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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tyler Forness

Vikings 90-man roster player profile: OLB Luiji Vilain

Welcome to the beginning of our 2023 season preview content!

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at each player on the roster in-depth with backgrounds and how they currently project forward on the Minnesota Vikings roster.

What is the best-case scenario? What is the worst-case scenario? What should we expect from them during the preseason and beyond? We will break all of that down here.

As a staff, all of us at Vikings Wire ranked the entire 90-man roster 1-90 and will be releasing player profiles in reverse order.

Background

Name: Luiji Vilain

Rank: 54

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 252 lbs

Experience: 2 years

College: Wake Forest

Stats (In NFL): 3 games, 4 tackles

Votes: 

Tyler Forness: 54

Kevin Fielder: 54

Judd Zulgad: 55

Saivion Mixson: 54

Average: 54.25

Best case scenario

Vilain was the only player that made the Vikings as a UDFA in 2022. He has the athletic profile that the front office likes with a lot of athleticism. In year one, Vilain only suited up three times, but 2022 was meant to be a learning year for him. Going into 2023, there is opportunity for him to shine with Za’Darius Smith now in Cleveland and D.J. Wonnum on the final year of his contract. Showing out in training camp could get Vilain a rotational role.

Worst case scenario

There is a likely possibility that Vilain gets buried on the depth chart. The Vikings also brought in Andre Carter II as a UDFA with $340k in guaranteed money and Wonnum and Patrick Jones II could easily take away his entire snapshare.

What to expect in 2023

Vilain right now is on the roster bubble. There is depth at the position right now and Vilain will have to prove that he deserves to keep his roster spot. Expect Vilain to be on the Vikings roster in some way, whether the 53-man roster or the practice squad.

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