Vikings Team Notes

[Minnesota Vikings]

Who is a dream free agent signing for the Vikings this offseason?

The Vikings front office led by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has become one of the best in the NFL. Assistant general manager Ryan Grigson received interest in interviews with other teams, but he remains in Minnesota, and thus, their momentum can continue to build this roster into a Super Bowl winner.

One of the best ways to take a roster that is close, like the Vikings, and put it over the top is through free agency. We saw last year what massive hits Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel were; now, the Vikings hope to repeat that in 2025.

PFF released their dream free agent fits for all 32 NFL teams this week. The Vikings choose to remain focused on defense in free agency but move from the front seven to the back end of the group.

Javon Holland, a free-agent safety for the Miami Dolphins, has been identified as a fit for them.

PFF writes, “The Vikings are facing a massive rebuild of their secondary, with Josh Metellus standing as the lone cornerback or safety left under contract who recorded 80 or more defensive snaps this past season. . .Given the creativity displayed by Brian Flores’ playcalling, the possibilities are endless if he adds these pieces to his unit.”

Holland would certainly have fun in Flores’ defense alongside Josh Metellus if they do end up losing both Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum in free agency. Ideally, they bring back one of them to pair with Holland Metellus, but the free agent market for the secondary is always tricky to navigate.

Source: https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/20...agent-signing-for-the-vikings-this-offseason/

 

[Minnesota Vikings]

2025 NFL Draft: Defensive line is the popular choice for Vikings

Now that the 2024 NFL season has officially come to an end, fans are left sitting on their hands waiting around for the next big thing to get excited about. For some, that’s going to be free agency and the slew of players moving teams it will bring. But for most fans, what really gets them excited in the offseason is the NFL Draft.

The NFL Draft has become a huge business in the past decade or so, with the NFL moving the event out of New York and taking it on the road, to huge success. The advent of websites developing mock draft simulators has only added fuel to the NFL Draft fandom fire. Thousands of fans use mock draft simulators daily to play out what could happen come April.

One of the more popular mock draft simulators is the one from the PFF team. Recently, the team dug deep into the data from their simulator and shared the most popular prospect for each team from their thousands—if not millions—of simulations.

The Minnesota Vikings’ most popular pick is, perhaps unsurprisingly, defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. If the 2024 season showed fans and the team anything, it’s that they need to beef up the trenches on both sides of the ball.

While many fans may want to see the team spend their most important draft capital on the offensive line, it seems most are at least resigned to spending that on defense instead.

Grant is one of the best defenders available in this class and would instantly give the Vikings some more juice up front on the defensive line. He would likely be a starter from Day 1 and give the team a high-quality run stuffer on the inside, and he can likely be developed into a potentially big threat from a pass-rush perspective.

Is the popular pick the right one for the Vikings? We’ll have to wait until April to find out, but Grant is a great prospect at a position the team needs.

Source: https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/20...nsive-line-is-the-popular-choice-for-vikings/

 

[Minnesota Vikings]

Craig Carton: Vikings should not give the 'keys' to J.J. McCarthy

There is still some debate on whether or not the Minnesota Vikings should bring Sam Darnold back in 2025. Although the team drafted J.J. McCarthy last year, some fans and analysts aren’t in favor of moving on from a guy who made the Pro Bowl to a player who missed his rookie season with an injury.

FS1’s Craig Carton believes the Vikings should bring back Darnold. On “Breakfast Ball,” he shared why he’s hesitant about starting McCarthy next year. However, his reasoning for the decision is questionable.

The Vikings were a team that was good enough to win 15 games last year and you want them to turn the keys over to a rookie QB coming off a torn ACL? No thank you sir.

No one expects every media member to know every detail about the Vikings’ season. But when a media member makes a bold statement that includes two inaccuracies (the Vikings won 14 games, and McCarthy tore his meniscus), it feels like an off-the-cuff take to generate clicks.

Carton finishes the clip by saying he’s comfortable sitting McCarthy because his salary is low. That’s an accurate statement, but the reasoning isn’t sound. The Vikings could use the money they save by moving on from Darnold to build a better team around McCarthy. Even if he couldn’t replicate Darnold’s numbers in 2025, the team could still be better suited to advance in the playoffs.

