Minnesota Vikings 2026 Starters?

Nearly all of the offseason attention surrounding the Minnesota Vikings revolved around the quarterback position. Incumbent J.J. McCarthy and newcomer Kyler Murray competed for the job through offseason workouts and the start of training camp. While most national and local talking heads and many fans had Murray as the quarterback from the moment he signed in March, it wasn’t official-official until head coach Kevin O’Connell announced last week that Murray as the Vikings starter moving forward. While quarterback was the Vikings biggest starter question, there were, and are, a few others. Here are some thoughts on my projected Vikings starters. 

Minnesota Vikings 2026 Starters?

Offense

WR	Justin Jefferson
TE	T.J. Hockenson
LT	Christian Darrisaw
LG	Donovan Jackson
C	Blake Brandel
RG	Will Fries
RT	Brian O’Neill
WR	Jordan Addison
QB	Kyler Murray
RB	Aaron Jones
FB	Max Bredeson
WR3	Jauan Jennings

Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are one of the best receiver duos in the league. The offseason addition of Jauan Jennings gives the Vikings the best receiver trio in the league. Perhaps one of the surprises of training camp has been the emergence of receivers Tai Felton and Myles Price. Trimming the receiver group is going to be challenging. The play of Jeshaun Jones, Dontae Fleming, and Dillon Bell might even make it painful. Since Justin Jefferson’s arrival in 2020, the Vikings have had a top-heavy receiver group. Now, it looks like they have a deep group. Jefferson, Addison, and Jennings are the clear starters but Felton, Price, and perhaps one more could see considerable playing time. 

After the big quarterback decision, center Blake Brandel is the biggest question of the Vikings offense. Injuries forced him to fill in at center last season. He held up and prompted the possibility of him being more than a fill-in at the position. It was considered such a possibility that the Vikings didn’t address the position in free agency or early in the draft. Center was Brandel’s position. Some snapping misfires in training camp has brought some concern, Being an optimistic sort, I believe that the snapping issues will be settled, hopefully erased entirely. 

Defense

DE	Jalen Redmond
NT	Domonique Orange
DE	Caleb Banks
OLB	Dallas Turner
LB	Blake Cashman
LB	Eric Wilson
OLB	Andrew Van Ginkel
CB	Byron Murphy Jr.
CB	Isaiah Rodgers
S	Joshua Metellus
S	Jay Ward

Receiver will always be my favorite position group. Since the 1970s, the Vikings defensive line has often been my next favorite. That is definitely the case now. The Vikings current defensive line group is going to be fun. It was an interesting group even before the Vikings selected Caleb Banks in the first round and Domonique Orange in the third round. Before those Day 1 and Day 2 picks, the group was entirely made up by late-round picks and undrafted free agents. Jalen Redmond is one of those undrafted players and emerged last season as a an impact player. He’s only getting better. Redmond, 2024 seventh-rounder Levi Drake Rodriguez, and 2025 fifth-rounder Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins currently project as the starters over Banks and Orange. It’s only a matter of time for the rookies. Most importantly, the Vikings have the makings of a fine defensive line rotation. 

Jalen Redmond

Domonique Orange

Caleb Banks

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

That’s a deep defensive line group with a variety of skills.

The other group with intrigue as a result surprising depth is safety. Joshua Metellus and Jay Ward currently project as the starters. Theo Jackson, and rookies Jakobe Thomas and Jacob Thomas will make it interesting. The depth will provide defensive coordinator Brian Flores and secondary coach Gerald Alexander options at the back of the Vikings defense. 

Despite adding a new starting quarterback, this didn’t feel like an active offseason for the Vikings. It’s still early but many of the roster decisions that were made appear to be wise decisions. The overall depth of the team is improved. That’s resulted in an improved group of projected starters. As long as Blake Brandel settles those snapping issues. 

Throwback Thursday: The Pennsylvania Switcheroo

Here's a Throwback to a Flicker originally posted on February 21, 2011. It's about the "moving" early days of the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. For some reason this little NFL franchise tale has been on my mind. 

***

As my interest in football, and its history, has grown over the years, I've found many fascinating little nuggets. Some of the most fascinating involve the paths franchises have taken to form the league we know today. The paths taken by the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers may be the most fascinating of all.

The Steelers, called the Pirates initially, and the Eagles started innocently enough in 1933. That innocence would be shattered 8 years later. In the first 2 decades of the NFL's existence, all teams struggled. All teams carried financial concerns. Most teams had performance concerns. The Eagles and the Steelers/Pirates had both. With their decades-long recent success, it may be difficult to think of the Steelers as a struggling team. The first 40 years were pretty much the exact opposite of the last 55. Pirates owner, Art Rooney, had reportedly lost as much as $150,000 over the first 8 years. Perhaps the name was the problem. To hopefully inspire a public connection to the team, Rooney changed his team's name to the Steelers in 1940. The Eagles weren't doing much better as the '40s opened. deBenneville (let's call him Bert) Bell was a rich kid with a passion for football. In owning the Eagles, he satisfied the latter at the expense of his father's money. Bert Bell was to become such an important figure in the league's history that it's a bit surprising how close he was to losing it all.  Even in those tough, naive early days, Bell made an impact on the league as the players selection draft was his idea.

As Bell and Rooney were facing difficult choices, Alexis Thompson wanted a piece of the football game. Thompson, ironically, was the heir to the Republic Steel Corporation fortune. Preferring Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Thompson first tried to buy the Eagles. Bell passed. So, Thompson tried the Steelers. Rooney was reluctant. Somewhere, somehow, Bell got the idea of Rooney selling the Steelers and then using that money to buy a half-ownership of the Eagles. According to Rooney, "Bell did all the dickering." Thompson bought the Steelers for about $160,000. Rooney then bought a 50% share of the Eagles for $80,000. Everything seemed fine. However, 4 months later, Thompson had not opened offices in Pittsburgh. It didn't seem that Thompson cared much for doing business in Pittsburgh. Fearful of his hometown losing its football team, Rooney proposed what his son, Dan, referred to as a "switcheroo." Rooney/Bell would trade the Eagles to Thompson for the Steelers. It was more a switch of cities than teams. No cash or other considerations were involved.  Thompson clearly preferred Philadelphia over Pittsburgh. Rooney and Bell actually picked their "favorite" players from the 2 teams to form the new Steelers team. Roughly half of each team switched to the other. Both reconfigured teams struggled in their first season, 1941, with the Steelers finishing 1-9-1 and the Eagles finishing 2-8-1. The Eagles won and tied in the match-ups of the 2 teams. The Steelers managed the first winning season in franchise history the following year as they finished with a 7-4 record in 1942. The Eagles stumbled to a 2-9 record. WWII jumbled the rosters and the league. The financial and player demands of the War years forced the Eagles and Steelers to join forces and form one team in 1943, the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Steagles. Better days were on the way. By the end of the decade, the Eagles were a powerhouse, winning championships in '48 and '49. For the Steelers the winning, a lot of winning, was still about thirty years away.

