6 Most Important Non-QB Positions to Watch in Vikings' Preseason Opener

Here’s what else to watch for after QB discourse dominated Tuesday.

The Vikings' WRs—including Tai Falton—are among the positions that fans must monitor in the preseason opener. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve made it. The Vikings are only days away from playing a real football game, kind of.

I get it, though; August football isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. While the preseason can seem like a snoozefest for some fans, the implications these games carry for players, coaches, and front office staff cannot be overstated. Each NFL team has just a few weeks left to finalize their 53-man roster, and these preseason games are the biggest stage many of these players will have to make their case.

The Vikings are currently working through decisions for several position groups, with the quarterback situation already solved. On Tuesday, head coach Kevin O'Connell confirmed that Kyler Murray will be the team's QB1 moving forward.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on naming Kyler Murray the starting QB pic.twitter.com/YSUhnuem7J

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 11, 2026

With head coach Kevin O’Connell’s preseason plan for the position a mystery and eyes already fixated on the quarterback battle, I want to highlight other key positions I’ll be watching closely when the Vikings visit the Giants on Saturday afternoon.

6. Center

The Vikings are taking a… less-than-traditional approach at the center position so far this year. After injuries decimated their offensive line last season, utility offensive lineman Blake Brandel moved in as the team’s starting center for six games. The most impressive part? Brandel had never played center once in a football game before this, and he wasn’t bad. In fact, he impressed the team enough to give him the fast track to the C1 role after Ryan Kelly’s retirement. 

So far through training camp, the results have been less than perfect. Brandel has had multiple botched exchanges, mainly with Kyler Murray. Backup center Michael Jurgens and rookie Gavin Gerhardt haven’t looked much better either. Center has been a noticeable weak point in both pass and run protection regardless of which unit is on the field. 

While O’Connell typically avoids giving much playing time to his starters in the preseason, Brandel needs every rep he can get, especially if the Vikings are going to bet so much on his sustained success at center in 2026. If the answers don’t look promising, general manager Nolan Teasley will need to find an alternative before the season. 

5. Running back

The Vikings' running game has been a consistent point of contention in the O'Connell era. The team enters 2026 with the returning duo of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, now in a revamped run scheme courtesy of assistant head coach Frank Smith. Neither Jones nor Mason is likely to get many opportunities Saturday or for the remaining preseason games, but the three backs behind them will have their opportunities to shine.

Zavier Scott, Demond Claiborne and Jordan Mims should all see significant action this week. 

Zavier Scott's outlook with the Vikings could hinge on how he performs against the Giants this weekend. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The depth chart scuffle between Scott and Claiborne is of particular interest. Scott has several fans within the building and was able to blend in to the room seamlessly when called upon in 2025. He is a safe, relatively dependable depth piece for a room that has dealt with its share of past injuries. 

Claiborne, on the other hand, is a low-risk, high-reward gamble from the sixth round of April’s draft. The team took a flyer on Claiborne’s unique home-run speed, and Saturday would be a great time for him to put it on tape. Mims has quite the climb if he is going to make a case for the roster, as his recent addition to the team seems to fit the very definition of adding depth for camp. 

4. Wide receiver

I do not expect to see much, if anything, from Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison or Jauan Jennings on Saturday. Luckily for all of us, the Vikings have some fun storylines in the remainder of the WR room.

Tai Felton has been the dominant name on the offensive side of the ball through camp, and he looks to benefit from a default placement at the top of the depth chart this weekend. Felton has shown a refined ability to run routes and track the football, two things that limited his impact last season.

Myles Price has made the most of his opportunities as well. The special teams playmaker has brought in several impressive catches so far this summer. Dontae Fleming and Jeshaun Jones appear to be battling it out for the last spot in the WR room, alternating impressive moments daily between practices. Undrafted free agent Dillon Bell will need to show out in a major way to reclaim the hype he garnered all spring. 

3. Cornerback

Byron Murphy Jr and Isaiah Rodgers are unlikely to see action on Saturday, but I would expect a bit of work from new addition James Pierre. The real fun, though, comes further down the depth chart. 

Chuck Demmings has dominated Vikings camp discourse, and for good reason. The fifth-round corner via FCS  Stephen F. Austin has broken up passes almost daily, frustrated the team’s star wideouts, and even shown the ability to blitz during the team’s night practice. All of this hype could solidify or break apart depending on what we see on Saturday. 

Chuck Demmings has been one of the Vikings' most impactful cornerbacks in training camp. Can he keep the momentum going in preseason action? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn will be fighting for roster spots, as both have been inconsistent to kick off camp. The team saw potential in both corners as developmental projects but will be looking to see improvement over their camp performances once preseason games kick off. 

2. Linebacker

Second-round pick Jake Golday is going to be a big name to track on Saturday. While he was initially paired with Blake Cashman and other MLBs, he’s already made appearances on the outside through camp, coming in for Andrew Van Ginkel. How Flores utilizes Golday on Saturday may give us a slight hint of how he could be used once Flo’s full stash of secret plans is available in September. 

Ivan Pace has had a strong performance through camp so far and will look to carry that over against the Giants. While Pace’s benching last season and the recent addition of Jamal Adams to the room had some thinking he was destined to be cut, his performance and recent developments for Adams may have created an opportunity to stick around. 

That brings us to…

1. Safety

Vikings fans may need to mentally prepare for the very real chance they’ve seen the last of Harrison Smith. While a post-camp return is certainly on the table, the team needs to plan for life without Hitman just to be safe. 

Adams's recent number change allows him to play both linebacker and safety, giving him the chance to step in as a veteran voice and presence in the room if Smith’s absence is indeed permanent. We’ll see if he continues to get work at both spots at MetLife Stadium.

Rookie Jakobe Thonas is a key name to keep an eye on as well. The 98th overall pick from Miami is a hard-hitting missile, but he’ll need to show he can play with the poise and fundamentals needed to avoid giving up big plays in the NFL. 

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