The team will get a nice rest before training camp!
Minicamp is in the books and the next scheduled OTAs have been cancelled. Apparently, it is normal and while it would be nice to give JJ more reps, if the head coach says it is OK then it is OK.
Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell gives team much-deserved reward after good work during offseason practices
Below is a link that shows the Vikings have given Wes Phillips an extension. Congratulations! I am hoping that Brian Flores will agree to an extension as well but the fear of him leaving still looms fairly large. I mean, a lot of the defensive personnel has been acquired with his input presumably to fit the things he wants to do. It is always a worry when a team drafts players for a specific system with a specific coach and then that coach leaves. What can you do though?
I hope there is an in-house candidate to possibly take over the duties but that is a long ways off. Not really a worry but something to talk about.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Stock even: J.J. McCarthy
There’s perhaps no tougher minicamp assessment than the new guy under center. On one hand, coaches and teammates have repeatedly touted the second-year quarterback’s poise. On the final day of minicamp, veteran defender Javon Hargrave even compared McCarthy’s composure to that of former San Francisco 49ers teammate Brock Purdy, telling CBS Sports “there’s a lot of confidence in him.”
The eye test produced a more complicated picture. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown was seen Thursday harping specifics with the 2024 first-round pick, seemingly urging a more sped-up dropback and delivery, while McCarthy’s passing reps saw the youngster rely heavily on short-area throws and dump-offs, while holding the ball for an extended time in the pocket. He rarely misfired, but only because there was no real pass rush to threaten a prolonged and conservative strategy through the air.
Now, let’s be clear: A lot of McCarthy’s progressions and decisions likely stemmed from O’Connell’s script; the point in Minnesota right now isn’t to lean heavily upon the signal-caller so much as ease him into his new gig. It was frankly just a bit jarring to see how much McCarthy differed from, say, the Darnold of last spring and summer who showcased his zippy arm with tightrope and downfield shots. Even McCarthy’s current backup (more on him below) brought more fearlessness. But again, patience is a virtue here, given O’Connell’s track record for developing and maximizing his quarterbacks.
Stock up: Sam Howell
If McCarthy kept things tight and steady to close Vikings minicamp, then Howell let it rip, giving the wide receivers something to sprint for. His best shot Thursday was a perfectly placed deep floater to rookie third-rounder Tai Felton, who squirmed past double coverage for a near-touchdown. The bomb had McCown pumping his fist, and it provided a positive contrast to the most notable play from No. 3 quarterback Brett Rypien, who was picked off by linebacker Eric Wilson in a hurrah for the other side of the ball. Howell’s gunslinging efforts got him in some trouble as a starter to open his career, but he looks locked and loaded as big-play insurance behind McCarthy.
Stock up: Jordan Mason
Stock up: Brian Flores’ defense
Hargrave, who manned the interior alongside returning vets like Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Greenard, previously played for three Super Bowl contenders in the 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. He told CBS Sports after practice that Minnesota’s top-to-bottom talent is comparable to that of his other stops: “That’s something that I brag on, how many great players I done played with,” he said. “It’s just rare. Everybody don’t get what I got. It’s some of the top in the game [here.]”
Vikings minicamp recap, Day 3: Notes and observations from practice
McCarthy’s day can best be described as solid. As we’ve mentioned before, this time of the year has been all about teaching, learning, installation, and development. The results aren’t what matters most; what matters is figuring out what works and not making the same mistakes multiple times. McCarthy made several impressive throws in this session, including a dart to Josh Oliver on an intermediate route towards the left sideline. One of his few incompletions came when Blake Cashman made a nice play to break up a pass for Aaron Jones on some variation of a wheel route. But then, not long after, McCarthy rifled a perfect pass past Cashman and into the outstretched hands of Jones on a shorter route. For what it’s worth, the Vikings’ QB1 did not throw an interception in this practice, though many of his throws were of the check-down variety (perhaps by design).
Backup QB Sam Howell can spin it. In his first set of reps on Thursday, he delivered a good ball to Oliver up the seam. Then, after Reddy Steward broke up a pass intended for Thayer Thomas, Howell and rookie receiver Tai Felton teamed up for the highlight play of the day. It was a deep ball up the right side that Howell placed perfectly beyond two defenders to Felton, who showed off his speed in getting open and was able to finish the play with an impressive catch for a big gain. Later in the day, Howell hit rookie tight end Bryson Nesbit for a deep completion over the middle of the field.
5 Takeaways from Jefferson, McCarthy & O’Connell Minicamp Media Sessions
1. Jets & J.J. continuing to build chemistry
Jefferson may be looking forward to a little R&R, but the next five weeks will still include plenty of football as he gets in time away from the facility with McCarthy.
