4 Vikings already tumbling down the 2023 depth chart at training camp

Player No. 2

Brandon Powell - WR

A bit of an under-the-radar signing, Brandon Powell joined the Vikings back in March after spending the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

While Powell did set a new single-season career-high for catches (24) and receiving yards (156) with the Rams in 2022, the majority of his production in his NFL career has come as a returner on both kickoffs and punts.

Minnesota already has one of the best kick returners in the league in Kene Nwangwu, so the assumption was that Powell was being brought in to compete for the team's punt return job.

Now, obviously, it's still early in training camp, but there have been no reports of Powell even being one of the players catching punts in practice during the last few days. Jalen Reagor, Thayer Thomas, and Jordan Addison are the only guys that have been seen doing anything punt return-related since full-team practices began on Wednesday.

If Powell isn't going to return punts for the Vikings, then he's going to have a tough time making the team. Minnesota's wide receiver room is full of young talent this year, and someone would likely have to get injured in order for Powell to get high enough up on the depth chart to remain on the team's final 2023 roster.