Vikings - Bears

Defense!

The Minnesota Vikings kicked three field goals during a rainy, soggy football game in Chicago. The Bears kicked only one. A 9-3 NFL game feels like a foreign thing in the current era. This game was more like one played in the 1970s. 

9-3. After running up 59 points against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, Bears head coach Ben Johnson boasted about his offense challenging league scoring records. He’s probably whistling a sad and different tune after running into the Vikings defense. For four quarters, the supposed offensive wizard had no answers for the defense Brian Flores put on the field. That defense was outstanding. 

Caleb Williams is always a challenge. He’s probably the league’s most difficult to catch and tackle quarterback. He also has the arm to make throws to anywhere on the field from anywhere on the field. It’s a damn shame that he left the game with an apparent hamstring injury late in the fourth quarter. That injury happened inside the 10-yard line. Tyson Bagent is a skilled backup but that’s a difficult entry with the game on the line. The Bears had to settle for a field goal attempt. Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers blocked the game-tying, chip-shot attempt to keep the score at 6-3. The Vikings offense only had a couple sustained drives on the day. One of them followed the big special teams play by Rodgers. The drive ended with a field goal with just over a minute to play and gave the Vikings a 9-3 lead. The Bears needed a touchdown with just over a minute to play. That final field goal was ultimately the difference in the game. Last week, the Vikings rode a late fourth down stop of the Green Bay Packers for a Week 1 win. Yesterday, the Vikings rode this blocked field goal to a Week 2 win. 

Unlike most football fans, I kinda like gritty, defensive football games. Not every game has to be a shootout with bewildered and sloppy defenses. The respective offenses may have left plenty to be desired yesterday but it was a rainy day and a soggy surface. The Soldier Field turf is often a problem on the best days. Consistent rain just mucks up a football game. 

The Vikings are now 2-0 and on top of the NFC North. The two wins are also against division foes.

While the Vikings defense was terrific throughout the game. They still needed a couple singular plays to preserve the win. Isaiah Rodgers was involved in both. Each came with the Bears threatening the Vikings goal line. On the opening possession of the second half, Caleb Williams guided the Bears offense to the Vikings one-yard line. On first-and-goal from the one, Vikings defensive lineman Jalen Redmond stripped D’Andre Swift of the football and Rodgers recovered the fumble. If he’d recovered the ball cleanly, he’d probably have gone 99 yards for a score. No one was catching him. Instead, he had to fall on the ball to secure it. A quarter later, he had that blocked field goal. In those two plays, Rodgers kept the Bears from scoring as much as 10 points. He nearly had a third gigantic play to seal the win. Instead, his interception at the goal line was ruled out of bounds. For what it’s worth, I thought that he had both feet in the field of play before his heel hit that white stripe. The Vikings had to withstand two more Bears offensive plays from their own 12-yard line. It was a nervy two plays. Rodgers might not have sealed the win with a third big play but edge rusher Dallas Turner did. 

Through two weeks and two wins, Dallas Turner might’ve been the Vikings best football player in both games. Last week, he harassed Packers quarterback Jordan Love all day. Yesterday, he did the same thing to Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent. Again, Williams is difficult to catch and even more difficult to get to the ground. Turner did it once. He also sacked Bagent to end the game. 

The entire Vikings defense was great. Dallas Turner, Isaiah Rodgers, and Jalen Redmond highlighted the team play with the biggest plays. 

The Vikings didn’t generate a lot of offense. 246 total yards and 11 first downs won’t win a lot of games. Against the Bears, it was enough. Carson Wentz managed the game. Aaron Jones Sr. ran for 105 yards on 23 carries. His rushing and Justin Jefferson’s 55 receiving yards were nearly two-thirds of the Vikings modest offense. It was that sort of day. 

12 total points. With the meager scoring, it was interesting that each team scored a field goal on their first possession. So, half of the 12 points were scored in the game’s first ten minutes. Ben Johnson’s high-scoring offense couldn’t score again. The Vikings chipped in two more field goals. 

There were so many positives for the Vikings defense. One that must be mentioned is the solid play of first-round rookie defensive tackle Caleb Williams. With several more snaps than the first week, he made some plays. He got washed into the traffic of teammates on one play but the rest of his snaps looked positive. He was involved in six total tackles and had a tackle for loss. That was nice performance and a step forward for the gigantic rookie. 

Defense!

I can’t wait to see this Vikings defense on the field again. Up next is a road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. 

Flea Flicker Week 2 Predictions

Week 1 was fun. It’s on to Week 2. 

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Vikings

With this game, there’s only one acceptable outcome. 

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Panthers

The Panthers defense should be feeling salty after giving up 59 points to the Bears. 

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Titans

I doubt I get this one right but it’s fun to pick against the Eagles.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

It’s also fun to pick against Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets

Pick: Packers

The Packers rebound from their humiliating beatdown by the Vikings.

Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Buccaneers

Buccaneers cruise. 

New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens

Pick: Ravens

The Saints took the Lions to overtime in Week 1. The Lions might not be as frisky as some expected. The Ravens should handle the Saints.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans

Pick: Texans

This should be a fun game.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Jaguars

The Jaguars roll over Sean Payton.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers rebound from their stunning loss to the Cardinals.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Cowboys

Both had sad openers. Just going with the home team.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks should handle the Cardinals even if I was quarterbacking the team.

Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

49ers roll.

Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

Chiefs roll.

Chicago Bears All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings are on the road for their Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears. The Bears are one of only two teams to compete in all 107 seasons of the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals are the other team. The Bears have a long, often successful history. Unfortunately for younger fans, their “glory years” were before the Super Bowl became a year-ending spectacle. The Bears have won nine league titles. One of those was Super Bowl XX. It’s been a while but some of the greatest teams in league history have come out of Chicago. On the eve of the big game, here are some of the best players in the long history of the Chicago Bears. 

Chicago Bears All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback 

Sid Luckman

Running Back

Walter Payton

Fullback

Bronko Nagurski 

Wide Receivers

Harlon Hill

Brandon Marshall

Tight End

Mike Ditka

Tackles

Joe Stydahar

George Musso

Guards

Dan Fortmann

Stan Jones

Center

Bulldog Turner

Defense

Defensive Ends

Richard Dent

Khalil Mack

Defensive Tackles

Link Lyman

Dan Hampton

Linebackers

Bulldog Turner

Dick Butkus

Brian Urlacher

The middle linebacker tradition in Chicago is ridiculous. No other team can boast the riches at any position that the Bears can boast at the middle linebacker position. Bulldog Turner, Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Brian Urlacher. It’s a tradition so great that I’ve selected a middle linebacker trio. I’ve done that at the expense of outstanding outside linebackers like George Connor, Otis Wilson, Lance Briggs, and Joe Fortunato. 

