Training camp is coming fast and furious for the Minnesota Vikings. The rookies report on July 21st with the veterans on the 23rd.
Going into training camp, the Vikings have some intense battles on the horizon. Most will be looking at quarterback, but Sam Darnold has a stranglehold on that position for the time being with the Vikings being patient with J.J. McCarthy.
There are seven position battles that are really intriguing that fans will want to keep an eye on this summer.
Minnesota Vikings training camp positional battles
Running back three
The top two running backs are Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler. After that, it's going to be quite a battle. Currently, Kene Nwangwu, Myles Gaskin and DeWayne McBride are the only running backs on the roster but Cam Akers is set to return after he passes a physical.
RB3 needs to be someone who can do a little bit of everything, especially special teams and playing on third down. That battle will be a fierce one, but a healthy Akers would have the fast track.
Wide receiver three
After Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, there isn't anything of certainty. The third wide receiver spot, which K.J. Osborn held, is now up for grabs during training camp. Brandon Powell is the front-runner for the spot but the Vikings will be giving Jalen Nailor every chance to succeed.
Other options are intriguing as well. Trishton Jackson has been with Kevin O'Connell during the entirety of his NFL career and has flashed when given the opportunity. Trent Sherfield was a WR3 for the Miami Dolphins in 2022 and is a special teams ace. Don't sleep on Thayer Thomas either, as he kept getting praise from O'Connell during the offseason.
Tight end
T.J. Hockenson is likely to start the year either on IR or the PUP list. It depends on how the Vikings choose to handle things with him going into training camp. The question remains on who will be the starting tight end in his absence. Josh Oliver is going to continue to be TE2 due to his skill set.
Johnny Mundt is someone O'Connell called the best TE3 in the NFL. Will they trust him to be the starter? The addition of Robert Tonyan could change that for the Vikings. He excelled during minicamp and the limited OTAs he was a part of. The wild card is Nick Muse
Left guard and right guard
The guard position is one that the Vikings have been trying to fix for some time. Once Steve Hutchinson left after the 2011 season, ti's been a turnstile at both positions. This season is no different, as both guard spots are up for grabs.
Ed Ingram is the favorite at right guard, as he showed strides in his second year as a starter. Blake Brandel is the front-runner for left guard despite incumbent Dalton Risner being back in the fold. The incumbent not being the front runner is interesting, but it makes sense here because Risner wasn't brought back until over a month after the NFL Draft. This is going to be an intense battle.
Defensive line
Harrison Phillips is the best player in the room but the rest of the positions are up for grabs. Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery are the likely starters at defensive end but there are interesting players behind him.
The most intriguing are Jaquelin Roy and Levi Drake Rodriguez. Roy was selected in the fifth round and played more as the season went on. Compared pre-draft to former Viking Dalvin Tomlinson, Roy could very well be a player this year whereas Rodriguez is one that the Vikings love. Dubbed Prospect X pre-draft, Rodriguez has an insane motor and athletic traits that are worth developing. If his bulked-up body performs well during training camp, he could end up being a rotational player.
Cornerback
This is a touchy one with the Vikings. Khyree Jackson passed away on Saturday but it was still up in the air prior to that tragedy. Only Byron Murphy Jr. has a solidified place on the roster currently.
Who will earn playing time after Murphy? Shaquill Griffin is likely to be starting opposite of Murphy with Mekhi Blackmon the likely nickel. Akayleb Evans was a starter all of 2023 and could very well earn his job back. Andrew Booth Jr. and UDFA Dwight McGlothern will be working toward the final cornerback spot. This group will be fascinating to watch.
Safety depth
Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus and Camryn Bynum are the top three safeties with a bullet. After that, who knows how things will stack up.
NaJee Thompson was moved to safety but he's a special teams ace. The other three players are going to be interesting to watch, especially with Lewis Cine. The inaugural first-round pick of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has struggled with it all starting after he broke his leg against the New Orleans Saints in London. He was quickly overtaken by both Theo Jackson and Jay Ward with one of the main reasons being their utility on special teams. Will the Vikings choose to move on from Cine?
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