It has taken me a minute to be able to post on this new WordPress site. It is going to take a little getting used to at the start but hopefully it will be much better than Chorus. The instant analysis of every practice and every rep is really a waste of time IMHO. You cannot make any judgments off of these handful of practices with various players in and out of the play. It is good to see but I would not be alarmed over anything besides the Ice Capades. We got a long ways to go. Enjoy the journey!<\/p>\n
Minnesota Vikings News and Links<\/p>\n
J.J. McCarthy and 14 other players to watch in Vikings\u2019 preseason opener<\/a> LG Donovan Jackson Vikings training camp recap, Day 12: One more before preseason begins<\/a> McCarthy found his groove in his next set of reps. He hit T.J. Hockenson in stride on an out-breaking route, then made a great throw to Hockenson up the seam. Cashman was in good position, but McCarthy put it away from the linebacker\u2019s leverage so Hockenson could rotate his body and make the play. Later, in a red zone 11-on-11 period, McCarthy hit Jordan Addison in a tight window on a play that would\u2019ve been a sack by Jonathan Greenard. He then nearly found Nailor for a touchdown, but Harrison Smith made a great diving play to break up the pass.<\/p>\n Vikings night practice recap: McCarthy up and down, Reichard bounces back<\/a> When 11-on-11 action began, however, it was difficult for McCarthy and the offense to move the ball against the Vikings\u2019 defense, which has been outstanding all training camp long. He did have a nice rep where he stepped up in the pocket and fit a ball into a tight window to Josh Oliver, but McCarthy and Addison couldn\u2019t quite connect a couple times in the initial full-team period.<\/p>\n The theme of the night for McCarthy (and the Vikings\u2019 other quarterbacks) was being under duress in the pocket. Even without Jonathan Allen, who got a veteran\u2019s rest day, the Vikings\u2019 top defensive front was very active against an offensive line missing Christian Darrisaw and Ryan Kelly. McCarthy was frequently forced to dance around in the pocket and either check the ball down or take off and scramble. Minnesota Vikings have a backup quarterback problem on their hands with some intriguing options to fix it<\/a> Trey Lance What still makes Lance interesting is that he\u2019s thrown less than 1,000 passes in live game action since high school. At a certain point, the lack of development can lead to him being an intriguing option, especially with someone like O\u2019Connell\u2019s track record.<\/p>\n Carson Wentz Kirk Cousins Why 2020 No. 3 pick Jeff Okudah and the Vikings are the perfect fit for each other<\/a> \u201cI saw some of the articles writing about the versatility of this (Vikings) defense,\u201d Okudah said. \u201cIt caught my eye.\u201d<\/p>\n Vikings release first unofficial preseason depth chart: Takeaways<\/a> Gabriel Murphy is listed as the No. 4 OLB ahead of Bo Richter and rookies Tyler Batty and Chaz Chambliss. That checks out.<\/p>\n Vikings\u2019 QB J.J. McCarthy reveals his secret weapon<\/a> The Minnesota Vikings\u2019 second-year quarterback, entering his first year as a starter, had a chance to hold in what he calls his \u201csecret weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n But asked about his mobility by reporters on Wednesday, McCarthy chose to be honest.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what he had to say, via ESPN:<\/p>\n \u201cI almost wish you didn\u2019t ask that because I want to keep that on the low. I think that\u2019s a huge part of my game. It\u2019s a weapon in this league. You kind of have to have it, with these edge rushers and the different pressure looks.\u201d<\/p>\n McCarthy dove between a couple of defenders for a rushing touchdown during practice on Monday night.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a time and place really for me when I put a shoulder down or when I slide,\u201d McCarthy told ESPN. \u201cAnd there\u2019s a lot more times when I\u2019ll be sliding. It\u2019s just adapting with the game, adapting to when the rush lanes are happening, how contained they are. But it\u2019s definitely a huge part of my game that I\u2019ll definitely utilize.