He and McCarthy both talked about the bond they’ve built and will continue to foster in anticipation of the upcoming season.
“[Our connection] grew a lot just being around, talking with him, picking his brain on different things and, really, just [reminding him] that I’m here … to conversate about different things he sees on the field, and I’m also there for him off the field, as well,” Jefferson said. “Just being a guy that understands his position, understands that he has a lot going on. So, it definitely was great to be around him during these OTA sessions.”
McCarthy complimented the way Jefferson, even entering his sixth NFL season, “works his butt off every single practice.”
“That just rubs off on everyone, especially when your best player’s giving it his all,” McCarthy said. “So, nobody has any excuse to do anything less. He’s just authentically him every single day.”
2. Readying for wide receiver competition
It’s no secret Jefferson is the Vikings No. 1 receiver, with Jordan Addison holding the No. 2 spot and Jailen Nailor fitting into WR3.
But behind that? The Vikings have quite the group of young talent vying to make an impact, and O’Connell is looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out.
Returnees to the group include Lucky Jackson, Jeshaun Jones and Thayer Thomas, and Minnesota drafted Tai Felton out of Maryland. The Vikings also added free agents Rondale Moore and Tim Jones, and they signed undrafted rookies Silas Bolden, Dontae Fleming, Robert Lewis and Myles Price.
“When you start talking about depth behind [the top three], I think we forget sometimes, you know, guys like Lucky and Jeshaun and Thayer — those guys have been getting coached by Keenan McCardell in a room with those other guys showing them the way,” O’Connell said. “They’re becoming really good football players. And then you add in the additions via free agency and the draft … It’s going to be a very, very competitive situation.
“That’s gonna be what we’re talking about, more than like, throughout all of camp,” he added.
3. ‘Now he’s on our side’
The Vikings signed two veteran cornerbacks in free agency in Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah, and Jefferson has appreciated the opportunity to go against two defenders in practice he’s previously seen in games.
He’s especially familiar with Okudah, who was drafted by Detroit the same year (2020) — and same round (first) — Minnesota tabbed Jefferson out of LSU.
Though Okudah did miss some time due to injury during his three seasons with the Lions, Jefferson knows how Detroit’s secondary plays and just how aggressive Okudah can be.
“He has that speed … and he has that ability to really play-make and just be an annoying cornerback,” Jefferson grinned. “That’s what I like to call those types of corners, ‘annoying cornerbacks,’ because they know how to be physical. They know how to get you off your route and not be able to have free access.”
Asked if he and Okudah have exchanged any trash talk about previous matchups, Jefferson laughed.
“Nah, receivers and cornerbacks, we will never talk about those types of things,” he quipped. “We just let it go. Now he’s on our side, so we’re good.”
4. No problem with arm strength
McCarthy may still be stacking reps, but there’s one thing inherently clear: the guy can throw.
The 2024 first-round pick has repeatedly demonstrated incredible arm strength, which Jefferson commented on.
“The velocity on the ball and the spin on the ball, you know, he has a tight spin,” Jefferson said of McCarthy. “It definitely comes to you very quick — quicker than what you’d expect.”
And yet, at one point or another, critics have floated the narrative that it may be a challenge to McCarthy’s game — a case that simply doesn’t hold water.
Reporter: How surprised were you? Do you even know where that started?
“A lot of it just comes with the stigma at Michigan. And, you know, not throwing the ball a lot,” McCarthy opined. “And you know, it could be my frame. They don’t see a 6-5, 240 guy, so, ‘How can you throw it 61 miles per hour at the combine?’
“But at the end of the day, it’s going to show up,” McCarthy added. “And the people who know, know. I think it’s just the situations I’ve been in and maybe not passing the eye test or something.”
5. Darrisaw ‘phenomenal’ on recovery journey
Christian Darrisaw participated in individual drills during Tuesday’s practice but did not participate Wednesday or Thursday.
“Talk about a guy who’s laser-focused on what’s right in front of him. And that can be difficult when you’re a player coming back from an injury and a lot of it is outside your control,” O’Connell said. “But I can tell you whatever is in Christian Darrisaw’s control, and maybe more so than most going through an injury like that, he has been phenomenal.
“He’s progressed to a point that if you put some trainers out there in front of him … we’re probably gonna have to go find those trainers after he throws them over the fence — because he’s that strong,” O’Connell added. “We had to get him back around football players because of where he’s at. That doesn’t necessarily mean his timeline’s changed or what we thought has changed. All I’ve told Christian is, ‘Let’s worry about that when it’s time to worry about that, and all you can control is the here and now, and just continue to set weekly goals,’ that he is crushing in a really positive way.”
