5 surprising Vikings players who could make the 2020 roster
By Nik Edlund
Eddie Yarbrough – DE
The Vikings signed Eddie Yarbrough at the end of the 2019 season. When the move was made it didn’t make waves on social media or any other news outlets. Not that it should have, but looking at Yarbrough’s stats, should’ve given many the indication that this kid can play.
In two seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Yarbrough had a sack and 63 total tackles. He also broke up a couple of passes and accumulated eight tackles for a loss. Those numbers show that he is a complete defensive end, who can do more than just get after the passer.
When the Vikings drafted D.J. Wonnum and Kenny Willekes this year, many assumed they’d be strong candidates to be the backups to Danielle Hunter and Ifeadi Odenigbo.
Yarbrough and free-agent signee Anthony Zettel were basically written off as having slim to no chance of making the team. While that seems to have been proven true in Zettel’s case, Yarbrough has been a surprise.
Plenty of reports coming out of practice rave about Yarbrough and his impressive play. He pressures the quarterback on a daily basis and has been living in the backfield.
He has played with Minnesota’s first-team defense while Hunter has been out with an injury and he is clearly above both Wonnum and Willekes on the depth chart.
While it would suck to see Willekes get released, if Yarbrough truly has been the better player in camp this year, he deserves a spot on the Vikings roster and it looks almost like a guarantee that he has it at this point.