Philadelphia Eagles All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Philadelphia Eagles tomorrow. The Eagles have a long, confusing, interesting history in the league. They’ve collected five league titles (1948, 1949, 1960, 2017, and 2024). On the eve of the big game, here’s a look at some of the best players in Philadelphia franchise history. 

Philadelphia Eagles All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback

Norm Van Brocklin

Running Back

Steve Van Buren

Fullback

Keith Byars 

Wide Receivers

Tommy McDonald

Harold Carmichael

Tight End

Pete Pihos 

Offensive Tackles

Jason Peters

Al Wistert

Offensive Guards

Evan Mathis

Brandon Brooks

Center

Jason Kelce

Defense

Defensive Ends

Reggie White

Clyde Simmons

Defensive Tackles

Fletcher Cox

Jerome Brown

Linebackers

Chuck Bednarik

Maxie Baughan

Seth Joyner

Cornerbacks

Eric Allen 

Troy Vincent

Safeties

Brian Dawkins

Bill Bradley

Special Teams

Kicker 

David Akers

Punter

Donnie Jones

Kick Returner

Timmy Brown

Minnesota Vikings Injured List

The Minnesota Vikings really needed their Week 6 bye. Not only were they returning from a ridiculous 10-day stay in Ireland and England, they had a load of players that needed some time to get healthy. The last time they were on the field for NFL action, the Vikings offensive line looked like this:

LT2

LG3

C3 

RG1

RT3

Thank goodness for right guard Will Fries. He was the only offensive line starter that was on the field in London for the game-wining drive against the Cleveland Browns. Fries and a mix-and-match of healthy and available linemen were tasked with keeping Carson Wentz safe against one of the league’s best defensive lines. 

The Vikings have injuries scattered across the roster but the offensive line has been particularly hard hit. It’s tough to get anything going offensively when there’s a constant scramble to field five healthy players up front. A big reason for any preseason optimism for the Vikings was due to the rebuilt offensive line. The projected five starters have yet to take a snap together. 

The injuries that have peppered the first five games of the season have been frustrating. Return from the Week 6 bye has brought some good news on the injury front. As the Vikings prepare for Sunday’s big game against the Philadelphia Eagles, every injured player not on injured reserve has taken part in this week’s practices. 

Wednesday

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL (Hip) - Limited

J.J. McCarthy, QB (Ankle) - Limited

Brian O’Neill, T (Knee) - Limited

Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB (Neck) - Limited

Tyler Batty, OLB (Knee) - Full

Brian Cashman, LB (Hamstring) - Full

Donovan Jackson, G (Wrist) - Limited

Michael Jurgens, C (Hamstring) - Full

Carson Wentz, QB (Shoulder) - Full

Thursday

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL (Hip) - Limited

J.J. McCarthy, QB (Ankle) - Limited

Brian O’Neill, T (Knee) - Limited

Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB (Neck) - Limited

Tyler Batty, OLB (Knee) - Full

Brian Cashman, LB (Hamstring) - Full

Donovan Jackson, G (Wrist) - Full

Michael Jurgens, C (Hamstring) - Full

Carson Wentz, QB (Shoulder) - Full

Since everything football revolves around the quarterback position, it’s probably best to start there. It looks like Carson Wentz is going to start his fourth game. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has said that he wants to see J.J. McCarthy go through a full week of practice before he’s reinserted as the team’s starter. He hasn’t gotten that complete week this week. The NFL schedule won’t allow him to get that next week as the Vikings play the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday. In that case, it looks like the earliest McCarthy might return is the Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions. 

The probable return of guard Donovan Jackson and Michael Jurgens is great news for the offensive line. Jackson was improving every game before wrist surgery sidelined him for the two international games. If their one game together is any indication, Christian Darrisaw and Jackson will form a dynamite left side now and into the future. Blake Brandel’s play at center against the Browns was eyeopening. It was his first time ever playing the position. Brandel and Jurgens are solid options as Ryan Kelly recovers on injured reserve from a pair of concussions. Brian O’Neill’s availability for the Eagles is the biggest question of the offensive line. If he can go, the Vikings will have as close to their top line as they’ve had all season. 

On defense, Blake Cashman’s return is huge. A hamstring injury in the season-opener against the Chicago Bears landed him on injured reserve. He’s the defensive signal-caller and heart of the Vikings defense. His versatility was missed for five-plus games. Eric Wilson was solid in his place but Cashman is a real-time problem-solver for the defense. 

