A Monstrous Viking is Creating a Ruckus at Training Camp
After bursting through the line of scrimmage, Tyler Batty dropped the runner for a massive tackle for loss, the kind of hit that naturally brought out an audible reaction from the fans in attendance.
So, too, did the offense notice.
A scuffle ensued as the practice quickly started getting warmer on what had already become an intense day with plenty of snarl. The monstrous Viking didn’t seem too perturbed, smacking his helmet in celebration of the excellent play he just made. Is Mr. Batty — yet another UDFA edge rusher to land meaty money from Minnesota — going to crack the roster?
Monstrous Viking Tyler Batty & The Vikings’ 53-Man Roster
One thing is clear: Brian Flores’ defense gets a lot of enjoyment out of the chaos they create. Genuinely, they seem to have fun on the football field.
When the first-team defense was on the field for the Vikings yesterday, Flores was sometimes trotting out a five-linebacker look. Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace were in their normal spots as the main off-ball linebackers. But then all of Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner were out there, as well.
Being able to discern who was attacking and who was dropping was a challenge. Sure, Greenard is going to pin his ears back more than Cashman, but any of those five players can go forwards or backwards. Goodness, there could even be a time (or two) when all of them come forward.
Where there’s some intriguing roster uncertainty is among the players who are behind the starting trio.
Indeed, the top three are all pretty locked in. Afterwards, there’s a large drop off into a land of mystery. Sophomores Bo Richter and Gabriel Murphy are coming back, a pair of UDFA adds from 2024 who played limited roles. And then the recent haul of undrafted talent included Chaz Chambliss alongside Tyler Batty. That means there are four players for what could end up being just two openings.
The first thing to note with Mr. Batty is that he’s huge. Even among NFL players, Batty stands out.
The Vikings list him as being 6’6″ and weighing 271 pounds. I won’t argue those points. He looks massive on the football field. And, judging by the impact he had on Saturday, he feels like a massive player when blockers are trying to slow him down.
From 2020-2024, Batty was putting in work at BYU. At no point did he offer jaw-dropping stats, but he nevertheless demonstrated some promise.
Last season, Batty was involved in thirteen games. He picked up 59 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 2 passes defended. One wonders if those numbers offer a hint about his abilities. The sacks are modest, but the tackles aren’t. Someone capable of being an early-down run stopper? Being able to get his huge mitts up when a QB is looking to pass can be a weapon for the defense insofar as he may be capable of batting down/tipping balls at the line of scrimmage.
In one sequence yesterday, I had Tyler Batty making a positive impact on three-straight plays. The 1st down run got turned back inside after he set the edge, forcing the runner to cut back in toward the rest of the defense. On the 2nd down run, Batty scraped down the line for a hustle tackle. And then on 3rd down he created pressure to help stop the offense from snagging a 1st down.
Carrying over the effort and snarl into the preseason is really going to help Batty to separate himself in the competition. Indeed, the Vikings want to see someone who is competitive and mean (and not shy about being that way). Yes, the rules must be respected and there should never be an effort to play dirty football, but playing with grit is to be desired along the defensive line.
For Mr. Batty, coming over to the Twin Cities meant securing a three-year deal sitting at $2.99 million. Crucially, there’s $259,ooo that’s guaranteed, a strong payday for an undrafted player.
Tyler Batty is 26.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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