What do you think JJ McCarthy’s stats will be this year? I expect the Vikings to run better but not necessarily more. Maybe a little more because JJ will just be getting his first snaps.
Bo Bix completed 376 out of 567 passes (66.3%) for 3775 yards with 29 TDs and 12 INTs. He ran 92 times for 430 yards and 4 TDs.
Drake Maye completed 225 out of 338 passes (66.6%) for 2276 yards with 15 TDs and 10 INTs. He ran 54 times for 421 yards and 2 TDs.
Caleb Williams completed 351 out of 562 passes (62.5%) for 3541 yards with 20 TDs and 6 INTs. He ran 81 times for 489 yards and 0 TDs.
Jayden Daniels completed 331 out of 480 passes (69.0%) for 3568 yards with 25 TDs and 9 INTs. He ran 148 times for 891 yards and 6 TDs.
Sam Darnold completed 361 out of 545 passes (66.2%) for 4319 yards with 35 TDs and 12 INTs. He ran 67 times for 212 yards and 1 TD.
I think JJ will go something like 350 out of 515 for 3850 with 32 TDs and 10 INTs. I think he will run 60 times for 380 yards with 3 TDs.
…
ESPN predicts QB J.J. McCarthy’s production in Year 1 as starter for Minnesota Vikings
With added help via free agency and the draft, ESPN’s Mike Clay predicts a mostly good season from McCarthy in 2025. In Clay’s annual stat predictions, here’s what he has McCarthy doing for the Vikings this season.
15 games played, 347-for-537 for 3,705 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He also has McCarthy carrying the ball 48 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
The next organized team activites.
OTAs: May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5, June 16-18
Mandatory Minicamp: June 10-12
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Jalen Ramsey wants out of Miami and the Vikings would be a great fit
One of the biggest things the Minnesota Vikings have to prove in 2025-26 is that their cornerback room will be as talented and deep as it was last season, considering they let Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin leave in free agency this year.
The uncertainty with the position group is what makes news out of Miami that star cornerback Jalen Ramsey is likely to get traded this summer so intriguing. Rumors have been swirling for weeks, but defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver spoke to reporters on Wednesday and made it clear that the Dolphins are moving forward without their All-Pro cornerback.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ramsey,” Weaver said. “He played very good ball for us, but relationships are hard, right? He’s chosen to go other ways and I respect and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
According to ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe, Ramsey could be traded after the calendar flips to June. That’s when the Dolphins’ 2025 dead cap hit for trading Ramsey drops from $25.2 million to $6.7 million, according to Over The Cap.
“This isn’t about a guy who wants more money or a guy who can’t play anymore. This is just a situation where relationships are hard and the relationship between the Dolphins and Ramsey has essentially run out,” Wolfe said. “I expect him to get traded at some point in June or July. They have talked to a lot of teams. I’m told the Dolphins are aware of teams that Ramsey would be interested in.”
Wolfe mentioned the Rams, Falcons and Panthers as teams that could be interested due to Ramsey having good relationships with coaches on each team’s respective staff. It’s unclear if the Vikings have picked up the phone, but Minnesota could use an elite cornerback and they certainly have the cap flexibility to find a way to make Ramsey’s contract fit.
“The idea of going after a guy like Ramsey is absolutely an interesting one, given the position the Vikings find themselves in,” said Vikings On SI beat writer Will Ragatz. “They’re in win-now mode with a rookie quarterback contract and only one semi-obvious weakness on the entire roster, QB uncertainty aside. If there’s a chance to address that weakness by going out and getting a seven-time Pro Bowler who is still playing at a very high level, it feels like something they have to at least consider.”
Vikings Trade Proposal Exchanges Former 3rd Round Pick For 3 x All-Pro
The Dolphins need cap relief after signing both Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill to long term extensions last offseason – the two of whom will count for nearly $70 million against the salary cap in 2025. A number that rises to over $105 million in 2026.
Although a draft pick would be the presumed return for the ex – Ram, the Dolphins have a dire need at corner – especially if Ramsey does exit the team. So it would make sense that Miami may ask for a player at the position in lieu of a 2026 NFL Draft pick; an investment they would have to wait nearly a year to start to see their return on.
Minnesota will be without former Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, and fellow outside cornerback, Shaq Griffin, on the perimeter, with Rodgers and 2023 third round pick, Mekhi Blackmon expected to occupy those roles ahead of Week 1.
Blackmon had an excellent rookie season in 2023, obtaining a 71.7 coverage grade from PFF en route to being named to their All-Rookie team. However, an ACL tear suffered in January 2024 kept him out of the entire subsequent year.
In normal circumstances, it would seem ludicrous to trade a promising young player with two years on a rookie deal for a declining, 30 year old, expensive veteran. But Blackmon’s injury and lack of sample size – he started just 3 games in 2023 on the road to getting a decent 435 total defensive snaps – add to his inherent risk.