Andrew Van Ginkel’s availability is the biggest injury question on defense. He’s missed most of the first five games with a neck issue. Like Cashman, he’s a versatile problem-solver. His stat line for the Week 3 Cincinnati Bengals is perhaps the best example of his potential impact on any game. In that game, he played only eight snaps. With those eight snaps, he had two sacks. He’s a difference-maker. He’s been missed and his return is near. Hopefully, that return is this week. 

Each week this season, the Vikings injury report has been peppered, at times dominated, by DNPs. DID NOT PRACTICE. This week, only Christian Darrisaw had a DNP and that was for his weekly rest day as he solidifies his return for last season’s torn ACL. Hopefully, a few more of the limited participants (O’Neill and Van Ginkel) become full participants in today’s final practice in advance of Sunday’s game against the Eagles. 

Throwback Thursday: All - Time HBCU Team

The NFL's history is filled with players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The talent that's come out of these schools rivals, even exceeds, that of the "big time" conferences. Some of the best of that talent can be seen in this All-Time NFL Team of players from HBCUs. If not for the racism that closed the NFL to blacks for decades and slowed their integration and appreciation for decades more, the talent on this team would probably be even more ridiculous than it already is. 

Quarterback

Steve McNair, Alcorn State

Running Backs

Walter Payton, Jackson State
Leroy Kelly, Morgan State

Receivers

Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State
John Stallworth, Alabama A&M

Tight End

Shannon Sharpe, Savannah State

Offensive Line

Roosevelt Brown, Morgan State
Art Shell, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Jackie Slater, Jackson State
Rayfield Wright, Fort Valley State
Larry Little, Bethune-Cookman

Defensive Line

Deacon Jones, South Carolina State/Mississippi Valley State
Willie Davis, Grambling State
Buck Buchanan, Grambling
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern

Linebackers

Robert Brazile, Jackson State
Willie Lanier, Morgan State
Harry Carson, South Carolina State

Defensive Backs

Willie Brown, Grambling State
Mel Blount, Southern

Ken Houston, Prairie View A&M

Donnie Shell, South Carolina State

***

The talent on this team is ridiculous.

22 players. 21 are honored in Canton.

The one player not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the quarterback. Steve McNair.

Black colleges have sent an abundance of talent to the NFL at all positions but quarterback. That has more to do with racism than a lack of talent. The league's coaches and owners were unwilling for so long to give a black quarterback a shot. Many think that Warren Moon was the first great black quarterback. Even he was forced to start his throwing career in Canada due to the racial prejudices of the league’s white decision-makers. Doug Williams and James Harris had some fine moments. Maybe they would've had more if their path was less rocky. Maybe Parnell Dickinson could've been the first great black quarterback if he'd been given a chance. Joe Gilliam? Eldridge Dickey? Charlie Brackins? Willie Thrower? None had the opportunities routinely and repeatedly given to modestly talented white quarterbacks.

HBCUs have sent even more football talent than the above All-Time Team to the NFL. Here are some of the players that I had to reluctantly leave on the bench.

Lem Barney
Elvin Bethea
Richard Dent
Bob Hayes
Charlie Joiner
Emmitt Thomas

Aeneas Williams

Ken Riley

That's eight Pro Football Hall of Famers sitting on the bench. The talent doesn't end there. Here are a few players that have a strong case for Canton induction.

Roger Brown
L.C. Greenwood
Otis Taylor
Everson Walls

Just silly with talent. The talent was at these "small" schools because it wasn't welcome at the "big" schools. The smart NFL teams sent scouts to these schools in the 1960s and early 1970s. The 1960s Kansas City Chiefs benefited greatly. So did the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers. It's really no surprise that the rise in the scouting of the HBCUs coincided with the escalating AFL-NFL wars. There were more professional teams and it resulted in a hotly contested race for talent. The AFL had the edge at these long-neglected schools and it helped catch the NFL and force a merger in only seven years. Despite being loaded with talented players and greatly impacting the NFL the Historically Black Colleges and Universities have long been over there on the periphery of college and professional football. It's well past time to celebrate these schools and the players that played there. The Black College Football Hall of Fame has been inducting players since 2010. It's a grassroots effort that's slowly gaining traction and now they're getting support from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They deserve more support and attention. Just look at the players. So much talent. Just silly with talent.

