Tyler Batty entered Minnesota Vikings training camp as a relatively unheralded second-year edge rusher, yet he quickly emerged as one of the more intriguing stories of the summer.

The 6-foot-6 former undrafted free agent has drawn positive notices for his early work, particularly in a pass-rush group still adjusting after the departure of Jonathan Greenard.

National writer Albert Breer, after visiting camp, singled Batty out as a player who has shown well and could contribute meaningfully to the Vikings’ efforts to generate pressure.

However, that optimism has not been universal.

After Minnesota’s preseason victory over the New York Giants, Jason Harmon of Vikings on SI omitted Batty entirely in his team’s 53-man roster projection.

Harmon argued that the edge group still needs more proven depth behind its top two options and left a placeholder for an additional veteran who might be added before the regular season. The Vikings have not ruled out that possibility.

General manager Nolan Teasley has said the team remains open to bringing in any player who can improve the roster, and names such as Leonard Floyd and Kyle Van Noy have been floated as experienced options who already know the coaching staff.

Batty’s path to this point has been interrupted. A knee injury last summer landed him on injured reserve for the first six games of his rookie season. The Vikings’ decision to keep him around despite the setback suggested they saw traits worth developing.

He finally debuted in Week 7 against Philadelphia but played only 42 defensive snaps the rest of the year, leaving evaluators with an incomplete picture.

Batty possesses the length that defensive coordinators covet, yet questions linger about whether he can translate that frame into consistent production against NFL competition.

The next two preseason games will therefore carry extra weight. If Batty continues the encouraging start that caught Breer’s attention, he will have a realistic chance to lock down the third edge-rusher role and give the Vikings a homegrown piece they can trust.

A quieter showing would leave the door open for the team to look elsewhere, exactly as some roster projections have already anticipated.

For a player who has already overcome an early injury and earned another opportunity, the coming weeks represent both a chance to cement his place and a reminder of how quickly camp praise can fade when the final cuts arrive.