Blackmon likely has more years ahead, but at this point in time Ramsey is the safer bet to (continue to) reach those elite heights to elevate the Vikings defense to bona fide top five unit in the NFL. And with McCarthy having just three years left before the semi-pricey fifth year option, the Vikings need to go all in for that illustrious Super Bowl ring.
Minnesota Vikings get: Jalen Ramsey
Miami Dolphins get: Mekhi Blackmon
Potential NFL Trade Packages for Players Who Need a Fresh Start
TE Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Trade Package: 2026 fifth-round pick and swap of late-round selections
CB Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys
Trade Package: 2026 sixth-round draft pick
Ex-Viking Cam Bynum heaps praise on J.J. McCarthy: ‘He’s different’
Count former Vikings safety Camryn Bynum among those who believes J.J. McCarthy has what it takes to be the franchise quarterback Minnesota has been looking for.
“I know he’s ready to go,” Bynum said on Up & Adams. “The fact that he had a season-ending injury in preseason and we still saw him every day, that says something in itself. You can tear your meniscus and it be a full season injury and it’s fine, it’s normal to not see (that person) the rest of the year unless you go look in the training room at some random hour of the day and see him in there. The fact that he was still in meetings, he was still bothering us defensive players, asking ‘what coverage were you guys in here, what would you guys do in this play in the game?’ Those are the conversations that I had with J.J. going through the season, he’s just coming up to me. Dude, it’s November, and he’s talking about next year like ‘bro, I’m so ready for this offense.’
“Those conversations just told me that he’s different. The fact that he’s sitting here after a game in the locker room and we’re talking ball and he still has his knee brace on and walking through, flipping a football in his hand, throwing passes to guys in the locker room. Like yeah, this guy, I don’t wanna say he’s weird, but he’s different. That’s my guy. That’s somebody I respect and I know that he’ll be able to get the job done. I think they’re in good hands having him there. Regardless of what happens, I know he’s gonna figure it out and thrive in any situation he’ll be in.”
Ranking Vikings’ top five players under 25 for the 2025 season
Pro Football Focus released its annual ranking of the NFL’s top 25 players under 25 years old this week. And for the second straight year, no Vikings made the cut. Justin Jefferson was a fixture atop those lists for a few years, but he graduated by turning 25 last summer. Christian Darrisaw, born two weeks before Jefferson in 1999, also lost his eligibility last year (the list only includes players whose 25th birthday comes after the start of the regular season).
Honorable mentions: K Will Reichard, QB Sam Howell, WR Tai Felton, DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
5. OLB Dallas Turner
4. LG Donovan Jackson
3. QB J.J. McCarthy
2. LB Ivan Pace Jr.
1. WR Jordan Addison
Addison tops this list after a very impressive two-year start to his career. Now 23 years old, he already has 133 catches and 1,786 receiving yards to his name. Most notably, he has 20 total touchdowns in 32 games, showing a knack for finding the end zone. Only four other wide receivers have 20 TDs since the start of the 2023 season (Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and CeeDee Lamb). Addison is a dynamic route-runner and deep threat who figures to continue getting better over the years. Now he just needs to stay out of off-the-field trouble, given that he’s had two driving-related incidents in two offseasons and may end up with a three-game suspension for the latter.
Every NFL team’s top three players entering the 2025 season
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON
OT CHRISTIAN DARRISAW
OT BRIAN O‘NEILL
Jefferson ranks second among all wide receivers in cumulative WAR over the last three seasons, behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown. His 88.0 grade in 2024 narrowly missed a fifth straight season above 90.0. Darrisaw played only 392 snaps last year but continues to rank among the league’s best when healthy. O’Neill earned a 0.43 WAR, the third-highest mark on the team in 2024.
ESPN predicts former Maryland WR Tai Felton’s production with Minnesota Vikings in rookie season
With who could be in front of Felton, ESPN’s Mike Clay projected Felton to be WR No. 5 on the team. In his annual stat prediction, he has Felton playing in 15 games, catching 10 passes for 106 yards, and scoring one touchdown. Clay doesn’t foresee Felton getting any action at returner this season.
Sam Darnold Expected to Take Major Step Back After Leaving Vikings
“I’m not going to project Darnold to double down on a career year. He’s going from a near-ideal offense to one with question marks at receiver and interior O-line,” Patra wrote on Thursday, May 22. “Last year, Darnold displayed an ability to make the right read and showed fearlessness zipping the ball into traffic. All those glowing pre-draft reports finally looked accurate. Then came the disastrous final two games, when it looked like his ghosts of yore returned. The reality is that he’s probably somewhere in the middle.”
“The biggest question in Seattle is whether the interior offensive line, led by first-round pick Grey Zabel, can protect Darnold enough for him to thrive,” Patra continued. “If so, the match with [Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint] Kubiak should be a good one. If they struggle, we’re likely to see that Week 18 Darnold, with a lot of high passes while he gets crushed by defenders.”
