Vikings Send 11 Players Packing in 1st Wave of Roster Cuts

The Minnesota Vikings made some big moves on Sunday, trading Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles and signing Carson Wentz as his replacement. There could be more on the way as the Vikings continue to pursue Adam Thielen and other wide receivers ahead of the regular season opener against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 8.

But before any of that can happen, the Vikings must cut their 90-man roster down to 53 players before Tuesday’s deadline. The first step in that process came hours after Minnesota solidified its quarterback room and sent several players packing in their first round of roster cuts.

QB Brett Rypien, WR Silas Bolden Highlight First Round of Vikings Roster Cuts

The Vikings announced that 11 players have been either waived or released by the team in the first wave of roster cuts on Sunday afternoon. While there weren’t many surprises in the initial set of moves, the two that stand out are quarterback Brett Rypien and wide receiver Silas Bolden.

Rypien joined the Vikings after failing to make the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal out of training camp last season. While he didn’t appear in a game, Rypien served as the third-string quarterback and often a voice in a room that included Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy and Daniel Jones. While Rypien could be signed to the practice squad, that seems unlikely since the Vikings will be rolling with McCarthy, Wentz and UDFA Max Brosmer this upcoming season.

The odds of a return are greater for Bolden. A UDFA out of Texas, Bolden was considered as a candidate for the punt return job after averaging 10.5 yards with a return for a touchdown last season. But Bolden never flashed as a kick returner and may have lost out on the job to fellow UDFA Myles Price or another returner to be added in the next several days. If the Vikings want, they could sneak Bolden through waivers and onto the practice squad but that could depend on if they add a veteran returner to begin the season.

The rest of the cuts included cornerbacks Reddy Steward and Keenan Garber, running back Tre Stewart, safety Mishael Powell, offensive tackle Logan Brown, offensive lineman Zack Bailey, wide receiver Robert Lewis and defensive lineman Travis Bell, who were all waived by the team. Outside linebacker Cam Gill also had his contract terminated by the team.