Franchise movement and changes were fairly common in the first few decades of the league.  In my opinion, none was as crazy as the "switcheroo" of the Steelers and Eagles. The current Colts' franchise history is kind of wacky, but that's for another day.  NFL franchises are tracked kind of like pink slips.  Franchises are sold to another owner or back to the league (It's been quite a while since this has happened.), but the franchise can be tracked through different cities or incarnations. With that in mind, the team that we now know as the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of 6 Super Bowls, was the Philadelphia Eagles from 1933-1940. The team that we now know as the Philadelphia Eagles was once the Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers. Fascinating stuff.

Another Minnesota Vikings 53-Man Roster Projection

The Minnesota Vikings played their preseason game on Saturday. A 13-10 win over the New York Giants on the shit surface of MetLife Stadium. The Vikings have joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens today and tomorrow at spectacular TCO Performance Center. Training camp and the preseason are moving right along. It’s a fine time to take a swing at another Vikings 53-man roster projection. This is the first one that doesn’t include the hoped-for return of safety Harrison Smith. When I was convinced that he was returning for his 15th season, I was certain that it would be at the start of training camp. I simply didn’t see him as one to stroll back to the teams after all the “hard” work is done. If he was coming back, it would be for all of it. While I still hope/believe that he returns, I don’t have Smith as part of this roster projection. 

Another Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

Offense (25)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Demond Claiborne

Not including Zavier Scott is difficult. 

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (6)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Jeshaun Jones

Tight End (3)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Offensive Line (9)

Christian Darrisaw

Donovan Jackson

Blake Brandel

Will Fries

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Caleb Tiernan

Michael Jurgens

Joe Huber

Defense (25)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

After receiver, this might be my favorite position group on the team. 

Outside Linebacker (4)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Many pundits still believe the Vikings will supplement the outside linebacker group with a veteran free agent. I’m beginning to believe that Brian Flores will dip into the linebacker group to support outside linebacker starters Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. Eric Wilson and rookie Jake Golday will play some on the edge. Versatile defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins may also factor into the edge rotation. 

Linebacker (4)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback (4)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

Chuck Demmings

James Pierre

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jakobe Thomas

Tavierre Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Johnny Hekker

Until I’m convinced that undrafted rookie Brett Thorson can consistently snap the ball, I’m going with Johnny Hekker. 

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Roster

The Minnesota Vikings have made some tweaks to the roster this week. A couple days before the start of training camp, the Vikings signed veteran safety/linebacker Jamal Adams. A experienced, versatile defender such as Adams could thrive in a defense crafted by defensive coordinator Brian Flores. In only a couple of weeks Adams was thriving. He projected to be a key contributor this season. Well, it all came to an end in Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Giants as Adams suffered a torn right quadriceps tendon. It was a non-contact injury on the shit surface of MetLife Stadium. His first season with the Vikings is over before it started. Roster tweaks during training camp are done for a variety of reasons. Roster tweaks due to an injury are always the worst possible reason. 

Vikings roster tweaks:

Placed Jamal Adams on injured reserve 

Signed CB Bryce Phillips

Signed OLB Kenny Dyson

Waived OLB Arden Walker

Bryce Phillips is an undrafted rookie out of San Diego State. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs following the draft but was recently waived. Kenny Dyson signed with the Carolina Panthers after going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Panthers practice squad. He was waived after the 2025 NFL Draft and. didn’t sign with any NFL club during the season. Dyson played for the UFL’s Houston Gamblers in the spring. 

Here’s a look at the Vikings roster following these tweaks. 

Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Roster (91)

Offense (44)

Quarterbacks (4)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Running Backs (6)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Zavier Scott

Demond Claiborne

Jermar Jefferson

Max Bredeson - fullback

Receivers (12)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Jeshaun Jones

Dontae Fleming

Dillon Bell

Marcus Sanders Jr.

Terrill Davis

Michael Briscoe

Trayvon Rudolph

Tight Ends (6)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Ben Yurosek

Bryson Nesbit

Marshall Lang

Tackles (6)

Christian Darrisaw

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Walter Rouse

Caleb Tiernan

Triston Leigh

Guards (5)

Donovan Jackson

Will Fries

Joe Huber

Henry Byrd

Tomas Rimac

Centers (5)

Blake Brandel

Michael Jurgens

Vershon Lee

Gavin Gerhardt

Delby Lemieux

Defense (43)

Defensive Line (11)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

Taki Taimani

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Eric Johnson II

Isaiahh Loudermilk

Smith Vilbert

Jahrvee Ritzie

Outside Linebackers (7)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Tyler Batty

Chaz Chambliss

Cam’Ron Stewart

Kenny Dyson

Inside Linebackers (7)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Josh Ross

Jacob Roberts

Bangally Kamara

Cornerbacks (11)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Dwight McGlothern

Chuck Demmings

Marcus Allen

Da’Veawn Armstead

Tyreek Chappell

Jarod Washington

Bryce Phillips

Safeties (7)

Joshua Metellus

Theo Jackson

Jay Ward

Tavierre Thomas

Kahlef Hailassie 

Jakobe Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams (4)

Kicker

Will Reichard

Punter

Johnny Hekker

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper

Andrew DePaola

NFL Top 100

The countdown of the NFL Top 100 continues. Since the release has been so quiet, it’s easy to miss. As of Monday, the quiet release is through 21.

