Sometimes the best trade is the one you do not make!
Now that the draft is over and it has been analyzed ad nauseum, we can see the picture of this “time horizon” that Kwesi speaks of often. Many of the Draft Doofi believed the Vikings were going to trade down. Yet they did not. It is fairly obvious the reason why. Two of the top three interior offensive linemen had been selected already. They did not want to miss out on the other one. It is debatable which guard should have been ranked as the best but system fit is more important than rankings. Maybe you could argue a trade down with the Giants (if it was offered) would have resulted in the Vikings taking Jonah Savaiinaea at 34. They did have him in for a top 30 visit (IIRC). But Jonah only played on the right side and it would have been a transition for him to move over to the left side.
I think that being content with few picks is not a bad thing for the Vikings. The undrafted free agents may make a contribution but most will likely have to make the practice squad and continue their development. My favorite to make the team is Silas Bolden. The punt returner job is wide open and he is very good at it.
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Kevin O’Connell sends firm message about the Vikings’ not trading down in NFL Draft
“I think Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah) was doing a great job. And Rob (Brzezinski) and our folks in there, kind of, we kind of knew we’d be right in the mix there of potentially (a) team either want(ing) to come up and maybe select a quarterback, maybe another position. But we also have identified some players in a cluster there at certain spots, that if one of those guys were there, it was going to take a certain amount of capital via the trade to even be thinking about moving, and we fielded some calls. We had some conversations and some good dialogue. And ultimately decided to pull the card and draft Donovan Jackson. He was one of those players that we kind of went into (the NFL Draft) and hoping he would be there, and really see a role fit for him and our team that we’re really excited about.
O’Connell was honest about the situation, and he also said what we’ve known teams to do often with a group of players they are comfortable taking at a certain spot. The really important aspect for O’Connell was that he emphasized it would take a certain amount of draft capital to move off of 24. It also says that a trade like the ones that the Giants and Falcons made (if they offered it) wasn’t enough for the Vikings to do just that.
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KOC all but confirms ‘bigger, stronger’ J.J. McCarthy as Vikings’ QB1
Even though it’s rather obvious that J.J. McCarthy is heading into this season as the Vikings’ starting quarterback, Kevin O’Connell has avoided directly saying as much in recent media appearances. That didn’t change on Wednesday, but Minnesota’s head coach may have come closer than he ever has to confirming what anyone with common sense can see.
In an interview with Rich Eisen, O’Connell was asked about Sam Howell and Minnesota’s QB1 situation and went back to an answer he’s used previously, which is that the current phase of the offseason isn’t about competition.
“Right now, the rules prohibit even Minnesota Vikings defensive players from lining up across from Minnesota Vikings offensive players,” O’Connell said. “That’s not what this time of year is about. This is the learning, the teaching phase. So much growth and development can happen during this time, when there’s really no negative outcomes, there’s no plays that don’t go your way. They’re all just learning moments right now, but there’s gonna come a time where that changes.
“J.J.’s gonna be in a great position to assume and ascend in our organization, but right now, we really don’t have any feelings on competition as much as we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.”
“I know everybody is wildly concerned about these reps on air,” he told Eisen. “Let me put you at peace, Rich. When (McCarthy) is taking snaps, he’s taken plenty of snaps from Ryan Kelly, who happens to be a ten-year starting center in this league. So take that for what it’s worth. I don’t think Vikings fans should be worried about the amount of reps J.J.’s gonna get with the ones. We’re gonna have him ready to go.”
He’s healthy, he’s ready for this opportunity, and he’s looking good, O’Connell said. The Vikings have been out on the practice field this week to begin phase two of their offseason program.
“He’s having a great start to his offseason program,” O’Connell said. “He’s bigger, he’s stronger. I can see it in his arm, I can see it in his movements. I can see just the ownership of playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He gained a lot from last year, albeit not how we all drew it up. But he’s already showing, early on here — today was our third day of phase two, on the grass — I think all his teammates feel it, I know the coaches do, myself included. Now, can we just build and build and progress towards when we get our first competitive opportunity come training camp.
“By owning playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings,” O’Connell continued, “that’s footwork, that’s rhythm, that’s timing, that’s running the huddle, that’s running the show, that’s cadence, that’s identifying defensive structures that he’s gotta be responsible for getting us into the right plays. He’s owning it.”
Report: Vikings pulled their offer to quarterback Daniel Jones
“It sounded like the Vikings thought that Jones was coming back, but then they just got the sense right at the end that he was really not convicted about coming back to Minnesota, ended up taking a little bit less in terms of guaranteed money from the Colts to end up in Indianapolis,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said in an episode of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast released on Wednesday. “When you’re Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, you’ve basically formed this system and environment in which any quarterback coming in has played well, and so we think we can do different things.
‘If you don’t want to be here, we’re not going to hold you,’ so they pulled the offer to … Jones, and he goes to the Colts.”
