Aug 22, 2026 · 21 min
Rookies bolster Vikings defense as McCarthy exits early
J.J. McCarthy gets banged up, Vikings rookies make noise in preseason loss to Ravens
J.J. McCarthy’s shortened outing leaves the quarterback competition unsettled, while Minnesota’s young defenders offer evidence of improving depth.
- 1J.J. McCarthy took several hits and left after the first quarter, doing little to clarify the QB2 competition.
- 2Recurring false starts and punt-return penalties continued to expose Minnesota’s execution problems against Baltimore.
- 3Caleb Banks, Jake Golday, Kenny Dyson, and Dominique Orange supplied the most encouraging signs in a strong defensive finish.
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Minnesota’s backups and rookies hold Baltimore on an extended fourth-quarter goal-line stand.
The brief
Minnesota lost 13-3 to Baltimore at U.S. Bank Stadium, but the score concealed the episode’s central tension: McCarthy’s early exit and the defense’s promising rookie performances.
McCarthy took several low hits and a shot to the ribs before leaving after the first quarter. His limited work, alongside Carson Wentz’s second-quarter appearance, did little to settle the QB2 competition.
False starts remained a recurring problem, joined by punt-return penalties that matter more when fringe players are competing for roster spots and offensive execution is already thin.
Caleb Banks and Jake Golday stood out among Minnesota’s young defenders, while Kenny Dyson’s sack and Dominique Orange’s growing command of the system strengthened the case for emerging depth.
The clearest defensive statement came in an extended fourth-quarter goal-line stand, when backups and rookies held Baltimore despite several projected starters resting.