One Viking May Have Just Jumped the Depth Chart

Indianapolis Colts running back Zavier Scott (2) tosses the ball during Colts Camp practice at Grand Park Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 in Westfield. © Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK. Have you ever heard of Zavier Scott, the Minnesota Vikings’ RB4? An unsung Vikings player, Zavier Scott, is making waves at training camp. Signs point to him climbing the depth chart and possibly earning a real shot at a promotion this month. The man could be the RB3 before too long, especially if training camp evidence translates to the preseason and regular season. The little-known Vikings running back has turned heads at training camp, and an RB3 job could be the eventual prize later this month. A New RB3 for the Vikings? Scott is doing everything right at training camp. Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott is seen during a team practice session held internationally at The Grove. The practice took place on Oct. 4, 2024, in Watford, United Kingdom, as the Vikings prepared for their London game as part of the NFL’s global series. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images. RB Zavier Scott Runs with Second Teamers Training camp is the forum for various player breakouts, roster construction, and culture building. So when Scott ran with the second-team offense on Monday, some folks raised their eyebrows — in a good way. Our own Sean Borman tweeted, “QB Sam Howell and RB Zavier Scott getting 2nd team reps.” And last week, The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis picked Scott for the 53-man roster over the incumbent RB3, Ty Chandler. He wrote, “This is one of the boldest choices. Scott, an undrafted product from UConn and Maine, has held his own with the backups as a pass catcher and runner. Does he have the top-end speed of Chandler? Doubtful. Does he have the experience? No. But this is more an evaluation of the first week, and Scott hasn’t left much on the table.” “He’ll likely receive ample opportunities in the preseason, which will give him further chances at staking a claim to a roster spot.” A prediction from a reliable source in Lewis, plus Borman’s second-team observation — Scott may be cooking with gas. Players don’t get second-team reps on accident. A Tide Change Steam for Scott is new. In NFL speak, the man was a “nobody” until 2025 training camp. But if a player were to scale a depth chart, transferring from RB4 to RB3, this is exactly how the process would unfold. Think of it this way: Scott isn’t “supposed to” win a roster spot; he’s a habitual practice squader. It’s just that he disagrees with that assessment and is making a name for himself when it matters the most, particularly in terms of roster formulation. Who’s Zavier Scott? Scott spent three seasons at the University of Connecticut from 2017 to 2019 before trying Maine on for size from 2020 to 2022. Undrafted during the 2023 NFL Draft, Chandler latched onto the Indianapolis Colts‘ roster for that campaign. Zavier Scott, then a running back for the UConn Huskies, warms up prior to a game against the South Florida Bulls. The scene was captured on Oct. 20, 2018, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, where Scott prepared for one of his final collegiate matchups. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports. The Colts did not re-sign him after 2023, finding his way to Minnesota’s roster last offseason and later the practice squad in 2024. He has not played in a regular season game to date, biding his time until, well, perhaps this September if his training camp boost continues. Scott signed a futures deal with the Vikings in January. He tallied 352 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns at Maine as a senior in 2022. The Outlook for Ty Chandler Listen, Chandler could be in trouble. No credible Vikings writer or analyst has firmly picked him to stay on the roster at the end of the month, and his contract expires after this season. The man is a speedster and flashed in a couple of 2023 regular season games for the Vikings. However, his pass-protection does not overly impress the purple coaching staff. It’s why the club has traded for running back Cam Akers in back-to-back seasons. Akers pass-blocks. Chandler struggles. Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler celebrates with center Garrett Bradbury following a touchdown run. The emotional moment came during the second quarter on Nov. 12, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a game against the New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports. If Minnesota releases Chandler in three weeks — there’s a popular consensus prediction for it — and doesn’t sign a free agent from the post-cutdown market, Scott could be up for RB3 duty as early as September 8th, when the Vikings travel to Chicago for a date with the Bears to begin the regular season. In that vein, Scott must thrive in three preseason games, where he’ll assuredly get ample opportunities because Minnesota will rest almost all starters. Our Affiliate on Scott At our partner site, PPTSD, Janik Eckardt scribbled more context on Scott last week: “Scott just turned 26 years old. Prior to his NFL journey, he attended UConn for three years and then Maine for three years. He lined up at wide receiver, running back, tight end, and even wildcat quarterback in his college career.” “At 6’1″ and 219 lbs, Scott is a bigger running back, a hint that he wouldn’t be as gifted at catching the ball as smaller backs. Scott’s background as a receiver/runner hybrid helps him excel in that area, though. In fact, Scott had more receiving yards than rushing yards in his final collegiate season in 2022.” The Vikings haven’t had oodles of success unearthing unsung running backs as of late, so Scott would be an encouraging change of pace. Zavier Scott reacts to a road victory while with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2024 preseason. The celebratory moment occurred on Aug. 22, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, after the Colts defeated the Bengals in a closely contested matchup. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports. “He registered 352 rushing yards and 438 through the air. For those curious, he also had two passing yards. After going undrafted in 2023, Scott signed with the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent most of the year on the practice squad. The Colts waived him after last year’s preseason, and the Vikings added him to their practice squad,” Eckardt added. “He has yet to make his NFL debut. Protection issues bother coaches, and it explains why the Vikings acquired Cam Akers in each of the last two seasons instead of trusting Chandler with a bigger role. Scott’s pass-catching ability could be a wildcard in the RB race.” Minnesota will release a depth chart this week and a 53-man roster when the preseason concludes, adding more clarity, if any, to Scott’s role in 2025.