The Minnesota Vikings pulled off a 13-10 win over the New York Giants on Saturday, but not everyone saw their stock rise.
A few rookies like fullback Max Bredeson or UDFA safety Jacob Thomas had great debuts, but first-round draft pick Caleb Banks was one of the players who had a more disappointing display.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted that Banks looked very much like a player who has only played in three games since 2024.
“His size and agility stand out on tape, but so does his lack of refinement,” wrote Lewis. “Banks began the day against Giants first-round pick Francis Mauigoa, and he struggled to hold the point of attack when double-teamed. Once, he used a swim move to knife into the backfield. But even after the game, Banks admitted he expected to hear about that decision, as it went against what defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme preferred.”
Caleb Banks Knows He Still Has a Long Way to Go
After the game, Banks reflected on his performance and admitted he still has plenty of things to improve upon ahead of the season.
“There’s a lot of things I need to work on, if I’m being honest,” Banks said. “But from what I’ve seen already after the play and looking at the JumboTron, [pad level] is one of the things.”
While Banks didn’t have the day he expected, it is important to note he spent much of the summer rehabbing a foot injury he suffered at the NFL Combine. It wasn’t until training camp that Banks was fully participating in practices, so his lack of a clean start shouldn’t be too surprising. And although his uneven play is somewhat expected, his time to clean it up is short, with the season now less than a month away.
J.J. McCarthy Puts on a Troubling Display Against New York
Meanwhile, another player who saw his stock go down was J.J. McCarthy. After the summer quarterback competition for the starting job, some believe that McCarthy is now fighting for the QB2 role.
According to Skor North’s Judd Zulgad, McCarthy may be on a crash course with losing his backup job to veteran Carson Wentz.
“[Kevin] O’Connell has said that McCarthy is the backup, but clearly that can be subject to change,” Zulgad said. “And quite frankly, with where the Vikings are right now in wanting to win this season, this is not about the future. This is about the now. That’s why Kyler Murray is here.
“If the Vikings had to go to a backup quarterback right now, I think if you gave Kevin O’Connell truth serum, he would say Carson Wentz. This week’s practices might go a long way toward making what the depth chart looks like for Sept. 13 official.”
After going just 4-for-7 for 34 yards against the Giants, McCarthy did little to dispel the notion that he should receive yet another demotion. Wentz was a much more respectable 9-for-14 for 161 yards and a touchdown, and showed more command of the offense. Both will presumably be back in action against the Baltimore Ravens this weekend.
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