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.
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 70pic.twitter.com/caOnrKcRm7
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 21, 2025
It wasn’t always evident that Justin Jefferson would become arguably the best receiver in football. As the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Jefferson was the fifth receiver in the first round. He was picked behind Henry Ruggs III, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Jalen Reagor.
This even came after Jefferson and the LSU Tigers dominated the 2019 college football season, winning the National Championship. Jefferson caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. Still, this didn’t make him the consensus No. 1 receiver heading into the draft process.
Jefferson didn’t have a record-setting combined performance, either. He performed well in every workout, but not to the point where he dominated NFL Network and ESPN’s broadcast coverage.
Below are his measurements:
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 202 pounds
- Arms: 33″
- Hands: 9 1/8″
Jefferson only participated in four workouts. Below are his results and where they ranked among other receivers in his class:
- 40-yard dash: 4.43 seconds (t-8th)
- 10-yard split: 1.54 seconds (N/A)
- Vertical jump: 37.5″ (t-13th)
- Broad jump: 10’6″ (t-10th)
4.43 40-yard dash
37.5″ vertical
10’6″ broad jump
Justin Jefferson ticked every box in Indy.pic.twitter.com/yvL3W53PFw
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 4, 2020
Next Gen Stats has a score breakdown for each prospect. The model gives composite scores for production and athleticism, ranging from 50 to 99. They then combine these, giving us the following for Jefferson:
- Production: 91 (2nd)
- Athleticism: 79 (12th)
- Overall: 89 (2nd)
Jefferson finished behind Lamb in both production and overall score in the model. Interestingly, Lamb was still the only third receiver in the draft.
Finally, Lance Zeirlein of NFL Media gave his analysis of Jefferson. He gave Jefferson a first-round grade and had a player comp of Greg Jennings. Said Zeurlein of Jefferson’s strengths:
Of Jefferson’s weaknesses:
With all this in mind, NFL.com gave Jefferson a 6.46 prospect grade out of 8.00, the sixth-highest tier available on the site, in a tier labeled “will become good starter within two years.” He didn’t take long to become a good starter, either.
Jefferson became one of the top wideouts in the game right away. He caught a then-rookie-record 1,400 yards in 2020. In 2022, he won Offensive Player Of the Year, leading the league with 128 receptions for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a First-Team All-Pro for the second time in 2024, helping Sam Darnold to his first Pro Bowl.
The NFL Combine is fun, but setting records for being the fastest or strongest player on the field doesn’t necessarily translate to being a top football player. While Jefferson didn’t break any records, he still had a great showing for himself. As Kevin O’Connell would say, Jefferson was at his best when his best was required.
Still, it’s fun to look back and see how the top players performed in the past and see if we can use that to project prospects better. We’ll probably see some more records fall this week. While this is fun and can put some players on the map, remember that doesn’t mean the player will be the next Justin Jefferson.
Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
The QB Carousel is going to stop spinning soon
The QB carousel is turning and now the media jackals are all predicting/assuming Sam Darnold is going to sign with the Seahawks after they trade Geno Smith to the Raiders for a 3rd round pick. The connection makes a ton of sense because Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak worked with Darnold in 2023 as San Francisco’s passing game coordinator. The question is would Darnold view the Seahawks as a good situation to pilot? DK Metcalf wants a trade and they just released Tyler Lockett which was understandable due to his contract and age (maybe). What else do they have that is attractive besides a new deal? In one of the links below it says that Smith wanted 40M per year and is due 31M this year. Do they think they can get Darnold for less than Geno? Geno is going to be 35 years old this year so there is that huge difference with Darnold.
I am loving all of this right now because it would be quite boring otherwise. I do not know what the plan is in Seattle but it may be that Darnold does not have a better situation out there. If he does return here (and the Vikings apparently have an offer on the table), he will battle with JJ (doubtful to be honest) to be the starter and have fans and media jackals clamoring for JJ after every interception or subpar offensive performance. I know fans and media folks like to talk about this as being a tough situation but this is the nature of the game for every position. If you are not playing well, you can get pulled out of the game. Players have been dealing with this on all levels. I think he will be fine with playing or getting replaced.