Cornerbacks

Charles Tillman

J.C. Caroline

Safeties

Red Grange

Roosevelt Taylor

Special Teams

Kicker

Robbie Gould

Punter

Bobby Joe Green

Kick Returner

Gale Sayers

Punt Returner

Devin Hester

That’s a terrifying return duo. 

Pro Football Hall of Fame Voter Changes

The Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process has always been a controversial thing. Debating the greatness of a football career will always be a controversial thing. When several voters decided during the 2026 vote that Bill Belichick wasn’t deserving of first-ballot induction, the voting process was deemed flawed and some of the voters were revealed as petty, vindictive, and unqualified. I’ve long thought that football historians were far more qualified than most, if not all, of the media honks. All of the historians I know have an unbiased appreciation of every player and moment of football history. Sure, they have their favorite teams and players but they also have an honest view of their place in history. Among the media honks with a vote, too many only know of the players they covered and the era they lived. As a result, those voters would only consider the players they actually watched. So much for honoring and preserving the history of the game. It’s only the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s mission statement. After the mess of the Belichick vote, the process and the voters had to change and changes have now been made. Perhaps it needs to play out but the Hall’s shot-callers might’ve made things even worse. 

The Changes:

- reducing the number of voters

- eliminating the senior category 

- enshrining between three and seven candidates each year from a 15-player pool

  (13 players, one coach, and one contributor)

- scrapping the system that tasked the market-based selector to present the case for candidates

In regards to reducing the number of voters, 50 voters always felt like a reasonable number. In recent years, several voters have expressed little interest in voting on players before their time. Those individuals shouldn’t be part of the process. With that in mind, the 50 voters could use some trimming. After seeing the new roster of voters, some of the wrong voters were trimmed. 

The 28 Voters

• Jared Allen, Hall of Famer
• Howard Balzer, CardsWire, SiriusXM NFL Radio
• Jarrett Bell, USA Today
• David Birkett, Detroit Free Press
• Vic Carucci, WGRZ-TV
• Mike Chappell, CBS4/Fox59TV
• Peter Dougherty, Green Bay Press-Gazette
• Jeff Duncan, Times-Picayune
• Dan Fouts, Broadcaster, Hall of Famer
• Scott Garceau, 105.7 The Fan/WMAR-TV
• Bob Glauber, Author
• Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star
• Nicki Jhabvala, Pro Football Writers of America
• Lindsay Jones, The Ringer
• Ira Kaufman, JoeBucsFan.com 
• Ross Ketover, NFL Films
• Sam Kouvaris, SamSportsLine.com
• Jeff Legwold, ESPN
• Rob Maaddi, Associated Press
• Gary Myers, Author
• Sal Paolantonio, Senior National Correspondent, ESPN
• Dan Pompei, The Athletic
• Mike Sando, The Athletic
• Will Shields, Hall of Famer
• Jim Trotter, Retired, The Athletic & NFL Network
• Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
• Eric Williams, Sports Illustrated
• Charean Williams, Pro Football Talk

Rick Gosselin and Ron Borges were two of the greatest advocates for deserving senior candidates. They were cut. Perhaps they were cut because they were so supportive of the players lost to ignorance. Seeing as the changes include eliminating the senior category, it’s pretty clear the current Pro Football Hall of Fame shot-callers do not care about football’s past and forgotten deserving senior players. Also, I like Dan Pompei but a flight to Canton in for the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions had me questioning his knowledge of football history. I was sitting behind Pompei on the flight and overheard him chatting with another passenger. They were discussing senior inductee Curley Culp. Despite being on the senior committee that selected Culp, Pompei couldn’t recall if he’d won a Super Bowl. Anyway, as much as I love Jared Allen, I’d rather see Gosselin and Borges voting on the Hall of Famers. Or John McClain. Or Clark Judge. I also believe that any voter that kept Bill Belichick from being the first-ballot inductee his career demanded should’ve been eliminated. That includes Vahe Gregorian. It’s horseshit that he made the cut. 

We’ll see how the 2027 vote plays out but I have very little faith in these changes. Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter and the Hall’s board have made major changes to the process in their five years of running the show. Those changes are creating a pattern of addressing a mistake with a bigger mistake. For the sake of the Hall and football history, I hope I’m wrong. 

Throwback Thursday: Red Grange’s Football Tour

Through its first five years, the National Football League was a shaky and questionable business. The most popular sports in the 1920s were baseball, boxing, college football, and horse racing. Some folks probably sprinkled in tennis and golf before they even considered paying attention to professional football. Joe Carr, George Halas, Curly Lambeau, Chris O’Brien, Carl Storck, and the rest of the league’s leaders were scraping, scratching, doing everything they could to gain notice and traction with the media and public. Enter Harold “Red” Grange. 

The 1920s introduced the nation to sports celebrities. Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Bobby Jones, Helen Wills, Lou Gehrig, Man o’ War, and Bill Tilden thrilled a public that finally had some spare time. In his three years at Illinois, Red Grange joined those sports celebrities. People flocked to the stadium to see him live and to theaters to see his highlights. The NFL needed him. They needed him bad. 1925 was 11 years before the first NFL Draft. Every potential professional football player was essentially a free agent. In an attempt to gain a bit of respect and credibility with the public, the NFL had established a policy of no tampering with college football players that still had remaining eligibility. Grange’s last football game as an innocent University of Illinois student-athlete was at Ohio State on November 21, 1925. A day later, he was sitting on the sidelines at Cubs Park for the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game. He was watching his new teammates shut out the Packers 21-0. Four days later, he played for the Bears against the Chicago Cardinals on Thanksgiving. 120 hours after his final college football game, Red Grange played in his first NFL game. Perhaps he wasn’t so innocent. 

If the general public wasn’t so thrilled to see Red Grange play professional football, they might’ve been suspicious as to how Grange signed with the Bears in only a matter of hours. The reality was that it had been in the works for weeks, maybe months. All of that and all that was to come was crafted by Grange’s agent. A theater owner named C.C. Pyle had an expansive plan for Grange, the Bears, and himself. C.C. Pyle was a piece of work but this story isn’t really about him. This story is about the ridiculous football marathon that kicked off soon after Grange joined the Bears. 

It’s really no stretch to say that the addition of Red Grange to the roster of the Chicago Bears and the NFL put player, team, and league on a whole other trajectory. All three needed each other. All three looked to profit from the new union. What happened after Grange joined the Bears could never happen today. It shouldn’t have happened in 1925. Grange and his new teammates played a lot of football. 

Most of the following is taken from Chris Willis’ excellent and incredibly thorough Red Grange: The Life and Legacy of the NFL’s First Superstar.

