Bubble update

Although the Vikings are three weeks away from the start of the regular season in Washington, the next week is a critical one for many of the bubble players.

Next Tuesday, the Vikings must pare their roster down to 75 players, with no exceptions.

That's why the Vikings can't be thrilled about some of the players who are injured right now. While they cannot cut an injured player, coach Brad Childress and his staff certainly would like a chance to take a hard look at players such as WR Kevin Kasper and LB Marcus Lawrence. Kasper provided a spark as a return specialist, and Lawrence seemingly has a chance to make the roster with the loss of Chad Greenway.

Lawrence had been generating a buzz through the first two weeks of camp, with his combination of size and athleticism. But because he is a first-year player, he needs to get on the field to make an impression. His knee injury isn't his fault. But football coaches aren't much on projections, especially for players they haven't invested much in.

That's also the dilemma with CB Charles Gordon, who showed promise early in camp before suffering a knee injury.
Because it's a premium position, you don't want to get rid of good cornerbacks. But realistically, Gordon doesn't have much of a shot to make the team at cornerback.

Antoine Winfield and Fred Smoot are locks, along with rookie Cedric Griffin and Dovonte Edwards. The absolute maximum the Vikings would keep at that position is six, with five being a more probable number.

Right now, Ronyell Whitaker would appear to have the edge, given his history with defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin. Tony Beckham also is intriguing, because of his size (6 feet 1, 195 pounds) and athleticism. Don't forget the presence of Dustin Fox, a third-round pick last year.