The Minnesota Vikings
are going to have a fascinating amount of battles in training camp that don't have to do with quarterback.
The Minnesota Vikings
are just weeks away from training camp, and while the quarterback battle between Kyler Murray
and J.J. McCarthy
will dominate the conversation, several other position battles across the roster deserve attention.
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Minnesota's depth competition at multiple positions will determine how successful the Vikings will be in 2026. Great teams that win Super Bowls don't just rely on stars. They build rosters where the back-end contributors make an impact, particularly on special teams.
These position battles will be important to watch in training camp
Demond Claiborne has an uphill battle for RB3
Demond Claiborne
has generated buzz this offseason, and for good reason. The rookie is built similarly to Aaron Jones
at 5-foot-8, but is significantly smaller at 188 pounds. He brings 4.37 speed and does a good job navigating traffic when he's untouched, but he goes down too easily on contact.
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The Vikings did make a serious investment to get Claiborne, trading a seventh-round pick and a future sixth-rounder in the 2027 NFL Draft to move up and select him. That's a meaningful package for a player selected on day three. However, what will decide this competition goes beyond his ability as a runner. Can he play special teams? Can he pass block? How capable is he as a receiver out of the backfield?
The coaching staff likely sees Claiborne as a discount version of De'Von Achane from the Miami Dolphins
, and that could matter with Frank Smith as the new assistant head coach. But if Claiborne can't contribute on special teams or in pass protection, something Zavier Scott
has already demonstrated, he may not make the 53-man roster. That's why Ty Chandler
stuck around for as long as he did. Chandler's vision and pass blocking were poor, but he was a great personal protector on the punt team. At roughly $1.14 million in the final year of his rookie deal, that versatility mattered.
Tight end 3 features multiple candidates
Ben Yurosek
won the third tight end spot out of camp last season, and that was mainly thanks to Gavin Bartholomew
being injured the entire year. The undrafted free agent out of Georgia was once projected as a top-50 pick when he was at Stanford, but the production never materialized after his transfer. During his rookie season, he was a replacement-level player.
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He will have a tough battle to keep the TE3 job, as he faces competition from multiple directions. Bryson Nesbit
spent the entire 2025 season on the practice squad and Bartholomew, a sixth-round pick, didn't practice until Week 16 last season. Plus, fifth-round pick Max Bredeson projects as the fullback/H-back/tight end hybrid who could simply slide into the C.J. Ham
role. He could compete for a role in the TE room with his versatility. If Bredeson takes the FB spot, the rest of the room becomes easier to sort. Whether it will be that simple remains to be seen. With T.J. Hockenson
being a free agent after the year, TE3 could have a year-long audition for the starting role next season.
Safety has a potential opening
Until Harrison Smith
confirms he is returning, there's a starting spot open at safety next to Josh Metellus
. Not only is Metellus one of the better safeties in the NFL, but he's also among hte most versatile. His value lies in roaming the box and playing multiple roles rather than being pigeonholed into a traditional coverage assignment.
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Jay Ward
can theoretically slide into the Smith role. He's not a one-to-one replacement for the future Hall of Famer, but Ward plays a similar style of football. He can align at the line of scrimmage and bail back to a deep safety spot. You can't replace everything that Smith does on the field, but you can find a similar stylistic player to take over.
Theo Jackson
got benched for Ward last season and could be on his way out. Jacobe Thomas, the third-round pick out of Miami, and Jacob Thomas, the undrafted free agent out of James Madison who has flashed during OTAs and minicamp, both could factor into the equation. All of this could be moot if Smith returns, but until then, this is a fascinating position.
Punter could be the most fun battle in camp
UDFA out of Georgia, Brett Thorson
, won the 2025 Ray Guy Award and enters camp as my favorite to win the punter job. The Aussie punter averaged nearly 47 yards per punt for the Bulldogs and looks the part. The Vikings guaranteed him a solid amount of money for an undrafted free agent ($75k), along with not counting toward the 90-man roster during training camp.
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His competition is veteran Johnny Hekker
, who has ties with head coach Kevin O'Connell during his time with the Los Angeles Rams
. At 36 years old, Hecker's punting numbers were average to below average last season. Where Hecker holds an edge is as a holder, and is widely regarded as one of the best in the league; it's an important aspect of the competition.
Holding is what will separate the two. If Thorson can prove he's a reliable holder for kicker Will Reichard
and develop chemistry with All-Pro long snapper Andrew DePaola
, the job is his. Finding a long-term punter as an undrafted free agent would be a significant win for Minnesota's roster construction, especially with continuity at holder.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Minnesota Vikings have fascinating training camp battles outside of quarterback that will impact 2026 and beyond
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