The Minnesota Vikings have seen mixed results from their recent draft classes. A combination of aggressive trade-ups and underwhelming returns on investment has left the team searching for reliable depth. While late-round picks aren't expected to become superstars, they should at least provide solid backup options for a few seasons. One such player is 2024 sixth-round selection Walter Rouse, who joined the team in the same round as standout kicker Will Reichard.

Reichard has been a revelation for the Vikings, but Rouse's story has been quite different. The offensive tackle, who played at Stanford and Oklahoma, has seen action in just eight games over two NFL seasons, logging 88 offensive snaps and 38 on special teams. He's managed to hold a roster spot for 25 months, but the numbers are now stacked against him.

This offseason, Minnesota bolstered its tackle depth by signing Ryan Van Demark away from the Buffalo Bills. After starting six games protecting Josh Allen, Van Demark is expected to serve as the primary swing tackle in 2025. To make matters more crowded, the Vikings used a third-round pick last month on Northwestern tackle Caleb Tiernan, who projects as a long-term developmental piece and could even challenge Van Demark for the backup role.

That leaves Rouse as the odd man out in a tackle room headlined by starters Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill. Both starters dealt with injuries last season, which briefly opened the door for Rouse to see his first offensive snaps. However, even when opportunities arose, the coaching staff often preferred moving Blake Brandel to tackle over giving the 2024 pick a real shot.

At 6'6" and 313 pounds with 35-inch arms, Rouse has the ideal physical tools for the position. He started 52 games in college, splitting his time between Stanford and Oklahoma. But with the depth chart now stacked, a position switch to guard might be his only path to sticking around. Behind starters Donovan Jackson and Will Fries, the Vikings are thin on the interior—and that could be Rouse's ticket to extending his NFL journey.