NFL Top 100 Players of 2026

100. Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints

  99. Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts

  98. Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers 

  97. Ernest Jones, LB, Seattle Seahawks 

  96. Travis Etienne, RB, New Orleans Saints

  95. Demario Davis, LB, New York Jets

  94. Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs

  93. Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns 

  92. Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, Houston Texans

  91. Montez Sweat, DE, Chicago Bears 

  90. Derrick Brown, DL, Carolina Panthers 

  89. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams 

  88. Jack Campbell, LB, Detroit Lions

  87. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

  86. Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

  85. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers 

  84. Byron Young, Edge, Los Angeles Rams 

  83. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Tennessee Titans 

  82. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers 

  81. Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders

  80. A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots 

  79. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs 

  77. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  76. Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers

  75. Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals

  74. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

  73. Zach Allen, DL, Denver Broncos

  72. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers

  71. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

  70. Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers

  69. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

  68. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos

  67. Jordyn Brooks, LB, Miami Dolphins

  66. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

  65. Roquan Smith, LB, Baltimore Ravens

  64. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

  63. Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens

  62. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

  61. Kevin Byard, S, New England Patriots

  60. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

  59. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos

  58. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

  57. Dion Dawkins, OT, Buffalo Bills

  56. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

  55. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

  54. Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers

  53. Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams

  52. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  51. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

  50. Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers

  49. Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears

  48. Josh Hines-Allen, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

  47. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles 

  46. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

  45. Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

  44. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

  43. Chris Jones, DL, Kansas City Chiefs

  42. Garrett Bolles, OT, Denver Broncos

  41. T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers

  40. Trent Williams, OT, San Francisco 49ers 

  39. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

  38. Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

  37. Penei Sewell, OT, Detroit Lions

  36. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

  35. Jared Verse, DE, Cleveland Browns

  34. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles 

  33. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions

  32. Nic Bonitto, Edge, Denver Broncos

  31. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

  30. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions

  29. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles 

  28. Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots

  27. Devin Lloyd, LB, Carolina Panthers

  26. De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

  25. Derrick Stingley Jr., CB, Houston Texans

  24. Maxx Crosby, DE, Las Vegas Raiders

  23. Danielle Hunter, DE, Houston Texans

  22. Amon Ra-St.Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

  21. Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks 

Sam Darnold at #21! This is the player’s list and the votes fall where they fall. I like Sam Darnold and his talent is much closer to this level than in the bust pile than many talking heads had placed him. However, any player that voted him at the top of their ballot really should take a look at his Week 13 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold is a capable quarterback and a capable quarterback isn’t the #21 player in the league. 

There are ranking movement in the NFL Top 100 every year. Here are some of the biggest drops and jumps this year. 

Lamar Jackson - 67 spot drop

A.J. Brown - 51 spot drop

Fred Warner - 38 spot drop

Travis Kelce - 42 spot drop

Budda Baker - 41 spot drop

Josh Jacobs - 41 spot drop

Xavier McKinney - 40 spot drop

Joe Burrow - 38 spot drop

Jalen Hurts - 37 spot drop

Brock Bowers - 36 spot drop

Saquon Barkley - 33 spot drop

Chris Jones - 31 spot drop

T.J. Watt - 30 spot drop

Baker Mayfield - 27 spot drop

Nico Collins - 26 spot drop

Roquan Smith - 25 spot drop

Penei Sewell - 24 spot drop

Tristan Wirfs - 24 spot drop

CeeDee Lamb - 20 spot drop

On the flip-side, here are some of the players that jumped the most.

Christian Gonzalez - 56 spot jump

Sam Darnold - 51 spot jump

Dak Prescott - 48 spot jump

Drake London - 31 spot jump

Aidan Hutchinson - 25 spot jump

Cooper DeJean - 22 spot drop

Jared Verse - 18 spot drop

Josh Sweat - 17 spot jump

Zach Allen - 17 spot jump

Josh Hines-Allen - 17 spot drop

Congratulations to the jumpers. Condolences to the droppers. 

The NFL Top 100 will quietly continue this week. 

1

Vikings Preseason Game #1

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New York Giants 13-10

Yay!

It’s a preseason game. It’s always nice to win. But it’s always nice to win.

Recently anointed QB1 Kyler Murray started the game for the Vikings. He had the starters (minus Justin Jefferson) around him. He only had one possession. The offense smoothly moved the ball down the field. A misconnection with Aaron Jones on third down from the Giants 17-yard line forced the Vikings to settle for a field goal. 

A re-imagined, re-emphasized running game has been a focus of the offseason and training camp. The first showing of this running game was promising. All of the backs had holes. All of the backs took advantage of those holes. If there was a highlight of the game for the Vikings, it was the productive work on the ground. 

And the defense smothered Jaxson Dart and the Giants offense. If it wasn’t for a couple of breakdowns on the Giants second possession of the game, the defense might’ve had a shutout. The first breakdown was the coverage and tackling on a screen. The Giants had a third-and-forever and the Vikings simply did everything wrong and let them convert. The second breakdown was on the Dart to rookie Malachi Fields touchdown. The Vikings defense got some sacks and got a couple interceptions. From starters to backups, the Vikings defense kept the Giants in check. 

Other highlights:

-Myles Price has emerged as much more than a fine returner. His touchdown catch was brilliant.

-Demond Claiborne made a couple rookie mistakes but looks to have some running juice the Vikings have lacked recently. His speed is evident.

-This is going to be a breakout year for Dallas Turner.

-It’s easy to circle a player with an interception but it’s also easy to notice undrafted rookie safety Jacob Thomas. 

The lowlight of the game was the injury to Jamal Adams. He went down with an apparent knee injury. It didn’t look good on the field. The reports since haven’t been good. Brutal. 

Next up: Joint Practices and Preseason Game #2 against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Minnesota Vikings “Unofficial” Depth Chart

The Minnesota Vikings play the New York Giants today. In advance of the first preseason game, the Vikings released their first “unofficial” depth chart. It’s been an interesting tradition for each of the NFL’s teams to release “unofficial” depth charts at this stage of training camp. It’s interesting because a depth chart released by the team seems more “official” than “unofficial.” I believe the league’s teams see these depth charts as “unofficial” because there’s still so much uncertainty about the rosters. Some positional competitions are still being contested. How can they put something definite out there when there’s daily fluctuations? Despite their questionable nature, these depth chart releases are part of the process and they can be interesting. Here’s a look at the first “unofficial” depth chart of the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings “Unofficial” Depth Chart

Offense

Quarterback

Starter:

Kyler Murray

Backups:

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Running Back

Starter:

Aaron Jones, Sr.

Jordan Mason

Backups:

Zavier Scott

Demond Claiborne

Jermar Jefferson

Fullback

Starter:

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver

Starter:

Justin Jefferson

Backups:

Tai Felton

Dontae Fleming

Marcus Sanders Jr.

