https://vikesnow.com/analysis/2026/kevin-oconnell-vikings-preseason-starters-playing/

Kevin O’Connell Delivers Unexpected News for Vikings’ Preseason Game

The days of mandatory rest for Minnesota Vikings starters in preseason games are evidently over. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is preparing his club for an exhibition showdown with the New York Giants on Saturday, and according to the man in charge, all players – – starters included – – have been told to be ready.

When O’Connell first arrived, starters would hardly play preseason snaps.

O’Connell Is Changing the Vikings’ August Approach

O’Connell Tells Everybody to Prepare to Play

From the horse’s mouth, it’s happening. O’Connell said Tuesday, “We’re going to play our guys. We can get into it a little bit later in the week, kind of what that looks like. But we’re going in and told the team everybody plan on playing, and every individual player will have their own kind of program and plan for the game on Saturday”

O’Connell didn’t expressly say that every single starter would play or for how long, but his remarks are different than in years past. Perhaps the Vikings felt a bit unprepared to start the 2025 season and are now swinging the pendulum.

Regardless of why, Kyler Murray is playing, per O’Connell, and that should draw eyeballs to television screens. O’Connell wants the whole roster mentally preparing for Saturday.

It’s a Mock Regular Season Week

The skipper is also simulating the week like the build-up to a regular season game. “Specifically, even in regards to this week, as we’re kind of doing a little bit of a mock-week type of week for us. We’ll do some early-down, normal-down work today,” he told reporters.

“We’ll get into some pass-likely stuff tomorrow, and then we’ll do some third down, shrink-the-field-a-little work like you guys have seen us do during the regular season.”

The easiest way to think of it? A ramp-up to the real thing.

“We would want to provide clarity not only for the players involved, but most importantly for our team, our offense and the direction that we’re going to go so we can really start honing in on exactly what we’re going to be offensively and how we’re going to play complementary in all three phases,” O’Connell added.

Minnesota, after all, has a new quarterback, a handful of new free agents besides the quarterback, a promising draft class, and a new assistant head coach (Frank Smith) and defensive passing game coordinator (Gerald Alexander).

Getting Everybody on the Same Page Is the Goal

Later in the press conference, O’Connell admitted that Minnesota’s unit still struggles with cohesive execution on too many plays.

“Quite honestly, I like where our team’s at, but across the board, it’s early enough where we’re still seeing too much of that. And that’s the challenge for our whole team on a daily basis: How many plays can we have all 22 guys on the field doing the job?” O’Connell stated.

Sometimes the defense wins, sometimes we win on offense. But the most important thing is that there’s a bunch of stuff to coach off of, and guys are gaining confidence, not always through just success.”

The Vikings ranked 21st in penalties last year and 30th in turnover differential. Functioning in unison as early as the preseason could help improve those marks.

Yes, Murray and McCarthy Are Both Playing

Back when Kirk Cousins was the established starter on O’Connell’s watch – – in 2022 and 2023 – – he didn’t play in the preseason. The days of putting the QB1 on ice in August are over, at least for now.

O’Connell confirmed that Murray and McCarthy will see action against the Giants, followed by Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer. Minnesota took heat last August for giving McCarthy so little preseason action; it seems the franchise has learned its lesson.

“We’ll still be getting J.J. a lot of work, a lot of reps because it’s very important that his development and ongoing growth and arrow up that we feel very positively about continues,” O’Connell said about McCarthy specifically.

Now, the question becomes whether superstars like Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw get reps at MetLife Field. Stay tuned.

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VikesNow Verdict: The Vikings want a more game-ready August. With Murray and McCarthy playing and the roster told to prepare, Saturday looks more exciting than usual.