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4 Vikings Players Fighting for a Roster Spot Who Need a Strong Performance vs. the Giants
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- 4 Vikings Players Fighting for a Roster Spot Who Need a Strong Performance vs. the Giants
The Vikings preseason is about to begin with a game against the Giants that will kick off a three-game stretch of exhibition games, followed by a bye week before the regular season starts on Sept. 13 against the Packers. The Vikings have had three full weeks of training camp going into today's game against the Giants, and there have been plenty of interesting position battles and storylines that will eventually culminate in the formation of the final 53-man roster . A big element of putting the final touches on that final roster is for the Vikings' decision-makers to make a choice about certain bubble players who are currently in battles near the bottom of the depth charts . These guys are fighting for a spot on the roster, and their performances in these three preseason games will be paramount in determining whether they make the roster in Week 1. These are the four players who are the most desperate for a great performance in order to earn a place on the roster.
Ben Yurosek
Sep 23, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Benjamin Yurosek (84) misses a pass in the ned zone as Arizona Wildcats safety Gunner Maldonado (9) watches during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
The former undrafted tight end from Georgia didn't produce much last season, as he made the team as a depth tight end due to a season-ending injury to rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew . With Bartholomew now back and playing great in training camp , Yurosek has now fallen to fourth on the depth chart behind Bartholomew, Josh Oliver , and starter T.J. Hockenson . Yurosek needs to prove his value in these upcoming preseason games in order to convince the Vikings to carry four tight ends on the roster going into the season as it seems he won't be able to catch up to Bartholomew in the battle for TE3.
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Zavier Scott
Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott (36) reacts after catching a touchdown past during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an NFL International Series game at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Zavier Scott was left off of my initial 53-man roster prediction, but given sixth-round rookie running back Desmond Claiborne's injuries and struggles catching the ball out of the backfield, he could end up earning the RB3 spot, especially since the team recently released veteran running back Jordan Mims , giving Scott even more potential reps in preseason. I expect Scott and Claiborne to get a lot of reps in the next couple of games, and they both have a lot to prove, though Claiborne may be given a little more of a cushion given he was recently drafted. The Vikings could also choose Claiborne over Scott given Scott's unique status as an international player pathway participant, which opens up an additional spot on the practice squad for him and lets the Vikings keep him in the organization without wasting a practice squad spot on a younger player.
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Chaz Chambliss
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) is stopped by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chaz Chambliss (57) during the first quarter of an NFL pre-season game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 22, 2025.
With the Vikings being incredibly thin at edge rusher , Chaz Chambliss could potentially earn a spot on the roster simply by being a guy who can play the position. As I've mentioned before, however, the Vikings could use guys like Jake Golday and Jamal Adams as edge depth , which could push a player like Chaz Chambliss off the depth chart. In order to stay on the depth chart for Week 1, he is going to have to get to the quarterback at least once in the next couple of games while also setting a firm edge in the run game as well. It will be interesting to see if the former undrafted Georgia Bulldog is up to the challenge.
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Dwight McGlothern Jr.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern (6) breaks up a pass to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. The Vikings won, 48-10.
As a depth cornerback in Brian Flores' defense, Dwight McGlothern will never truly be safe as the defensive coordinator does not tend to keep many corners on his defense, usually relying on just three or four, which is unfortunate for him, as he currently sits as CB5 behind rookie Charles Demmings, veteran free agent James Pierre , breakout nickelback Isaiah Rodgers , and CB1 Byron Murphy Jr. Dwight McGlothern has to have a big preseason in order to convince Flores that he is valuable enough to break the coach's tendency to keep a small cornerback room.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