Terrill Davis

Wide Receiver

Starter:

Jordan Addison

Backups:

Jeshaun Jones

Dillon Bell

Trayvon Rudolph

Wide Receiver 

Jauan Jennings

Backups:

Myles Price

Michael Briscoe

Tight End

Starter:

T.J. Hockenson

Backups:

Josh Oliver

Ben Yurosek

Gavin Bartholomew

Bryson Nesbit

Marshall Lang

Left Tackle

Starter:

Christian Darrisaw

Backups:

Ryan Van Demark

Tristan Leigh

Left Guard

Starter:

Donovan Jackson

Backups:

Joe Huber

Vershon Lee

Center

Starter:

Blake Brandel

Backups:

Michael Jurgens

Gavin Gerhardt

Delby Lemieux

Right Guard

Starter:

Will Fries

Backup:

Walter Rouse

Tomas Rimac

Right Tackle

Starter:

Brian O’Neill

Backups:

Caleb Tiernan

Henry Byrd

Defense

Defensive Line

Starter:

Jalen Redmond

Backups:

Caleb Banks

Elijah Williams

Starter:

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Backups:

Domonique Orange

Taki Taimani

Starter:

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Backups:

Isaiah Loudermilk

Eric Johnson II

Smith Vilbert

Jahvaree Ritzie

Outside Linebacker

Starter:

Dallas Turner

Backups:

Tyler Batty

Cam’Ron Stewart

Arden Walker

Starter:

Andrew Van Ginkel

Backups:

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Inside Linebacker

Starter:

Blake Cashman

Backups:

Ivan Pace Jr.

Starter:

Eric Wilson

Backups:

Jake Golday

Josh Ross

Bengally Kamara

Cornerback:

Starter:

Isaiah Rodgers

Backups:

Mekhi Blackmon

Dwight McGlothern

Ambry Thomas

Zemaiah Vaughn

Cornerback

Starter:

Isaiah Rodgers

Backups:

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Marcus Allen

Tyreak Chappell

Starter:

Byron Murphy Jr.

Backups:

Dwight McGlothern Jr. 

Chuck Demmings

Da’Veawn Armstead

Jarod Washington 

Safety

Joshua Metellus

Backups:

Theo Jackson

Tavierre Thomas

Jacob Thomas 

Safety

Starter:

Jay Ward

Backups:

Jakobe Thomas

Kahlef Hailassie

Special Teams

Punter/Holder

Starter:

Johnny Hekker

Backup:

Brett Thorson

Kicker

Starter:

Will Reichard

Long Snapper

Starter:

Andrew DePaola

Punt Returner

Starter:

Myles Price

Backup:

Tai Felton

Kick Returner

Starter:

Myles Price

Backup:

Demond Claiborne

Tai Felton

***

First of all, the comparison between the quarterback depth chart this year and last year is stark:

This year:

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Last year:

J.J. McCarthy

Sam Howell

Brett Rypien

Max Brosmer

There are now words. 

Some depth chart curiosities:

1. Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason as RB1a and RB1b. 

2. The offseason addition of Jauan Jennings nudged the Vikings to include three starting receivers in their “unofficial” depth chart. The Vikings do have the best receiving trio in the league.

3. The Vikings defensive line group is going to be fun. 

4. The overall depth, especially on defense, is much improved. 

5. Some might question the depth at outside linebacker. I’m intrigued by it. Partly because it might also include off-the-ball linebackers Eric Wilson and Jake Golday as well as lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. 

6. The drafts of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah weren’t good. It’s that simple. The lack of draft production was a significant reason he’s no longer the general manager. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Jay Ward are a couple Day 3 picks that were part of the drafting criticism. Both are currently listed as starters. Ingram-Dawkins, in particular, might be ready for a breakout season. 

Today brings “real” Vikings football. Finally. 

NFL Titles

Counting only Super Bowl trophies as a way of tallying titles is what most in the media and nearly all fans do these days. They naively skip over the 46 NFL titles that came before the first Super Bowl. That's just lazy. It's as if the league started with that first Super Bowl even though the first Super Bowl wasn't even called the Super Bowl when it was played. Neither was the second. But that's beside the point. All titles count. Despite what comedian Bill Burr seems to think, the NFL does count all titles. The teams that won titles before the Super Bowl was even a thought sure count them. You can bet that the Arizona Cardinals count the two titles that they won while they in Chicago. Here's the tally of which team has won each of the 106 NFL titles.

1.   Green Bay Packers: 13: 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966(I),
       1967(II), 1996(XXXI), 2010(XLV)
2.   Chicago Bears: 9: 1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963, 1985(XX)
3.   New York Giants: 8: 1927, 1934. 1938, 1956, 1986(XXI), 1990(XXV), 2007(XXXII),  
       2011(XLVI)
4.   New England Patriots: 6: 2001(XXXVI), 2003(XXXVIII), 2004(XXXIX), 2014(XLIX),
       2016(LI), 2018(LIII).
4.   Pittsburgh Steelers: 6: 1974(IX), 1975(X), 1978(XIII), 1979(XIV), 2005(XL), 2008(XLIII)

6.   Philadelphia Eagles: 5: 1948, 1939, 1960, 2017(LII), 2024(LIX)
6.   Washington Redskins: 5: 1937, 1942, 1982(XVII), 1987(XXII), 1991(XXVI)
6.   Dallas Cowboys: 5: 1971(VI), 1977(XII), 1992(XXVII), 1993(XXVIII), 1995(XXX)
6.   San Francisco 49ers: 5: 1981(XVI), 1984(XIX), 1988(XXIII), 1989(XXIV), 1994(XXIX)

10. Cleveland/LA/St. Louis Rams: 4: 1945, 1951, 1999(XXXIV), 2021(LVI)

10. Kansas City Chiefs: 4: 1969(IV), 2019(LIV), 2022(LVII), 2023(LVIII)

10. Detroit Lions: 4: 1935, 1952, 1953, 1957
10. Cleveland Browns: 4: 1950. 1954, 1955, 1964
10. Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts: 4: 1958, 1959, 1970(V), 2006(XXXI)
15. Oakland/LA Raiders: 3: 1976(XI), 1980(XV), 1983(XVIII)
15. Denver Broncos: 3: 1997(XXXII), 1998(XXXIII), 2015(L)

15. Seattle Seahawks: 2: 2013(XLVIII), 2025(LX)

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2: 2002(XXXVII), 2020(LV)

18. Canton Bulldogs: 2: 1922, 1923
18. Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals: 2: 1925, 1947
18. Miami Dolphins: 2: 1972(VII), 1973(VIII)
18. Baltimore Ravens: 2: 2000(XXXV), 2012(XLVII)
23. Akron Pros: 1: 1920
23. Cleveland Bulldogs: 1: 1924
23. Frankford Yellow Jackets: 1: 1926
23. Providence Steam Roller: 1: 1928
23. New York Jets: 1: 1968(III)
23. New Orleans Saints: 1: 2009(XLIV)

Other Leagues:

All-America Football Conference
1. Cleveland Browns: 4: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949

American Football League
1. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs: 3: 1962, 1966, 1969
2. Houston Oilers: 2: 1960, 1961
2. Buffalo Bills: 2: 1964, 1965
4. San Diego Chargers: 1: 1963
4. Oakland Raiders: 1: 1967
4. New York Jets: 1: 1968

Technically, the Minnesota Vikings have won an NFL title (1969) but they went on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV. So, it doesn't really count for much and it's easily forgotten. Although, they will forever have claim to the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy. It’s a trophy they won but never held because the Green Bay Packers had lost the damn thing. 

