The Minnesota Vikings, similar to the other 31 NFL teams, had until Tuesday, August 27, to trim their crowded roster of 90 players to 53 by 4 P.M. ET. The Vikings and the other NFL teams had to make the difficult decision of releasing/waiving players who had fought long and hard for their whole lives to fulfill their dream of playing in the National Football League and making an active roster. This week will be the most challenging for general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches, players, and agents.
Here is their initial 53-man roster.
The Minnesota Vikings offense
![The Minnesota Vikings Announced Their Initial 53-Man Roster 1 USATSI 23968369 168400517 lowres](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USATSI_23968369_168400517_lowres.webp)
Quarterback (3)
- Sam Darnold
- Nick Mullens
- Jaren Hall
Running Back/Fullback (3)
- Aaron Jones
- Ty Chandler
- C.J. Ham
Wide Receiver (6)
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- Trishton Jackson
- Brandon Powell
- Jalen Nailor
- Trent Sherfield Sr.
Tight End (3)
- Josh Oliver
- Johnny Mundt
- Nick Muse
Offensive Line (9)
- Christian Darrisaw
- Blake Brandel
- Garrett Bradbury
- Ed Ingram
- Brian O’Neill
- Walter Rouse
- Dan Feeney
- Michael Jurgens
- David Quessenberry
The Minnesota Vikings defense
![The Minnesota Vikings Announced Their Initial 53-Man Roster 2 Minnesota Vikings, Harrison Smith](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USATSI_21459993_168400517_lowres.jpg)
Defensive Line (6)
- Jonathan Bullard
- Harrison Phillips
- Jerry Tillery
- Jalen Redmond
- Levi Drake Rodriguez
- Taki Taimani
EDGE Rusher (5)
- Jonathan Greenard
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Dallas Turner
- Pat Jones II
- Jihad Ward
Linebacker (4)
- Blake Cashman
- Ivan Pace Jr.
- Brian Asamoah II
- Kamu Grugier-Hill
Cornerback (6)
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Stephon Gilmore
- Akayleb Evans
- Shaq Griffin
- Dwight McGlothern
- Fabian Moreau
Safety (5)
- Harrison Smith
- Camryn Bynum
- Josh Metellus
- Theo Jackson
- Jay Ward
The Minnesota Vikings special teams unit
![The Minnesota Vikings Announced Their Initial 53-Man Roster 3 Minnesota Vikings, Will reichard](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USATSI_23969183_168400517_lowres-scaled.jpg)
Specialist (3)
- Kicker: Will Reichard
- Punter: Ryan Wright
- Long Snapper: Andrew DePaola