16 Vikings Who Could Make Their Debut On Sunday

When the game gets underway this Sunday at US Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers. 16 Vikings are in line to make their debut in purple.

16 Vikings Who Could Make Their Debut On Sunday

Minnesota was relatively quiet in the free-agent market this year, with only six of the new faces being veterans. The rest of the players in line to make their debut are rookies.

Some of these players will be starters, some will hope to get onto the field in rotation, while some may be confined to special teams duties. With the game-day roster set at 48 players, some may miss out altogether and be inactive.

Here are the 16 Vikings who could make their debut, along with my expectations for them.

Kyler Murray (QB)

All eyes will be on Kyler Murray. The Vikings QB situation became a circus last season, and the team needed a solution for 2026. They landed on Murray with a cut-price deal. If he can rediscover the form he had earlier in his career, then the Vikings will have a steal at the $1.3 million they are paying him. As long as he stays healthy, he should be able to deliver a level of consistency Minnesota didn’t have last year. A good debut will get people excited, while a poor one will have people panicking. Such is the scrutiny of the QB position.

Jauan Jennings (WR)

It might have been somewhat of a surprise to some that the Vikings made their biggest FA splash with the limited money they had available at wide receiver. However, the skill set Jauan Jennings brings as the team’s WR3 should improve the Vikings’ offense massively. He adds a big, powerful receiver who can compete for 50/50 balls and come out on top. His effectiveness in the red zone can be a big plus for an offense that has been stalling at the goal line far too often. Jennings should be a prominent figure in this offense rather than the afterthought the Vikings WR3 has often been in recent seasons.

Max Bredeson (FB)

I’m excited to see what Kevin O’Connell has in store for us with Max Bredeson. When O’Connell first arrived in Minnesota, there was speculation about whether he would keep CJ Ham around. Not only did the fullback continue to be a mainstay of the Vikings offense, but as soon as Ham retired, his replacement was drafted. Bredeson needs to play a big part in making the Vikings’ run game more effective while also being an asset in the passing game, whether that’s blocking or making catches. Sunday gives us the first real chance to see what his role will look like.

Ryan Van Demark (OT)

Unless there is an injury to one of the Vikings’ starting tackles, Ryan Van Demark will probably only trot onto the field for special teams duties. His experience (43 games including 6 starts) should put him first in line if there is an injury, so he should definitely suit up on game day.

Caleb Tiernan (OT)

Third-round rookie Caleb Tiernan should suit up and play some special teams, but if he got onto the field on offense, it would mean disaster has struck with a double injury at tackle. No offense to Mr Tiernan, but nobody wants to see that. Everyone hopes for a much better year with injuries on the offensive line after last season’s bloodbath.

Nick Samac (C)

Nick Samac is a new face in the building after Michael Jurgens was placed on IR and rookie Gavin Gerhardt has already been discarded. As the backup center, he should suit up in case there is a problem with starting center Blake Brandel.

Trevor Keegan (G)

It will probably be either Trevor Keegan or Joe Huber to suit up as the backup guard. Huber has been around since last season, while Keegan is another post-waivers pickup. Neither fills me with much confidence if Minnesota has to turn to them.

Demond Claiborne (RB)

The Vikings need to find ways to get the ball in Demond Claiborne’s hands so they can take advantage of his explosive speed. One way to do that is to share return duty with Myles Price, but I would also like to see him take the field on offense a few times. It won’t be often, especially early in the season, but a couple of touches per game, especially as a receiver, would be a nice wrinkle to the offensive game plan.

James Pierre (CB)

James Pierre was the big free agency addition to the defense this season. He impressed last season in a rotation role in Pittsburgh, with sticky coverage and the highlight of a 34-yard fumble-recovery touchdown. Will that be his role again in Minnesota? Or can he push Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers for extended playing time? Sunday will give us the first look at how Brian Flores plans to use his cornerbacks this season.

Caleb Banks (DT)

With the injury issues surrounding him, the Vikings’ 2026 first-round pick always looked like one that would need some development. That still seems to be the case for Caleb Banks, who isn’t penciled in to be an immediate starter on the Vikings’ defense. I expect him to see the field and have chances to impress, but how quickly his snap percentage increases will depend on the impact he can have when he is on the field.

Domonique Orange (NT)

The man known as Big Citrus has great potential as a nose tackle and should get plenty of work early in his career when the Vikings send out big packages to stop down and distance. Weighing north of 320 lbs, Domonique Orange can be a dominant force in the interior of the Vikings’ defensive line, and I’m looking forward to seeing him get to work.

Jake Golday (LB)

Minnesota’s second-round draft pick from this year should be pushing for plenty of playing time right from Week 1. There has been talk of Jake Golday lining up from the edge as a pass rusher, and we may well see that. However, he should still be making a case to become the mainstay at inside linebacker with Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson both north of 30. How Flores uses him early in the season will be intriguing.

Chuck Demmings (CB)

Chuck Demmings has been the story of the Vikings preseason. The fifth-round rookie is brimming with confidence, has plenty to say, and most importantly, backs it up on the field. There’s a lot of excitement around Demmings, but he’s got to work his way up the CB depth chart. Everything we’ve seen from him so far points to him grabbing any chance he gets with both hands.

Jakobe Thomas (S)

The buildup to his rookie season hasn’t gone completely to plan for third-round rookie Jakobe Thomas. He has had to manage a back issue that has seen an undrafted rookie steal the limelight. With Harrison Smith returning to Minnesota at the eleventh hour, it remains to be seen where Thomas fits in amongst the safety group. There is talent there and plenty of time to unlock it, but I’m not sure we will see much from him early this season.

Jacob Thomas (S)

Another darling of the Vikings preseason, Jacob Thomas turned heads with his displays throughout training camp and preseason. An ankle sprain in the final preseason game was ill-timed, but didn’t stop the undrafted rookie from making the Vikings’ 53-man roster. Again, Smith’s arrival knocks him down the pecking order, but he needs to keep showing up when he gets the chance and stake his claim as the long-term solution at the position.

Brett Thorson (P)

The Vikings chose youthful exuberance over experience, with rookie Brett Thorson winning the preseason punter battle over Johnny Hekker. Thorson landed in college football via his native Australia, having never played a game of (American) football in his life. Four years later, he will be stepping out onto the turf at US Bank Stadium to showcase his booming punts.