Red Grange’s Football Tour:

After playing in his final eight-game season for the University of Illinois, Grange played in the final two games of the Chicago Bears 1925 schedule:

11/26/25: Chicago Cardinals

11/29/25: Columbus Tigers

That was just the beginning. With Grange on the team, George Halas and the Bears went on a tour. It was a barnstorming tour with two parts. Here’s the first part.

Wednesday, December 2, at St. Louis All-Stars

Saturday, December 5, at Frankford Yellow Jackets (NFL game)

Sunday, December 6, at New York Giants (NFL game)

Tuesday, December 8, at Washington All-Stars

Wednesday, December 9, Providence Steam Roller (NFL game)

Thursday, December 10, Pittsburgh All-Stars

Saturday, December 12, Detroit Panthers (NFL game)

Sunday, December 13, New York Giants (NFL game)

Over 11 days, Grange and the Bears played eight games. At one point in the tour, they played six games in eight days. It was an insane schedule. The Bears had 20 players on their roster for these games. In those days, players played offense, defense, and special teams. Much to the disappointment of the fans in the stands, Grange did not play every minute of every game. The highlight of the tour was the December 6 game in New York. Attendance for the game was estimated between 65,000 and 70,000. Those were unimagined numbers for the NFL in the 1920s. The Bears won that game, 19-7. The crowd was thrilled when Grange returned an interception for a score to clinch the win. A frequently told story from this tour is from the stop in Washington D.C. Grange and Halas met President Calvin Coolidge at the White House. Illinois senator William McKinley made the introductions. “Mr. President, this is George Halas and Red Grange with the Chicago Bears.” President Coolidge responded by saying, “Young men, I’m very happy to meet you. I always did like animal acts.” 

During the Pittsburgh game, Grange injured his left arm while throwing a block on an interception return. It would impact his play for the final two games of this part of the tour. 

After a week of rest, Grange and the Bears continued their tour. The second part of the tour hit the south and west. 

Friday, December 25, 1925, at Coral Gables (FL) All-Stars

Friday, January 1, 1926, at Tampa (FL) Cardinals

Saturday, January 2, 1926, at Jacksonville (FL) All-Stars

Sunday, January 10, 1926, at New Orleans All-Southerns

Saturday, January 16, 1026, at Los Angeles Tigers

Sunday, January 17, 1926, at San Diego California All-Stars

Sunday, January 24, 1926, at San Francisco Tigers

Saturday, January 30, 1926, at Portland All-Stars

Sunday, January 31, 1926, at Seattle Washington All-Stars

Again, four days after completing an eight-game college football season, Red Grange played in his first NFL game for the Chicago Bears. Over two months, from 11/26/25 to 1/31/26, Grange and the Bears played 19 football games. Several of those games were on zero days rest. This was the 60-minute era. Players didn’t have the luxury of sitting and resting while the defense, offense, or special teams took the field. It was a 60-minute grind. It was a grind that Grange and the Bears did over and over again for two months. The only real break over those two months was the 12 days between the two parts of the barnstorming tour. At least it was a little time for Grange to rest his injured arm. The first part of the tour was mostly against NFL teams. The second part was mostly against “all-star” lineups. Those “all-star” teams might’ve been a little short on “stars” but they weren’t always a bunch of slappies. Stanford great and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Ernie Nevers played in the Florida games. University of Washington All-American George “Wildcat” Wilson played in the west coast games. 

Red Grange collected $125,000 for his first season as a professional football player. That was an unfathomable amount for the time. C.C. Pyle did alright for himself as well. In some respects, this initial business relationship had George Halas working for Grange and Pyle. Halas didn’t see as much take-home cash as his partners but he saw enough to keep his young team afloat during very difficult times. More important than profits for Halas and the NFL was the attention ignited by Grange and the insane barnstorming tour. Not every game was a sellout but every game brought much-needed attention to professional football. Some historians and pundits have said that Grange saved the NFL. I wouldn’t go that far but it was the first big step in the right direction for professional football. 

Post - Week 1 Minnesota Vikings Roster

An NFL roster is never really set. There’s the initial 53-man roster that’s set after the final trimmings. Then there’s often a variety of roster manipulations in advance of the first game. 

Post - Week 1 Minnesota Vikings 53 - man Roster

Offense (25)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Demond Claiborne

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (5)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

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

Joe Huber

Trevor Keegan

Nick Samac 

Defense (25)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker (4)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Linebacker (4)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback (5)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

Chuck Demmings

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jakobe Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

***

After an offseason of wondering, it’s so great to see Harrison Smith on the roster. 

Until the next tweak, the above is the Minnesota Vikings 53-man roster. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 1 Superlatives

For nearly three-quarters of the game, the Minnesota Vikings did all they could to hand the Green Bay Packers a season-opening win. Over the final 20 minutes, the Vikings offense scored 29 points and the defense overwhelmed Jordan Love and the Packers offense. It made for a ridiculous, improbable 39-22 Vikings win. Here are some of the players that made thrilling win possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Justin Jefferson, WR

Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league. When the Vikings offense needed a play, it was Jefferson that provided one. For six years, that’s often been the case. 

8 catches

92 yards

2 TDs

1 2-pt Rec

Jefferson scored the Vikings first touchdown of the game and the last. 

Honorable Mention:

Carson Wentz, QB

The play of Carson Wentz has to be acknowledged. Packer stupidity and dirty play took out starting quarterback Kyler Murray with a concussion before the first quarter was done. That put Wentz on the field. His lack of practice snaps showed as he struggled with accuracy throughout the game but he made the plays he had to make. His gritty play guided an unlikely comeback. Three touchdown passes, no turnovers. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Dallas Turner, OLB

Entering his third season, a lot was expected of Dallas Turner. He was ready for this opportunity. The draft day-trade of Jonathan Greenard showed that the Vikings knew he was ready. Against the Packers, Turner showed that he was ready. 

10 QB Pressures

4 QB Hurries

4 QB Hits

1 Sack 

1 Forced Fumble

There weren’t a lot of Vikings players that played well throughout the game. Dallas Turner was one player that did. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

Myles Price, Returner

Myles Price showed last year as an undrafted rookie that he has some pop as a returner. His 68-yard, third quarter return was a spark the Vikings desperately needed. It gave the offense a short field and set up Carson Wentz’s 16-yard touchdown toss to T.J. Hockenson. That brought the Vikings to within five points of the Packers. 

Kick Returns:

5 returns

179 yards

Punt Returns

1 return

13 yards

The only thing missing from Myles Price’s 18 games as the Vikings returner is a touchdown return. I thought that he was going to get it yesterday but it’s coming. 

