On Tuesday, Aug. 27, NFL teams will cut their rosters down to 53 players. Before then, though, there is a final weekend of preseason action. That means there’s one last chance for players to prove they belong.
Not unlike most teams at this stage, the Minnesota Vikings have some training camp battles that remain undecided. Saturday night’s preseason game against the Philadephia Eagles will provide these players an opportunity to shine.
Here are five Vikings with the most on the line.
5 Vikings With the Most To Prove in Final Preseason Game
Lewis Cine, Safety
Prior to last week’s preseason game in Cleveland, most had likely written off Lewis Cine, a 2022 first-round pick who’s been through the injury gauntlet early in his career. But following the game in Cleveland, one couldn’t help but want to take a second look at his chances of making the team.
Cine made highlight play after highlight play, and when all was said and done, he had tallied 11 tackles, one interception, and one sack.
Lewis Cine Preseason Week 2:
🏈 11 total tackles
🏈 1 interception
🏈 1 pass breakup
🏈 1 sack
🏈 2 quarterback hits
🏈 1 tackle for loss
🏈 1 massive hit-stickLed the Vikings defense in every statistic. pic.twitter.com/ZiQlzSnduv
— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) August 17, 2024
Given his pedigree as general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first pick in Minnesota as well as the inspirational component to his story, Cine making the 53-man roster this summer would be notable. He can take a big step toward achieving that outcome with another big game on Saturday in Philadelphia.
Jaren Hall, Quarterback
Jaren Hall is clearly the third-best quarterback on Minnesota’s roster, so one might argue there’s nothing for him to prove. But in today’s NFL, it’s not a guarantee that teams will keep a third QB on the 53-man roster.
For the Vikings, keeping two quarterbacks would permit them to keep one extra player at another position with great depth, such as safety or tight end. At these positions, a training camp standout could be on the outside looking in after losing out on the numbers game during cutdown time.
Also, the Vikings may know what they have in Hall since he’s been in their building for the better part of two years. However, preseason games are about more than impressing your current team. Those who don’t have solidified roles on their own team know that putting solid performances on tape for other NFL teams to see is beneficial.
Hall made the most of limited opportunities in Cleveland. He was on the field for just 13 snaps, but he completed four of five attempts for 87 yards and two touchdowns in his appearance. Another effort like that, especially if it entails more snaps, will show Hall has the chops to play in the NFL.
Brian Asamoah II, Linebacker
A sixth-round pick in 2022, Brian Asamoah II made the roster as a rookie and was on a developmental arc with the Vikings. A year ago at this time, he was a training camp darling, flashing the ability to contribute in multiple ways on defense and special teams.
Asamoah’s demonstrated versatility seemed like a particularly good fit with Brian Flores’ philosophy on defense. Yet, the 2023 regular season was a total letdown for Asamoah.
He played in 13 games but had no starts and was merely a reserve on defense (36 snaps) while spending most of his playing time on special teams.
Meanwhile, Ivan Pace Jr., an undrafted linebacker out of Cincinnati, took over as the surprise story at the position. He played in all 17 games with 11 starts and tallied over 100 tackles with 2.5 sacks. Pace remains a key part of the defense as a starting inside linebacker next to Blake Cashman.
If Asamoah wants to resume his underdog story and fulfill the promise he once showed, a big game on Saturday seems necessary.
Trishton Jackson, Wide Receiver
With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison leading the way, it’s easy to look past the wide receiver room in Minnesota when looking for individuals with a lot on the line in the preseason finale.
But you obviously need more than two reliable targets at the position, so that leaves much still unanswered for the Vikings’ depth chart.
Jalen Nailor has put together a great camp, and Brandon Powell seems like a lock, given his familiarity with what head coach Kevin O’Connell does on offense from their days together with the Los Angeles Rams. After that, though, there are some roster spots to win.
Trishton Jackson has been sensational in camp, and he was able to impress last week in Cleveland, too. Jackson secured three of four targets for 39 yards, including an acrobatic, toe-tapping back-shoulder touchdown grab from 14 yards out. He did all of that on only 25 snaps, as well as three special-teams snaps.
The competition is thick, though. Two other receivers battling for roster spots also scored last week, with Jeshaun Jones and Malik Knowles providing highlights in the win. Veteran Trent Sherfield Jr. is in the mix, too, so Jackson must continue his impressive string of performances to remain in the hunt for a spot on the depth chart.
Akayleb Evans, Cornerback
No position has seen as much fluidity and philosophical change as the Vikings’ cornerback position. Young players have been lost, veterans have been added, and injuries have occurred.
Through it all, Akayleb Evans has remained.
A fourth-round pick in 2022, standing 6’2″, 198 pounds, Evans has the pedigree and frame to be a good NFL corner. But he hasn’t had the kind of breakthrough moment that has compelled the Vikings to confidently anoint him as a starter.
Even as others have fallen out of favor or become unavailable, Minnesota has leaned into free agency and even the trade route to add depth to the position instead of awarding Evans with more opportunity.
If Evans can put together the kind of performance against Philadelphia that Cine put together last week in Cleveland, maybe that will be enough to convince the Vikings they have a bona fide defender in him.