Minnesota Vikings News and Links: What Did You Take Away From The First Preseason Game?

The first preseason game is in the books and it was nice to see the players get out there and compete against an opponent. I do not put a lot of stock into the performances at this point. After the joint practices and next week’s game, we should have a better idea. From what I recall, I did notice Orange and Loudermilk getting some good penetration into the backfield a couple of times. Obviously, Myles Price looked good as did Claiborne when he can get to the edge. Jacob Thomas got the interception

but I thought he showed up elsewhere as well. I am looking forward to seeing Jakobe Thomas and to see Jefferson play against someone else. I suppose he will only play in the practices vs the Ravens and not in the preseason game next week.

What did you see in the game?

2026 Vikings Training Camp Full Schedule
https://www.vikings.com/schedule/vikings-events/training-camp/schedule

DATE : TIME : PRACTICE
Monday, Aug. 17 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 19 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m. : Joint Practice with Baltimore Ravens
Thursday, Aug. 20 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m. : Joint Practice with Baltimore Ravens

The Minnesota Vikings 2026 preseason schedule features three matchups
Week 2: Saturday, August 22 vs. Baltimore Ravens (12:00 PM ET)
Week 3: Friday, August 28 at Denver Broncos (Time TBD)

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Kyler Murray Makes Vikings Debut; J.J. McCarthy Plays Most of 1st Half at Giants
https://www.vikings.com/news/jj-mccarthy-kyler-murray-preseason-debut-giants-2026

Murray was 2-of-3 passing for 10 yards against the Giants with a passer rating of 71.5.

“It was a blast,” he told reporters postgame. “The reality really is kind of settin’ in. I talked to my family this weekend and just, spending seven years in one spot, everything for me has been brand new this weekend — from getting on the bus with new faces to traveling in a new plane, new seat, new operation — and I’m just really embracing what’s new for me. Today was a blast, man.”
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The Vikings faced third-and-4 at the Giants 17 and Murray targeted Jones, but the pass went slightly outside the RB’s grasp. Minnesota settled for a 35-yard Will Reichard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.

“I thought that first group ran it [well], and we had that third-down conversion to J.A., going down and making that nice play,” O’Connell told Vikings Entertainment Network’s Tatum Everett during a halftime interview. “Had a chance to convert on the third down and just time on task — Aaron Jones sitting down right on the chains on the check-down, Kyler might think he’s breaking out, Aaron’s sitting down. Little things that we’re going to continue to work out as we go here.

“But I thought Kyler commanded the offense well; I would have loved to see that group get in the end zone,” O’Connell added.

During his postgame press conference, O’Connell noted the Vikings are “doing a lot in our run game on those early downs.”

“We might not have shown a lot of the things that maybe we’ve been working on, but there were still some principles of … what we want to see,” he said. “I thought the guys ran off the ball; they were physical.”

Murray later echoed the coach’s comments.

“Communication went well. The checks and operations went great, the o-line did their thing,” he said. “There were big, gaping holes that [the running backs] didn’t get touched until 5, 6, 7 yards down the field. That’s kind of what K.O. wanted to see, guys coming off the ball and getting the run game going.

“I know I didn’t get many ops, but like I said, I’m blessed to be out there again,” Murray added. “I haven’t played since October, so I had a blast.”

Murray played behind the Vikings starting five offensive line of LT Christian Darrisaw, LG Donovan Jackson, C Blake Brandel, RG Will Fries and RT Brian O’Neill.

When O’Connell swapped out Murray for J.J. McCarthy, he also changed out the entire OL for the following: LT Ryan Van Demark, LG Joe Huber, C Michael Jurgens, RG Walter Rouse and RG Caleb Tiernan.

McCarthy and Company played the remainder of the first half, during which he completed 4-of-7 passes for 34 yards with a 69.9 passer rating. The group struggled to find its rhythm because of offensive penalties and a Giants defense that left in many of its starters.

The second-team offense went three-and-out to start, with Johnny Hekker punting for Minnesota.

McCarthy’s second series started stronger, as he connected with TE Ben Yurosek for 7 yards, then handed off to rookie RB Demond Claiborne on consecutive plays. With a new set of downs, McCarthy stepped off his back foot and fired over the middle to Myles Price for a 17-yard gain; the Vikings were awarded an extra 5 when New York’s Deonte Banks was penalized for defensive holding.

“[J.J.] hung in the pocket, had a little push there and was able to throw the ball in between the numbers in the intermediate part of the field, which I thought was big-time,” O’Connell said.

Asked about the play, McCarthy said he saw single-high coverage and knew Price would be in a 1-on-1 situation.

“Just feeling stuff beneath my feet, that’s the reps and the experience. Give it time. Trust the field beneath you,” McCarthy said. “I saw he was 1-on-1 and know he’s a ball player, so he’s going to go make that play.”

