The Vikings’ Aug. 4 training camp workout was lighter than what’s coming next, with practice held in shells and plenty of the day devoted to mixing and matching groups. The heavier, padded session is set for tomorrow, so this one came with fewer major takeaways - but there were still a few things worth watching.
At quarterback, neither player separated in any dramatic way. Both quarterbacks had a handful of solid throws in team and red zone work, along with some misses that fit the overall tenor of camp.
There were no deep shots again, just a steady diet of short throws with some intermediate work sprinkled in. The day also featured a lot of rotation across the first, second, and even third units on both sides, and some of the team periods looked closer to a half-speed install than a full competitive session.
On one field, the offense was working against staff members while the defense was doing the same elsewhere.
The most interesting quarterback note came late in full-speed team work: Kyler Murray was with the first team exclusively, while J.J. McCarthy was with the second team exclusively. That may be a hint at where things are headed.
One of the standout performers again was Charles Demmings. He kept stacking up pass breakups, played with plenty of swagger, and continued to look like the best draft pick of the group so far.
He brought physicality, maybe a little too much at times, since he could be flirting with penalties if he doesn’t dial it back some. Still, the confidence is obvious, and he was lining up regularly with the first-team defense while matching up often with Jefferson, Addison, or Felton.
The offensive line picture also got clearer. After watching most of the line work, it doesn’t seem like either Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens is in much danger at center.
Vershon Lee is doing some cross-training there, but he still looks more like a guard. Gavin Gerhardt and Walter Rouse appear to be near the back of the line right now, though they still have a chance to change that.
At the moment, though, they’re last in the pecking order. Rouse, in particular, doesn’t look positioned to win a tackle job over Ryan Van Demark or Caleb Tiernan, who seem like roster locks.
There was also a veteran-day-off feel to parts of practice. Christian Darrisaw sat out, and Andrew Van Ginkel and likely Blake Cashman were also absent. Domonique Orange was dressed but didn’t take part in team drills, which at least suggests he may be on the way back sooner rather than later.
A few other players left their mark in smaller ways. Demond Claiborne worked in team periods but had a drop in red zone drills.
Jake Golday made a couple of nice run-stopping plays, disrupting runs in the backfield. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins stayed with the first team and added a nice tackle for loss on a run.
Caleb Banks got a few first-team snaps, just as he did yesterday, and the team appears to be bringing him along gradually.
The defensive tackle group behind the top names saw more work as well, with Eric Johnson and Taki Taimani getting additional snaps in a practice that leaned toward giving backups more chances. On the offensive side, TE Gavin Bartholomew kept building momentum and continues to look like a real candidate for TE3.
Jauan Jennings stood out for a different reason. He isn’t the most explosive athlete in the receiver room, but he does bring blocking value and can win contested catches with size and strength. He isn’t likely to create much separation as a route runner, though Tai Felton could still carve out some offensive reps this season as a more dynamic third wideout.
The day also had a little edge to it late. After the defense - mostly backups - started hollering and talking trash at the offense, Josh Metellus stepped in as a captain and shut it down, telling them to knock it off in so many words. Then, on the final note of the day, Charles Demmings and Jauan Jennings exchanged shoves after Jennings hauled in a short catch from Murray with Demmings in coverage.
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The timing matters, too, because the 2026 schedule looks friendlier on that side of the ball, giving the Vikings a path to stay in the top tier if the rookies settle in quickly and the veteran core keeps doing its part. The bigger question is whether this collection of draft additions can lift Flores from having a good defense to having one that can carry the conversation around Minnesota all season long. [Read more 🡒]