\u201d<\/p>\n Kevin O\u2019Connell reacts to Jordan Addison\u2019s three-game suspension<\/a> \u201cThere\u2019s been a level of maturity,\u201d said O\u2019Connell when asked about Addison\u2019s growth since the incident. \u201cThis was, I don\u2019t know how old he was down to the day, but this was a young player when we got him. He\u2019s a guy that has an absolute heart of gold and loves his teammates. We get to see him in the moments here on the grass, in the meeting rooms with his teammates where, quite honestly, he\u2019s always at his best. Where I\u2019ve really seen the growth in Jordan is away from the facility, in how he prepares his body. He\u2019s got such a mindset for where he wants to go in his career and he knows it\u2019s all a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough it was announced, we\u2019ve kind of been aware that this was a possibility. So, we\u2019ve had a competitive camp in place for the rest of the depth of that room,\u201d said O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just got to play good football. We got to do the things that good offenses do, as far as pre-snap and post-snap,\u201d O\u2019Connell said when discussing his expectations for the offense in Addison\u2019s absence. \u201cWe will be answering some of those questions, as far as people on the outside might have of the guys down the roster. My anticipation is these guys will keep building on the camp they\u2019ve had and we\u2019ll figure out exactly what that looks like going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJordan\u2019s going to need to continue to operate the way he has, which has been exactly how we had hoped he would respond going back to when this initially took place,\u201d said O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n J.J. McCarthy Explains Goals for Vikings 2025 Preseason Opener Against Texans<\/a> \u201cFeeling the rush and feeling a couple hits and bouncing back and having to make those smart decisions after those hits,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cI just feel like the crowd noise, even though it\u2019s at home, it\u2019s still loud in there, all the different little things that you have to kind of adapt to as an offense. It\u2019s our first little test run, so we\u2019re extremely excited for it.\u201d<\/p>\n The magic behind Brian Flores\u2019 Minnesota Vikings defense unlike any other<\/a> Kyle Sloter claims Vikings told \u2018lies\u2019 to hurt his NFL chances<\/a> \u201cI was told when I was with the Vikings at one point that I needed to do less. That I needed to go out there and be worse in the preseason because it was creating an atmosphere that was not what they wanted. They don\u2019t want competition between a backup quarterback and a starter. They don\u2019t want any controversy. They don\u2019t want those things, especially when you have a lot of guaranteed money on a guy that is going to play no matter what,\u201d Sloter said.<\/p>\n \u201cI have had people tell me that in order to make it as a backup in the league, year after year after year, you have to play like a backup \u2014 and it just was never me. It was never me to not go out there and compete. It was never me to go out there and not feel like, hey, if I\u2019m not the starter, my mindset is I\u2019m going to be the starter someday. I\u2019m going to be better than the starter.<\/p>\n \u201cI was very supportive of the people and understood my situation and my role, but I always had that in the back of my mind of like, we\u2019re here to compete. I\u2019m not here to just lay down and just give people jobs and not make myself look the best that I possibly can. I think had I done that, I probably would still be in the NFL as a backup somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe lies that were told about me by management at certain teams that I was at \u2014 I hesitate to use blackball because I don\u2019t like that term \u2014 there were things said about me that made people hesitate to take me on teams that were not true that I had to do some damage control that we ultimately got through, but it altered the trajectory of my career,\u201d Sloter said.<\/p>\n
QB J.J. McCarthy
All eyes will be on McCarthy, who will probably play anywhere from one single series to an entire half. Kevin O\u2019Connell hasn\u2019t revealed any specifics about the plan there, and it may depend on how things play out. McCarthy hasn\u2019t suited up for an NFL game of any sort since last year\u2019s preseason opener, when he bounced back from an early interception and lit up the Raiders for 188 yards and two touchdowns (but tore his meniscus in the process). He\u2019s excited about the opportunity to be back on the field in a game setting.<\/p>\n
Even if he doesn\u2019t play a ton, there will be plenty of attention on the Vikings\u2019 first-round pick in his (semi-real) NFL debut. We haven\u2019t said Jackson\u2019s name a lot over the course of training camp, which is a good thing for an offensive lineman. He\u2019ll look to keep it that way on Saturday.<\/p>\n
McCarthy and the QBs
Two of J.J. McCarthy\u2019s first three passes in 7-on-7 action fell incomplete. The first was a drop by Jalen Nailor, which is starting to become a concern again. Notably, Nailor was wearing a red no-contact jersey, which you typically only see quarterbacks wearing. The next was a near interception by Blake Cashman, who jumped in front of Josh Oliver and almost picked off McCarthy for the second straight day.<\/p>\n
How\u2019s J.J. looking?