Minnesota Vikings Great Receiver Tradition

The Minnesota Vikings have a great receiver tradition. It can rival that of any team in the league. In only his sixth season, Justin Jefferson has added greatly to that tradition. If he eliminates off-field, knuckle-head stunts, Jordan Addison will further add to it. Perhaps Jalen Nailor and Tai Felton will make their own contributions. The tradition started with 1963 Rookie of Year Paul Flatley. Sammy White won that award in 1976. Randy Moss did the same in 1998. Percy Harvin did as well in 2009. Jefferson was robbed of the Rookie of the Year award in 2020. He did take home Offensive Player of the Year honors after his third season. The Vikings receivers through 65 years are a great, fun group. 

Minnesota Vikings Receiver Tradition

Paul Flatley

Gene Washington

John Gilliam

Sammy White

Ahmad Rashad

Anthony Carter

Cris Carter

Jake Reed

Randy Moss

Nate Burleson

Sidney Rice

Percy Harvin

Adam Thielen

Stefon Diggs

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

That’s 16 receivers that were among the best in the league during the time they played. There are a handful more that had solid careers and contributed to the Vikings receiver tradition.

Jerry Reichow

John Henderson

Leo Lewis

Terry LeCount

Hassan Jones

Bernard Berrian

Jarius Wright

The Vikings great receiving tradition is highlighted by Cris Carter and Randy Moss. Both have a bust in Canton. Both are in the argument for best receivers to ever play. Moss is easily in that argument. In my opinion, so is Carter. No one ever caught the ball as well. No one!

I never thought another receiver could challenge Moss and Carter. Both were so damn great. Then Justin Jefferson arrived in Minnesota. He’s done more in five years than any receiver in league history. He’s unbelievable. He just has to get in the end zone more. Put his statistics next to Moss and touchdowns is the only stat that easily leans Moss’ way. In Jefferson’s touchdown defense, he’s had a few called back and spotted on the goal line. He’s had several more catches get the Vikings inside the five-yard line. Justin Jefferson’s work often turned into Dalvin Cook’s glory.

An underrated member of the Vikings great receiver tradition is John Gilliam. He was in Minnesota from 1972-75. During those four years he was the league’s best deep threat. His yard per catch averages were ridiculous.

1972: 22.0

1973: 21.6

1974: 22.2

1975: 15.5

Over 20 yards per catch is a rarity these days. It was in the 1970s as well. Gilliam was named to the Pro Bowl each season. The drop in 1975 was partly due to a bit more conservative offense that revolved around versatile running back Chuck Foreman. Gilliam’s 50 catches that season was his best total for the Vikings. I never understood his departure during the 1976 offseason. The arrival that same offseason of Sammy White in the draft and Ahmad Rashad in a trade helped explain it. 

The trades/departures of Randy Moss, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, and Stefon Diggs were some of the most painful moments of my Vikings life. At least the Diggs trade led directly to the selection of Jefferson in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

Jordan Addison has the talent to join the great Vikings receiver tradition. With his smooth route-running and sticky hands, he can easily be confused with Jefferson. The Jefferson-Addison duo is the best in the league. Addison must stop going astray off the field. Jalen Nailor is likely playing the 2025 with a 2026 free agency payday in mind. As a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tai Felton’s Vikings future is in front of him. 

It’s been so fun watching the Vikings great receiver tradition all these years. With Justin Jefferson leading the way, the future looks as fun as the past has been. 