Vikings - Packers

When Trey Smack smacked a field goal with 5:09 remaining in the third quarter, the Green Bay Packers held a 22-10 lead over the Minnesota Vikings. When the game ended, the Vikings had a 39-22 win over the Packers. A lot happened in those final 20 minutes. 

Over the final 20 minutes, the Vikings scored 29 points. The Packers scored 0. It was an improbable, ridiculous rebound. During those 20 minutes, the Packers actually did score three points. Early in the fourth quarter with the Packers holding a 22-17 lead, Smack booted a 40-yard field goal. On the kick, Vikings edge rusher Dallas Turner was flagged for an offside penalty. Instead of an eight-point lead, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur decided to toss the three points aside and take the penalty. That flipped a fourth-and-six to a fourth-and-one opportunity. The Vikings defensive line (rookie Domonique Orange) stopped the Jordan Love sneak about six inches short of the yard to gain. That little turn of events flipped the game. For more than three quarters, the Packers had all of the momentum. Suddenly, after that fourth down stop, the Vikings had some and they built on it. The Vikings offense responded with a seven-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. It was a drive heavily assisted by the officials. Three times, the Packers defense was flagged for an infraction on third down. Three times, the Vikings failed to convert and a penalty flag kept them on the field. These weren’t imagined penalties. The Packers kept doing stupid shit that kept the Vikings offense on the field. Football has rules for a reason and this undisciplined group kept breaking those rules. If the Packers are looking for a reason for this loss, they should start by looking in the mirror. 

The Packers undisciplined play started with a cheap shot that took Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray out of the game. Packers safety Javon Bullard and lineman Lukas Van Ness converged and hit a sliding Murray. Bullard used his helmet as a weapon while Van Ness took a swing at Murray’s head. It’s the kind of bullshit play that should get a player thrown from a game and suspended for a few more. For most of the rest of the game, I couldn’t help but wonder if knocking Murray out of the game was part of the Packers gameplan. Bullard and Van Ness collectively decided to take illegal shots at the head of a defenseless player sliding at the end of a run. It sure looked like the Packers had a plan to get Murray out of the game. With their undisciplined tactics throughout the game, I actually think it’s the way this defense is going to play. Great. It lost them this game. 

For the bulk of this game the Vikings didn’t play well. Offense, defense, special teams. The Packers dominated all aspects. That can happen when a team loses their quarterback in the first quarter. About the only thing the Vikings did right was not let the Packers get more than 12 points ahead. It actually felt like it could’ve ballooned to more than a three-score lead at any moment. Call it scrappy. Call it whatever. The Vikings did enough things to not let the score get out of control. That may have been as much a key to the game as the 29 points that closed it. 

Another reason for the win was the play of Dallas Turner

10 QB Pressures

4 QB Hurries

4 QB Hits

1 Sack 

1 Forced Fumble

Turner was in the Packers backfield as often as their backs. Big things are expected from the young edge rusher this offseason and this was the first step. 

How improbable was the Vikings rebound? According to OptaSTATS:

The Vikings are the first team in NFL history to be down 12+ points with under 20 minutes left in regulation and end up winning by 17+ points. 

That’s something. 

Another something is the play of the Vikings defense to close the game. The Packers final three possessions:

1. 3 plays, -22 yards - fumble

2. 2 plays, 7 yards - interception

3. 11 plays, 53 yards - turnover on downs

A further something is the Vikings offense scoring 22 points over 2:42 in game time. 

Thanks to a splash of Packer stupidity, the Vikings flipped a demoralizing loss into a thrilling win. The Vikings are 1-0. Now, it’s on to a trip to Chicago and a Week 2 matchup with the Bears. Hopefully, the Vikings can play an entire game against the Bears like they did for twenty minutes against the Packers. 

Flea Flicker Week 1 Predictions

The 2026 NFL Season is finally here. The Minnesota Vikings kick off the season against division rival Green Bay Packers. Here are some guesses at that game and the remaining games on the Week 1 schedule.

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

There’s only one way this game is allowed to go. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals

Pick: Bengals

This could be a fun game. 

New Orleans Saints @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Saints

The Saints stun the fading Lions.

New York Jets @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Titans

The team once called the Titans playing the team currently called the Titans. The Titans take it.

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Ravens

The team currently playing in Baltimore playing the team that used to play in Baltimore. The Ravens take it.

Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Steelers

Do the Falcons even have a quarterback?

Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers stun the fading Bears. 

Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Jaguars

The Jaguars roll.

Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans

Pick: Bills

The NFL likes to tee up top games for Week 1. Other than the Vikings game, this is the best matchup of this Week 1. 

Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Raiders

This game might be the opposite of Bills-Texans.

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Eagles

This is more a pick against the Commanders than a pick for the Eagles.

Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers roll.

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants

Pick: Cowboys

It’s no surprise this matchup is in prime time. The Cowboys have a bit more right now than the potentially emerging Giants. 

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

It’s easy to pick against the Broncos. Sean Payton is right there with Aaron Rodgers as the most annoying individuals in the league. 

Green Bay Packers All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers in first game of the 2026 NFL Season. The Packers have a long, sometimes glorious, NFL history. They have the most NFL titles (13). Four of those titles are of the Super Bowl variety. On the eve of the big game, here’s a team of some of the best players in Packers franchise history. 

Offense

Quarterback

Bart Starr

Running Back

Johnny Blood

Fullback

Clarke Hinkle

Wide Receivers

Don Hutson

Sterling Sharpe

Tight End

Ron Kramer

Offensive Tackles

Forrest Gregg

Cal Hubbard

Offensive Guards

Mike Michalske

Jerry Kramer

Center

Jim Ringo

Defense

Defensive Ends

Reggie White

Willie Davis

Defensive Tackles

Henry Jordan

Kenny Clark 

Linebackers

Dave Robinson

RayNitschke

Clay Matthews

Cornerbacks

Herb Adderley

Charles Woodson

Safeties

Willie Wood

LeRoy Butler

Special Teams

Kicker 

Ryan Longwell

Punter

Craig Hentrich 

Returner

Travis Williams

47 Minnesota Vikings Starting Quarterbacks

The Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray in March to strengthen the quarterback room and to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. Last month, Murray was named the starter. For the fourth consecutive year, the Minnesota Vikings will start the season with a new quarterback. 

