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Vikings Links: Are the Vikings Set At Cornerback?

Should the Vikings feel comfortable with the cornerback group? The top four are Byron Murphy, Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah, and Mekhi Blackmon (no particular order). After these four there are a lot of dudes with potential. I could see the argument for adding another cornerback in free agency but that would mean less snaps for Blackmon and Okudah most likely. I think it would be OK. The question is who?

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The next organized team activites.

The schedule is …

Mandatory Minicamp: June 10-12

OTAs: June 16-18

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Kevin O’Connell drops intriguing comments about J.J. McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers

McCarthy is now the unquestioned QB1 in Minnesota after Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. O’Connell, during an in-studio appearance on KFAN-FM 100.3 on Friday, explained that McCarthy looks great this spring.

“He’s having a great spring,” O’Connell said. “We’re pretty darn close to having a good feel for where he’s at. He’s had a great offseason. He’s healthy, strong, throwing the ball great, fundamentals — everything you hope for in the spring.”

O’Connell also reiterated what he’s said before about his offseason talks with Rodgers.

“When there was an opportunity — when him and I connected this offseason just to kind of talk about what that would look like — we had a lot of great dialogue about it, but it always was centered around what was best not only for the present in the Minnesota Vikings organization, but the future. I was very honest about my feelings toward’s J.J., my obligation that I felt like we were going to give him the best possible situation to begin and thrive on this NFL journey and let’s see where it goes. We stayed in touch and had some communication,” O’Connell said.

“Out of respect for our friendship and everything, that’s about as much as really kind of happened. I still talk to him and the next time I talk to him it’s going to be the same old, same old. He’s different than people probably think, but I think that’s all part of it in this day and age.”

Why Kwesi is sleeping just fine with the Vikings in J.J. McCarthy’s hands

The Vikings are aware that they’re taking a major leap of faith this year. In letting Sam Darnold leave in free agency and not adding another starting-level quarterback, they’re putting the weight of an organization that wants to take the next step towards contention on the shoulders of a 22-year-old quarterback who hasn’t yet played in an NFL regular season game.

But J.J. McCarthy is no ordinary 22-year-old QB in their eyes. They’ve been around him enough, from the pre-draft process through the start of this summer, to have all kinds of confidence that he will rise to meet this moment. It’s why they selected him tenth overall in last year’s draft. It’s why they felt comfortable letting Darnold leave after he helped lead them to 14 wins last season.

“It’s a lot of projection,” Adofo-Mensah said. “But it’s projection with other things that might be a little bit more known. We think about the team around him, right? So how do we support J.J.? We provide a really good offensive line in front of him to protect the passer, also be able to run the football and set our whole offense up in down and distances that make it easier on him and make it easier on any quarterback. With J.J., the bet has always been the talent and the football makeup. Football makeup, to me, is the gap. Anything that you think he can do and hasn’t shown, to me, the football character is what gives you belief to take that jump. That’s the jump that we’re willing to take in this organization.”

Unfortunately, McCarthy’s rookie year came to an abrupt end when it was learned that he suffered a torn meniscus in that preseason game. But he showed the Vikings enough to make head coach Kevin O’Connell declare publicly, after the injury happened, that the team had found its franchise quarterback.

“We had constant dialogue and conversations about what we wanted for J.J. that year, and he started exceeding them pretty quickly,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We were pretty clear, I think, publicly that we didn’t want him to play. Not because of how he would’ve played, but we just thought for the better success of his career, it’s better to sit and watch. He was pushing a little bit, in terms of maybe even becoming the backup or different things like that, but just the day-over-day growth that he would show, he’s so coachable. You give him a coaching point, he’s going to go home and make sure that that coaching point is received. And then you saw the arm talent and different things like that, the ability to move in the pocket.”

The Vikings feel confident in who McCarthy is as a player and person. They also feel confident that there’s no one better to maximize what he can be as a quarterback than O’Connell, who Adofo-Mensah joked is a “QB Nobel laureate.”

“I think we have maybe the best QB incubator in the NFL,” he said. “And so, when you put a person in there with all that ability and all that mindset, I just feel so confident about what’s going to come out the other end. … Ultimately, in this job, you have to make bets. You have to be willing to believe something before other people see it. That’s a lot of what gives me confidence. It’s the belief I have in this building, it’s the belief I have in this player.”

Adofo-Mensah admits there may not be “a great (historical) comp for this.” This is a team with a loaded roster and Super Bowl aspirations that is relying on a young quarterback, coming off an injury, who has yet to make his NFL debut. There’s risk involved with that. But there’s also a lot of reason to have confidence.

“He’s going to go home, just like Kevin, just like myself, just like leaders in this organization, and give every single thing he can to the accomplishment of our goals,” Adofo-Mensah said. “And I can sleep at night with that. I talk about minimizing regret all the time. I am never going to regret going into battle with people like that.”

Where does Vikings’ upgraded roster rank among all 32 NFL teams?

Where does the Vikings’ roster rank among the NFL’s 32 teams? Pro Football Focus has them at 8th, which is a decent ranking for a team whose QB hasn’t yet made his regular season debut. And yet, it feels like that may still be underselling the amount of talent in Minnesota. ESPN’s Mike Clay ranked the Vikings’ roster 6th in the league. NFL.com’s Eric Edholm also placed the Vikings 6th on his list of the 10 most complete teams in the league, noting that they have “a Formula 1 roster but a learner’s permit driver.”