The rant felt like Carton was being asked about the Vikings’ quarterback situation for the first time since their loss to the Los Angeles Rams last month. It’s okay if he hasn’t thought about the Vikings. He just shouldn’t be going on TV and giving grandiose statements.

.@craigcartonlive doesn’t think the Vikings should hand over the keys to JJ McCarthy next season:

“The Vikings were a team that was good enough to win 15 games last year and you want them to turn the keys over to a rookie QB coming off a torn ACL? No thank you sir.” pic.twitter.com/XbLRrtjdRZ

— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) February 18, 2025

Source: https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/20...ngs-should-not-give-the-keys-to-j-j-mccarthy/

 

[Minnesota Vikings]

Cris Carter offers an all-time player comparison to Justin Jefferson

The Minnesota Vikings have a special one in Justin Jefferson. Both on and off the field, Jefferson is an example for each member of the Vikings and the NFL as a whole.

Another Viking who has emerged to be someone that others can look up to is Cris Carter, and he spoke on the current Viking recently.

Cris Carter was on Up and Adams with host Kay Adams this week and discussed various things, but one of them was Justin Jefferson. He offered Jefferson the ultimate compliment by saying he reminded him of future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald.

“(Justin Jefferson) reminds me of a different version of Larry Fitzgerald… He’s a little flashier but AUTHENTIC.”@criscarter80 on the Vikings 4x All Pro WR @JJettas2

@heykayadams @Vikings | #Skol pic.twitter.com/BwUqhEznrO

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 19, 2025

The two Vikings wide receivers have had a good relationship ever since he was drafted. Carter remains an active presence with the team and speaks on them regularly. The interview above is a shining example of that and is worth checking out.

Source: https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/20...l-time-player-comparison-to-justin-jefferson/

 

[Minnesota Vikings]

Saints pass up on hiring Vikings assistant for DC role

Teams around the league interviewed Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones for their vacant defensive coordinator position this year. The New Orleans Saints requested an interview with Jones last week but ultimately hired Brandon Staley for the position on Friday. Staley spent the 2024 season as the San Fransisco 49ers assistant head coach after serving as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021-23.

Saints are hiring former Chargers head coach and 49ers assistant Brandon Staley as their defensive coordinator, per me and @JFowlerESPN. Saints HC Kellen Moore and Staley worked together with the Chargers, and now will do the same for the Saints. pic.twitter.com/ITEsTRk3JF

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 21, 2025

This means Jones will return to the Vikings for a fourth consecutive season. Despite the tragic death of Khyree Jackson and a season-ending ACL injury to Mekhi Blackmon, Jones helped the Vikings rank seventh in EPA/pass allowed.

The Vikings had several assistants on their coaching staff who received interviews around the league, but most stayed. None were more important than Brian Flores, who will remain as defensive coordinator for at least one more year.

With Jones returning as well, the Vikings hope continuity will help their defense, which has seen substantial improvement since Flores arrived in 2023. If they can take another step in 2025, the Vikings’ defense could lead a deep playoff run.

Source: https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/21/saints-pass-up-on-hiring-vikings-assistant-for-dc-role/

 

[Minnesota Vikings]

Vikings get a running back in a unique mock draft excercise

Mock drafts can get a bit repetitive in terms of how the exercise is done. Sometimes, folks will throw an added guideline to filling out picks, and a common one is going with either all skill players or all defensive players.

This week, PFF decided to publish a new mock draft with one added rule to the selections and the result gave the Vikings an interesting pick. Nathan Jahnke of PFF published a mock draft where every pick had to be a skill player.

At 24 overall, he selected an Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins. He writes, “Aaron Jones is a free agent, but even if he re-signs, he’s not the long-term solution in Minnesota. The Vikings have their rookie quarterback and multiple great receiver options, so another running back is a clear choice. The Vikings could go in many different directions to what kind of running back they add since, ideally, they add another running back to pair with this one.”

The Vikings have been tied to another Buckeye running back, TreVeyon Henderson, in recent mocks. While this exercise doesn’t usually highlight who can be drafted down the board, the position is certainly one the team needs to address.

QUINSHON JUDKINS BREAKS LOOSE FOR 70

pic.twitter.com/caOnrKcRm7

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 21, 2025

Source: https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/20...unning-back-in-a-unique-mock-draft-excercise/