Sam Darnold has a very interesting decision to make. I am going to guess he returns here for however long and that he will embrace the competition for the starting QB spot although he should have it after winning 14 games last year. It gives the Vikings a strong (assuming JJ is not another Kyle Sloter - DN Preseason HOFer) QB room which is critical for a 17 game season.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Schefter No Longer Buying Sam Darnold + Vikings Rumors; Raiders Want JJ McCarthy
One of the most trusted NFL insiders to throw gas on this week’s ‘Darnold could return to the Vikings’ fire was ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported on Wednesday that Sam landing back in Minnesota is what “makes the most sense”.
On Friday, however, Schefty got on KFAN Radio with his buddy, Vikings radio VOX, Paul Allen, where he very much walked his previous report back. Now, Adam believes the opposite of what he reported just two days ago, telling PA, “I don’t view [Sam Darnold returning] as a likely scenario, right now.”
PA: “If it were a 0-10, what number would you put on [Sam Darnold being] the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings next year?”
Schefter: “Not high… not high. Again, as we go over all these scenarios, they’re all in play. But I think [returning to] the Vikings is a down low scenario. I don’t view [Sam Darnold returning] as a likely scenario, right now.”
‘All Signs Point’ to Vikings QB Sam Darnold Inking Unexpected Contract
The Minnesota Vikings are trying to walk a fine line with Sam Darnold. That has left the door open for the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle agreed to trade Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders are a popular speculative landing spot for Darnold amid influence from NFL legend Tom Brady and a coaching staff led by Pete Caroll and including Chip Kelly. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio believes Seattle would not have traded Smith without a “clear plan” to replace him,
Florio pointed to Darnold as “the most obvious candidate” after playing well against them in Week 16 of the regular season.
Florio followed up with an article saying “all signs point” to Darnold landing in Seattle.
“Darnold could be something more than the name at the top of a wish list. It’s possible a deal is already in place between the Seahawks and Darnold’s agents. (Yes, it would be tampering. No, the NFL doesn’t care 999 out of 1,000 times.),” Florio wrote on March 7. “As one source put it on Friday night, Smith wanted $40 million per year, and the Seahawks believed they could replace him for $30 million.”
However, contract length could be the greatest hurdle the Vikings must clear to keep Darnold.
“Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak coached Sam Darnold so there is familiarity,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini posted following the Raiders’ trade. “Let’s see if Seattle will be willing to give Darnold at least a three year contract, which is what he’s looking for at his next stop.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Darnold’s situation was one of “several needles to thread” for the Vikings, who have 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings.
“The idea of Sam Darnold going to Seattle has a lot of traction in league circles, as a sort of second-order move to the @Seahawks trade of Geno Smith,” The Monday Morning Quarterback’s Albert Breer reported on X on March 7. “We’ll see if it happens … but that would obviously set off some more dominoes.”
The rumored price point to sign Darnold has fluctuated. Spotrac projects Darnold could command a deal worth $160.5 million over four years. Over The Cap projects the Vikings have $62.8 million to spend.
Tom Pelissero: Vikings have a contract offer out to Sam Darnold
Amid ongoing rumors that Sam Darnold’s free agent market isn’t as strong as expected, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero has reported that the Vikings have put an offer on the table for Darnold.
The question, of course, is what that offer looks like. Is it a one-year deal? A two-year deal that the Vikings could get out of next offseason if needed? Is it for $25, maybe $30 million per year? Any commitment greater than that seems unlikely from Minnesota, given that J.J. McCarthy is waiting in the wings as their future franchise quarterback. Given that Darnold’s camp hasn’t accepted the Vikings’ offer, it feels fair to assume it isn’t a huge one.
“The Vikings have an offer out to him,” Pelissero said on the Rich Eisen Show on Friday. “They have been in talks. They chose not to use the franchise tag, which is probably a pretty good indication that Sam Darnold’s market is a little bit lighter than what people had been expecting on the outside. Does Sam Darnold decide to go back on effectively a one-year deal in Minnesota and be the guy until he’s not the guy, with J.J. McCarthy sitting there breathing down his neck? Does he decide, I’m gonna go someplace else, whether that’s on another one-year deal or it’s on a multi-year deal?”
It’s a fascinating situation. Darnold may like the idea of running it back with Minnesota, where he gets to work with Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson, but McCarthy’s presence complicates things. It would seem to be an easy decision if another team makes him a stronger offer that sets him up to be their unquestioned starter for the next couple years, but will such an opportunity present itself?
