The Vikings’ 13-3 preseason loss to Baltimore did not offer much on the scoreboard. It offered plenty on a rewatch.
Preseason tape is never a final verdict. Players are handling unfamiliar roles, backups are playing next to backups and coaches are not unveiling much of what they will use in September. But it can reveal who looks comfortable in an NFL environment, who is still processing the speed of the game and where a roster has more problems than answers.
The Ravens game did all three for Minnesota.
The encouraging part is that several young defenders looked ready to help sooner than expected. The uncomfortable part is that the backup offensive line may be thinner than the Vikings can afford.
The reserve offensive line needs help
The rewatch made one thing difficult to ignore: Minnesota’s reserve offensive linemen are not on equal footing.
Michael Jurgens and Ryan Van Demark looked like the most functional alternatives. Jurgens was steady enough inside to look like a legitimate backup center, while Van Demark moved well at tackle and did not look overwhelmed by his work.
That is a useful endorsement. It is not a declaration that Jurgens is a ready-made replacement for Blake Brandel if the starting center’s snapping concerns continue. Jurgens can give the Vikings emergency snaps. Brandel still has to become dependable, because the tape did not suggest Minnesota has an obvious player ready to take over the full-time starting job.
Van Demark played like a backup, too. He’ll be a big downgrade from Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. But frankly, who wouldn’t be?
Beyond those two, the outlook was rough.
Vershon Lee repeatedly lost balance and ended up on the turf. Joe Huber had bad losing reps of his own. Henry Byrd was tested at left tackle and looked uncomfortable there. These were not minor technique errors that disappeared on a rewatch. They were the kind of snaps that can wreck a drive when they happen in the regular season.
Walter Rouse stood out by comparison, though it’s worth noting that he didn’t enter the game until the second quarter. He took snaps at both guard spots, looked quicker and stronger than several players around him, and showed why his versatility matters. Rouse entered the league as a tackle, but he may be most valuable because he can provide emergency options inside and outside.
That is valuable roster flexibility. It may also be necessary.
It would not be surprising if Minnesota adds another veteran after roster cuts expand the market. There may not be a plug-and-play starter available, but the Vikings could use another reserve blocker they trust to enter a game without immediately changing the entire protection plan.
Some rookies looked ready. Caleb Banks did not.
The Vikings’ rookie defenders did not all look like they are in the same stage of development.
Jake Golday and Domonique Orange played with much more control. Golday was around the ball, played fast and looked capable of handling a defined linebacker role. Orange held his ground, worked through contact and showed few obvious losing reps. Neither has to crack the starting lineup immediately for Minnesota to feel good about the investment, but both looked like players who can help sooner rather than later.
Caleb Banks looked different.
There were flashes. His physical tools are obvious, and a few reps showed the disruptive upside that made him a first-round pick. It was a step up from his first game. But there were also too many moments when he appeared to be freestyling rather than attacking the block in front of him with a clear plan.
Banks is still learning how NFL offenses are trying to reach, seal and redirect him. He has to become more deliberate with his hands, his eyes and his approach to each rep. The upside remains real. So does the distance between what he is now and what Minnesota eventually needs him to become.
That reading matches O’Connell’s postgame assessment. The Vikings coach pointed to Banks’ pad level and the consistent way a defensive tackle has to play in the NFL, while Banks acknowledged that he is still getting his football legs underneath him. The second preseason game was a better step, not a finished product.
That is not a bust declaration. It is a reminder that first-round talent does not always equal first-year readiness.
Fellow defensive lineman Elijah Williams, meanwhile, looked ready for more work. His power and quickness stood out, even against other backups. He did not look like an end-of-roster player merely trying to survive. He looked like a legitimate rotational defensive tackle, capable of creating disruption as a penetrator while holding up well enough against the run.
That is a meaningful development for a position where Minnesota can afford to be patient with Banks if others continue to emerge.
Jacob Thomas keeps looking like a roster lock
Jacob Thomas may be the most impressive young defender on the roster.
The undrafted safety plays like a heat-seeking missile. Some rookies still look as if they are processing the call before they move. Thomas is already flying to the football. He closes space quickly, cleans up plays for teammates and looks comfortable whether he is playing deep, working downhill or matching up closer to the line of scrimmage.
He did not look like an undrafted player trying to keep his head above water. Instead, he looked like a player who belongs.
Thomas has now backed up a strong camp with two productive preseason games. With Jamal Adams out for the season, Minnesota’s safety depth has become more important. Thomas should make the initial 53-man roster. There is not much of a case against it anymore. The Vikings need to find a spot for him.
Charles Demmings belongs in the same broader conversation. He did not simply survive his preseason snaps. He looked physical, competitive and comfortable playing through the whistle. A missed tackle clouded his second preseason outing. Demmings has a strong claim on the CB4 job, and his trajectory could eventually put pressure on the veterans ahead of him.
Linebacker Jacob Roberts was not perfect in coverage, but he played fast and hit with real force. His physicality showed up on the tape, and he has made enough plays through camp and preseason to build a credible case as a depth linebacker and special-teams contributor.
CB Da’Veawn Armstead and LB Bangally Kamara may not have clean paths to the initial 53, but both have shown enough to be worth keeping around. They look like practice-squad candidates Minnesota would want available if injuries strike their position groups.
The edge depth remains unsettled
Kenny Dyson’s debut was the loudest edge-rush performance.
He recorded a sack and generated four pressures on just 10 pass-rush snaps. That production deserves attention. It also came against Baltimore’s third-string offense, which matters.
Dyson’s debut should earn him more opportunities. It should not yet make him Minnesota’s answer at EDGE3.
Bo Richter and Tyler Batty had solid moments with and against the 2s, but neither consistently won enough to eliminate concern about the depth chart behind Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel. Minnesota still lacks an established third edge rusher. The trio may become part of the solution, but it’s a massive concern.
Claiborne passed an important test
Demond Claiborne’s speed is not in question. The question was whether a smaller rookie running back could handle the responsibilities that determine whether coaches trust him without the ball.
The rewatch was encouraging.
Claiborne had multiple impressive pass-protection reps. He identified his work, got into position, and competed through contact. It is a small sample, but it offered no reason to believe pass protection will keep him off the field.
That is a significant development. Big plays make a rookie running back exciting. Protecting the quarterback is what earns him a role.
At tight end, Gavin Bartholomew and Ben Yurosek did not separate themselves much as blockers. Bartholomew looked more natural once the ball was in his hands, though, and that may be the deciding factor if Minnesota keeps only one behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver.
The Vikings did not win Saturday. But the tape clarified who is ready, who needs more time and where the roster may still need help. With one preseason game remaining, that is more valuable than the final score.
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