Story by
Vikings Linebacker Moving to Fullback?
- Story by
- Vikings Linebacker Moving to Fullback?
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Vikings have just one preseason game remaining before the start of the regular season, September 13 against the Green Bay Packers . Don't get it confused, though, there's still a lot this team has to get figured out between now and then.
It's anybody's guess who backs up Kyler Murray at quarterback against the Packers, for example. For the defense, which has been light years ahead of the offense all training camp, Brian Flores's crew is still extremely thin in the secondary and incredibly young up front .
Advertisement
And from the sounds of it, he may be losing losing a linebacker to the offense?
Chaz Chambliss changing numbers and maybe positions
Well according to Emily Leiker (Star Tribune) , outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss got a snap at fullback, during joint practices last week against the Baltimore Ravens .
And now, the experiment has moved along far enough that the four-year starting LB at the University of Georgia is changing numbers, from 57 to 40, the latter of which makes him eligible to play both linebacker and/or fullback.
Remember how we mentioned on Access Vikings last week that outside linebacker Chazz Chambliss took a rep at fullback during joint practices with the Ravens? Well, he switched to No. 40, which would indicate there's some steam there. The NFL has limitations around which jersey numbers can be worn at certain positions, and Chambliss' No. 57 is not among eligible numbers for running backs.
Related: Vikings Superstar Thinks He's Sitting on Big Season, Points to New QB
Advertisement
Chaz Chambliss signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent last offseason, and went on to play in 12 games , mostly as a special teams guy (183 snaps), though he did get a taste on defense (25 snaps), as well.
When the dust settled on his rookie year in the NFL, Chambliss totaled 8 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 sack. And now, apparently, he may be moving to the offense… or at least adding to his repertoire as an emergency fullback, in case rookie Max Bredeson were to become unavailable for any reason.
What's really going on here?
In all likelihood, the Minnesota Vikings are not moving Chambliss to fullback. If I had to guess, this says more about how much Kevin O'Connell is planning the offense around his rookie out of Michigan, the aforementioned Bredeson.
Advertisement
There has been chatter all training camp about how much the Vikings are falling in love with the young fullback, and what he's done for their new run game, among other parts of the offense.
Vikings' first play of the preseason is a 17-yard Aaron Jones run with Max Bredeson out front. That'll work! pic.twitter.com/bckauBpuTN
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 15, 2026
And if you are going to make Bredeson a key piece of your plan, then you need to have emergency levers to pull in case he were to get hurt. One of those moves may now be Chaz Chambliss, who could find himself at fullback at some point this season, if the Vikings find themselves in some sort of Bredeson pinch.
