Reserve Safeties:
Jayron Kearse: The biggest name to watch here is Kearse, who took a massive leap after the Vikings brought in George Iloka right before the regular season. With some true competition, Kearse put the pedal to the floor and came up with a career-high 32 tackles.
While that number isn’t going to make people start making his bust for Canton, he was an effective player for the Vikings thanks to his tackling. PFF gave Kearse a 90.8 tackling grade last season. That efficiency had the Vikings reportedly toying with using him more as a linebacker to get him on the field more, but that has not come to fruition so far in camp. Regardless, Kearse could be in line for a bigger role somewhere as the season begins.
Marcus Epps: Behind Kearse, the battle for the fourth safety spot is wide open and could be led by the sixth-round pick out of Wyoming. Epps wasn’t heralded leading into the draft but was very productive for the Cowboys with nine interceptions, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, two sacks, and a defensive touchdown. If those ball-hawking skills translate to the roster, it could make for a great case to get on the 53-man roster.
Derron Smith: Smith is another AAF alum that the Vikings scooped up once the league folded. Playing with the San Antonio Commanders, Smith racked up three interceptions and 21 tackles to rank third on the team in both categories. Smith has spent four years in the league with 38 games as a special teamer between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.
Isaiah Wharton: Wharton is a UDFA out of Rutgers that spent his entire career at cornerback although it might have been his tackling that gets him on the roster.
Wharton racked up a career-high 62 tackles for the Scarlett Knights as a senior and if he impresses, he may earn a spot on special teams.