4 Vikings who might be surprisingly safe after the 2024 NFL Draft

Between the guys they selected during the 2024 NFL Draft and the undrafted players they signed, the Minnesota Vikings have added more than 20 new faces to their roster during the last few days.

Most of these new additions have a slim chance of actually remaining with the Vikings for the 2024 regular season. But at least a few of them have the potential to grab a spot on Minnesota's roster that currently belongs to a veteran player.

So, there are certainly some current Vikings who are now worried about their future with the team. At the same time, there are also some members of Minnesota's roster who probably feel better about their chances to stick around with the team for the 2024 season.

Minnesota Vikings players who might be surprisingly safe after the 2024 NFL Draft

DeWayne McBride - RB

Even without a single selection on Day 2 of this year's NFL Draft, the Vikings still had plenty of opportunities to use one of their picks on a new running back. A total of 19 running backs were selected in the 2024 draft, but none of them wound up with Minnesota.

A seventh-round pick by the Vikings in 2023, McBride spent his entire rookie season on the team's practice squad. With Minnesota opting not to draft a running back or add to the position group with an undrafted free agent, it currently seems like the team is at least going to give McBride a solid chance to make their final 2024 roster this offseason.

Garrett Bradbury - C

After having a bit of a breakout performance in 2022, Garrett Bradbury came back down to earth last season, and some of his old habits reemerged. Some thought the Vikings might take the opportunity to select one of this year's top center prospects in the 2024 draft, but that's not what they ended up doing.

Now, Minnesota did use a seventh-round pick to draft a center in Michael Jurgens out of Wake Forest, and they signed another in undrafted rookie Michael Cindric out of California. But Bradbury likely isn't sweating about losing his starting job to a seventh-round pick or an undrafted rookie.

Jalen Nailor - WR

Most assumed the Vikings were going to spend at least one of their selections in this year's NFL Draft to add a new wide receiver after the departure of K.J. Osborn earlier this offseason. To the surprise of many, however, Minnesota didn't draft a new pass-catcher with any of their seven 2024 draft picks.

The Vikings did sign a few undrafted wide receivers after this year's NFL Draft, but Jalen Nailor has to feel pretty confident about his spot with the team after the events of the last few days. A sixth-round selection by Minnesota in 2022, it seems like Nailor is going to have a chance to potentially challenge for the third or fourth spot on the team's wide receiver depth chart this year.

Brian Asamoah - ILB

Drafted by the Vikings with a third-round pick in 2022, Brian Asamoah has been a bit of a disappointment during his time with the team. If Minnesota had used one of their 2024 draft selections on an inside linebacker, the doubt about Asamoah's future with the franchise would have definitely increased.

However, the Vikings didn't draft an inside linebacker this year, and while he likely won't be challenging for a starting spot, Asamoah should feel confident about the team keeping him around as a veteran backup and a contributor on special teams for the 2024 season.

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