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A Deep Dive Into the 2025 Minnesota Vikings Aug 23, 2025 16:19:25 GMT -6  

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If Jackson is the weak link (and only weak link) on the line, what an impressive upgrade turnaround in 1 year. Jackson should also get a big boost by the return of Darrisaw.

Harrison Philips, I think is an overreaction. Enough has been posted on it from both angles to not rehash, but we'll see how it plays out.

Looks like a lock for upgrades at QB2 and WR. I think the CB room is set through Blackmond, but wouldn't be surprised with a pickup on waivers and Vaugh to the P.S. I'll go on the record that there will be no trade for CB.

Beyond that the big area I hope we see some movement on is special teams. That's the biggest hole, imo, on the roster (barring injuries).

Last Edit: Aug 23, 2025 16:20:33 GMT -6 by pager

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A Deep Dive Into the 2025 Minnesota Vikings Aug 23, 2025 19:39:17 GMT -6  

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Aug 23, 2025 15:28:44 GMT -6 Danchat said:

Luck = Preparation meeting opportunity

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A Deep Dive Into the 2025 Minnesota Vikings Sept 4, 2025 8:01:52 GMT -6  

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I'm just not willing to commit to 2 and a half hours to watch that. Maybe I'll cave and do it eventually.

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A Deep Dive Into the 2025 Minnesota Vikings Sept 4, 2025 18:14:16 GMT -6  

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Purple Insider: The 10 biggest questions facing the 2025 Minnesota Vikings

How will Kevin O’Connell handle JJ McCarthy? Kid gloves or all-in?
Over the last three seasons, the Vikings’ head coach has leaned into the quarterback regardless of who the quarterback was. The Vikings have thrown the fifth most passes in the NFL since 2022 and even Josh Dobbs threw 151 passes over five appearances. Will things go the same way with first-year starter JJ McCarthy?

There is a good case for going all-in on the 2024 first-round pick. The Vikings have one of the most dynamic groups of weapons in the NFL. Justin Jefferson’s prowess on downfield/intermediate passes has the capability to make any QB into the best version of themselves. Last year with Sam Darnold he caught 45 passes on 77 targets that traveled more than 10 yards downfield. Out of 15 potential contested-catch opportunities, he grabbed nine. That seems like a compelling argument for pushing the ball to Jefferson over and over downfield rather than playing it safe.

If Jefferson was the only option, then asking McCarthy to pump him the ball repeatedly might be tough to accomplish but he has multiple underneath weapons as well. Adam Thielen caught 28 of 29 passes last season that traveled between 0-10 yards in the air and nabbed 32 of 39 short attempts in his direction. Not to mention that Aaron Jones caught 51 passes out of the backfield.

Leaning into McCarthy could be reframed as leaning into the most complete group of weapons in the NFL.

At the same time, McCarthy hasn’t thrown a pass in a real game since the college national championship game in 2023. The Vikings rebuilt the offensive line and added Jordan Mason to run the football more effectively, so it would make sense for O’Connell to ground-and-pound with Jones and Mason from the outset and then slowly build up McCarthy as they go. It would also make sense to try to get into positive down-and-distance situations and use play-action as often as possible with an inexperienced QB.

O’Connell’s QB whispering abilities will be tested as he must balance when to push the gas pedal down, when to push McCarthy through tough moments, when to take the pressure off, and when to live to play another day.

How far can JJ McCarthy take the Vikings?
When a young quarterback is taking over a franchise, there is a natural desire to temper expectations. In this instance, however, the Vikings lead the entire NFL in cash spending for the 2025 season and have a roster largely made up of veteran stars and a head coach who is going into his fourth year without a playoff win. That doesn’t sound like a franchise that should have a ton of patience for the bumps along the road.

Recent history would suggest that it’s not that crazy to put all the pressure on an inexperienced QB. Within the first three years of their careers, we have seen NFC quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Jared Goff and Brock Purdy go to the Super Bowl with stacked rosters. Other young QBs like Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence, CJ Stroud and Bo Nix have also led teams to the postseason in either their first or second years.