Shortly thereafter, however, back-to-back penalties on Tiernan set the Vikings behind the 8-ball with 10 minutes left in the first half. McCarthy got a short pass to Price but followed with two incompletions that led to another Hekker punt.

“Penalties have shot us in the foot,” O’Connell said at the half. “As we were driving there, J.J. made a nice completion and then we start going backward with penalties.”
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“Little miscues here and there, getting the handoff on a jet sweep, the timing on that, on J.J.’s first play — we’ve gotta clean up that stuff,” O’Connell said. “That’s what preseason’s for, but we’re trying to win a football game here today.”

O’Connell noted the upcoming joint practices with the Ravens on Wednesday and Thursday and extra opportunity that provides, as well as two more exhibition games against Baltimore and Denver.

“We’ve got two great days planned versus Baltimore and then a bunch of time leading up into the season to make sure we get these guys on the same page,” he said. “What I am seeing, though, is a confident group. I think they feel like they’re gelling, they’re coming together in a way that they know what we’re trying to get done. They know the philosophy behind it.

“And as we’re able to kind of fully unleash what we’re doing, we expect to see the play style hold up and really be a part of what we want to be,” O’Connell added.

Following the game, McCarthy acknowledged there are “several things to clean up” and said he appreciated feeling familiarity in the system, “seeing everything clearly” and operating with several different teammates.

“It was just a lot of fun being back out there playing football again,” he said.

Kyler Murray’s debut, Caleb Banks’ inconsistencies, and a breakout performance Vikings preseason win vs. Giants
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/minnesota-vikings-preseason-win-giants-kyler-murray-caleb-banks-jj-mccarthy/

EDGE 3 is reaching a crisis point
We knew going into training camp that EDGE3 was going to be a big weakness on the team, and there were questions about whether or not Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins could be the guy.

Earlier this week, I wrote about how Ingram-Dawkins could be a secret weapon against 13 personel, and it still holds true, but it was not a good day for him. He struggled to attack the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle, and broke contain multiple times on run plays, allowing big gains. Now, some of that could be due to a multitude of different things, including inexperience at edge. There is still growth that can happen, but it’s not looking great.

What We Learned From Vikings’ First Preseason Game
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/learned-vikings-first-preseason-game-014145168.html

If Harrison Smith is going to come back… now is the time
The biggest news of the day came early in the second quarter, when newly signed Minnesota Vikings LB/S Jamal Adams exited the game with a non-contact knee injury.
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But just as quickly as he rolled in, Jamal Adams is no longer avaiable to defensive coordinator Brian Flores. From a football standpoint, Adams’ injury leaves the Vikings in need of a veteran who can play a hybrid safety role where he spends as much time up in the box as he does back deep.

Not only that, but a veteran who Brian Flores can rely on to get guys in the right spot pre-snap, along with any adjustments that might need made off the original playcall. If only there was someone who could jump into that spot… and even play it better than Adams could have?

Kyler Murray Gets Pointed Advice After Vikings Beat Giants
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kyler-murray-gets-pointed-advice-100815597.html

With Murray having the keys to the Minnesota offense, ESPN NFL analyst Herm Edwards gave the signal-caller clear advice that could allow him to have success with the Vikings.

“When you think about their offense, [Jordan] Addison, [Justin] Jefferson, [T.J.] Hockenson, [Aaron] Jones, they have some outstanding skilled players,” Edwards said on the Aug. 15 edition of “SportsCenter.” “They just need a quarterback not to do too much. Just run the offense.

“Kyler Murray [has to realize], you know what? All I got to do is run the offense. I don’t have to run around. Just sit in the pocket, get the ball out of your hand. So, this is going to be kind of fun to watch this competition.”

Moreover, Edwards notes that keeping it simple and not trying to do too much can allow Murray to find success and resurrect his career.

“He’s trying to resurrect his career,” Edwards added. “How many quarterbacks have we seen go to other places? Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and all of a sudden, they find a coach that understands who they are and the player flourishes.”

The Vikings’ First Preseason Game Debunked the QB Conspiracy Theory
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/the-vikings-first-preseason-game-debunked-the-qb-conspiracy-theory/

Vikings Debuts Include Max Bredeson Start, Jacob Thomas’ ‘Best Feeling in the World’ Moment
https://www.vikings.com/news/max-bredeson-jacob-thomas-nfl-debuts-2026-giants

Vikings Get Clear Harrison Smith Message After Jamal Adams Injury
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-clear-harrison-smith-message-010041001.html

Despite Adams’s injury, which sounds season-ending, Judd Zulgad of Purple Daily doesn’t believe the Vikings will call Smith to convince him to return, instead letting the veteran take his time.

“I’ve seen some calls since then on social platforms: Harrison Smith has to come back,” Zulgad said on the Aug. 15 edition of “Purple Daily.” “Well, keep in mind that is a possibility still. I don’t think [the Vikings are] going to call him now and say, ‘You have to come back now.’ It’s my theory that there is something planned out here, and maybe he might not come back, but I don’t think that this is going to expedite his decision.

