The Minnesota Vikings have 91 players on the current roster, which will dwindle to 53 at the end of August.
The 3 Most Overhyped Players on the Vikings’ Roster
Enthusiasm exists for the 2024 team, mainly because the club has a new quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s competitive rebuild is complete.
However, there are a few overhyped players on the roster — men whose skill sets and resumes are inflated in fans’ minds — and these are those ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most overhyped Viking).
3. Trent Sherfield (WR)
Sherfield was the only veteran wide receiver Minnesota added during free agency, so some construed the move as a WR3 solution. However, Sherfield has never been an honest-to-goodness WR3 and might be best pegged for WR4.
His career high in receiving yards hit 417 in 2022 with the Dolphins. In five other seasons, he failed to top 250 and did not exceed 100 yards in four of those campaigns.
He’s plopped right in the middle of the WR3 debate among fans, but Brandon Powell or Jalen Nailor could be better contenders for the job, with Sherfield more in line with a career WR4 type.
2. Aaron Jones (RB)
These were the rushing-yard outputs by game for Jones until he caught fire on Christmas Eve:
- 41
- 18
- 35
- 29
- 73
- 35
- 14
- 53
Yes, Jones played like a madman in the Packers’ final five games (including playoffs), but let’s not arbitrarily dismiss the first three months of the season. Those months matter, too. That’s why it works out well for the Vikings that Ty Chandler lurks at RB2.
Then, age is a concern for Jones. He’ll turn 30 in December, and right about now is when running backs taper off. That may not occur, but Vikings fans can’t simply claim it won’t happen to their new running back.
1. Dalton Risner (LG)
Dalton Risner is a wonderful left guard — when it comes to pass protection. That’s his jam, and his efficiency in that realm should not be discounted.
However, his run blocking is suspect, and the Vikings desperately need to improve the ground game once and for all in 2024. Meanwhile, Vikings fans clamored for a Risner reunion all offseason, and when it finally arrived, the coaching staff signaled that Risner would compete for a starting job. Folks often revere the veteran trenchman as an automatic starter, even if the coaching staff has said, “Not so fast.”
Finally, Risner fired up a 57.1 Pro Football Focus grade in Minnesota last year. Fans speak of Risner as if that score was closer to 87.1.
Risner is a lovable dude, a wonderful teammate, and a damn good pass-protection asset, but he is not elite, and Minnesota might be just fine without him, especially if Blake Brandel is the real deal.
