Andrew Buller-Russ
By placing a strong emphasis on cutting costs and clearing the salary cap sheet, the Minnesota Vikings have been forced to make tough decisions this offseason. After selecting nine players in the 2026 NFL Draft and signing another 19 undrafted free agents, the Vikings’ front office will have its work cut out when trimming the roster from 91 players (one extra due to punter Brett Thorson being an International Pathway Player) down to 53 later this fall.
Due to so many roster additions, many Vikings will find themselves fighting for a chance to make the team. Below are four players who undoubtedly will be entering training camp on the roster bubble, but a strong performance could strengthen their standing with the team.
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Walter Rouse, offensive tackle
He’s not a big-name player, but when the Vikings took a chance on Oklahoma’s Walter Rouse in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, there was a slim belief that the 6-foot-5 lineman could develop into a future starting offensive tackle. Of course, the Vikings have those positions shored up with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, but the latter of whom is entering the final year of his contract.
The Vikings clearly didn’t feel like they had enough talent on hand, so they selected Caleb Tiernan in the third round and signed Ryan Van Demark in free agency. Now, Rouse is no better than fifth on the offensive tackle depth chart. After playing in eight games across the past two seasons, he’ll likely be looking for another team soon.
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Taki Taimani, defensive tackle
A year ago, the Vikings were in desperate need of capable bodies along the defensive line, so they splashed in free agency by signing Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Both have since been released in cap-cutting moves, but they’ve also both been replaced by first-round pick Caleb Banks and third-round pick Domonique Orange. While Allen and Hargrave were viewed as short-term stopgaps, Banks and Orange are the future, which means a former undrafted player like Taki Taimani may be viewed as expendable after appearing in seven games as a rookie, but just two in his second season.
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Dwight McGlothern, cornerback
Last year, after the Vikings’ final roster cuts were made, Brian Flores only had four cornerbacks on his roster. Dwight McGlothern, an undrafted signee from the 2024 NFL Draft class, was one of them. After making five appearances as a rookie, McGlothern saw playing time in 10 games in 2025, but he still only saw 31 snaps on defense and 20 on special teams. Now that the Vikings have found a more reliable nickel corner in James Pierre while retaining Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers, McGlothern returns as CB4. Yet, he faces stiffer competition this time around after the Vikings selected Charles Demmings in the fifth round while retaining the 6-foot-3 Zemaiah Vaughn. Plus, the Vikings added three undrafted rookie cornerbacks, providing even more competition for McGlothern’s roster spot.
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Johnny Hekker, punter
The Vikings saw Ryan Wright, their punter of the previous four seasons, surprisingly sign a four-year, $14 million contract with the New Orleans Saints in free agency. Moving on from him was a no-brainer for a team looking to cut costs. They responded by signing one of this generation’s greatest punters in Johnny Hekker, who won a Super Bowl with Kevin O’Connell in L.A.
However, there’s a reason the 36-year-old hasn’t been named as a Pro Bowl selection or as an All-Pro since 2017. His skills have continued to fade, and the Vikings made signing undrafted rookie punter Brett Thorson a priority after the Aussie won the Ray Guy Award in college. Don’t be surprised if Thorson looks like the better long-term fit, but he’ll have to prove to be an effective holder on field goals and extra points first.
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