6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
By Adam Patrick
Brandon Powell – WR
After two years with the Los Angeles Rams, wide receiver Brandon Powell decided to follow Kevin O’Connell to the Twin Cities and sign with the Vikings this offseason.
The 5-foot-8, 188-pound Powell only caught 24 passes for 156 yards with the Rams in 2022, but his primary duties were mostly on special teams as the team’s punt and kick returner.
In 17 games with Los Angeles last season, Powell averaged 7.4 yards on 24 punt returns and 20.2 yards on 30 kick returns. If he is able to perform well during training camp and the preseason this summer, it’s possible that he could replace Jalen Reagor as Minnesota’s punt returner and Kene Nwangwu as the team’s kick returner.
However, a spot on the Vikings’ final 2023 roster definitely isn’t being handed to Powell. The former Rams return specialist signed a one-year deal worth a little more than $1.2 million with Minnesota this offseason, but only $275,000 of the contract was guaranteed at signing.
So if the Vikings decide they’re not going to keep Powell on the roster for the 2023 season, the team will only be on the hook for that $275,000, and they’ll free up almost $900,000 in cap space.