Ranking NFL’s top 10 WR duos after Cowboys’ big trade for George Pickens
2. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Vikings
I cover the Vikings, so I watch this duo closer than any other, but I also don’t think this is a biased ranking. Jefferson has been the consensus best receiver in the NFL for most of his record-breaking career. There have been debates for the top spot over the years, pitting him against players like Adams and Hill and Chase, but the one constant has been No. 18 in purple. No one in NFL history has more yards in the first five years of a career, and it’s not close. Jefferson has proven to be unstoppable and quarterback-proof, and even though he’s approaching his 26th birthday, he’s on pace to go down as one of the best to ever do it. Addison, a 2023 first-round pick, has scored 20 touchdowns in two seasons while establishing himself as an excellent WR2. He’s only 23 years old.
1. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Bengals
There isn’t much of a debate for the top spot. Chase is the one player who currently has a real argument against Jefferson in the NFL’s WR1 discussion; he’s coming off a Triple Crown season where he put up a 127-1,708-17 receiving line. Jefferson’s LSU teammate is a threat to rip off a 70-yard touchdown every time he touches the ball, whether that’s on a screen pass or a deep route. And Higgins is a guy who would be the No. 1 receiver on at least half of the teams in the league, if not more. He has four 900-yard seasons in his career and caught ten touchdown passes last season, and yet he’s so talented that it’s reasonable to feel like we haven’t seen his best year yet.
Cowherd says Vikings ‘may regret’ letting Darnold go, doubles down on last-place prediction
Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd previously said the Minnesota Vikings have the “worst roster” in the NFC North and predicted they would finish last in the division, and his feelings haven’t changed coming out of the 2025 NFL draft.
On his FS1 show, The Herd, Tuesday, Cowherd updated his predictions for every NFL division following the draft, and he once again had the Vikings finishing last in the North, while the rest of his rankings — the Detroit Lions winning it, the Chicago Bears securing second and the Green Bay Packers taking third — also remained unchanged post-NFL draft.
“I think the Bears eke into the playoffs. I think Jordan Love, I like. I think they’re worried about him … they’ve got a couple other needs defensively, and they went with a wide receiver again,” Cowherd said on FS1. “Vikings will be a very good fourth-place team. I think letting Sam Darnold go, I think they may regret it.”
Vikings have plenty of reasons for optimism, including a major one nobody is talking about
Having a strong roster hasn’t been discussed much from a national perspective, but they are primed to be in a great spot to succeed now and in the future. CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan mentioned the Vikings’ deep roster being the main reason for optimism this season.
A key storyline throughout next season will be the development of Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. He was sidelined due to a meniscus injury last season, which helped pave the way for Sam Darnold to produce in the role. As McCarthy now takes the keys to the offense, there may be some level of concern/wonder about how he will fare. Well, the former Michigan quarterback does have the benefit of having the best collection of talent around him in the league. Minnesota spent the offseason bolstering the interior of the offensive line, further providing McCarthy with protection. Meanwhile, his skill position group is headlined by Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones. That’s not mentioning an offensive guru, head coach Kevin O’Connell, in his ear. McCarthy is set up to thrive as he ascends to QB1.
7 veteran cornerbacks the Vikings could still sign in free agency
The Vikings didn’t draft a corner this year, choosing only to add a couple undrafted free agents at that spot. Byron Murphy Jr. is locked in as their No. 1 CB, and they’re excited about newcomer Isaiah Rodgers being the No. 2 guy, but after that, there are question marks. The next two on the depth chart are likely Mekhi Blackmon — who is coming off missing last season with an ACL injury — and Jeff Okudah, a former top-five pick now on his fourth team in the last four years.
Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel is the other marquee guy still out there. Still just 25 years old, the former second-round pick is coming off of his rookie contract with the Chargers. He had strong ball production (6 INTs, 35 PD) in his first three seasons, and his grade improved each year. Samuel only played in four games last year due to a neck/shoulder injury, which might be a cause for concern, but he fits the profile of players the Vikings have liked to target under GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. For now, the rumblings are that Minnesota isn’t interested.
Kendall Fuller
Fuller is one of a bunch of free agent corners, including Douglas and Griffin, who are in that 29-32 age range and are looking for another opportunity. A former third-round pick in 2016, Fuller has spent much of his nine-year career with Washington. Last year, he started 11 games for the Dolphins, missing time with concussions and a knee injury. Fuller can play man, he can play zone, and he’s earned consistently impressive grades throughout his career.
Jones is an interesting one because the Vikings put in a waiver claim for his services in November 2023 but were beaten out by the Raiders, who had a higher priority. Over a three-year career with New England and Las Vegas, the 27-year-old has returned four of his seven interceptions for touchdowns. He graded poorly as a full-time starter last year, but had previously earned solid grades in a rotational role, which is likely what he would have in Minnesota. Jones is an intriguing playmaker who picked off J.J. McCarthy in a preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium last August. He does come with a bit of an off-the-field history, though.
