Daily Norseman
How the Vikings’ first preseason game impacted the depth chart
The Vikings won their first preseason game in the KOC era on Saturday, and first win in the last eleven preseason games going back a few years. The 24-23 win came on a walk-off field goal by rookie kicker Will Reichard.
But beyond the box score, preseason is all about development and who’s showing up and who’s not. Preseason is only one part of player evaluations that will determine who makes the 53-man roster at the end of the month and is also a factor in sorting out depth charts.
With that in mind, here are some players that helped- and hurt- their stock.
Darnold looked good on the one drive he had. He was accurate, poised, and in command, despite a helmet communication problem. He had a couple nice layered throws, demonstrated some nice mobility, and very little to question.
Nailor took over Justin Jefferson’s spot with the first team offense and thrived. He’s been having an excellent training camp- Jets said he was the offensive MVP of training camp so far- and has sewn up the WR3 spot on the roster. Nailor at WR3 could allow Jordan Addison to play in the slot in 11 personnel packages, which could help him get better releases off the line of scrimmage.
McCarthy had a pick early on, but it didn’t phase him at all. He continued on to an 11/17, 118 yard, 2 TD, 1 INT game with a 116.8 passer rating. He had a couple TD bombs to light up the crowd, and a few other well thrown balls along with a couple nice scrambles.
But the main thing is that McCarthy looked composed, poised and in control in his first preseason game. That points to a lot of upside growth potential and erased some of the questions about his arm strength and ability to throw 40 passes a game, even though he only played about half the game.
Turner had a nice sack and at least one other pressure in his first preseason game against mediocre veteran Andrus Peat. He showed his top-tier athleticism that was too much for Peat on a couple reps. Lots of upside for him as he gains experience and polishes his technique.
Jackson led all Vikings’ receivers with 4 receptions on 5 targets for 100 yards and a touchdown delivered by McCarthy. He’s emerged in training camp as a popular target for McCarthy on the second team offense, and that along with his preseason performance could give him the inside track for the last wide receiver spot.
Among the third teamers, Bo Richter stood out. Not only did he have two sacks, he also had a couple other tackles on defense and was impactful on special teams as well. He looked the part at OLB, despite not having the ideal length. All...
