The Justin Jefferson hamstring tightness sounds alarming but it is really a blessing in disguise IMHO. The less he does the better although he does need to work with JJ. It really will allow the rest of the receivers a chance to show what they can do especially with Jordan Addison facing a likely 3 game suspension.
I always root for the underdog and am wondering which UDFA is going to make the team? Ben Yurosek and Bryson Nesbit have a good shot at the third tight end spot with Gavin Bartholomew still recovering from injury. I’d love to see Silas Bolden snag a spot as the primary punt returner. It will be tougher on the defensive line and linebacker. There could be a chance at cornerback though.
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“Size. Obviously, you guys walk on the field and see a guy with six two long arms a corner can run. So, the measurables are there. We brought him in on a (top) 30 (visit). He was really very good, just from a mental standpoint, acumen standpoint, he works hard. You put all those things together, and it’s something that you’re excited to work with any work. He works at it, and really, just as a general message to our guys, it’s really four things: be on time. That’s number one. And then, you know, work hard in every area, whether it’s in the weight room or, obviously, on the field, in the meeting rooms and walk throughs.
“So work hard, be unselfish. Because, this is a game where there’s 11 guys on the field and everybody relies on somebody else to do their job, for them to do their job, for us to be efficient as a defense. And the last thing I ask is for those guys to have fun. And that’s the message that I gave to the team. I think specific to Zemaiah, and to any young player, if you can do those four things, then you put yourself in the best position and that’s what we’re trying to do with each one of these guys.”
Vaughn is a very intriguing player, especially for a defense that plays a lot of cover-3 like the Vikings do. He’s got excellent straight-line speed and linear explosiveness to click-and-close on the football. That ability is very important to Flores’ defense, and when you add in the 32” arms on the 6-2.5 frame. Yes, he only weighs 186 lbs, but the length and explosiveness is legit.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
3 Observations: Fresh and Familiar Faces on Vikings Defense Make Plays
Here are three observations presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Proud LASIK Partner of the Minnesota Vikings:
1. Hitman at it again
On Wednesday, we led with the interceptions by Ivan Pace, Jr., and Andrew Van Ginkel.
Familiar face Harrison Smith, who leads active NFL players with 37 career interceptions heading into his 14th pro season, was up to his timeless tricks Thursday.
He was in position when a ball J.J. McCarthy intended for Lucky Jackson tipped off the receiver’s hands. Rather than jog out a pick six, the franchise leader with four in his career flipped the ball back to Jay Ward for a few more return yards, a total vet move to save the legs mileage.
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2. Defensive surge
Earlier Thursday, Flores participated in his first media session of camp. By the late afternoon, his group was turning up the heat.
Players who last year established their threats as edge rushers (Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel) and blitzers (Pace and Blake Cashman) weren’t the only ones getting to the backfield.
Dallas Turner was fast off the edge, and fellow outside linebackers Gabriel Murphy (a would-be sack) and Bo Richter (a would-be tackle for loss) also made plays.
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3. Corner trio
At cornerback, returning Pro Bowler Byron Murphy, Jr., and newcomers Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah put in quite a bit of work together when the Vikings first-grouping on defense was in its nickel package.
Rodgers delivered a pass breakup on a ball intended for Rondale Moore.
3 thoughts on what Justin Jefferson’s hamstring injury means for Vikings
This isn’t ideal for J.J. McCarthy
The person this news hurts most isn’t necessarily Jefferson, who isn’t expected to be out long. Frankly, he doesn’t need any practice reps to go out and play at an extremely high level. The greater impact might be on J.J. McCarthy, who will miss out on some valuable practice reps with his No. 1 receiver. Each practice Jefferson misses is a lost chance for those two to build upon the chemistry and rapport they’ve been forming since the spring.
Other receivers have a chance to step up
In the short term, Jefferson’s absence means every other Vikings wide receiver slides up one spot on the estimated depth chart. Jordan Addison will get a lot of work as McCarthy’s No. 1 target, as was the case after Jefferson left Thursday’s practice. Jalen Nailor, who could be in line for a big season in a contract year, is now an every-down player as the No. 2 receiver.
