As we trudge along watching the leaves fall from the trees, there is not a whole heck of a lot to discuss besides you know what and that is kind of boring already. It wont stop some folks as you will see in the links. One thing that might be interesting is to give your guess for Mr Mankato (it needs a new name now no?).
I am guessing the early candidates would be Dillon Bell, Demond Claiborne, Charles Demmings, Jakobe Thomas, and Domonique Orange. If I had to guess I would pick Big Citrus but defensive
tackles do not make a lot of splash plays and the work they do often goes unnoticed. My second pick will be Jakobe Thomas.
Whose your pick?
The first training camp practice is 27 days away. Rookies report to training camp in 21 days.
Rookie Arrival: First-year players report to the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota, on July 26.
Veteran Arrival: Returning players and full-squad activities begin two days later on July 28.
2026 Vikings Training Camp Full Schedule
https://www.vikings.com/schedule/vikings-events/training-camp/schedule
DATE : TIME : PRACTICE
Saturday, Aug. 1 : Noon- 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9 : 5 – 11 p.m. : 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 11 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 17 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 19 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m. : Joint Practice with Baltimore Ravens
Thursday, Aug. 20 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m. : Joint Practice with Baltimore Ravens
The Minnesota Vikings 2026 preseason schedule features three matchups
Week 1: Saturday, August 15 at New York Giants (1:00 PM ET)
Week 2: Saturday, August 22 vs. Baltimore Ravens (12:00 PM ET)
Week 3: Friday, August 28 at Denver Broncos (Time TBD)
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Vikings Projected to Make Major Trade Amid CB Uncertainty
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-projected-to-make-major-trade-amid-cb-uncertainty/
Josh Weil of PFSN just released a way-too-early 2027 NFL Mock Draft. In the mock, he projected the Vikings to trade up to 4th overall, although he didn’t share the trade details. With the pick they got from Cleveland, they go all-in on the CB position, selecting Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore.
“In the first of two trades, the Minnesota Vikings move up to pick No. 4 to land Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore. In a draft with very few true No. 1 cornerbacks and a multitude of teams needing to invest in the position, I expect the Vikings to trade up to get their guy. Moore projects as a scheme and alignment-diverse CB1 with All-Pro upside.
At 6’2″, 197 pounds, Moore is long and lean, with a compelling mix of long-strider explosiveness, reactive quickness and twitch, and swivel fluidity. He has a natural mirror-motor and instant reaction in press, and perfectly blends the line between patient, disciplined, and physical.”
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Matthew Coller recently compiled 20 predictions for the 2026 Minnesota Vikings. On the list, he talked about Charles Demmings, and how he could win the prestigious “Mr. Mankato” during camp. Vikings fans know this pseudo-award goes to the under-the-radar player that lights it up in practices.
Not only does Coller think he could win it, he also thinks Demmings will be a legitimate talent down the line.
“Cornerback is the perfect position for Mr. Mankato because a few camp and preseason pass breakups or interceptions will have the masses chanting your name. Demmings has things working in his favor, like the fact that he’s an underdog from Stephen F. Austin and has a huge personality.
Demmings also has real talent. He was one of the most athletic cornerbacks at the NFL Combine and could bring a different level of man-to-man coverage than the Vikings have had on the roster in some time. It’s unlikely that he’s going to see the field much in Year 1 but with uncertainty at CB in 2027, he will have a chance to prove he belongs in that discussion.”
Expect fireworks in these NFL locker rooms: Five situations that could explode this summer
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-locker-rooms-five-situations-that-could-explode/
Minnesota Vikings
Work in progress: Quarterback competition could get ugly
Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy offered two different accounts of the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback competition when asked this spring about their working relationship. Murray, who arrived on a minimum contract as the presumptive favorite to win the job, said that he embraced a mentor role and that McCarthy had been “overly acceptive” of that leadership. The incumbent starter, however, made it sound as though they are not on such friendly terms.
“It’s just like two guys in a classroom,” McCarthy said. “You know, he sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach us and coach us.”
Neither is owed the No. 1 quarterback role, but whoever loses it will have reason to be discontented. Murray is a seven-year starter who, at his best, produces among the league’s top half of signal-callers. McCarthy is a recent first-round pick who has arguably not received a fair shake due to injuries.
Note: Slow news time of year produces this kind of regurgitation
Former GM Throws Major Shade at J.J. McCarthy Amid Vikings Uncertainty
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/mccloughan-mccarthy-roster-depth-chart-murray-oconnell/
Former NFL GM Scot McCloughan believes McCarthy’s ceiling is a QB2.
“My personal opinion, of course. But I’m just one guy. I think the quarterback from Alabama [Ty Simpson] is overdrafted,” McCloughan said on 980 AM on July 3.
“It’s the position alone. I think–not being a guru–but he’s like J.J. McCarthy. He’s like Mac Jones. He’s a career backup. Ideally– ideally–he might start. But that’s because of where his pick was, and a they-want-to-prove-everybody-right type of thing. And that’s not the way you should build a roster. Not at all.”
