3 UDFAs Who Could Make Roster
The Three Vikings UDFAs Who Have Shown They Could Actually Make the Roster
Minnesota has had some recently impressive UDFA success. Here's who could help it continue.
The Vikings haven’t hit big in the draft recently, but one place that they’ve made up for it is with undrafted free agents. The Vikings had seven UDFAs make their initial 53-man roster last season, and with the lack of quality depth on the roster, there will be a chance for more relative unknowns to make a case for a roster spot during next month's training camp.
While most of the decisions will be made when the team arrives at TCO Performance Center, some UDFAs have already taken their first steps and have the inside track to making the roster as training camp inches closer.
Dillon Bell, WR
The UDFA with the loudest drumbeat this offseason has been Dillon Bell.
A 6-foot-1, 220-pound wide receiver out of Georgia, Bell didn’t put up monster stats with the Bulldogs, catching 119 passes for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns. He wasn’t even the top receiver in the offense as Zaccharia Branch put up bigger numbers before being taken in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons last April.
But during minicamp, Bell looked like a diamond in the rough. The Athletic’s Alec Lewis identified Bell as a sleeper candidate during the team’s rookie minicamp, and he progressed through the offseason, even earning some limited first-team reps during June’s minicamp.
“You can see what the Vikings were going for here,” Lewis wrote in April. “Bell is a big-bodied offensive weapon who doesn’t just look like a running back. The 6-foot, 210-pounder averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a runner at Georgia. The route running is the primary hurdle, but that’s precisely why the Vikings would make this type of bet. How Minnesota uses the spring and summer to find the right role for him will be telling. His frame and traits are exciting.”
Along with the athletic ability, the depth chart is screaming for Bell to climb it. While Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and free agent pick-up Jauan Jennings have the top three spots locked down, it is wide open on the back end as 2025 third-round pick Tai Felton is coming off a rough rookie season. If Bell performs well during camp, he should have a spot on this year’s team.
Brett Thorson, P
Bell’s Georgia teammate is another player with a shot at making the roster. The Vikings’ punter position opened up when Ryan Wright signed with the Saints last spring. While they also signed four-time Pro Bowler Johnny Hekker, Brett Thorson’s resume shows he could give him a run for his money.
Thorson won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter after averaging 45.5 yards per punt last season. Perhaps more impressively, he had just four touchbacks on 46 attempts while also having half of his punts (23) downed inside the 20-yard line.
It’s hard to judge a punter by what happens during minicamp, but Thorson already has some momentum. Pat McAfee declared him a “certified NFL guy” entering the draft, and Thorson has an advantage as an Australian native who can be stashed on the International Player Pathway Program, which allows the Vikings to roster him during camp without counting against the 90-man offseason roster.
Thorson’s leg and ability to hold for Will Reichard will be the two biggest factors in deciding whether he makes the team. But if he gets that down quickly in training camp, he’ll have a strong chance of winning the job.
Marcus Allen, CB
The Vikings have been trying to build depth across the roster, but cornerback feels like a forgotten position. Minnesota has three starters in Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers and free agent addition James Pierre. But the final spots on the depth chart are up for grabs and could belong to Marcus Allen.
A UDFA out of North Carolina, Allen was solid in coverage, allowing 39 catches for 470 yards and three touchdowns with seven pass breakups, according to Pro Football Focus. His eight penalties (one declined) from last season were also high, but he has the size that Brian Flores is looking for in his cornerbacks, standing at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds.
Allen won’t magically shoot up from a starting role out of the gate, but he may be able to cut his teeth on special teams. Mixing in as a reserve wouldn’t hurt, and there isn’t much competition in his way, although fifth-round rookie Charles Demmings is likely to take one of the roster spots.
If Allen can impress, there should be a job waiting for him, and it could be much-needed depth at the cornerback position.
LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN
Ah, summertime. BBQs, picnics, baseball and Vikings fans getting jacked for an UDFA WR. Let’s hope this one lives up to the hype.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
The Bell/Felton competition will be fun to watch. Bell is a lot like Jauan Jennings and Felton is a lot like Addison. Which will the Vikings need more? I'm going to go with Felton on this.
First of all, I don't agree that Felton had a "rough rookie season." You draft a guy who's 6-1+, 183 and your room already has Jefferson, Addison, Nailor and Thielen, your first thought is likely can we just put him with some ribeyes in the weight room for a year?
Second, there was an article a couple days ago that suggested the Vikings brought in Thielen because Felton disappointed in camp. I don't buy that. Bringing in Thielen was mostly a PR move. I've also read Felton could be on the outs because the guy who drafted him is no longer with the team. That's not telling the whole story. The guy who wanted him most was Keenan McCardell, and he's still with the team.
Third, Felton was a 3rd round draft pick. The Vikings are more likely to lose Felton to waivers than a UDFA if they try to sneak one onto the practice squad.
I'll never like the fact that the Vikings took a WR over all those good backs in last year's draft, but I think the rumors of Felton's demise have been greatly exaggerated.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
I'll have to see it, but those aren't bad guesses. I've seen a shitload worse in that department.
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