Sports
Vikings Have a New Dance Partner
Every summer, at least as of late, the Minnesota Vikings schedule joint practices with another NFL team, either in Eagan or on the other franchise’s turf. In 2026, that dance partner is the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore’s August trip to Eagan now has an interesting purple-on-purple wrinkle.
It’ll be trial by fire for the Vikings in August, and that’s not a bad thing.
Baltimore Brings a Real Test to Vikings Training Camp
Two purple teams in Eagan. Book it.
MIN-BAL = Joint Practices
It’s official, as Vikings.com’s Craig Peters wrote Monday, “There will be purple on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Minnesota Vikings will host the Baltimore Ravens for two days of scheduled joint practices during 2026 Training Camp, the teams announced Monday. Details for timing and ticketing will be announced later, but the joint practices are planned for Wednesday, Aug. 19 and Thursday, Aug. 20.”
“The teams will conclude their week of work on Saturday, Aug. 22 when Minnesota hosts Baltimore for a noon (CT) kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium in the second preseason game for both teams. It will be the lone home exhibition contest this year for Minnesota, which will host nine regular-season games.”
Last year, Minnesota danced with New England during the summer — and the Patriots later reached the Super Bowl.
Every Four-Year Cadence
Matching up against the Ravens is pretty fitting because the Vikings don’t see that franchise often. Based on the league’s typical schedule rotation, the clubs meet every four years, and it just so happens that Baltimore toppled Minnesota last November.
Unless the teams finish in the same place in the NFC North and AFC North, respectively, they won’t face each other until 2029. Or — for example — if the Ravens win the AFC North while the Vikings capture the NFC North, they’ll square off in 2027 in Baltimore.
Generally speaking, that’s unlikely, so hooking up with an unfamiliar opponent during the summer is good business.
Our Janik Eckardt’s take on the joint practice system: “The Ravens will test the Vikings. They will have elite quarterback Lamar Jackson under center, a player that Brian Flores has had success against over the years. It will be a good test regardless. The Ravens will also have a new head coach on the sidelines, as they said goodbye to John Harbaugh, going with Jesse Minter, who was the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers.”
“The Vikings’ training camp will have one primary theme and that’s the so-called quarterback competition that every reporter and the head coach is teasing. Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will square off in training camp to determine the Week 1 starter.”
Vikings Get One of the League’s Best
A saying like “iron sharpens iron” might apply here — if one assumes the Vikings will contend for the postseason in 2026. Baltimore sure will, perceived by sportsbooks as the second most-likely club to win the Super Bowl this year. The Los Angeles Rams lead the pack at +700, according to oddsmakers, but the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and the Ravens are not far behind at +1,000.
Theoretically, Minnesota could’ve scheduled joint practices against a weaker team, like the Miami Dolphins, but would that really provide the challenge and competition that Baltimore offers? Unlikely.
If wins and losses are not assigned in the summer, there’s no reason not to scrimmage against an elite team — to determine how close Minnesota is to true contention.
Former Player + Coach Angles
The Ravens’ new skipper, Jesse Minter, worked as the Michigan Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023. That’s when Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy played there. Minter will know McCarthy better than most, making it a productive few days for McCarthy, as Minter will bring the heat and awareness of McCarthy’s talents.
Too, this offseason, Brian Flores interviewed for the Ravens’ head coaching job, but Baltimore declined and hired Minter. Some fuel for Flores.
Vikings TE2 Josh Oliver spent his rookie contract in Baltimore. He’ll get to see his old buddies in August.
On the Ravens’ end, former Vikings safety K’Von Wallace, who spent some of the summer of 2025 in Minnesota, will be on the field as a roster bubble candidate. And for full disclosure, most Vikings fans, including this website, believe Minnesota should have drafted Kyle Hamilton in 2022 when it had the chance. He’ll patrol the Ravens’ summer defense in Eagan.
Sportsbooks expect the Ravens to finish around 11-5 or 12-6 in 2026, while Minnesota has an 8-9 or 9-8 forecast.
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