“There are several teams that have an interest level in Sam Darnold, but I don’t get the sense that there’s somebody blowing him away with a monster multi-year contract, otherwise you probably already would’ve had the Vikings pivoting off of that and going to the next thing,” Pelissero continued. “So that’s one of the big dominos here, which in turn impacts the likes of Daniel Jones, who would be — in all likelihood — plan B (for the Vikings), in addition to obviously having J.J. McCarthy there.”
QB Sam Darnold not expected to re-sign with Vikings
It appears the Sam Darnold era in Minnesota will be a one-off.
Darnold is not expected to return to the Vikings, who are now focused on other quarterback options they’ve been pursuing in recent weeks, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Saturday, per sources.
3 thoughts on Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy as Vikings’ decision approaches
Since the tag deadline passed, the buzz is that QB-needy teams — perhaps afraid of “the real Sam Darnold” being the guy who showed up in the final two games of the Vikings’ season — aren’t that interested in giving him a contract worth $40-plus million per year, which is the going rate for quality starting quarterbacks in today’s game.
Earlier this week, the news that Darnold wasn’t being tagged came with a concerted narrative push from various prominent insiders that suggested the Vikings are still in discussions with Darnold’s camp on a deal to keep him in Minnesota. Really, it feels a lot like the Cousins situation last year. Minnesota may legitimately have interest in retaining their veteran starting quarterback, but it would have to be at their price.
Aaron Rodgers, Vikings Reported Interest Has Everybody Making Brett Favre Jokes
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Vikings are considered a “dark horse” in the Rodgers sweepstakes while The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said the Vikings “could show interest” in Rodgers if they are unable to re-sign Daniel Jones.
Vikings free-agency predictions: What will they do with Sam Darnold, Byron Murphy, others?
Sam Darnold
Prediction: Signs elsewhere in free agency
Byron Murphy Jr.
Prediction: Signs extension with Minnesota
Aaron Jones
Prediction: Signs extension with Minnesota
Camryn Bynum
Prediction: Signs elsewhere in free agency
Report: Najee Harris ‘is on the Vikings’ radar’
If the Minnesota Vikings can’t re-sign running back Aaron Jones, a name to watch is Najee Harris, according to Darren Wolfson of KSTP-TV.
“Continue to hear, the Vikings having dialogue with Drew Rosenhaus, the Rosenhaus representation with Aaron Jones in mind. What is that price point? I don’t think the Vikings are going beyond $7 million on Aaron Jones. It may even be a tick less than that,” Wolfson said Thursday Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd.
“But the Vikings want Aaron Jones back. That is priority No. 1. If they have to pivot, if Jones ends up elsewhere, Najee Harris. My understanding is Najee Harris, a free agent, is on the Vikings’ radar.”
If the Vikings don’t want to pay Jones more than $7 million, how much are they going to offer a younger back like Harris, who is about turn 27 while Jones will be 31 in December?
Former NFL agent Joel Corry recently wrote for CBS Sports that Harris could get a three-year, $30 million deal in free agency. $10 million per season for a running back who has been slightly above average during his career? Minnesota has money to spend, but is that where they want to invest it?
Jones rushed 255 times for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns while adding 51 receptions for 408 yards and two touchdowns. Harris, in his fourth season with Pittsburgh, finished with 266 carries for 1,043 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 36 receptions for 283 yards.
Vikings predicted to pull off blockbuster trade for Jets $9 million superstar
If Jones and the Vikings part ways for any reason, Pro Football Network’s Sterling Xie predicts Minnesota will pull off a blockbuster trade with the New York Jets for running back Breece Hall.
“But even if Jones returns, he’ll be 30 years old, coming off a career-low in yards per carry (albeit still a healthy 4.5 average),” Xie wrote. “Hall recovered from a horrid start to finish strong, averaging 4.6 yards per carry over his final nine games. He would also bring enticing big-play ability to a Vikings offense that ranked 23rd in explosive run rate last year (only 10.7% of their rush attempts gained 10+ yards).”
It remains to be seen if the Jets would even be willing to trade Hall. After all, he’s a key piece in New York’s offense.
But he’s also entering the final year of his rookie contract and if the Jets think he won’t re-up, they could look to deal him. The Jets also have a possible in-house replacement in Braelon Allen, a 2024 draft pick who managed to shine in his limited opportunities last season.
Broncos Predicted to Sign Vikings Running Back in Free Agency
In an article from Bleacher Report, the Broncos dipped into the free-agent pool. The Broncos were predicted to land former Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones.
