The Minnesota Vikings hope to go 2-0 in the preseason this Saturday, taking on Jesse Minter’s Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium. During the contest, onlookers still need follow-ups from the first preseason game and training camp overall.
These are six things to monitor in your living room on Saturday.
Six Vikings Questions That Still Apply
1. Does J.J. McCarthy Rebound?
McCarthy did not play well against the New York Giants last weekend, and that came after an entire offseason when the 23-year-old was supposed to improve and take the next maturational step.
There’s a chance, though, that he suffered from an isolated bad outing. He’ll have a chance to prove it against Baltimore. McCarthy must take command of the offense, and for his purposes, perform better than Carson Wentz, who suddenly feels like QB2 competition.
2. Does Caleb Banks Show Improvement?
Banks also didn’t set the world on fire at New York, but that was to be expected as the rookie didn’t partake in the offseason program due to a broken foot recovery. The Florida State 1st-Rounder got injured at the NFL Combine.
While Banks doesn’t have to look fantastic this weekend, it would be better for everyone if he plays better this go-around. Another lackluster outing could put him on the bench to start the season.
3. Do Last Week’s Heroes Splash Again?
Out of nowhere, players like Jacob Thomas (safety), Myles Price (wide receiver), and Jacob Roberts (linebacker) turned heads in Preseason Game No. 1. That’s happened before for unsung Vikings who later didn’t make the 53-man roster: Gabriel Murphy, Lucky Jackson, T.Y. McGill, Kyle Sloter, to name a handful.
Price already had momentum heading into the preseason, while Thomas is fighting for a spot in a crowded safety conversation. Roberts could be in line for a special teams job. Another big Saturday would make their Week 1 performances harder to dismiss as preseason flukes.
Thomas, Price, or Roberts could make it impossible for the Vikings to keep them if they continue making plays in multiple preseason showings. Versus Baltimore is the next step.
4. Does a Punter Frontrunner Emerge?
No one is too sure who leads the current Vikings punting battle: veteran Johnny Hekker or rookie Brett Thorson. Both punted well and held kicks efficiently for Will Reichard at New York.
Will Minnesota choose experience or rookie upside? The final two preseason games should reveal more clues.
5. Who’s the Third Pass Rusher?
Tyler Batty is listed as the Vikings’ OLB3 behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, and general manager Nolan Teasley has signed no outside free-agent pass rushers, although many remain available, like Leonard Floyd and Haason Reddick.
The Vikings have the cap space to sign a Floyd or Reddick, so the stakes are these: between Batty, Bo Richter, rookie Jake Golday, or Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, one man or combination must perform better than an external free agent. Otherwise, Minnesota is leaving meat on the bone.
6. Does the Rushing Offense Pop Again?
The Vikings’ rushing offense looked different – – and quite good — at the Giants. It had more pop, and head coach Kevin O’Connell showed early hints of running the ball more frequently, which he has promised this offseason.
Minnesota has also spent training camp expanding its under-center, shotgun, and pistol packages. Another efficient game would suggest that the offseason emphasis is developing into an actual offensive identity, rather than just some August optimism.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said earlier this month, “Certain defenses, they have gun checks, under checks. Does pistol put them into their gun check or do they treat that as under?”
“Just present some different looks and different angles for the defense as long as we can master it. But it’s been fun. It’s been fun to change up a little bit. Some under, some gun, some different ways of running the football from under, from gun. It’s been a lot of fun this camp.”
An efficient rushing attack could unlock O’Connell’s offense to its fullest potential for the first time. Always remember: since O’Connell arrived in 2022, his team’s calling card is defense, thanks to Brian Flores. The Vikings should, in theory, be an offense-first enterprise because of O’Connell’s background.
O’Connell could finally blend both worlds if the rushing offense clicks.
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VikesNow Verdict: McCarthy, Banks, the pass-rush depth, and revamped running game all have something meaningful to prove before the regular season arrives.
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