2023: Kirk Cousins

2024: Sam Darnold

2025: J.J. McCarthy

2026: Kyler Murray

Once they crawled out of their early expansion days, the Vikings have remarkably been a consistently contending team. Over the past seven decades, losing seasons have been few and winning seasons have been many. The consistent success is remarkable because the Vikings always seem to be looking for a franchise quarterback. The only franchise quarterback in team history was Fran Tarkenton. He was drafted in the third round of the 1961 NFL Draft, the first draft in franchise history. Tarkenton was great. He was so great that the Vikings traded him away after the 1966 season. It’s rare for a team with no titles to have “glory days” but the Vikings had some. Those great years started not so much with Tarkenton’s departure as Bud Grant’s arrival as head coach. Within three years, Grant had the Vikings in the Super Bowl. The late ‘60s, early ‘70s Vikings were among the best teams in the league. The only thing missing from those teams, other than a title, was a franchise quarterback. To fix that problem, the Vikings traded for Fran Tarkenton. The only franchise quarterback in team history guided the Vikings to three more Super Bowls. Tarkenton retired after the 1978 season. He retired as the holder of every league career passing record. He held those records longer than any quarterback ever has. He has a bust in Canton. The Vikings have been looking for their next franchise quarterback since Tarkenton retired in 1978. There have been some contenders for the role over the years. When it looked like they’d found that quarterback, an incredible run of bad luck took that quarterback away. 

Since their first season in 1961, the Vikings have selected five quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

Tommy Kramer (1977)

Daunte Culpepper (1999)

Christian Ponder (2011)

Teddy Bridgewater (2014)

J.J. McCarthy (2024)

Tommy Kramer was always fun and often great when he was on the field. The problem was that he wasn’t on the field enough. Daunte Culpepper was on an upward trajectory until a knee injury ended his time in Minnesota. Christian Ponder was drafted to be a quarterback that he never had the talent to be. As with Culpepper, a horrible knee injury ended whatever future Teddy Bridgewater might’ve had with the Vikings. Each of the four quarterbacks was drafted to be the next great Vikings quarterback. Three showed great potential and the fourth was Ponder. Now, we come to J.J. McCarthy. He lost his rookie season to a torn meniscus last summer. At least publicly, the plan wasn’t for McCarthy to start as a rookie. At least publicly, the plan was for former high-pick, now journeyman Sam Darnold to be the starting quarterback in 2024. That was then. The plan last year was for J.J. McCarthy to be the Vikings 44th starting quarterback. Injuries turned it to a season of some highs and several lows. Injuries have forced the Vikings to play a at least three quarterbacks in half of Kevin O’Connell’s four seasons as head coach. That trend forced the team’s decision-makers this offseason to put together the deepest, strongest quarterback room possible. Kyler Murray was signed. Carson Wentz was retained. Murray and McCarthy competed for the starting job. Murray won that competition. When he takes the field on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Murray will become the 47th starting quarterback in the franchise history of the Minnesota Vikings. 

47 starting quarterbacks. Here are those quarterbacks.  

1961:

George Shaw (4)

Fran Tarkenton (10)

1962

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1963:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Ron Vander Kelen (1)

1964:

Fran Tarkenton ((14)

1965:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1966:

Fran Tarkenton (12)

Ron Vander Kelen (1)

Bob Berry (1)

1967:

Joe Kapp (11)

Ron Vander Kelen (3)

1968:

Joe Kapp (14)

1969:

Joe Kapp (13)

Gary Couzzo (1)

1970:

Gary Couzzo (12)

Bob Lee (2)

1971:

Gary Couzzo (8)

Bob Lee (4)

Norm Snead (2)

1972:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1973:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1974:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Bob Berry (1)

1975:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1976:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Bob Lee (1)

1977:

Fran Tarkenton (9)

Bob Lee (4)

Tommy Kramer (1)

1978:

Fran Tarkenton (16)

1979:

Tommy Kramer (16)

1980:

Tommy Kramer (15)

Steve Dils (1)

1981:

Tommy Kramer (14)

Steve Dils (2)

1982:

Tommy Kramer (9)

1983:

Steve Dils (12)

Tommy Kramer (3)

Wade Wilson (1)

1984:

Tommy Kramer (9)

Wade Wilson (5)

Archie Manning (2)

1985:

Tommy Kramer (15)

Wade Wilson (1)

1986:

Tommy Kramer (13)

Wade Wilson (3)

1987:

Wade Wilson (7)

Tony Adams (3) - replacement games

Tommy Kramer (5)

1988:

Wade Wilson (10)

Tommy Kramer (6)

1989:

Wade Wilson (12)

Tommy Kramer (4)

1990:

Rich Gannon (12)

Wade Wilson (4)

1991:

Rich Gannon (11)

Wade Wilson (5)

1992:

Rich Gannon (12)

Sean Salisbury (4)

1993:

Jim McMahon (12)

Sean Salisbury (4)

1994:

Warren Moon (15)

Sean Salisbury (1)

1995:

Warren Moon (16)

1996:

Warren Moon (8)

Brad Johnson (8)

1997:

Brad Johnson (13)

Randall Cunningham (3)

1998:

Randall Cunningham (14)

Brad Johnson (2)

1999:

Jeff George (10)

Randall Cunningham (6)

2000:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2001:

Daunte Culpepper (11)

Spergon Wynn (2)

Todd Bouman (3)

2002:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2003:

Daunte Culpepper (14)

Gus Frerotte (2)

2004:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2005:

Daunte Culpepper (7)

Brad Johnson (9)

2006:

Brad Johnson (14)

Tarvaris Jackson (2)

2007:

Tarvaris Jackson (12)

Kelly Holcomb (3)

Brooks Bollinger (1)

2008:

Gus Frerotte (11)

Tarvaris Jackson (5)

2009:

Brett Favre (16)

2010:

Brett Favre (13)

Tarvaris Jackson (1)

Joe Webb (2)

2011:

Donovan McNabb (6)

Christian Ponder (10)

2012:

Christian Ponder (16)

2013:

Christian Ponder (9)

Josh Freeman (1)

Matt Cassel (6)

2014:

Matt Cassel (3)

Teddy Bridgewater (12)

Christian Ponder (1)

2015:

Teddy Bridgewater (16)

2016:

Shaun Hill (1)

Sam Bradford (15)

2017:

Sam Bradford (2)

Case Keenum (14)

2018:

Kirk Cousins (16)

2019:

Kirk Cousins (15)

Sean Mannion (1)

2020:

Kirk Cousins (16)

2021:

Kirk Cousins (16)

Sean Mannion (1)

2022:

Kirk Cousins (17)

2023:

Kirk Cousins (8)

Jaren Hall (2)

Josh Dobbs (4)

Nick Mullens (3)

2024:

Sam Darnold (17)

2025: 

J.J. McCarthy (10)

Carson Wentz (5)

Max Brosmer (2)

2026:

