Caleb Banks made his preseason debut for the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, but for those expecting big things from the first-round pick, the results were underwhelming.
According to Pro Football Focus, Banks was the lowest-graded interior defensive lineman on the team, logging a grade of 30.4 on 25 defensive snaps. The Florida product also failed to record a quarterback pressure on 12 pass-rushing snaps and struggled with his technique throughout the win over the Giants.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis also went as far to call Banks “a faller” after Saturday’s game and reported that Banks “expected to hear” from defensive coordinator Brian Flores about a swim move that he used to get past a lineman on Saturday.
While it isn’t a declaration that Banks is a bust after his first NFL game, it is a reminder that he has a long way to go before the Vikings have the player that many expect him to be.
Lost development time remains Caleb Banks’ biggest obstacle with the Minnesota Vikings
The biggest concern that many had when the Vikings selected Banks with the 18th overall pick in April’s draft was his health. But his limited playing time due to those injuries also hindered his development.
Banks spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Louisville, but after playing in just seven games in those two seasons, he transferred to Florida. Banks managed just 19 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack while playing in 12 games during the 2023 season, but broke out with 21 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2024.
Unfortunately, foot and ankle discomfort ended the 2024 season early. While he returned for last year’s training camp, he aggravated the issue in a Sept. 13 game against LSU and didn’t return until the Gators hosted Tennessee last November. Things got worse when Banks fractured the fourth metatarsal in his left foot the night before on-field testing at February’s NFL Scouting Combine, making him a risky pick when the Vikings were on the clock a few months later.
The good news is that Banks moved well and showed no lingering effects after the injury. But he looked like a player who had played just 929 snaps over a five-year collegiate career, including just 96 snaps during his final year with the Gators.
Banks’ rough NFL debut revealed fixable flaws for the Minnesota Vikings
Banks probably isn’t having a great time in film study after Saturday’s game, but the good news is that a lot of the issues are fixable. Lewis reported that Banks cited his pad level as one reason for his struggles, and perhaps getting on the field in a game-like setting showed the rookie what it’s like competing in the NFL, even if he was going up against New York Giants rookie Francis Mauigoa at times.
There’s also enough there to make the Vikings’ swing a home run. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler called Banks a “rare combination of size, raw power and big-man twitch” but also noted his draft grade had him ranked lower than he would have been due to his injury history.
As a player coming into the league, that’s fine and well, but the Vikings would prefer Banks figure it out as soon as possible. The Vikings are entering the season with Jalen Redmond as an anchor on the interior of the defensive line, but are banking on fellow rookie Domonique Orange and veteran Levi Drake Rodriguez as the season begins to fill around him.
Getting some penetration could also help a front seven that lost Jonathan Greenard in the offseason after he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. While the Vikings still have Dallas Turner, the depth questions on the edge could be answered easily if Banks lives up to his potential.
For right now, that appears to be a work in progress and Vikings fans will be eager to see how long it will take for him to be the player many expect him to become.
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