Vikings’ Most Glaring Preseason Disappointment So Far (And What Comes Next)

Ah, mid-August. The time of year when months of football withdrawals lead to constant dissection of every practice rep and preseason snap once football returns in its earliest form. We are so back.

The Vikings are a team with particular interest across multiple positions, but few topics have been more intriguing than the team’s young additions on defense—especially Caleb Banks. So far through training camp and one preseason game, it's clear that the team will need to play the long game to fully tap into the 23-year-old’s raw potential, even if it isn’t always pretty in the meantime.

An up-and-down summer

Drafting is never a sure science, especially with an interim GM at the helm. Easy to understand why Vikings fans were hesitant heading into April’s draft. Then, the pick. The Vikings selected Florida DL Caleb Banks 18th overall in a move that shocked many. Banks had all the potential in the world, but repeated foot issues derailed his 2025 season and much of the pre-draft process. The good news? Banks would be given the all-clear to participate in training camp by the time it kicked off.

Once camp started, Banks was taking reps with the first-team unit almost immediately, a clear sign of the faith Brian Flores and his staff had in his potential for an early impact. The results? Inconsistent, to say the least.

Banks would win reps against starting offensive linemen only to be then held off by backup guard Joe Huber on back-to-back reps after. One rep would show the raw strength and explosive first step the team loved in their evaluations, and another rep would have Banks looking lost. It was jarring, to say the least. It was clear that Banks was working through finer points of his technique and approach that he didn’t get to address while recovering from foot surgery.

After two weeks of camp, Banks would have his chance to put it all together in his first game action.

The Vikings kicked off the first of three preseason games this past Saturday against the Giants, and Banks was a heavy point of interest for many in the fanbase. Unfortunately, the rust and inconsistent technique that appeared frequently through camp seemed to follow him to the MetLife turf.

Banks ended the day with 3 tackles on 25 snaps and a 30.4 PFF grade, the lowest from a Vikings defender with at least 10 snaps (h/t: Will Ragatz).

Every snap from Caleb Banks' preseason debut.

- 25 snaps
- 3 tackles
- 30.4 PFF grade pic.twitter.com/0ndfothXIS
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 17, 2026

The word to describe Banks’ performance? Raw. It's never a great sign when the opposing team’s third-string center is getting credit for winning reps against your first-round DL.

Center (third string) Bryan Hudson making a case for himself.

This is Minnesota first rounder Caleb Banks who he is matched up against, by the way pic.twitter.com/Jaq8i8Jmjk
— The Giant Insider Podcast and Newspaper (@GiantInsider) August 16, 2026

What does it mean for 2026 and beyond?

In reality, not much has changed for Banks’ long-term outlook. This was always going to be a work in progress, especially given the amount of football Banks missed over the last year. Even with the early struggles, there’s more than enough potential to be excited about. Just Monday, Banks knocked the ball from Kyler Murray’s arm during a pass attempt, providing a reminder of what he’s capable of on any given play.

Banks may not be a dominant force in year one, but coaches and fans can be hopeful that he will keep improving with each rep and opportunity. Personally, I still see the vision the Vikings had this past April.

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