5 takeaways from the Vikings’ preseason win over the Saints
By Adam Patrick
Vikings defensive line is very deep
Most of the players on Minnesota’s roster were healthy on Friday, but two guys that didn’t suit up were defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen. With this interior duo sitting out, some of the Vikings’ younger defensive lineman got to prove their worth against the Saints.
On the interior, Jalyn Holmes, Jaleel Johnson, and Hercules Mata’afa all played well during their time out on the field. Holmes and Mata’afa were both even able to finish the night with a sack.
On the edge, Ifeadi Odenigbo had himself a strong performance. After it looked like he might go down with an injury in the first half, Odenigbo returned to the field and caused a bunch of problems for New Orleans’ offensive line.
Minnesota obviously hopes that Joseph and Stephen will be ready to go by the start of the regular season. But at least the Vikings can breathe a little easier knowing the level of talent that they have behind their starters on the defensive line this year.