Kyler Murray

46 Quarterbacks:

George Shaw

Fran Tarkenton

Ron Vander Kelen

Bob Berry

Joe Kapp

Gary Couzzo

Bob Lee

Norm Snead

Tommy Kramer

Steve Dils

Wade Wilson

Archie Manning

Tony Adams - replacement games

Rich Gannon

Sean Salisbury

Jim McMahon

Warren Moon

Brad Johnson

Randall Cunningham

Jeff George

Daunte Culpepper

Spergon Wynn

Todd Bouman

Gus Frerotte

Tarvaris Jackson

Kelly Holcomb

Brooks Bollinger

Brett Favre

Joe Webb

Donovan McNabb

Christian Ponder

Josh Freeman

Matt Cassel

Teddy Bridgewater

Shaun Hill

Sam Bradford

Case Keenum

Kirk Cousins

Sean Mannion

Jaren Hall

Josh Dobbs

Nick Mullens

Sam Darnold

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Kyler Murray

Minnesota Vikings Unofficial Depth Chart

The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in the season opener. In advance of the first game of the 2026 season, the Vikings released their “unofficial” depth chart. A team-released depth chart being tagged as “unofficial” is always interesting. It’s interesting because a depth chart released by the team is as “official” as a depth chart can get. I believe the league’s teams see these depth charts as “unofficial” because they don’t want to be committed to it. Despite their questionable nature, this depth chart 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:

Carson Wentz

J.J. McCarthy

Running Back

Starter:

Aaron Jones, Sr.

Jordan Mason

Backups:

Demond Claiborne

Fullback

Starter:

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver

Starter:

Justin Jefferson

Backups:

Tai Felton

Wide Receiver

Starter:

Jordan Addison

Wide Receiver 

Jauan Jennings

Backups:

Myles Price

Tight End

Starter:

T.J. Hockenson

Backups:

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Left Tackle

Starter:

Christian Darrisaw

Backups:

Ryan Van Demark

Left Guard

Starter:

Donovan Jackson

Backups:

Joe Huber

Center

Starter:

Blake Brandel

Backups:

Nick Samac

Right Guard

Starter:

Will Fries

Backup:

Trevor Keegan

Right Tackle

Starter:

Brian O’Neill

Backups:

Caleb Tiernan

Defense

Defensive Line

Starters:

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez 

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Backups:

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker

Starters:

Dallas Turner

Andrew Van Ginkel

Backups:

Chaz Chambliss

Bo Richter

Inside Linebacker

Starters:

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Backups:

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback:

Starter:

Isaiah Rodgers

Backups:

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Cornerback

Starter:

Byron Murphy Jr.

Backup:

Chuck Demmings

Safety

Joshua Metellus

Backups:

Jay Ward

Jakobe Thomas

Safety

Starter:

Harrison Smith

Backups:

Theo Jackson

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams

Punter/Holder

Starter:

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:

Tai Felton

Demond Claiborne

***

First of all, it’s so great to finally see Harrison Smith on the field on the depth chart. Even though it took all offseason, training camp, and preseason for him to officially return, I’m not close to being ready to not seeing #22 roaming around the Vikings defense. 

The depth chart focus for most is Carson Wentz being named QB2. Maybe this will ease the twisted fixation on J.J. McCarthy. From college through his first 2+ years in the league, there’s been nothing normal about the coverage of the young quarterback. Maybe he can now get a bit of peace for a little while. 

Some Depth Chart Curiosities:

1. Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason as joint running back starters. 

2. In Nick Samac and Trevor Keegan, about half of the offensive line depth was added after cutdown day. 

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

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

5. For months, the depth at outside linebacker has been a concern for media and fans. The Vikings finally addressed that concern last week with the signing of Kyler Van Noy. His roster presence in shown in this depth chart as he’s currently on the practice squad. 

6. Welcome Back Harrison Smith

Flea Flicker 2026 Predictions

Here’s a guess at which teams win the divisions and which team wins it all. 

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings

2. Detroit Lions

3. Green Bay Packers

4. Chicago Bears

This is an easy pick. 

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys

2. Philadelphia Eagles 

3. New York Giants
4. Washington Commanders

The Cowboys take advantage of an Eagles fade. The Giants and Commanders could be lurking as any of the four could win this division. 

NFC South

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2. Carolina Panthers

3. New Orleans Saints 

4. Atlanta Falcons

This feels like a three-team race. 

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers 

2. Los Angeles Rams

3. Seattle Seahawks

4. Arizona Cardinals

Somehow, the 49ers edge the money-stacked Rams. The defending champs are left fighting for a playoff spot. 

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens

2. Cincinnati Bengals

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Cleveland Browns

This is a two team race. 

AFC East

1. Buffalo Bills

2. New England Patriots

3. New York Jets
4. Miami Dolphins

The Patriots drop with a more challenging schedule. For the first time in a while, the Jets aren’t the worst team in the AFC East. 

AFC South

1. Houston Texans
2. Jacksonville Jaguars

3. Indianapolis Colts

4. Tennessee Titans

This division could be a lot of fun for a while. 

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Los Angeles Chargers

3. Denver Broncos

4. Las Vegas Raiders

This should be a fun three-team battle. 

Super Bowl
Minnesota Vikings over Buffalo Bills

Finally! 

Flea Flicker 2026 Awards Predictions

A new NFL season kicks off this week. Who will bring home some hardware in 2026? 

Most Valuable Player

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Offensive Player of the Year

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Player of the Year

Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Houston Texans

Comeback Player of the Year

Kyler Murray, QB, Minnesota Vikings 

Coach of the Year

Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks 

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Caleb Downs, S, Dallas Cowboys

All-Pro Team

Quarterback

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Running Back

Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers

Fullback

Max Bredeson, Minnesota Vikings 

Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

Tight End

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Offensive Tackles

Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings

Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Offensive Guards

Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts 

Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos 

Center

Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs

Defense

Edge Rushers

Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings 

Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans

Interior Defensive Linemen

Jalen Redmond, Minnesota Vikings 

Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants

Linebackers

Ernest Jones, Seattles Seahawks

Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings

Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Cornerbacks

Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

Derrick Stingley Jr., Houston Texans

Safeties

Joshua Metellus, Minnesota Vikings

Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens

Special Teams

Kicker

Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings

Punter

Jordan Stout, Baltimore Ravens

Kick Returner

Myles Price, Minnesota Vikings 

Punt Returner

Rashid Shaheed, Seattle Seahawks

Core Special Teamer

Bo Richter, Minnesota Vikings 

Long Snapper

Andrew DePaola, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By Age

In the week since the roster was trimmed to 53 players, the Minnesota Vikings signed 35-year old outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and brought back 37-year old safety Harrison Smith. With those two additions, there’s now a curious and substantial experience to the roster, in general, and defense, in particular. Here’s a look at the 53-man roster broken down by age. Van Noy was initially signed to the practice squad. Until he jumps to the active roster, his advanced age isn’t reflected in this breakdown. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By Age

39

Andrew DePaola

37

Harrison Smith

33

Carson Wentz

31

Eric Wilson

Andrew Van Ginkel

Aaron Jones Sr.

