5 Minnesota Vikings Making An Early Case To Earn A Roster Spot

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5 Minnesota Vikings Making An Early Case To Earn A Roster Spot

Andrew Buller-Russ · Sportsnaut

Tue, Aug 11, 2026 ·

5 min read

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Training camps are in full swing. On Saturday, the Minnesota Vikings will kick off their first preseason game too. Eventually, on Aug. 30, teams will have to trim their rosters down from 90 players to just 53.

Naturally, the Vikings will have several tough decisions to make. A number of undrafted rookie free agents make the Vikings' team each season, and this year's roster will be no different. Even though these five players didn't earn a Vikings roster spot ahead of last year's cuts, they're all making an early case to land a job in Minnesota this fall.

Gavin Bartholomew

Gavin Bartholomew may have snatched a roster spot last year, but a back injury kept him from getting that chance. Yet, the Vikings made him a sixth-round pick in 2025 for a reason, and Bartholomew has impressed with his pass-catching traits early on.

While the Vikings are fans of T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver , the former is in a contract year, and the latter is mostly a blocker who they likely wouldn't want starting next year. In essence, the Vikings need a TE3 to step up, and so far, Bartholomew has answered the call. Barring injury, Bartholomew is looking like a lock to earn a spot on the Vikings.

Jacob Thomas

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesCredit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

How many safeties will Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores want to keep? Undrafted rookie Jacob Thomas could find himself getting left behind in the numbers game, especially if a 37-year-old Harrison Smith decides to play a 15th NFL season. But for now, the James Madison product is making an early case to earn an opportunity in Minnesota.

Joshua Metellus is the only safety who's guaranteed a role, and third-round pick Jakobe Thomas will get a spot too. But Jacob could find himself leaping ahead of players like Jay Ward , Theo Jackson , and special teams standout Tavierre Thomas . For now, he's still on the outside looking in, but likely is a good bet for the practice squad. Yet, strong preseason performances could move the UDFA up in the pecking order.

Jeshaun Jones

Undrafted coming out in 2024, Jeshaun Jones earned a spot on the Vikings' practice squad in 2024. The same was true last season, where Jones saw action in a game as a punt returner. But he's still waiting to make his mark as a receiver. In his third season, he undoubtedly has a strong grasp on the offense now, and the 26-year-old is making plays at Vikings training camp. The issue is, there's a lot of stiff competition ahead of him.

The Vikings' top-five receivers are all locked in with Justin Jefferson , Jordan Addison , Jauan Jennings , 2025 third-round pick Tai Felton , and return specialist Myles Price , so Jones will have to be very impressive to convince the team to keep six receivers, but he's off to a good start. Of course, an injury to any of the five listed above could make Jones the next man up, giving him a spot that way. For now, he's on the outside looking in, simply because the Vikings likely don't need to keep six receivers, but he's likely the next one getting the call should an injury pop up.

Dontae Fleming

Like Jones, Dontae Fleming is another former undrafted free agent signing. Though Fleming joined the team last year, now the 6-foot-2, 24-year-old is looking more polished as he goes through his second Vikings training camp with more confidence running through coach O'Connell's offense. On the team's practice squad last season, now he's making a stronger case for a roster spot, but again, he's caught up in the numbers game like Jones. Nevertheless, it appears the Vikings have a pair of receivers they really like if they need to break the glass in case of emergency.

Jamal Adams

Jamal Adams was on a roster last season ( Las Vegas Raiders ), just not with the Vikings. But unlike several of the other team's offseason acquisitions, Adams arrived as more of an afterthought in late July. Yet, clearly coach Flores brought in the former All-Pro safety for a reason. He obviously has a vision in mind for the blitzing menace, and it sounds like he'll be asked to play safety and linebacker. Still just 30 years old, it's not unreasonable to think Adams, who played all 17 games for the first time in his life last year, could enjoy a bit of a career renaissance under coach Flores.

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