The Minnesota Vikings take on the Chicago Bears in week two, and this could be the first opportunity for one of their rookies to see the field in an NFL game. Demond Claiborne could be presented with a role on Sunday, giving him a chance to be the next breakout rookie in the NFL.
Demond Claiborne was drafted by the Vikings in the sixth round of this past April’s NFL Draft. He played his college ball at Wake Forest, becoming one of their star players.
Claiborne has the skill set to become a legit player in the NFL. He had some of the best patience from a college back. Now combine that with his explosiveness and ability to make quick decisions, and you have a home run waiting to happen.
Claiborne ran for 2,599 yards and 26 touchdowns in his four seasons at Wake Forest. He became a factor in the passing game his final two seasons, hauling in 51 receptions.
Claiborne was inactive in week one, but Kevin O’Connell is expected to have the rookie RB active for week two against Chicago.
Aaron Jones is the headliner in the backfield for Minnesota. He played 46% of the snaps in week one, accounting for 40 yards (3.3 YPC) and a touchdown.
Jordan Mason is the other back in the committee, playing 45% of the team’s snaps in week one. He ran the ball 15 times for 59 yards (3.9 YPC) and a touchdown. 40 of his rushing yards came in the fourth quarter. A 28-yard burst with nine minutes left was his major contribution.
Deejay Dallas was elevated from the practice squad prior to the game, causing Claiborne to be left a healthy inactive. Dallas played just six snaps (9%) on Sunday, only recording one catch for a single yard.
Claiborne is expected to be activated due to an injury suffered by Mason, leading to him being placed on IR.
Mason has already had surgery for his fractured thumb, but he could be out past the four-week minimum IR stint. This could potentially be up to an eight-week injury.
Claiborne should jump into the RB2 role, ahead of Dallas and behind Jones. Snaps will be there for him to take advantage of, as Jones hasn’t seen a full workload in quite some time. 2024 was the last time Jones was a true full-time back.
This could be a huge stretch for the future of both Claiborne and the Vikings. Could Minnesota have their future at RB ready to break out? We’re about to find out.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