After that is where it gets interesting. Several guys could be in the mix for that third spot without Jefferson, which means reps with the first-team offense in 11 personnel. One of those is Rondale Moore, a free agent acquisition who worked hard this offseason to rehab a torn ACL and get himself ready to go for training camp.
“You see the explosion,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said of Moore, a former second-round pick who is a dynamic athlete at just 5’7”. “He’s obviously not a tall guy, but he’s very explosive, very strong, and you see some of that quickness on his releases already. The thing for Rondale is, he was very attentive in the spring, but these are really some of his first reps. So just getting used to some of the splits, some of the little details of the plays when you’re actually in there doing it, it’s a little different from the meeting room.”
“I wanna see those other wideouts compete,” Phillips said. “We got a lot of talented guys in the room. Young guys, guys who have been here maybe a few years, guys like Lucky Jackson and Thayer (Thomas), Jeshaun (Jones) in his second year. And then you’ve got Tai (Felton), you’ve got some other rookie free agents that we brought in who have shown some really good things, Dontae (Fleming) and Myles (Price). I just want to see those guys compete. Continue to grow in the system, understand the details. These guys have ability. It’s really the details of the system and being sure to get to depths (on routes). Silas (Bolden) is another guy who’s shown a lot of speed.”
This could’ve been a lot worse
When the Vikings announced that O’Connell was going to provide an update on Jefferson’s status prior to Friday’s practice, it was easy to fear the worst. Jefferson said his exit from Thursday’s practice was just due to some minor tightness in his legs, sure, but did something bad actually happen? Did an MRI reveal a significant injury?
Colin Cowherd Compares J.J. McCarthy’s Vikings to Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs
The Minnesota Vikings are entering the 2025 NFL season with a major change in the roster. After parting ways with Sam Darnold in the free agency, all eyes are on J.J. McCarthy, who’ll take the QB mantle in the upcoming season.
As the 22-year-old gears up for his debut, there are rising concerns about his performance and whether he’ll be able to replicate Darnold’s numbers. Amid all the discussions and speculations, NFL analyst Colin Cowherd drew parallels between McCarthy and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.
“I’m gonna throw this comp out. You may think it’s crazy, but for most of my life, the Kansas City Chiefs were very good, very well-run. And then they got Andy Reid and Mahomes, and they’re a dynasty. I honestly think the NFC version of the Chiefs is Minnesota,” Cowherd said.
He even compared the Vikings’ head coach, Kevin O’Connell, to the Chiefs’ HC Andy Reid. Cowherd is hopeful about McCarthy doing what Mahomes did in the Kansas City.
“My whole life, they’ve been well-owned, well-run,” he said. “They’ve got their Andy Reid in my opinion. They just don’t have the quarterback. But most of your life and my life, you like their GM. They had good players. They won games.”
“I mean, Kirk Cousins won half his games against Aaron Rodgers, but so I feel like it, they’re just that franchise that just needs the piece. So, you cross your fingers if you’re a Vikings fan.”
J.J. McCarthy dubbed No. 1 NFL player entering ‘superstardom’
J.J. McCarthy is only 22 years old, and he’s never started a game in the NFL, but is he the league’s next superstar?
NFL Analyst Peter Schrager hosted a segment on Friday’s edition of ESPN’s First Take, highlighting the top five players in the NFL who are entering superstardom. He included Giants receiver Malik Nabers, Patriots QB Drake Maye, Cowboys receiver George Pickens, Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto and Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving. McCarthy was notably left off the list.
Longtime ESPN NFL personality Damien Woody quickly jumped in, saying he would put McCarthy atop the entire list at No. 1.
“J.J. McCarthy is going to come in and light it up. Got arguably the best infrastructure of any first or second-year quarterback that we’ve ever seen in the National Football League,” he said. “Elite play calling, elite offensive line, running back, wide receiver. Trust me.”
