Minnesota was winless in the 2021 preseason, but the Vikings still had plenty of rookies thrive when given a chance with their new team.
Take A.J. Rose Jr. for instance. Rose, an undrafted free agent, ran through NFL defenses to finish as PFF’s top graded Minnesota rookie during the preseason slate. He earned an overall grade of 75.9 for his efforts.
Michael Renner of PFF wrote:
“Rose went into camp knowing there likely wasn’t going to be a roster spot for him, but that didn’t stop him from balling out anyway. He rushed for 151 yards on 37 carries for two scores with seven broken tackles. It was enough to land him a practice-squad position for the Vikings.”
Unlike Rose, Zach Davidson struggled during the preseason. Davidson, seen as a raw prospect coming into the league, finished with a PFF grade of 40.5.
Now, both Davidson and Rose are on the Vikings’ practice squad. Rose has a chance to find a roster spot either with Minnesota or another NFL team, and possibly contribute in 2021. Davidson is a project who could pay off down the road. Overall, both offer something to the team, regardless of how they did this preseason.
