The Viking Age
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Who’s in? Who’s out? What could the Vikings’ final 53 in 2018 look like?

By Chris Schad

(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) Kyle Sloter
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) Kyle Sloter /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 18: Abry Jones #95 of the Jacksonville Jaguars tackles Laquon Treadwell #11 of the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter in the preseason game on August 18, 2018 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Laquon Treadwell /

Wide Receivers:

  • Locks: Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Laquon Treadwell
  • On the bubble: Brandon Zylstra, Chad Bebe, Stacy Coley, Kendall Wright
  • Odd Men Out: Tarvares King, Jake Wieneke
  • Note: Cayleb Jones is also on the roster, but will be suspended for the first four games of the season. He does not count against the 53-man roster until he is activated.

The battle for the fourth and fifth receiver positions was expected to be a tight battle in camp, but it appears that nobody wants the job. As a whole, the group on the bubble has battled either injury or flat-out ineffectiveness during camp and the final spots remain wide open heading into Tennessee.

The leaders for the final spots may be Zylstra and Bebe. Zylstra looked good during the early portion of training camp before getting banged up prior to the Denver game. Although he missed the first two games of the year and didn’t have a target against Seattle, that performance may be good enough for a job.

That leaves one more spot and Bebe has come on strong down the stretch for the Vikings. After making the game-winning touchdown grab against the Seahawks, Bebe has distanced himself from the rest of the pack. One more solid performance with Tennessee and he could make the final cut.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 24: Tedric Thompson #33 of the Seattle Seahawks tackles Kyle Rudolph #82 of the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter in the preseason game on August 24, 2018 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Tedric Thompson /

Tight Ends:

  • Locks: Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan
  • On the Bubble: Tyler Conklin, Blake Bell

There was some excitement heading into training camp about what Conklin could be. After dealing with a broken foot in his senior season at Central Michigan, there was hope that he could flash more of the junior year version of himself and become the athletic move tight end that the Vikings have craved.

That fantasy hasn’t panned out in the first couple of games as the fifth-round pick has failed to distance himself from journeyman project Blake Bell. With neither tight end having an impressive showing in August, this could be a position where the Vikings could scout the waiver wire to bring someone in behind mainstays Rudolph and Morgan.

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