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It’s that time again! Training camp is here, and the hope and optimism of a new season is in full swing. The 2026 Vikings are an intriguing bunch, with many battles for starting slots and playing time up for grabs.
To get primed for the fun that lies ahead, I’ll go through a few key position battles (not QB related…this time), and a few players I’m looking forward to seeing over the next few weeks. The team is expected to be in the media spotlight due to the battle under center, but that shouldn’t overshadow the other intriguing storylines this team has.
The Vikings had quite the overhaul in the Spring and early Summer, and now it’s time to see if the changes will pay dividends. Expectations are mixed, and with a few key battles happening in early August, we may not get a good sense of the full picture until snap one against Green Bay.
Training Camp & Preseason Schedule
July 26th: Rookies report
July 28th: Veterans report
August 1st: First practice
August 9th: Open night practice
August 15th: Preseason Week 1 – @ NY Giants
August 22nd: Preseason Week 2 – vs. BAL Ravens (joint practices happening earlier in week)
August 28th: Preseason Week 3 – @ DEN Broncos
Offense Position Battles & Key Players
There is one key position battle that overshadows everything on the 2026 Vikings, however, the offense underwent some changes that leaves room for a lot of excitement and anticipation this preseason.
There are a couple new guys on the team that will play critical roles in this year’s offense, and it may not be the flashiest positions. While the core of the offense has remained the same, there are some new pieces that should help elevate the core back to the success that we saw in 2024, and other previous KOC led seasons.
The Running Game
Instant excitement ensues whenever a rookie RB enters the equation. The Vikings RB room brings back two veteran leads in Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. However, a new man has entered the room that brings a skillset not possessed by either of the former backs.
Demond Claiborne is an explosive Runningback, who will excel in KOCs wide zone scheme. Expectations shouldn’t be at the winning OROY level, but I do expect a major impact in year one. He’ll have limited opportunities, and more than likely open the first half of the year with only a couple touches per game, including in the return game. However, those few touches can quickly change the pace of the offense and game with his breakaway speed.
He’ll have plenty of opportunities throughout the season, too, as the Vikings RB room hasn’t always been the healthiest in previous season. In 2025, Aaron Jones missed five games, and Jordan Mason missed one. As Jones continues to get older, I expect his usage to continue to trend down to better protect his longevity throughout the season.
While Claiborne may be the shiny new toy, there’s another impact rookie who should help improve a rather quiet run game. Enter Max Bredeson, rookie Fullback from Michigan. Bredeson will not accumulate many, if any, stats on the sheet, but he is a relentless, high-effort blocker.
He brings great versatility to the Vikings offense, as he can lineup in multiple positions, including FB and TE, and even as the primary RB in shotgun and pistol sets. He is not the same type of skill player that C.J. Ham was, but he provides a new element that will pair nicely as the Vikings look to bring in heavier personnel this season.
Bredeson can play in 22, 21, 12, and 11 personnel, allowing KOC to keep the core skill players on the field, and utilizing Bredeson’s movability to get reach and lead blocks in his wide zone and duo heavy run schemes.
Bredeson is similar to a FB who formerly played in Miami, and was a staple in their running offense: Alec Ingold. The man behind that creativity is now the Vikings Assistant HC and Run Game Coordinator: Frank Smith.
Frank spent the last four years in Miami, as the Offense Coordinator to Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins boasted a modern day rushing attack, leveraging many looks, RBs, and schemes. They also produced an excellent RB in De’von Achane.
With Smith masterminding the running game, expect similar schemes to previous years: wide zone, inside zone, and duo. However, the looks and creativity will be much improved, which should result in a stronger play action passing attack, KOC’s speciality.
No matter who wins the QB battle, I’d expect more pistol formations, more pre-snap motions and shifts, and the offensive line to have more creative blocks and movements in both the passing and running game.
What to watch for: the preseason may be more vanilla in terms of scheme, and it may look similar to previous seasons. However, watch for the RB rotation, most importantly Claiborne’s usage in practices and the first two preseason games.
Bredeson will be a fun watch, too, as he should lineup in various positions and formations. I’m mostly going to be watching his usage in the preseason, including any routes that he may run. Improving his receiving threat will be helpful in expanding the offenses creativity.
