No team can win the Super Bowl in training camp and the preseason. However, there are some teams that lose the Super Bowl in training camp and the preseason.

At times, that’s due to backbreaking injuries of the sort that Minnesota mostly avoided.

A single Vikings reality that has proven so promising is that the injuries have been few and far between. Not entirely absent, the injuries have usually been of the short-term variety, such as with rookie safety Jakobe Thomas needing some time off to fix up his back. Some of the lone exceptions are edge rusher Tyler Batty and veteran safety Jamal Adams, guys who were being leaned on for depth jobs but who are done for the year.

A Promising Vikings Reality

Part of what made Nolan Teasley’s press conference from earlier in the week notable was the GM’s ability to sidestep questions.

In one instance, Teasley was asked about J.J. McCarthy’s health, or lack thereof. The GM’s response was to point out that McCarthy practiced in full for a pair of days. When pushed for clarity, Teasley reiterated that McCarthy had been practicing fully.

Doing so said a lot while not saying much.

Considering the Vikings’ entire roster, especially the starting lineup, means considering a collection of players moving into Week 1 in good health.

An exception can be found in third-year offensive lineman Michael Jurgens. The backup center is on the IR to begin the year but Minnesota thinks he’ll be back. The Vikings have responded by signing Nick Samac, who is being leaned on as the C2 for the opening weeks of 2026.

Some role players got shown the door with injury designations, but these are players who weren’t projected to earn hearty workloads for the Vikings. That’s not to say that their ailments don’t matter. Rather, it’s simply to point out that Minnesota as a whole isn’t in a dire spot as a result of a third-string corner getting hurt.

Better yet, guys such as TE T.J. Hockenson, LT Christian Darrisaw, RG Will Fries, and others are further down the road from serious injuries that required lengthy recovery timelines. Others, such as LB Blake Cashman and RB Aaron Jones, have maintained health despite battling the injury-prone descriptor in the past.

Furthermore, rookie DT Caleb Banks has been involved for the Vikings even though he got dinged in the 2026 NFL Draft for his foot injuries. The kid hasn’t been flawless on the field, but at least he’s been on the field.

The Vikings will be playing Green Bay in Week 1. Unlike the Vikings, the Packers will need to overcome the absence of Micah Parsons, an elite talent who is easily their best player. Missing Parsons is akin to the Vikings not having Justin Jefferson out there, so we’re talking about a massive loss.

Similarly, RB Josh Jacobs won’t be able to play, but that’s due to league discipline following some very serious allegations.

The Vikings are going into the 2026 season as underdogs when compared to true juggernauts like the Rams, Ravens, and Seahawks, among others. Many think that they’re just an average team that’s going to arrive at a maximum of being a Wild Card representative for the NFC.

Maybe that proves true, but note that Minnesota is rolling into the football season at close to full health. That detail alone isn’t small.

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