Players Returning

The first five games of the Minnesota Vikings 2025 season has been an up-down ride. The win-lose-win-lose-win pattern of those games is a reflection of that. If one was so inclined to dig into reasons for the inconsistency, it wouldn’t take long to land on injuries. A look at those injuries must start with the offensive line. A big reason for pre-season optimism was a rebuilt offensive line. With standout tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill already in place, the Vikings focused on overhauling the interior. It was a clear priority of the offseason. Center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries were targeted and signed in free agency. Guard Donovan Jackson was selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy was going to be protected brilliantly by this offensive line. Running backs Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason were going to run through gaping holes. It was going to be so beautiful. Through five games, the five starting offensive linemen have yet to take a single snap together. Coming back from the ACL injury that ended early his 2024 season, left tackle Darrisaw was eased onto the field. His first start was Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals. It shouldn’t surprise that game was the Vikings best of the first five games. The offense just looked different with Darrisaw on the field. Rookie left guard Jackson improved with each game but injured his wrist against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 and had surgery the Monday following the Bengals game in Week 3. Center Ryan Kelly was placed on injured reserve after his second concussion of the season. His situation is the most concerning as two concussions in as many weeks isn’t a good thing. Player and team must be careful moving forward. Kelly’s replacement, second-year center Michael Jurgens injured his hamstring at some point in the same game that Kelly left with a concussion. That forced Blake Brandel to play center in the Week 5 London game against the Cleveland Browns. It was the first time he’d played center in his football life. Right tackle Brian O’Neill sprained his MCL on the first possession of the Week 4 Dublin game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Right guard Will Fries is the only offensive lineman to start every game. The Vikings often had to dig so deep into the offensive line depth that tight end Josh Oliver was on call. 

While the offensive line was particularly hard hit by injuries, it wasn’t the only position that had to scramble to replace starters. On defense, linebacker Brian Cashman left the Week 1 game against the Chicago Bears with an injured hamstring. Those can be tricky and the Vikings took no chances and placed him on injured reserve. Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has been dealing with an injured neck since training camp. He played against the Bears, sat against the Falcons, and played a bit against the Bengals. Somehow, he had two sacks in only a handful of snaps in that game. He hasn’t played since. Put simply, in Brian Flores’ aggressive, unpredictable defense, Cashman and Van Ginkel solve problems in real time. In many ways, the defense is built on the versatility of those two players. When they aren’t on the field, the Vikings defense isn’t quite the Vikings defense. 

If the quarterback is involved, any injury concerns starts with the position. J.J. McCarthy suffered an ankle injury in the Week 2 game against the Bears. Carson Wentz started the next three games. His veteran experience seemed to bring some stability to the offense. The highlight of the three games he played was the last possession of the last game. He was excellent and the offense was brilliant in the gotta-have-it drive that won the Week 5 game in London against the Cleveland Browns. 

McCarthy wasn’t the only offensive playmaker that came out of the Week 2 game against the Bears with an injury. Starting running back Aaron Jones Sr. left the game with a hamstring injury. Jones was immediately placed on injured reserve. That opened the door for Jordan Mason to be the team’s lead back. 

So, the Vikings managed the five pre-bye games with six offensive starters and two defensive starters missing multiple games with injuries. Seven of those eight players entered the bye week on the sidelines with injuries. There’s some good injury news. Several of those players could return as soon as this week. At his appearance in front of the media yesterday, head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed that the following players will practice this week in advance of the Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

J.J. McCarthy

Brian O’Neill

Donovan Jackson

Michael Jurgens

Blake Cashman

The optimist in me wouldn’t be surprised if all of the above are on the field against the Eagles. Or the following Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers. 

The Rest of the Schedule

After their Week 6 bye, the Minnesota Vikings return to football action in Week 7. A week 6 bye is usually a bit early for a 17-game season. With a 10-day overseas trip and a load of injuries, the early bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. The Vikings needed a break. They needed players to get healthy. The post-bye schedule is a demanding one. 

Week 7:   Philadelphia Eagles

Week 8:   @ Los Angeles Chargers (Thursday night)

Week 9:   @ Detroit Lions

Week 10: Baltimore Ravens

Week 11: Chicago Bears

Week 12: @ Green Bay Packers

Week 13: @Seattle Seahawks

Week 14: Washington Commanders

Week 15: @ Dallas Cowboys (Sunday night)

Week 16: @ New York Giants

Week 17: Detroit Lions (Thursday - Christmas Day)

Week 18: Green Bay Packers

When the NFL Schedule was released in the spring, the immediate takeaway was that the Vikings schedule was going to be much easier pre-bye than post-bye. The most demanding part of the post-bye schedule was, and probably still is, the Philadelphia Eagles - Los Angeles Chargers - Detroit Lions - Baltimore Ravens gauntlet that’s now right in front of the Vikings. That was one of the reasons I hoped that the Vikings would have a sparkling 5-0 record at this point in the season. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. At 3-2, they have a winning record. That’s a good thing. Losing very winnable games to the Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t such a good thing. 

