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4 Vikings Players Who Could Be Moving Through Final Days in Minnesota

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NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Some Vikings players who were on the 53-man roster in 2025 won’t be on the 53-man roster in 2026. So, these guys are the focus of the current piece.

Most of the UDFAs are going to get shown the door. Most of the drafted rookies will be kept around. There are then the various pickups along the way, some of whom are roster locks (James Pierre, Kyler Murray) while others are hanging on by a thread (Jahvaree Ritzie, Jarod Washington). Consider those who helped last season but who are still battling to prove belonging in the upcoming season.

4 Vikings Players Battling to Stick Around

No. 1 — QB4 Max Brosmer

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Vikings QB Max Brosmer against the Lions on Christmas
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) looks to pass the ball against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

At this stage, Mr. Brosmer needs a miracle to stick around.

He has played a decent amount in the preseason, but that’s a reality that is mostly the result of his Ravens game last weekend. He suffered a minor injury in that debut preseason game, resulting in minimal work as he went 1/2 for 6 passing yards. At the Bank on Saturday, Brosmer tossed for 98 yards behind 11/17 passing. He had an INT and was sacked a pair of times in a performance that resulted in a 55.5 passer rating.

Maybe his best shot at sneaking onto the roster is to see J.J. McCarthy traded.

No. 2 — DT5/6 Elijah Williams

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NFL: Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings
Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (8) evades Minnesota Vikings defensive end Elijah Williams (99) in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Elijah Williams is a good football player. Does he find a way to stick around yet again?

Part of the problem for Williams is that he’s sitting in the DT5 spot as a best case. All of Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Caleb Banks, and Domonique Orange are ahead of him. Would the Vikings’ coaching staff prefer a veteran in the room? If so, then Williams could be forced into demanding the DT6 spot or get shown the door.

Best guess is that he makes the team but that’s not a certainty. Tossing a sizzling effort onto the field on Friday night would likely secure his spot. Sliding him down to the practice squad means accepting some reasonable risk of him getting stolen away.

No. 3 — CB5 Dwight McGlothern

Dwight McGlothern
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern (6) breaks up a pass to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. The Vikings won, 48-10. © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I had been working on this piece a day early. And then the news arrived. So long, Nudie. Genuinely, I wish the young lad nothing but the best, but Minnesota’s actions communicated much about how they understood the depth CB jobs.

No. 3 — OG3 Walter Rouse

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NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings
Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard (16) reacts with offensive tackle Walter Rouse (73) after kicking a 62-yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mr. Rouse is a very imposing guy who does very good work away from the football field. Can he start earning more snaps on Sunday?

Chosen in the 6th Round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Rouse played tackle in college but has now been kicked inside. Seeing him leverage his 6’6″ and 330-pound frame to play bully ball in the trenches would be a nice development for the Minnesota Vikings since the iOL depth is leaky.

What’s been strange, though, has been Minnesota’s decision not to feature him more. Last year, there were plenty of issues with OL health and yet Rouse got phased out in the season’s second half. What does the team actually think of him?

No. 5 — S4 Jay Ward

Vikings Safety Jay Ward in 2023
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Racey McMath (13) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward (20) and cornerback Kalon Barnes (27) at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jay Ward is moving into his fourth season in the NFL. Coming out of LSU, Ward boasted promise due to his on-field snarl and versatility. In 2025, Ward finally broke through with some more playing time, looking fast and physical on several occasions.

What’s been clear, though, is that Minnesota hasn’t done much to feature him other than giving him a huge special teams role. Both of Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus are higher on the depth chart. Jamal Adams was picking up steam prior to getting hurt. Jacob Thomas and Jakobe Thomas are getting work with the 1st-team, too.

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If Harrison Smith comes back, do the Vikings move on from Ward? He’s very likely to stick around but it’s not hard to connect the dots on a player who hasn’t yet broken through and who was drafted by the former GM.


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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Ryan Garcia says one man stands above all others as the best welterweight of all time

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Ryan Garcia has revealed which welterweight legend he would back to come out on top against all others.

Garcia is now a welterweight star in his own right, after winning the WBC welterweight title back in February with a unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios.

He is set to make the first defence of that title on September 12 when he takes on Conor Benn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with a victory there potentially leading to unification clashes with the likes of Teofimo Lopez, Liam Paro and former foe Devin Haney.

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Before Garcia collides with Benn, he was recently tasked with pitting together some past welterweight icons in fantasy match-ups against one another whilst speaking to Daily Mail Boxing.