Go big or go home: Why the Vikings should trade for Jalen Ramsey

If J.J. McCarthy is the guy the Vikings believe him to be, a three-year Super Bowl window is about to open up in Minnesota. They’ve spent this entire offseason constructing an incredible roster around their young, rookie-contract quarterback. Why stop now? There’s a star player out there who would address their biggest remaining (non-QB) question mark, the cornerback position.

His name is Jalen Ramsey, and the Vikings should seriously consider trading for him.

This is an opportunity for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to go out and add a great player to a position that is one injury away from being a glaring weakness, if it isn’t already. The Vikings’ top two cornerbacks heading into this season are Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr. and newcomer Isaiah Rodgers, who they’re high on. After those two, the depth is suspect. Mekhi Blackmon is coming off of missing all of last year with a torn ACL. Jeff Okudah is a reclamation project on his fourth team in as many years. Dwight McGlothern is a former undrafted free agent. The floor is low, and things could get dicey quickly with an injury to Murphy, Rodgers, or Blackmon.

An NFL defense, like an offensive line, can be a weak-link unit. If the Vikings’ cornerbacks struggle and allow receivers to get open early, their elite-looking defensive front won’t have time to get home. Opposing quarterbacks could look to pick apart Brian Flores’ defense with a quick passing game.

That’s where Ramsey comes in. Yes, he turns 31 in October. But the seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro is still a very, very good football player. He started all 17 games for the Dolphins last season and earned a 76.9 PFF grade, which ranked eighth among the 92 corners who played at least 500 snaps. Ramsey, who has 24 career interceptions, can play press man coverage or make instinctive plays in zone. He’s a strong run defender and tackler who recorded a career-high 12 pressures last season as a blitzer. He can do all of the things Flores wants his cornerbacks to do. Long-term, there’s been speculation about Ramsey potentially going the Charles Woodson route and moving to safety to extend his career.

It likely wouldn’t cost too much in terms of draft capital, maybe a Day 3 pick. The main issue is the contract. Prior to last season, Ramsey signed a three-year, $72.3 million deal that kicks in this year. But it’s also not as bad as it may seem. Less than $25M is guaranteed. Any team acquiring Ramsey could potentially get the Dolphins to eat some of his 2025 money, and they’d then be able to get out of the deal after a year or two without too much dead cap. If the Vikings were to acquire Ramsey, he wouldn’t come cheap, but I’d trust Adofo-Mensah and Rob Brzezinski to manage the salary-cap element of it all. They have the cap space to do it.

To be clear, there have been no real indications that this is something the Vikings are considering. Reports suggest the $24 million in guaranteed money might be a real obstacle for Minnesota, so this may be a long shot. The Rams, who won a Super Bowl with Ramsey on the roster in 2021-22, appear to be the favorites.

Kirk Cousins Trade Destinations: 3 Best Landing Spots for the $180,000,000 Falcons QB

If a team were to trade for Cousins, it would take on his $27.5 million salary for 2025. That team would then have the option to cut Cousins in 2026, incurring $10 million in dead money (2026 guaranteed salary), but saving significant money against the cap.

That $10 million could also be spread over two years with a post-June 1 designation, softening the blow.

Minnesota Vikings

In truth, given Cousins’ age (he’ll be 37 at the start of the season), it’s difficult to look beyond the Steelers and the Saints, two teams that need an immediate starter, as likely destinations for Cousins. But the recurring mentions of the Minnesota Vikings regarding the aforementioned Rodgers make them an unlikely Wild Card for their former player’s signature.

Cousins’ hefty salary limits his potential landing spots to teams in immediate need of a starting quarterback—reportedly not including the Vikings. Minnesota is said to be confident in 2024 rookie J.J. McCarthy, despite the fact that he missed his entire first season with a patellar injury.

While the plan appears to be turning the offense over to McCarthy, it’s not out of the question that he may need more time to adjust. Some believe the former Michigan star is ready to shine from day one, while others are more skeptical. Regardless of his talent, there’s reason for caution when a young quarterback is coming off a serious injury.

As for Cousins, his situation remains a curious one. Just a year removed from a $180 million contract, he may find himself without a clear path to a starting job. If no team sees enough value to trade for him, he could remain on the Falcons’ bench indefinitely.

For all you Goobers!

Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy reportedly smashed a Tom Brady record before taking a real NFL snap

According to multiple reports, McCarthy recently broke Tom Brady’s NFL record for most touchdown passes thrown during a single year’s OTAs. He has reportedly thrown 42 touchdown passes compared to one interception in his first true football action since last summer’s meniscus injury.

Brady is said to have held the previous OTAs touchdown record at 36, but the GOAT would probably scoff at the idea of tracking individual statistics during voluntary offseason workout sessions. The legitimacy of these reports are also highly questionable, as only a small percentage of OTA sessions are open to the local media. So take “reports” like these with a grain of salt.

Yore Mock

Trade Recap

Minnesota Receives: 2026: Round 1, Pick 21, 2026: Round 4, Pick 121

Denver Receives: 2026: Round 1, Pick 18

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Minnesota Receives: 2026: Round 3, Pick 88, 2026: Round 4, Pick 137

San Francisco Receives: 2026: Round 3, Pick 82

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21. Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee 6’0” 193

50. Nick Singleton RB Penn State 6’0” 226

88. Kamari Ramsey S USC 6’0” 202

97. Domonique Orange DL Iowa State 6’4” 325

118. Fa’alili Fa’amoe OT Wake Forest 6’5” 317

121. Malachi Fields WR Virginia 6’4” 220

137. Derrick Moore EDGE Michigan 6’3” 256

174. Bryce Foster OC Kansas 6’5” 325

232. Wade Woodaz LB Clemson 6’3” 235

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