Vikings Could Reportedly Make Stunning Roster Cut

The Minnesota Vikings’ late-round draft struggles appear to be following them into the 2026 season, even after the departure of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

New leadership under Nolan Teasley was not involved in the April selection process, yet interim general manager Rob Brzezinski and head coach Kevin O’Connell may already be dealing with a miss in sixth-round running back Demond Claiborne.

Claiborne, taken at No. 198 overall, arrived with impressive college production and elite speed. Over his final three seasons at Wake Forest he rushed for more than 2,500 yards in 34 games and ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Minnesota needed that kind of athleticism after entering the offseason determined to strengthen its backfield. Jordan Mason is expected to handle the bulk of the rushing work but offers limited receiving value, while veteran Aaron Jones returns on a one-year deal and will turn 32 during his tenth NFL season.

Those credentials, however, are not translating in training camp. Judd Zulgad of SKOR North observed the rookie closely and delivered a blunt assessment on a podcast that aired Thursday.

“I had [Claiborne] chartered with at least three dropped passes,” Zulgad said. “He missed a couple of practices [with injury], came back yesterday, and I’m gonna tell you right now — the drops were awful. Like, it’s unplayable.”

Zulgad expanded on the issue.

“He’s got great speed. I think we all question the blocking aspect. That’s fair to question,” Zulgad added. “That you don’t really know until you see it at game speed. But catching the football, which I think should be a prerequisite for your ability to play, he simply dropped the ball. And they were bad drops, and they were a variety of drops.”

The analyst has already revised his projection, stating, “I’ve gone from projecting [him] on the [53-man roster] to … Demond Claiborne replaced by Zavier Scott. I do not see [Claiborne] making the 53.”

Despite the apparent miss on Claiborne, the Vikings remain focused on improving their ground game.

Alec Lewis of The Athletic reported that O’Connell has spent the spring overhauling the team’s run approach through staff changes, new teaching methods, and refined playbook elements that emphasize specific personnel groupings, motion, and staple concepts.

Whether scheme adjustments alone can elevate the rushing attack remains uncertain, but a healthy and reliable Claiborne would have provided valuable speed. For now, the young back’s roster future looks increasingly precarious as camp continues.