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Minnesota Vikings News and Links
5 QB Takeaways: Kevin O’Connell on Confidence in J.J. McCarthy; Conversation with Aaron Rodgers
O’Connell said McCarthy has heard some of the Vikings play calls “100 times now” and knows the entire protection system.
“He knows why we change certain runs to run it the other way, and he knows a lot of the core principles of our offense now,” O’Connell said. “Now he gets to learn it [again] from the very beginning. Again, that’s why I love the spring so much. We’re not ending where the season ended and teaching from there; we go back to the true grassroots of the offense and start teaching it for everybody all over again, and the detail.
“There’s going to be some areas where we look to improve as a team, as an offense, as a defense, special teams, and J.J. gets to hit the ground running as a big part of that with our whole team, when we get going in the spring,” he added.
1. O’Connell describes conversations with Aaron Rodgers
“Aaron and I have had a relationship for a long time, and when he initially reached out, and we were able to have some conversations, as you know, [we’re] on the hunt to always improve our football team and put our football team in the best possible chance to win,” O’Connell said. “You’re constantly acknowledging all of — and evaluating — all of the opportunities that may be out there, and certainly that was one that I found to be interesting, just because it speaks to what our [organization] has kind of turned into for quarterbacks, which I know Kwesi and I are very proud of, our coaching staff is very proud of.
“But at the same time, we’ve had a quarterback plan in place with J.J. McCarthy, and we really like where he’s at in that journey right now, and looking forward to getting the offseason program going with him, in addition to all the work he’s done leading up to that time coming up here in a few weeks,” O’Connell added. “And that’s kind of where we left things.”
2. McCarthy & others aware of Rodgers discussions
“Because I do see him every day, throughout the week, and I thought it was important, just so that he was hearing it from me, and my perspective, from the very first time I had any communication in regard to Aaron and any of the other free agents that we’ve discussed at kind of all positions,” O’Connell said. “It’s fun to keep players in the loop. I talked to Justin Jefferson, I talked to T.J. Hockenson, Brian O’Neill, Jonathan Greenard, all these guys, as much as I possibly can, just because that’s what we try to build our whole organization around, is that communication.”
3. ‘Two things can be true’
O’Connell thanked reporters for bringing up the question and responded, “I think this comes down to, two things can be true at the same time.”
He elaborated:
“We took [McCarthy] 10th in the draft last year, after a very extensive evaluation process. A lot of things that we hoped to see from him, we saw in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, he got injured. And we tried to maximize as much as we could his ‘redshirt year,’ while still making sure we were getting Sam Darnold and our other quarterbacks ready to play. And I think J.J. was able to take some things out of that and be ready to go for the spring.
“Now, the second part that can be true is, Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we’ve all had so much respect for competing against him. And he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like, and we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to.”
“I do feel very strongly about where he’s at right now, and based upon the information we have from the evaluation process, the time we had with him, I feel very good about projecting a really positive year for J.J.,” he said. “And now we’ve gotta go to work and do it. Talking about it in March and April doesn’t do a whole lot.”
4. McCarthy ‘putting in work’ on field
“The volume of work that he’s put in, where he’s at from throw count and taking the reps off drops and things like that,” said O’Connell, who added he’s told J.J. not to plan on anything too intense right off the bat.
“I’ll probably take up half the time [on the first day of OTAs] with a team meeting, yapping a whole lot. Then there’ll be a lift, and there’ll be a run, and then there might be a couple minutes in the meeting room, and that’ll be the duration of day one,” O’Connell said. “So he’ll get a gradual, nice runway there. From Phase 2, where we get on the field and start getting some good time working fundamentals and technique, into Phase 3, where OTAs can actually start, believe it or not, post Memorial Day this year — it’s very late because we can’t start [the offseason program per NFL rules for teams with returning head coaches] until the third Monday in April.”