Lunchbreak: ‘Human Sponge’ J.J. McCarthy Focus of Scoggins’ Latest Column
Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune on Thursday analogized that scene to how Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy conducts himself – asking questions, listening and engaging with coaches and teammates.
In this article, which acts as an examination of McCarthy’s general curiosity and easily recognizable talent, Scoggins quipped that the “A” in OTA (Organized Team Activity) might as well stand for “absorption,” since the 22-year-old passer has “become a human sponge” across offseason practices.
Of course, that’s probably expected of a person preparing to bear significant responsibility, which hardly contextualizes the weight of playing quarterback in the NFL. No less, it’s a notable observation because McCarthy is coming off a season lost to injury and is readying to start for a team coming off 14 wins.
Plainly, there’s great expectations on the 2024 10th overall pick to not undermine an impressive roster. McCarthy, however, has looked immune to that pressure. Better yet, he looks to have fully embraced it.
Scoggins penned the following:
McCarthy’s inquisitive nature and arm strength are two traits that stood out and were most encouraging to me while observing two mandatory minicamp practices this week.
He is 22 years old and has yet to take a regular-season snap. Nobody can provide a bet-the-mortgage guarantee for what his career trajectory will look like. The process he’s following, though, in becoming an NFL starter is why the organization feels so optimistic about placing its present and future in his hands.
McCarthy is a conversationalist, but in a good way, an endearing way. He connects with teammates with an authenticity that has already earned respect inside the locker room. Employees say he includes everyone inside the team headquarters in his orbit.
Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy addresses narrative that he lacks arm strength
Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s final minicamp practice, McCarthy was asked about that notion and where he thinks it might’ve come from.
“There were scouting reports from credible sources that you didn’t have arm strength or it was OK,” said SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad. “Do you know where that started? Or how surprised were you? Because in watching you for five practices, there might be some things I see, but it ain’t arm strength.”
“That’s a great question, Judd,” said a smiling McCarthy. “I would say, a lot of it just comes with the stigma of playing at Michigan and not throwing the ball a lot. At the same time, it could be my frame. They don’t see a 6’5”, 240 guy, so how can he throw it 61 miles an hour at the combine and all that? But at the end of the day, it’s gonna show up. And the people that know, know. I think it’s just the situations I’ve been in and maybe not passing the eye test for some people.”
NFC North ‘front seven’ rankings: New-look Vikings pass rush is scary
1. Minnesota Vikings
EDGE: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Gabriel Murphy
DL: Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, Jalen Redmond
LB: Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Eric Wilson, Kobe King
This happens to be the third straight entry in this series where I’ve put the Vikings in the top spot, but I really don’t think I’m being biased here. Greenard and Van Ginkel were both unbelievable last season, earning Pro Bowl honors (AVG was an All-Pro who was in the DPOY mix for a while). Pat Jones II is gone, but Dallas Turner looks primed to take a major leap in his second season. And just look at those names in the middle. Adding Allen and Hargrave in free agency to complement the edge rushers is going to make this pass rush unfair if everyone is healthy. Yes, Allen and Hargrave are older and dealt with injuries last season, but they’re still high-level players. Phillips complements them well as the run-stuffer of the group. I wanted to include Redmond after some of the flashes he showed, but that meant I didn’t even include third-round rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. At linebacker, Cashman and Pace are a nationally-underrated duo who fit Brian Flores’ scheme perfectly. This is an absolutely stacked defensive front that should be one of the best in the NFL.
2025 NFL All-Breakout Team: Predicting football’s new top players at every position
Safety: Theo Jackson, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings concentrated the majority of their 2025 capital in their offensive and defensive lines, but safety is a position worth keeping an eye on this season. Jackson is poised to help ease those concerns.
On only 79 defensive snaps last season, Jackson shined with a 79.2 overall PFF grade and a stringent 77.1 PFF coverage grade. In his three years with the Vikings, the former sixth-round pick has only played 222 total defensive snaps but has finished above a 69.0 PFF coverage grade in every season.
With Camryn Bynum no longer in Minnesota, the Vikings didn’t sign or draft someone to directly replace him. That leaves Jackson the next man up alongside Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus to play an important role in Brian Flores’ unique defense. After all, three Vikings safeties exceeded 1,000 snaps last season, which means Jackson very well may become a significant contributor for Flores.