As the Vikings did in 1969, the Colts won an NFL title in 1968 but went on to lose to the Jets in Super Bowl III.

Minnesota Vikings All - Time All - Rookie Team

It’s only training camp but it looks like the Minnesota Vikings 2026 rookie class could make immediate contributions. That would be a nice change as the Vikings have gotten little recent contributions from their rookies. With this year’s rookies in mind here’s a look at some of the best rookies in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. 

Quarterback
Fran Tarkenton-1961

Fran Tarkenton got his rookie season rolling early when he led the Vikings to a win over the Chicago Bears in the first game in franchise history. He's in the Hall of Fame and an easy choice here. Christian Ponder and Teddy Bridgewater are the only other quarterbacks to play significant roles as rookies. So, Tarkenton easily takes it.

Running backs
Adrian Peterson-2007
Chuck Foreman-1973

Easy choices. Each took home rookie of the year awards. Each was an immediate difference-maker.

Receivers
Randy Moss-1998
Justin Jefferson-2020

Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson each had one of the best rookie receiver seasons in NFL history. Randy Moss scored an NFL rookie record 17 touchdowns. Jefferson’s 1,400 receiving yards, at the time, was topped only by the 1,473 yards posted by Bill Groman in the first season of the AFL. Moss was an easy choice for rookie of the year. Jefferson should’ve been. Jefferson’s great rookie season topped that of 2009 Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin, 1976 Rookie of the Year Sammy White, and 1963 Rookie of the Year Paul Flatley. The Vikings have a nice history of rookie receivers. 

Tight end
Joe Senser-1980

Joe Senser's 4-year career was way too short but it started well. 42 catches and 7 TDs.

Tackles
Gary Zimmerman-1986
Korey Stringer-1995

Ron Yary would've made this team at right tackle if it wasn't for Bud Grant's "rookies aren't ready to start" philosophy. Gary Zimmerman was great. So was Korey Stringer. His life and career ended way too soon. In a little way, his being on this team helps keep his spirit alive. Zimmerman played two seasons in the USFL before he became an NFL rookie so he was a "seasoned" rookie. Matt Kalil made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2012 but I’m going with Zimmerman at left tackle on this team. He also edges the very good 2021 rookie season of Christian Darrisaw.

Guards
Randall McDaniel-1988
Donovan Jackson-2025

Randall McDaniel is an automatic choice. Donovan Jackson got better with each game. By the end of the season, he showed the promise and potential you hope to see from a player selected in the first round. If he continues to improve, he has a very bright future. Despite playing left guard, he’s the right guard on this team. No one’s topping Randall McDaniel. Ed White would probably get the nod if Bud Grant started rookies.

Center 
Mick Tingelhoff-1962

Tingelhoff started every game in his 17-year Hall of Fame career. That streak started with his rookie season.

Defensive ends
Carl Eller-1964
Kevin Williams-2003

Carl Eller is an easy choice. Kevin Williams played his rookie season at defensive end and collected 10.5 sacks. He went on to a dominant, All-Decade career on the interior the next season. 

Defensive tackles
Alan Page-1967
Keith Millard-1985

Alan Page is an automatic choice. Even Bud Grant couldn't keep Page on the bench as a rookie. Keith Millard was an immediate force in the middle of the Vikings line. 11 sacks as a rookie. Like Gary Zimmerman, Millard wasn't a raw NFL rookie after a short stint in the USFL It would take outstanding rookie seasons from Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange to bump Page and Millard. 

Linebackers
Anthony Barr-2014
Eric Kendricks-2015
Matt Blair-1974

Anthony Barr has been an impact playmaker since his rookie season. Eric Kendricks edges out Jeff Siemon. It took about a month for Kendricks to force his way into the starting lineup. Matt Blair played his way into the starting lineup as a rookie and became a defensive cornerstone.

Cornerbacks
Dewayne Washington-1994
Cameron Dantzler-2020

Dewayne Washington was very good as a rookie. He was very good each of his four seasons as a Vikings starting corner. I will never understand why was allowed to bolt Minnesota in free agency. Rookie cornerbacks don’t jump right into a Mike Zimmer defense. It takes a while for them to learn the nuances of the techniques and schemes. Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney were forced to learn on the run. Injuries kept Dantzler from starting every game. Gladney started 15 games. It’s a shame that those rookie seasons were the Vikings highlights for both players. I’m going with Dantzler for this team. If Chuck Demmings can earn a prominent role as a rookie, he can easily bump Dantzler. 

Safeties
Joey Browner-1983
Harrison Smith-2012

Joey Browner and Harrison Smith are two of the best safeties in Vikings franchise history. Browner gets the nod despite not starting a single game at safety as a rookie. He was a dynamo on special teams. Smith was a defensive force from the start.

Kicker
Blair Walsh-2012

Blair Walsh's best season was his first season. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. I can’t believe I have Walsh over the great Will Reichard. 

Punter
Bobby Walden-1964

Bobby Walden led the NFL in punting as a rookie.

Returner

Cordarrelle Patterson-2013

Cordarrelle Patterson edges Percy Harvin. Patterson was All-Pro as a rookie and has been the league’s best kick returner ever since. 

Vikings Have Their Quarterback

J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray have been competing to be the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings since the spring. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced yesterday that the competition is over with Murray tapped as the starter. 

It’s actually a relief. Now, it feels like the Vikings can really get down to preparation for the 2026 season. Rather than splitting snaps, Kyler Murray can get the work necessary to really and completely get into the offense. Murray can get comfortable with the players around him and they can get comfortable with him. This is a good thing.

