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Minnesota Vikings News and Links: Do the Vikings Have Any Overrated Players?
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I think the Vikings may have had TJ Hockenson and any of the new linemen signed (Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave). It is hard to say right now because we have not seen the new additions play yet and TJ was coming off an injury last year.
What do you think?
Minnesota Vikings beat writer Tyler Forness: Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
The reality is this. Hutchinson isn’t a bad player. He’s a very good one! We just need to talk about Hutchinson on the level he is actually at, and not that he’s close to players like Garrett, Maxx Crosby, and Micah Parsons. Right now, Hutch is a fringe top 10 pass rusher, and there is nothing wrong with that! He’s closer to 15 than he is to the top three, and that’s where the discussion needs to be.
Green Bay Packers beat writer Wendell Ferreira: Bears TE Cole Kmet
Chicago Bears beat writer Kole Noble: Packers OG Aaron Banks.
Detroit Lions beat writer Mike Payton: Packers QB Jordan Love
Your AI question of the day …
what will jj mccarthy stats look like in 2025
Here’s what projections suggest for J.J. McCarthy’s stats in the 2025 season:
Completion Percentage: ESPN’s Mike Clay projects McCarthy to complete 347 out of 537 passes, which translates to a completion rate of roughly 64.6%.
Passing Yards: Clay anticipates McCarthy to throw for 3,705 passing yards.
Touchdowns: The projection suggests 26 touchdown passes.
Interceptions: Clay predicts 14 interceptions for McCarthy in 2025.
Rushing: McCarthy is also projected to carry the ball 48 times for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Context and Comparison:
These projections suggest a “mostly good season” for McCarthy in his first season as a starter, especially given the offensive support he has in Minnesota.
Compared to Jayden Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, McCarthy’s projected numbers are similar in yards and touchdowns but slightly higher in interceptions. This indicates that McCarthy might experience a few more “rookie mistakes”.
Some analysts believe McCarthy is set up for success in 2025, with an elite offensive line, playmakers like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, and a good offensive scheme.
While some project a solid year, others see the potential for even higher yardage, with some suggesting he could reach close to 4,000 yards.
McCarthy faces high expectations, and his performance will significantly impact the Vikings’ season.
Important Notes:
These are projections based on analysis and predictions. They are not guaranteed outcomes.
McCarthy missed his rookie season in 2024 due to a knee injury, so his first NFL start will be in 2025, which adds some uncertainty.
Despite missing his rookie season, McCarthy’s potential is widely recognized due to his successful college career at Michigan.
Ultimately, the Vikings’ season and McCarthy’s performance in 2025 will depend on how he adapts to the NFL, his health, and how well the team executes their game plan.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Did Aaron Rodgers nearly join Vikings over Steelers this offseason?
It’s now no secret that individuals within the Minnesota Vikings, such as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell, discussed the possibility of signing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to have Rodgers start over 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy for a season.
During a Wednesday appearance on Columbus sports radio station 97.1 The Fan, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter addressed whether Rodgers was nearly Minnesota’s QB1 heading into training camp.
“Never got that close,” Schefter said, per Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. “There is a lot of belief in that building [in McCarthy]. There were conversations with Rodgers. They never got overly serious. I think the interest was more on Aaron’s side.”
“He recognized the type of team the Vikings have, the type of coaches they have, the type of players, receivers they have, and I think that would’ve been appealing to him,” Schefter added about Rodgers. “But the Vikings, they want somebody to complement J.J., to push J.J., and I think if you bring in Aaron, with all due respect, somebody like that is probably threatening to J.J., and that’s not what you’re trying to do.”
The one thing Aaron Rodgers just proved the Vikings totally wrong about
Believe it or not, the Minnesota Vikings may come to regret not signing Aaron Rodgers down the line. I cannot believe I just typed that sentence – perhaps a sign I should turn back while I still can – but stick with me here. If there’s one thing Rodgers has proven during his brief Pittsburgh stint so far, it’s that he is open to mentoring a young quarterback (in this case rookie Will Howard). Assuming he actually does intend to retire at the end of this season, wouldn’t it be more beneficial if he were helping a first-round pick like JJ McCarthy, rather than Howard who is likely a career backup at best?
After 20 years as Vikings owners, Wilfs’ last goal remains a SB
The Wilf family closed its deal to buy the Minnesota Vikings 20 years ago this summer. On their first full day of ownership — June 13, 2005 — brothers Zygi and Mark Wilf, along with their cousin Leonard, entered the team’s dilapidated practice facility.
A replica Viking ship sat in the parking lot, its wood rotting and its sails faded. The building’s air-conditioning unit was so inadequate that a portable supplemental system sat in the loading dock, pumping cool air through a hose and into the locker room via a hole that had been cut through a door. After spending $600 million to buy the team and the facility, the Wilfs made their first big decision: They would rebuild the Viking ship and replace the building’s central HVAC unit.
“We wanted to make a statement,” Mark Wilf said recently, “that we would be about making things top-of-line and first-class. It was sort of a step toward that to say, ‘OK, we’re here. We’re willing to invest.’”
The project cost about $100,000, the financial equivalent of installing new carpet after buying a house. The intent, however, would come to define the Vikings’ ownership group over the next 20 years. During that time, the Wilfs and their minority investors — the Mandelbaum and Landis families — have worked with local officials to build two of the NFL’s most revered facilities: U.S. Bank Stadium for home games and the TCO Performance Center for practice and offices.
The buildings symbolize a steady transformation from a mom-and-pop operation into an NFL model.
And after signing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell to contract extensions this spring, and authorizing a league-high cash payroll of nearly $350 million to build a roster this season around 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the Wilfs will enter their third decade of ownership in perhaps their best-ever position for a championship run.
“We try to be long term, not to be too knee-jerk, and to stick with it sometimes,” Mark Wilf said. “And I think hopefully over the long term, the [regular-season] record, that’s certainly one measurement of success. Obviously trophies are the ultimate measure of success.
“I think for the years ahead, we’re in a good stead. We certainly know how badly our fans want to win. We have the same drive and fire and competitive spirit to win. It’s a process, and we just keep at it.”
What reason did Minnesotans have to feel any different about the Wilfs, who planned to continue to live and work in New Jersey?
“When they first had the opportunity to be the primary owners, maybe there was some apprehension,” said executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, with the Vikings since 1999. “So it was cool to see them immediately understand how important this organization is to the state of Minnesota, the upper Midwest, the Twin Cities.
“There was never, to me, any political posturing or anything. They knew this was a very, very important community asset and they were committed to finding a solution here.”
…
THE WILFS USE a horizontal leadership model in their family business. Zygi, Mark and Leonard each wield power and work through decisions together. They initially established a similar structure with the Vikings, declining to hire a general manager or team president and expecting the operation to be run jointly by the head coach, personnel director, salary cap administrator and the heads of the various business departments.
Ultimately, however, they realized that NFL teams were better off with hierarchical management — especially when the owners live out of state and work largely off site. Mark Wilf described the Wilfs’ management approach as “nose in, hands out.” In other words, they make sure they know what’s happening but don’t issue many directives about how to do it.
The Wilfs created a general manager position for Rick Spielman in 2012 and a chief operating officer on the business side in 2015, first for Kevin Warren and later Andrew Miller. Spielman spent 10 seasons as the general manager and a total of 17 atop the team’s personnel department. Warren departed in 2019, when he was offered a job as Big Ten commissioner, and is now president and CEO of the Chicago Bears.
Meanwhile, Brzezinski, the EVP of football operations, is entering his 27th season with the team.
“I think everybody just appreciates the stability they’ve provided,” he said. “It’s just a great place to work … and it’s had an influence on me over the years as I’ve grown in my career. There are opportunities that may present themselves here or there, but I want to be a part of what they represent. Garden Homes is a family business, and it sounds like a cliché, but they don’t just preach it. They live it.”
…
Defensive lineman Harrison Phillips, meanwhile, was shocked this spring when Mark Wilf approached him and asked how “Marty” was doing.
“Marty’s my dog,” Phillips said, “that Mark has never met. I did a video about him once, three years ago, for the Vikings website. I just thought that was awesome. I went home and told my wife that.
“I was like, ‘Hey, Marty’s got some rich friends.’ But how many owners know the names of their players’ dogs? It makes you think, ‘This guy cares about me. I’m not just No. 97. He cares about who Harrison Phillips is.’”
Update on Colts’ QB1 race could be good news for Vikings’ comp picks
Daniel Jones, who finished the 2024 season with Minnesota after being released by the Giants, signed with the Colts in free agency this spring and is competing against former top pick Anthony Richardson for the QB1 job in Indianapolis. Why does that battle matter for the Vikings? Well, if Jones plays a certain amount of snaps in 2025, he would likely deliver a fourth-round compensatory selection to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company. But if Jones finishes below that snap threshold, the comp pick might fall to the fifth round or lower, depending on how the formula shakes out.
The early returns are promising. Jones reportedly had a solid offseason program for the Colts, while Richardson watched from the sidelines after aggravating the surgically-repaired AC joint in his throwing shoulder. Thus, Jones “has already taken a significant lead in what was supposed to be a wide-open quarterback competition,” according to The Athletic’s James Boyd. There’s no set timetable yet for the return of Richardson, the former No. 4 overall pick who has struggled with injuries and inaccuracy as a passer over the last two seasons.
Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback uncertainty
It’s rare you find a team so equipped for a deep playoff run yet without so much as a morsel of certainty under center. J.J. McCarthy may have the full support of a winning staff led by Kevin O’Connell, whose chief strength besides perpetual “Minnesota Nice” optimism is maximizing his quarterbacks, but he’s still a 22-year-old with zero real NFL snaps under his belt. Facing not only a difficult schedule but inflated expectations from fans who watched Sam Darnold win 14 games a year ago, he’s at least got the weapons and staff to aid his debut.
Minnesota Vikings’ defensive line is criminally underrated and the why is baffling
The biggest thing the Minnesota Vikings did this offseason was improve the defensive line. They spent over $80 million on Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to fix an interior pass rush that was massively lacking.
Despite all that work, the overall unit, including edge rushers, doesn’t rank highly on Pro Football Focus’ list of the best defensive lines, as Zoltan Buday ranked the Vikings 16th.
If edge defender Dallas Turner can develop further in his second season, the Vikings could own a top edge defender group. Turner, Minnesota’s first-round pick last year, ranked 63rd with a 64.1 PFF overall grade in 2024. It might not be easy for him to get on the field, though, as Jonathan Greenard (81.1 PFF overall grade) and Andrew Van Ginkel (71.4 PFF overall grade) were among the 33 highest-graded edge defenders last season.
On the interior, the Vikings will look for veteran additions Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen to find their old form.
Salary cap space is something that’s really interesting when it comes to the Vikings and Ramsey. The Dolphins would save almost $10 million inj cap space but would end up eating around $15 million in 2026. However, with their salary cap situation, that might be a better option.
If the Dolphins trade Ramsey before August 31st, they will avoid paying out any of the option bonus that is due to him. In fact, a good portion of his contract is in option bonuses.
The key to seeing what his cap hits would look like with the Vikings is understanding the option bonuses. They act like a signing bonus that can be paid out at any point in the lifecycle of the contract. There are three roster bonuses due in the next three years, all of which fall on August 31st:
Justin Jefferson
Prisco rank: 5 | Cap hit: $15.2M
Jefferson accounts for the largest 2025 cap hit on our All-Bargain Team’s payroll, but the truth is he’s a steal at any price. Five years in, he’s already well clear of 7,000 receiving yards for his career. And he just makes it all look so easy; there isn’t another wideout who makes splash plays more routine. The Vikings compensate him well, but the rest of the NFL would love to have him as a quarterback’s best friend.
NFL Draft Stuff
10 defensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft
DI Peter Woods, Clemson
Between Parker and Woods, the Tigers project to have the top edge defender and defensive tackle in next year’s draft. Woods spent the majority of his sophomore year playing out of position at edge defender and still earned an 83.3 PFF overall grade on the season. Over his first two years of college football, he is both the highest-graded and most valuable returning Power Four defensive tackle, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric.
Woods leads that same group with an 89.7 PFF run-defense grade and a 14.9% pass-rush win rate since 2023. His power and agility at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds make him a nightmare for any offensive lineman.
DI Caleb Banks, Florida
At 6-foot-5 with long arms, Banks has been an excellent pass rusher during his two years with the Gators. The former Louisville Cardinal has tallied 53 pressures since 2023, the most of any returning Power Four interior defender. His 12.7% pressure rate in that span ranks second among all returning defensive tackles in college football.
There’s still work to be done in terms of holding his own in the run game, as Banks has never earned a 70.0 PFF run-defense grade in his career. However, he has a high ceiling and could be a favorite among scouts when the 2026 NFL Draft rolls around.
EDGE LT Overton, Alabama
Overton was a top-15 overall recruit in the 2022 class but failed to live up to the hype during his first two seasons at Texas A&M, posting a 61.5 PFF overall grade in that span.
A transfer to Alabama did wonders for his development, as he ended the year as one of the 15 most valuable edge defenders in college football, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. Overton’s 18% pass-rush win rate was a top-30 mark in the nation, and his 81.7 PFF run-defense grade ranked 25th. He blurs the line between an edge rusher and defensive tackle at 283 pounds and can find success anywhere along the line.
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