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The 3 Vikings Draft Picks with an Iffy Status Going into the NFL’s Cut Weekend
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- The 3 Vikings Draft Picks with an Iffy Status Going into the NFL’s Cut Weekend
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Soon enough, the Minnesota Vikings will need to go from 91 players to 53 players. Shuffling some guys over to the 16-player practice squad is going to help alleviate the pain, but there's only so much that spot can help.
Most of the Vikings draft picks are going to get onto the final roster that gets announced on Sunday, August 30th. In fact, several are moving into prominent roles, with LB Jake Golday and FB Max Bredeson standing out as having particularly promising offseasons. So, too, do defensive linemen Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange appear ready for Week 1 work . Are some of the Vikings draft picks in danger of missing the roster altogether?
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3 Vikings Draft Picks with an Iffy Roster Status
Player No. 1 — OT Caleb Tiernan
Nov 25, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan (72) gives a hand to Northwestern Wildcats running back Cam Porter (4) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
3rd-Round OT Caleb Tiernan is not going to be cut. He's being included, though, due to an injury that's being described as a week-to-week issue by Kevin O'Connell .
Is the towering tackle going to be available for that Week 1 game? That's the goal. If there's uncertainty, then maybe he gets shuffled off the 53-man roster into the infirmary. Doing so clears a roster slot on a short-term basis. The benefit from a roster construction perspective is that Tiernan could be kept within the team's orbit without demanding a roster spot in the initial weeks of the 2026 season.
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Not a locked-in reality, just something that's possible. Health is the only thing that's going to be an issue for Tiernan getting included among those official 53 guys.
Player No. 2 — RB Demond Claiborne
Minnesota Vikings running back Demond Claiborne (21) runs with the ball during a preseason opening game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Demond Claiborne is in the running for being the fastest player on the roster. At the very least, he's the fastest running back. He may not get kept around, though.
Both of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are better and higher on the depth chart. What about returning runner Zavier Scott ? He's a versatile talent who boasts good size, soft hands, and past experience in this offense. If he's the RB3, then Claiborne is in a tricky position since there's no guarantee that an RB4 sticks around.
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Demond Claiborne is likely to make the final roster. What's been concerning, though, is some ball security issues alongside some inefficient work in the preseason games. He's said to be a work in progress in the passing game. Trying to slide him down to the practice squad means seeing him at a high risk of getting poached.
Note that Minnesota traded up into the 6th to pick Demond Claiborne.
Player No. 3 — C Gavin Gerhardt
Oct 21, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats offensive lineman Gavin Gerhardt (53) prepares to snap the ball against the Baylor Bears in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
The rough-and-tough offensive lineman is a long shot to get onto the final roster.
Chosen in the 7th Round, Gavin Gerhardt was always facing an uphill battle. Neither C1 Blake Brandel nor C2 Michael Jurgens are so formidable so as to be insurmountable. The issue, though, is that Gerhardt doesn't appear ready to help early within his career.
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Look for him to marinate on the practice squad as a rookie before then pushing for more in 2027 and beyond. In time, Gerhardt's job will be to function as iOL depth on the active roster.
Also Read on Vikings Territory: 2 Quotes Illustrate Kevin O'Connell's Shifting Confidence in J.J. McCarthy
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