As always, all eyes were on J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings\u2019 young starting quarterback in the red No. 9 practice jersey. After quite the impressive showing in Saturday\u2019s practice, McCarthy was a bit more up and down in this one.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s important to consider the context, which is that the Vikings were playing without two starting offensive linemen and two of their top three pass-catchers (Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson). Given the pressure he was under, it\u2019s hard to know how much of the blame for the offense\u2019s struggles falls on McCarthy, and how much falls on the offensive line or pass-catchers. He also is going against a very, very good Brian Flores defense. With all that said, you would\u2019ve liked to see the first-team offense get more going through the air in this practice.<\/p>\n
At what point should the Vikings end up pursuing a backup quarterback? During training camp of 2022, the Vikings ended up making a move to get Nick Mullens before the end of the preseason, and it came right after they played the Las Vegas Raiders. Who could be the next addition if they do choose to add another option at backup quarterback? There are a few players they could make a move for.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s had a tough road ever since breaking his ankle in week two of the 2022 season, and spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys as their third quarterback. He\u2019s already played a game with the Los Angeles Chargers this preseason and looked really good. Could it have been a change in scenery that did the trick?<\/p>\n
Of all the quarterbacks on this list, Carson Wentz might be the most intriguing. A former number two overall pick, Wentz was an MVP candidate in 2017 before tearing his ACL ahead of the Eagles\u2019 Super Bowl win. He struggled over the course of the next few years, including bouncing around to the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders before being resigned to the ranks of a backup quarterback.<\/p>\n
The most popular option for the Vikings has been Kirk Cousins. Many believe that he will be available for the Vikings to potentially trade for, since he was benched at the end of last season with the Atlanta Falcons. There are two potential roadblocks here: Cousins has a massive contract and his presence could cause unnecessary distractions for McCarthy.<\/p>\n
While reimagining his defense for 2025, Flores reviewed Okudah\u2019s more recent tape with the Texans and Atlanta Falcons. What he didn\u2019t know was that Okudah had been spending time reading about his defense.<\/p>\n
Lucky Jackson being listed at WR4 lines up with what we\u2019ve seen in camp. He\u2019s been running with the first-team offense in Justin Jefferson\u2019s absence. The next tier is Tai Felton and Rondale Moore, but I\u2019m not so sure Felton is currently ahead of players like Tim Jones and Jeshaun Jones. With that said, I do expect Felton to make the team because of his draft pedigree and upside.<\/p>\n
J.J. McCarthy could\u2019ve kept it to himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe important thing to remember is this has been a pretty lengthy [process]. \u2026 Jordan\u2019s well aware the standard that he\u2019s been living up to. He\u2019s done a phenomenal job of, not only this camp but before that, continuing to understand. He\u2019s taken full accountability with that suspension becoming official,\u201d O\u2019Connell said Wednesday in his first comments since the suspension was announced. \u201cJordan\u2019s daily, weekly, and continued presence in our organization is a very positive one. He knows that that\u2019s my expectation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will take a moment [to appreciate being back in action],\u201d McCarthy said Wednesday. \u201cAnd I\u2019ll take this moment to thank the athletic training staff, thank my coaches, thank all my teammates. Everyone throughout that journey has just been amazing, and I think it did a lot more good for me than bad, and just being out there again is going to be really special, and I can\u2019t wait to go do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ve built a reputation of disguise,\u201d Flores explained. \u201cSo, what they see, they don\u2019t think that\u2019s what it is. And so sometimes, what they see is what it is. Other times, the disguise is that we want to show them split-safety, but it\u2019s really post-safety. And we want to show them post-safety, but it\u2019s really split-safety. But, I think that\u2019s one of the things from the two years of data standpoint. People are looking for something that may or may not be there, and they don\u2019t believe the first thing they see. So, we can kinda use that to our advantage also.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI pride myself in the fact that I have never questioned the plan. I did things my own way at times. I wasn\u2019t always compliant with the way that a backup quarterback probably should be, which led to me probably being out of the league and not getting opportunities in certain places,\u201d Sloter admitted.<\/p>\n