CB Williams, RB McBride among final cuts as Vikings set initial roster

By KSTP
New Vikings TE Josh Oliver gets ready to do a drill at Tuesday's workout in Eagan. (FILE/KSTP-TV)

The Minnesota Vikings announced their final wave of cuts ahead of the league’s Tuesday afternoon deadline to have rosters trimmed to 53 players.

Tuesday afternoon, the team announced nearly two dozen cuts, including a couple surprises. They come a day after the club announced an initial round of cuts.

The Vikings ended up keeping six wide receivers and six safeties on the initial roster, holding onto both Brandon Powell and Jalen Reagor as well as ex-Titans safety Theo Jackson.

Among the more notable cuts were cornerback Joejuan Williams, a former second-round pick by the Patriots who joined the Vikings as a free agent, former Gopher and 2022 fifth-round pick defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo and seventh-round rookie running back DeWayne McBride.

The team also placed backup offensive lineman Chris Reed on the non-football injury/reserve list.

Teams have until Wednesday to claim any cut players and can then start signing up to 16 players to the practice squad.

The full list of cuts over the past two days as well as the initial roster can be seen below.

Cuts

  • QB Jordan Ta’amu;
  • RB DeWayne McBride;
  • RB Abram Smith;
  • RB Aaron Dykes;
  • WR Blake Proehl
  • WR Lucky Jackson;
  • WR Jacob Copeland;
  • WR Trishton Jackson;
  • WR Thayer Thomas;
  • WR Garett Maag;
  • TE Ben Sims;
  • TE Colin Thompson;
  • OL Josh Sokol;
  • OL Jack Snyder;
  • OL Alan Ali;
  • OL Jarrid Williams;
  • OL Christian DiLauro;
  • DL Ross Blacklock;
  • DL Esezi Otomewo;
  • DL T.J. Smith;
  • DL Calvin Avery;
  • DL Sheldon Day;
  • LB Luiji Vilain;
  • LB Benton Whitley;
  • LB Wilson Huber;
  • LB Abraham Beauplan;
  • LB Troy Reeder;
  • LB Tanner Vallejo;
  • CB Jaylin Williams;
  • CB Jameson Houston;
  • CB C.J. Coldon, Jr.;
  • CB Kalon Barnes;
  • CB Tay Gowan;
  • CB Joejuan Williams;
  • S Jake Gervase.

Initial roster

  • Quarterbacks (3) — Kirk Cousins; Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall;
  • Running Backs (3) — Alexander Mattison; Kene Nwangwu, Ty Chandler;
  • Fullback (1) — C.J. Ham;
  • Receivers (6) — Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn; Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Brandon Powell, Jalen Reagor;
  • Tight Ends (4) — T.J. Hockenson; Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse;
  • Offensive Line (8) — LT Christian Darrisaw, LG Ezra Cleveland, C Garrett Bradbury, RG Ed Ingram, RT Brian O’Neill; C Austin Schlottmann, G Blake Brandel, T Olisaemeka Udoh;
  • Defensive Line (5) — Dean Lowry, Harrison Phillips and Khyiris Tonga; Jonathan Bullard, Jaquelin Roy; Roster Exemption: Junior Aho (International Player Pathway program);
  • Outside Linebackers (5) — Marcus Davenport and Danielle Hunter; D.J. Wonnum, Pat Jones II, Andre Carter II;
  • Inside Linebackers (4) — Jordan Hicks, Brian Asamoah II; Troy Dye, Ivan Pace, Jr.;
  • Cornerbacks (5) — Byron Murphy, Jr., Akayleb Evans; Andrew Booth, Jr., Mekhi Blackmon, NaJee Thompson;
  • Safeties (6) — Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum; Josh Metellus, Lewis Cine, Jay Ward, Theo Jackson;
  • Specialists (3) — Long Snapper Andrew DePaola; Kicker Greg Joseph, Punter Ryan Wright.