The Minnesota Vikings will finally put some of their new ideas on the field Saturday when they open the preseason against the New York Giants, even if the game is likely to be light on full reveals.
Kyler Murray is unlikely to play more than one series, and several big names - including Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison - are not expected to suit up. So this won’t be the kind of preseason opener that gives away the whole playbook. But it should still offer a first real look at a few of the biggest changes around the roster and coaching staff.
One of the most interesting areas to watch is the running game. Minnesota’s backfield still lists Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones at the top, but the deeper shift has come along the offensive line and in the offensive staff. Keith Carter is in as offensive line coach after replacing Chris Kuper, and Frank Smith has joined as assistant head coach.
Carter has already earned praise during camp for pushing a more physical style up front. Will Fries described the approach as “body blows” that “matter in a game,” while Brian O’Neill has also spoken positively about the urgency Carter has brought to the group.
“There’s a little kick in the butt to raise the standard and be better as a group and better as an offense. It’s definitely there, and we definitely feel the urgency.”
Smith’s arrival matters too. He came over after a successful run as Mike McDaniel’s offensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins, where the rushing attack ranked as high as sixth and most recently got a major boost from De’Von Achane, who led the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry last season. His influence could show up in the form of more shotgun and pistol looks in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Saturday may not show the full version of that plan, but rookie Demond Claiborne has already given the staff something to work with. The sixth-round pick has stood out in camp with his explosiveness, and Zavier Scott should also get some touches as the Vikings take their first swing at showing a more productive ground game.
The other major shift sits on the defensive side, where Minnesota has turned over its front. Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave are gone, and the Vikings used April’s draft to bring in Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange.
Banks won’t play in the preseason opener while the team manages a left foot that ended his 2024 season early, wiped out much of his 2025 campaign, and was injured again during his workout at the combine last February. Orange, though, is expected to get snaps and could line up next to Jalen Redmond.
“I’m a patient guy with rookies,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said this week via SI and Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller.
“I think we’ve got to give them time to really get their feet in the ground… literally on the field and figuratively just as far as understanding the pro game, the routines, the habits that they’ve got to build to really reach their optimum potential. So I think [Banks and Orange] are doing a really good job, but there’s a lot of meat left on the bone.”
Jake Golday is another rookie worth tracking. Some around the team believe he could eventually replace Andrew Van Ginkel, who is in the final year of his contract, and his versatility has already shown up enough to suggest he may carve out multiple roles early.
That front seven will get a chance to make an early statement of its own, especially with Dallas Turner stepping in for Jonathan Greenard. Even in a preseason opener with limited star power, Minnesota has enough new pieces in the trenches and enough uncertainty at quarterback to make Saturday more than just a warm-up.
J.J. McCarthy’s performance may not decide everything, but it could go a long way toward clarifying where his future with the Vikings stands.
In Other News...
Vikings Just Saw A Kyler Murray Issue Practice Never Exposed
The preseason trip to New York gave the Vikings a small but useful glimpse at where timing still needs work on offense. On one third-down snap, Kyler Murray and Aaron Jones did not come away with the same read, and the drive stalled out before Minnesota had to settle for a field goal. It was the kind of hiccup that is easy to gloss over in practice, but harder to ignore once the plays are being run at game speed.
Murray acknowledged the disconnect afterward, pointing to the need for more live reps and shared game tape as the offense settles in around a new quarterback. For a unit still sorting out its rhythm, the issue is less about a single mistake than about the broader process of getting everyone on the same page when the bullets are live, the reads are faster and the margin for error gets much smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Jamal Adams Vikings Debut Just Created A Brutal Roster Problem
Jamal Adams first preseason appearance with the Vikings was supposed to be a chance to show how he could fit into Kevin OConnells defense, and for a little while it looked like that opportunity had arrived. Adams got on the field against the Giants and was active early in Minnesotas preseason opener, the kind of debut that carried real meaning for a roster still sorting through roles and depth in late August.
Instead, the night turned into a painful setback for both player and team. Adams went down with a right knee injury and had to be carted off, a harsh development for a Vikings group that had already seen his presence stand out in training camp. OConnell made clear afterward how much Adams had meant to the building, but Minnesota now has to absorb the loss and revisit the roster math after what had been shaping up as an important addition. [Read more 🡒]
Demond Claiborne Just Made The Vikings Backfield Battle More Interesting
The Vikings preseason opener offered an early look at how the backfield might start to take shape, and rookie running back Demond Claiborne wasted no time making himself part of the conversation. In Minnesotas 13-10 win over the Giants, the sixth-round pick handled 12 carries for 34 yards and also chipped in on special teams with 50 kickoff return yards, a workload that stood out as much as the production.
Kevin OConnell seems willing to give Claiborne a real chance to earn his way into the mix, and that matters in a backfield where every touch can change the pecking order. Preseason stats rarely tell the whole story, but the number of snaps and the variety of work Claiborne got suggest the Vikings are at least open to imagining a role for him beyond just camp depth. [Read more 🡒]