Minnesota Vikings Training Camp: Most Intriguing Position Groups

In two weeks, Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks, rookies, and perhaps a few others will be reporting TCO Performance Center for training camp. Two days later, the rest of the team will report. Minnesota Vikings Training Camp is so close. Every one of the team’s position groups brings some level of intrigue. Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing. 

Quarterback

It always starts with the quarterback. Fran Tarkenton retired after the 1978 season. It feels like the Vikings have been searching for his replacement ever since. There’s been a legion of contenders. Tommy Kramer, Rich Gannon, Wade Wilson, Brad Johnson, Daunte Culpepper, Christian Ponder, Teddy Bridgewater, Kirk Cousins. Injuries, lack of patience, and ineptitude kept any of the legion from being a long-term answer. Perhaps it’s because he’s the current contender that makes J.J. McCarthy so intriguing. There’s something about the kid. He’s a winner. He a leader. He connects with everyone he meets. On the field, he looks and plays like the perfect quarterback for Kevin O’Connell’s offense. I can’t wait to see the start of the J.J. McCarthy era.

Offensive Line

The Vikings finally spent an offseason focused on improving the offensive line. Fans have been begging for this sort of attention for most of the past decade. The interior of the offensive line is new. The Vikings added center Ryan Kelly and right guard in free agency. They selected left guard Donovan Jackson in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The three new starters on the interior will be bookended by arguably the best offensive tackle duo in the league, left tackle Christian Darrisaw and right tackle Brian O’Neill. As with quarterback, the offensive line isn’t so much intriguing as it is exciting. 

Defensive Line

It wasn’t just the offensive line that saw a great deal of offseason attention. The Vikings added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in free agency. Each is an outstanding addition. The intrigue on the defensive line comes in the training camp competition for depth roles. Starters Harrison Phillips, Allen, and Hargrave are near or past 30 years. An effective rotation will be necessary. The competition to be part of that rotation is between an intriguing mix of late-round and undrafted players.

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Taki Taimani

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Alexander Williams

Elijah Williams

Travis Bell

Jonathan Harris

As a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is the highest drafted of the bunch. For me, the competition for the final defensive line spots is the most intriguing of the Vikings training camp. 

Cornerback

From the national media’s perspective, it would seem that the most intriguing aspect of the Vikings cornerback group are players that aren’t on the roster. Most of these talking heads appear to believe that the Vikings are lacking at cornerback. I believe that the Vikings are perfectly content with the players they have. It’s a new group. Only Byron Murphy Jr., Mekhi Blackmon, and Dwight McGlothern return and Blackmon missed last season with a knee injury. The Vikings cornerbacks are a young group. That’s a pleasant change from the old farts that manned the position last year. The expectation is the Murphy and free agent addition Isaiah Rodgers will be the starters. The competition for CB3 will be fun. Former third overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jeff Okudah will be part of that competition. The plans for Okudah will be interesting. If the Vikings coaches can bring out the talent that once got him selected third overall, Okudah’s signing will be one of the league’s great steals. 

Outside Linebacker

The Vikings outside linebacker group is intriguing due to the talent at the top and the competition for depth. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel were outstanding throughout their first year in Minnesota. They were so outstanding that first-round pick Dallas Turner couldn’t get on the field. Brian Flores and the Vikings defensive coaches will find a way to get all three on the field this season. It’s going to be beautiful to watch. The competition to round out the group will be between Gabriel Murphy, Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, and Chaz Chambliss.