On the first day of Carolina Panthers training camp, Dave Canales’ team lost EDGE rusher Nic Scourton. NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted, “Panthers promising young LB Nic Scourton, who went down in practice with a knee injury that left him in tears, suffered a torn ACL, sources told me and Cameron Wolfe. He’s done for the season.”
With the injury hitting so abruptly in July, one must wonder: What if that happened to the Minnesota Vikings? Accordingly, these are the Vikings’ positions that cannot afford a Scourton-like injury. They’re ranked from the fourth-most vulnerable group to the one Minnesota can least afford to lose.
Roster Stress Tests at Four Vulnerable Spots
4. Cornerback
Projected Starters:
Byron Murphy Jr. | Isaiah Rodgers | James Pierre
Main Reserves:
Charles Demmings | Dwight McGlothern
Cornerbacks on this list are a bit ironic because this group is actually deeper than in years past. The Vikings signed Pierre from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, and per Pro Football Focus‘s scoring system, he’s the top corner on the roster, believe it or not. Minnesota also drafted Demmings from Stephen F. Austin in Round 5, and some draftheads claim he could be a late-round steal.
If Murphy Jr. succumbed to a season-ending injury, for example, Demmings or McGlothern would be tossed into the fire as CB3. Are they ready? Maybe, maybe not.
The Vikings could make this fear more of a nothingburger if they re-signed Fabian Moreau, who remains a free agents and performed well when Jeff Okudah missed the season’s remainder. Otherwise, free agents like Trevon Diggs and Mike Hilton are available on the open market.
3. Tight End
Projected Starters:
T.J. Hockenson
Main Reserves:
Josh Oliver | Gavin Bartholomew | Ben Yurosek
Vikings fans are watching intently and crossing their fingers that Hockenson can return to his 2022-2023 form. When he arrived in Minnesota via trade in 2022, he set the bar high, becoming one of Kirk Cousins’s main targets in the passing game. In 2024 and 2025, Hockenson’s role as a pass-catcher has been reduced, and he’s shifted into more of a blocking tight end.
Well, Minnesota already has a blocking tight end: Oliver, the TE2. It needs Hockenson to rekindle his past tendencies to help the offense reach its fullest potential.
If the Vikings lose him, Oliver would likely be promoted to TE1, with Bartholomew or Yurosek testing the waters and more frequent TE2 contributors. Defenses have to gameplan for Hockenson; they may not have to do too much homework on Oliver, Bartholomew, or Yurosek.
Free-agent options in the Hockenson doomsday scenario include Jonnu Smith and Darren Waller.
2. Interior Offensive Line
Projected Starters:
Donovan Jackson (LG) | Blake Brandel (C) | Will Fries (RG)
Main Reserves:
Joe Huber (G) | Michael Jurgens (C) | Henry Byrd (G) | Gavin Gerhardt (C)
This one should keep you up at night. In a normal Vikings season, the coaching staff would pivot to Brandel, who previously held a jack-of-all-trades job title. If a guard got hurt, Brandel would slide in. Same for tackle. Now, he’s presumably on deck to be the starting center.
Huber would probably take over in the event of a Jackson or Fries injury, and it’s just unclear if he’s ready to start. At center, if Brandel gets hurt, Kevin O’Connell and friends would likely give 2024 7th-rounder Jurgens a look.
In summer free agency, about 6-10 decent veteran guards and a couple of centers are looking for work. Minnesota must have big plans for its depth iOL. If not, this group is skimpy.
1. Outside Linebacker
Projected Starters:
Andrew Van Ginkel | Dallas Turner
Main Reserves:
Bo Richter | Tyler Batty | Chaz Chambliss
Full disclosure: if the Vikings lost Van Ginkel or Turner for the season – – like Scourton down in Carolina – – defensive coordinator Brian Flores could turn to rookie inside linebacker Jake Golday or defensive tackle Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, two men whispered as candidates for dual OLB duty.
On the other hand, if neither Golday nor Ingram-Dawkins are ready for full-time pass-rush work, Richter, Batty, and Chambliss represent the best (and only) alternatives. A Vikings’ defense with Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel sounds much more promising than a defense with Dallas Turner and Bo Richter.
Like the guard position, Minnesota could put this fear to bed easily. Free agents Von Miller, Haason Reddick, Jadeveon Clowney, and Leonard Floyd, among others, are waiting for a phone call.
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VikesNow Verdict: The Vikings’ top-end talent disguises several abrupt depth chart drop-offs. Outside linebacker presents the greatest immediate danger, while cornerback, tight end, and the interior offensive line would depend heavily on unproven players.
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