It’s a good thing but many in the media and a load of fans are bitching. They are bitching about this whole quarterback competition thing between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy being a sham. I didn’t realize that all of these experts were in the meeting rooms and on the practice fields. How was there room? From the moment he signed as a free agent in March, these football-knowers had Murray pegged as the eventual starter. Part of their reasoning was this belief that Murray wouldn’t have signed with the Vikings if he wasn’t guaranteed the starting spot. Any quarterback with confidence in his abilities wouldn’t need that guarantee. There was going to be a competition. There was a competition. You know how I know there was a competition? J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray split reps in the spring. They split reps in training camp through Sunday’s Night Practice. If there wasn’t a competition there wouldn’t have been a splitting of the reps. No one benefits from a sham competition. O’Connell doesn’t benefit. The team certainly doesn’t benefit when the starting quarterback is watching as often as repping. Most importantly, neither quarterback benefits. If Murray was signed and anointed the starter in March, there was no reason to ever split reps. Many disagree but I believe McCarthy deserved a chance to compete for the starting job. 

Speaking of J.J. McCarthy. Many are asking what’s next for J.J. McCarthy. Asking if he’ll be traded. Asking if he’d want to be traded. After the 2025 season ended, Kevin O’Connell said that he wanted to put together the strongest possible quarterback room. That shouldn’t have been a surprise as two of his four seasons as the Vikings head coach required four and three quarterbacks. Over those two seasons, seven different quarterbacks started multiple games. Two of the quarterbacks were late-round/undrafted rookies that weren’t remotely ready for the NFL. As expected, those two seasons were disasters. In the two seasons with healthy quarterbacks, the Vikings were a combined 27-7. In the two seasons with seven quarterbacks starting games, the Vikings were a combined 16-18. Is there really any surprise that O’Connell wants a deep quarterback room? When the Vikings have at least competent quarterback play, they win often. Three competent quarterbacks in that room was the goal. The Vikings built that strong quarterback room with the signing of Kyler Murray and the re-signing of Carson Wentz. Combine those two with McCarthy and the Vikings have three quarterbacks that can win football games. It’s a comforting thing. Will McCarthy be traded? That question is so tiresome. Why would the Vikings intentionally build a deep, competent quarterback room in the offseason and then blow it up in training camp? 

Congratulations to Kyler Murray. Now, go win a Championship. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings need J.J. McCarthy this season to achieve that ultimate goal. 

NFL Top 100

The countdown of the NFL Top 100 continues. Since the release has been so quiet, it’s easy to miss. As of Monday, the quiet release is through 29.

NFL Top 100 Players of 2026

100. Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints

  99. Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts

  98. Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers 

  97. Ernest Jones, LB, Seattle Seahawks 

  96. Travis Etienne, RB, New Orleans Saints

  95. Demario Davis, LB, New York Jets

  94. Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs

  93. Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns 

  92. Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, Houston Texans

  91. Montez Sweat, DE, Chicago Bears 

  90. Derrick Brown, DL, Carolina Panthers 

  89. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams 

  88. Jack Campbell, LB, Detroit Lions

  87. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

  86. Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

  85. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers 

  84. Byron Young, Edge, Los Angeles Rams 

  83. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Tennessee Titans 

  82. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers 

  81. Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders

  80. A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots 

  79. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs 

  77. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  76. Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers

  75. Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals

  74. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

  73. Zach Allen, DL, Denver Broncos

  72. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers

  71. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

  70. Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers

  69. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

  68. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos

  67. Jordyn Brooks, LB, Miami Dolphins

  66. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

  65. Roquan Smith, LB, Baltimore Ravens

  64. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

  63. Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens

  62. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

  61. Kevin Byard, S, New England Patriots

  60. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

  59. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos

  58. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

  57. Dion Dawkins, OT, Buffalo Bills

  56. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

  55. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

  54. Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers

  53. Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams

  52. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  51. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

  50. Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers

  49. Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears

  48. Josh Hines-Allen, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

  47. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles 

  46. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

  45. Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

  44. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

  43. Chris Jones, DL, Kansas City Chiefs

  42. Garrett Bolles, OT, Denver Broncos

  41. T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers

  40. Trent Williams, OT, San Francisco 49ers 

  39. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

  38. Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

  37. Penei Sewell, OT, Detroit Lions

  36. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

  35. Jared Verse, DE, Cleveland Browns

  34. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles 

  33. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions

  32. Nic Bonitto, Edge, Denver Broncos

  31. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

  30. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions

  29. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles 

There are ranking movement in the NFL Top 100 every year. Here some of the biggest drops and jumps this year. 

Lamar Jackson - 67 spot drop

A.J. Brown - 51 spot drop

Fred Warner - 38 spot drop

Travis Kelce - 42 spot drop

Budda Baker - 41 spot drop

Josh Jacobs - 41 spot drop

Xavier McKinney - 40 spot drop

Joe Burrow - 38 spot drop

Jalen Hurts - 37 spot drop

Brock Bowers - 36 spot drop

Saquon Barkley - 33 spot drop

Chris Jones - 31 spot drop

T.J. Watt - 30 spot drop

Baker Mayfield - 27 spot drop

Nico Collins - 26 spot drop

Roquan Smith - 25 spot drop

Penei Sewell - 24 spot drop

Tristan Wirfs - 24 spot drop

CeeDee Lamb - 20 spot drop

On the flip-side, here are some of the players that jumped the most.

Dak Prescott - 48 spot jump

Drake London - 31 spot jump

Aidan Hutchinson - 25 spot jump

Cooper DeJean - 22 spot drop

Jared Verse - 18 spot drop

Josh Sweat - 17 spot jump

Zach Allen - 17 spot jump

Josh Hines-Allen - 17 spot drop

Congratulations to the jumpers. Condolences to the droppers. 

The NFL Top 100 will quietly continue this week. 

Vikings Versatile Defenders

Brian Flores is entering his fourth season as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator. A staple of his time with the team has been versatility. He’s crafted a versatile defense played by versatile football players. Perhaps he learned the benefits of doing a lot of different things while playing defensive back and linebacker at Boston College. Maybe it was the 11 years with the New England Patriots learning from and coaching with Bill Belichick. When he got his head coaching shot with the Miami Dolphins in 2019, creating chaos for quarterbacks was the key to his defenses. He did that with blitzing and coverage. Quarterbacks didn’t know who was coming or dropping. A key to that indecision was players with versatility and Flores started collecting those players. He’s collected, or created, a few of them during his time in Minnesota. 