“I don’t think he was ever coming to training camp. And I don’t think he was ever going to play, of course, in a preseason game. So I don’t know that this has a huge impact unless he told them, ‘I’m not coming back,’ and they signed Jamal Adams.”
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Last season, Smith showed that he can still produce despite being in his late 30s. He was out on the field for 793 total snaps, leading to a 68.9 defensive grade.

Furthermore, the Vikings veteran allowed an 81.0 passer rating when targeted by opposing quarterbacks. Smith surrendered 21 receptions in coverage and also contributed 42 solo tackles in run support and open-field situations.

Nonetheless, if Smith decides not to return and retire, Zulgad doesn’t believe that Minnesota is in a dire situation. He notes that Jay Ward has taken steps in his development that the 26-year-old safety would be ready for this opportunity.

“Don’t sleep on the development of Jay Ward,” Zulgad added. “Jay Ward has developed. He took a huge step at some point last year. It’s very, very clear Brian Flores trusts him now… The emergence of Jay Ward should not be ignored, because he went from what I thought for part of his first few years was a special teams non-factor to looking very comfortable and looking good.

“On the depth chart, he is ahead with the two safeties. He is ahead of Theo Jackson. So I think that’s important. As far as next man up, I think Jay Ward still has a lot to offer.”

Vikings 53-Man Roster Projection After Preseason Opener: A couple surprise cuts highlight post-Giants game
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/vikings-53-man-roster-projection-after-first-preseason-game-begins-answer-questions-nolan-teasely/

Vikings Face Strong Criticism After J.J. McCarthy Decision
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/strong-criticism-jj-mccarthy-decision-news/

“I hate everything about their process from the moment they drafted J.J. McCarthy to right now,” Wright said on the Aug. 11 edition of “First Things First.” “And it’s borderline unprecedented. For their entire MO to be, we can win 11, 12 games with Kirk Cousins. There’s a ceiling there. It’s not good enough. We’re going to draft a quarterback. We then, after we draft the quarterback, he gets hurt. That was before they had soured on him at all.

“He’d played a preseason game, played well in it, got hurt. Sam Darnold, we win 14 games with Sam Darnold. Doesn’t matter. We want the upside of the young player… You drafted an incredibly raw, very young first-round pick, had 10 starts, and you’re just out on him. For me, in service of, in my opinion, a very limited player, the process of it to me is disastrous.”
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Moreover, Wright put into context how young McCarthy is and perhaps spotlights the team’s impatience to deal with the development of a player who is pretty much in Year 2, given that he missed his entire rookie year due to injury.

“To give that young player, who, by the way, when I say young player, he is younger than Ty Simpson, who was drafted this year,” Wright added. “He is younger than Carson Beck, who we saw in the Hall of Fame Game. He’s younger than Drake Maye.

“He’s younger than Cam Ward. He is three years younger than Bo Nix and Tyler Shough. Tyler Shough’s going into Year 2. Bo Nix going into Year 3, same as [McCarthy]. To give that player 10 starts and be like, we’re washing our hands of you, essentially. It’s not unprecedented, but it’s close to it.”
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While McCarthy’s future in Minnesota looks cloudy, that doesn’t mean his future in the NFL should be. Former head coach Eric Mangini believes there are several examples of high draft picks who needed to go elsewhere to find success.

“The nice thing for him is there have been enough guys who have recovered and gotten a second and third opportunity,” Mangini added in that same segment. “And that’s different than it has been historically. So he does have a chance to potentially go somewhere else and restart his career.

“But at this point, they feel like they can win now. They feel like they’re in a position to compete right now. And if he’s too far away developmentally, the rest of that group is sitting there going, ‘We don’t want to wait for you to catch up to us.’”

Yore Mock

Trade with NE
Received: Pick #25, Pick #57, 2026 3rd Round Pick
Sent: Pick #13
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Trade with CIN
Received: Pick #49, Pick #116, Pick #196
Sent: Pick #45, Pick #151
…
Pick 25. Jadan Baugh RB Florida 6’1″ 225
Pick 49. Iapani Laloulu OC Oregon 6’2″ 329
Pick 57. Anto Saka EDGE Texas A&M 6’4″ 255
Pick 77. McKale Boley OT Virginia 6’5″ 329
Pick 86. Keon Sabb S Alabama 6’1″ 208
Pick 116. Arion Carter LB Tennessee 6’1″ 238
Pick 146. Kemari Copeland DT Virginia Tech 6’2″ 290
Pick 182. Evan Johnson CB BYU 6’0″ 185
Pick 196. Chase Mason QB South Dakota State 6’4″ 240
Pick 212. Johntay Cook II WR Ole Miss 5’11” 190
Pick 239. Devon Jackson LB Oregon 6’2″ 235