I asked in the last open thread how many rosters spots were open and it produced a nice debate about the bottom of the roster. Now, I am wondering who is the leader in the clubhouse for Mr Eagan which used to me Mr Mankato. I prefer to refer to these players as future DN Preseason HOFers. I am guessing it is between Max Brosmer, Elijah Williams, and Joe Huber. What say you?
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3 Observations: Justin Jefferson Returns; Vikings Defense Records Picks & Pressures
Christian Darrisaw continued stacking reps with the first group at left tackle. Donovan Jackson (left guard), Ryan Kelly (center), Will Fries (right guard) and Brian O’Neill (right tackle) joined him before Darrisaw was relieved by Justin Skule.
The Vikings shuffled through some combinations on the offensive line.
Skule additionally took reps at right tackle, and Walter Rouse took reps at left tackle to bookend a second grouping of LG Blake Brandel, C Michael Jurgens and RG Joe Huber.
It’s safe to say there’s a lot riding on J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota. The Vikings won 14 games and flirted with the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed a year ago. Instead of paying big bucks to retain the quarterback who led that charge, or courting the aging Aaron Rodgers as Brett Favre 2.0, they pushed all their chips on the young man handpicked to be the future.
Except now McCarthy, 22, isn’t just a symbol of long-term hope. He is the present.
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“[The] roster is built for him to not feel like he has to be Superman,” Vikings captain Josh Metellus told CBS Sports. “So he just has to go out there and do what ‘KO’ tells him to do and let his personality, his play, elevate the offense, not go out there thinking he has to make everybody miss and throw the ball 90 yards down the field. He just has to stick to the scheme, trust his coaches and let everything else take over.”
The truth is just a touch more complicated. Addison, for example, will miss the opening three games of the 2025 season due to suspension. Jefferson has watched practice most of the summer due to hamstring soreness. Big men Ryan Kelly and Will Fries will be making their first starts in purple alongside left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who’s still working his way back from a torn ACL. There’s plenty of reason to believe there will be growing pains in the greater operation, meaning McCarthy won’t be getting a situation so flawless it requires nothing more of him than to simply take the snap and find his first read.
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It still begs the most important question of all: What is J.J. McCarthy?
Truth is, that’s a question that can only be answered in the thick of an NFL season. When the lights are bright. When the pass rush is live. When the Vikings are trailing by three in the fourth quarter on the road and O’Connell needs his man to uncork a tight spiral. That may well be where McCarthy has an edge, given his knack for situational proficiency at Michigan, where he controlled the ball in big spots and helped Jim Harbaugh claim a national championship. Still, it’s a projection until push comes to shove at the pro level. Which is why so many have been laser-focused on what McCarthy’s done — or not done — this summer.
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“He looks young, but for some reason when we’re out on the field he matures up,” Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers told CBS Sports this summer. “Any penalties, any [miscues], he’s telling the team, ‘Lock in, we can’t have those type of things.’ Those are the type of things you need from a quarterback. … He’s a dawg, too. He’s always talkin’ smack. It’s the dawg in him. He’ll come over to the DBs and talk smack.”
Defensive captain Josh Metellus, who also came out of Michigan, attributed some of McCarthy’s comfortability to Harbaugh, arguing the longtime coach instilled a “pro mindset … in us from 18 years old.”
“When [J.J.] was able to come in here, learning how to be a pro wasn’t his focus,” Metellus explained. “It was more about learning the scheme and learning how to develop as a quarterback. … He’s a leader, he does things the right way. … A big thing about J.J. is a mindset of, it doesn’t have to be perfect every day, but you have to get better every day. I don’t think we’ve had a time where the offense can’t line up, or a snap-count issue. Everybody’s been pretty much dialed in, and that’s a testament to the quarterback. … When you’ve been around guys like Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, to see a young guy who’s 22 years old and have that same mindset … it’s honestly special.”
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“He can throw,” cornerback Isaiah Rodgers told CBS Sports. “He can throw. And by that I mean he’s got a zip on it.”