5. Will the Vikings add another QB?
“There’s other players that are going to be available, via signing them, or possibly a trade, that — we want to exhaust all those options, because we know people want to come to Minnesota to play quarterback, which is a real positive, but we want to make sure that the fit of the room is right,” he said. “Figuring out what will be the best combination, normally, [benefits] not only the guy playing, but your feelings of the guy that’s a snap away, or potentially two snaps away.”
O’Connell said he’d like to have “as many guys in there as possible,” as he did last season.
“I feel strongly about the year we had with Sam and the time we had with Daniel, knowing that the positivity for the Minnesota Vikings might not be felt as a reward for a year, but it’s still going to come at some point,” O’Connell said.
Kevin O’Connell sends a bold message to Minnesota Vikings fans about J.J. McCarthy
What McCarthy brings to the table is the most important element to this entire discussion. It’s why the Vikings believed he could be their top quarterback. Head coach Kevin O’Connell made an appearance on This Is Football with Kevin Clark and raved about what he does well.
“I think the biggest thing for me is, when we went through that process last year, and a lot of the things that you mentioned. I mean, his ability to throw the ball in windows over the middle of the field, to be accurate in the weighty downs. He was really effective on third downs. I think he had a pretty historical clip (on third and seven), plus his red zone passing. Like everybody can say that percentages of attempts well. He didn’t throw a lot of bubble screens. He didn’t throw a lot of RPOs. He didn’t do a lot of those things. He was in a pro style offense, where they were running the football, they were marrying the run in the pass on early downs. They needed high-quality execution on some of those weighty downs. And that’s really what we’d like to be with our offense.”
O’Connell broke it down perfectly. McCarthy is currently an idea due to his lack of reps across the board. What he does bring is a relatively small but effective sample size of him being an elite player in the biggest high-leverage situations on the field.
The other main reason that fans should be excited is from a redshirt year. There are things outside of throwing the football that he learned a lot about that will help him have a great leg up on other first-year starters.
“And then the other thing I would say is just he’s had, you know, that same player has had a year now of being around a guy like Sam Darnold called through his journey, a one-year journey with the success Sam had. He got to watch it. He got to see what meetings were like. What’s it like when I install third down plays and we talk about the reads and we talk about the detail of how we’re going to play against this opponent who plays like this this week. And I think he’s been around all that. Yeah, he’s not a rookie. He’s been able to have, you know, that pseudo redshirt year, albeit without the reps we have wanted, but, but I’m really confident, really excited to see him hit the ground running.
“I think the big thing to remember is JJ is still such a young guy. And so, from a standpoint of just being around it, you know, being, you know, you know, just totally submerged in a football world where there is no class, there is no, you know, there really are no distractions. Other than for him, we wanted him to focus on getting healthy. Super unfortunate to have that injury happen, and especially coming off of what was a really, really great start for his first preseason game. But really, what I what I would say is, for him, you know, he’s not hearing anything for the first time. He now can hear us call a play, or a concept, or a run play, or, Hey, we can do it for this reason. And he’s heard all of those things before.”
Vikings fans should be really excited about McCarthy, as he has the entire package that O’Connell seems to look for.
Mark Wilf Recaps 2025 Vikings Free Agency, Shares Intent to Sign Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to Extension
Wilf met Monday afternoon with Twin Cities beat reporters and responded to a number of questions, in addition to reflecting on the 2024 campaign and first part of the 2025 offseason. He acknowledged excitement around the 14-3 regular-season run by Minnesota last year and simultaneous disappointment in the Vikings early exit from the postseason.
“But we feel like the football leadership we have, we’re in good stead to really keep competing and driving hard to where we want to go, which is Super Bowl championships and winning divisions,” Wilf said. “And we know the tough task we have there. We’re in a very competitive division, and that was proven last year. But we feel really good about the moves we made, particularly on the [offensive and defensive] lines, and we have great hope for the future in terms of all parts of the team and our leadership.”
