Vikings-Broncos reaction: Roster locks, safety injuries, and McCarthy

The Vikings got pounded 34-6 by the Broncos in the preseason finale on Friday night. While there wasn’t a lot to take away from the game, we got a good idea of which backups are closer to being roster locks than bubble guys before the Vikings finalize the 53-man roster.

1. The starters on offense and roster locks

With most starters and a lot of second-team players getting the night off, the Vikings’ starting offense featured these guys:

• LT: Ryan Van Denmark
• LG: Vershon Lee
• C: Joe Huber
• RG: Walter Rouse
• RT: Henry Byrd
• QB: Carson Wentz
• TE: Ben Yurosek
• FB: Chaz Chambliss
• RB: Demond Clairborne
• WR: Tai Felton
• WR: Dillon Bell

Of those, all of the linemen are roster locks, as are Wentz, Felton, and Claiborne.

Bell, whom Vikings analyst Ben Leber said reminds him a bit of Percy Harvin, has a chance to make the team as a sixth receiver behind Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, Myles Price, and Felton. If the Vikings don’t keep six receivers, they’ll surely try to sneak him onto the practice squad.

Yurosek and Chambliss are clearly fighting for a job. Chambliss, who played some fullback in college but has been a linebacker since joining the Vikings last season, is clearly being transitioned to a fullback role.

2. The defensive starters and roster locks

• DE: Caleb Banks
• DT: Elijah Williams
• NT: Domonique Orange
• LB: Tyler Batty
• LB: Bengally Kamara
• LB: Jacob Roberts
• LB: Jake Golday
• CB: Charles Demmings
• CB: Zemaiah Vaughn
• S: Jakobe Thomas
• S: Jacob Thomas

All of the D-line starters are roster locks, and the Vikings actually took them all out of the game after the first quarter. Banks and Orange were 2026 first- and third-round draft picks, respectively, and Williams has had a terrific camp.

Golday, a second-round pick, is the only roster lock among the guys who started at linebacker, while Demmings and Vaughn have strong chances to make the team as the fourth and fifth cornerbacks, respectively.

3. Health at the safety position gets worse

Jakobe Thomas, a 2026 third-round pick, made his preseason debut after missing most of training camp and the first two preseason games with back stiffness, and his night looked like it might end early when he grabbed his lower back after making a tackle in the first quarter. Fortunately, he finished the game with five tackles.

Jacob Thomas, an undrafted safety who has wowed throughout training camp and the preseason, appeared to injure his right ankle on Denver’s opening drive. He had been playing a lot with the first-team defense over the past two weeks in place of the injured Theo Jackson.

With Jackson hurt and Jamal Adams out for the season with a torn quad muscle, the Vikings’ safety room has taken a beating. The only healthy safeties right now are Josh Metellus, Jay Ward, Tavierre Thomas, and Kahlef Hailassie, who had an interception Friday night.

Perhaps the rash of injuries will convince Harrison Smith to join the team ahead of the Sept. 13 season and home opener against the Packers.

4. J.J. McCarthy watches from the sideline

McCarthy watched the game from the sideline in street clothes, likely setting the stage for Carson Wentz, who got the start and played eight snaps, to officially claim the backup quarterback job.

Max Brosmer replaced Wentz and finished 20-for-35 passing for 165 yards. He didn’t throw an interception, but he missed on a handful of passes that would’ve gone for big gains or touchdowns.

Brosmer’s chance to make the team might depend on what the Vikings do with McCarthy, whose name has entered the trade rumor mill after losing the starting job to Murray and probably sliding all the way to QB3.

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