The Minnesota Vikings are set to kick off their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday afternoon. The three-day event will be the biggest event of the summer for the franchise until they kick off training camp in July. There will be media availability every day, and attendance to these practices is exactly what it says in the name: mandatory.
The Vikings will get to have two full practices, with the third being a walkthrough. Those will be used by the staff to confirm they like where the roster is at. It also allows the rookies to get on the field in a real capacity over the three days. Undrafted free agents can make their mark or potentially lose their roster spot. It's going to be a big week for the franchise.
What should we be watching out for over the next few days? There are many different storylines to monitor.
4 burning questions heading into Vikings mandatory minicamp with predictions
1. Are the Vikings really comfortable with their cornerback room?
Cornerback has been a really contentious position for the Vikings. Byron Murphy Jr. is 100% a top guy after his Pro Bowl season last year, but there are a lot of question marks after that.
Everything the Vikings have said and done signals that they are comfortable with their cornerback room. However, there are many who would disagree with that sentiment, especially in the media. Isaiah Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon, and Jeff Okudah as your next three players on the depth chart are not awe-inspiring, leading many to link the Vikings to Jalen Ramsey. A good showing in minicamp will ease a lot of worry about them.
2. What does J.J. McCarthy's progress look like?
The future of the Vikings franchise is in the hands of the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy is fully healthy going into training camp this year, and things have trended very well for the Vikings to take a big step forward with him under center
There are really big questions surrounding McCarthy, and it's fair to ask them at this point. The big one that we want to see develop is his mechanics. Over the course of the offseason last year, the Vikings spent a lot of time working on and developing his mechanics, including how he stands in the shotgun and swinging his right leg when he throws. Fixing those will go a long way to taking things to another level.
The other major aspect we will be looking at from McCarthy is command. How does he thrive with leadership? Is he comfortable at the line of scrimmage?
3. What does Dallas Turner's progression look like?
This past offseason, the Vikings did a lot of work on the defensive line, but one spot they didn't make a lot of additions was at edge rusher. They took Dallas Turner with a major trade-up last year, but he played just 310 snaps last season. While he didn't play a lot, it wasn't due to his ability. He needed some time to develop.
Turner was plenty good when he took the field, but it was evident that he needed time to grow and develop. With Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel ahead of him and both Pat Jones II and Jihad Ward, who aren't back this year, played a role on the team that Turner wasn't suited for.
It was evident throughout the season that Turner was growing each game, including late-season dynamic sacks and interceptions that made an impact. He took steps each week, even if it wasn't evident.
4. Can Tai Felton push for Jalen Nailor's job?
Wide receiver is loaded at the top. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are firmly at the top of the list, and T.J. Hockenson is arguably a top-five tight end in the NFL. The complementary player on the outside is Nailor, but the Vikings' third-round selection Felton could end up pushing him for the job.
Now, I am not the highest on Felton due to how stiff he is in the lower half, and Nailor seems to be getting a lot of praise from the beat, especially with his frame. He looks to have bulked up significantly, drawing body type comparisons to Deebo Samuel.
How does this group end up looking? Can Felton, who the Vikings seem to really believe in, take advantage of mandatory minicamp to put himself in a position to really compete for WR3 with Nailor, or will the latter take a step forward to secure his spot at WR3?
Vikings injury outlooks and other pre-minicamp notes
Overall, the Vikings are relatively healthy. The only players that could end up missing with known injuries are minimal:
- CB Mekhi Blackmon (torn ACL)
- WR Rondale Moore (torn ACL)
It's not certain that either will be on the field, although we got reports a couple of months ago that Blackmon was ready for all activities. However, the Vikings are notoriously conservative when it comes to bringing players back from injury, so it's not a surprise.
The other thing to monitor is contract extensions. Safety Josh Metellus has been rumored to be holding in after sitting out some of OTA practices. Giving him an extension will be a difficult task, especially when it comes to quantifying how to pay him. Do you pay him as a traditional safety, a slot cornerback, or something else entirely? There are a lot of variables with a Metellus contract extension that could complicate things.
Along with Metellus, there are other Vikings players who could get a contract extension. Brian O'Neill only has two years left on his contract, and signing him to an extension now could end up maximizing the Vikings' Super Bowl window with McCarthy. They could also look to give someone like Jonathan Greenard or Blake Cashman a raise after their excellent seasons last year.
