Minnesota Vikings fans have a lot of redeeming qualities, but one thing they lack is patience. That will happen when your franchise hasn’t won a Super Bowl and hasn’t even been to the big game in 50 years. But it also shows up when discussing recent draft picks, including Caleb Banks.
The Vikings made a controversial decision when they took Banks with the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft, and fans were already sounding the alarm after a disappointing preseason.
The noise won’t get any quieter after Banks finished with no tackles or pressures on 16 defensive snaps during Minnesota’s Week 1 victory over the Green Bay Packers, according to PFF.
The cries of “BUST!” are sure to follow after a quiet debut, but the total effort of the defensive line on Sunday adds a silver lining as it’s an environment that can allow the Vikings to take their time with his development.
Minnesota Vikings may have the perfect situation to develop Caleb Banks
There were a lot of things that went wrong in Sunday’s win, but one thing that went right was the performance of the defensive line.
Brian Flores used an aggressive strategy to get pressure on Jordan Love throughout the afternoon, and it resulted in five sacks and a 54.3 percent pressure rate on his 46 dropbacks, per PFF.
Aside from the pressure, there were plenty of Vikings linemen who got in on the action. Dallas Turner led the way with a team-high nine pressures and a sack.
Andrew Van Ginkel recorded four pressures and a pair of sacks. Even Harrison Smith, who skipped training camp to return for his 15th season, recorded three pressures on blitzes.
But for Banks, the most important thing may have been the interior of the defensive line.
Jalen Redmond had four pressures in his starting role, but Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins each pitched in with two pressures.
While fellow rookie Domonique Orange only played 22 snaps, he came up with the biggest play of the game, stopping Love on a 4th-and-inches with 13:17 left in the fourth quarter, which set up a go-ahead drive that ended with an Aaron Jones touchdown.
With so many contributors, it may be hard for Banks to crack the rotation during his rookie season. But it could be exactly what he needs to become the player the Vikings think he can be.
Caleb Banks could follow Dallas Turner’s blueprint to unlock his potential
Banks has the potential of a game-wrecking defensive lineman, but part of the reason he was a controversial pick is that he’s a project.
Banks only played 47 defensive snaps during his first two collegiate seasons at Louisville, and while he played most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Florida, he only maxed out at 422 snaps before suffering a foot injury late in the 2024 season.
Last season was even worse, as Banks only played 96 defensive snaps as he battled a broken foot. After missing the offseason program, Banks had a lot of work to do with his technique and conditioning entering the NFL, but having a solid stable of defensive linemates ahead of him can allow him to work on both without having to be in the spotlight.
Consider what the Vikings did with Turner earlier in his career. While Turner had a lot more playing time coming out of Alabama, he needed to refine his game behind Jonathan Greenard and Van Ginkel.
While that led to just 310 snaps in his rookie season and 702 snaps in his sophomore campaign, his season debut shows what happens when a player and the team believe in the process.
In a lot of ways, the Vikings could be using that blueprint with Banks, even though he’s two years older than Turner when he entered the league. But given the time to develop, he could establish a foundation to break through and present another player, where having some patience could pay off in a big way.
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