The Minnesota Vikings are currently in a tight situation moving into the 2023 NFL season. The team is transitioning as they are doing all they can to prepare for the future by laying off some of the players they had previously included on the team.
Compiling together a competitive log while also getting ready for the future at the same time can be an overwhelming challenge for any manager of the NFL.
Being a first-time general manager, the results of a roster creation significantly impact your career.
Last year, the Vikings won the NFC North despite the terrifying struggles on the opposing line. But there's an urgent need to hold on to essential assets for the future.
Last Sunday Afternoon, the Minnesota Vikings laid off 17 players and would still part ways with 20 more later this week.
Here's a compiled list of cuts from the last couple of weeks, which was updated with the Blacklock and Day's departure:
- Kalon Barnes (CB)
- Jake Gervase (S)
- Adrian Lowe (OT) | Trade
- Ross Blacklock (DT)
- Jacky Chen (OT)
- C.J. Coldon (CB)
- Sheldon Day (DT)
- Calvin Avery (DT)
- Curtis Weaver (OLB)
- Tay Gowan (CB)
- Wilson Huber (LB)
- N'Keal Harry (WR)
- Christian DiLauro (OT)
- Jordan Ta'amu (QB)
- Jameson Houston (CB)
- Wilson Huber (ILB)
- Garett Maag (WR)
- Chim Okorafor (OT)
- Jack Podlesny (K)
- Abram Smith (RB)
- Josh Sokol (C)
- Colin Thompson (TE)
- Tanner Vallejo (LB)
- Jarrid Williams (OT)
What's The Good News?
The good news is that Blacklock and Day are already well-known masters, and they wouldn't stay too long unemployed before getting a new post. They both have way better possibilities of securing onto a roster later this year than other players. For example, Wilson Huber is just as good as Anonymous in the NFL world.
Earlier last year, the Minnesota Vikings traded a 6th-round option to the Houston Texans Blacklock, but he didn't catch on as planned. He played in 11 games where he started none of it, with a total of 139 defensive snaps and a 46.4 Focus grade. The TCU alums might need a career pinnacle at his next NFL destination to accomplish his 2nd-round draft stock from the past three years.
Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, Esezi Otomewo, Dean Lowry, Jaquelin Roy, T.J. Smith, Khyiris Tonga and Junior Aho are the names on the list of Vikings' remaining DTs before the final roster cuts.
The Minnesota team is expected to keep a total number of five to six DTs active on the roster.
This morning, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported on Twitter that the Vikings had released two defensive linemen, Ross Blacklock and Sheldon Day, late Monday night.