The Vikings wrapped up their 2026 preseason with a few clear answers and a couple of ugly ones, and the biggest takeaway might be the simplest: the QB2 race does not look like a real race anymore.
Carson Wentz finished the summer looking like the steady hand Minnesota can trust behind Kyler Murray, while J.J. McCarthy never quite seized the job and then an ankle injury shut the door on his final chance to make it interesting. Add in a 34-6 loss to Denver on Friday, and the preseason ended with more concern about depth than optimism about the offense.
Minnesota scored just one touchdown across three preseason games, and even with the starters mostly parked on the sideline, that’s a hard number to ignore. For the fringe players trying to force their way onto the 53-man roster, though, the three-game runway still mattered.
Myles Price and Caleb Banks helped themselves. Demond Claiborne and the reserve offensive line did the opposite.
Price was one of the summer’s brightest surprises. He gave Minnesota its only touchdown with a ridiculous one-handed catch against the Giants, then finished that game with four receptions for 51 yards before adding another catch against Baltimore.
The return job already looks like his, and the Vikings’ initial unofficial depth chart suggested his receiver spot was in good shape too. Showing he can help on offense only strengthens his case to stay not just on the roster, but in the weekly mix.
Wentz, meanwhile, put together the kind of preseason that usually wins these backup jobs. He went 21 of 29 for 188 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
His two series in Denver went nowhere - 15 yards, no spark - but that doesn’t erase what came before. He knows Kevin O’Connell’s offense and clearly outplayed McCarthy.
Minnesota can label McCarthy QB2 if it wants, but Wentz looks like the one the Vikings would actually lean on if Murray were injured, which has been the issue all month for McCarthy.
Reichard also made sure his name stayed off the problem list. He hit all five of his field-goal attempts, including makes from 54 and 52 yards.
Minnesota’s offense gave him plenty of chances to clean up stalled drives, and he handled every one of them. After being one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers in 2025, he gave the Vikings every reason to expect more of the same in 2026.
The goal, of course, is touchdowns and extra points, but having Reichard ready when drives bog down is a lot better than having nobody to bail you out.
Banks was another encouraging note. He arrived at camp behind schedule because of a foot injury, but he kept improving as the preseason went on.
He didn’t pile up flashy stats, yet he looked more and more comfortable. Against Baltimore, he and Domonique Orange helped the second-wave defense force five three-and-outs.
Banks was also consistently moving blockers out of his way and closing off running lanes, a promising look for what Minnesota hopes he can become as a first-round pick.
McCarthy’s summer, by contrast, never really found traction. He finished 9 of 17 for 115 yards without a touchdown.
His 50-yard strike to Tai Felton stood out, but the missed open throw to Price on fourth-and-goal became the kind of clip that travels fast online. The ankle injury kept him out of the finale and took away the last chance to answer Wentz.
After losing the starting job, the missed opportunity to settle the backup battle only made the picture look clearer.
Claiborne had a rougher time still. He carried the ball 28 times for 73 yards, a 2.6-yard average, with no run longer than nine yards.
The blocking didn’t help, but his 4.37 speed rarely made it past the first hit. There was plenty of buzz around the sixth-rounder entering camp, but the production never matched it.
His 25.2-yard kickoff-return average might help him hang around, but his work as a runner was a disappointment.
The bigger team issue was impossible to miss. Baltimore got to Minnesota for five sacks, penalties wiped out productive plays and the run game had very little room to breathe. Then Denver shut the Vikings out on two red-zone possessions.
The Vikings won’t solve their offensive-line depth problem in the two weeks before Week 1, but they will be looking at other teams’ cuts right away.
In Other News...
Vikings QB Debate Just Took A Brutal Turn For J.J. McCarthy
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The scrutiny around the Vikings handling of the quarterback spot has only grown, with analysts such as Paul Charchian criticizing the teams decisions involving McCarthy and Sam Darnold. Minnesotas recent choice to name Kyler Murray the starting quarterback for 2026 adds another layer to the uncertainty, leaving McCarthys standing in the organization suddenly very much in question. [Read more 🡒]
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Vikings Made A Surprise Special Teams Call That Will Be Debated
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Hekker and Thorson reportedly posted similar preseason punting numbers, which makes the decision easy to debate. But Thorson now gets the nod entering the season, and the move also appears to come with a lighter financial commitment, giving the Vikings a younger option and a cheaper one as they sort out one of the more specialized spots on the roster. [Read more 🡒]