Minnesota Vikings gamers line up on the line of scrimmage throughout minicamp work in Eagan. The crew continued sharpening timing, communication, and pre-snap execution as gamers ready for coaching camp and upcoming roster battles. June 2026. Obligatory Credit score: YouTube.
Minnesota Vikings coaching camp will get underway on the finish of July, and followers can be part of the enjoyable on August 1st in Eagan. That’s a few month away, so it’s time to have a look at the lingering questions forward of the occasion.
Ranked in ascending order of significance (No. 1 = most vital), these are the highest questions earlier than coaching camp.
Vikings’ Camp Drama Begins with QB and Cross Rush Uncertainty
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores addresses reporters on Dec. 3, 2024, on the TCO Efficiency Middle in Eagan following Minnesota’s 23-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Flores mentioned his protection because the Vikings continued constructing one of many NFL’s most improved items through the 2024 marketing campaign. Obligatory Credit score: YouTube.
5. Is the OLB All Set or In search of One Extra Man?
This one is fairly rattling easy. Will the Vikings use lately transformed DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins on the EDGE? Or are these simply best-laid plans in June? Is rookie Jake Golday able to play a hybrid ILB-OLB function instantly? What about Bo Richter? Can he be trusted with the OLB3 job?
Minnesota’s OLB scenario essentially modified the second it traded Jonathan Greenard. It’s now Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner — and query marks.
If the Vikings need an EDGE defender from free company, these are the choices:
Derek Barnett
Jadeveon Clowney
Marcus Davenport
Leonard Floyd
Von Miller
Yannick Ngakoue
Haason Reddick
Kyle Van Noy
Zone Protection’s Zac Scholl wrote final week, “Looking at Minnesota’s needs still this offseason, it’s hard to ignore the edge-rusher room. There is still plenty of veteran talent left in free agency, including Jihad Ward, who previously played a depth role for them.”
The Vikings have simply over $13 million in cap area if they need yet one more exterior linebacker. That’s greater than sufficient for any man on the listing above.
4. Who Will get Extensions?
In good religion, these gamers can knock on new normal supervisor Nolan Teasley’s door this summer time and ask for contract extensions:
Jordan Addison (WR)
Blake Brandel (C)
Blake Cashman (ILB)
Jordan Mason (RB)
Brian O’Neill (RT)
Isaiah Rodgers (CB)
Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
Jay Ward (S)
O’Neill seems like a no brainer to increase. However who else will Teasley green-light? His choice will reveal his team-building philosophy, as he picks and chooses who to retain for the lengthy haul in his first few months on the job.
3. Will Harrison Smith Return?
The truth that Smith hasn’t informed the Vikings about his return-or-retirement plans is weird. C.J. Ham known as it quits. So did Adam Thielen. If Smith was able to stroll away, wouldn’t he have vamoosed together with these males, his buddies?
Minnesota Vikings security Harrison Smith (22) celebrates after making a defensive play on Nov. 25, 2018, in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers at U.S. Financial institution Stadium in Minneapolis. The veteran defensive again continued his standout efficiency throughout a pivotal NFC North matchup. Obligatory Credit score: Harrison Barden-Imagn Photographs.
The proof means that Smith will return for yet one more hurrah. However the query is when. Subsequent week? August? Midseason?
2. Is Caleb Banks Able to Roll?
Banks has the expertise to turn into an All-Professional sometime; the one query is when he’ll really play.
Coaching camp will provide the primary actual trace. If he seems good and strikes freely, every little thing will probably be wonderful, and issues about his pre-draft foot harm will probably be moot. In any other case, the Vikings may place him on the Bodily Unable to Carry out listing.
Minnesota shocked everybody in April by drafting Banks, who has been recovering from back-to-back foot accidents. Most analysts had predicted they would choose Oregon security Dillon Thieneman, however that common prediction by no means materialized.
All eyes flip to Banks’s game-readiness as a result of the Vikings, a crew that has not drafted properly within the final half-decade, can’t afford to overlook on a 1st-Rounder who had a really vivid and up to date harm historical past main as much as the draft.
The gamble should be value it. Banks can’t have a redshirt 12 months.
Our Kyle Joudry lately famous, “Minnesota tends to be ultra cautious with injuries. Back in 2025, Justin Jefferson missed almost all of training camp due to a desire to ensure the WR1 was fully healthy. The plan worked…but created another issue. J.J. McCarthy sometimes struggled to find his most dangerous weapon, lacking some degree of chemistry with the receiver.”
“Might some more work together have been helpful? Quite possibly, but the Vikings were being very careful with their top player. Oh, and that McCarthy kid was kept in bubble wrap for a decent portion of the year. The Vikings appeared quite reluctant to push him too hard.”
1. Who Wins the QB Battle?
Will it’s Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy? That query is on Vikings followers’ minds, a gaggle that hasn’t skilled a real quarterback battle in 12 years, when Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder, and Teddy Bridgewater did battle.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) takes half in minicamp apply on Jun. 10, 2025, on the Minnesota Vikings Coaching Facility in Minneapolis. The younger quarterback continued getting ready for his first full season as Minnesota’s anticipated starter throughout organized offseason exercises. Obligatory Credit score: Matt Krohn-Imagn Photographs.
Murray is the frontrunner, however all the time bear in mind, life can be a lot simpler if McCarthy confirmed as much as Yr No. 3 and balled out.
You possibly can tentatively circle Murray because the starter, however McCarthy received’t go down with no battle. The quarterback battle stays the merchandise that may put butts on bleachers in Eagan.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