Rasul Douglas
Stephon Gilmore
Shaq Griffin
Jack Jones
C.J. Henderson
Which Vikings player is next in line for an extension? The 5 most likely candidates
Who’s next? Here are five potential names with recent signings serving as a guide:
Josh Metellus, S/LB
Josh Oliver, TE
Brian O’Neill, OT
C.J. Ham, FB (what?)
Blake Cashman, LB
Success in the NFL isn’t gifted. It’s something that comes from a lot of hard work and building camaraderie. Tight end T.J. Hockenson made an appearance on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long and expressed why O’Connell has made such an impact on this team.
“He played in this league for a long time, so he knows what it’s about. He understands that side of it. He understands us as players, and he can communicate with us as players, you know. So that’s like, one of the best things that we love KO, because it’s like he talks to us like, you know, we’re on his level, and it’s not like you’re talking down to to each other. It’s what he asks of us, is what he’s going to get from us. We have that kind of relationship with him as players, like, if he asks us to do something, or he has something of us, we’re going to make sure that’s a that’s something that we’re going to get done. He’s one of those guys that he’ll actually go golf, he’ll talk to you outside the building. He wants to build relationships with his players. And you don’t always get that from a head coach. You don’t always get that from a guy that’s that’s higher up, and KO is one of those people that’s just super down to earth.”
The fact that O’Connell played in the NFL gives him a leg up when talking to players. He understands exactly what they are going through because he did it himself. That helps when he asks you to do something and get things done, something that Hockenson elaborated on.
“You know, (KOC) is going to expect a lot out of you, which you want. So he’ll tell you like it is. He’s not going to work around the bush, he’s going to be a straight shooter with you. And so that’s something that we respect as players. We just want to know what’s going on and good, right? Or the other, we just want to know exactly what you’re thinking and, he’s going to tell you like it is, and that’s the best part of having him around the building, and just the affection that he gives. You really, truly feel like he cares about you when you step in that building. And even after football, you know, you talk to guys that have left, and they’re like, KO still reaches out and talks to you a little better when he sees you, it’s just like it was a couple of years ago. So, you know, that’s another piece of the puzzle that you just got to have a great head coach like him, and to see him win Coach of the Year this last year, and, you know, to see the success that you know, he’s been able to have, and then to be able to extend from send his contract and stay a lot longer is a lot of fun just to be able to have that stability. We’re always the, you know, we feel as if we’re the most prepared team walking into Sunday, having him around. So it’s a lot of fun.”
Against all odds, Alexander Williams’ NFL dream reignites with the Vikings
Former Pickerington North defensive end Alexander Williams is patient. He really had no other option. That’s what happens when you play more than six years of college football, beginning at Ohio State in 2018.
“Somethings you need patience and time. Not everything will come instantly in the game of football or collegiate-level sports,” Williams said.
He had other offers from West Virginia and Yale, but Williams chose Buckeye leaves over ivy. Although, his stay in Columbus was a short one.
“The biggest regret I had was leaving Ohio State,” Williams admitted. “If I would’ve stayed patient and waited my turn like most Ohio State players, I would’ve got my shot. Decided I wanted to try and go play faster.”
Williams was still developing that patience. So, he transferred to Vanderbilt in an effort to play right away and pursue an Ivy League-like education. After two seasons, his career as a Commodore stalled out. He agreed with head coach Clark Lee to give up a roster spot but stay enrolled to finish his degree, temporarily stepping away from the game.
“I was moving furniture. I was doing junk removal, I was doing any manual labor the whole time, so I was working and going to school. a normal student for once,” Williams said.
Instead of calling it a career, he chose to exercise his other passion, training.
“Some days I was working from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and I would still find a way to train after. It was the norm for me,” he said.
Williams finished his degree in Sociology and started a personal training business in Nashville as he waited for another opportunity in football. As Williams’ strength grew. So did his patience, and it paid off. In January of 2024, he got a phone call from his former coach, Derrick Mason, now the head football coach at Middle Tennessee State University.
“I got a call from Coach Mason saying, “You still want to play football?” And I stayed pretty ready in football shape. Two days later, I walked on the field at Middle Tennessee, and I was in pads that following day. I had four padded practices before my first game as a Blue Raider.”
Williams had one year left of eligibility, but his body had less time than that. He started in four of six games at MTSU before suffering a season-ending injury.
“Coach Mason, through four years, still trusted me to come play on his team. He never turned me down,” Williams said.
Still, at 6-foot-7 and 291 pounds, Williams had enough film for NFL teams to come calling. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in April.
“It seems like forever ago he was a high school senior going to Ohio State,” recalled his former head high school football coach Nate Hillerich. “His journey and his path to get this opportunity, he’s worked for it. I’m just proud that he’s able to get to where he is now.”
His route was not easy, and it’s still far from done. The Pickerington product now has to earn a roster spot in the NFL.
“I want to show Coach Flores that he picked the right guy,” Williams said. He will attend the Vikings’ rookie minicamp; he will not participate as he continues to rehab from his injury. He is hoping to be activated by OTA’s to earn his role on the team. Williams can play anywhere on the defensive line, in fact, he is so versatile the Vikings see him playing anywhere “1 through 7.”
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