Lastly, I will be interested to watch the O-line’s blocking techniques and toughness. The depth was tested last year, and became a bit of an achilles heel to the offense. The depth blocking, especially in the run game, will be interesting to see. I will be looking for strong, dominant blocks, and ability to win their one-on-one battles. The depth talent in the trenches is always tough to evaluate in the preseason, but being able to dominant the weaker talent is a strong sign that the depth has improved.
Wide Receiver 4 & 5
The Vikings deepest room on offense is the WR room. The top three are staples, and could make the argument that they’re the best trio in the NFL. However, the depth of the room is no slouch either.
I expect the Vikings to carry five WRs on their active roster come September, and the last two slots in the room has some intense competition. These guys will be big contributors on Special Teams this season, but I see opportunity on the offense to create some impact.
The three notable WRs fighting for what may be the last two WR slots are: Myles Price, Dillon Bell, Tai Felton, and Jeshuan Jones. Dontae Fleming is another guy to have an eye on, too.
Each guy comes with their own skill set, and the two club house leaders are Myles Price and Tai Felton. Price was an excellent kick returner last year, and had multiple kicks wiped off by penalties:
In 2025, Price averaged:
- 25.9 kickoff return yards
- 9.9 punt return yards
With both numbers having the potential to be better with less holding penalties by the return unit. Look for both to increase in 2026.
Felton was a 3rd round selection in the 2025 Draft, and had an underwhelming rookie campaign. He played Special Teams throughout the year, but only put up three receptions for 25 yards when on offense. The bright spot is that two of his three catches resulted in first downs.
He has put in the work this off-season, and looked much improved during OTAs and Minicamp:
He projects as the early WR4 if he can keep up momentum. Keenan McCardell was “banging” the table in the 2025 Draft, now it’s time to see if Felton can prove him right.
However, there are a few names that stood out this off-season, too, who are going to apply pressure to Felton and Price. Dillon Bell joined the Vikings as a UDFA after four seasons at the University of Georgia. He never posted eye popping stats, but he was reliable and played an important role as a career WR 2/3 in the Bulldogs offense. His best year was in 2024, where he posted:
- 43 receptions
- 466 yards
- 4 touchdowns
Early OTA & Minicamp reports had him as a standout, and he had some nice flashes in the recap videos posted by the Vikings. But he wasn’t the only one creating hype…
Enter Jeshuan Jones and Dontae Fleming. Jones has been on the Vikings for the previous two seasons, after joining as a UDFA in 2024. He’s been a consistent practice squad player, and has put up nice plays during previous preseasons.
During the 2025 preseason, he led the Vikings with nine receptions, resulting in 100 yards. He provides stable deep depth, and should be primed for another solid preseason campaign, with a shot at getting one of the last WR spots. I expect him to be a part of the 2026 Vikings, even if that role is limited to the Practice Squad again.
Fleming is another returning practice squad player, after being a UDFA in 2025 with the Vikings. Another man who stood out during OTAs, he will be someone to keep an eye on deeper into the preseason. Similar to Jones, I expect Fleming to be a part of the Vikings in some sort of fashion, and has an outside chance of making the active roster. Fleming possess great speed, and can bring a skill that the Vikings room has a current spot in: game breaking and stretching speed.
Defense Position Battles & Key Players
The 2026 Vikings defense will look very different from the unit we saw in 2025. Subtract nearly all of the veteran talent (hopefully minus one veteran Safety), and enter in the new wave of talent that will boast the defensive unit for years to come.
A defense that was in need of a youth movement finally got its wish, now, will it work out? There’s a lot of exciting new players on this side of the ball, but the question is: how much of an impact will they make?
The New Men on the Line
Entering the 2025 season, the Vikings defensive line was expected to be one of, if not, the best units in the league. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation for what the unit was expected to produce.
Now, what if I told you that only one starter would remain entering 2026, what would have been your reaction? Fast forward to present day and that is now the Vikings reality. The team had a mandate: get younger and cheaper, and do it in a hurry.
Gone are the veteran free agent busts in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, as well as premier edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. All three lineman were making near premium contracts, although you could argue Greenard was slightly underpaid, but he was looking for a renewal and a raise.
The three pieces that were supposed to further elevate an already great defensive unit are now all gone. What remains?
