EAGAN — The Minnesota Vikings practiced again in shells and did some 7-on-7 red zone work and that was about it for practice on Tuesday so there isn’t much to report from their workout. However, that doesn’t mean all things are quiet in Vikings land. Let’s have a look at a bunch of topics that popped up on Tuesday…
QB practice reps
In the first two practices of the week, Carson Wentz has gotten a little work with the second unit. That hasn’t happened much during the summer, so it’s somewhat notable, even if they were not during padded practice sessions.
It’s probably not a great idea to jump to conclusions about what this means for JJ McCarthy. He still worked out during the red zone period with the second team and threw a nice touchdown to Tai Felton in the back of the end zone.
It could be that McCarthy is still ailing somewhat from getting banged up during the game, so they preferred to only have him do some 7-on-7 where there is very little movement for the QB. Or it could be that Wentz is going to play with the 2s in the game and McCarthy won’t see game action so they want Wentz to be ready.
It could also be the case that they’re beginning the process of prepping Wentz for being QB2 in Week 1 or trading McCarthy. We just don’t know. Time will tell us the answer.
It would be good for McCarthy to get one more at-bat in the preseason after two tough outings against the Giants and Ravens. In the past, O’Connell has usually used this game to give some work to the third-string or practice squad QB. After seeing Max Brosmer take some reps on Tuesday, I’d expect a lot of him on Friday night against the Broncos.
Brian Flores talks about Caleb Banks
The Vikings’ defensive coordinator talked with the media on Tuesday. He was asked about the first two games from first-round pick Caleb Banks.
He deflected away from an in-depth analysis of the young DT, though he did point toward Banks starting to become comfortable with his environment.
“The games are important, that’s what everybody sees but I’m looking at the meetings to walk through, to practice to the habits that are being built, the routine that we’re seeing it start to evolve, that’s probably the best word,” Flores said. “I think he’s seeing, hey, ‘when I do this, this, and this, I get the results I’m looking for.’”
Banks still didn’t land a great PFF grade for his second preseason game but there was clear evidence of more splashy plays and positive reps than in the opener.
“I think he’s improving,” Flores said. “The one thing about him is that he works. And it’s important to him. He works. And in my experience, guys who work at it and continually try to improve, they improve and develop.”
Each time Flores has talked about Banks, it’s always been with caution. As we reach the end of camp, it’s safe to say that the first-rounder is going to need time.
Flores raves about Ty Ingram-Dawkins
Every year you enter camp wondering if there will be a young player who takes a big leap forward in their game. This year that player has been Ty Ingram-Dawkins. The 2025 fifth-round pick saw some game action last season but appears to be in line to be an every-down type player this year.
Flores was very complimentary of what he’s seen from the current starting D-lineman.
“I like his approach to the game, I think he’s really, there’s a focus, there’s an attention to detail, there’s an urgency,” Flores said. “Whether he’s playing outside on the edge, whether he’s inside, whether he’s playing third down situations or early downs, I think there’s a focus, attention to detail, an urgency to get it right, to do it well, to do his job, to help the team in any way. I just think he’s taken a big leap.”
Flores mentioned telling Ingram-Dawkins’ parents that he’s seen the maturation as a football player from the former Georgia D-lineman.
“The play on the field has been very good as well,” Flores said. “We’re putting a lot on his plate. And he’s just able to handle it and execute at a pretty good level.”
Flores is missing Jamal Adams
When Kevin O’Connell announced that Jamal Adams was going to be done for the season with a torn quad, you could tell the anguish in his voice. The team clearly connected very well with the veteran safety in a short period of time. On Tuesday, Flores went into great detail about why it hurt to see Adams go down.
“Jamal came in and really made an immediate impact that it’s kind of hard to put into words for a guy who was here for such a short period of time,” Flores said. “Just his love for the game, his passion for the game, his football acumen and then on the field, his playmaking ability, his energy. He brought a lot to our unit, the experience, the bringing young guys along. I mean, immediately he’s with Orange and Banks and saying, ‘hey, you guys got to be here in the morning to do X, Y, Z, just to kind of get on a routine.’ So he’s missed already.”
Flores mentioned that he had some special stuff cooked up for Adams that will now have to go to somebody else.
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