3 Early Surprises from Vikings Training Camp
One whole week of Minnesota Vikings training camp is nearly in the books, as fans joined the players and coaches in Eagan on Saturday for the extravaganza.
3 Early Surprises from Vikings Training Camp
Head coach Kevin O’Connell enters Year No. 3 on the job, and Minnesota will reveal the fruit of its labor from general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s “competitive rebuild” in 2024 and beyond.
And with camp in full swing, these are three big and early surprises regarding the Vikings, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most important).
3. Nick Mullens as QB2 Theories … Were Overblown
A few notable theorists suggested this month that J.J. McCarthy may be forced to battle Nick Mullens for Minnesota’s QB2 job, not QB1. That could still come to fruition — training camp is just a few days old — but McCarthy very much looks the part of a rookie quarterback who can vie for a QB1 assignment.
And if he doesn’t dethrone Sam Darnold — he probably won’t — expect McCarthy to maintain the QB2 title throughout the regular season.
McCarthy’s early performance at training camp is a big ol’ bucket of positives … not QB3 demotions.
2. The Jalen Nailor Hype … Instead of Brandon Powell
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis mentioned Nailor’s possible WR3 frontrunner status this week. “When Jalen Nailor is healthy, he stands out. Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell directed the Vikings receivers through early drills Wednesday, and Nailor appeared bulkier than in years past,” Lewis wrote Wednesday.
“If he stays healthy, he is likely the internal favorite to be the team’s No. 3 receiver, a role O’Connell discussed Wednesday,” he explained. “For as much faith as the staff has in Brandon Powell and Trishton Jackson, it still feels like the Vikings could add a more experienced and reliable option at this spot.”
Nailor has backed up the initial training camp hype with some sweet highlights, too.
He might be “the guy” at WR3, with Powell sticking to his WR4 roots.
1. Dalton Risner Auditioning for Right Guard — Not Left Guard
Risner is evidently giving right guard a whirl after five seasons at left guard with the Broncos and Vikings. For now, Blake Brandel is running with the first-teamers at left guard, and it might be his job to lose.
Guards can frequently switch from left to right and vice-versa; it’s just that this is the first notable time for Risner. We shall see if his performance is affected.
He and Ed Ingram are contending for the starting right guard spot, with Ingram as the apparent frontrunner for a job he’s held in back-to-back seasons.
Vikings Face Triple Whammy of Bad News
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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