Vikings Rookie Report: Week 1 Against the Green Bay Packers

Recent years have seen the Vikings rookies making too small of a contribution. As a result, Minnesota has become a good team but far from great.

GM Nolan Tesley opted to keep eight of the Vikings’ nine selections from the 2026 NFL Draft. Doing so allowed for a nice helping of young fellas to be grafted onto the 53-man roster. So, too, are there a pair of UDFAs in safety Jacob Thomas and punter Brett Thorson. Consider some general thoughts moving into the 2026 season.

Vikings Rookie Report | Week 1

Offense

Context and Commentary: Of the players listed above, fullback Max Bredeson appears to be the lonely option to demand a hearty helping of snaps. What remains to be seen is how many; some momentum exists for a major role early on. Already, Gavin Gerhardt has been shown the door, leading to getting stolen away by the Texans.

UDFA Help: Nothing of note moving into the game. In theory, somebody like Dillon Bell could get elevated for the game before demanding some snaps, but that looks unlikely rolling into the season’s debut game.

Context and Commentary: 3rd-Round safety Jakobe Thomas isn’t going to receive a huge workload. Neither is Chuck Demmings, though he at least slots into a CB4 job that could lead to playing time. Look for Orange and Golday to get shuffled into the regular rotation. Banks is a wild card.

UDFA Help: Safety Jacob Thomas is the name to know. He had a terrific offseason. What’s working against him is the Harrison Smith deal. Re-adding the elder statesman means bumping down some of the youthful newcomers.

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