‘Complete player:’ Vikings OC praises Jordan Mason’s receiving ability
“Jordan, on tape from last year with San Fran, when he got a lot of his (opportunities), there wasn’t a lot in the pass game,” Phillips said. “He wasn’t catching a lot of passes or running a lot of routes out of the backfield. So right off the bat, in the spring, some of the routes we ran, he was really natural catching the ball, but could also stick his foot in the ground and change direction.
“So was really pleased with what we had there. A really complete player. We knew we had a big, physical back, but complete player as far as being able to run routes out of the backfield, catch the ball naturally, and then in pass protection … I haven’t seen any issues thus far.”
Vikings Continuing Emphasis on Takeaways After Tying for NFL Lead in 2024
Defensively, that motif is predicated on getting the ball back to the offense in a hurry.
“We must make sure that we continue to be an improved team and an ever-improving team when it comes to being all about the ball,” Head Coach Kevin O’Connell asserted Tuesday, maintaining that mindset will be stressed at training camp. “Our defense was a great example of [that] from the moment we started the offseason program last year all the way through the season. There’s a reason why they ended up where they did, forcing turnovers all season long that were huge for us to win 14 games.”
Minnesota tied for first in 2024 with 33 defensive takeaways. Directly off all types of turnovers, counting fumbles, interceptions, stopped fourth downs and blocked punts and field goals, last year’s Vikings averaged 8.7 points per game. That figure fared second in the NFL to Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia.
Furthermore, no one matched Minnesota’s 24 interceptions – or was close. Houston was next with 19.
“It’s the No. 1 stat,” Brian Flores said about turnovers. “I think everyone knows and understands that.”
Flores commended the orchestration of teaching and implementing takeaway-focused drills that are spearheaded by Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels and drummed into by the entire coaching staff.
“He comes in, I would say, every other day and talks (about) turnovers and kind of leads the charge from that standpoint,” Flores shared. “I think it’s, you know, the opportunities that present themselves happen differently from position-to-position. We try to highlight that, ‘Where are those opportunities?’ And then we try to practice it, we watch it, we meet on it. We walk through some drills, we practice some drills, we do them in group periods, then we try to see if it all comes together in a team period.”
After that, Flores continued, “Hopefully it comes together in a game.”
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That’s why the vast majority of defensive meetings begin with Daniels addressing the room. Usually, he shares cutups of the week’s top turnovers across the NFL. On occasion, it’s a review of years-old film of the Vikings and other defenses. They’ll watch the takeaways themselves – and chances narrowly missed.
Byron Murphy, Jr., said Daniels is skilled at conveying the overall aim and getting players to actionize it.
“I’ll tell you, the energy he brings [is special],” Murphy grinned following Thursday’s practice. “When he’s in the meeting, he’s not just talking, he’s hyped, he’s really giving that information out. So I think that just sticks in people’s heads, like all the plays just stick in our mind. Even when we’re going to tackle, [we’re remembering] ‘punch the ball out, get the turnover!’ They’re the number one thing as a defense.”
Lunchbreak: Albert Breer’s Impressions from Vikings Camp; Andrew Van Ginkel’s Versatility
On Wednesday evening, Breer filed a takeaways story loaded with Vikings nuggets. Naturally, the main draw was McCarthy, beginning his second camp and first as the unquestioned starter, and his progress.
Breer wrote the following:
He’s shown himself to be a fast processor. He’s been consistent in making anticipatory throws, and the coaches have worked hard on trying to make him more proficient at layering the ball into tight windows, and taking miles per hour off his fastball at times. So, he’s got a full head of steam going into camp, with the plan being to let him take steps naturally while relying on a strong offensive roster and scheme.
Breer also noted McCarthy’s development will accelerate, hopefully, practicing against Brian Flores’ defense, which can send voluminous different looks at him in a controlled, feedback-centric setting.
In addition to watching practice, Breer was afforded conversation time with Vikings brass to glean info about the upcoming season and the franchise’s vision for the 22-year-old quarterback and other players.
