Will there be anymore signings?
The fifth day of free agency saw the team sign linebacker Eric Wilson and bring in wide receiver Rondale Moore for a visit. Other than that all that was left to talk about is you know who. The bane of the Vikings fans existence eh?
My reading of the tea leaves suggests that the team has to have some kind of plan or idea of what they want to do to add another QB to the room.
Brett Rypien’s career stat line is …
He has completed 98 out of 168 passes (58.3%) for 950 yards with 4 TDs and 9 INTs over 4 starts.
That can’t be plan A if JJ gets dinged up.
If it is, then we are in more trouble than a little bit.
The team went out and signed players for the interior lines that are older save for Will Fries.
That seems like a win now mentality to me.
I do not know what their plan is but it is not looking comfortable right now.
https://overthecap.com/calculator/minnesota-vikings
The Vikings currently have 32.8M in cap space according to over the cap.
They have negative 9M in cap space for 2026 though.
To get cap space in 2026, the team will likely restructure Hockenson, Greenard, and JJ. They will more than likely do something with O’Neill’s salary because I doubt they leave his cap hit at 23.2M in the last year of his deal. They have structured Ryan Kelly’s deal whereby if they cut him next year they would save 12M. If they cut Hargrave next year they would save 11M. They do have some “levers” that they will pull to create cap space but also to simply try to make the team better. We are all hoping these older veterans have another strong year but it is not guaranteed.
I am not seeing much cap space to try and bring in Rodgers or Wilson who they are not even talking to.
Will Rodgers want a contract that reflects “what the dollar amount represents”?
I still think the team would like to bring back Cousins since any amount he gets will be offset by what the Vikings pay him which would be the minimum like Wilson got last year from the Steelers. Cousins knows the system too. I do not know if they would give the job to Cousins outright though. He could balk at having to “compete” for the starting job. I have no clue if this is true but just a guess.
Until they do something we will continue to speculate.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
“[Sam] Darnold and Daniel Jones were both [in the Vikings’ organization], so I get keeping one of them, even Darnold starting for another year. Because you know him,” one high-ranking NFL executive said of the Vikings’ consideration of Rodgers as a signing option. “And Daniel [Jones], he’s smart and you’ve seen him for a few months. … Rodgers hasn’t been around. A rough couple years [with the New York] Jets. Old and beat up. Didn’t end great with the [Green Bay] Packers.”
“Even with J.J. missing [the 2024 season with injury] it’s a long talk,” the source continued. “Like, this isn’t Rodgers from 4, 5, 6 years ago. And there’s so much bull**** off the field. I just don’t get the risk.”
The source pointed out there’s a flip side to the negative considerations: What happens if Rodgers replicates the Darnold experience in 2024 and plays well in Minnesota? What if he’s willing to keep playing?
It was an intriguing analysis.
Is Rodgers willing to take a benching if the Vikings turn to McCarthy in 2025?
How long does Rodgers intend to play?
What impact would the signing have on McCarthy?
The bright side for the Vikings — and you can take this with a grain of salt if you wish — there has been some positivity regarding McCarthy’s admiration of Rodgers that has resurfaced in recent days. All thanks to a Rodgers’ appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, in which Rodgers talked about being true to who you are as a person and standing up for your beliefs. Shortly after that February 2024 appearance by Rodgers, McCarthy added a video clip from that podcast to his Instagram stories and labeled Rodgers a “GOAT human.”
Think Aaron Rodgers and J.J. McCarty would get a long GREAT.
Back in Feb 2024, McCarthy called Rodgers a “Goat Human ” and praised Rodger’s thoughts when Rodgers joined the @joeroganhq Podcast.
: @Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/vGKeSCQBTS
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) March 13, 2025
Is Rodgers willing to end his career mentoring his successor?
Insider believes Aaron Rodgers’ ‘first choice’ is the Vikings
“That is really up to Kevin O’Connell and the decision-makers in the building. We believe that Aaron Rodgers’ first choice is to play for the Vikings. This is something that they are strongly considering and weighing,” Mike Silver said on the Joe & Q podcast.
“They do need another quarterback, but with a team built to win now and obviously a great quarterback expert in Kevin O’Connell, the reigning coach of the year, one of the all-time great quarterbacks sitting out there is a very enticing prospect. I think the situation is [the] Vikings are trying to decide and that could go either way. If [the] Vikings decide they want Rodgers, I think it’s very likely that will happen.”