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The Vikings’ decision to bring in Murray has been praised, even as they have insisted he will compete with McCarthy for the starting job in training camp. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell chose it as the move he liked most for the Vikings this offseason.
“The best thing about the Vikings’ offseason is them signing Murray to a veterans minimum deal,” Barnwell wrote in June. “It was a boon for Minnesota. Murray’s services would be worth many millions more on the free market, and he provides an answer at quarterback in the wake of J.J. McCarthy’s rough 2025 season.
“Adding Murray doesn’t necessarily solve the Vikings’ long-term quarterback questions, but it gives them something to work with in the short term … and potentially longer.”
NFL.com’s Nick Shook expects Murray to have a bounce-back season.
“Murray’s shift from Arizona to Minnesota isn’t quite the discovery of an oasis, but it’s certainly a better situation for the former No. 1 overall pick than the one he inhabited in the desert,” Shook wrote on June 1. “Yes, he’s going to win the job over J.J. McCarthy, and I believe he’ll form a beautiful partnership with [Vikings head coach Kevin] O’Connell.”
Note: This was in the July 2nd thread but worth repeating
Ex-NFL QB Has Harsh Take on Kyler Murray’s Future Outlook With Vikings
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/ex-nfl-qb-has-harsh-take-on-kyler-murrays-future-outlook-with-vikings
“I’m actually fascinated by the Kyler Murray thing,” Fitzpatrick said. “Living in Arizona, I saw it with the Cardinals and the frustration with the fans, just kind of stuck in neutral in Arizona. I don’t think that one’s a quarterback competition, Kyler Murray should be the quarterback from day one there. But I think sometimes going to a new spot, which I did plenty, and having to then re-establish yourself — you don’t have all those built-up scars and memories in the locker room and with the team.
“He gets to reinvent who he is when he goes to Minnesota. And I think going in there, having to establish himself as a leader — which is something that he struggled towards the tail end of his career in Arizona to do — and just for everything to be fresh. For him to attack the playbook, be able to take new coaching from a different coach in a different way. I’m really excited to see Kyler Murray in Minnesota.”
Then Fitzpatrick finished his thoughts with a very interesting prediction.
“I do think it’ll be a one-year great experiment, it’s gonna work great, and then potentially tails off after that,” he said, “but I’m excited to see how it goes this season.”
That last part caught host Rich Eisen off guard a little bit, so he asked Fitzpatrick to follow up on what he meant.
“I think his best year with Minnesota will be his first year,” Fitzpatrick said. “And if they keep him after that, then it’s going to trail off. Because some of the issues that came up in Arizona are gonna be the same issues that are gonna follow him. He’s supremely talented. Everybody knows that. The first year in the offense, everything’s gonna be fresh and new and fun and they’re gonna out there and they’re gonna play really well.
“And then that next year, as things get stale, as you really have to focus and hone in on somebody’s leadership skills and those things, I think that’s when you’ll see it trail off. But again, this year, I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s gonna be a great show.”
“I don’t know that it’s a maturity issue,” he said. “I just think, with Kyler, what are his strengths? All the things that you can measure, those are the things that he’s always been unbelievable at. I think it’s just been some of the intangibles is where he has struggled, fitting into a locker room and those different things and being able to elevate a team to the next level.
“So I just think, year one, those things are gonna take care of themselves. It’s easy in year one because everything is new. As you go on in the same spot for multiple years, those become much more important. And so that’s I guess what I’m saying as to why I think it’s gonna be a one-year experiment that’ll be great and tail off from there.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addresses NFL streaming service affordability controversy
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/vikings-head-coach-kevin-oconnell-addresses-nfl-streaming-service-affordability-controversy
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed concerns over the affordability of watching NFL games as the league auctions off broadcasts to more and more streaming services.
The issue has gotten attention from Congress and the FCC.
“I think it’s important that we continue to make it something that, you know, all fans can have a pathway to watching our games,” O’Connell told Fox News Digital at a news conference Thursday for the American Century Championship golf tournament.
“Hopefully, a lot of them make it out to whether to U.S. Bank Stadium or SoFi Stadium or any of the, you know, great venues we have in our league. And there’s nothing like being there, but I can tell you that it’s very important for the NFL to have our games be available to as many of our fans as we possibly can.”
NFL analyst shines light on underrated aspect of Minnesota Vikings roster that shouldn’t be overlooked
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/nfl-analyst-shines-light-underrated-aspect-minnesota-vikings-jalen-redmond-james-pierre/
Pro Football Focus’ Daire Carragher had two Vikings players on the all-undrafted team, highlighted by Jalen Redmond.
“He is paired here with Jalen Redmond, one of the NFL’s most versatile defensive linemen. Redmond has experience across the defensive front, with snaps everywhere from nose tackle to edge defender. Although he did not establish himself until age 25, he has quickly become a dependable contributor. Consecutive seasons with PFF grades in the 70.0s highlight both his consistency and positional value.”
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The Vikings had one other player on the team in cornerback James Pierre, who they signed this offseason to a two-year deal worth $8.25 million.
