The Vikings recently released the unofficial first edition of the team's depth chart. 

Unofficial preseason depth charts are far from set in stone, but they do offer interesting insight into the coaching staff's thought process. Most of what was revealed in this depth chart was expected. 

However, there were a few things about this depth chart that caught us off guard. 

UDFA’s not making the climb just yet

Andre Carter II and Ivan Pace Jr. were two of the most talked about undrafted players this offseason. Pace has even impressed enough to earn first-team snaps at camp. Carter was considered a shoo-in for the final roster, which is unheard of for a UDFA. Going by the first depth chart, it doesn’t appear that either guy can be considered a lock after all. 

Granted, Carter has been injured for most of the summer, but still. It was surprising to see Pace not only behind Jordan Hicks but also behind Troy Reeder. Carter is behind Danielle Hunter, Pat Jones II, and Luiji Vilain. 

I still would be utterly shocked if either gets cut, but it is strange that neither were listed higher. 

Camryn Bynum is holding off the competition

Bynum is one of the few starters from the 2022 secondary that is still in line to start in 2023. This was a surprising item due to the praise that’s been heaped upon Josh Metellus this summer. 

Metellus has received first-team snaps and has shined in nickel packages at camp. Additionally, former first-round pick Lewis Cine has impressed and has received first-team snaps as well. Apparently, neither Cine nor Metellus has done enough to unseat Bynum, however. It will be interesting to see if Bynum can hang on to his spot through the preseason. 

Kene Nwangwu as the backup RB

Nwangwu has oft been thought of as a special teams ace more than a true backup RB. Most of the back’s impressive work has been done in the return game, after all. 

That's why it was incredibly surprising to see Nwangwu ahead of Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride. Chandler has been inconsistent this summer, but I thought he had shown enough to be Mattison's backup. McBride definitely possesses the most potential but obviously hasn't shown enough to spring up the chart. 

If Nwangwu holds on to the No. 2 spot, it could spell trouble for Chandler. Nwangwu isn't getting cut no matter what thanks to his ability in the return game, so if he proves capable of handling backup RB duties, Chandler could be out of roster spot. McBride would likely get the spot over Chandler due to his rookie status and explosiveness. 

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Featured image via © Brad Rempel | 2023 Aug 5