Vikings Preseason: Five Familiar Players Who Could Get Cut

Nov 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Larry Dean (51) watches the offense perform against the Detroit Lions on the video screen late in the fourth quarter at the Metrodome. The Vikings win 34-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Larry Dean

Larry Dean’s special teams contributions were noted by TVA in our Top 25 Vikings of 2014 countdown, and they are still an important factor, but are kick coverage prowess and locker room leadership enough to preserve Dean’s job when there are so many names still in the mix at linebacker?

Anthony Barr, Jasper Brinkley and Chad Greenway are your likely starters. Gerald Hodges has done a lot to wrap up a spot so far in camp and preseason. Audie Cole is almost a lock at this point as far as I’m concerned. And Michael Mauti is a young player the Vikings seem to also like a lot.

Depending on how many DBs the Vikings decide to keep, six could be the number at linebacker. And if the Vikings elect to go six, I think Dean has to be the odd-man-out.

In this case, being a really solid ST contributor, hard worker and team leader may not be enough. I have Dean as a probable cut.