Jones is coming off his eighth season in the NFL, where he put up 1,186 rushing yards, the third most he’s had in his career. However, his yards-per-attempt were the lowest he’s had at 4.4 yards per carry.
Jones isn’t just a runner, he also contributes in the passing game as a receiver. Head coach Sean Payton is looking for a “joker” to add to the offense. Jones can fill that role out of the backfield.
Analyst floats idea of Kirk Cousins reunion if Vikings can’t re-sign Sam Darnold
But there’s another familiar face who would also make some sense — former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins, who could be released by the Atlanta Falcons this offseason. That’s an idea NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah floated on the network on Thursday, and Jeremiah made an appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show Friday to clarify his thoughts on Cousins.
“I think people misinterpreted the Cousins thing, ‘Why would they bring back (Cousins) and not let (McCarthy) go?’” Jeremiah said on the ESPN show on Friday. “No, no, (McCarthy’s) gonna be the starter, but you have to have some veteran insurance there. First of all, the guy needs to stay healthy, and with Kirk Cousins, I just thought it was a unique opportunity for somebody ... who knows the offense inside and out. Atlanta’s footing the bill, so it’s going to cost you nothing.”
Vikings Free Agency: Cornerback is a massive need in Minnesota and there are a lot of talented players to choose from
The Minnesota Vikings are set to hit free agency with a massive amount of salary cap space. Before factoring in the extension of Theo Jackson, the Vikings will have $62.8 million in salary cap space to maneuver with.
They are likely to be big players in the market with a lot of cap space and multiple holes to fill. Defensive tackle is going to be a priority, but cornerback might be a bigger one with four of their players set to hit the open market: Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, Shaquill Griffin, and Fabian Moreau.
Byron Murphy Jr.
Contract prediction: 4 years, $70 million, $38 million guaranteed
D.J. Reed
Contract prediction: 3 years, $42 million, $27 million guaranteed
Charvarius Ward
Contract prediction: 3 years, $43.5 million, $26 million guaranteed
Carlton Davis
Contract prediction: 3 years, $40 million, $23 million guaranteed
Paulson Adebo
Contract prediction: 2 years, $24 million, $14 million guaranteed
An Offseason Plan
.
I am going to continue to pound the drums for signing some players that have been released rather than signing unrestricted free agents.
Jonathan Allen is #1 in my book. He is 30 compared to Milton Williams who is 26. Allen will likely sign for 16-20M while Williams will likely get more. That is too much for me. Kendall Fuller is a decent corner and #2 in my book.
.
Starting Cap Space
2025: $60,391,543
2026: $99,908,844
.
Cut Ed Ingram (saves 3.325M)
Cut CJ Ham (saves 2.65M)
.
Extend Brian O’Neill 2 yr 38M (saves 11M)
Extend Josh Oliver - 3 yr 21M (saves 4.28M)
Extend Harrison Smith - 1 yr 8.255M (costs 7M)
Extend Cam Akers - 1 yr 2.17M
...
Sign Jonathan Allen (DL) - 3 yr 57M
Sign DJ Reed (CB) - 3 yr 48M
Sign Jourdan Lewis (CB) - 2 yr 8M
Sign Isaiah Rodgers (CB) - 2 yr 6M
Sign Patrick Mekari (LG) - 3 yr 33M
Sign Trystan Colon (RG) - 2 yr 7M
Sign Najee Harris RB - 3 yr 33M
Sign Elijah Moore WR - 1 yr 5M
...
Ending Cap Space
2025: $38,647,543
2026: $35,782,844
...
Still need a backup QB and could try to sign Javon Hargrave.
Yore Mock Draft
Trade Recap
Minnesota Receives: 2025: Round 2, Pick 36, 2025: Round 3, Pick 70, 2025: Round 6, Pick 196
Jacksonville Receives: 2025: Round 1, Pick 24
...
Minnesota Receives: 2025: Round 3, Pick 74, 2025: Round 5, Pick 141
Carolina Receives: 2025: Round 3, Pick 70
...
Minnesota Receives: 2025: Round 3, Pick 88, 2025: Round 6, Pick 184
Jacksonville Receives: 2025: Round 3, Pick 97, 2025: Round 5, Pick 161
...
Minnesota Receives: 2025: Round 4, Pick 135, 2025: Round 7, Pick 226
Miami Receives: 2025: Round 5, Pick 140, 2025: Round 6, Pick 196
...
