Minnesota Vikings Preseason Depth Chart Analysis

As Minnesota Vikings training camp progresses, the team has released their first preseason depth chart.

Coming into the 2016-17 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings have a few interesting position battles to pay attention to.

There will be a few surprising cuts this season, which is not the worst problem to have. The Vikings have a team filled with talent. Many have suspected what their depth chart will look like. Today the Minnesota Vikings released their first preseason depth chart.

There were a few surprises within the depth chart. With some players coming back from injury, and some showing out in camp, this season will see some changes in who is in the starting lineup.

The first surprise to me was in the flanker wide receiver spot. As expected Stefon Diggs is at the top of the depth chart. Behind him are Cordarrelle Patterson/Adam Thielen. Yes, that is how they listed it on their depth chart, putting two players as the second spot of that position.

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Patterson has been said to have had a great offseason. Although he suffered an injury in the first day of training camp, Patterson should have a great chance to show if he is deserving of playing time in his last year under contract.

Thielen has been seen putting time in with the first team a lot this offseason. He has shown that he has more talent than just a player used on special teams. He will also be able to show the coaching staff that he is worthy of more playing time.

The most surprising part of all of this is they have Patterson/Thielen listed above Jarius Wright on the depth chart. This is surprising because Wright has been a reliable target for Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings since he came into the league.

In the split wide receiver position, Charles Johnson has taken back his starting job. There were a lot of people who had written Johnson off after last season. Johnson had a nagging injury that held him out of most of last season along with the emergence of Stefon Diggs.

Charles Johnson has been having a great camp and looks like his old self. Behind Johnson is first round rookie Laquon Treadwell. Expect Treadwell to have plenty of chances to overtake Johnson for that spot, but it would not be like Mike Zimmer to hand any rookie a starting job.

The starting five across the offensive line has been a topic of discussion all offseason. The depth chart has the starters listed as Kalil, Boone, Sullivan, Fusco, and Smith.

At the left cornerback spot, Terence Newman is still listed as the starter. Many expected last year’s first round pick Trae Waynes to take over the starting job but with Newman still playing at a high level, there is no reason to rush Waynes into that spot. Expect Waynes to get every opportunity to take that job from Newman though.

Another position of that has been the topic of discussion all offseason has been the strong safety spot, or safety spot across from Harrison Smith. The depth chart has Andrew Sendejo listed at the top. After signing that extension last season, this should not be the biggest surprise.

Next: Stefon Diggs is Showing Out in Vikings Camp

We could read into the depth chart, or just realize this is their preseason depth chart and there will be some changes made before the regular season starts. This is the time that the coaches will really be evaluating the talent on this team and making the moves that need to be made to create the best product on the field. Can the regular season start soon enough?

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