The Minnesota Vikings will be at Lambeau Field Sunday for a noon kickoff against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback for the first time since Week 8 back in 2024, trying to break the Vikings’ current two-game losing streak.

Unfortunately, the defense won’t be at full-strength. Josh Metellus was a late-week addition to the injury report, Blake Cashman has been ruled out with a concussion. The Vikings will also be without defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, who’s been missing from practice all week with an ankle injury he suffered against the Bills.

Minnesota Vikings say Caleb Banks will play “a ton” in Green Bay

Ingram-Dawkins’ injury thins out Minnesota’s defensive line, opening an opportunity for the Vikings’ 2026 first round pick, Caleb Banks, who was a healthy scratch in Monday’s loss to Buffalo. Since, reports have been circulating that new general manager Nolan Teasley is not a fan of Banks, who was drafted before he was hired.

On Friday, Kevin O’Connell was asked if Banks’ benching was a football decision. He confirmed it was, but added that Banks will be active against the Packers and that he will get “play a ton this week” against the Packers.

“Yeah, he’ll be up and he’s going to play a ton this week. I think a lot of times for specifically just his journey from pre-draft, post-draft, it’s a lot. And it was a football decision based upon what the defensive coaches thought was best for that game. But he’s absolutely going to be a huge part this week and will be continuously moving forward. For sure.”

The Vikings took Banks 18th overall on April 23. The 6-foot-6, 327-pound lineman played at Louisville and Florida, where a foot injury limited him to three games in 2025.

Where Caleb Banks fits on the MN Vikings’ defensive line

In seven games this season, Banks has played 107 defensive snaps (no starts), totaling 12 tackles and no sacks, playing about 25% of the defensive snaps. Banks’ busiest day came in Week 2 at Chicago, when he played 36 snaps (49%) and made six tackles. Among Vikings defensive linemen, only Elijah Williams has played fewer snaps than Banks this season.

Williams was active in Banks’ place against Buffalo. On the Vikings’ unofficial depth chart, Banks is listed behind Jalen Redmond, while Williams backs up Ingram-Dawkins.

The team hasn’t said who will take Ingram-Dawkins’ snaps on Sunday, but KOC certainly insinuated that Banks will play a large part into the equation. Caleb Banks played 16 snaps Week 1, when the Minnesota Vikings beat Green Bay Packers 39-22 at home.