According to Breer, no one is going to ask McCarthy to be Superman. But his situation is super.
Breer assessed that the biggest piece favoring the 2024 No. 10 pick is Minnesota’s reworked offensive line. The specific addition of four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly stands out. Vikings Assistant General Manager Ryan Grigson drafted Kelly 18th overall in 2016 when he was at the top of the Colts front office.
That “institutional knowledge” on Kelly, plus the center’s experience carrying a “heavy mental load in making calls and adjustments with a ton of different quarterbacks” was integral in pursuing his services.
There’s also built-in chemistry between Kelly and former Indianapolis teammate Will Fries, the projected starter at right guard, that ideally goes a long way in assimilating rookie first-rounder Donovan Jackson.
Holding the group together, however, as it transitions is perennially underrated right tackle Brian O’Neill. Breer remarked O’Neill was the tone-setter this offseason; and projected the Vikings o-line as a real strength if left flank Christian Darrisaw is fully recovered (and can return to elite form) from an ACL tear. Darrisaw was on the field for a bit but did not participate in team periods during Wednesday’s practice.
Similarly, McCarthy is in an advantageous situation because of a well-established offensive skill group.
Jalen “Speedy” Nailor boosts a solid list of usual suspects – Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, Sr., are some but not all of the club’s dependable playmakers – and should have the opportunity to show up in a contract year. Breer commented Nailor’s play strength has been harped on by the staff, and said, based on early indicators, the receiver has taken another big leap in that area.
Flipping to the defense, Breer identified second-year outside linebacker Dallas Turner as “one of the more interesting players at camp.” Breer pointed out Turner’s physical talent was apparent during the spring, and his pass-rush get-off is elite, but there’s been a learning curve in fundamentals, technique and football acumen. He expects creativity – i.e. Van Ginkel playing off the ball – to get Turner on the field more. As a whole, Breer envisions significant strides from the pass rush due to interior upgrades.
Lastly, Breer delved into the secondary and started by underlining the level of experience. Bringing in Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers, and re-signing Byron Murphy, Jr., gives the Vikings an experienced trio in their physical primes (they have 16 NFL seasons between them and are 27 or younger). That experience extends to safety, with Harrison Smith and Joshua Metellus. Furthermore, Theo Jackson is a candidate for a big camp and a chance to assume some of the departed Cam Bynum’s snaps.
Vikings Training Camp Takeaways: J.J. McCarthy Readying to Take the Reins
Justin Jefferson’s Plan for Year 6 with Vikings? Work to ‘Outdo’ Previous Seasons
One of Felton’s biggest takeaways after practicing with Jefferson has been the All-Pro’s ability to disguise his routes.
“His stride length — he makes everything look like a go ball. You would never know what route he’s running, because of the way he comes off the ball,” Felton said. “He comes at the ball very aggressively, so when you’re a DB and you see him, the way he comes off the ball, you don’t know if he’s running a hitch, if he’s running an out route, if he’s running a go ball.
“And then, just his hands,” he added with a laugh. “He catches everything that comes his way.”
Jefferson flashed a smile at media members the next day, towel draped across his head following a hot-and-humid afternoon practice session.
“It’s great to be back,” he said. “Great to have all the guys out here on the field competing and showcasing what we’re going to see in a month or so. It’s definitely exciting, just getting the rhythm of running routes full speed and just being back with the entire team.”
Asked about Felton’s compliments, Jefferson credited “a little mixture of both” natural ability and specific training.
“Definitely working on having as long of a stride length as I do, and being able to work that into my routes,” Jefferson said. “You know, there are guys that have shorter center frame and have shorter legs, and they’re able to cut and move a lot quicker. So just understanding my body and … the way it works.”
Time flies when you’re having fun, and it’s hard to believe sometimes Jefferson is already entering his sixth NFL season. But he hasn’t let anything become “old hat” to him, always working to become a better version of himself.
Jefferson said he spends time reflecting every offseason on his strengths and weaknesses from the 18-plus weeks prior.
