Which player are you most looking forward to watching besides JJ?
I think I am looking forward to seeing Donovan Jackson the most followed by Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon. A dark horse player I am curious to see is defensive end/tackle Alex Williams 6’7” 291.
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The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 training camp will begin with rookies and quarterbacks reporting on July 20th, followed by the rest of the team on July 22nd. The first open practice to the public will be on Saturday, July 26th. Practices will be held at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota.
Key Dates:
July 20: Rookies and quarterbacks report.
July 22: Veteran players report.
July 26: First public practice, part of “Back Together Weekend”.
July 28 – August 6: Multiple open practices scheduled.
August 9: First Preseason Game vs Texans
August 11 & 13: Additional open practices, with August 13th being a joint practice with the Patriots.
The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 training camp Schedule
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
What are Vikings’ expectations for Dallas Turner in Year 2?
If you were looking for indications that the Minnesota Vikings will give linebacker Dallas Turner a bigger role in 2025, OTAs and minicamp were not the place to find them.
Turner has the kind of draft resume that makes it reasonable to project a big jump from his rookie season, but he still faces the same essential obstacle to getting on the field. The Vikings have a pair of 2024 Pro Bowl players at his position — Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel — who are under contract through 2027 and 2026, respectively.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores said he views Greenard, Van Ginkel and Turner as “three starters,” but it remains to be seen who will come off the field to make that true for Turner. Spring practices suggested a few possible scenarios, but Turner withheld any judgment.
“I wouldn’t really put any expectations on year two,” Turner said. “I’ll just let the work speak for itself. I have the tools and the knowledge as an NFL player to put it on display. The priority is just being the best Viking I can possibly be, and fitting our defense whatever way they need to fit it. Just being a productive member of the building.”
He wound up playing only 315 defensive snaps, while Greenard and Van Ginkel combined for 1,906 snaps. To put Turner’s playing time in perspective, consider that of the 118 defensive players drafted in the top 20 since 2012, 106 played more snaps than he did, according to the Pro Football Reference database. Turner had just turned 21 when the Vikings drafted him, and he has been open about the steep adjustment he faced at the pro level and his initial surprise that, as a rookie backup, he was expected to play special teams.
This spring, however, Flores talked like a coach who is looking for ways to get Turner more involved.
“We talked a lot about him last year and his growth throughout the season,” Flores said, “and he’s just kind of built on that. Nobody talks about that rookie season when you’re in college and you’re training, and it’s the combine, and then the draft, and then it’s new everything. New house, new ride to work, new everything
“So he’s much more comfortable in this environment. He knows what the expectations are. He’s got a high standard for himself, and that’s a great place to start, but he also knows he’s got to work a significant amount to get to that standard, as all of our guys do. He’s come in and really gotten into a routine that I think is going to allow him to put his best foot forward, put himself in position to have the type of season he wants to have and we want him to have.”
“Dallas is coming into his own in terms of how he is going to contribute,” Flores said, “and it could be in a variety of ways: as a rusher, as a dropper, on the ball, off the ball, in different packages. We’re excited his versatility, but also his growth.”
2025 All-NFC North Preseason Team: Vikings duo even more dangerous?
2. Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota Vikings
Greenard signed a four-year, $76 million contract with Minnesota last offseason and his job duty was simple: replace Danielle Hunter’s production off the edge. He did just that, playing in all 17 games and racking up 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, three passes defensed — and he finished third in the NFL with 80 QB pressures.
His numbers could get even better in 2025-26 if Minnesota’s interior defensive line makes it harder for teams to double and triple team Greenard. The additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to the middle of the D-line should free up Greenard to create even more chaos in the backfield. — Joe Nelson, Vikings On SI
3. Andrew Van Ginkel, Minnesota Vikings
Van Ginkel thrived in his first season with the Vikings, terrorizing quarterbacks with 11.5 sacks and 50 pressures. He also provided elite coverage skills off the edge, earning an 81.0 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus highlighted by a pair of interception returns for touchdowns. His coverage grade was second among all qualified edge rushers last season, trailing only Nik Bonitto (92.6) of the Denver Broncos. The difference was Bonitto earned his grade in 68 coverage snaps, compared to 212 snaps as a linebacker in coverage for Van Ginkel.