Manny Pacquiao, Roberto Duran, Errol Spence Jr, Pernell Whittaker, Tommy Hearns, Terence Crawford, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Sugar Ray Robinson were all of the fighters mentioned, and in the end it was Leonard that Garcia had as the last man standing.

Leonard is viewed as being one of the greatest boxers of all time, and it wasn’t just welterweight where he was successful, having become a five-division world champion after also reigning from light middleweight to light heavyweight.

He was a member of the iconic ‘Four Kings’ with fellow greats Duran, Hearns and Marvin Hagler, with Leonard acting as the only member of that illustrious group to defeat the others.

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Leonard’s final record stood at 36 wins from his 40 professional fights, with 25 of those victories coming by knockout.

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4 Possible Endgames for the CM Punk-Kevin Owens-Sami Zayn Triangle

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The Undisputed WWE Championship picture has become far more complicated than it already was. CM Punk entered SummerSlam as champion. Meanwhile, Kevin Owens returned from a potentially career-ending injury and won the Fatal 4-Way No. 1 Contender’s Match involving Sami Zayn, Gunther, and Finn Balor.

Owens then challenged Punk in Toronto. However, the rivalry took an unexpected turn when Zayn inserted himself into their title match. He attacked the champion and attempted to help KO win the championship. The challenger refused to use the title as a weapon, prompting Sami to blast his former friend with the gold.

The Second City Saint subsequently defeated Kevin Owens before Sami Zayn attacked both men and made it clear that he believed CM Punk had stolen the championship from him. WWE has therefore created a three-way story in which all three superstars have legitimate reasons to fight.

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That said, in this article, we look at four possible ways the Punk-Owens-Zayn triangle could eventually end.

#4. CM Punk vs. Sami Zayn

The simplest conclusion would be a singles feud between CM Punk and Sami Zayn. Zayn has already established that his issue with Punk is deeply personal, particularly after claiming that The Best in the World took away something that belonged to him.

CM Punk could respond by refusing to let Zayn dictate the direction of his title reign. That would give WWE a straightforward championship program while allowing Kevin Owens to move elsewhere temporarily.

The feud could also give Sami an opportunity to prove that his recent aggression was not a temporary emotional outburst. A Punk-Zayn program would also have plenty of emotional material. Both men are excellent talkers. Thus, their contrasting personalities could make their confrontations compelling.

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#3. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have one of WWE’s most established personal histories. So their friendship turning into another bitter rivalry would be easy to understand.

Owens already had reason to be furious after Zayn cost him the championship in Toronto. More importantly, KO initially refused to use the title as a weapon against CM Punk, only for Sami to attack him anyway. That moment could convince Kevin that Sami has crossed a line.

WWE could build toward a singles match where the championship is not involved at all. Instead, the story would focus on pride, betrayal, and their complicated history.

This option could also protect Punk from being overexposed. While Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn settle their differences, The Second City Saint could defend the Undisputed Championship against another challenger before eventually returning to the triangle.

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#2. Triple Threat Match

The most obvious destination is a Triple Threat Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

CM Punk has already beaten Kevin Owens. However, the victory was influenced by Sami Zayn’s interference. Owens can therefore argue that he deserves another opportunity without simply demanding the same singles rematch. Meanwhile, Zayn can claim that his actions prove he belongs in the title picture.

If that happens, WWE could turn those arguments into a championship match. Punk would be caught between two challengers who know him differently. Meanwhile, Owens and Zayn would have their own unfinished business.

A Triple Threat would also allow Triple H to continue all three stories simultaneously. CM Punk could retain by defeating one challenger. Meanwhile, the other would avoid taking a direct loss. Alternatively, either Owens or Zayn could win the championship without requiring Punk to lose credibility.

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#1. Punk and Owens temporarily unite against Sami

The most intriguing ending may involve CM Punk and Kevin Owens putting their differences aside long enough to deal with Sami Zayn.

That alliance would be interesting because Owens and Punk have already shown that they are capable of intense hostility. Their recent title match was physical and personal. Yet Sami’s attack gave both men a common enemy.

The Second City Saint and Kevin Owens could agree that Zayn has become too dangerous to ignore. They might temporarily work together in a tag team match or even combine forces against him in a confrontation.

However, the alliance should not last forever. Once Sami Zayn is dealt with, Punk and Owens could immediately return to their rivalry, creating another chapter in their championship feud.

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This route could give all three superstars something meaningful. Zayn would become the antagonist who temporarily brings two rivals together, Owens would gain another reason to pursue Punk, and the champion would remain at the center of the story.