Minnesota Receives: 2025: Round 5, Pick 150, 2025: Round 6, Pick 211
Dallas Receives: 2025: Round 5, Pick 141
...
36. Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina 6’3.1” 220
74. Tate Ratledge IOL Georgia 6’6.4” 308
88. Deone Walker DL Kentucky 6’7.3” 331
135. Jacob Parrish CB Kansas State 5’9.6” 191
150. D.J. Giddens RB Kansas State 6’0.02” 212
184. Jalen Rivers OT Miami (FL) 6’5.6” 319
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25902669/2183225200.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 09 Miami at Georgia Tech")
211. Isaac TeSlaa WR Arkansas 6’3.5” 214
226. Caleb Ransaw S Tulane 5’11.3” 197
Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25902670/2196214030.jpg "Reese’s Senior Bowl 2025 - Practice")
UDFA
Montrell Johnson RB Florida
Warren Brinson DT Georgia
Eric Gregory DT Arkansas
Jailin Walker LB Indiana
Cooper Mays C Tennessee
Dont’e Thornton WR Tennessee
Hunter Wohler S Wisonson
James Burnip P Alabama
Brant Kuithe TE Utah
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
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
Some good news for the Vikings’ young quarterback
With the Minnesota Vikings apparently ready to move on from their 2024 starter at quarterback, they’ve received some good news about the man that they hope will be the long-term future at the position.
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network is reporting that J.J. McCarthy is expected to be cleared for spring practices, meaning that he can officially take over as the top quarterback for Kevin O’Connell and company when mini-camps get underway after this year’s NFL Draft.
As we know, McCarthy appeared in just one preseason game in his rookie season before having surgery to repair a torn meniscus and go on injured reserve, ending his season. That opened the door for Sam Darnold, who experienced a renaissance under O’Connell’s tutelage and is now set to cash in when free agency gets underway this week.
With the Vikings unable to find a trade partner in a tag-and-trade deal for Darnold, he will have some suitors in free agency. With the Seattle Seahawks trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, the Seahawks are expected to be the most likely destination for Darnold now that it doesn’t appear he’ll be back in Minnesota.
What else does this mean for the Vikings at quarterback? Well, it means that McCarthy is almost certainly going to enter the spring sessions as the undisputed #1 quarterback on the depth chart and the search will be on for a backup to him. The team reportedly wants to bring back Daniel Jones to fill that role, but there are apparently teams that will be coming after Jones to answer their quarterback questions as well, with the Indianapolis Colts being among the most frequently mentioned.
We aren’t going to have to wait much longer to get the answers to some of these questions, as we’re now just a little more than 48 hours away from the start of the “legal tampering” period of free agency ahead of the new league year getting underway this Wednesday at 3:00 PM Central time.
Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images
He won’t hit free agency after all
With the “legal tampering” period of free agency set to start in less than twenty-four hours, the Minnesota Vikings have brought back one of their own in a move that may come as a bi of a surprise.
Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the Vikings and running back Aaron Jones have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth as much as $20 million, with $13 million of that money guaranteed.
Jones was released by the Green Bay Packers last offseason and inked a one-year, $7 million deal with the Vikings soon after. This past season, despite dealing with injury issues, Jones appeared in every game for the Vikings, setting career bests with 255 carries and 1,138 rushing yards. He also caught 51 passes, marking the third time in his career that he’s caught at least 50 passes.
It comes as a bit of a surprise that Jones and the Vikings would come to a deal like this, in my opinion. Jones was a very good back when he was healthy this season, but he did battle a lot of injury issues and is now on the wrong side of 30 when running backs traditionally start to decline. I would expect the Vikings to add a back in this year’s NFL Draft to pair with Jones as part of a tandem in order to reduce the potential wear and tear on the veteran and keep him healthy as the season goes on.
While running back remains a need for the Vikings, it now appears that it has moved down the list of priorities with the re-signing of Aaron Jones. What do you think of this development, folks?
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Everything you need to know is right here
Folks, we have made it to the second major event of the 2025 NFL offseason. With the Scouting Combine in the books, the focus now shifts to free agency and what the Minnesota Vikings will do with the boatload of cap space they’re currently sitting on.
They’ve made one move already, preventing running back Aaron Jones from reaching free agency by inking him to a two-year, $20 million contract extension on Sunday afternoon, but there are still plenty of moves to be made for a team that, despite going 14-3 last season, is going to have some holes to fill.