Vikings CB Isaiah Rodgers embracing fresh start and preparing for bigger role in Minnesota
“Just enjoy the process while it’s here,” said Rodgers at mini-camp earlier this week. “Do whatever I can do to help the team win and bring a Lombardi to Minnesota.”
Rodgers may not have made as many national headlines when he signed with the Vikings this offseason. But if all goes according to plan, he’ll be a starting cornerback and make a big impact this fall. At least that’s what Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores wants.
“He just wants me to be me,” said Rodgers, of Flores. “That’s one of the reasons why I came here. He just wants me to go out there and use my ball skills and use my knowledge to make plays.”
Rodgers, 27, will be paired with pro-bowler Byron Murphy. It’s only been a few weeks, but the two corners have quickly become friends.
“We play the game a lot,” said Rodgers. “We ask each other about film. You know, how he sees this, how I see it. We switch from boundary to field. So we’re just having fun with the scheme and figuring each other out.”
“I’d say that’s my best friend already,” said Murphy. “That’s my dawg. Obviously just met him when he got here. But we’re already playing games online, we got 2K, all those things. He’s a great guy, great teammate. But that bond’s already there.”
And it turns out that bond and their back-and-forth competition could result in a few more Vikings turnovers. Murphy had six interceptions last year, third best in the NFL.
“A lot of plays on the ball. A lot of interceptions. He dropped a lot, though, “laughed Rodgers. “He’s supposed to have at least 10-plus. So, just trying to get in that stat category with him and compete.”
“I dropped like five or six,” smiled Murphy. “I don’t know the exact number, but I gotta go make up for it this year for sure.”
After giving extensions to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell, Aaron Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Josh Oliver over the last few months, the Vikings have given out another one. According to The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, the Vikings have agreed to an extension with offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, who was set to have his contract expire after the 2025 season.
The next step will be to lock in defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who is set to have his contract expire after the 2025 season. If they are unable to, Flores would be free to interview with other organizations for defensive coordinator jobs.
Brian Flores reflects on NFL head coaching courtship, remains ‘happy’ running Vikings’ defense
The Minnesota Vikings held a mandatory minicamp this week, and Brian Flores stood close by as Vikings defensive players participated in drills.
Earlier this year, it wasn’t clear Flores would be wearing a Vikings cap when the team’s offseason program kicked off. The former Miami Dolphins head coach drew interest from multiple NFL teams that had head coaching openings during the latest hiring cycle.
The Chicago Bears and the New York Jets were among teams that confirmed they met with Flores for an interview in January.
Flores did not land another head coaching opportunity and returned for his third season as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator.
Flores had success in his first couple of seasons with the Vikings, and his innovative schemes were widely credited for the franchise’s defensive turnaround. Although the regular season is still months away, Flores’ creativity and aggressive style of play-calling was already on display at minicamp.
During full team drills Thursday, an unexpected pre-snap alignment by the defense prompted new center Ryan Kelly to ask Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell about the call he should make for blocking that play.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” O’Connell told Kelly, he later recounted to reporters. “I’ve got no idea what they’re doing over there.”
“It must’ve been pretty close to the end of the offseason program because today he ran some stuff that I didn’t even know was in there,” O’Connell added. “That’s Flo. I challenge him all the time to do those things.”
Although he won’t enter the 2025 NFL season as a head coach, Flores expressed appreciation for the opportunity to go through the interview process. He added he was “happy” to be returning to Minnesota.
“Being able to sit in that interview setting and have a conversation for that role is obviously an honor, and those jobs went to guys who were certainly deserved,” Flores said. “It was a great experience, and I enjoyed it. I’m also very happy to be right where I am.”
Vikings Sign Offensive Lineman Vershon Lee
Yore Mock
Trade Recap
Minnesota Receives: 2026: Round 2, Pick 44, 2026: Round 7, Pick 215
New England Receives: 2026: Round 2, Pick 50, 2026: Round 4, Pick 118
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Minnesota Receives: 2026: Round 3, Pick 98, 2026: Round 4, Pick 115
Pittsburgh Receives: 2026: Round 3, Pick 82
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18. Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame 6’0” 206
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
44. Dillon Thieneman S Oregon 6’0” 207
Barbara Perenic/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
97. Connor Lew IOL Auburn 6’3” 300
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
98. Daylen Everette CB Georgia 6’1” 190
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
115. Joshua Josephs EDGE Tennessee 6’3” 240
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
174. Aaron Graves DL Iowa 6’4’ 300
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
215. Bryce Lance WR North Dakota State 6’3” 208
Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
232. Bud Clark S TCU 6’2” 185
Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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