Watching the Vikings practice Saturday from the press box at U.S. Bank Stadium, presented an opportunity to put together an unofficial depth chart a week and three days into training camp. The Vikings should put out an official depth chart before next Saturday’s preseason opener against Denver. For now, here’s a combination of projections and what I saw Saturday. (Keep in mind, this is inexact and there were players moving around.)
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback: Kirk Cousins
Running back: Dalvin Cook
Wide receivers: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen (Expected third WR is Dede Westbrook, who is recovering from an ACL injury.)
Tight end: Irv Smith Jr.
Fullback: C.J. Ham
Left tackle: Rashod Hill
Left guard: Ezra Cleveland
Center: Garrett Bradbury
Right guard: Oli Udoh and Dakota Dozier
Right tackle: Brian O’Neill
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback: Jake Browning
Running back: Alexander Mattison
Wide receivers: K.J. Osborn, Chad Beebe or Ihmir Smith-Marsette (All three got time with the first-team Saturday with Jefferson, Thielen and Westbrook sitting out.)
Tight end: Tyler Conklin
Fullback: Jake Bargas
Left tackle: Blake Brandel
Left guard: Dru Samia
Center: Mason Cole
Right guard: Dakota Dozier or Oli Udoh
Right tackle: Evin Ksiezarczyk
THIRD-TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback: Nate Stanley or Danny Etling (Kellen Mond likely would be in this spot but he’s on the COVID-19 reserve list.)
Running backs: Ameer Abdullah, Kene Nwangwu, A.J. Rose Jr.
Wide receivers: Dan Chisena, Whop Philyor, Blake Proehl
Tight ends: Brandon Dillon, Shane Zylstra, Zach Davidson
Left tackle: Evin Ksiezarczyk
Left guard: Kyle Hinton
Center: Cohl Cabral
Right guard: Wyatt Davis
Right tackle: Zack Bailey
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
Left end: Danielle Hunter
Tackles: Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson
Right end: Stephen Weatherly
Linebackers: Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Nick Vigil (With Barr out, Ryan Connelly got work with this unit.)
Cornerbacks: Bashaud Breeland, Patrick Peterson (Mackensie Alexander plays inside in the nickel.)
Safeties: Harrison Smith and Xavier Woods
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
Left end: Jalyn Holmes
Tackles: Sheldon Richardson and James Lynch or Armon Watts
Right end: D.J. Wonnum
Linebackers: Blake Lynch, Cameron Smith, Troy Dye (Connelly would have replaced one of these three, if Barr had been practicing.)
Cornerbacks: Mackensie Alexander, Cameron Dantzler
Safeties: Myles Dorn, Camryn Bynum
THIRD-TEAM DEFENSE
Left end: Kenny Willekes
Tackles: Jordon Scott, James Lynch
Right end: Patrick Jones II
Linebackers: Christian Elliss, Tuf Borland, Chazz Surratt
Cornerbacks: Harrison Hand, Kris Boyd
Safeties: Josh Metellus, Luther Kirk
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kickers: Greg Joseph, Riley Patterson
Punter: Britton Colquitt
Long snappers: Andrew DePaola, Turner Bernard
Punt returns: K.J. Osborn, Ameer Abdullah, Ihmir Smith-Marsette (This should be Westbrook’s job once he is ready to go.)
Kickoff returns: Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Ameer Abdullah (The only two players I saw return kicks.)
In fairness, this leaves a few players without spots on the depth chart. They might have rotated in and I just missed it. Here is who I don’t have listed: Cornerbacks Tye Smith, Amari Henderson, Dylan Mabin and Parry Nickerson. Defensive ends Hercules Mata’afa (injured in practice last week), Jordan Brailford and Janarius Robinson. Defensive tackle Zeandae Johnson. Offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (offseason surgery). Wide receiver Myron Mitchell (On the COVID-19 reserve list.)