Colin Cowherd says Vikings have ‘worst roster’ in NFC North, predicts last-place finish
“NFC North. This is the toughest division, for me, in football,” Cowherd said on his FS1 show, The Herd, on Thursday during a segment where he predicted the division winners and all the playoff teams in the NFC for the 2025 season. “The Lions have the best roster, I’ll pick them one. The Vikings have the worst roster, I’ll pick them four.”
Now, it’s hard to argue against the Lions having the best roster or that they’ll repeat as division champs. They’re certainly the front-runners after a dominant 15-2 season that included sweeping the NFC North; they return a lot of their core roster and will likely be a force to be reckoned with. But it’s tough to make an argument the Vikings have the worst roster. Sure, they were weak on the interior of the offensive and defensive lines last year — but that’s what they addressed in free agency. They have the same top-notch offensive weapons. Most of the impact players on defense are back, too.
Cowherd is a noted fan of Darnold, who had a resurgent year last year in Minnesota. McCarthy still remains an unknown. Had Cowherd made the argument he doesn’t trust McCarthy, that could be fair. McCarthy hasn’t proved anything yet, and he’ll have high expectations on his shoulders as a top draft pick on a good team if he enters 2025 as the starting QB.
But worst roster?
“Chicago’s got a tough road schedule, no question, but they literally went and got Pro Bowlers on their interior O-line, and again, if they can get a running back with their first pick,” Cowherd said. “The coaching upgrade in Chicago, from what they were to what they are, is gonna be like the quarterback upgrade from Will Levis to Cam Ward. It’s gonna change outcomes. I have Chicago second. Here’s — Green Bay is tough for me because I’ve got to be totally honest about this: I really fell for Jordan Love. But last year against playoff teams, dude completed 60% of his throws with a passer rating of 81 and was 2-6. In the building at the end of the year, I watched the way they coached him, I think they lost some confidence in him, so I think Bears-Packers is down to the final week of the year to figure out who gets into the playoffs.”
How much salary cap space do the Vikings have left to work with?
Re-signed RB Aaron Jones (2 years, $20 million)
Signed CB Isaiah Oliver (2 years, $11 million) (should be Isiaiah Rodgers)
Signed C Ryan Kelly (2 years, $18 million)
Re-signed CB Byron Murphy Jr. (3 years, $54 million)
Signed DT Jonathan Allen (3 years, $51 million)
Signed G Will Fries (5 years, $88 million)
Signed DT Javon Hargrave (2 years, $30 million)
Signed CB Tavierre Thomas (1 year, $2 million)
Restructured S Harrison Smith (1 year, $10.25 million)
Traded G Ed Ingram to Texans for 2026 sixth-round pick
Signed T Justin Skule (TBD)
Signed LB Eric Wilson (TBD)
All of these contracts are back-loaded and come with relatively small 2025 cap hits. The top seven names on the list above have combined cap hits of just around $41 million next season. The Ingram trade also freed up $3.4 million.
As a result, the Vikings are estimated by Over the Cap to have roughly $30 million in current effective cap space. That’s with Smith being on his old $6.5 million cap hit, but even if that jumps up to $10.25 million, the difference will basically be offset when Garrett Bradbury is released or traded (which will clear up $3.6 million). It also doesn’t factor in Thomas, Skule, or Wilson, who will likely decrease the number by just a combined $5-6 million when considering the top-51 rule.
Yore Mock
Trades
Trade Partner: Cowboys
Sent: Garrett Bradbury
Received: Round 5 Pick 171
…
Trade Partner: Ravens
Sent: Round 1 Pick 24
Received: Round 1 Pick 27, Round 4 Pick 129
…
Trade Partner: Jaguars
Sent: Round 1 Pick 27
Received: Round 2 Pick 36, Round 3 Pick 70
…
Trade Partner: 49ers
Sent: Round 2 Pick 36
Received: Round 2 Pick 43, Round 3 Pick 100
…
Trade Partner: Raiders
Sent: Round 5 Pick 160
Received: Round 6 Pick 180, Round 6 Pick 215
…
R2 P43 CB Shavon Revel – East Carolina 6’1.7” 194
R6 P70 OL Jonah Savaiinaea – Arizona 6’4.1 324
R3 P97 RB Cam Skattebo – Arizona State 5’9.4 219
R3 P100 WR Savion Williams – TCU 6’3.7 222
R4 P129 DT Ty Robinson – Nebraska 6’5.1 288
R5 P139 S Billy Bowman – Oklahoma 5’9.7 192
R5 P171 RB Brashard Smith – SMU 5’9.7 194
R6 P180 QB Brady Cook – Missouri 6’2.1 214
R7 P215 DT Warren Brinson – Georgia 6’5.2 315
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