Vikings cut 15 players ahead of Tuesday's roster deadline

The Vikings made an initial wave of roster cuts Monday morning ahead of Tuesday's deadline for all teams to set initial 53-man rosters.

The team parted ways with 15 players, including quarterback Jordan Ta'amu, who was signed last week as an emergency option with both Kirk Cousins and Nick Mullens sitting out the preseason finale against the Cardinals. The Vikings also waived nose tackle Calvin Avery; cornerbacks Jameson Houston, C.J. Coldon Jr. and Kalon Barnes; receiver Garett Maag; linebacker Wilson Huber; running back Abram Smith; tight end Colin Thompson; offensive tackles Christian DiLauro and Jarrid Williams, and center Josh Sokol.

Cornerback Tay Gowan, who was held out of Saturday's game against Arizona, was waived with an injury designation. Two veteran players with at least four accrued NFL seasons — safety Jake Gervase and linebacker Tanner Vallejo — were released and do not have to be exposed to waivers.

An additional 22 moves must be made before 3 p.m. on Tuesday. The Vikings began Sunday night by agreeing to trade second-year offensive tackle Vederian Lowe to the Patriots for a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.

Telling players they're being let go is the "toughest part of this job," said second-year head coach Kevin O'Connell, the former quarterback and 2008 third-round pick who was released by four NFL teams in a four-year span.

"Not only from personal experience and being on the other end of those conversations, but just the way training camp has gone," O'Connell said after Saturday's 18-17 preseason loss to the Cardinals. "From the work against each other to the joint practices, a lot of guys have really laid it on the line and done everything they could to become Minnesota Vikings, but we've got a really competitive roster. I feel really good about our depth."

Decisions are particularly difficult at positions such as safety, where O'Connell said coaches and personnel evaluators will have "really, really hard conversations" and will consider keeping six players with Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, Josh Metellus, Lewis Cine, fourth-round rookie Jay Ward and second-year standout Theo Jackson.

The Vikings also have to settle on five or six receivers — a group that will seemingly include newcomer Brandon Powell, who was a healthy scratch in the preseason finale, behind Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison.

Receivers Jalen Reagor, Jalen Nailor and Trishton Jackson are in the mix. Receiver Blake Proehl, the son of former NFL receiver Ricky Proehl and 2021 undrafted product from East Carolina, also had a strong finish during his first healthy preseason. He overcame a 13-month recovery from an August 2021 right knee injury that included a torn ACL, MCL, patellar tendon and meniscus.

"I'll have my phone ready to go," Proehl said after catching five passes for 45 yards on Saturday vs. Arizona. "There's nothing you can really do. The work is already done."

O'Connell also hinted last week that the team will lean toward keeping three quarterbacks because of the NFL rule change allowing a third QB exemption on gamedays so long as that player is on the 53-man roster. Fifth-round rookie quarterback Jaren Hall "started really sharp" against the Cardinals, O'Connell said, before coaches subbed out three offensive linemen for Williams, DiLauro and Sokol — who were all waived Monday.

The Vikings can begin filling out the 16-man practice squad on Wednesday.

Minnesota had 91 players on the offseason roster with French defensive lineman Junior Aho having an exemption through the NFL's international program. Aho is eligible for a practice squad exemption.