Enter in full-time starter Dallas Turner, another year of Jalen Redmond, and two top-100 draft picks in Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange. The lone remaining veteran is AVG, and he’ll have a big leadership responsibility this season guiding the young line.
Dallas Turner is primed for a breakout season. He closed 2025 on a hot streak, tallying:
- 8 sacks
- 42 pressures
- 4 forced fumbles
He’s also been highlighted as a 2026 breakout player by PFF:
He’ll have large shoes to fill with Greenard being traded to the Eagles. However, that may play more into Turner’s strengths, as he really started to figure things out and produce in the absence of Greenard. Turner just turned 23 in February, and entering year three, all systems are go for the former 1st round pick.
Caleb Banks will be under the microscope throughout training camp and the preseason. Banks is a physical freak, standing 6’6″ and weighing over 325 Ibs, he has a size that can make him a disruptor right away.
Where does the hesitation come from though? Banks has been plagued with multiple foot injuries throughout his collegiate career, limiting his production and availability. In 2025, he only played in three games for the Gators. He turned his attention to prepping for the combine and NFL Draft, where he hurt the same foot, and required an additional surgery.
The Vikings staff believe strongly in their medical team, and they also believe that Banks’ most recent surgery was a success and will be able to put the injury concerns to bed. When he’s healthy and full go, there may not have been a more disruptive d-lineman in the 2026 Draft. The injuries are a major red flag, and it’ll be interesting to see how his recovery and availability tracks throughout August.
I wouldn’t expect him to play much, if at all, during the preseason, and he’ll more than likely be on a pitch count to start the regular season. His progression and health will be a major factor for the 2026 defense, and if he can stay healthy, the new look Vikings d-line has potential to be an elite unit.
Linebacker Rotation
The Vikings made multiple big investments to their linebacking core this past off-season. Not only does the lead Mike linebacker return in Blake Cashman, they invested in re-signing Eric Wilson, and using a 2nd round pick on Jake Golday.
They also kept depth and special teams in mind when they tenured and kept Ivan Pace, even after a bit of a disappointing year last season.
The two biggest themes for this room are: health and rotation. Since Cashman joined the Vikings in 2024, there has been a bit of a revolving door in terms of starting linebackers, mostly due to the amount of injuries they have sustained each season.
Cashman has missed multiple games since he signed with the Vikings, playing 14 in ’24, and 13 in ’25. His injuries are unrelated, but do have a cause for concern, as he’s had multiple injury riddled seasons as a Jet and Texan earlier in his career.
Cashman isn’t the only LB who has missed time either. The other starting LB in 2025, Ivan Pace, only played in 11 games, and got benched in 2025 for Eric Wilson. After a stellar rookie season, he has slowly been trending down, which has prompted an investment this past off-season.
Eric Wilson was one of the biggest surprises around the NFL last season. At the age of 31, he put up a career year, including having:
- 115 tackles
- 6.5 sacks
- 4 forced fumbles
He was one of the most productive players on the Vikings defense, and made splash play after splash play each week. A spectacular season earned him a payday, banking a 3-year $22.5m contract.
It may be hard for him to repeat last seasons success, but there is no reason to expect him to dramatically regress, either.
The newest man entering the room continues the trend of getting younger. Jake Golday joins the team after being drafted in the 2nd round from the University of Cincinnati.
Golday was one of the most versatile players in the Draft, and played nearly every position during his time as a Bearcat. He lined up across the d-line, middle and outside LB, and even played snaps at slot corner and safety. This type of position versatility is what BFlo loves for his scheme, and I’m expecting to see Golday get more playing time throughout the year as he learns the defense.
The LB rotation will be an interesting one to watch play out throughout camp. The anticipated starters are Cashman and Wilson, but I expect BFlo to deploy a rotation early on depending on situation. Golday brings a new style of flexibility and athleticism to the room, and he has a chance to force the coaching staff to give him playing time.
The NFC North is littered with excellent TEs, including Tucker Kraft in Green Bay, and Colston Loveland in Chicago. Golday may need to be tapped on early to help slow down the role both TEs play in their respected offenses.
The middle of the defense has been picked on in previous seasons, and has been a weakness if the pass rush and blitz packages don’t get home in time. The LBs are going to play a critical role, and it’ll be exciting to get a glimpse of the vision over the next few weeks.