The question isn’t if it’s possible that McCarthy could take a supremely-gifted offense into the postseason but whether there is a ceiling on the team because of his inexperience. Will he be far enough along in his development to win in the toughest division in the NFL and then take a team through the postseason? We’re going to find out.

How will McCarthy be viewed when 2025 is over?
When the Vikings picked McCarthy 10th overall in the 2024 draft, they were looking for a quarterback good enough to take advantage of the rookie QB contract edge with the salary cap. By the end of the season, will the franchise see him as someone who can compete for a championship within his rookie contract window?

Not that quarterback rankings really matter but…what tier will McCarthy fall into when The Athletic’s Mike Sando releases his article in 2026 based on NFL executives and coaches’ rankings?

Does the backfield have a 1A and 1B?
Clay expects a 50-50 carry split in his projections, giving Jones 182 rushes and Mason 178 carries. Is that how it’s really going to play out after Mason had an impressive camp or will the Vikings still be Jones’ team and Mason will be there for occasional support, particularly in short yardage and red zone?

Mason’s performance over 236 career carries certainly suggests that he should be more than just a part-time runner. He has averaged 5.3 yards per carry and was top-10 in yards after contact in 2024. O’Connell said this offseason that he feels Jones has been at his best during his career when paired with a bruiser and they would like to see him at full speed for the entire season rather than being worn down like he was last year. Will they stick with that? Can Mason be effective enough in pure passing situations with blocking and receiving to get those key snaps as well?

Can the defense stop the run as well as 2024?
The Vikings allowed the second fewest yards rushing in the NFL last season. That will be very hard to repeat considering the QBs and RBs that they face this year, including Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs (x2), Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Jayden Daniels and Josh Jacobs (x2).

Brian Flores’ defense is revamped with Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen rather than Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard, which gives them a much more dangerous pass rush on the interior but it does subtract from their ability to stuff the run. The last time Hargrave and Allen played full seasons in 2023, they ranked 129th and 182nd in PFF run defense grade out of 200 DTs. Will they play differently in Minnesota? Can Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez fill in some of the gaps? Will the linebackers and safeties be able to make up the difference? If someone gets hurt, will they be able to make up the difference with depth?

Plus, tracking down running QBs will be another story. The Vikings did not face very many mobile quarterbacks last year as they were dominating the run game. They were also so good at forcing turnovers and playing with the lead that they were not often in a position to have to stop the other club from slamming the ball on the ground. If the environment is different this year, how will they adapt?

Did their investments in veteran players work?
In a league filled with teams that are always trying to get younger, the Vikings went into free agency and came away with a bunch of players who are past the traditional primes for their position. Ryan Kelly, Hargrave, Allen and bringing back Aaron Jones and Harrison Smith has made them one of the oldest teams in the league. Some of the players they acquired have suffered significant injuries recently, including expensive right guard Will Fries. Will this group of elder statesmen stay healthy enough to win the NFC North and go deep into the playoffs?

The other part of this question is whether they have enough depth to deal with injuries. Can Michael Jurgens handle several games at center if called upon? How will the secondary look if Smith misses time? Could they trust Ty Chandler to help if Jones went out and Mason was RB1?

Plus their last-minute add to the receiver room Adam Thielen is 35. Will he be able to contribute at a high level before and after Addison’s suspension?

There are plenty of older teams that have been proven winners but it also puts under the microscope their two or three-year window. If some of these free agents don’t work out, then what?

Is the secondary good enough to match up with elite QBs/WRs?
We mentioned the running games that the Vikings will have to face but the passing attacks are every bit as nasty, especially if the 2024 draft class elevates its game. The Vikings will face Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jordan Love, Jayden Daniels, Sam Darnold, Dak Prescott… that’s a lot of quality resumes. And right now past the starting two outside corners is Jeff Okudah, who has had trouble staying healthy and hasn’t performed up to his draft status.

At safety, the Vikings are hoping Smith still has it and Theo Jackson can become the player that they’ve seen in small doses and training camp but there are still a lot of questions. Could DB be a place that they look to add at the deadline if some of these top QBs are performing at a high level against them? Or is it Murphy, Rodgers, Okudah all the way?