Sports

Vikings newcomer already looks like a waste of money in Minnesota

admin July 12, 2026

Bullet point summary by AI

A first-round defensive lineman, Caleb Banks, for the Minnesota Vikings has yet to practice since breaking his foot at the NFL scouting combine.
The selection comes after the team lost key veterans and enters a critical season with playoff expectations.
Another rookie drafted in the third round now looms as the more immediate solution along the interior defensive line.

If you’re an NFL junkie, you know all about Walter Nolen III. He has all the potential but a laundry list of injury problems that seemingly hold him back. He was held to just six games as a rookie and missed the start of the 2025 season. The Minnesota Vikings have their own version of Nolen in the form of Caleb Banks, the interior defensive lineman out of Florida. The same risks Nolen poses, so does Banks. That’s why the Vikings are going to truly realize the mistake they made in drafting Banks with the No. 18 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

In fact, Banks is so injury prone, he broke his foot at the NFL scouting combine and hasn’t practiced with the Vikings since. The Vikings had so many better options and after releasing Jonathan Allen, they needed to recoup their defensive line. Unfortunately, Banks was a risk not willing to take.

Caleb Banks will only amplify Minnesota’s defensive line struggles

I’m curious as to the potential Minnesota truly sees in Banks because he really only had one good year in college. He spent three seasons in Gainesville and had 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble and 46 tackles. He had one good season where he recorded 4.5 sacks, but outside of that, has largely just been a body on the field. It’s hard to hold his last season at Florida against him too because of his injury problems, but the Vikings knew what they were getting into.

What makes drafting Banks such a risky move is that this team underwent a lot of reconstruction, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. They went and signed Kyler Murray because they’re expecting him to be better than J.J. McCarthy and it was clear a year ago the Vikings were probably a quarterback away from being legit playoff contenders. After this offseason, they may not have the success they expect.

Even worse, their newly-acquired, first-round pick might not be as good as they need him to be. If you don’t have a good defensive line, it’s going to be tough trying to win games, especially in the NFC North division. Banks will have a lot of pressure on himself his rookie season, if he ultimately gets on the field.

What can Minnesota expect from Caleb Banks in his rookie season?

According to Bleacher Report, Banks will probably be a rotational player to start his NFL career. That isn’t as bad as it sounds considering he’s a rookie. That said, the fact that he’s going to be in a depth battle his rookie season as a first-round pick, it makes you wonder if he’ll ever reach the potential the Vikings need him to. They drafted him after losing both Javon Hargrave and Allen. They’ve turned to the rookie class to elevate this defense at a crucial time. If Banks can’t live up to the potential with the opportunity, will he ever?

When he’s on the field, he can be a disruptive defensive tackle. But the Vikings are already preparing for him to not be ready in the preseason and possibly longer. If he doesn’t start getting reps now, the Vikings won’t be able to rely on him this year and possibly long term. That’s not to say he won’t carve out a decent NFL career, but the start of his career is glum.

For what it’s worth, the Vikings coaching staff like Banks a lot and see the mental side of his game already taking shape. That won’t mean anything if he can’t contribute on the physical side of the game.

Who will step up for Minnesota if Caleb Banks is unreliable?

The Vikings doubled down on their need for interior defensive line help, also drafting Domonique Orange out of Iowa State in the third round. I think he has more potential than Banks, if I’m being honest. I could be wrong, but if he steps up in a big way during training camp, there’s no reason why he can’t be the anchor of this defensive line in the interim and even in the future. The fact that Banks could be ailing through training camp just opens the door for Orange to become the more favorable option.

The good thing with Banks is, one, he has time and two, this is a young team. The Vikings decided not to be big spenders. They’ve turned to the younger players to develop and become good enough to keep this team competitive. The risk with that is Banks is the most volatile option. He could either be a stud that stays healthy, or a what if that can’t stay off the injured list.