The HOF Size Hole
Has Harrison Smith really played his final snap as a Viking? I certainly have my beliefs and conspiracies…
But, let’s stick with the facts. The 2026 Vikings are going into training camp with a new look in their secondary. The man who was a cornerstone for over a decade is not currently on the roster, leaving gigantic shoes to fill.
The Vikings have solid depth at Safety, and it is a position I’d expect to have a rotation throughout the year. Gerald Alexander has his hands full, as he joined KOC’s staff as a DBs coach this Spring, making his way to Minnesota after working with Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.
Alexander is regarded as one of the better DB coaches in the league, and has helped develop and produce many active DBs, including Joey Porter Jr. and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Now, he’s tasked with reimagining the Safety room in Minnesota, a room that doesn’t have a lack of talent. The mainstay is Josh Metellus. The swiss army knife, who had a bit of a regression in 2025. He’s primed as a bounce back player, and the defense is going to need it, not just as a player but as a leader in the room.
I fully anticipate Metellus to return to the versatile role that he flourished in previously. While Metellus isn’t the same type of player Harrison Smith is/was, I imagine BFlo and Alexander view his skillset as the best to “replace” Smith with the versatility to lineup all over the defense.
The question is, who starts across from Metellus? The room is full of young, fun talent, with a strong competition to keep your eye out for the next few weeks.
Two men continue their journeys as Vikings: Jay Ward and Theo Jackson. Both played a significant amount of snaps in 2025 on defense, totaling 778. Jackson played the majority, logging 530 total defensive snaps last season.
Both showed flashes throughout the year, and will play in a bit of a rotation early on. BFlo loves using heavy nickel looks, or putting a Safety at Nickel Corner, where Metellus makes his money. Jackson and Ward are both penciled in as the two to play the deep men in these looks.
I thought Ward had many nice plays and snaps in his limited role last year, and Jackson is entering the final year of his 2-year $12.6m contract he signed last off-season. Both are up for contracts, and they also need to battle it out with another man entering the room.
Enter Jakobe Thomas from the University of Miami. The fourth and final top-100 pick of the Vikings 2026 Draft, Thomas has a chance to early playing time early. Thomas was extremely productive in his only year as a Cane, putting up:
- 75 tackles
- 5 INTs
- 2 forced fumbles
- 3.5 sacks
He has a fun highlight tape, as he plays aggressive, looking to make the big play and big hit every time:
He’ll be someone to watch over the next few weeks, as his big play mentality is going to show up in practice and preseason games quickly. He needs to play with a bit more control, which I expect to happen with coaching and experience. While he may not be a day-1 starter, I’d expect him to rotate on the heavier Nickel personnel looks early on. Ward and Jackson may have their hands full trying to keep the big play nature of Thomas off of the field.
Final Thoughts
This training camp should be one of, if not, the most fun and exciting that we’ve seen in some time. There is a different optimism and anxiousness in the air in comparison to last year’s camp, with all eyes on what KOC plans to do at QB.
That decision will be the biggest domino effect for the team and NFC North this August, as QB1 goes against two division foes right off the bat. I am excited to watch the battle play out in the coming weeks, and I advise everyone to take a deep breath and think critically with the battle.
We will see a lot of reactionary takes, stories, and breakdowns that may force opinions in either direction. Personally, I want the guy who gives the Vikings the best chance to win in the now and the next. The preseason will be a toned down version of the scheme, and may be limited in terms of personnel that actually dresses and plays. A lot of the decision making will be parts that the general public and media won’t see; keep that in mind this August.
I’m excited about the youth movement on the defense, even if it brings in question marks and performance volatility early on. Their development is critical for the Vikings of today and the Vikings of tomorrow.
To close, I want to shoutout one guy I will be closely watching: Marcus Allen, Corner. Allen has a chance to make the roster as a depth Corner, and I can picture him at least making the practice squad. Allen possesses good size, measurements, and athleticism. The man who currently wears Xavier Rhodes’ old number may turn some heads throughout camp and the preseason, especially with a pretty open Corner room.
Thank you for taking the time to read my latest article! If you enjoyed the read, please support the blog by liking and commenting below. Sharing with your friends and family would go a long way as we continue to build this community. And as always, SKOL!
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