Reese is one bad mamma jamma! He will be a star in that Giants defense for years.

Just stay healthy. I personally wouldn't play Kyler too much. No sense to have him on Met Life field for any length of time. Kyler will give us really big highs, but I just hope we can keep the lows down as much as possible.

JustInTime wrote:

https://twitter.com/thedougrush/status/2087589598830453096

Harbaugh was a great hire and I think they got some really good looking talent this past draft.

But u cant underestimate the loss of a wrecker like D.Lawrence.

Cashman

The Preseason Test on Saturday

Flores’s boss, Kevin O’Connell, also talked to media members this week, announcing that the Vikings would “play their guys.” While it’s unclear if the superstars like Justin Jefferson will see action on Saturday, Cashman should see the field against the New York Giants.

It’ll be his first semi-formal step in teaching the rookies, (Caleb Banks, Jake Golday, Domonique Orange, Jakobe Thomas, and Charles Demmings) as the preseason is generally a playground for first-year players.

It’s worth noting that 2026 is a contract year for Cashman, so he’ll have even more to prove as Flores’s defensive anchor.

#Giants/#Vikings preseason game preview. @TommyTranTV @johnbreech and I take a look at:
- Key Storylines
- Key Position Battles
...and much more👇🏿https://t.co/8s1bRVVULK

— Emory Hunt (@FBallGameplan) August 13, 2026

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/look-vikings-preseason-opener-203000489.html

What to Look Out for in Vikings Preseason Opener

We are back. The Minnesota Vikings are back on a football field on Saturday as they head to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Giants in their preseason opener. It's the first of three Vikings preseason games before we get to the real thing.

What to Look Out for in Vikings Preseason Opener

Minnesota will also travel to Denver to face Sean Payton's Broncos, while hosting the Baltimore Ravens in between, all before US Bank Stadium plays host to the Green Bay Packers for a big divisional matchup in Week 1. With the preparations for the new season kicking up a gear, here are my things to look out for in the Vikings preseason opener.

How the QB Reps are Shared

Kevin O'Connell's habit is to use his starters sparingly in the preseason games. They tend to start the first game and then be quickly taken out, and that's it until the season starts. Kyler Murray has been confirmed as the team's QB1 but is still settling into the team. Will Murray get some reps in each game? I'd suggest he should. If Murray can get into a rhythm, he can do well in Minnesota. Get him out there for a good chunk of the preseason.

There should be plenty of reps for JJ McCarthy, which can be good for him as he now looks to rebuild his career after a failed first attempt at being a starting QB. He can play some football without the spotlight shining so brightly and the pressure off. After that, there is Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer to fit in, with Brosmer hoping to do enough to stick around on the practice squad. We know what we are getting from Wentz as a veteran presence, so he probably doesn't need to see the field too much.

The Rookies

This will of course be the first look we get of the 2025 rookie class as they make their bid to get on the final roster or move up the depth chart. A lot of focus will be on first-round pick Caleb Banks, especially given his injury problems over the last year. Day 2 picks Jake Golday and Domonique Orange also should be striving to show they are ready to get straight into the action when the season starts. Third-round tackle Caleb Tiernan should get plenty of chance to show he can be ready if Minnesota hits injury problems on the OL again this season.

With the Vikings' secondary looking to have openings for potential playing time, also look for Jakobe Thomas and Charles Demmings to be staking their claim. Demmings has particularly impressed during training camp. Hopefully we will get an early look at how O'Connell plans to use Max Bredeson as a fullback and Demond Claiborne will be out there trying to stake his claim to be RB3 and perhaps eventually take over from Aaron Jones.

We Have A Punter Battle

Minnesota kept the same special teams unit together for the last couple of seasons and with some success. Will Reichard was the first-team All-Pro kicker last season, while Andrew DePaola has alternated between first and second-team All-Pro longsnapper for the last four seasons. The weaker link was Ryan Wright and the Vikings opted to move on after the end of Wright's fourth season as the team's punter.

Minnesota has recruited for his replacement from two opposite ends of the scale. On one side we have the 14-year veteran Johnny Hekker. A Super Bowl winner, six-time All-Pro, and four-time Pro Bowler, Hekker brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven ability to be able to hold for Reichard (an often overlooked part of a punter's role). Then there is rookie punter Brett Thorson who has been booming huge punts during training camp. He doesn't have the experience but he would be cheaper and potentially a longer-term solution. It should be an intriguing Vikings preseason battle for one of the few roster spots that are definitely open for the taking.

The New York Giants shuffled their defensive backfield on Thursday, signing a pair of free-agent defensive backs ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium.

The club added safety Ugochukwu Amadi and cornerback Sam Webb. To create the necessary roster spots, the Giants waived cornerback D.J. James with an injury designation and released cornerback David Long Jr.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/several-giants-show-progress-light-201528925.html

The New York Giants held a light game-preparation practice on Thursday ahead of Saturday's preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium.

Several players who had been limited or sidelined in recent sessions showed progress. Cornerbacks Greg Newsome (knee) and Dru Phillips (knee) participated in the jog-through paced team periods after previously working only on the side with trainers.

Offensive lineman Lucas Patrick (knee) returned in a limited capacity, taking part in individual work before moving to the side. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) also practiced on a limited basis after missing time earlier in the week.

Cornerback Paulson Adebo, dealing with a hamstring injury, worked on the side with a trainer and did not take part in team drills. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (leg/ankle) and center John Michael Schmitz, who remains in the concussion protocol, were not spotted at practice.

The lighter session gave the coaching staff an opportunity to manage workloads carefully while still installing preparations for the Vikings.

With the preseason opener two days away, the Giants continue to monitor a handful of players dealing with soft-tissue issues and recovery timelines as they work toward finalizing a healthier roster for the start of the exhibition schedule.

The cliché is typically that the preseason doesn’t really matter.

But for the #Vikings and their fans, it’s the opposite.

"The first preseason game will indicate where Minnesota stands with three of their biggest storylines," writes .@wyattwade91:https://t.co/Ok9SNgaZOP

— Zone Coverage (@ZoneCoverageMN) August 13, 2026

With their preseason opener on Saturday, the Vikings held a shorter practice today. Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday that Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will both play. We'll see about LT Christian Darrisaw and WR Justin Jefferson, who were on the field today but didn't participate.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 13, 2026

Taking this show on the road for PS1 pic.twitter.com/HolpZld74J

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 13, 2026

Evening Judd: Players to watch In #Vikings’ preseason opener

Sponsored by @KwikTrip pic.twitter.com/JUUdtZQFNa

— SKOR North - Minnesota Sports (@SKORNorth) August 13, 2026

Vikings football is (sort of) back on Saturday!

20 intriguing players to watch in Minnesota's preseason opener vs. the Giants: https://t.co/geMi2WqbX4

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 13, 2026

Maybe its just me, but I wouldn't have put Joe Burrow out there last night lol. First play? Sacked. Yeesh.

StickierBuns wrote:

Maybe its just me, but I wouldn't have put Joe Burrow out there last night lol. First play? Sacked. Yeesh.

Midseason form already.