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So what’s the deal then? What can Vikings fans expect from the new guy? Let’s first dispel the outside notion, mostly floated at the start of camp, when the pads popped and the Flores defense reigned supreme, that McCarthy is struggling as Minnesota’s top quarterback. “Struggling” is much too strong a word to describe J.J.‘s offseason, especially in light of the fact it’s his first full offseason exclusively taking starter reps.
Has McCarthy been uneven? Occasionally hesitant or jumpy in the pocket? Intermittently off-target to open receivers? Yes. He’s not been a model of perfection. He’s looked, in many ways, like a rookie quarterback learning the ropes. The key is he’s also looked like a first-round rookie quarterback. Meaning the hiccups have been balanced out by promise — a needle-threading deep shot here, an elusive step away from pressure there, and plenty of visible chemistry with vets like Jones and Addison.
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We won’t know the ceiling of a McCarthy-led Vikings squad until the quarterback takes meaningful snaps — which, as a friendly reminder, will also be the very first official snaps of his pro career. What we can know, after observing his offseason, is that the Vikings do not appear to be in dire straits under center. This isn’t a raw prospect in terms of arm talent and pro-level resolve. It’s a guy who appears equipped to do everything at a high level. The question is whether he can do it consistently.
Isn’t that obvious, you say? Shouldn’t that be the base-level expectation for a guy drafted 10th overall just a year ago? Maybe. Maybe not. Look at, say, the Indianapolis Colts, who spent the fourth overall pick on Anthony Richardson just two years ago and are already knee-deep in a competition designed to potentially replace him. Just because you make a premium investment at quarterback doesn’t mean you have an answer. The nice thing about McCarthy, even after a lost rookie season, is the fact he looks the part both mentally and physically going into his first audition as the face of the Vikings.
Power rankings: Vikings sit just inside top 10 as opener looms
Who is the most under pressure this season?
“After signing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell to contract extensions and assembling a roster of proven veterans, the team doesn’t have anyone prominent on the hot seat,” says Kevin Seifert. “But it might need to overhaul its draft process in 2026 if it doesn’t see more production from recent picks. WR Jordan Addison was the only starter last season who was drafted between 2022-24. The Vikings need big contributions from QB J.J. McCarthy (2024), LB Dallas Turner (2024) and G Donovan Jackson (2025), at least, to validate their current process.”
Seven wide receivers who make the most sense for the depleted Vikings
Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham won a Super Bowl in O’Connell’s offense with the Rams in 2021, but he turns 33 in November and he hasn’t had a truly productive season since 2021. Even that season was marginal for his standards as he finished with 44 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns — and then scored twice in the playoffs.
Amari Cooper
The 31-year-old had 44 catches for 547 yards and four touchdowns between the Browns and Bills last season. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023 with Cleveland and he still has some gas in the tank after racking up 711 catches and more than 10,000 yards in his career. In Minnesota, he’d take a back seat to Jefferson and Addison. Is that a role that he would entertain?
Gabe Davis
Davis is only 26 and his track record is impressive outside of his 2024 season with the Jaguars when he posted career lows with 20 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Why the struggles in his first season with Jacksonville? He’s on record saying he played hurt with a meniscus injury before it knocked him out for good after 10 games.
If he’s healthy, he could get back to the form that saw him score 27 touchdowns in four seasons with Buffalo. Would he take a one-year deal to reignite his career with the Vikings? Like Cooper, he would play third fiddle behind Jefferson and Addison, which would likely limit his ability to command as much money as possible as a free agent next spring.
Tyler Boyd
Brandon Powell
Adam Thielen
Cordarrelle Patterson
Most underrated member of the Vikings defense? Poetically, it’s safety Theo Jackson
It was a noisy day on the practice fields, and the fans were hollering about Brian Flores’ defense. One Tennessee staffer, watching from the sideline, made note of a play from a defensive back
“Is that Theo Jackson?” the staffer asked. A nod. Yes, Jackson, a safety, had just ranged from deep and deflected a pass. The Titans staffer winced. “We did not want to lose him,” they said. “At all.“
Do the Vikings have a backup quarterback problem?
