1 hr. ago
The Vikings' defense has enjoyed the presence of Harrison Smith ever since he was drafted back in 2012. The team enjoys his presence on and off the field, but at 37, some things are just not the same as they used to be. As a result, the unsigned veteran is sitting on the side waiting for something to change or to retire.
Meanwhile, the team is in the middle of training camp and preparing to move on from Smith, unless, of course, he wants to come back. They are preparing for the future by drafting Jakobe Thomas out of Miami (FL), and they will lean on the remaining veterans.
None of this seems to matter, though, based on the recent work done by ESPN's Benjamin Solak. He wrote about his takeaways from Vikings camp, which did include some thoughts on Smith and the Vikings' safety position.
He writes, "There's no way to replace safety Harrison Smith. . .That's if he retires. It isn't formalized yet, and the Vikings are hoping he returns despite drafting safety Jakobe Thomas in the third round. While I was at camp, Thomas was not yet taking many first-team reps, but that's understandable, given how complex this defense is. . .My sense in watching practice and speaking to folks on the ground is there's no one winning idea for how to replace Smith just yet."
There has to be some faith placed on the shoulders of Brian Flores with the trio he has in place. Led by Josh Metellus, the Vikings' safeties have played well under the tutelage of Flores. Losing Smith will be a heavy hit, but time will tell how tough a transition it is.
#jakobe #defense
Meanwhile, the team is in the middle of training camp and preparing to move on from Smith, unless, of course, he wants to come back. They are preparing for the future by drafting Jakobe Thomas out of Miami (FL), and they will lean on the remaining veterans.
None of this seems to matter, though, based on the recent work done by ESPN's Benjamin Solak. He wrote about his takeaways from Vikings camp, which did include some thoughts on Smith and the Vikings' safety position.
He writes, "There's no way to replace safety Harrison Smith. . .That's if he retires. It isn't formalized yet, and the Vikings are hoping he returns despite drafting safety Jakobe Thomas in the third round. While I was at camp, Thomas was not yet taking many first-team reps, but that's understandable, given how complex this defense is. . .My sense in watching practice and speaking to folks on the ground is there's no one winning idea for how to replace Smith just yet."
There has to be some faith placed on the shoulders of Brian Flores with the trio he has in place. Led by Josh Metellus, the Vikings' safeties have played well under the tutelage of Flores. Losing Smith will be a heavy hit, but time will tell how tough a transition it is.
#jakobe #defense
3 days ago
As in all sports, NFL teams need to hit on their draft picks, as their rosters are so expansive. It is imperative to leave a draft class with at least one to two starters and to be able to find depth pieces to support. In recent years, the Minnesota Vikings have struggled to find an abundance of quality, as Minnesota has drafted 28 players since 2022, and only four have turned out to be starters.
However, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, the rookies are showing out so far in training camp, with love being given to the later-round picks as well. Here are some of Lewis' thoughts:
Early returns look promising. First-round pick Caleb Banks responded from left foot surgery and is already mixing in with the starters. Second-round linebacker Jake Golday tipped a pass Saturday, evoking shades of edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel.
There has been positivity from the later-round picks, too. ***** istant head coach Frank Smith spent some time after Saturday's practice reviewing techniques with fullback Max Bredeson. Cornerback Chuck Demmings blanketed Jefferson and deflected a pass. Safety Jakobe Thomas continues to show up in all areas of Brian Flores' defense, and undrafted safety Jacob Thomas tends to play right alongside him.
This was a defensive-heavy draft class, and it is a promising sign to see that the bulk of the picks are performing well so far. It will be fascinating to see them in action in the preseason to see just how far they have come.
#picks #starters #lewis
However, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, the rookies are showing out so far in training camp, with love being given to the later-round picks as well. Here are some of Lewis' thoughts:
Early returns look promising. First-round pick Caleb Banks responded from left foot surgery and is already mixing in with the starters. Second-round linebacker Jake Golday tipped a pass Saturday, evoking shades of edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel.
