The Minnesota Vikings might have one of those good sort of roster problems, where a player like wide receiver Dillon Bell can shine like the summer sun all offseason long and still find himself on the cut line come late August.
Warren Ludford of the Daily Norseman on Sunday, July 5 projected that the Vikings will ultimately give Bell, an undrafted rookie free agent in 2026, the ax at the conclusion of the preseason, which is less of a reflection on his talent/NFL potential and more indicative of how talented the receiver room is ahead of him on the depth chart.
“Bell has shined in the offseason program, and I would consider him a bubble player,” Ludford wrote. “He had the most guaranteed salary among the Vikings’ UDFAs at $272K. But the Vikings have generally carried five receivers on their roster the past couple years.”
Dillon Bell Could Find Home at End of Vikings’ Wide Receiver Depth Chart
GettyWide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
There is no debate about the top three spots at the position in Minnesota, which Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings occupy.
Ludford placed Tai Felton, a third-round pick in 2025, and Myles Price, a UDFA in 2025 who served as the team’s starting kick and punt returner last season, as the Nos. 4 and 5 wideouts in the group, respectively.
“There is a scenario where Bell makes the roster if Price were to lose his return duties to [sixth-round rookie running back] Demond Claiborne, for example, and the Vikings opt for a bigger-bodied receiver in Bell to backup Jennings — and Bell also proves to have significant special teams value,” Ludford wrote.
Vikings Put Dillon Bell in Mix for WR4 Spot During Mandatory Minicamp
GettyWide receiver Dillon Bell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Bell could end up on the practice squad if the Vikings do cut him shy of the initial and/or final 53-man roster heading into Week 1 in September.
However, his skill set and his offseason production — should it continue as it has to this point through training camp and the team’s three preseason contests — could garner attention from other teams around the league.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN named Bell Minnesota’s “biggest surprise” of the spring and summer, hinting that the No. 4 spot on the WR depth chart could potentially be his ceiling heading into his rookie campaign.
“It can be difficult to gauge receiver skill sets in spring practices, when NFL rules prohibit physical coverage techniques. But it was eye-opening to see Bell … working extensively with the second team during drills,” Seifert wrote June 22. “That placement spoke volumes about his initial impression with Vikings coaches, who in essence were putting him in the (early) mix to be the No. 4 receiver.”
Bell had a strong career at Georgia across 56 appearances over four years. He recorded 119 receptions for 1,269 yards and 11 TDs, while also rushing for 373 yards and five scores.
Bell’s greatest assets at the professional level are likely to be his ability to produce yards after the catch and as a weapon on gadget plays in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Vikings Projected to Cut Ties With Breakout Offseason Playmaker appeared first on HEAVY.