The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Denver Broncos in their preseason finale on Friday night. While you won’t see the likes of Justin Jefferson, Dallas Turner, Kyler Murray, or any of the top-line starters, Friday’s game matters for a different reason. This is a roster bubble game, with players fighting for the final 53-man roster spots, practice squad positioning, and a chance to put enough on tape to catch the eye of other organizations will take center stage against Denver.

The stakes aren’t the highest in the traditional sense, but for players chasing a practice squad spot worth almost $250,000 a year and a potential path to an active roster, this game means everything. There’s going to be a lot of football worth watching. Here are five things to keep an eye on.

Max Brosmer needs to showcase development at quarterback

The undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota by way of the University of New Hampshire thrived during training camp last year and became one of the better stories on the Vikings. Unfortunately, his two starts last season were a disaster, though it’s worth noting he arguably shouldn’t have been put in that position in the first place. Injuries forced him into action before he was ready.

Brosmer enters this year as the fourth quarterback on the roster. He needs to showcase quite a bit to maintain that spot, especially with the uncertain future of J.J. McCarthy. If McCarthy ends up staying on the roster, Brosmer becomes a practice squad candidate and a solid one at that. If the Vikings choose to move on, he’s the top candidate for QB3. 

This is year two in the offense for Brosmer, and he does have ability. While he may not have starting-caliber potential, a cost-controlled backup who can keep you stabilized when your starting quarterback gets hurt is an invaluable proposition. He has the requisite arm talent to develop into that, and now he has to catch up to the speed of the game and make quick decisions, something that McCarthy has struggled with. Playing quarterback in the NFL isn’t easy, but Brosmer can continue to earn his spot.

Zavier Scott’s roster spot is in jeopardy at running back

Zavier Scott is in a battle with Demond Claiborne for the running back 3 spot in what could be a four running back room plus a fullback. The problem for Scott is that Claiborne has two things working in his favor: the Vikings traded a sixth-round pick to move up and select him, and he runs in the 4.3s. Scott doesn’t have either of those advantages. Minnesota signed him as a UDFA to the practice squad out of Maine in Nov. 2024, and he stuck around, earning a roster spot last year. He was productive when given opportunities, including a wheel route touchdown catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin in Week 4.

However, Scott needs to do the little things well. He’s got to be a great pass protector and excellent on special teams, whether that’s serving as the personal protector or contributing on coverage units. He hasn’t done that nearly well enough, and that’s a problem. If he wants to be on the roster, he’s got to showcase those skills in this game. If he doesn’t, it could be the end for him.

The wide receiver battle between Dillon Bell and Dontae Fleming heats up

With Jeshaun Jones receiving a three-game suspension, the Vikings don’t have to cut him because they can place him on the reserve suspended list. That means if they’re keeping six wide receivers, a spot has opened up between Bell and Fleming.

Bell, coming out of the University of Georgia, never had fewer than 20 catches in his four-year career with the Bulldogs in an offense that wasn’t very pass-heavy. He came into training camp with a lot of hype stemming from rookie minicamp, mandatory minicamp, and OTAs, but he’s leveled off. He hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t stood out. The coaching staff has tried to get him involved with jet sweeps and quick screens, and that’s paid dividends. He’s going to need more of that production in this game.

Fleming, meanwhile, has been a great route runner who has made some really impressive catches in space and in coverage. He also has punt return capabilities. With Myles Price balling out and likely locking down the wide receiver 4 spot, there’s a non-zero chance someone could take the punt return job from him. Fleming has a really interesting burst and vision as a returner, and that could pay dividends in the roster battle.

The linebacker room could force a difficult financial decision

The top three are set: Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Jake Golday. Behind them, Jacob Roberts has thrived across the board and been a good player. Bengally Kamara has also proven himself, though he’s played almost exclusively against third-stringers. He’s reading things properly, making the right calls, filling gaps well, and making great tackles.

The question becomes whether the performances of Roberts and Kamara are enough for the Vikings to move on from Ivan Pace Jr., who is making $3.52 million unguaranteed. It’s a non-zero proposition. If that ends up happening, it could be huge for roster math and building out the rest of the 53. This linebacker group is one of the better ones on the team, and the depth could force Minnesota’s hand.

Jakobe Thomas could finally make his preseason debut at safety

Jacob Thomas has been the star of the safety room and is probably going to make the team at this point. He got more opportunities due to the injury of third-round pick Jakobe Thomas, who we still haven’t seen hit the field because he suffered a back injury during training camp, causing him to miss both the Giants and Ravens preseason games. There’s a good chance he plays against Denver, and if that’s the case, there’s a lot to break down.

Thomas is an aggressive player who is willing to hit and has good ball skills, particularly coming from the roof. This is the kind of role the Vikings drafted Lewis Cine to fill, but Cine’s processing, which was a strength at Georgia, didn’t translate to the NFL. Thomas can fill that role. With how the Vikings like to use their safeties, there’s a way to rotate him in. As the 98th overall pick, he’ll likely play at least a quarter, maybe a little longer given that he missed the first two games. This could be the first real exposure to what Thomas can be, and that’s exciting.

Beyond these five storylines, the punter battle between Johnny Hekker and Brett Thorson gets settled. Tight end 3 comes down to Ben Yurosek and Gavin Bartholomew. Edge 3 and 4 will feature Tyler Batty, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Chaz Chambliss (now wearing No. 40 and possibly playing some fullback), and Bo Richter. There’s a lot to take in against the Broncos. It’s going to be a late night, but it’s one worth staying up for.