3 Vikings who won’t be on the roster by September 1

Is Sean Mannion worth keeping around as a glorified third-string quarterback?

With Kevin O’Connell now in charge of the operation, expect for the Vikings quarterback room to be a little more upbeat than it was a year ago. Kirk Cousins and Mike Zimmer clashed, while O’Connell’s predecessor would never give rookie Kellen Mond the time of day. Though both players should feel good about their roles heading into this upcoming season, what about Sean Mannion?

While Mannion used to play for the Rams back in the day, that was during the Jeff Fisher era, primarily in St. Louis. O’Connell was climbing up the coaching ranks with Washington around that time. Though one former NFL backup quarterback could relate to another, Mond has the infinitely higher upside from the backup spot. If Cousins gets hurt, Mond would get to play over Mannion.

Ultimately, this really comes down to if O’Connell sees the value of keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. If Mannion proves to be an important piece in the classroom, then O’Connell can justify keeping him around. However, the Vikings have a division to win. Anything short of a playoff berth will be seen as a disappointment for Minnesota. They cannot overpay for luxuries.

Camp will be an indicator if Mond is ready to be the Vikings’ unquestioned backup quarterback.