“I feel like every year it’s hard trying to outdo the previous year, but I also feel like that’s what makes me, me,” he said. “That’s what makes me chase greatness.”
That quality of Jefferson’s rubs off on his teammates.
Jonathan Greenard, a year into sharing a locker room with Jefferson, pointed out that some players of his caliber would prefer to coast. He’s yet to see that with last season’s second-leading receiver.
“The great thing about Jets is he’s not afraid to work. Some guys can be the best players and they don’t like to work, they don’t like they be touched, they don’t like to get nitty-gritty,” Greenard said, “and Jets ain’t about none of that. I mean, Jets can come out, flashy, jewelry, whatever it is, but Jets is coming to work every single day.
“And he loves it,” Greenard added. “He loves when guys are giving him their best. He knows he’s gonna get their best because you’re playing against the best receiver in the game. Every time you step across him, he’s ready to go, and he wants you to bring it — and if not, he’s going to embarrass you.”
Jefferson acknowledged similar sentiments, emphasizing how much he appreciates the challenge of practicing against a Brian Flores-led defense.
After seeing so many double (and triple) teams throughout last season, Jefferson knows he can likely expect similar during the 2025 campaign and wants to be even more successful against them.
“I had a lot of double teams, a lot of press coverage to help over the top, so it’s about getting stronger at the top and just getting better with my press coverage releases and just figuring out how to beat those double teams, which I’m going to be facing all year long,” Jefferson said. “I can’t just rely on getting man … all game, so just different ways to get in the open and of course talking to K.O. (Head Coach Kevin O’Connell) and to the rest of the quarterbacks and the team about different players and different schemes that we can use going forward.”
Another aspect of Jefferson’s focus this training camp is continued chemistry with J.J. McCarthy, who’s been handed the reins at quarterback.
Jefferson noted McCarthy is “pretty much a rookie” after suffering a season-ending knee injury during last year’s first preseason game, but he also expressed immense confidence in what McCarthy brings to the table.
“He’s still new to the scheme, new to coming out here and throwing to these different receivers, so [you do] have to have some patience,” Jefferson said. “You’re not really expecting him to have the same mindset as a veteran. You can’t really have that expectation of him; but we do have an expectation of him being great, him coming out here every single day and working his butt off and progressing.
“We see that progression on the second day of camp,” he continued. “I feel like you see that confidence he has out there. If you’re in the huddle, you see the confidence that he has, seeing him and play and getting out there and wanting to make the next play.”
As Jefferson approaches the rest of Vikings training camp, he looks forward to seeing consistent growth from McCarthy and the rest of his teammates — and also from himself.
“Iron sharpens iron. They get me better, I get them better, and that’s going to be every single day in this camp,” Jefferson said of working against the defense. “If we’re doing 1-on-1s, 7-on-7, team drills, we’re out here to get each other better.”
Vikings expect ups and downs as they ‘build’ J.J. McCarthy into sustainable QB
“There’s going to be some ups, there’s going to be some downs,” Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday while talking about 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Ups and downs in the NFL? It happens to the best of them. Josh Allen went from throwing 18 interceptions in 2023 to winning the MVP in 2024. Peyton Manning tossed 81 interceptions in the first four years of his career. Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold were considered busts at one point, but they all fiinshed top five in passing yards and passer rating last season.
“I am wildly in favor of the quarterback development process involving more than just the quarterback,” O’Connell told KFAN-FM’s Dan Barreiro. “I believe you’re supposed to put a really good team around any quarterback that plays.”
The roster should help McCarthy with the expected growing pains of being a first-year starter in the NFL, but he can’t hide from everything. Specifically, he can’t hide from the “hard downs.”
“You hear me use that term ‘hard down’ all the time. I think too many people in this league force the young quarterback to play the hard down. It’s hard enough as it is. There’s no removing the difficulty of what playing the quarterback position is in the NFL You can’t hide from a third-and-7. You can’t hide from a third-and-8 at the 8. That’s a quarterback down,” O’Connell told Barreiro.
