The best chances for some players to make the Minnesota Vikings roster is through their ability on special teams.
The Minnesota Vikings are in the middle of training camp and it’s turning out to be one of the more competitive ones they’ve had in years. There are many open spots just waiting to be claimed on the depth chart and players will need to impress in practice, as there are no preseason games to show off their skills.
Some players are in log jams at certain positions. These players may have highly touted draft picks ahead of them on the depth chart, or play a position that is already plenty deep with established talent. For some players, their best chances of making the Vikings 53 man roster will be through their ability on special teams.
Here are four players who could end up on the Vikings due to their prowess on special teams, obviously, we will exclude the kicker Dan Bailey and punter Britton Colquitt.
RB Ameer Abdullah
Ameer Abdullah was the Vikings’ primary return, man, a season ago and that ability helps his chances of making the team. Unfortunately for him, his position on offense is one of the most talented and deepest on the entire team.
Abdullah is the fourth running back on the Vikings’ depth chart. He is buried behind star Dalvin Cook, second-year breakout candidate Alexander Mattison, and the underused but solid Mike Boone. The Vikings could also go with CJ Ham in emergency situations, so keeping Abdullah as a back is definitely something that is a long shot.
While making the team as a running back probably isn’t going to happen, the fact that Abdullah developed into an all-around special team’s demon does help his chances of making the team. Not only is Abdullah an adequate returner, but he’s also a very good gunner. Abdullah seemed to really cherish his role on special teams and many times he was the first Viking down the field making the tackle or downing the punt.
If the team were to let him go, they’d be losing an extremely valuable asset on a unit that can sometimes determine the outcome of games.
CB Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd developed nicely a season ago and he gained much of his self-confidence over the course of the season by playing special teams. Boyd struggled in the preseason at cornerback in camp in 2019. He looked so lost and confused on the field, that it looked like he’d be cut and a candidate for the practice squad.
He actually made the team, and over the course of the season was working on special teams. By about Week 6, Boyd was clearly relishing his role as a gunner and celebrating every time he made a big tackle. The confidence he gained playing special teams carried over to the defensive side of the ball and he began playing much better. He was stickier in coverage and actually able to hit what he was attempting to tackle.
Boyd is probably safe when it comes to making the team strictly as a cornerback this year. He does have a lot of new competition for a spot on the depth chart with rookies like Jeff Gladney, Cameron Dantzler, Harrison Hand, and Nevelle Clarke being added. While a few of those youngsters have stepped up so far in camp and could bump him down the depth chart, Boyd is an established core special teamer and that should assure him a spot on the final roster.
WR K.J. Osborn
The Vikings took K.J. Osborn to be their primary return man in 2020. They apparently want him to be both the kick and punt returner, loving the burst and speed he showed in college. Though the Vikings’ have clear plans for him, Osborn’s spot on the roster isn’t guaranteed. He’ll need to show the ability to be a weapon as a return man in practice and he’ll have competition for that role.
Players who will push Osborn will be Ameer Abdullah and Chad Beebe. Beebe was the punt returner early in the 2019 season. He did have a case of the muffs, as he dropped a couple of punts that nearly resulted in turnovers. Abdullah got a lot of work a season ago as the kick returner, as he returned 13 kicks for 325 yards, and will battle Osborn in camp to keep that job.
Osborn will first have to show consistent hands in fielding punts and kicks. He will also have to show that explosion and decisiveness that made him get selected by the Vikings in the first place. If he’s able to do this, he should land himself a spot on the final roster. If he struggles, he’ll be let go, and likely stuck on the practice squad.
WR Dan Chisena
Chisena is a major long shot to make the Vikings’ final roster, but if he is able to defy the odds and do it, it’ll be because of his special team’s studliness. Dan Chisena is a former collegiate track star who walked on as a receiver at Penn State. He only caught three passes in his college career but was a star on special teams.
Chisena runs a 4.32 forty yard dash, so he’s got plenty of speed. He also isn’t afraid to make a tackle when he’s going full speed and will throw his body in harm’s way to make a play. Chisena stood out as a special teamer at Penn State and that’s what earned him a scholarship. The Vikings clearly had their eye on this kid and brought him in solely for his ability to fly down the field and make a hit. He is a player who really could have stood out in the second halves of preseason games and would’ve been a fun one to watch every time the Vikings kicked off or punted the football.
If Chisena were to make the Minnesota Vikings, a series of dominoes would have to fall into place first. First of all, he’d have to play great in every single practice. K.J. Osborn would need to beat out Ameer Abdullah as the return man, making him expendable. It also wouldn’t hurt if Kris Boyd got injured, as that would clear the way for him to make the team as a gunner. if those things came to pass, Chisena could make the team and be a standout on special teams, but it’s more likely he ends up on the practice squad.