Howell’s 1-5 performance on Saturday, with only six yards and a bonheaded interception, raised some serious eyebrows. His impressive performance in their first game against the Texans seems like a distant memory. Brosmer has been the most efficient and effective signal caller on the roster through two preseason games.
“There’s a reason why we’re playing all three of them. As far as what that means, the overall competition, I think I’d just say that it’s still open and we’re trying to figure out what the group is room is going to look like for the season, but I do like all the players a lot,” Kevin O’Connell said after Saturday’s game against the Patriots.
Howell is 12-18 (66.6%) for 118 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception, Brosmer is 20-35 (57.1%) for 203 yards, one touchdown and one interception and Rypien is 8-15 (53.3%) for 89 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Howell has the most regular-season starting experience, but he has been less than stellar in the preseason.
“I just view it right now as we got to learn about these guys. We’ve got to try and see who’s able to go in there and function, and execute the offense,” O’Connell continued. “I am well aware sometimes the circumstances aren’t perfect. They’re not throwing the ball to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and T.J. (Hockenson) and playing behind our first offensive line. You take into account, but you’re looking for the traits out of those three guys.”
Vikings Should Trade for Promising $4 Million QB to Challenge J.J. McCarthy
McKee put up a 20-of-25 performance for 252 yards and two TDs against the Cincinnati Bengals in Philly’s preseason opener.
“My takeaway was just that he looked like a vet. He looked so accurate … it was only ups with Tanner McKee,” Kimes added. “What you are getting is a guy who could probably execute just about every offense in the league.”
Vikings impressive defensive line depth highlighted by day 3 NFL Draft pick with impressive pedigree
One thing that general managers love to do in the NFL Draft is select former five-star recruits. Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did just that in April when he selected Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.
“I think he’s been everything we had hoped he would be. We really identified him throughout the process as somebody that could be versatile along that front. Doing as many as three or four different roles, whether being an inside, early-down player, a five technique, even some edge snaps as a bigger body edge against some teams that like to attack certain parts of the formation in the run game. What I’ve loved seeing is just the football makes sense to him. He had a really good rush on a third down in the red zone the other day. We didn’t necessarily on that one get off the field, but it was one where you the quarterback felt him. It allowed for if we were a little bit tighter with our rushing coverage tied together, maybe we’re getting off the field. Then, other times, you’ve seen him out here and some big moments of competition, phase of practice, get a hand up and swat a ball and tip a ball and change a drill. He’s got some unique traits to go along with the physical traits that we were so drawn to in the evaluation process. . .
“He’s been part of the reason why you feel so great about that D-line depth. It’s not just Grave [Javon Hargrave] and JA [Jonathan Allen] and HP [Harrison Phillips]. Then, it’s Levi [Drake Rodriguez] and Red [Jalen Redmond], and him and Eli [Elijiah Williams] is making a bunch of plays, Taki [Taki Timani] made a bunch of plays, Jon [Jonathan] Harris is doing everything right. T Bell [Travis Bell] shows up with effort and plays exactly how he’s coached to play. I think Marcus [Dixon] has done a phenomenal job with that group. It’s not always easy. Everybody wants to have depth, but then, when you have it, you’ve got to find a way to develop all those guys and get reps where it’s required. I think Marcus and Flo [Brian Flores] and his staff have done a really good job of that.”
Freshly Released WR Could Be Vikings Answer
The Atlanta Falcons dropped veteran wideout DJ Chark on Monday, some 2.5 weeks before the start of the regular season, some were quick to suggest a fit with the purple team.
’Did someone say our name?‘ Vikings’ male cheerleaders respond to bigotry
“Wait…did someone say our name?” Shiek wrote in an Instagram post with a photo of him and Conn in their cheer uniforms.
The Vikings issued a statement last week defending Shiek and Conn, noting that male cheerleaders have been commonplace in football, that Shiek and Conn have an “impressive dance background,” and that despite apparent threats from Vikings “fans” on social media that they would cancel their season tickets, none actually have.
“While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,” the Vikings said in a statement.
“In 2025, approximately one-third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.”
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