Which Vikings wide receivers will make the 53-man roster?
The Vikings face some tough decisions by the weekend as rosters have to be cut down to 53 players by 3 p.m. Saturday.
For Minnesota, they have some tough decisions at backup quarterback, kicker, punter, as well as wide receivers.
Obviously Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs are the top two wideouts but here's how the competition for the third, fourth and fifth wide receiver jobs appear to be shaking out entering Thursday's preseason finale against the Bills.
Chad Beebe
Chad Beebe made his debut last year with the Vikings, grabbing four passes for 39 yards.
Beebe was the favorite to land the No. 3 role and has done enough in training camp to solidify that spot. He's also been returning punts, as well as working as the holder on field goals and extra points. He provides more value than just catching passes.
Status: Lock to make the team.
Olabisi 'Bisi' Johnson
After selecting a pair of wide receivers in the NFL Draft and signing a few more as undrafted free agents, it appears Bisi Johnson is a lock to make the roster.
Taken in the seventh round (247th overall), Johnson has received first-ream reps and has made some nice catches in preseason action.
Johnson had 125 catches for 2,000 yards and 11 touchdowns in his four seasons at Colorado State, so he had success at the collegiate level.
Matthew Coller of SKOR North notes that because Johnson has impressed and that he's receiving first-team reps, he probably wont even suit up against the Bills since appears to have a roster spot locked up.
Status: Lock to make the team.
Dillion Mitchell
Mitchell was also taken in the seventh round (eight picks ahead of Johnson) after a stellar career at the University of Oregon.
Mitchell was an aerial threat for the Ducks and had a big junior season hauling in 75 catches for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Mitchell will be destined to the practice squad if he doesn't make the 53-man roster. He ran a solid 4.44 40-yard dash at the combine but his skillset appears to be a work in progress at the NFL level.
Status: Likely bound for the practice squad.
Brandon Zylstra
The Spicer, Minnesota native and former Canadian Football League star did enough last year to grab one of the last roster spots.
Zylstra missed a good chunk of training camp, as he was on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a hamstring injury. However, he's made some nice grabs in preseason games, including hauling in five passes and a touchdown against Seattle.
Status: Fighting for the fifth wide receiver job.
Laquon Treadwell
Oh boy, what will the Vikings do with Laquon Treadwell? He's been a bust since being taken in the first-round of the 2016 draft, so much so that Minnesota has reportedly been "showcasing" him in preseason games in hopes of finding a suitable trade partner.
He made 35 catches last year (a career high) while also playing special teams. He also has a hefty price tag of $3.1 million so if he's cut, the Vikings are on still on the hook for his salary.
If the Vikings are able to find a trade partner willing to take Treadwell, they could save money and essentially hand the fifth wide receiver job to Zylstra. If they don't trade him, they'll likely have to keep him on the active roster to avoid suffering the salary cap consequences that come with cutting him.
Status: Fifth WR or traded, is our best guess.