When thinking about a Brian Flores defense, it’s impossible not to think about all of the possibilities. The defense seems limitless because of the varied abilities of the football players that play in it. As training camp opened, the Vikings announced the signing of long-time impact safety Jamal Adams. It was a curious signing as everyone surrounding the Vikings, fans and media, have been waiting for a play/retirement decision from Harrison Smith. Was Adams coming in because Smith wasn’t? Who knows? Those questions seemed to be answered when Adams was given a #54 jersey. It looked like he was coming to Minnesota as a linebacker. Despite being a safety his entire NFL career, he’d mostly played linebacker last year with the Las Vegas Raiders. His Raiders snap distribution:

ILB: 254 snaps

Slot CB: 124 snaps

Left Edge: 38 snaps

Right Edge: 28 snaps

S: 2 snaps

Wide CB: 2 snaps

He only played two snaps at the position he spent all of his NFL days playing. So, the Vikings added a linebacker. Well, Adams was handed a new jersey over the weekend. #32. While the league has loosened jersey # requirements in recent years, some restrictions remain. Defensive backs not being able to were #s in the 50s are one of those restrictions. That’s too restricting for a player that was brought in for his versatility. 

Since the arrival of Brian Flores in Minnesota, Joshua Metellus has been the embodiment of the Vikings defensive versatility. Every snap has been a process of “Where’s #44?” for opposing offenses. Prior to the arrival of Flores in 2023, Metellus was a standout special teams player. Since, he’s been an impact defender, captain, and key to Flores’ dream of a defense not defined by positions. The Vikings added new versatile players each season since. The first was a reunion of Flores and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel from their days in Miami. At times, Metellus’ versatility isn’t obvious. Van Ginkel’s versatility often is. He can wreck offenses from a variety of positions. One play, he’s wrecking a play on the line of scrimmage. The next play, he’s disrupting a screen. The next, he’s downfield in coverage. Every snap is an opportunity for Van Ginkel to rip up on an offense and flip a game. For most of his nine years in the league, Eric Wilson was a special teams standout and rotational/backup linebacker. His first four years in the league were in Minnesota. Then he went on something of a league walkabout with the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, and Green Bay Packers. He returned to Minnesota last season and Flores discovered a new versatile defender. Wilson was dynamite as a pass rusher up the middle and off the edge. He was solid in coverage. An injury put him on the field and his untapped ability to do just about everything kept him on it. It also got him the first solid contract extension of his career. 

Joshua Metellus, Andrew Van Ginkel, Eric Wilson, and now Jamal Adams are perhaps the most obvious examples of the Vikings versatile defenders. There are more.

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Drafted as a defensive lineman, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins showed the ability at Georgia to play across the front. As a rookie last season, he showed some of that ability. He spent this past offseason redefining his body. It’s made him quicker, more agile. As a result, he’s shown the potential to extend his play to outside linebacker. Now, he’s considered a starter contender within the front trio and rotational support with the outside linebackers. 

Jake Golday

The Vikings selected Jake Golday in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was listed as a linebacker for the draft. The Vikings have much more in mind. He might be the eventual heir to Andrew Van Ginkel. That’s a lot to ask. There aren’t many football players like Van Ginkel. Golday appears to be one of them. It looks like the rookie is going to be on the field a lot because he can do a lot. 

Linebacker Blake Cashman is the heart of the Vikings defense. He’s primarily the signal-caller in the middle but he can play across the second and first levels. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. can play on the outside and move to the inside. Fifth-round rookie corner Chuck Demmings has been one of the breakout stars of training camp. His size and speed probably puts him on the outside. His freaky athleticism and quickness gives the ability to potentially play on the inside as well. 

Without even considering the possible return of Harrison Smith for his 15th season, the Vikings can potentially play nine defenders that have to be located on each snap. They could be found in a variety of positions on the field. The final two spots can be filled by defensive linemen Jalen Redmond and Caleb Banks that can play any defensive line spot. With so many players able to do so much, it might look like the Vikings are playing with more than 11 players. 

Brian Flores didn’t have a lot of defensive options when he arrived in Minnesota in 2023. Now, he does. He also has options with those options. I can’t wait to see those options causing chaos for opposing coordinators, quarterbacks, and offenses. 

Final Thoughts On The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was a fun class.

Larry Fitzgerald

Adam Vinatieri

Luke Kuechly

Roger Craig

Drew Brees

All were fun players. Larry Fitzgerald and Luke Kuechly were two of my favorite players of their era. Of any era. Each of the speeches was fun, interesting, entertaining, etc., etc. 

The only thing that would’ve made the class better was to have Bill Belichick be a part of it. AS HE SHOULD”VE BEEN. The idiot voters that kept this from happening should not be Hall of Fame voters. It’s insane. If Belichick isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer, no one is. What are we doing? What are those voters doing?

Speaking of first-ballot Hall of Famers, Luke Kuechly shouldn’t have been part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. He should’ve been a part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The only knock on his career was that it was only eight years. In those eight years, he was first-team All-Pro five times. He was second-team All-Pro two times. The only year he wasn’t first- or second-team All-Pro he was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. So, he had high-end postseason honors every single season of his eight-year career. He packed into eight years what takes many first-ballot Hall of Famers 10-12, or more, seasons to achieve. Being outstanding, like best in the league outstanding, for every year of an eight-year career is first-ballot Hall of Famer stuff. Luke Kuechly was one of the best linebackers of my lifetime. He should’ve been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

So, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027.

There are a few players in their first-year of eligibility that will have a first-ballot discussions. Arguably, the top contenders:

Adrian Peterson

Rob Gronkowski

Ben Roethlisberger 

Richard Sherman

Antonio Brown

Cam Newton

Gerald McCoy

In my opinion, Adrian Peterson and Rob Gronkowski are automatic. But I thought that about Luke Kuechly last year and Bill Belichick this year. If it were up to me, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 would look like this:

Adrian Peterson

Rob Gronkowski

Bill Belichick

Tory Holt

Kevin Williams

Under the current idiotic voting format, four modern players, and a coach, is a lot. I’ll add two senior that should’ve been in long, long ago but probably have no shot with current voters. 

Verne Lewellen 

Al Wistert

Adrian Peterson, Rob Gronkowski, and Bill Belichick should be in Canton a year from now. I can only hope that’s the case. With these voters, you never know. 

Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famers

Today’s Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions have me thinking about the Hall of Fame. In particular, the inductions have me thinking about the Minnesota Vikings presence in the Hall of Fame. 