There has been positivity from the later-round picks, too. ***** istant head coach Frank Smith spent some time after Saturday's practice reviewing techniques with fullback Max Bredeson. Cornerback Chuck Demmings blanketed Jefferson and deflected a pass. Safety Jakobe Thomas continues to show up in all areas of Brian Flores' defense, and undrafted safety Jacob Thomas tends to play right alongside him.
This was a defensive-heavy draft class, and it is a promising sign to see that the bulk of the picks are performing well so far. It will be fascinating to see them in action in the preseason to see just how far they have come.
#picks #starters #lewis
23 days ago
The Real Forno Show returns with Tyler Forness and producer Dave Stefano on the The Real Forno Show breaking down the hottest Minnesota Vikings storylines two weeks before training camp — from Brian Flores’ rookie snap counts to a fiery and continuing Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy quarterback debate. With guests RAP and Norsepheus joining the conversation, this episode is must-listen content for every Vikings fan heading into 2026.
Forness dissects the Kevin Seifert ESPN report on Flores’ historically low rookie usage, arguing that context — draft capital, player age, system complexity — matters more than raw snap numbers. “It’s not just about the fact that he doesn’t play rookies,” Forness says. “It’s about situations. It’s about what the player is and how they project forward.” The panel also projects snap counts for the 2026 rookie defensive class, including Caleb Banks (520 snaps, 10 starts), Jake Golday (246 snaps), Domonique Orange (310 snaps), Jakobe Thomas (290 snaps), and Charles Demmings (210 snaps).
The second half of the show catches fire when guests RAP and Norsepheus join to weigh in on the Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy competition. RAP puts it plainly: “If the Vikings can just get somebody who can run and control the offense, we can be a Super Bowl contender.” Meanwhile, Norsepheus challenges Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback development record and Murray’s fit in a play-action system, asking: “How is a guy stuck in the pistol or shotgun going to help Kevin O’Connell’s offense?” Tyler counters that Murray “is a pocket passer first that will scramble — he wants to stay and kill you in the pocket,” making him a potentially strong fit for O’Connell’s scheme.
Brian Flores & Rookie Snaps: The Vikings rank second-to-last in rookie starts (16) and defensive snaps (2,110) over three years — but Forness argues the per-player average tells a different, less **** ing story. “Brian Flores will play rookies when they deserve to play, when they’re ready to play.”
2026 Rookie Snap Projections: Caleb Banks leads the class with a projected 520 snaps and 10 starts; Charles Demmings sits at the floor with 210 snaps and zero starts — “less than 20% of snaps per game.”
Forness dissects the Kevin Seifert ESPN report on Flores’ historically low rookie usage, arguing that context — draft capital, player age, system complexity — matters more than raw snap numbers. “It’s not just about the fact that he doesn’t play rookies,” Forness says. “It’s about situations. It’s about what the player is and how they project forward.” The panel also projects snap counts for the 2026 rookie defensive class, including Caleb Banks (520 snaps, 10 starts), Jake Golday (246 snaps), Domonique Orange (310 snaps), Jakobe Thomas (290 snaps), and Charles Demmings (210 snaps).
The second half of the show catches fire when guests RAP and Norsepheus join to weigh in on the Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy competition. RAP puts it plainly: “If the Vikings can just get somebody who can run and control the offense, we can be a Super Bowl contender.” Meanwhile, Norsepheus challenges Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback development record and Murray’s fit in a play-action system, asking: “How is a guy stuck in the pistol or shotgun going to help Kevin O’Connell’s offense?” Tyler counters that Murray “is a pocket passer first that will scramble — he wants to stay and kill you in the pocket,” making him a potentially strong fit for O’Connell’s scheme.
Brian Flores & Rookie Snaps: The Vikings rank second-to-last in rookie starts (16) and defensive snaps (2,110) over three years — but Forness argues the per-player average tells a different, less **** ing story. “Brian Flores will play rookies when they deserve to play, when they’re ready to play.”
2026 Rookie Snap Projections: Caleb Banks leads the class with a projected 520 snaps and 10 starts; Charles Demmings sits at the floor with 210 snaps and zero starts — “less than 20% of snaps per game.”
