Cook, Waynes Among Surprise Starters On Vikings 1st Depth Chart
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Minnesota Vikings have released their first preseason depth chart, and there are a couple of surprise starters on the list.
While most of the depth chart is predictable, a couple of the standouts include Trae Waynes starting across Xavier Rhodes at cornerback and Dalvin Cook being named the No. 1 running back.
Waynes, the Vikings' top 2015 draft pick, has struggled to pass 38-year-old Terence Newman for the starting gig since coming into the league.
Cook, the Vikings' top pick this year, sits ahead of Jerick McKinnon as the heir apparent to Adrian Peterson, now with the New Orleans Saints. Latavius Murray, the Vikings' free agent signee who is expected to compete with Cook as starter, is recovering from ankle surgery.
The least surprising part of the chart, outside of Sam Bradford and Stefon Diggs being the No. 1s at their position: Marcus Sherels still has a firm grasp on the punt returner position. Every year Sherels' demise is predicted, and every year he proves he's the Vikings' best option. According to this first depth chart, Sherels is also set to return kickoffs this year.
Now, this depth chart will surely change as we see preseason performances and injuries, but it's a good measure of where the Vikings are at right now.
Here's the full depth chart:
LE
Danielle Hunter
Brian Robison
Ifeadi Odenigbo
DT
Tom Johnson
Datone Jones
Will Sutton
Dylan Bradley
Chunky Clements
NT
Linval Joseph
Shamar Stephen
Jaleel Johnson
RE
Everson Griffen
Stephen Weatherly
Tashawn Bower
Sam McCaskill
WLB
Emmanuel Lamur / Edmond Robinson
Elijah Lee
MLB
Eric Kendricks
Kentrell Brothers
Ben Gedeon
Darnell Sankey
SLB
Anthony Barr
Eric Wilson
Noor Davis
LCB
Trae Waynes
Terence Newman
Marcus Sherels
Tre Roberson
Sam Brown
RCB
Xavier Rhodes
Mackensie Alexander
Jabari Price
Terrell Sinkfield
Horace Richardson
SS
Andrew Sendejo
Jayron Kearse
Jack Tocho
FS
Harrison Smith
Anthony Harris
Antone Exum Jr.
P
Ryan Quigley
Taylor Symmank
K
Kai Forbath
Marshall Koehn
LS
Kevin McDermott
KR
Marcus Sherels
Rodney Adams
Jerick McKinnon
Isaac Fruechte
PR
Marcus Sherels
Rodney Adams
Stacy Coley
Isaac Fruechte