“Kwesi’s part of our football leadership,” he said. “We feel great the moves Kwesi’s made, in terms of positioning, along with Coach O’Connell and Rob, in terms of our salary cap position, our draft position and potential, and so we have all the faith in Kwesi, and we’ve had very, very positive conversations, and that’s something we’re going to continue to work toward this offseason, in terms of making sure he’s part of that.
“I think Coach O’Connell and Kwesi and Rob and our entire football leadership, our coordinators, our scouting department work very well together, and we as ownership feel strongly about it, as well,” Wilf later added. “I think this offseason has been a real positive; I hope our fans sense that, as well.”
Since the New League Year opened just over two weeks ago, the Vikings have been able to re-sign key players like Aaron Jones, Sr., and Byron Murphy, Jr., while also bringing in new players like Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries and more to bolster their roster. Throughout that process, players have cited multiple reasons for wanting to be in Minnesota — playing for a competitive team, of course, likely is near the top, but several have also referenced the NFLPA Report Card and the Vikings favorable grades in all areas of the organization.
“I think players ultimately want to be in a place where they can compete and win but also want to be in a place where they’re taken care of, that their families feel good about being there, and also that they can hone their craft,” Wilf said, noting a “concerted effort” on the Vikings culture. “As ownership, we provide resources to have what we think are the state-of-the-art facilities in the NFL and in the sports world, and that’s important.
“But buildings are only one part of it; it’s about people,” Wilf continued. “We have the right leaders in the room, and I think players around the league are recognizing that, and that’s important. And I think this free agency showed that it’s a competitive league, as we know, but as we believe, I think it’s starting to become a place where people say, ‘OK, this is a place we can compete, my family can be taken care of, and I can also hone my craft, and I’m going to be taken care of the right way.’ “
Wilf’s enthusiasm surrounding McCarthy dates back to even before last year’s draft, when some of the ownership accompanied the Vikings football leadership on QB visits and workouts.
“The fact that we even had to move up [in the draft] to make sure that we weren’t going to lose J.J. for any reason says a lot about the dynamic we had with him. Of course, a proven winner at every level,” Wilf said. “I know he was injured last year, but how he’s approached his rehab, how he’s approached everything, has given everyone a lot of confidence in the building.
“The amount of time and resources we put into really spending time with those QB prospects was, we knew that was a special draft for QBs, and we know how important that position is, and we know how important Kevin O’Connell [really is in] getting to know the players, getting to understand them, maybe outside their typical environment,” Wilf continued. “It gives us that kind of confidence when we talk about J.J. as a franchise [player].”
As reporters have recently asked Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell their interest level — if any — in bringing four-time All-Pro Aaron Rodgers to Minnesota, Wilf offered “tremendous respect” to the former foe but also reiterated belief in O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah, the whole coaching staff and McCarthy.
“Coach O’Connell has a relationship with [Rodgers], and I leave it to Coach O’Connell and Kwesi and Rob to work through all of that. But a lot of confidence in how J.J. McCarthy is developing,” he said. “So yeah, a lot of respect for Aaron Rodgers, but we feel where Coach O’Connell is and Kwesi, a lot of confidence in how they’re going to bring this team [forward]. And looking forward to seeing what J.J. can do, continuing to see him develop, and we as an ownership and a franchise are going to make sure all the resources are in place to maximize his potential.”
On how you evaluate draft success:
“You know, wins and losses is the ultimate measure. I think you have to look at the whole picture. It’s draft, it’s free agency. I think again, free agency has become a more important part of the team-building dynamic, but drafts seem to be a two- to three-year process before you really see where it falls out. The whole [compensatory] Pick – equation and making sure you have plenty of Pick – s is something I know we’re working constantly on. So, it’s not an immediate answer all the time. Sometimes it is. But again, the ultimate measure is championships, division titles, wins and losses, all of the common metrics all our fans appreciate, and so I feel really good about our future.”
