It is a great time of year for football fans. You really have to like this time of year if you are true football nerd\/doofus. You got off season planning and the underwear olympics going on plus, for Vikings fans, we got QB dilemma. How can you not be entertained?<\/p>\n
The defensive backs were really fast yesterday. I like to see the body types to \u201cguess\u201d which players will be good tacklers or be able to take and give the punishment. A lot of safeties were under 200 lbs which is a little concerning but I guess it is just the way things are. I gravitate to the bigger safeties myself.<\/p>\n
Dillon Thieneman did not disappoint and probably cemented himself as a first round pick. He would be a very nice pick but there were some other safeties that looked good that probably can be had in round 2 or 3 and maybe even later. It depends on free agency really. The cornerbacks were nice but they had a lot of them so the team may not draft one early. When you think about what Flores did the last couple of years, he probably is not going to be pounding the table for a corner. I expect a free agent or two to be added and then a developmental corner later in the draft. But if they do not sign any free agent they could go earlier for cornerback.<\/p>\n
Obviously, the QB decision gets most of the attention as is should. The Anthony Richardson availability news has conjured up plenty of opinion and a lot of them accurately reflect where AR is at in his career. Specifically injury history and accuracy issues. I will just say this to those of you who I feel cannot see the forest for the trees. The Vikings should trade for AR simply because he is better than Brosmer. AR could lose the competition to JJ but he still will get coached up by the Vikings staff and KOC. If JJ goes down again (knock on wood) then he could come in. What happens if he does better? He will be a free agent in 2027. The Vikings could be in line for a compensatory pick in 2028 if he signs a nice deal with another team in 2027. Asset management. He is worth a flyer that is for sure.<\/p>\n
Minnesota Vikings News and Links<\/p>\n
J.J. McCarthy Could Compete with Kyler Murray or Geno Smith, Pelissero Says<\/a><\/p>\n Pelissero, whose roots in Minnesota make him well-connected to the Vikings, continues to report that the Vikings do intend to have McCarthy compete with a former NFL starter for the QB1 job in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the Vikings are going to do this year is what they intended to do a year ago, which is have a legitimate guy, a former starter, competing with J.J. McCarthy,\u201d Pelissero said Thursday on The Rich Eisen Show. \u201cAnd they\u2019re optimistic that a competitive environment is going to bring out the best in J.J. McCarthy.\u201d<\/p>\n The viral clip from Pelissero\u2019s appearance with Eisen was him saying Justin Jefferson still believes in McCarthy: \u201cJustin Jefferson still believes in J.J. McCarthy. I can tell you that factually. He still believes in him.\u201d \u201cThe idea of bringing in Aaron Rodgers and if the season doesn\u2019t get off to a good start, you\u2019re not benching four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. You\u2019re not having an open competition between Aaron Rodgers and J.J. McCarthy,\u201d Pelissero continued. \u201cI don\u2019t believe you can have an open competition between Kirk Cousins and J.J. McCarthy, because you\u2019ve got thousands of fans pulling out their No. 8 jerseys, because he is Kirk Cousins.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe a guy like Kyler or Geno makes a ton of sense to come in, because you can have a truly level playing ground. You can choose the best quarterback,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Another Potential Vikings QB Target Open to Explore Trade Options<\/a> Minnesota Vikings now know key detail that will impact Jordan Addison\u2019s future<\/a> One Surprise Release Just Got Interesting for the Vikings<\/a> Emmett Johnson Compares Himself to Great RBs, Would Love Vikings to Bring Him Home<\/a> Top NFL Draft prospect just proved why the Minnesota Vikings need to make him their top priority<\/a> Pitt LB Kyle Louis Would Seamlessly Fit In Brian Flores\u2019 Defense<\/a> NFL Experts Offer Potential Late-Round Options for Vikings<\/a><\/p>\n
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\u201cThe ones that make sense to me would be Kyler Murray. He\u2019s played a ton. He has not played in this offense. So you get an opportunity to learn from Kevin O\u2019Connell, and we know he\u2019s got playmaking ability. He\u2019s fully healthy now. Geno Smith would also make some sense as a compete guy,\u201d Pelissero said.
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\u201cBecause again, at some point, you can turn it over. Even those guys are your starters out of the gate and they outplay J.J. McCarthy, at some point you can turn it over,\u201d he said, then shutting down the thought of Minnesota every giving the job to McCarthy if they signed Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins.<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Vikings are trying to navigate a tricky quarterback situation this offseason. They want to add competition for J.J. McCarthy but not automatically send the 23-year-old to the bench. An intriguing option, other than Anthony Richardson, to possibly satisfy both those needs appeared to enter the trade market this week \u2014 Andy Dalton.<\/p>\n
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