With seven days to go earlier than the Inexperienced Bay Packers tackle the Minnesota Vikings within the 2026 common season opener at U.S. Financial institution Stadium, listed here are seven issues for Packers followers to find out about Kevin O’Connell’s crew getting into 2026:
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1. Vikings have a brand new QB
In contrast to final season, the Packers will not be dealing with J.J. McCarthy or Max Brosmer within the season opener. The Vikings are turning a brand new web page at quarterback, beginning former No. 1 general choose Kyler Murray to open the 2026 season. Murray is 0-2 as a starter in his profession towards the Packers. At his greatest, Murray is a playmaker at quarterback who can lengthen performs or create explosive good points together with his legs. However Murray hasn’t led a crew to a profitable report as a starter since 2021, and his profession passer score is 92.2. Final season, Murray performed in solely 5 video games, and he hasn’t appeared in an everyday season sport since Oct. 5 of 2025. Can he present a better baseline of play at quarterback in Minnesota, and is he extra than simply one other stopgap?
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Kevin O’Connell on Kyler Murray: “I believe he is demonstrated what he is able to, each the expertise he has taking part in at a excessive degree on this league, but additionally his expertise now of coming in right here being challenged. And I believe he is proven sufficient to essentially venture with the appropriate prerequisite now of labor for a starter main right into a camp that we are able to get the rhythm, the timing, we are able to get the mastery of our system and this yr’s system, no matter what we have accomplished in earlier years, what we’ll seem like, how we’ll play. There’s various things and nuances that we’ll match to what our gamers, Kyler included, do one of the best. And in my view, he is received the talent set and the skills, not solely simply from a standpoint of accuracy, however his means to have an effect on the sport together with his athleticism.”
2. Harrison Smith is again
A little bit of a shock earlier than Week 1: Harrison Smith is popping out of retirement to re-join the Vikings for a fifteenth NFL season. A flexible veteran who is aware of Brian Flores’ system in and out, Smith supplies an skilled veteran who can get everybody on the identical web page pre-snap and play from a number of alignments post-snap. Whereas he wasn’t in Minnesota for coaching camp, it is probably Smith shall be able to contribute straight away in Week 1. The Packers must wait one other yr to face the post-Smith Vikings.
3. Gone is a prime pass-rusher
The Vikings traded away prime pass-rusher Jonathan Greenard, leaving a gap on the sting of Brian Flores’ protection. He was a menacing rusher who made the Professional Bowl in 2024, however Greenard handled lingering accidents in 2025 and is now taking part in for the Eagles. Who will take over his position? Dallas Turner, a 2024 first-round choose, is now anticipated to be the go-to pass-rusher in Minnesota. Count on to see loads of battles between Turner and 2024 first-round choose Jordan Morgan subsequent Sunday. Final season, Turner produced 8.0 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Is he prepared for a breakout season in Yr 3? Andrew Van Ginkel is one other productive participant on the sting, and the Vikings additionally added veteran Kyle Van Noy to the observe squad. In a Flores protection, stress might be manufactured by way of unique blitzes.
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4. Rookies on the DL
The Vikings beefed up the line of defense by way of the draft, taking Florida’s Caleb Banks within the first spherical and Iowa State’s Domonique Orange within the third spherical. Banks is loaded with expertise however has handled accidents and inconsistency via his soccer profession, whereas Orange was a favourite of Packers followers through the pre-draft course of. Inexperienced Bay ended up signing former Vikings defensive lineman Javon Hargrave and taking Chris McClellan with Orange on the board within the third spherical. Will Banks and Orange impression the sport in Week 1? They aren’t projected starters, however count on each to play snaps straight away.
5. WR group provides a bodily presence
Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are a tough duo to cowl, and now the Vikings have a bodily third choice in Jauan Jennings, the previous 49er who caught 9 landing passes final season. Jefferson, Addison and Jennings could be the highest 1-2-3 within the league, or near it. And Jennings offers the Vikings a special taste, given his measurement, blocking means and red-zone physicality. Can the Packers’ rebuilt cornerback room deal with the problem? High choose Brandon Cisse and free agent addition Benjamin St-Juste can have their fingers full within the opener.
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Kevin O’Connell on including Jauan Jennings: “You gotta have the ability to line up on third down, if you’re one of many few gamers that could be single lined in man-to-man, you gotta have the ability to win, you gotta have the ability to make contested catches, and also you gotta have the ability to do one thing with it after the catch. Jauan does all these issues. I believe Vikings followers are gonna fall in love with watching this man play soccer, the eagerness and the physicality that he performs with. You’ll be able to inform I am enthusiastic about it.”
6. Aaron Jones continues to be in Minnesota
Former Packers working again Aaron Jones is coming off a disappointing 2025 season (548 dashing yards over 12 video games), however the 31-year-old playmaker is again in Minnesota for a 3rd season, and he is at present anticipated to play a number one position at working again, together with Jordan Mason. Whereas Jones has been productive in his three profession video games towards the Packers, he is by no means scored towards his former crew. And the Packers held him to solely 41 dashing yards of their final assembly. Stopping the run and forcing the sport into Kyler Murray’s fingers shall be a prime precedence for Jonathan Gannon’s protection in Week 1. One other former Packer, Eric Wilson, continues to be an vital participant at linebacker for Brian Flores.
7. Watch the offensive line
The Packers weren’t the one crew to cope with offensive line accidents final season. The Vikings had been pressured to shuffle via a number of groupings up entrance as a result of accidents, and move safety for the carousel at quarterback suffered for it. Will Minnesota rebound in 2025? On the very least, the beginning group is wholesome. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neil are glorious tackles, however the inside may very well be a weak spot. Watch how the Packers assault left guard Donovan Jackson, heart Blake Brandel and proper guard Will Fries within the opener. Inexperienced Bay’s pass-rushers (see: Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave) should win battles inside as a result of Darrisaw and O’Neil are powerful to get round constantly. Brandel is the brand new starter at heart after Ryan Kelly retired. View him just like the Vikings’ model of Sean Rhyan, a participant who moved to heart final season and is now the brand new starter getting into 2026.
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The Packer sand Vikings are schedule for a 3:25 p.m. CT kickoff from U.S. Financial institution Stadium subsequent Sunday.
This text initially appeared on Packers Wire: One week to Week 1: 7 issues to find out about Vikings forward of Packers opener
