The Minnesota Vikings are going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2026. New quarterback Kyler Murray will draw the most attention, but championships are won in the trenches and in the depth of a roster.
This summer's training camps will give us a better picture of how deep Minnesota actually is. The team added multiple rookies via the draft and free agency which presents new challenges for veterans already looking to fend off other veterans from snatching their roster spot. Let's take a look at a few who are in the most dire of straits as camps begin.
S Theo Jackson
The 27-year-old saw himself demoted out of the starting safety role in 2025 after a poor showing which featured just 22 solo tackles, one pass defended and no picks. He's currently back at the top of the depth chart, but there's no guarantee he'll stay there considering he's entering the start of a fully guaranteed $12.615 million extension signed last season. Minnesota will want a return on its investment.
Third-round pick Jakobe Thomas was likely selected to push Jackson to find another gear or step aside for a younger, faster player to fill the void. Experience can serve Jackson well in this situation but he's going to have to show a spark that appears to have dwindled in the Minnesota secondary.
NT Taki Taimani
Taimani, 26, is in his second season in the league as an undrafted signee, but Minnesota's 2026 draft class was the clearest indication his tenure in Minneapolis is on life support. The Vikings selected Florida's Caleb Banks and Iowa State's Domonique Orange to plug up opposing rush attacks, which seemingly has pushed Taimani to third on the depth chart at his position.
I would be surprised to see Taimani included on the 53-man roster unless there's another position along the defensive line coaches believe he could provide depth security for. The practice squad appears to be the most likely destination for the Oregon product and, who knows, with Banks' injury history there may be need for him yet to become Orange's backup at some point in the year. For now, he's going to be the odd man out just based on basic roster math.
RB Zavier Scott
Scott was really hoping Aaron Jones was on his way out this offseason, but, alas, the veteran starter restructured his deal to stick around for the 2026 campaign and avoid being a salary cap casualty. Backup Jordan Mason remains exactly that, but Scott, who recorded 114 yards on 32 carries last season, is going to have to fight off a rookie to stay RB3.
Wake Forest's Demond Claiborne is smaller than Scott at five-foot-ten and 195 pounds but the 2026 sixth-round pick was seen as a valuable selection for a reason. That gives him a slight advantage going into training camp, especially if he impresses at rookie mini camp before then. Claiborne averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2025 for the Demon Deacons so if he displays that kind of power as a change-of-pace back, Scott could be in trouble.
C Michael Jurgens
The Vikings are experimenting at center this season with Ryan Kelly hitting the road. Blake Brandel is seemingly getting the first bite at the apple and his leash may be relatively long with Murray getting his bearings as well. If there's an injury or things just aren't working out, the decision for coaches then pivots to either Jurgens or rookie Gavin Gerhardt.
Jurgens looks to be the one with the worse chance to keep his second-string spot as the team would not have put Gerhardt through a full pre-draft install and then spent a seventh-round pick on him. The Cincinnati product isn't going to be a starter, that just doesn't happen for a rookie unless the circumstances are dire. That being said, the coaching staff may find themselves more comfortable with him backing up Brandel than Jurgens if there's a show of serious capability this summer.
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