The Minnesota Vikings drafted a massive defensive lineman, Caleb Banks, to give their front some bite, but their first-round rookie may need a carefully managed workload when the regular season begins. Conditioning, leverage and a sluggish first step have created enough concern that throwing him into a regular rotation could expose him before he's ready.
Minnesota knew the 23-year-old wasn't a finished product when it selected the Florida defender at No. 18. His 6-foot-6, 327-pound frame offers rare upside, though size alone stops being a cheat code once every opposing guard is strong enough to fight back.
Preseason reps have given the coaching staff a chance to gauge how quickly the rookie can handle NFL tempo. Those snaps apparently produced a rougher answer than fans hoping for an instant interior disruptor wanted to hear.
Brian Flores may have to ease Caleb Banks into the Minnesota Vikings' rotation
SKOR North's Jeff Zulgad said on the "Purple Daily" podcast that Banks' conditioning isn't at an NFL-ready level. Zulgad also saw him get stood up, driven backward and lose his feet, problems that point toward pad level and balance rather than a simple rookie mistake.
“Brian Flores played him a ton, and he should have, and his conditioning is not what I would call at an NFL-ready level yet," Zulgad said.
"You can tell when he did play in college, he literally would just push guys around because he's mammoth. He's got no chance here. And I'm not talking about being stood up. I'm talking about being stood up and moved back. I'm talking about falling at times when it's like, dude, you've got to keep your feet."
Zulgad expects Banks to be active in Week 1 because he's a first-rounder, but added, "Brian Flores is going to have to be very careful, and he will be, with how he uses him. I would call him borderline a project right now.” That assessment puts Flores in an awkward spot with a player drafted to improve a front that needs immediate help. Minnesota can dress him without forcing a starter's workload.
Calling the 18th pick a "project" is a rough assessment, but Flores doesn't need to hand him 40 snaps just to validate the investment. A smaller package on passing downs or in favorable fronts would let Banks use his length and power without asking him to anchor repeatedly when fatigue raises his pads.
Zulgad added that Banks' first step is "really slow," which can wreck a defensive lineman's leverage before the block develops. NFL guards won't wait for him to gather himself, and Flores' movement-heavy calls demand linemen who can execute their assignment on time.
Elijah Williams, who appears to have locked up a roster spot, gives Minnesota a useful alternative while Banks catches up. The former Morgan State standout earned a contract after a minicamp tryout, made the initial roster and appeared in seven games as an undrafted rookie. He already knows the defense, and Flores can give him rotational work without asking Banks to survive long series while his conditioning improves.
Zulgad's depth-chart read would've sounded ridiculous during draft weekend, but he said that Williams continues to impress him. "I think he's ahead of Banks."
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