A number of former Minnesota Vikings will be on the field on Thursday night when the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Las Vegas Raiders.
When the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Las Vegas Raiders in the annual Hall of Fame Game on Thursday to kick off the 2022 NFL preseason, multiple former members of the Minnesota Vikings are expected to take part in the exhibition matchup.
For the Jaguars, former Vikings players Kyle Sloter and Laquon Treadwell will likely get some action during Thursday’s contest. On the Raiders’ sideline, it will be a trio of former Minnesota players that includes kicker Daniel Carlson, running back Ameer Abdullah, and defensive end Tashawn Bower.
Carlson is the only one that really seems to be guaranteed a regular-season roster spot with his team this year, so Thursday’s game could play an essential part in determining the futures of the other four former Vikings players.
Which former Minnesota Vikings will shine the brightest when the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Las Vegas Raiders?
All of the former Minnesota players should get a decent amount of time on the field on Thursday, but Sloter probably has the best chance to make the biggest impact.
Trevor Lawrence won’t be playing in the matchup, so Jake Luton will get the start under center for the Jaguars, and Sloter will be the top backup. There’s a good chance that the former Vikings quarterback will get to take part in at least two quarters of Thursday’s contest.
Treadwell, Minnesota’s former 2016 first-round draft pick, should get a good amount of playing time for Jacksonville against the Raiders as well. He’s fighting with several others to earn one of the Jaguars’ final receiver jobs for the upcoming season.
On the other sideline, Bower will be looking to make a good impression on the Las Vegas coaching staff, and he’ll probably end up chasing Sloter a few times. Abdullah is currently slotted in as the Raiders’ kick returner and that is likely his best chance to make the team’s final roster.
As for Carlson, the former Vikings draft pick has experienced a ton of success since his departure from the Twin Cities in 2018. His performance earned him a contract extension with Las Vegas near the end of the 2021 campaign and he’ll be looking to have another productive season in 2022.