Three Non-QB Standouts
Three Non-QB Standouts From the First Week of Vikings Training Camp: Tai Felton Making His Case on Offense
Training camp is heating up, and some players are starting to stack days
EAGAN, MN — Monday marked the first day of padded practice for the Vikings at this year’s training camp, and the level of intensity noticeably kicked up a notch.
The defense dominated the day, Jordan Addison and Isaiah Rodgers had a scary midair collision, and both QBs struggled in two-minute drills. More than anything, though, we got to see which players were beginning to stack successful days on top of each other.
Here are three Vikings outside of the QB room who have caught my eye so far:
Ivan Pace Jr.
Pace enters 2026 in an odd situation with the Vikings. His time with the team seemed all but over after his playing time was significantly limited near the halfway point of last season, and yet the team placed a right-of-first-refusal tender on him before free agency even began. The addition of Jamal Adams to the LB room last week only further complicated matters for the fourth-year backer.
Pace will have to show out in camp to stick around, and so far he’s been all over the field. He pressured J.J. McCarthy on Saturday on a play that would have resulted in a sack if J.J. wasn’t donning a red jersey. Today, he blew up an outside run to the left for a loss and got to the quarterbacks for multiple pressures.
The former UDFA has certainly had his ups and downs through three seasons in the league, but if Pace Jr. continues to stack days like these, the team may be hard-pressed to cut him loose in late August.
Tai Felton
Felton’s lack of involvement on offense was a bit of a disappointment in 2025 after the team used its third-round pick to bring in the Maryland wideout.
With last year’s role mainly limited to a gunner on the punt team, many fans were intrigued to see what Felton would do this summer to earn more opportunities in the passing game. So far, he’s showing out.
Monday’s practice saw what may already be the catch of camp, as Felton made a stunning one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone off a deep Murray toss in 7-on-7 action.
It’s hard to say definitively why Kevin O’Connell and his staff did not give Felton more looks last season, but his route running may have been a key factor based on my observations last summer. Fans will be glad to know that Felton looks much crisper so far this year, and it's leading to separation he simply was not able to create before.
Charles “Chuck” Demmings
I’ve been following Demmings closely since his standout week at Senior Bowl practices in January. As I sat in the stands with other media members, one question came up repeatedly: “Who is this guy?!” The cornerback out of FCS Stephen F. Austin quickly made an impression on everyone there, including the Vikings.
Now, he’s quickly winning over fans and his coaches. Demmings has taken first-team reps outside and in the slot in both open practices, including going head-to-head with Justin Jefferson and Jauan Jennings. Shockingly, he’s holding his own. When asked by the media pool Saturday about going up against a receiver like Jefferson, Demmings told The Athletic’s Alec Lewis and others that he sees him as another "nameless, faceless opponent."
Needless to say, Demmings has a killer mentality. So far, he’s also showing his intense physicality and fight every time he steps on the field. It appears the Vikings may have found a true gem in the fifth-round pick.
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