In addition to potentially bringing in new faces from other teams, there are the questions about what will happen to some of the Vikings’ in-house free agents. Sam Darnold is likely on his way out the door after the Vikings didn’t use the franchise tag on him when they could have, but there are plenty of other players to keep an eye on as well. Will the Vikings bring back either cornerback Byron Murphy or safety Camryn Bynum? Is Harrison Smith coming back for a 14th season in purple? Those questions need to be answered, as well as many others.
This is going to be our spot to keep everyone apprised on what’s happening with our favorite team in free agency. Whenever we get news and put a story up about it, we’ll be adding them to this stream so you have all the news in one place. So, keep it right here and keep refreshing frequently so that you’re completely up to date!
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
A potentially big upgrade in the pivot for the Vikings
After watching a lot of players walk out the door during the first day of the “legal tampering” period of free agency, the Minnesota Vikings have finally brought in a legitimate outside free agent.
Numerous sources, including Adam Schefter of ESPN and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, are reporting that the Vikings have agreed to the terms of a two-year, $18 million contract with center Ryan Kelly, who has spent his entire career to this point with the Indianapolis Colts.
Kelly was the Colts first-round pick (#18 overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft after a successful college career at the University of Alabama. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and has garnered Pro Bowl honors four times, with the most recent coming in 2023.
In September of 2020, the Colts made Kelly the highest-paid center in the NFL when they signed him to a four-year, $50 million contract extension. He has appeared in 112 games for the Colts in his nine-year career, starting in every single one.
The primary concern with Kelly is related to his health. In his nine seasons in the league, he has only played in every regular season game twice. He played all 16 games in 2019 and played all 17 for the Colts in 2022. Other than that, he’s battled injuries every other season he’s been in the league. The Vikings obviously weren’t scared off by that, however, as they’ve brought him in to be a part of the interior of the offensive line.
The question at this point might be “Where, exactly?” As of now, the Vikings still have Garrett Bradbury under contract at the center spot, but the team might be interested in having Kelly play guard instead. Or this could be the end of the Bradbury era, as the Vikings would incur a $2.4 million dead money hit by letting him go but would save $3.6 million in cap space.
Wherever the Vikings choose to play Ryan Kelly, he’s quite clearly going to be an upgrade to an interior offensive line that has had its struggles since. . .I don’t know. . .since Steve Hutchinson left town, if we’re being honest.
Welcome to Minnesota, Ryan Kelly!
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
And it’s a big one
The Minnesota Vikings ended the first day of NFL free agency with a bang when they agreed to an extension with cornerback Byron Murphy. The front office has decided that they could just as well start Tuesday with a big signing, too.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (among others) is reporting that the Vikings have agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract with defensive lineman Jonathan Allen.
Allen was released by the Washington Commanders on Friday when they were unable to find a trade partner before the start of the new league year. In his eight seasons in Washington, Allen collected 42 quarterback sacks and garnered Pro Bowl honors twice, being selected in 2021 and 2022.
One of the big weaknesses the Vikings have had over the past few seasons has been the ability to push the pocket and get pressure from the interior on defense. Allen should be able to do quite a bit to fix that, and given what we’ve seen over the past two years there’s no reason to believe that Brian Flores won’t be able to get the best out of Allen as the Minnesota defense continues to evolve.
Once we find out more about the structure of the contract we can discuss it. . .at the present time, no specific details have been released. However, the Vikings are continuing to show that they’re serious about filling the gaps in their roster and continuing to build on the success they had in 2024.
Welcome to Minnesota, Jonathan Allen!
Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
Another Viking is leaving town
After a Tuesday morning that was filled with all sorts of action for the Minnesota Vikings, another member of last year’s team is changing addresses.
Wide receiver Trent Sherfield has agreed to a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos worth $6 million. This is being reported by Broncos beat writer Mike Klis.
Sherfield signed with the Vikings last March and served mostly as a very good special teams player this past season with the Vikings, as well as a solid blocker in the run game. He caught just eight passes for 83 yards this season and found the end zone once.
While Sherfield wasn’t a huge name for the Vikings, he’s still going to be a player that’s difficult to replace given his special teams prowess. This shakes up the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart for the Vikings a bit as well, but the Vikings were going to have to make some moves there anyway.
Best of luck to Trent Sherfield as he makes his way to Denver after a season with the Vikings.
