MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings' roster is set at 53 players for now, although a NFL roster is always in some state of flux. That's important to remember with the Vikings' roster, particularly at a pair of positions where the team's depth suggests more roster moves could eventually be coming.
The Vikings kept just two tight ends on their roster, cutting Allen Reisner and Chase Ford (who'd missed all of training camp with a broken foot). They also purged their safety position after a open audition process for a starting spot opposite Harrison Smith, and now have just four safeties on the roster (Smith, Robert Blanton, Andrew Sendejo and rookie Antone Exum) after cutting Kurt Coleman and Chris Crocker and placing Jamarca Sanford on injured reserve.
While the Vikings didn't keep much depth at those positions, they stocked up at others, hang onto five running backs (Adrian Peterson, Matt Asiata, Jerick McKinnon, Jerome Felton and Zach Line) and keeping eight linebackers (Chad Greenway, Jasper Brinkley, Anthony Barr, Michael Mauti, Gerald Hodges, Audie Cole, Larry Dean and Brandon Watts). They'll also keep five receivers, though another roster move could come once Jerome Simpson finishes a three-week suspension. The team also retained nine of its 10 picks from this year's draft, only letting go of cornerback Kendall James.
What's important to remember is the Vikings' 53-man roster isn't a finished product. It could change by tomorrow if the team is interested in some of the veterans now on the open market, and will certainly change throughout the 2014 season. For now, though, here's how it looks:
QUARTERBACKS (3)
RUNNING BACKS (5)
WIDE RECEIVERS (5)
TIGHT ENDS (2)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (8)
LINEBACKERS (8)
DEFENSIVE BACKS (10)
Antone Exum
SPECIALISTS (3)