tackles
Starter: Harrison Phillips
Backups: T.J. Smith; T.Y. McGill, Jr.; Tyarise Stevenson
Outside Linebackers
Starters: Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith
Backups: Pat Jones II and D.J. Wonnum; Luiji Vilain and Janarius Robinson; Andre Mintze and Zach McCloud
Inside Linebackers
Starters: Eric Kendricks (MLB) and Jordan Hicks (WLB)
Backups: Troy Dye (MLB) and Brian Asamoah II (WLB); Chazz Surratt (MLB) and Blake Lynch (WLB); Ryan Connelly (MLB — on Active/PUP list) and William Kwenkeu (WLB)
Cornerbacks
Starters: Patrick Peterson and Cameron Dantzler, Sr.
Backups: Chandon Sullivan and Andrew Booth, Jr.; Kris Boyd and Akayleb Evans; Parry Nickerson and Harrison Hand; Nate Hairston and Tye Smith
Safeties
Starters: Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum
Backups: Lewis Cine and Josh Metellus; Myles Dorn and Mike Brown
Special Teams
Kicker
Starter: Greg Joseph
Punter/Holder
Starter: Jordan Berry
Backup: Ryan Wright
Long Snapper
Starter: Andrew DePaola
Kick Returner
Starter: Kene Nwangwu
Backups: K.J. Osborn, Ty Chandler
Punt Returner
Starter: Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Backup: Jalen Nailor
I’ll do some thoughts on the Vikings depth chart here in a separate post about things that stand out to me. But, heading into the preseason opener, that’s what the pecking order looks like.
Loading comments...