On how the increased salary cap impacts ownership’s perspective:
“It has gone up again, and it has gone up dramatically. I think with Rob Brzezinski and how he has the kind of experience to work through the salary cap and the comp Pick – s and all the entire structure, [and] we feel free agency is also more and more, it’s not just a plug; it can be a real team-building tool. We were very methodical on the process these last few seasons.
“Ideally you want to have both draft and free agency work well, and having the free agency [period], you’ve got to hit on those guys. They’re veterans. And seeing those guys hit was really a big part of why we were able to be successful last year.”
On whether the Vikings will play an international game in 2025:
“I know it’s always a possibility. We do applaud and are eager to invest — as you know, we have our marketing rights in the UK and in Canada, but just as an overall League, growing the game, having two additional countries this year, in Ireland and Spain, and continuing to grow. So I don’t know where we’re going to fall on the schedule this year. We’ll see. It’ll come out in a few weeks.”
Vikings owner confirms ‘very, very positive’ contract talks with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Wilf said the Vikings have had “very, very optimistic conversations” with Adofo-Mensah, according to reporters who spoke to the owner in Florida. When asked specifically if reaching an extension with Adofo-Mensah is something he wants to get done, Wilf responded, “Yes it is.”
“I don’t think about that very much, I’ll be honest,” Adofo-Mesnah said last week when asked about his contract.
“This is probably the busiest time of the year for myself and my staff, and so I wake up every morning trying to make sure the Vikings get to the ultimate goal I want to get us to. Just like we say with player contracts, it’s a process. These things take time. I promise you I don’t wake up thinking about that for one second. I wake up thinking about how do we improve this team, how do we beat the other teams in our division, how do we get to the playoffs and how do we go further?”
Over their 21 years of ownership, the Wilf family has put in a ton of time and resources when it comes to making things better. They started by getting legislation passed for U.S. Bank Stadium and then built the palace at TCO Performance Center.
Their work in building up the facilities and infrastructure of the organization has not gone unnoticed, as the Vikings have finished first, second, and second over the three years they have had the survey. Wilf was asked about how much pride he has in that, and the answer speaks volumes.
“A lot of pride. I think, as an ownership, and I know our fans, hopefully, can appreciate this. We have the best stadium, the best facilities at training camp for our players, for our fans to enjoy the game, and that’s very important. But it’s not just the buildings. We have amazing people: Coach O’Connell, Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah), Rob Brzezinski, all the guys that kind of run the football operation, and Andrew Miller running our business side. I think we want to make sure our players know that they can come to a place where the buildings and facilities are A-1, that their families can be taken care of, and that they can hone their craft and maximize their potential. And so we have all those things, and we hope to continue to compete on that level.”
Asante Samuel Jr. to the Vikings in 5 weeks? The wildest NFL speculation yet
Imagine a Minnesota Vikings secondary with Asante Samuel Jr. working at cornerback.
The 2021 second-round Pick – is one of the best remaining free agents and the Vikings could still use some help in the cornerback room even though they’ve re-signed pro bowler Byron Murphy Jr., signed Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah, and are getting 2023 second-round Pick – Mekhi Blackmon back from a torn ACL.
You’re probably wondering, ‘Why are we even talking about the Vikings and Samuel Jr.?” Well, we’re doing this as a bit of an experiment to see how things play out over the next five weeks based on some of the most unbelievable speculation you’ll come across. It comes from Phil Mackey at SKOR North.
On Friday, Mackey told a story that he heard from an anonymous person who cited a story from his neighbor. Yes, you should be laughing by now. Anyway, let’s continue with Mackey telling the story from the eyes of an anonymous listener who said he received a text message from his daughter, who was on vacation in Fort Lauderdale this past week.
“She’s at SWAY Nightclub with some friends when she noticed a young man in a Vikings cap with an entourage around him,” Mackey explained. “She’s a big football fan and made her way toward him and asked if he played for the Vikings. He kind of smiled and said ‘it won’t be official for about five weeks, but yes.’ She then asked for his name and he introduced himself as Asante.”
