Claiborne's Outlook Could Skyrocket
Demond Claiborne's Outlook Could Skyrocket After Role in Vikings' Win vs. Giants
It's only one preseason game, but it could be enough to reveal Minnesota's long-term plans for the rookie RB.
The Vikings opened up their 2026 preseason slate with a win over the Giants on Saturday afternoon. The 13-10 victory itself may not mean much since it is exhibition play, but it meant a lot to many of the Vikings players hoping to impress the coaches.
Coming into the game, one player to keep a close eye on was rookie running back Demond Claiborne. A sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Claiborne showcased his speed and athleticism, making him an interesting young talent to monitor behind veterans Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason.
Although Claiborne's stat line from Week 1 of the preseason won't blow anyone's mind, there is enough evidence from the game to feel like the 5-foot-10, 188-pound rusher is already expected to be an important piece for the team moving forward.
All signs from the preseason opener indicate the Vikings have high expectations for Demond Claiborne
Against the Giants, Claiborne had 12 rushing attempts and gained 34 yards. His 2.8 yards per carry isn't very impressive, but it's the fact that the Vikings gave him a dozen rushing attempts is impressive.
To put things in perspective, Jones, Mason and Jermar Jefferson had three carries each, while Zavier Scott had two. This massive imbalance in touches can't go unnoticed.
Claiborne is an interesting weapon offensively. His speed and acceleration offer a different skillset than Jones, a pass-catching specialist and all-around back, and Mason, a bruising inside back. The rookie rusher is an ideal change-of-pace player and would open up the playbook to allow more creativity when running the football. That contrast from the other running backs could see him stealing offensive snaps when a defense is slower or worn down.
But it wasn't only on offense that Claiborne made an impact. The Vikings' rookie handled two kickoff returns, which he took back for 50 total yards, including one return for 28 yards. His ability to contribute on special teams only adds to his value.
Claiborne's speed and acceleration are weapons as a return specialist, but he could also be an ideal candidate to be a gunner on special teams coverage units as well. Many great Vikings players got their start contributing on special teams, and Minnesota would be silly not to get as much value out of their rookie running back as possible.
It feels safe to say that Claiborne is no longer a fringe player to watch when it comes to the 53-man roster for Minnesota. Head coach Kevin O'Connell appears to be searching for ways to get the 22-year-old Wake Forest product on the football field.
Claiborne's rise for the Vikings should put the rest of the team's running backs on notice. The rookie could cut into the snaps for the players above him on the depth chart. Meanwhile, the players who are looking to ascend the ranks of the position and earn a spot on the roster or practice squad now face a bigger mountain to climb after seeing what the franchise did with the dynamic young halfback during the team's Week 1 preseason victory over the Giants.
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"Claiborne had 12 rushing attempts and gained 34 yards. His 2.8 yards per carry isn't very impressive"
I was hoping for quite a bit more than that for a speedster. Break atleast 1 off.
SurfnRide wrote:
Claiborne had 12 rushing attempts and gained 34 yards. His 2.8 yards per carry isn't very impressive
I was hoping for quite a bit more than that for a speedster. Break atleast 1 off.
I think they were more or less installing the assignments and letting the players work on them. Not worried about his YPC.
I thought Claiborne got the most out of his touches and had an overall solid game. His vision impressed me with the exception of one run that I thought he should have turned up. His speed is a weapon that could spring big plays with touches.
Well, he didn't fumble and I saw him pick up the blitz on one play. He didn't have much push at the goal line, but I didn't expect him to.
Let's see how he does in the rest of the preseason. If he can hang onto the ball and pick up the blitz, he certainly has the speed to be a dangerous weapon.
I think if you are a RB that’s been given a lot of chances and still suck at it, they’ll just replace you with whoever off the street.
Not that we should put too much stock into his first preseason game, but I wouldn’t feel safe if I were him. He desperately needs to put out better tape in the next 2 preseason games. If he sucks at blocking, sucks at receiving, he isn’t allowed to suck at rushing as well.
medaille wrote:
I think if you are a RB that’s been given a lot of chances and still suck at it, they’ll just replace you with whoever off the street.
Not that we should put too much stock into his first preseason game, but I wouldn’t feel safe if I were him. He desperately needs to put out better tape in the next 2 preseason games. If he sucks at blocking, sucks at receiving, he isn’t allowed to suck at rushing as well.
All completely true but when you run a 4.3 and produced in college you get a few more chances. Mason is also on his last yr of contract and Jones is likely playing his last year
medaille wrote:
I think if you are a RB that’s been given a lot of chances and still suck at it, they’ll just replace you with whoever off the street.
Not that we should put too much stock into his first preseason game, but I wouldn’t feel safe if I were him. He desperately needs to put out better tape in the next 2 preseason games. If he sucks at blocking, sucks at receiving, he isn’t allowed to suck at rushing as well.
Thought he looked good when he got to the outside. The first run at the goal line looked good. The second he stumbled and lost a yard. Then he got another short yardage run later I think. YPC is gonna be limited when you have 3 short yardage runs, especially when you are an outside speedster getting the Leroy Hoard carries.
greediron wrote:
Thought he looked good when he got to the outside. The first run at the goal line looked good. The second he stumbled and lost a yard. Then he got another short yardage run later I think. YPC is gonna be limited when you have 3 short yardage runs, especially when you are an outside speedster getting the Leroy Hoard carries.
Yeah, I'm all for not judging him based on a handful of carries, but I think he needs to by producing 4.5 ypc over the preseason if he wants to make the team.
I could also see them carrying him as RB3, and then if someone gets injured, they'd bring in a veteran to start over him.
Poor Zavier Scott, it used to be him getting all of the overeager preseason hype
I think the team might be inconsistent on D and O the first few weeks, trying to gain traction with a new QB1 and different defensive parts. As we know, close games against good teams are decided by a handful of plays and Minnesota might be on the negative side of those until 3 or 4 games are played.
I'd be surprised if Claiborne gets anything more than a small smattering of opportunities until he gets his feet wet and can be trusted more.
Well I am pretty sure he ran the wrong play on the broken play that JJ ran and got effectively no yards. He looked better on special teams than I expected. The one run to the outside looked good (7-8 yards). I was listening and watching the game, but it sounded like there were 2 ankle tackles that had a lot of room were he to break them. Even in college this was a concern. He needs to be able to keep his balance just a little more, but at least so far it appears the staff trusts him and is willing to give him opportunities. He also ran several plays and seemed to hold up physically pretty well during the game which has historically been an issue for him.
Kmerry82 wrote:
Well I am pretty sure he ran the wrong play on the broken play that JJ ran and got effectively no yards. He looked better on special teams than I expected. The one run to the outside looked good (7-8 yards). I was listening and watching the game, but it sounded like there were 2 ankle tackles that had a lot of room were he to break them. Even in college this was a concern. He needs to be able to keep his balance just a little more, but at least so far it appears the staff trusts him and is willing to give him opportunities. He also ran several plays and seemed to hold up physically pretty well during the game which has historically been an issue for him.
Nope. That was supposed to be a jet sweep.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
No, running back Demond Claiborne did not run the wrong play. On J.J. McCarthy's very first snap of the Vikings' preseason opener against the New York Giants on August 15, 2026, a messy exchange and a botched read led to a busted play. [1, 2, 3]
McCarthy took full blame after the game rather than pointing fingers, explaining that the timing was off and joking: "It was picking right or left, and I chose the wall in front of me," meaning he had to improvise and scramble right for a 1-yard gain. [1, 2]
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