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Vikings sign three draft picks as rookie minicamp begins
J.J. McCarthy labeled as perfect fit for Vikings
3 Observations: Vikings Rookie Minicamp Emphasizes Development
J.J. McCarthy not overwhelmed, hits the ground running during Vikings’ rookie minicamp
J.J. McCarthy made it look easy during his first practice with the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings’ new quarterback was extremely accurate while showing the poise of a much older passer during the first day of rookie minicamp.
“It didn’t feel like my first day,” McCarthy said afterwards, via ESPN. “I’ve been going over the offense for a long time now. So being able to [go] out there and perform and execute, that’s new, but it was nothing that was overwhelming or too much.”
No Reichard?
No Risner?
No Mullens?
Anonymous NFL Execs Weigh in on Vikings’ Draft
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings surprised people around the league with their trade up from 23 to 17 for Dallas Turner, which cost them a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, and a fifth-rounder to pull off. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah famously traded back from 12 to 32 in his first draft as the Vikings’ GM, which made sense given his analytics background. He also traded back from 34 to 53 in that draft; six of the Vikings’ nine trades over the 2022 and ‘23 drafts saw them move down the board. Thus, it was fascinating to see Adofo-Mensah make such a bold move up to get Turner this year.
“I had to think twice because I had him pegged as a volume guy when it came to draft picks,” said an AFC executive whose team had correspondence with the Vikings on draft week. “It looks like he’s shifted his thinking to where, the reality is it’s hard to win without players you can build around.”
“I can buy trading some future picks if you are going to be contending and you are going to get a potential starter,” one exec said. “But the Vikings are not even close to contending. What they did, or even what the Bears did in giving up a (2025) fourth (for a fifth this year), I would not be doing that if I were those teams.”
“Kwesi had the capital to move up for a quarterback if he needed it, and then he read the room right to know he could get J.J. without mortgaging a future first-round pick,” another exec said. “On the second trade, to get Dallas Turner, they paid a lot, but because Houston gave up so much for Will Anderson last year, I could see Kwesi saying, ‘Well, if we feel Dallas Turner is a Will Anderson type, let’s go up and get him.’”
“They got younger, cheaper and healthier with more upside,” an exec said. “It is hard to argue against that.”
Bills and Vikings are at opposite ends of 2025 NFL Draft capital list
On the other end of the spectrum, it’s going to be more difficult for the Minnesota Vikings to surround their new quarterback with talent in 2025. While they’re projected to receive the third-round compensatory pick for Kirk Cousins, they don’t have picks in rounds two, three, four, six, and seven. Minnesota will only have picks in the first, third, fifth, and fifth rounds for a grand total of just four selections.
5 Vikings who could be surprise cuts this offseason
WR Jalen Nailor
OLB Pat Jones II
ILB Brian Asamoah II
CB Andrew Booth Jr.
S Lewis Cine
Vikings DC Brian Flores compares first-rounder Dallas Turner to Dont’a Hightower
Asked recently by Tatum Everett of the team’s official website to name a player who Turner reminds him of, Flores cited another former Alabama defender.
“I was asked this recently,” Flores said. “The name that comes to mind, and he was another Alabama player, is Dont’a Hightower. Big, fast, physical, great traits and intangibles, leadership. That’s the name that comes to mind. I would say he’s probably a little faster than Hightower.”
One UDFA to watch on each NFL roster
MINNESOTA VIKINGS: EDGE GABRIEL MURPHY, UCLA
The Vikings have invested heavily in the edge rusher spot this offseason, signing Andrew Van Ginkel, and Jonathan Greenard in addition to drafting Dallas Turner in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. They’re set with their plan, but undrafted free agent Gabriel Murphy could make a dent as an impact rusher. He earned 55 pressures and an 85.0 grade in 2023, as well as an 86.0 pass-rushing grade.
Surprise NFL Players Who Could Get Traded, Cut After 2024 Draft
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