“That is a quarterback down, but what are we doing all the other times? What are we doing to put drives together, stack plays, marry the run and the pass — a whole lot of things that can sound cliche if we don’t live it, breathe it and do it for the player on a daily basis. And then remember, we drafted a player we hoped would hold himself to a standard that allows that arrow to stay pointed up regardless of the result, especially early on. Because we’re trying to build a player here that can sustain for a long time in Minnesota.”
Teaching moment after interception
McCarthy is learning as he goes — and O’Connell is teaching. The reigning NFL Coach of the Year used an interception thrown Thursday by McCarthy as an example of how he gives feedback and how McCarthy responds to the new information.
“We had Jordan Addison on a double move to the left. A core concept, a little bit of a double move. He got re-routed, jammed at the line of scrimmage — just a little bit too long for my liking,” O’Connell said, explaining the play on the practice field at TCO Performance Center in Eagan.
“J.J., [with] his utmost confidence in Jordan to maybe get up on that safety and maybe launch the ball down the field, he hung with it one hitch too many. He had either Lucky Jackson or Speedy Nailor coming over the middle, pretty open on an in-cut, he took one hitch too many to the left side … best thing about J.J. is he said, ‘I should’ve got off of it much earlier.’ And then he came back a couple plays later, similar type of look, and made a great decision and threw a great ball right back there to Addison. One of those things where you define learning, teachable moments in practice.”
New Minnesota Vikings center Ryan Kelly supports J.J. McCarthy: ‘That’s our guy’
When Ryan Kelly signed with the Vikings this offseason, the expectation was that the team would have better interior pass protection, as that was his specialty. What was also overlooked was his experience and leadership going back to his days at Alabama, where he was a leader of their offense.
On Friday, Kelly spoke to the media and The Athletic’s Alec Lewis about a variety of topics, including his new quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Kelly spoke about McCarthy, saying, “The whole organization holds him to a high standard. But it’s not nearly the standard he holds on himself. I think when you have that at 22 or 23, that’s our guy.”
Vikings announce three-game alternate jersey schedule for 2025
The Vikings will wear alternate jerseys for three home games in the 2025 season, they announced on Thursday. Their ‘Vikings Classic’ throwbacks will be broken out twice, and they’re also bringing back the ‘Winter Warrior’ look that they debuted late last year.
They’ll first wear the classic throwbacks in a primetime game that happens to be their home opener. That’ll be in Week 2, when the Atlanta Falcons come to U.S. Bank Stadium for Sunday Night Football. Hall of Famer Jared Allen will be honored at halftime of that game.
The jerseys will be worn a second time in the Week 18 regular season finale against the Green Bay Packers, which does not yet have a set date or kickoff time. The Vikings are 1-2 so far in their classic uniforms, which debuted in 2023. They lost to the Buccaneers in the ‘23 opener and to the Bears in Week 12 of that season on a Monday night. However, they got their first win in the jerseys in dominant fashion last season, crushing the Texans 34-7 in Week 3.
The Vikings will wear their Winter Warrior all-white alternates for the second time ever on Christmas Day against the Lions in Week 17. That game will be televised nationally on Netflix. They beat the Bears in the uniform’s debut last Week 15.
Yore Mock
Trade Partner: 49ers
Sent: 2.50
Received: 2.56, 4.124
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Trade Partner: Eagles
Sent: 4.140
Received: 5.161, 5.174
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18. Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee 6’0” 193
56. Jake Slaughter IOL Florida 6’4” 308
82. Makhi Hughes RB Oregon 5’11” 210
97. Dontay Corleone DL Cincinnati 6’1” 335
118. Cashius Howell EDGE Texas A&M 6’4” 245
124. Bud Clark S TCU 6’2” 185
161. Riley Mahlman OT Wisconsin 6’8” 320
174. Isaiah Nwokobia S SMU 6’1” 202
232. Xavian Sorey Jr. LB Arkansas 6’3” 231
257. Darius Taylor RB Minnesota 6’0” 215
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