Like Greenard, Van Ginkel could be even more dangerous this coming season thanks to Minnesota’s offseason spent beefing up the middle of the defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Throw in expected growth from 2024 first-round pick, edge rusher Dallas Turner, and the Vikings have the makings of one of the most dominant pass-rush units in the NFL. — Joe Nelson, Vikings On SI
Matthew Coller: Max Brosmer’s mind and mentality are fit for the NFL
Brosmer went undrafted but there were multiple teams interested in bringing him aboard as an undrafted free agent. People who know Brosmer knew the best fit without thinking twice: O’Connell’s Vikings.
“I’ve known KOC for quite some time and those two, they nerd out about football in the same way,” Quincy Avery said over the phone.
“He operates at a different level and people trust him,” Avery said. “He could basically install that offense that they were running. Max has the highest level of football knowledge, that’s why he’s been successful. Of course he can throw but his ability to do all the little things on the mental side has really separated him.”
Vikings legend Cris Carter responds to Asante Samuel’s ‘overrated’ claim
It started when Carter criticized Chad Johnson over Johnson telling Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter he would beat him on ten consecutive routes right now, at 47 years old. Carter went off on Johnson a bit on his podcast, essentially saying he wasn’t as good as he thinks he was. That led to a podcast response from Samuel, who called Carter “one of the most overrated” wide receivers in the Hall of Fame. (The whole backstory is covered well in this video).
Well, now Carter has responded to Samuel, who also called him a “possession receiver” to try to diminish his greatness and said “as a cornerback, what do I have to worry about, covering a guy like Cris Carter?”
“No. 1, you gotta point out the things that are correct,” Carter said on his podcast, Fully Loaded. “Yes, I was a possession receiver, absolutely. But, the best possession receiver in the history of the game. That’s what the numbers say. I don’t take it as derogatory when people say ‘Oh, you’re a possession receiver.’ That’s fine. But alright, who did it better?
“And there’s so many fast guys that can’t score the football. So to me, he’s talking about ‘What are you worried about?’ Well you’re worried about me scoring. High school, I scored a lot of touchdowns. College, scored a lot of touchdowns, they’re just now breaking my touchdown records from college. And after 23 years away from the NFL, I’m still fourth in touchdowns. The difference between me and other possession receivers is they didn’t score a lot of touchdowns.”
Then Carter brought up Johnson again to illustrate his point.
“Chad Johnson scored double-digit touchdowns one time,” he said. “I think I (did that) six times. Scoring the football is the No. 1 play as a receiver. No, I was not a burner. I ran 4.6, 4.65. But can do it every single day, can do it for four quarters, and consistent at it.”
“I don’t know if it’s a South Florida thing, he’s trying to defend Chad,” Carter said of Samuel. “Let Chad fight his own battles, man. … I didn’t say Chad was overrated, I said Chad wasn’t a Hall of Famer.”
“What if Asante Samuel was covering you?” asked Carter’s co-host.
“I don’t get into that,” Carter replied. “What difference does it make?”
What’s the Bare Minimum the Vikings Need From McCarthy To Contend?
Vikings UDFA profile: Georgia OLB Chaz Chambliss does it all
The case for Chambliss is that he’s a tough, relentless, fundamentally sound football player no matter where he lines up. He played a career-high 436 snaps last season as a senior at Georgia and wound up tied for the team lead in sacks with Jalon Walker, a former five-star recruit who went 15th overall to the Falcons in this year’s draft. Chambliss plays with physicality and a nonstop motor, and he’s a very reliable tackler. He can do a bit of everything: rush the passer, defend the run, even drop into coverage. That’s what is required of outside linebackers in Brian Flores’ defense.
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