The Minnesota Vikings have had 14 players, one coach, and one administrator inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famers (in order of their inductions)

Fran Tarkenton, QB (1986)

Alan Page, DT (1988)

Bud Grant, Coach (1994)

Jim Finks, GM (1995)

Paul Krause, S (1998)

Ron Yary, T (2001)

Carl Eller, DE (2004)

Gary Zimmerman, T (2008)

Randall McDaniel, G (2009)

John Randle, DT (2010)

Chris Doleman, DE (2012)

Cris Carter, WR (2013)

Mick Tingelhoff, C (2015)

Randy Moss, WR (2018)

Steve Hutchinson, G (2020)

Jared Allen, DE (2025)

The Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame history is one of patience. Randy Moss is the only Vikings Hall of Famer that didn’t have to wait. He made it in his first year of eligibility. Fran Tarkenton retired in 1978 holding every career passing record. He held those records longer than any quarterback ever has. Holding those records has always been a measure of greatness. Since Y.A. Tittle, every quarterback that’s held those records has made it in their first year of eligibility. Tittle waited a single year. If the three Super Bowl losses are the reason for Tarkenton’s three-year wait, Tittle lost all three of his title appearances. Dan Marino made it in his first year and lost his only Super Bowl appearance. Tarkenton had to wait three years for the voters to get it right. Alan Page had to wait a year. Both should’ve made it in their first year. Three years and one year aren’t long waits. Neither Tarkenton nor Page deserved to wait but they didn’t have to wait long. Cris Carter would’ve loved a three- or one-year wait. He waited six years. I get that there’s been a receiver logjam for the past twenty years but Carter shouldn’t have waited more than three years. I believe the five-year run from 2008-12 in which Gary Zimmerman, Randall McDaniel, John Randle, and Chris Doleman made it to Canton may have worked against Carter. Two Vikings in a single season? Can’t have that. If that was the case, there was an opening in 2011. But six years is nothing compared to these ludicrous waits.

Paul Krause - 13 years

Ron Yary - 13 years

Carl Eller - 19 years

Mick Tingelhoff- 31 years

What are we doing? Paul Krause’s 81 career interceptions is one of the most unbreakable of the NFL’s career records. As a roving safety, he did Ed Reed things about 25 years before Ed Reed did them. Ron Yary was a 6x First-team All-Pro. He was the best right tackle in the league for more than a decade. Carl Eller was a 5x First-team All-Pro. From 1969-71, he was third, fifth, and ninth in MVP voting. Not Defensive Player of the Year. MVP voting. During that snapshot of his great 16-year career he was one of the very best football players in the NFL. A 19-year wait? Come on! Eller does in the 2000s what he did in the 1960s and 1970s and he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Jason Taylor’s career, a first-ballot guy, wasn’t remotely close to Eller’s career.  Then we get to Mick Tingelhoff’s insane wait. How does the best NFL center of the 1960s slip through the cracks?

Those Super Bowls. From 1969-76, the Minnesota Vikings lost four Super Bowls. If they win even one of those games, perhaps none of those players with ridiculous waits have to wait. If they win even one of those games, perhaps Jim Marshall and Chuck Foreman have busts in Canton. There’s a strong argument that each should still have that bust. Especially Chuck Foreman. 

Vikings that Could Be/Should Be Hall of Famers

Jim Marshall

Chuck Foreman

Joey Browner

I’m not going to get into the arguments for Jim Marshall and Chuck Foreman. Too much time and space is needed for that. Unfortunately, those arguments always go nowhere. In my opinion, Foreman is the more deserving of the two and is the Vikings biggest Hall of Famers snub. Joey Browner was one of the league’s best safeties in the 1980s. At his best, he was equal of Hall of Fame peers Ronnie Lott and Kenny Easley. If his career hadn’t been shortened by injuries, Browner would probably already have a bust. 

Vikings that Will Be Hall of Famers 

Adrian Peterson

Kevin Williams

In January, Adrian Peterson will be the second Vikings player to make it to the Hall in his first year of eligibility. I suppose nothing is guaranteed with a voting clown show that doesn’t vote for Bill Belichick but Peterson will be in Canton next year.

A dream 2027 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class would include:

Adrian Peterson

Kevin Williams

Chuck Foreman

I’ll be in Canton next year for Adrian Peterson. It’d be a dream if Kevin Williams and Chuck Foreman are with him. The two greatest running backs in Vikings history going in together. That would be beautiful. If it is a Vikings-centric day, it’s much more likely to be Williams with Peterson. Williams was a finalist last year. The voters finally seem to have noticed his five-time First-team All-Pro, All-Decade career. 

Another Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

Yesterday brought another day off at Minnesota Vikings training camp. The idle day allowed thinking about 53-man roster projections. 

This projection includes a projection that Harrison Smith returns to continue his brilliant career. All offseason I was convinced that he was coming back. I was also convinced that he would be present at the start of training camp. I just didn’t see Smith as one of those players that would skip the preseason work and just stroll into the regular season. If he was coming back for another season of football, he’d be coming back for all of it. Anyway, I’m still hoping that he returns. I’m not ready for a Vikings defense that doesn’t include #22. 

Another Too Early Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

Offense (25)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Demond Claiborne

Not including Zavier Scott is difficult. 

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (5)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

After the signing of Jauan Jennings, the top five receivers felt pretty straightforward. Jones, Dontae Fleming, and perhaps Dillon Bell are changing that feeling. 

Tight End (3)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Offensive Line (10)

Christian Darrisaw

Donovan Jackson

Blake Brandel

Will Fries

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Caleb Tiernan

Michael Jurgens

Joe Huber

Delby Lemieux

The five starters, Ryan Van Demark, Caleb Tiernan, and Joe Huber are easy. The competition for the final 2-3 spots looks wide open. 

Defense (25)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Levi Drake Rodriguez 

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

This is becoming my favorite position group on the team. 

Outside Linebacker (4)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Most pundits believe the Vikings will supplement the outside linebacker group with a veteran free agent. I’m beginning to believe that Brian Flores will dip into the linebacker group to support outside linebacker starters Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. Eric Wilson and rookie Jake Golday will play some on the edge. Versatile defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins may also factor into the edge rotation. 

Linebacker (5)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Jamal Adams

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

The late addition of Jamal Adams changes this group and perhaps the entire defense. 

Cornerback (4)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Chuck Demmings

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jakobe Thomas

Tavierre Thomas

Still hoping for Harrison Smith’s return. 

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Johnny Hekker

Until I’m convinced that undrafted rookie Brett Thorson can consistently snap the ball, I’m going with Johnny Hekker. 

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola