That’s a wrap on the 2026 NFL Draft, and here are the newest members of the Minnesota Vikings:
The Vikings entered draft weekend with four picks in the Top 100. They ended up with five, and given how it all unfolded, the positional priorities of those picks made sense at a 30,000-foot level.
Here are my main takeaways. The result? Mixed emotions. Feel free to drag me in the comments.
NO RISK, NO REWARD AT #18 (THERE IS DEFINITELY RISK)
In my previous article, I advocated for Rob Brzezinski going defensive line at #18. I did not include Caleb Banks among those options. Even though I sometimes have trouble remembering what I had for dinner the previous night, I *think* I saw Banks mocked a few times in the first round. However, it was not the consensus view.
Banks is an absolute freak of an athlete, and it’s not hyperbole to say the upside is off-the-charts. We’re talking about Chris Jones here.
Caleb Banks was drafted in round 1 with pick 18 in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.83 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 39 out of 2278 DT from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/iD4zSLK19P pic.twitter.com/J2aYESpYVL
Banks’ 9.83 RAS, out of a possible 10.00, ranked 39th out of 2279 defensive tackles from 1987 to 2026. Math was never my thing, but I believe that is the top 1.7% since…1987. Be right back. I’m going to put on Appetite for Destruction and see if I can find my old Predator VHS in the basement.
Now, the doomerism. Repeated injuries to the same foot scare me—a lot. I cannot think of a worse thing for a 6’6’’, 327-pound interior lineman. I’m sure the Vikings did all the requisite due diligence, including second, third, and twenty-fifth opinions from various medical professionals on the recovery and subsequent timeline. On the surface, everything looks good, and a 100% full-go for training camp is the expectation. But doctors are not psychics, either. They can tell you an injury is fully healed and offer some insight into future risk, but the latter is fraught with considerable uncertainty.
In the end, you have to cross your fingers and trust the process. As soon as the Vikings were on the clock, I noticed Brzezinski rush that card up to the podium faster than Rick Spielman used to say, “I’ll need a 7th,” whenever a fellow GM called him up – whether it was actually to discuss a trade or not.
Banks was clearly a priority. Whether that meant he was the best player available overall, the best at the most pressing-need position, or both, we will never truly know. What’s said at pressers afterward can often be molded to reflect the reality of the draft board, but by all accounts and rumors, Banks appeared to be foremost on the Vikings’ radar. Every other DT was right there, along with the most mocked player for the Vikings at #18, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
If everything goes as planned, Banks is a starter in Week 1 and becomes the best Vikings’ first-round pick on defense since at least Harrison Smith 14 years ago. However, things going as planned isn’t exactly the Vikings’ modus operandi.
File this under “The Packers.” I hate it. Worse, I do not understand it. I’ve frequently discussed my fondness for Jonathan Greenard and my view of his potential to be traded. Here’s a recap:
To quote Hall & Oates: “I can’t go for that, no (No). No can do.” I want nothing to do with this. You can never have enough pass rushers; Dallas Turner is on his rookie deal, and Andrew Van Ginkel has battled pesky neck issues. I’m a huge fan of Greenard. He always seems to be around the ball carrier and causing havoc on every play. His playmaking ability jumps off the screen. The lack of sacks (3.0) during an injury-shortened season was an anomaly. Even with the injuries, his pressure rate of 13.5% ranked seventh in the NFL. He’s 28 and definitely in his prime. If someone makes an incredible offer, including a first-round pick, I get it. Maxx Crosby just got two first-rounders from the Baltimore Ravens. The numbers would support it, even after a tough year in 2025. Since 2023, Greenard has 4.5 fewer sacks (32 vs. 27.5) and 15 fewer QB hits in two fewer starts than Crosby. And I saw this:
Greenard vs Crosby pass rush comparison: Greenard: 16.6% Win %; 15.5% true pass set win %, 77.6 PFF pass rush gradeCrosby: 14.4% win %, 15.5% true pass set win %, 77.1 pass rush gradeNearly identical stats and age (3 months apart). No reason Greenard doesn't fetch a 1st.
Well, Greenard is now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the incredible offer never arrived. Two third-round picks, one in this draft (#98 overall, Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami) and one in 2027. I waited 24 hours to digest this, hoping my immediate, visceral dislike would subside, but it did not. Not to get at least a second-rounder for someone of Greenard’s talent? It’s a head-scratcher, especially for a team that, for all intents and purposes, is in playoff success or bust mode for 2026. The Eagles seem to know what they have just received, as an immediate four-year, $100 million offer (with $50 million guaranteed) greeted Greenard as he got off the plane.
The move saves the Vikings a tad over $12 million against this year’s cap. We’ll see what that could mean, but that’s a topic for another article. I always feel that where there is a will, there is a way in these situations. We went through something similar with Danielle Hunter a few years back and managed to figure it out.
Dallas Turner now moves into a clear starting role. His development last season was impressive, and, of course, Brian Flores is his defensive coordinator. Even so, a post from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell in early March still lingers in the back of my mind:
Know the Vikings are in a rough cap bind, and he’s still young, but not sure Dallas Turner is as ready to step in for Jonathan Greenard as his sack total might suggest.
Turner had eight sacks last year, but that included 2.5 coverage sacks, 2.5 unblocked sacks, and a sack where the tackle was late off the ball.