The Minnesota Vikings played their first preseason game of 2025 on Sunday, hosting the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. In a competitive contest where multiple starters were in action for the purple and gold, the team secured a 20-10 victory and moved to 1-0 in exhibition play.
Not all wins are created equal. There were some good things to take away from Saturday's game and there were some regrettable things that the Vikings would likely want to forget. However, at a time when a team is trying to fill out the 53-man roster and practice squad, the performance in one preseason game could have a bigger impact on those decisions.
Which Minnesota Vikings players excelled and which ones struggled against the Houston Texans in Week 1 of the preseason?
Let's take a look at some of the winners and losers from the Minnesota Vikings during their preseason Week 1 win over the Houston Texans.
Vikings winner No. 1: Sam Howell, quarterback
One major narrative entering the first preseason game was how much quarterback Sam Howell was struggling in training camp. Those reports had Vikings fans worried about the backup spot for Minnesota and wondering if Howell could be that guy.
Against the Texans, Sam Howell looked solid. He got the most pass attempts of any quarterback for the Vikings, completing 11 of his 13 throws for 105 yards and scoring a one-yard touchdown on the ground. Although this performance was good, it doesn't lock him into the backup role, but it should help to take some of the heat off him.
Vikings loser No. 1: Ty Chandler, running back
Ty Chandler might be entering his fourth season since the Vikings took him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but that doesn't mean he should be considered to have an advantage when it comes to earning a roster spot in 2025.
Chandler ran five times for five yards, which is extra discouraging since his longest run of the day was four yards. In a battle for RB3 or RB4 in Minnesota, that just isn't good enough on the ground. He did catch all three passes thrown his way for 20 yards, so maybe that will help to make up for his disappointing rushing performance.
Vikings winner No. 2: J.J. McCarthy, quarterback
Depending on who you listen to, J.J. McCarthy is either having a good training camp or he's looking terrible. Vikings fans got to see him in action for one drive on Saturday, but there was enough good done in that time to give fans some comfort.
McCarthy completed four of his seven passes for 30 yards and added an athletic-looking eight-yard scramble on fourth down that got Minnesota a new set of downs, leading to a field goal at the end of the drive.
Vikings loser No. 2: Donovan Jackson, guard
The day wasn't all bad for Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Donovan Jackson, but he had a nice "Welcome to the NFL" moment in this game that will likely stick with him since it is something that didn't happen to him a lot in college.
On the first drive of the game for the Vikings, Jackson was attempting to pass block for J.J. McCarthy but tripped on Ryan Kelly's foot. Texans DT Tim Settle got by him to put pressure on the quarterback during the play that you can bet Jackson wanted back.
Vikings winner No. 3: Max Brosmer, quarterback
An undrafted free agent of Minnesota, Max Brosmer knows he needs to be impressive to stick around. He took his opportunity and completed five of eight passes for 47 yards and one touchdown against Houston.
Brosmer had one fumble that was lost, but otherwise, he had a nice showing that should be encouraging to fans who are excited to see if the former Golden Gopher can earn a spot on the team this season.
Vikings loser No. 3: Silas Bolden, wide receiver
A suspension for Jordan Addison. An injury to Rondale Moore. A preseason of opportunities is here to help players like Silas Bolden get opportunities to impress. However, he didn't exactly make the most of his time.
Bolden had one punt return for eight yards that looked pretty solid, but it was a drop on a pass from Max Brosmer that had head coach Kevin O'Connell looking upset on the sideline. That's never a good sign.
Vikings winner No. 4: Zavier Scott, running back
Ty Chandler's loss could be Zavier Scott's gain. Minnesota's former practice squad running back looked good on Saturday, exciting fans with a combination of vision, speed, and power that could be valuable in a RB3.
He led the team with seven rushing attempts and gained 40 yards on those tries, including a nice 12-yard run that had fans on social media wondering if he could be the guy to earn the RB3 spot behind Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason.
Vikings loser No. 4: Brett Rypien, quarterback
While the other three quarterbacks looked pretty good, Brett Rypien's time in this game was the least memorable. Only having four pass attempts in the game, Rypien completed one for six yards and absorbed both of Minnesota's sacks.
Vikings winner No. 5: Mekhi Blackmon, cornerback
After missing all of last season with an ACL tear, Mekhi Blackmon was a regular in the first preseason game for the Minnesota Vikings. He led all defenders with five tackles and looked ready to take on a big role in 2025,
Vikings loser No. 5: Rondale Moore, wide receiver
I hate to call an injured player a loser, but Rondale Moore had a big opportunity to take on a bigger role for the Vikings while Jordan Addison serves his suspension. Although there has been no official statement on his injury, head coach Kevin O'Connell called the injury that caused him to be carted off the field “pretty significant.” That opportunity will likely now go to another wide receiver.
Vikings winner No. 6: Kahlef Hailassie , cornerback
A name that likely wasn't familiar to Vikings fans before Saturday's preseason game, defensive back Kahlef Hailassie looked great against Houston. He intercepted the Texans' quarterbacks twice and defended another pass in an impressive performance.
Vikings winner No. 7: Will Reichard , kicker
Much like the situation with Sam Howell, reports came out of training camp that kicker Will Reichard was struggling mightily. If you hadn't heard those reports, you'd have no clue since Minnesota's kicker was flawless in this game, connecting on two field goals and two extra points.