15 Vikings to watch during joint practices with Ravens

Pressure burst pipes, and the Baltimore Ravens will get their most competitive work of training camp when they face the Minnesota Vikings in joint practices Wednesday and Thursday at the TCO Performance Center. Jesse Minter rested most of his starters during Baltimore's 24-7 preseason-opening victory over Philadelphia, making these controlled sessions the closest thing Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Kyle Hamilton and several other established players may see to preseason game action.

Minnesota offers quality tests at nearly every position, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores offers the first elite chess match for the Lamar Jackson-Declan Doyle combination. The Vikings have named Kyler Murray their starting quarterback, surrounded him with an elite receiving corps and built a defense capable of forcing Baltimore to identify pressure before and after the snap. Minter said the Ravens want productive good-on-good work against Minnesota's versatile schemes, with the second practice expected to include a heavy red-zone emphasis. The Ravens and Vikings will practice Wednesday and Thursday before meeting Saturday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Here are 15 Vikings who could provide Baltimore's most important tests over the two practices.

Kyler Murray

Minnesota ended its quarterback competition by naming Murray the starter, allowing him to revive his career in Kevin O'Connell's quarterback-friendly offense. Murray presents a different challenge than Baltimore typically sees in practice because he can change the launch point, escape through the middle of the rush and punish undisciplined pursuit angles. The Ravens will want Trey Hendrickson, Nnamdi Madubuike (If Available) and the rest of the front to compress the pocket without creating open running lanes. Murray's ability to extend plays will also test how long Baltimore's secondary can remain connected to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings.

Justin Jefferson

Jefferson provides the clearest measuring stick for a Ravens secondary that enters the week healthier after Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey returned to practice. Wiggins has the length and speed to challenge Jefferson vertically, but the Vikings star creates separation at every level and can uncover late when Murray extends a play. Baltimore will likely rotate coverages and give Jefferson different cornerback matchups rather than allow one defender to see the same release throughout practice. How Wiggins, Humphrey and the Ravens' safeties communicate against motion, stacks and bunch formations will matter almost as much as the individual coverage results.

Jordan Addison

Addison gives Minnesota a second receiver capable of turning a routine rep into an explosive play. His acceleration and sharp route running will stress Baltimore's off-coverage, particularly when the Vikings pair him with Jefferson to draw safety help. Humphrey's versatility makes him a logical matchup in the slot or outside, while Chidobe Awuzie and the Ravens' reserve corners should also receive valuable work. Addison will be especially important during Thursday's red-zone periods, where his quickness can create immediate separation and force Baltimore's defenders to remain patient against double moves and option routes.

Jauan Jennings

Jennings adds size, toughness and a physical third-down presence to a receiving corps already built around Jefferson and Addison. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound receiver can work through contact, block on the perimeter and give Murray a dependable target in condensed areas. His matchup with Humphrey should be one of the week's more physical battles, particularly from the slot. Jennings will also test Baltimore's willingness to tackle and defeat blocks during screen and outside-running periods, even if the practices stop short of full contact. He gives Minnesota an answer when defenses devote extra resources to its two faster receivers.

T.J. Hockenson

Hockenson enters the joint sessions after a productive red-zone practice in which he repeatedly connected with Murray for touchdowns. That makes him a timely test for Hamilton, Roquan Smith and Malaki Starks. Hockenson can work the seams, settle into soft spots against zone coverage and use his frame to win when space becomes limited near the goal line. Baltimore's defense will have to disguise which defender is carrying him and which is adding to the pressure. Thursday's red-zone-heavy script should provide the most useful look at how the Ravens plan to handle tight ends without making their coverage intentions obvious before the snap.

Aaron Jones Sr.

Jones remains one of the league's more complete running backs because he can threaten a defense from the backfield, on screens or as a detached receiver. His vision in Minnesota's outside-zone concepts will challenge Baltimore's edge discipline and the pursuit of Smith and Trenton Simpson. Jones rushed for 27 yards on three carries during Minnesota's opening series against the Giants, including an 18-yard gain that showed he still has the burst to exploit a crease. Baltimore will not tackle him to the ground in every period, but defenders can still be evaluated on leverage, fits and whether they arrive in position to finish the play.

Jordan Mason

Mason gives the Vikings a more physical complement to Jones and should provide an excellent early test for a Baltimore run defense seeking to reestablish its identity. At 230 pounds, Mason can press the line, shed arm tackles and turn a modest opening into a productive gain. Travis Jones, Madubuike and Calais Campbell will be responsible for keeping the Ravens' linebackers clean, while Simpson must show he can diagnose the run without being displaced by Minnesota's guards. The contrast between Jones' quickness and Mason's contact balance will force Baltimore to adjust without changing personnel.

