The Vikings spent the offseason making a clear bet on youth, and the first week of camp is giving Brian Flores plenty to work with.
Minnesota moved on from defensive linemen Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen after the 2025 NFL season, then dealt edge rusher Jonathan Greenard as part of a broader reset on defense. The idea was simple enough: replace established names with younger players who could grow fast in Flores’s system.
That approach got another push in the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Vikings took Caleb Banks in the first round and Domonique Orange in the third. They’re also counting on third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner to step into the opening created by Greenard’s departure to the Philadelphia Eagles.
A week into camp, the plan looks alive and well.
The Vikings defense has already shown up as a serious group, and that fits with what Flores built last season. His unit finished with the third-fewest yards allowed at 4,804 and the second-fewest passing yards allowed at 2,694. If the new pieces can help tighten up the run defense and Turner can handle starter-level duties, this group has a chance to be even better.
So far, the rookie interior duo is drawing strong reviews from head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“It’s been really cool seeing (Banks) and Big Citrus and the connection those guys have," O'Connell said on Saturday. "If you see one, you probably see the other, which is exactly what you’re looking for when you bring in two young guys like that.”
Great to see the offseason work that @Cbanks22_ put in coming to life pic.twitter.com/SXLoAjt4au
There’s more young talent flashing on that side of the ball, too.
Charles Demmings, a rookie from Stephen F. Austin State, is making noise with his effort and his coverage ability. The fifth-round pick is a six-foot-one, 191-pound corner from Texas, and he may be positioning himself for a role on a depth chart that doesn’t have much room to spare at the position.
The fact that he’s already been matched up with Justin Jefferson says plenty about how much responsibility the Vikings are willing to hand him in his first year.
For new general manager Nolan Teasley, this is the direction of travel: cheaper, younger, and built around potential. It’s a risky way to operate when you’re replacing veteran production, but it’s also the kind of move that can reshape a defense quickly.
And with the offense coming off an inconsistent and ineffective 2025 season, Minnesota may need Flores’s defense to carry even more of the load when the 2026 NFL season arrives.
In Other News...
Tai Felton Is Forcing A Vikings Roster Question Early
Tai Felton has been one of the more interesting developments in Vikings camp, and not just because he is still early in his pro career. The third-round pick from 2025 has been flashing in 2026 training camp with the kind of route-running and downfield ability that can start to change how a coaching staff thinks about a receiver room. Kevin OConnell has already pointed to Feltons progress, and Minnesotas passing game is deep enough that any young target who can separate himself deserves attention.
There is also a broader roster conversation building around him, because the Vikings have been looking for ways to make Felton useful beyond the obvious receiver role. OConnell has said he should get chances this season with so many other pass-catchers drawing coverage, and the team has even tried him in the kick return mix as it looks to maximize his value. For a player trying to carve out a role in a crowded offense, that kind of early versatility can be the difference between being just another camp name and becoming part of the weekly plan. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Rookies Are Suddenly Challenging A Defensive Trend
The Vikings latest draft class is making an unusually early push for defensive snaps, and that alone is worth watching in camp. Under interim GM Rob Brzezinski, the rookie group has drawn attention on a side of the ball where Brian Flores has typically been careful about handing out playing time, yet players such as Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange are already getting meaningful looks as Minnesota sorts out its depth and versatility.
Flores is working several newcomers into the mix as the season gets closer, including Jake Golday and Charles Demmings, as the staff tries to see who can handle multiple jobs and fit into different packages. For a coach who usually leans veteran-heavy on defense, the willingness to test these rookies now suggests the Vikings see something real in the group, even if the exact roles are still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Harrison Smiths Vikings Legacy Just Sparked A Debate Fans Will Hate
Harrison Smiths place in Vikings history already feels secure, even before he has officially said whether 2025 will be his final NFL season. The longtime safety has been one of the defining defensive players of his era in Minnesota, piling up six Pro Bowl nods and more than a decade of production that includes sacks, tackles, interceptions and pass breakups across 207 games.
Still, his long-term legacy has sparked a familiar football debate: where he lands in Hall of Fame discussions. ESPNs Bill Barnwell recently projected that Smith is unlikely to make it to Canton, pointing to the thin number of first-team All-Pro honors despite the strong body of work. For Vikings fans, it is the kind of argument that never feels entirely fair when a player has been as consistently important as Smith has been in purple. [Read more 🡒]