The Minnesota Vikings opened the preseason last Thursday in Seattle. The team fell 24-13 to the Seahawks and will next play the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, August 19. 

Even in a loss, we saw some impressive performances from several players. It's just one game, but there a few takeaways that can already be indentified. 

Today, we're going to go over the three main takeaways from the preseason opener.

Ivan Pace Jr. looks like the real deal

Pace has been one of the most talked-about players this summer, so he had pressure to perform in his first game. Luckily for the rookie, he delivered. 

Pace tied for the team lead with four tackles and looked incredible against the run. The UDFA is not afraid to meet running backs at the line of scrimmage and uses his quickness to burst into the backfield with ease. After the game, Kevin O'Connell was complimentary of Pace, saying that the rookie "keeps flashing." 

Pace seems to have the inside track to the No. 3 ILB spot behind Jordan Hicks and Brian Asamoah. I saw nothing in the first preseason game that made me think Pace is in danger.

The No. 2 RB spot may not be settled

In the first unofficial depth chart, Kene Nwangwu was listed as the No. 2 RB. In the first preseason game, however, Ty Chandler received the majority of carries. Chandler had a nice game, collecting 41 rushing yards and 29 receiving yards. Chandler had a couple of nice moves to make defenders miss and appeared difficult to bring down. 

However, the Vikings brought in veteran free agent Kareem Hunt for a visit on Friday. Is this a sign that Chandler isn't consistent enough to be RB2? It's probably more of an indictment on the other backs, as Abram Smith and DeWayne McBride both looked unimpressive. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if a veteran like Hunt is actually added. 

Jaren Hall is not ready to be the backup QB

As a fifth-round rookie, it’s not surprising that Hall didn’t look great in his debut. The Vikings’ third-string offensive line was absolutely abysmal which did Hall no favors. Still, it’s hard to point to any positives to take away from Hall’s performance. 

Hall finished 6-of-14 for 37 yards with no TDs or INTs. Hall had to throw away several balls due to the Seattle defense immediately being in his face. Hall showed an ability to escape pressure but failed to turn those escapes into anything positive. 

If anyone thought Hall would win the backup QB job immediately, that does not seem likely. Nick Mullens is a solid veteran who knows the offense and looks poised in the pocket. I still believe Hall has some intriguing traits, but he definitely needs to spend a season as QB3. 

Three Vikings who impressed in preseason opener against Seahawks

A few Vikings stood out in the team’s first preseason game in Seattle.

Featured image via © Brad Rempel | 2023 Aug 3