Christian Darrisaw

Darrisaw's matchup with Hendrickson is one of the premier one-on-one battles of the entire NFL joint-practice schedule. A healthy Darrisaw has the feet, length and power to neutralize elite pass rushers, while Hendrickson's relentless approach can expose even a small mistake in a tackle's set. Baltimore wants Hendrickson to transform a pass rush that lacked consistent pressure last season, and two days against a high-level left tackle should provide a fair indication of where he stands. Their work will also help the Ravens evaluate rush-lane coordination when Murray moves away from the initial pressure.

Brian O'Neill

O'Neill gives Minnesota another established offensive tackle capable of testing Baltimore's depth on the edge. The 6-foot-7 veteran should see a mixture of Tavius Robinson, Mike Green and possibly Hendrickson, depending on how the Ravens align their rushers. Green's speed and improved counters will be worth tracking against an experienced blocker who rarely loses due to poor technique. O'Neill is also an important part of Minnesota's outside-zone running game, where his ability to reach defenders and work into space will test whether Baltimore's outside linebackers can set a firm edge.

Caleb Banks

Banks and Ravens guard Vega Ioane were selected four picks apart in the first round, creating one of the week's most natural rookie comparisons. The 6-foot-6, 327-pound defensive lineman has unusual length and movement skills for his size, but he is still developing after a foot injury limited his final college season at Florida. Ioane played only a short stretch in Baltimore's preseason opener, making the extended joint work more valuable than the box score. Banks can test Ioane's anchor in pass protection and his ability to create movement against a long interior defender.

Dallas Turner

Turner is entering his third season with an opportunity to become one of the central pieces in Brian Flores' pressure package. His speed off the edge can threaten Ronnie Stanley or Roger Rosengarten, while his athleticism gives Minnesota the freedom to drop him into coverage after presenting pressure. That versatility should test Jackson's protection calls and the communication between Baltimore's tackles, tight ends and running backs. Turner also recorded an interception off a deflected screen during Minnesota's final practice before the joint sessions, a reminder that he can affect plays without reaching the quarterback.

Andrew Van Ginkel

Van Ginkel is one of the Vikings' most disruptive defenders because Flores can move him across the formation and assign him multiple jobs. He can rush from the edge, attack an interior gap, drop underneath a route, or become the extra defender Baltimore fails to account for in protection. Rosengarten and Mark Andrews will face difficult assignments when Van Ginkel aligns with their side, but the greater challenge falls to Jackson and the Ravens' centers. Baltimore must identify the source of the pressure while maintaining enough flexibility to punish Minnesota when Van Ginkel vacates coverage.

Byron Murphy Jr.

Murphy is a versatile cornerback with the quickness to follow Flowers and the instincts to capitalize when a quarterback throws late. He intercepted Carson Wentz during Minnesota's final full practice before the Ravens arrived, continuing a takeaway-heavy day for the Vikings' defense. Flowers' speed and sudden change of direction will force Murphy to defend every inch of the field, while Murphy's experience should challenge Baltimore's receiver to remain precise at the top of his routes. Their red-zone work could be particularly valuable because Flowers must win quickly when the available space disappears.

Ivan Pace Jr.

Pace is only 5-foot-10, but he plays with the downhill aggression and leverage needed to survive in the middle of Flores' defense. His willingness to attack gaps should create a compelling contrast with Henry, whose size and patience can punish a linebacker who commits too early. Pace is also an effective pressure piece who can threaten Baltimore's unsettled center position. Danny Pinter, Ethan Pocic and Jovaughn Gwyn will need to communicate clearly when Pace walks toward the line, retreats before the snap or attacks a different gap than the protection initially anticipated.

Joshua Metellus

Metellus embodies the position flexibility that makes Minnesota's defense difficult to diagnose. Listed as a safety, he can align near the line of scrimmage, cover from the slot, blitz or rotate into a deeper zone after the snap. His movement will give Jackson and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle another layer to solve before the snap. Metellus can also match up with Andrews or help bracket Flowers in high-leverage periods. If Baltimore can consistently account for him without becoming predictable, the offense should leave Minnesota better prepared for the disguised coverages it will see during the regular season.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 15 Vikings to watch during joint practices with Ravens