A lot has changed since the start of the season. As things currently stand, the post-bye, four-game gauntlet doesn’t look as daunting as it once did. After scorching starts, the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers have struggled recently. The defending champion Eagles are on a two-game losing streak. Can the Vikings make it three? The Chargers followed three wins with two losses. Like the Vikings, the Chargers have had their strong offensive line disrupted by injuries. A suspect offensive line can wreck an otherwise talented team. The Detroit Lions are a dynamite team when they can play their game. The Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs have shown the way to get the Lions out of their game. Week 1 and Week 6 losses to the Packers and Chiefs, respectively, definitely showed the Lions to be a beatable team. When healthy, the Baltimore Ravens boast one of the most talented rosters in the league. The roster has been blasted by injuries and the Ravens are sitting at 1-5. With Lamar Jackson likely back next week, the Ravens have very winnable games against the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins. The Ravens could be a very different 3-5 team when they come to Minnesota in Week 10. I’m hoping that the Vikings are, at worst, 3-1 over the upcoming four-game gauntlet. If they have to lose one game, I’m hoping that it’s a healthy Ravens. The Vikings need to win the NFC games and the Chargers game. I’ll be at SoFi so an in-person win would be nice. 6-3 after Week 10 would nice as the Vikings prepare to rip through the final eight games of their schedule. 

The Vikings can win any game. It’s been that way since Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores joined forces in 2023. They can win any game. They’ve also shown they can lose any game. They’re a good team with the potential to be great. Too often, the Vikings get in their own way and flip winnable games into disappointing losses. They must avoid the injuries that were a serious problem through the first five games. They must get their #1 offensive line on the field. That offensive line might not include center Ryan Kelly. His concussions have become too troublesome. For his future, team and player must be very careful moving forward. Right now, Blake Brandel might be the team’s top center. Surround him with Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill and keep those five on the field for the next 12+ games. Protect J.J. McCarthy and give him a legit chance. If that happens, the Vikings offense should start cruising. The defense needs Andrew Van Ginkel back on the field and to stay on the field. If that happens, the Vikings defense should become a big-play menace. 

A 3-2 start is disappointing because it could so easily be 5-0. The Vikings team that rolled the Bengals in Week 3 would’ve easily beaten the Falcons and Steelers. The Vikings only had three losses last season and this team is much more talented than that team. If they avoid injuries and play to their talent, the next 12+ games should be fun. 

Flea Flicker Week 6 Predictions

The Minnesota Vikings have the week off. That’s a great void for the league. Here’s a guess at the Week 6 games.

Byes: Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans

Denver Broncos “@“ New York Jets (in London)

Pick: Broncos

After the Vikings 10-day stay overseas, I like these international games even less. I didn’t think that was possible.

Arizona Cardinals @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Colts

If not for Adonai Mitchell’s stupidity, the Colts would probably be undefeated. Even with a single loss, they are probably the surprise team of the season.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Dolphins

With a decent offensive line, the Chargers were 3-0. With an offensive line jumbled by injuries, the Chargers are 0-2. If they can’t figure out a way to keep quarterback Justin Herbert safe, the Chargers are going to have a hard time winning games.

New England Patriots @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Patriots

The Patriots stunned the Bills in Week 5. They should be able to handle the Saints in Week 6.

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Browns

The Vikings spent their overseas trip playing these two teams. Now, they play each other. It’s the Browns only because I like seeing Aaron Rodgers lose. 

Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Cowboys

The Panthers have a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on. After topping the Dolphins last week, I fear a Hyde game. 

Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks rebound from their heartbreaker against the Buccaneers.

Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens

Pick: Rams

The Ravens need to get Lamar Jackson healthy before the season is too far gone. 

Tennessee Titans @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Raiders

It took a lot of lucky breaks for the Titans to get their first win of the season last week against the Cardinals. I don’t see the Titans getting lucky again in Las Vegas.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers

Pick: Packers

The Packers lost to Joe Flacco in Week 3 when he was with the Browns. Now, they face him in Week 6 as the new quarterback of the Bengals. I see it going the Packers way this time. 

San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers somehow continue their stunning run with a roster decimated by injuries. 

Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

The Chiefs rebound from their stunning loss to the Jaguars.

The league has again jammed two games into Monday night. Either would be a nice Monday night game on their own. Together is such a waste. 

Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Bills

The Bills rebound from their stunning loss to the Patriots.

Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Commanders

It’s the Commanders in a fun game.