Cornerbacks:
- Locks: Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, Mike Hughes, Marcus Sherels
- On the Bubble: Terrence Newman, Holton Hill
- Odd Men Out: Craig James, Horace Richardson, Jack Tocho, Trevon Mathis
The first name that may be surprising as a lock is Sherels, but you might as well just put special teams next to his name to understand why he’s making this roster. His role in the return game is nice, but with the Vikings struggling to cover punts in the preseason, keeping Sherels around seems like a no-brainer.
The real decision the Vikings might have is deciding whether to take the veteran or the upstart rookie. Hill started fast in training camp, but hasn’t shown the same kind of spark in games. The fact that Hill can also be placed on the practice squad could give the edge to Newman, who is also a strong locker room presence.
Safeties:
- Locks: Harrison Smith, Andrew Sendejo, Anthony Harris, George Iloka
- On the Bubble: Jayron Kearse
- Odd Man Out: Tray Matthews
Of course, the biggest change here is the addition of Iloka. The former Bengal did just about everything for the Vikings on Friday night (including playing special teams) and will likely push somebody on the fringe off the roster.
Could that guy be Kearse? The Clemson product didn’t see the field in the first two games, but flew around and made plays against Seattle. It’s possible that the signing of Iloka could have lit a fire, but it’s fair to wonder if it’s too little, too late.