Quick fact: Asante Samuel Jr. is originally from Fort Lauderdale and SWAY Nightclub is a real place.
Adding more merit to the possibility that this is real is that in five weeks the NFL draft will have passed, so it would theoretically make sense for the Vikings to wait to sign him until then because it won’t factor into the 2026 compensation Pick – formula.
SKOR North is known for their “reckless speculation” segments, and this one takes the cake. Who knows, maybe Mackey and company are pulling a fast one for engagement and entertainment, or maybe they really received an honest report from someone who wants to remain anonymous.
Former Titans QB Predicted to Sign With NFC Team
The 33rd Team writer and former NFL executive Jeff Diamond is predicting that Tannehill will sign with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason.
“Tannehill was Tennessee’s starter for four more seasons but battled injuries his last two years before sitting out last season. His record in Tennessee was 39-24, and his career passer rating is 91.2,” Diamond writes.
“Tannehill has talked with the Vikings about the possibility of signing with them. It sounds like he wants to play again, and he should look at the Vikings as a great potential destination for his career re-launch. I think it will happen as he sees an opportunity to play with a playoff team with an unproven quarterback coming off a major injury in McCarthy.”
“The Vikings have $24.2 million in cap room and probably want to sign Tannehill on a deal similar to Darnold’s last year, which was for one year and $10 million (plus the Vikings would offer lucrative incentives if Tannehill becomes the starter).”
It would take a lot from Tannehill to go from off the street to a starter after sitting out a year, but the fit with the Vikings makes sense.
Vikings GM hints at trading draft picks, vows ‘best available’ approach
“Obviously, the capital is something people talk about, but every draft Pick – has a commensurate value that you can kind of break up into lots of Pick – s,” Adofo-Mensah told Vikings Entertainment Network’s Tatum Everett in an interview at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Palm Beach, FL this week. “If we wanted to Pick – 15 times, we could. There’s a way to do that.”
“We’re just going to be smart, selective, try and find the best players that impact our team,” Adofo-Mensah said. “But also knowing, how do you best move around the board to get the best total collection of players? That’s how we’ll approach it. I think we’ll be a ‘best available’ kind of approach and mindset. I’m excited about that. I challenged our group, we have grand ambition, and maybe it’ll be the coolest story ever that you went into the draft with four Pick – s and you did something great with it.”
NFL Draft analysts send a clear message to Vikings on what Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needs to do in April
That Drafttek “analyst” cant get no love!
https://www.drafttek.com/2025-NFL-Draft-Team-Pages/Vikings-Draft-Page.asp
Vikings ‘30 visit’ tracker: Which NFL draft prospects are Minnesota hosting?
Yore Mock
Trade Partner: Rams
Sent: 24
Received: 26, 101
…
Trade Partner: Raiders
Sent: 26, 97
Received: 37, 68, 108
…
Trade Partner: Chargers
Sent: 68, 2026 Round 3
Received: 55, 158
…
Trade Partner: 49ers
Sent: 139
Received: 147, 227
…
Round 2, Pick: 37 Trey Amos CB Ole Miss 6’0.6” 195
Round 2, Pick: 55 Donovan Jackson C/G Ohio State 6’3.5” 315
Round 3, Pick: 101 Shemar Turner DT Texas A&M 6’3.1” 290
Round 4, Pick: 108 Demetrius Knight Jr. LB South Carolina 6’1.5” 235
Round 5, Pick: 147 Billy Bowman Jr. S Oklahoma 5’9.7” 192
Round 5, Pick: 158 Bhayshul Tuten RB Virginia Tech 5’9.2” 206
Round 6, Pick: 187 Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins EDGE Georgia 6’4.6” 276
Round 7, Pick: 227 Thomas Fidone II TE Nebraska 6’5” 243
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