30

Brian O’Neill

Blake Cashman

29

James Pierre

Josh Oliver

Kyler Murray

Jauan Jennings

T.J. Hockenson

Blake Brandel

28

Ryan Van Demark

Isaiah Rodgers

Byron Murphy Jr.

Joshua Metellus

Will Fries

27

Jalen Redmond

Jordan Mason

Justin Jefferson

Theo Jackson

Christian Darrisaw

26

Jay Ward

Brett Thorson

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Bo Richter

Trevor Keegan

25

Nick Samac

Will Reichard

Ivan Pace Jr.

24

Ben Yurosek

Zemaiah Vaughn

Myles Price

Joe Huber

Jordan Addison

23

Elijah Williams

Dallas Turner

Caleb Tiernan

Jakobe Thomas

J.J. McCarthy

Donovan Jackson

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Jake Golday

Tai Felton

Chuck Demmings

Chaz Chambliss

Max Bredeson

Gavin Bartholomew 

Caleb Banks

22

Jacob Thomas

Domonique Orange

Demond Claiborne

***

Since the Vikings have yet to announce a corresponding roster move after the addition of Harrison Smith, the roster currently holds 54 players. 

Assuming Kyle Van Noy will soon be added to the 53-man roster, the Vikings defense will occasionally have five players on the field over the age of 30.

Harrison Smith - 37

Kyle Van Noy - 35

Eric Wilson - 31

Andrew Van Ginkel - 31

Blake Cashman - 30

No worries. The Vikings also have some promising defensive players under the age of 25 playing with and learning from those graybeards.

Jakobe Thomas - 23

Jacob Thomas - 22

Jake Golday - 23

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins - 23

Chuck Demmings - 23

Caleb Banks - 23

Domonique Orange - 22

If all goes as planned, those youngsters will supplement a smart, experienced defense now and lead it in a couple years. 

Brian Flores has crafted a defense of smart players. For that defense to operate at its best, experienced and instinctive defenders like Harrison Smith, Joshua Metellus, Byron Murphy Jr., Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Andrew Van Ginkel are needed. 

I fell for the Vikings in the 1970s when the team was filled with brilliant players in their 30s. It was an experienced group that made Super Bowl appearances routine. Winning the damn game was the difficulty. As a young Vikings fan, that was my normal. While experience is a characteristic shared by these teams separated by decades, the current Vikings team is downright youthful compared to those great teams. Hopefully, the splash of experience is what it takes to finally get back to the Super Bowl. Just win it this time!

He’s Back!

Minnesota Vikings legendary safety Harrison Smith is coming back for his 15th season. For most of the offseason, Smith’s football future had been in question. He was celebrated by team and fans at US Bank Stadium toward the end of the 2025 season. If felt like a send-off but Smith never officially announced his retirement. I figured that no announcement throughout the offseason was a clear indication of a return. I also figured that he’d return for training camp. I didn’t see Harrison Smith pulling a Brett Favre and skipping into the facilities after the “heavy” lifting of preseason work was done. I guess I was wrong on that part. I’m glad I’m not wrong about his return. I wasn’t ready for a Minnesota Vikings defense without #22 roaming the width and depth of the field. 

Harrison Smith will return for his 15th season on a one-year, $12.25 million deal with incentives that can boost it up to $16.25 million. The incentives are reportedly dependent on playoff performance so he’ll be rewarded for overall team play. Remarkably, the per year amount is one of the highest of his career. With Smith’s plans an unknown, the Vikings moved forward with newness in the safety room. An intriguing group was the result. 

Joshua Metellus

Theo Jackson

Jay Ward

Jakobe Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Adding Harrison Smith makes safety a team strength. Perhaps in a few years, the Vikings safety group is topped by the young duo of Jakobe and Jacob Thomas. For now, Harrison Smith and Joshua Metellus continue their wonderful on-field relationship. 22 and 44 together again. 

Harrison Smith will be adding to some Hall of Fame-level numbers:

Most Games in Vikings Franchise History

1. Jim Marshall 270

2. Mick Tingelhoff 240

3. Fred Cox 210

4. Carl Eller 209

5. Harrison Smith 207

Unless Smith plays into his 40s, he should retire at #3. 

Career Stats

1,180 tackles

51 TFLs

21.5 sacks

45 QB hits

39 interceptions 

4 interceptions returned for TDs

106 passes defensed

13 forced fumbles

12 fumble recoveries

If Harrison Smith has a typical Harrison Smith season, he’ll stand alone among safeties in league history in tackles, sacks, and interceptions. That’s Canton stuff. 

Welcome Back Harrison Smith.

Minnesota Vikings 2026 Team Captains

There once was a time when NFL teams had about three captains. Three captains leading the offense, defense, and special teams respectively. A few days ago, I saw that the Los Angeles Rams announced a whopping 11 captains. I get recognizing team leaders but doesn’t that leadership get a bit diluted if nearly a quarter of the players active on game day are captains? Who knows? I don’t. Maybe one in every four players needs to be a leader in today’s NFL. The Minnesota Vikings announced their season-long captains for 2026. 

Minnesota Vikings Captains

Offense:

Kyler Murray

Aaron Jones Sr.

Justin Jefferson

Brian O’Neill

Defense:

Andrew Van Ginkel

Blake Cashman

Joshua Metellus

Special Teams:

Andrew DePaola

Eight Captains. Only three were drafted by the Vikings. 

Justin Jefferson 

Brian O’Neill

Joshua Metellus

Kyler Murray, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman are first-time Vikings captains.

The remainder of the Vikings captains have been Vikings captains for a while.

Brian O’Neill: 6x

Joshua Metellus: 5x

Justin Jefferson: 4x

Andrew DePaola: 4x

Aaron Jones Sr.: 2x

Congratulations to this season’s captains. They will be forever remembered within the “Jim Marshall Vikings Captains Legacy.” 

Minnesota Vikings Roster: How Did They Get Here?

Here’s a look at how the players got to the roster of the Minnesota Vikings. 

