4 Things I'm Watching For in Vikings' Preseason Game vs. Ravens (Demond Claiborne Among Must-See Players)

After two days of joint practice work with Baltimore, Saturday gives depth players a chance to shine.

Rookie RB Demond Claiborne is one Viking worth keeping an eye on during Saturday's preseason contest. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Vikings and Ravens starting units spent Wednesday and Thursday taking reps against each other in joint practice in what will likely be the most impactful work for both teams all summer. It stands to reason, then, that Saturday will be an off day for many of the bigger names on both rosters after head coach Kevin O'Connell confirmed that several starters won't play, allowing the depth chart below them to take shape.

Kevin O'Connell confirms Kyler Murray will be one of several Vikings players that won't play Saturday against the Ravens. pic.twitter.com/yjyHhyIht7

— Bring Me The Sports (@BMTNSports) August 20, 2026

For the Vikings specifically, this will help answer some looming questions before the team kicks off its 2026 season against the Packers on Sept. 13:

• What does the final QB room look like?
• How many wideouts will the team carry on the 53-man roster?
• Are the corner and safety rooms reliable?

These questions, and more, will need to be answered at least in part on Saturday to give general manager Nolan Teasley and O’Connell the time they need to find solutions where needed. 

Here are the four things I’m watching for Saturday with the biggest implications for what comes next in Minnesota. 

4. J.J. McCarthy’s time to shine

After a week of intense work against the Ravens’ starting defense, Kyler Murray will not be seeing the field this weekend, leaving the door wide open for third-year QB J.J. McCarthy. The former 10th-overall pick has had an up-and-down camp that led to his official demotion to QB2 after his offseason battle with Murray. McCarthy looked shaky in last week’s game against the Giants, a theme that carried over from camp practices and his 2025 game performances.

The 23-year-old will have a massive opportunity to prove his value on Saturday, both as a backup in 2026 and a potential answer for the future. Another inconsistent day could open the door for current QB3 Carson Wentz to make his case for the backup spot if he continues to look like the more stable option. A strong performance could also intrigue QB-needy teams if McCarthy and the Vikings decided to pursue a trade. 

While some may think the preseason has low stakes, this couldn’t be further from the case for McCarthy on Saturday. 

3. Wide receiver battles

The Vikings' wide receiver room is good, very good. Not much of a bold statement for a group that consists of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, is it? But the truly impressive moments in camp have largely come from the players below them on the depth chart, and Saturday is a great chance for them to fight it out for the remaining roster spots at the position. 

Tai Felton and Myles Price have taken turns flashing impressive growth at the position all summer, while Dontae Fleming and Jeshuan Jones have alternated impressive days as well. Undrafted free-agent WR Dillon Bell also has a unique chance to show his value on Saturday after a relatively disappointing camp followed high expectations post-minicamp. 

Dillon Bell is one Vikings WR who desperately needs a strong performance against the Ravens this weekend. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I currently have the Vikings keeping six receivers in my latest roster projection since the room has simply been too impressive to ignore. We’ll see if that picture gets any clearer this weekend. 

2. RB3 is up for grabs

Demond Claiborne may be the most high-risk, high-reward tool in the Vikings' offensive arsenal. The rookie has incredibly impressive speed and elusiveness, but he simply cannot hold on to the football consistently. It seems like I left most camp practices either impressed by his on-field ability or shocked by an egregious fumble. The Vikings need to determine if these highs and lows are worth the risk at the RB3 spot. 

Then, there’s Zavier Scott—a less exciting, but much safer ball carrier. Scott won over the locker room and coaching staff in 2025 and has had some solid, albeit less impressive, runs in camp. I don’t really see a scenario where the team cuts Claiborne, but fumble troubles may move him behind Scott if they roster four RBs.

Saturday is the perfect chance for both to shine with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason sidelined. 

1. DB depth

Cornerback and safety are easily the most intriguing spots on the Vikings' defense. While most positions have a clear starter or rotation, the defensive backfield has questions that need addressing.

The corner room is set at the top, with Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers leading the way. But things become a little more murky after them. James Pierre seemed to be the clear CB3 when he signed in free agency, but a strong camp from rookie Charles “Chuck” Demmings has opened the door for him to leap Pierre.

Demmings has had a relatively quiet week, though, while Pierre picked off Lamar Jackson on Thursday to end a two-minute drill. 

Lamar picked off by James Pierre to end their situational

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) August 20, 2026

Safety depth appears to be an all-hands-on-deck situation after the Vikings lost S/linebacker Jamal Adams for the season against the Giants. Third-round pick and former Miami Hurricane Jakobe Thomas has been nursing a back injury and has been unable to step in so far. Fellow rookie Jacob Thomas, who went undrafted out of James Madison, has stepped up in a major way, snagging an interception against the Giants and taking first-team reps at practice.

Saturday will give young DBs plenty of opportunities to solidify their roles in 2026. 

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