NFL: Scouting Combine
Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Caleb Banks speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 25, 2026, in Indianapolis.
As much as defensive coordinator Brian Flores loves the grind of training camp, he’s very much looking forward to seeing how everybody responds this weekend when the Minnesota Vikings travel to take on the New York Giants in the exhibition opener.
“It’s a great opportunity to play real football,” Flores said with a smile. “We’re looking forward to that.”
That will be the first chance Flores gets to see how rookie defensive tackles Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange perform in a game. There’s only so much that can be learned about somebody in practice.
“They’re just stringing good days together,” Flores said of Banks and Orange. “It’s hard to play defensive line in the NFL. We really see more of what this is in game. Just based off of what we’ve seen, they’re moving in the right direction.”
There have been flashes of brilliance from Banks (a first-round pick out of Florida) and Orange (a third-round pick out of Iowa State) throughout training camp.
There already has been a steady rotation in the trenches. And while Banks and Orange are unlikely to entirely overtake veteran defensive tackles Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez, they should be able to carve out roles
“I’ve seen improvement,” Flores said. “They’re putting in the work.”
That doesn’t mean the Vikings will rely heavily upon Banks and Orange from the onset. Growth still needs to take place in order for them to play snap in and snap out.
“You guys know I’m a patient guy with rookies,” Flores said. “We’ve got to give them time to really get their feet in the ground.”
That said, Flores clearly has optimism about Banks and Orange, and perhaps that means they will be given a chance to make an impact sooner rather than later.
“They’re doing a really good job,” Flores said. “There’s also a lot of meat left on the bone.”
Here are more takeaways from Day 12 of training camp:
It was a second consecutive strong practice for Kyler Murray on Wednesday at TCO Performance Center as he continues to take ownership of the offense after being named the starting quarterback.
Highlights for Murray included hitting Justin Jefferson for a deep completion downfield, finding T.J. Hockenson along the sideline after escaping pressure and ripping a throw to Tai Felton in space.
It’s probably not a coincidence Murray has looked more comfortable since being named the starter. He capped his sharp performance with a layered ball to Felton on a crosser over the middle, then found Jauan Jennings with another pinpoint pass.
There was more work with the backups for McCarthy as he continues to acclimate to his new role. It was a mixed bag for him as he made some good throws, while also making some questionable decisions.
The best throws of practice for McCarthy came when he hit Jeshaun Jones and Dontae Fleming over the middle. Those reps showcased McCarthy’s improved accuracy to the intermediate part of the field. He also had nice passes to Gavin Bartholomew and Michael Briscoe toward the end of practice.
It might be time to start talking about the running game the offense has worked so hard to revamp. There were multiple big hits from Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason out of the backfield in 11-on-11 drills.
That has been a recurring trend throughout camp, as the offense has continuously proven capable of stringing together chunks on the ground. It will be interesting to see if it carries over from the practices to the games.
It’s also notable Jamal Adams continues to rotate in with the starting safeties in both 7-on-7 drills and 11-on-11 drills. It seems like Adams has found a way to prove himself worthy of a role on defense, despite not being with the Vikings for very long.
“Yeah, Chuck D has bars, for sure.”
— Flores, on rookie cornerback Chuck Demmings and his rapping skills
Injury report
There again was no sign of starting right guard Will Fries, with backup right guard Joe Huber getting all the work. It was the second straight practice that safety Jay Ward looked to be a full participant, so he appears to be back to full strength.
The final practice of this week is Thursday. The players then are off on Friday ahead of Saturday’s exhibition opener.
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