Draft: First Round

Justin Jefferson (2020)

Christian Darrisaw (2021)

Jordan Addison (2023)

J.J. McCarthy (2024)

Dallas Turner (2024)

Donovan Jackson (2025)

Caleb Banks (2026)

Draft: Second Round

Brian O’Neill (2018)

Jake Golday (2026)

Draft: Third Round

Tai Felton (2025)

Domonique Orange (2026)

Caleb Tiernan (2026)

Jakobe Thomas (2026)

Draft: Fourth Round

Jay Ward (2023)

Draft: Fifth Round

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (2015)

Max Bredeson (2026)

Chuck Demmings (2026)

Draft: Sixth Round

Josh Metellus (2020)

Blake Brandel (2020)

Will Reichard (2024)

Demond Claiborne (2026)

Draft: Seventh Round

Levi Drake Rodriguez (2024)

Gavin Bartholomew (2025)

Undrafted Free Agent

Ivan Pace Jr. (2023)

Bo Richter (2024)

Max Brosmer (2025)

Chaz Chambliss (2025)

Joe Huber (2025)

Myles Price (2025)

Elijiah Williams (2025)

Ben Yurosek (2025)

Zemaiah Vaughn (2025)

Dillon Bell (2026)

Jacob Thomas (2026)

Brett Thorson (2026)

Trade

T.J. Hockenson (2022)

Jordan Mason (2025)

Unrestricted Free Agent

Josh Oliver (2023)

Byron Murphy Jr. (2023)

Andrew Van Ginkel (2024)

Blake Cashman (2024)

Isaiah Rodgers (2025)

Will Fries (2025)

Eric Wilson (2025)

James Pierre (2026)

Jauan Jennings (2026)

Restricted Free Agent

Ryan Van Demark (2026) 

Street Free Agent

Andrew DePaola (2020)

Theo Jackson (2022)

Aaron Jones Sr. (2024)

Jalen Redmond (2024)

Carson Wentz (2025)

Kyler Murray (2026)

Trevor Keegan (2026)

Nick Samac (2026)

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By College

Here’s a look at the Minnesota Vikings roster broken down by the college the players attended. 

Air Force

Bo Richter

Alabama

Dallas Turner

Will Reichard

Cincinnati

Ivan Pace Jr.

Eric Wilson

Jake Golday

Connecticut

Ryan Van Demark

Florida

Caleb Banks

Florida Atlantic

James Pierre

Georgia

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Chaz Chambliss

Ben Yurosek

Brett Thorson

Georgia Tech

Jordan Mason

Indiana

Myles Price 

Iowa

T.J. Hockenson

Iowa State

Domonique Orange

James Madison

Jacob Thomas

LSU

Justin Jefferson

Jay Ward

Maryland

Tai Felton

Miami

Jakobe Thomas

Michigan 

Josh Metellus

J.J. McCarthy

Max Bredeson

Trevor Keegan

Michigan State

Nick Samac 

Minnesota

Blake Cashman

Morgan State

Elijah Williams

North Dakota State

Carson Wentz

Northwestern

Caleb Tiernan

Ohio State

Donovan Jackson

Oklahoma

Jalen Redmond

Kyler Murray

Oregon State

Blake Brandel

Penn State

Will Fries

Pittsburgh

Brian O’Neill

Gavin Bartholomew

Rutgers

Andrew DePaola

San Jose State

Josh Oliver

Stephen F Austin

Chuck Demmings

Tennessee

Theo Jackson

Jauan Jennings 

Texas-El Paso

Aaron Jones

Texas A&M-Commerce

Levi Drake Rodriguez

UMass-Amherst

Isaiah Rodgers

USC

Jordan Addison

Utah

Zemaiah Vaughn

Virginia Tech

Christian Darrisaw

Wake Forest

Demond Claiborne

Washington

Byron Murphy Jr. 

Wisconsin

Andrew Van Ginkel

Joe Huber

Vikings Add An Edge

For months, media and fans have been honking on and on about the Minnesota Vikings needing to add some edge depth. All that honking started when Jonathan Greenard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2026 NFL Draft. Dallas Turner was ready to step into the starting lineup. Only a collection of undrafted players were set to step into Turner’s former backup role. The Vikings seemed to have more faith in those unheralded players. Throughout training camp and the preseason, there didn’t appear to be any interest in bringing in outside free agents. Unless it was the plan all along, that stance might’ve changed when Tyler Batty was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Whether it was the plan from the start or a late pivot, the Vikings signed a veteran edge rusher. Kyle Van Noy is coming to Minnesota. 

With his past connections to Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Kyle Van Noy was always at the top of the “Edge Wish List” of media and fans. The pair won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. When Flores was hired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, he brought in Van Noy as soon as he could get him. Now, they are together again. When looking at the entirety of his 12-year career, I was surprised to see that his single Pro Bowl season was only two years ago. His 12.5 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens finally got him that post-season honor. While he’s been an impact for nearly all of his 12 years, he’s only been a full-time starter for about half of it. For the Vikings, he really only has to be what he’s always been: a smart, reliable, versatile edge player. His experience is a boost. His shared time with Flores is a boost. He may be new to the Vikings but he isn’t new to the team’s defensive architect. 

Perhaps simply to be contrarian, I was never really sold on the need for a veteran edge. That was mostly because I was intrigued by how Brian Flores and the defensive coaches might incorporate young, versatile defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, veteran linebacker Eric Wilson, and rookie linebacker Jake Golday. I really wanted to see the skills of that trio provide the needed edge depth. That was way more interesting than bringing in some graybeard. I have to admit, seeing the defensive depth chart with Kyle Van Noy on it does make the whole defense look better. I just hope we still get to see Ingram-Dawkins, Wilson, and Golday doing crazy things. 

Minnesota Vikings Practice Squad

After trimming the roster to 53 players on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings assembled their initial Practice Squad on Monday. Nearly all of the players are familiar with the facilities. 

Minnesota Vikings Practice Squad

Da’Veawn Armstead, CB

Michael Briscoe, WR

Henry Byrd, G

Gavin Gerhardt, C

Joshua Gray, G

Kahlef Hailassie, S

Bengally Kamara, LB

Marshall Lang, TE

Tristan Leigh, OL

Jack Nelson, OT

Bryce Phillips, CB

Jahvaree Ritzie, DL

Trayvon Rudolph, WR

Cam’Ron Stewart, OLB

Tavierre Thomas, S

All but one of the 15 players signed to the Practice Squad spent part or all of training camp with the Vikings. Only Jack Nelson is new to the team. Nelson was originally selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He made the team and played in ten games with no starts. The Falcons waived Nelson with an injury settlement on August 14. At 6’7” and 314 lbs, he has intriguing size. Any offensive lineman out of Wisconsin is worth a look. 

The Vikings have room for one more player on the Practice Squad. An easy guess is that one of Max Brosmer or Dillon Bell will be that player. Both were on Sunday’s initial 53-man roster but were waived yesterday when two offensive linemen were signed off waivers. I’d actually be surprised if the Vikings don’t try to sign both Brosmer and Bell to the Practice Squad. If both are added, unfortunately, one of the above will have to be let go.