After two days of joint practices with the Ravens, the Vikings finally opened the doors at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday for a game that mattered most to the players trying to climb the depth chart. With several big-name starters watching from the sideline, this was a showcase for backups, rookies and roster hopefuls.
Minnesota came away with a 13-3 loss, and the day turned into a familiar story: the defense held up well, but the offense couldn’t make enough of the available chances count.
J.J. McCarthy got a chance to put some momentum back in his corner after losing the starting job to Kyler Murray, but the outing did not help his case.
The second-team offensive line gave him little support, yet even when he had room to work, he missed too often and too badly. His best play was a 50-yard strike to second-year receiver Tai Felton, but that drive fizzled after a missed throw to Myles Price near the goal line.
McCarthy finished his lone quarter 5 of 10 for 81 yards with one sack, and the numbers barely capture how rough some of the misses looked.
The team needs someone reliable behind Kyler Murray, and right now McCarthy did not look like the answer. Carson Wentz, by comparison, appears to be the steadier option.
While the offense sputtered, the defense spent much of the afternoon doing its job. Minnesota rolled out a mix of second-stringers and rookies who needed the reps, and the group was sharp for most of the first half, allowing only 93 total yards and a field goal.
UDFA safety Jacob Thomas continued to make noise after shooting up the depth chart and earning first-team reps following strong play and the loss of Jamal Adams for the year. He was all over the field, nearly came away with another interception, and finished with six tackles.
Jacob Roberts and Jake Golday also stood out, recording six and five tackles, respectively. Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange added pressure in the backfield and made life difficult for Tyler Huntley early, exactly the kind of disruption Brian Flores wants to see.
There were bright spots at receiver, too, even if the quarterbacks made the group work harder than it should have. Felton kept building on an encouraging camp with his 50-yard grab from McCarthy and ended with three catches for 66 yards.
Jeshaun Jones made a leaping 36-yard catch from Carson Wentz late in the first half and has pushed himself into the conversation for a 53-man roster spot, though Dontae Fleming is still in the mix. Dillon Bell also had a solid showing, finishing with five catches for 43 yards after an August that had been quiet until Saturday.
Price had the toughest day of the group. He found space several times only to be missed by McCarthy, and the worst moment came on an overthrow in the end zone that should have been a touchdown. His film will look better than the final line of one catch for 8 yards.
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With the team needing to get to 53 players, any trade talk around that group is less about blockbuster moves than about value management. A player who might not make the final roster could still have enough recent performance, contract control, or positional appeal to bring something back before the Vikings have to make the hard call, and that is what makes this deadline worth watching from Minnesotas side. [Read more 🡒]