If Patra is right and Darnold takes a significant step back from the 4,319 passing yards, 35 TDs and 12 INTs he put up during the sole Pro Bowl season of his career in 2024, that could also mean that he’s out as the starter in Seattle after just one season.
“Sam Darnold’s contract doesn’t leave Seattle exposed beyond 2025, so it’s safe to assume this is a one-year audition,” Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report wrote on May 9. “Based on what happened at the end of last season, there’s a good chance he fails.”
Aaron Rodgers Wiggles Back into Vikings Rumor Mill
Fowler spoke with The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, claiming that Rodgers would still like to play for Minnesota despite the purple team’s very outward commitment to McCarthy
“There’s some teams I’ve talked to, they are still kind of wondering, like, is he just waiting out the Vikings, you know? Because the Vikings would be an ideal scenario, one of the best play callers in the league in head coach Kevin O’Connell, nine dome games, you’re guaranteed nine dome games per year,” Fowler told Patrick.
“There’s some element of that, but I checked in with the Vikings, I still don’t expect that. They’re moving forward with J.J. McCarthy. So he really has no other option, other than Pittsburgh or retiring.”
Note: This story wont go away!
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s UDFA strategy highlights major inequity in the NFL Draft
The Minnesota Vikings have benefited from multiple compensatory selections, but where they have thrived is with undrafted free agency. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made that a major part of his strategy, and it highlights something very interesting with the NFL Draft.
UDFA contracts highlight inequity in NFL Draft process
It’s not just that Adofo-Mensah prioritizes the undrafted free agent process after the draft, it’s how he goes about it. The Vikings throw around a lot of money, including a whopping nine players with over $200k in guaranteed money.
That’s huge for players who go undrafted, as they know they will be getting guaranteed money. What makes things really interesting is how much more they get than players who are drafted.
One thing that needs to be discussed is how little players at the end of the NFL Draft receive in guarantees. At a certain point for some players, going undrafted is much better for them financially.
Batty received a contract with a $25,000 signing bonus and $234,000 in guaranteed salary. The salary is also what he will make on the practice squad, so it’s a low-risk investment. Where things get interesting is that Batty is getting more money guaranteed than the 182nd overall pick, New England Patriots kicker Andres Borregales. He received a signing bonus of $256,484.
Batty getting that much money fully guaranteed isn’t really an issue, but should it be more than players who get drafted? In fact, eight undrafted free agents have more money fully guaranteed than the Vikings two sixth-round draft picks in linebacker Kobe King (201st overall) and tight end Gavin Bartholomew (202nd overall).
In fact, the final pick in the NFL Draft, Patriots cornerback Kobee Minor, only received a signing bonus of $101,672. That feels like a major inequality in the marketplace.
It’s also worth noting that both drafted and undrafted players end up having the same salaries over the course of their rookie contracts. Things aren’t different from that perspective, and a player like King or Bartholomew could end up getting less money if they were cut and not added to the practice squad than what Batty will receive.
4 ‘what-if’ scenarios that could derail the Vikings’ season
1. What if J.J. McCarthy isn’t as advertised?
2. What if Jordan Addison is suspended?
3. What if the cornerback plan doesn’t work?
4. What if the key free agents they signed get injured again?
Note: What if my aunt had a you know what? She’d be my uncle!
Got to have a whiny Packer link
Packers get burned as NFL gift-wraps Vikings a ridiculous favor
Minnesota is supposed to play Pittsburgh and Cleveland on the road, but the AFC North rivals lose all home-field advantage by moving the games to a neutral venue. If anything, the Vikings have the upper hand, having played across the pond twice as many times as the Steelers or Browns combined.
The Packers will play the Steelers and Browns on the road. Minnesota gets them at neutral sites, and to make it worse, it will have a significant advantage over Cleveland due to the lack of travel and jet lag challenges.
Talk about making life easy for Minnesota. The Packers’ path to the NFC North title will become that much tougher if the league gift-wraps a comfortable run for the Vikings.
Yore Mock
Trade Recap
Minnesota Receives: 2026: Round 1, Pick 24, 2026: Round 3, Pick 88
San Francisco Receives: 2026: Round 1, Pick 18
…
24. Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame 6’0” 206
50. Jake Slaughter IOL Florida 6’4” 308
82. Zane Durant DL Penn State 6’1” 288
88. Deion Burks WR Oklahoma 5’9” 190
97. Mikail Kamara EDGE Indiana 6’1” 265
118. Michael Taaffe S Texas 6’0” 195
174. Ricardo Hallman CB Wisconsin 5’10” 185
232. Cole Wisniewski S Texas Tech 6’4” 220
Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:
- No discussion of politics or religion
- No feeding of the trolls
- Leave the gender hatred at the door
- Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must)
- Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags
- No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer
- If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away
- While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm
