Analyzing the Minnesota Vikings Initial 53-Man Roster

it's official the 53 man roster for the 2024 Minnesota Vikings is released and I have the voice of the Vikings Paul Allen Vikings entertainment networks Gabe Henderson to join me and talk more about all of the moves that were made today by our Minnesota Vikings Paul let's Dive In First with our one big observation if you're looking at the roster as a whole well Levi Drake Rodriguez making the team it's not a big surprise after watching him in training camp and the preseason games and the pass rushing component from the inside is incredibly important in the NFL but my big observation is that this is a team whether you're a seventh round pick or you are undrafted you have a big chance not only to make it but to contribute see Ivan Pace Jr last year we talked a lot about him on the roster cut show last year so leevi Drake Rodriguez well done and we did think going into this there could be another Ivan Pace Jr and Gabe I feel like that's a nice segue into your big observation 100 the 100% when you think about a undrafted free agent who plays defensive line that would probably line up beside Levi Drake Rodriguez his name is Taki taiani phenomenal name a phenomenal human being and I had an opportunity to talk to his college coach right before the show and he was like look Taki is a dog and clearly that's translated over here to this Minnesota Vikings team and I love the fact that we got another undrafted free agent to make the team and it's just just a great story that we'll be following as the season go goes along yeah you know this roster got a lot younger this off season continuing to get younger with additions like Levi and Taki for sure you can see the entire 53 man roster right now on vikings.com let's start with the offense though on that side of things there was always a going to be a very big battle at wide receiver especially for that number three spot here's a look at the wide receivers on the 2024 roster of course there are the names like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on there there's six guys Jaylen Naylor Brandon Powell Trent sherfield senior and Tristian Jackson uh you know there's there was a lot of hype during this preseason with Jaylen Naylor taking a look at some of his bio he's been here this will be his third season overall your your viewpoint on Naylor's performance this preseason and being able to solidify a spot Paul well well with jayen injuries have been something that have derailed him a bit um he is arguably the fastest guy on the team now what I like about Jaylen is his self-awareness and he recognized I'm GNA spend the offseason putting on seven eight pounds and not compromising my speed and he's done it and now in uh the Cleveland and Vegas Raiders preseason games Kevin oconnell thought so highly of him he featured him in the offense so he was the featured guy while he was in all right Jaylen these plays are designed for you go out and show us what you can do and he came through so jayen making the team is not a big surprise jayen contributing during thison I think that's going to happen Gabe what about you and your thoughts on the wide receiver room I think PA hit that right on the head when you talk about Jaylen Naylor the biggest thing was his availability can he stay healthy and he did that all training camp he was my offensive MVP MVP this training camp and then you had an opportunity to see him in a few games this preseason go out there and make plays not only is he going to use his speed to open up the offense for I mean open up the plays playbook for the offense but also for Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison those guys won't get many double teams because you got another guy when you go 11 personnel or three wide receivers a guy in the slot that can take the top off of the defense and and push it vertically down the field so I'm excited about this room I love the fact that Tristan Jackson made the team also we know Brendan Powell was a a very big contributor on special team so there's a lot of talent in this room and if you ask Justin Jefferson they have arguably the best wide receiver coach in the NFL and Keen Mardell leading those troops for sure and you look at that wide through spot is maybe something that could be not just a oneman role there's going to be several names that you can plug into it depending on the play calling from head coach Kevin oconnell so it's a very exciting and talented room another room we're very excited about is the tight end room if you take a look TJ hackinson we are unsure about when he will be back so he is currently on the physically unable to perform list however behind him Johnny Mt joshh Oliver Nick Muse these are names we are very familiar with having seen them the past two one or two Seasons Paul what are your thoughts on these guys ability to step up in the absence of TJ as the Vikings start this season Uh Kevin oconnell always has been infatuated with and really enjoyed the work ethic of Johnny M uh there was there was at one point you know where he actually said this is the best third tight end anybody has in the NFL and he meant it because it just showed you how deep the one and two were so I'm really happy for Johnny Mt and uh with Josh Oliver when we were at The Joint practices in Cleveland they they threw the ball to him in spots we didn't see last year like Ali oops in the end zone and Josh came through so I'm not you know I'm not saying he's going to go from a career-high something like 22 receptions to like 50 but it's another component and another weapon in an offense that has unpredictability because of the new quarterback so with Johnny mutt Josh Oliver Nick Muse one of my favorites I like that room all three of those guys compliment each other and thinking about how to replace T.J hackinson is going to take a community to do so you got Nick musees who's just Mr consistent he can do it all as as a tight end he can play special teams and then you got Josh Oliver to Pa's Point has been phenomenal all offseason put in the fact that he looks like an offensive lineman out there and can run routes like a wide receiver he is going to be a valuable weapon for this offense and you think of Johnny mutt I don't know what he does wrong like there's so many things that he does right when you watch the film that you can't cut the guy like he's so good at his position that that's the reason why Kevin okano said he is the best well the third the tight end three the best tight end three in the NFL and I'm glad he's on this roster you know I was talking to Harrison Smith the other day asking him who are some of the household names that maybe Vikings fans or really the the any NFL fan does not know yet and he said Johnny Mt that was like the first name that came to his mind and I I take the hit man's uh advice over over a lot speaking of he's in obviously the safety room is led by Harrison Smith there are five guys in that room and uh we're going to talk though more about the corner backs because the safeties are guys we recognize Corners is a very different room than we saw last season let's first take a look at who's in there it's Stefan Gilmore Byron Murphy Jr sha Griffin a Caleb Evans Fabian Maro and the rookie undrafted free agent Dwight mlo uh Paul I want to kick it off though for first with uh Stefan Gilmore leading a room like this you see you know an undrafted free agent and then you see a guy like Stefan Gilmore who is just such a veteran well the the thing that jumped out to me with the the first four names you mentioned if you think about Brian Flores first year here with the Vikings last year you come into the Tampa Bay game and you're you're starting two corners or a CAA Evans and Byron Murphy Jr your prominent third was Makai Blackman so take those three into last season you had to combine 61 games from all of them now you add another player in there let's say Fabian Maro you look at the top four they're going to head into the Giants game with this year that's 441 games of experience and a Super Bowl ring with Stefon Gilmore so you have some veterans who maybe aren't as fast as they used to be or or you know nearing the ends of careers things are going to be different The Experience factor with this cornerback room and the four who are going to play the most it is off the charts so that's uh that's a major upgrade and then adding the fact that Brian Flores is the genius when it comes to orchestrating a defense he would use those guys mental abilities to their physical assets you know that these guys they can play the game they've played a lot of a lot of ball so they've seen everything now you get younger at the pass rush unit and let your DBS be smart in the back end and make the plays that come to him I I love the way the safety and the quarterback room has started to come together we know both those position groups meet together instead of meeting apart so ultimately the defensive back pass coverage unit is going to be that much better because of those veteran guys getting all those snaps in their career and and I love the mln story because he was at LSU with Dante Jones and then he goes to Arkansas Durante comes back to the Minnesota Vikings but those are the inner workings that lead you to undrafted players mcln for whatever the reason was not drafted but Durante knows things about how he plays from from four years ago that he was able to implement and share with the Personnel people then the head coach and it just all adds up so that somebody makes the team I just think that's fantastic yeah the talent development in this coaching staff is something that I think is been a really really fun thing to see over the last three seasons uh keep in mind Ivan Pace Jr his ability to adapt so quickly into Brian flores's defense this last year let's go that linebacking room and see what it looks like the outside linebackers this season Jonathan grenard Andrew van GLE Patrick Jones II Dallas Turner Jad Ward and then in the inside you have Blake Cashman Ivan Pace Jor Brian asima and cimu grer Hill hopefully Paul you're the leading uh you're right goto for the pronunciation did I nail that one I'll be ready all right hopefully I got that one right well I I really do though I'm excited probably the most out of all of them to see Dallas Turner and what the rookie can do what do you think Paul well his hise season uh was good and and he see Dallas played in The Cleveland game when some other ones did not play all right so that's going to raise eyebrows for all of you eyebrow for me likewise for Ed Ingram on the offensive line okay now both are going to make the team but they wanted to get the so there were Specific Instructions for each of them who are going to play significant roles that these others aren't playing you're playing and here's what we would like to see so then Dallas comes through and away from what I understand where he did not play in the Eagles preseason game now with Dallas Turner the first thing Mike petton the outside linebacker coach and and assistant head coach told me after they drafted him was just how licky split he picks up on things and just how mentally quick he is with identification at this level that's a lot different so if it took a little while longer to go than maybe Dallas thought during training camp that's to be expected but when it clicked it clicked and I'm not going to put him on any specific sack total this year he is the genuine article Dallas Turner is a plus I've been in I've been working in the NFL for seven years and Dallas Turner is one of those guys that when I saw him and I talked to him I was like this guy is special and it's tough for me to say that about players in this league the last person I said that about was Terry McLaren who played in Washington Kevin oconnell coached him didn't play the entire preseason and then we just witnessed Dallas Turner not play the final preseason game I believe Dallas Turner is going to have one of those years where people are going to say hey how how is he not in the defensive player of the year discussion 5 years down the road from now he is one of those guys that can make plays up and down the field I already know we he practices with the outside linebackers and then he goes to the inside linebackers during team period so the versatility that he provides this defense that is a Brian Flores type of player and to see him wearing purple for a years to come that is going to be exciting to see well having all this talk is going to be very exciting about the 2024 season don't forget you can see the entire 53 man roster on vikings.com or the Vikings app and we are gearing up for the season opener in New York against the Giants it's going to be on Sunday here Sunday September 8th it's a noon kickoff and then the one that I'm really excited for I'm ready for that US Bank season opener the not opener the home opener on September 15th another noon kick against the 49ers um I'm excited to see this team come together I think you guys so much for putting a little bit more of an in-depth analysis into this 53 man roster it is a very exciting time here at tcop PC and until then please stick with vikings.com or the Vikings app for all of your pre-season is coverage as we're ready to kick off the 2024 Minnesota Vikings season