5 surprise players who could make the Vikings’ 2019 roster

Karter Schult – DE

The Vikings’ group of defensive ends is set at the top. Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter are one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL. Stephen Weatherly emerged a season ago and will be the next man up. After that though is where things begin to get really murky.

Tashawn Bower is lost for the season with an Achilles injury, so that makes things easier for a guy like Karter Schult to make the team.

His primary competition will be guys who are all in the same boat. That boat is inexperience. Ade Aruna, Ifeadi Odenigbo, and Stacy Keely all have next to no NFL experience. Schult just needs to impress in this year’s camp and when he’s on the field during the preseason and he’s got a good shot to make this team.

Schult started his NFL career in Cleveland and then spent some time in Carolina. He eventually signed with the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF and came into his own.

He finished third in the defunct league with seven sacks and he was consistently beating his opposition and harassing quarterbacks. Playing in the upstart league against other hungry players will only help Schult.

He’s had to scrap and fight to even get this chance and if he continues to bust his butt, his chances of making the Vikings’ final 53-man roster are as good as anyone else on the lower portion of the defensive end depth chart.