After the the deadline to narrow your list of players down to 53 and now that the waiver wire and free agent market appear stagnant for now, the Vikings have released their first depth chart of the season (which of course will change week-to-week) which you can view here, per vikings.com:
http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/View-The-Vikings-Updated-Depth-Chart-Heading-Into-The-Regular-Season/b82cfacb-7638-45c0-9c1d-89e173cf85ae
Now that this roster appears to be settled at least for the first few weeks, thoughts can now be given on how this Vikings' roster has shaken out so far.
Quarterbacks (3)
Nothing unexpected here, incumbent starter Christian Ponder is firmly ahead of new backup Matt Cassel to start the season, though if his play dips to the lows he experienced in the 2012 season, expect to start seeing Cassel in the lineup. The Vikings do have one of the better backup situations in the NFL in Cassel, as Cassel has plenty of NFL experience as both a starter and a backup and has seen a fair amount of success in both situations. Big-armed McLeod Bethel-Thompson also remains on the roster as a developmental fallback option, but the Vikings didn't turn to him when Joe Webb looked lost in the playoffs against Green Bay, so he probably isn't quite NFL-ready yet.
Halfbacks (3)
This position group remains exactly the same as last year, centered around the NFL's MVP. Peterson will receive almost every carry this year from this group, though Toby Gerhart figures to get a few touches here and there as well, especially on third down. Third on the depth chart, Matt Asiata received three carries last year and shouldn't expect to see any more this year.
Fullbacks (1)
Undrafted rookie Zach Line finds his spot on the roster here after a pretty impressive training camp and preseason. Pro Bowler Jerome Felton should retake this spot once his suspension is over, and soon will be back in action as #28's lead blocker.
Wide Receivers (5)
The Vikings decided to only keep five receivers this year instead of six like in 2012, but this group as a whole looks to be much improved. Greg Jennings has come over from Green Bay to be Ponder's number one target and should be a more consistent threat than Percy Harvin, just in the fact that Jennings in a very polished route-runner (whereas Harvin is very raw) and Ponder should know where he is at all times. Jerome Simpson had a disappointing 2012 but is looking to bounce back after getting healthy from a back injury, and should at the very least be more productive in 2013. Jarius Wright is a potential breakout player for the Vikings and should be a lot more involved in this offense coming into his second year in the NFL. Rookie Cordarelle Patterson is the most explosive receiver on this roster, and he showed in the preseason he may be getting a handle on the position faster than many people thought he would. Expect him to contribute. Finally, Joe Webb finds a home on this roster at a different position, and his other-worldly athleticism should at least make him a fairly potent red zone option if nothing else for the Vikings. All in all, while the the Vikings have no assembled an elite group of wideouts, their weapons on the perimeter are far more potent than the ones they trudged out last year.
Tight Ends (3)
Similar to the halfbacks, this position group has been untouched since the 2012 season. Pro Bowl MVP Kyle Rudolph looks poised for a big year this season, and could start hearing his name in the discussion of the top tight ends in the NFL. John Carlson had a disappointing 2012 campaign during which he only caught eight passes, but has had a good training camp and preseason and looks like he will be open far more often in 2013. Rhett Ellison is not meant to be a receiving threat like the previous two tight ends, but he is actually one of the deadliest blockers in the NFL currently and will continue to have a spot on this roster opening up holes for AP.
Offensive Line (8)
The line returns all five starters to the fold this year after none of them missed a 2012 snap due to injury. The line has the potential to be a top-tier unit in the NFL but the starters looked shaky during the preseason. While as of now it's nothing to be overly concerned about, it will be something to check out once the season begins. Center John Sullivan returns as the leader of this group, and is widely considered one of the best at his position in the NFL. Left tackle Matt Kalil will look to somehow improve upon a rookie season where he only gave up one sack holding down Ponder's blind side and was almost never penalized. Right tackle Phil Loadholt, fresh contract in hand, was penalized far more often last season, something he'll have to correct coming into 2013, but he remains a top tier run blocker. Left guard Charlie Johnson had a decent season in his first year on the interior of the line (he was the Vikings' left tackle in 2011) but still has plenty of room to improve in year two. Right guard Brandon Fusco was serviceable last year, but the Vikings brought in increased competition at the guard position during the offseason in the hopes that it would motivate Fusco to elevate his play in his third year in the NFL. Ex-Bears tackle J'Marcus Webb will back up both tackle positions this year, and while he was a failed starter in Chicago, a fresh start in Minnesota should help turn him into valuable depth on the roster. 2013 sixth round pick Jeff Baca will back up the center and guard positions along with Joe Berger. The Vikings gave Baca plenty of snaps during the preseason to determine his NFL readiness, and he passed just about every test and should compete for a starting job on the line next season. Berger is a veteran lineman who was signed to a one year deal by the Vikings this offseason, and his 27 NFL starts are valuable experience in case someone goes down this year.
All in all the Vikings appear to be solid at most positions on offense and have valuable depth in place at just about every position. As pointed out through many of the posts on this blog, the true value of this unit will ultimately be determined by the man at the top, #7. If Ponder steps it up in year three, the Vikings could field a top ten offense. If he struggles, they could just as easily find themselves near the bottom of the NFL.
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