6 Vikings Camp Battles to Watch This Summer time

Jay Ward (20) strains up within the secondary throughout second-quarter motion, monitoring the play as Minnesota confronted New York abroad, Oct. 6, 2024, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The defensive again remained lively in protection, adjusting to the Jets’ passing assault throughout a global matchup on a impartial area. Obligatory Credit score: Shaun Brooks-Imagn Photos.

The 2026 NFL Draft is full, and Minnesota Vikings followers now flip their consideration to the remainder of the spring and summer time, with coaching camp three months away. After we get there, per traditional, the membership can have a handful of intriguing roster battles.

Minnesota has a number of summer time competitions that would tweak the roster.

Some will declare that Kyler Murray should duel J.J. McCarthy in a camp battle, however we’re simply shopping for that, so the QB1 spot has been excluded from this record. We consider Murray has the job within the bag. We additionally assume that the Vikings will signal a WR3 like Jauan Jennings earlier than too lengthy.

5 Roster Fights Might Outline the Vikings’ Summer time Analysis

The battles are ranked so as of probably the most fascinating (No. 1 = most fascinating).

Wake Forest operating again Demond Claiborne (1) carries the ball by visitors throughout second-quarter motion, Nov. 23, 2024, at Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, because the Demon Deacons confronted the Miami Hurricanes in a late-season ACC matchup with Claiborne showcasing burst and imaginative and prescient between the tackles. Obligatory Credit score: Sam Navarro-Imagn Photos.

6. RB3Demond Claiborne vs. Zavier Scott

This one might not be a lot of a contest if the draftheads are proper about Claiborne. He has 4.37 velocity, the identical measurement as Miami Dolphins halfback De’Von Achane, and the Vikings simply so occur to make use of Achane’s offensive coordinator from the final three years, Frank Smith.

Scott has clawed his method up the depth chart over the past couple of seasons, however in actuality, he’s most likely finest suited as a observe squad commodity.

VT’s Prediction: Demond Claiborne

5. PunterJohnny Hekker vs. Brett Thorson

The previous versus the longer term. Eight years in the past, Hekker was the perfect punter on the earth. He’s now a Viking, however Minnesota scooped Thorson from undrafted free company final weekend. Thorson was among the finest punters in school in 2025; he’s additionally a Viking.

Some intel even hinted that Thorson may very well be a mid-round choose throughout the draft, however that proved to be smoke.

Nonetheless, Hekker carried out at a median clip final season. His prime is over. Thorson is simply getting off the bottom.

VT’s Prediction: Brett Thorson

4. NTDomonique Orange vs. Levi Drake Rodriguez

Disclaimer: this dialogue is about Week 1 — not the lengthy haul. Orange will clearly be the Vikings’ nostril sort out of the longer term. He higher be.

Nonetheless, Rodriguez has carried out decently over two seasons, and there’s a world wherein defensive coordinator Brian Flores takes it sluggish with Massive Citrus. The truth is, lately, Minnesota has most well-liked to not play rookies, although most assumed that former normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah simply didn’t draft good ones.

VT’s Prediction: Domonique Orange

3. SafetyTheo Jackson v. Jay Ward

Ward took Jackson’s job down the stretch of 2025, and that really flew beneath followers’ radar. Jackson might’ve used the offseason to reset as a result of, in the beginning of 2025, he held the benefit of roster placement over Ward.

Ward is a sooner and meaner security. He has one 12 months left on his rookie contract, and Minnesota ought to roll with him over Jackson, particularly if Harrison Smith retires.

Minnesota Vikings security Jay Ward (20) tracks a deflected move and secures an interception throughout fourth-quarter play, Aug. 24, 2024, at Lincoln Monetary Subject in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, because the Vikings confronted the Eagles in preseason motion with Ward capitalizing on a tipped ball to create a late turnover. Obligatory Credit score: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports activities.

Our Janik Eckardt famous on Ward this week, “The Vikings were widely expected (by the media) to address the position in the draft by adding Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman. They didn’t, and now the safety room looks like last year’s, but with Smith potentially out and Jakobe Thomas, a third-rounder in.”

“It remains to be seen if Thomas can clinch a significant role in his debut season. Jay Ward usurped Theo Jackson late in the 2025 season and should be the front-runner for the second starting job next to Joshua Metellus.”

VT’s Prediction: Jay Ward

2. CenterBlake Brandel vs. Michael Jurgens v. Gavin Gerhardt

Vikings followers thought Minnesota would depart the draft with Connor Lew, Logan Jones, Jake Slaughter, or Sam Hecht. As a substitute, head coach Kevin O’Connell waited till Spherical 7, unearthing his model of a gem in Gerhard from Cincinnati.

Spherical 7 rookies normally don’t begin instantly, so that is Brandel’s job to lose — until the Vikings get frisky and commerce for Aaron Brewer of the Dolphins, for instance.

VT’s Prediction: Blake Brandel

1. OLB3Bo Richter vs. Tyler Batty vs. Free Agent Signing

VT’s Prediction: Free Agent Signing to Be Named Later

With no Jonathan Greenard — he’s a Philadelphia Eagle — Minnesota has a significant query at OLB3: Is Richter or Batty able to function an OLB3 behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner?

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd (54) strains up on protection throughout Tremendous Bowl LVI, Feb. 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, because the Rams battled the Cincinnati Bengals on the league’s largest stage with Floyd enjoying a key function within the workforce’s move rush effort. Obligatory Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports activities.

Richter has performed 81 defensive snaps in two seasons. That’s not precisely a inexperienced mild to OLB3 trustworthiness for the 2026 common season. Batty performed 42 snaps in 2025 as a rookie. Neither may be very skilled.

Due to this fact, the Vikings most likely have to signal an additional veteran EDGE. Vikings defensive coaches have ties to those veteran OLBs:

Joey Bosa

Von Miller

A.J. Epenesa

Kyle Van Noy

Leonard Floyd

Cameron Jordan

Emmanuel Ogbah

Marcus Davenport

We are going to formally predict Floyd from that record. Jadveon Clowney, who logged 8.5 sacks in beneath 400 snaps final 12 months with the Dallas Cowboys, can be on the open market.