This Saturday at 1 P.M. EST, the wait for Minnesota Vikings football will finally come to a close. Sure, it’s the preseason. Kevin O’Connell himself hasn’t put much stake into preseason games and has typically used the joint practices as real trial runs for the season. Even so, there are plenty of storylines to follow in Saturday’s game against the Giants. It’s been a tumultuous off-season with many new faces and departures, which makes this first look at the 2026 Minnesota Vikings much more intriguing than usual.
The Rookies
After a few smaller classes, Rob Brzezinski got the chance to draft nine new players to the Vikings roster. Reports from training camp have been positive, so it’s likely that some of the earlier round picks will see regular season playing time pretty quickly. Defensive tackle Caleb Banks and linebacker Jake Golday are two players I expect to make an early impact in regular-season football, but it all starts with this preseason game. One key thing to pay attention to will be how much playing time each rookie gets. Typically, more playing time in the preseason indicates less of a role in the regular season. It’s not an exact science, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Some other intriguing rookies are the cornerback Charles Demmings, who has made play after play in training camp, and defensive tackle Domonique Orange, who will be key to shoring up the interior defensive line.
The Quarterbacks
Kevin O’Connell has said that both Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will play in the first preseason game. Since Kyler Murray is officially the Vikings QB1, I anticipate that he’ll get a single series like J.J. did last year. Then, we likely won’t see him again until week 1 against the Packers. McCarthy will probably get plenty of playing time as he settles into the backup role. I expect him to play the whole first half before giving the reins over to Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer. Coming off of being named QB2, McCarthy has a lot to prove, so it will be interesting to watch how he plays against NFL competition. Murray, on the other hand, has very little to prove, but it will still be fun to see him operate a pared-down version of O’Connell’s scheme.
The Receivers
Obviously, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings will probably sit this game out, but the Vikings’ receiver room is sneaky deep. In addition to second-year player Tai Felton making plays in training camp, there have been plays made by Dillon Bell, Jeshaun Jones, and Dontae Fleming. This trial run against the Giants is a great chance for one of these to step their game up and earn a roster spot. Additionally, tight end Gavin Bartholomew, who spent much of last year injured, has a chance to prove himself as a potential receiving threat for when the season begins.
Preseason football is always exciting simply because it spells the return of football. Even so, I think that this preseason game has some added juice with the aftermath of the QB battle and the intriguing newcomers that the Vikings have brought in. Plus, Jameis Winston will play for the Giants, and who would want to miss that?
