Sports
Will the Vikings Get Solid Contributions From Rookies?
During the past four seasons, the Vikings did not get enough contributions from their drafts, which in the end played a major role in the dismissal of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
This roster is definitely capable of making it to the playoffs, but if they are going to win at least a playoff game (or two) they need to get solid contributions from this rookie class.
The Vikings & The 2026 Draft Class
First-round pick Caleb Banks certainly has the talent to be a very good player, but can he stay healthy? That is the biggest question. He has already injured the same foot twice in the past year. He struggled in the first preseason game, but did better in the second game.
Fellow rookie defensive tackle Domonique Orange (third round) has looked very good and even got the attention of many last week when he drifted back into coverage on one play.
Both Banks and Orange should get plenty of opportunities this season next to Jalen Redmond with the departures of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.
One player who has been turning heads so far is Charles Demmings. Jake Golday has been seeing some time with the starters during practice and has looked good in the preseason.
Hard to see either being full-time starters this season, but they may do enough to help this defense, which once again should be very good. Of the two, Golday appears ready for a strong workload.
Demond Claiborne (sixth round) could end up being a steal for Minnesota, but do not expect him to get many carries this year as Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones are on the roster. If either of them gets injured though, then yes he may get a decent amount of carries.
Claiborne could see plenty of carries in 2027 and beyond.
Max Bredeson (fifth round) looked good in the first preseason game against the New York Giants. He will be asked to replace C.J. Ham, which is a big task but Bredeson so far looks like he can be a good replacement.
Will this rookie class contribute as much this season as the 2015 class did with Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and Stefon Diggs? Not likely, but if they even come close this season then Minnesota has a very good chance at winning the NFC North. They also could go far in the playoffs.
As a very nice bonus, undrafted free agent Jacob Thomas has been exceptional so far. If he keeps this up, he could very well be earning snaps at safety.
Most undrafted rookies are lucky to even make the final 53-man roster. Thomas has a great chance to not only make the roster, but play a strong role on Sunday.
One thing that’s certain is this roster has plenty of talent, so it will certainly benefit the rookies. Better talent around others always helps. The defensive players especially will benefit from having players such as Redmond, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Dallas Turner; better yet, they will also be led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who has been terrific since getting hired in 2023.
On offense, the Vikings will be expected to run more, giving Bredeson plenty of chances to show off his blocking ability.
To my eye, the Vikings are in a good position to see several of the rookies demand strong workloads in their debut NFL season.
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