The Week 6 bye couldn't have come sooner for a Vikings team dealing with a long list of injuries. Despite those ailments, the Purple and Gold are 5-0 and sitting atop the NFC North as they reach the second half of their bye week.
Although the Vikings are undefeated, there are still issues to be addressed. While some players are thriving this season, others are struggling to make a positive impact when on the field.
Some of the Vikings' players are on thin ice after multiple weeks of ineffectiveness. The clock is ticking on them to find their role on the team. If they can't, they may end up losing snaps or even their job on the team
1. Jauan Jennings, wide receiver
Minnesota's big free-agent wide receiver signing this offseason has been a flop this season. In the team's first five games, Jauan Jennings has played 201 offensive snaps and has only caught two of the five passes thrown his way for nine yards. Not exactly worth the $8 million cash he's earning this season, per Spotrac.
There are already rumblings that Jennings could potentially be on the trade block since he has struggled to contribute to the Vikings' passing attack this year. Minnesota would be silly not to listen to offers to try to recoup an asset before the trade deadline. Needless to say, don't be surprised if he's traded, assuming that he remains on thin ice.
2. Josh Metellus, safety
The Vikings prepared to limit the defensive snaps of veteran safety Harrison Smith by drafting Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft and signing undrafted free agent Jacob Thomas out of James Madison.
While both those rookies are growing and developing, Minnesota has played Josh Metellus on every defensive snap this season. In 295 defensive snaps and four special teams snaps, he has earned a putrid Pro Football Focus grade of 40.2, ranking him 90th out of 96 qualifying safeties this year.
Metellus has played well in previous seasons, but hasn't found his footing in 2026. Minnesota will be patient with the versatile defender because they know he can rise above the recent struggles, but until one of the Thomas rookies is ready for a bigger role, he will need to be a workhorse.
3. Demond Claiborne, running back
Sometimes the hype around a player gets so out of hand that they can't possibly live up to the expectations. The Vikings brought back Aaron Jones Sr. on a reworked deal and have Jordan Mason returning to injured reserve after the bye
The Vikings drafted Demond Claiborne in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft to hopefully become a contributor for Minnesota. Instead, Claiborne and DeeJay Dallas have been unable to share the burden of rushing the ball with Jones.
Claiborne isn't in danger of losing his job, but his ineffectiveness could lead the Vikings to look for a more reliable third option in the backfield. So far, he has run the ball six times for 13 yards and caught two passes for eight yards while only playing 18 offensive snaps.
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