Kyler Murray versus J.J. McCarthy completely dominated the first two weeks of Minnesota Vikings training camp, so much so that national media and some local fans followed that single competition exclusively. Now, with Murray securing the QB1 baton, a handful of other players have quietly made strides at their respective positions.
Here’s a look at those men in alphabetical order.
Five Vikings Quietly Taking Control of Their Roster Battles
1. Gavin Bartholomew
The Battle: TE3
Bartholomew has two things going for him at the moment: 1) He’s played quite well at training camp – – a surprise because many casual fans had forgotten about him 2) Minnesota drafted him with a 6th-round pick in 2025. While draft stock does not guarantee a roster spot, it simply makes more sense for Yurosek to land on the practice squad and Bartholomew on the 53-man roster.
If Bartholomew is not worthy of active roster placement, and Yurosek wins the TE3 job, why did the Vikings draft Bartholomew in the first place?
On August 30, the deadline for roster trimdowns, it will likely be Bartholomew over Yurosek.
2. Tyler Batty
The Battle: OLB3
The Vikings don’t have a customary “third pass rusher” this summer; they traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, and that shrunk the OLB depth. It’s Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, and a few lottery tickets.
Batty – – one of the UDFA lottery tickets – – is listed as the OLB3 on the depth chart ahead of Bo Richter, who held the OLB4 title behind Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Turner in 2025. In the first preseason game, Batty was also the first OLB to get action after Van Ginkel and Turner.
This one is still up in the air, but Batty may be the frontrunner at OLB3 if general manager Nolan Teasley doesn’t sign any EDGE free agents.
3. Dontae Fleming
The Battle: WR6
Is a team’s WR6 really that important? Not really. Would the Vikings retrieve the WR6 from the practice squad if an active wide receiver hit injured reserve? Absolutely. That’s why Fleming’s summer progress is noteworthy.
His name continues to surface in wide receiver discussions at training camp. He’s demonstrated consistency as a deep threat during spring practices, a performance he emphatically reinforced with an impressive over-the-shoulder diving catch early this month.
With Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, Tai Felton, and Myles Price appearing to be locks for the top five spots, Fleming is a strong contender for the WR6 position. During individual drills, the guy sure looks like he belongs on a regular season depth chart.
4. Michael Jurgens
The Battle: C2
The Vikings love Blake Brandel, and despite numerous free-agent and draft options at center this offseason, they nominated him for the starter’s job. They also drafted Cincinnati’s Gavin Gerhardt in Round 7, but as of mid-August, he’s on the roster bubble.
Jurgens has quietly maneuvered his way to the backup center position, and it’s just never really been a question if Jurgens would stave off Gerhardt for that post. He did so with little fanfare.
The third-year center also started three games last season, giving him experience that Gerhardt and Delby Lemiuex cannot match. Vikings.com referred to Jurgens this week as the “backup center.” Right now, C2 is his job. Gerhardt hasn’t moved the needle, or at least he hasn’t yet.
5. Walter Rouse
The Battle: OG3
Rouse’s transition to guard could impact his chances of making the team. He’s listed as the second-string right guard on Minnesota’s initial unofficial preseason depth chart, a placement he justified in the first preseason game. Playing 33 snaps, evenly split between both guard positions, he allowed no pressures and received favorable grades for both run blocking and pass protection.
Given the depth at tackle, this move to guard provides the former 6th-rounder a much clearer path to the 53-man roster. His physical attributes and adaptability have quietly positioned him as a strong contender for the third interior offensive line spot. Over at OT, rookie Caleb Tiernan is currently banged up, which could make Rouse more attractive to keep in September.
Minnesota signed no notable free-agent guards and drafted none in April. Perhaps the Rouse switch from OT to OG was the plan all along.
When a guard comes out of the lineup in the regular season, keep an eye on who enters the game: Rouse or Joe Huber.
───────────── ─────────────
VikesNow Verdict: Bartholomew, Batty, Fleming, Jurgens, and Rouse have quietly positioned themselves to claim depth roles when the Vikings assemble their initial 53-man roster.
───────────── ─────────────
About The Author