“Pierre saw limited action during his sixth NFL season in Pittsburgh but appears poised for a larger role with Minnesota in 2026. Despite his modest workload, he delivered elite results. Pierre earned the highest PFF coverage grade among NFL cornerbacks (88.9) and allowed just 16 receptions across 255 coverage snaps.”
Vikings Misses and Myths: Kyler Murray’s Video Games, Ed Ingram, Jonathan Greenard
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-myths-murray-ingram-greenard
Vikings could sign 161-game starter to fill massive roster hole
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/minnesota-vikings/news/vikings-could-sign-161-game-starter-fill-massive-roster-hole/20a354d6881c638c6b5a6569
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently identified landing spots for the top defensive free agents. For Jones, Knox thinks the Vikings are a perfect landing spot. Knox offered the following analysis:
Jones started 12 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, finishing with 22 tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. He still possesses a strong anchor in run defense with penetration ability to boost an interior pass rush.
The Vikings parted with both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen early this offseason. While they did sign Isaiahh Loudermilk while drafting Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, adding DaQuan Jones would round out the defensive rotation while adding veteran leadership to the group.
NFL trade rumors: Eight players who could change teams before 2026 season kicks off
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-trade-rumors-brandon-aiyuk-maxx-crosby-week-1/
Josh Sweat, EDGE, Cardinals
Conflicting reports over the last month created uncertainty over Josh Sweat’s future with the Arizona Cardinals. Most recently, ESPN reported that the edge rusher will not be traded despite purported interest from the Green Bay Packers, among others. Are the Cardinals truly out on trying to capitalize on his trade value, or are they attempting to drive up his price even further? That answer could come later this summer or during the season.
Sweat enjoyed a career year with 12 sacks in his debut season in Arizona. It was the first campaign of a four-year, $76.4 million deal, which he signed to reunite with his former defensive coordinator, the since-fired Jonathan Gannon. A new staff is in place, the Cardinals have no shot at competing in the loaded NFC West, and Sweat is already 29. In the midst of a total rebuild, this is the kind of asset Arizona can use to load up on younger talent or draft picks.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Giants
In April, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen shut down reports that the team held mid-draft conversations about trading Kayvon Thibodeaux, calling them “not true.” Executives’ words only go as far as their actions, though, and the Giants have done nothing since then to suggest Thibodeaux is part of the team’s plans beyond 2026. The Giants used two top-five picks on edge rushers Arvell Reese and Abdul Carter in the last two drafts, and Brian Burns is still in the picture on a huge contract. Thibodeaux might be the odd man out.
Injuries limited Thibodeaux to no more than 12 games in either of the last two years, and his production regressed significantly in the time since his breakout 11.5-sack 2023 campaign. The Giants will either make this a prove-it season for a player in the final year of his contract or swap him to another team before it even begins. If they do hold onto him, he may emerge as a premier target at the trade deadline.
Every NFL Team’s Most Promising Building Block Entering 2026
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25449985-every-nfl-teams-most-promising-building-block-entering-2026
Minnesota Vikings: Edge Dallas Turner
Unfortunately, quarterback J.J. McCarthy didn’t make the necessary Year-2 strides to establish himself as a promising building block, which is why the Minnesota Vikings brought in Kyler Murray this offseason. However, fellow 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner did.
The Alabama product flashed potential as a rookie, finishing his inaugural campaign with 20 tackles and three sacks. However, he was even better last season, tallying 66 tackles, eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 24 quarterback pressures.
Entering Year 3, Turner has the chance to become the face of Minnesota’s pass rush. He already led the team in sacks in 2025, but with Jonathan Greenard, Javon Hargrave, and Jonathan Allen gone, Turner may quickly become the focal point of Brian Flores’ defensive front seven.
A few more positive steps should push Turner toward double-digit sacks, and possibly, Pro Bowl consideration. It’ll certainly help if Murray can spark the offense enough to leave opposing teams passing often.
Veteran free agent might be exactly what Vikings need on defense
https://thevikingage.com/veteran-free-agent-exactly-minnesota-vikings-need-defense
Vikings ‘Expected’ to Sign Super Bowl Champion Edge Rusher
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-expected-to-sign-super-bowl-champion-edge-rusher/
Predicting the Vikings’ Offensive Starters — Pre-Training Camp
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-depth-chart-offensive-starters-training-camp
Do the Vikings’ Uniforms Really Need A Refresh?
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/do-the-vikings-uniforms-really-need-a-refresh/
Building a 20-0 all-time Vikings team
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/building-a-20-0-all-time-vikings-team
Yore Mock
Trade with Bengals
Sent: Pick #13
Received : Pick #17, Pick #97
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Pick #17. Matayo Uiagalelei EDGE Oregon 6’4″ 272
Pick #45. Ahmad Hardy RB Missouri 5’9″ 210
Pick #77. Kelley Jones CB Mississippi State 6’3″ 195
Pick #86. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa LB Notre Dame 6’3″ 230
Pick #97. Ty Benefield S LSU 6’2″ 204
Pick #146. Drew Bobo OC Georgia 6’5″ 305
Pick #151. Nyckoles Harbor WR South Carolina 6’5″ 235
Pick #182. Earnest Greene III OT/OG Georgia 6’4″ 320
Pick #212. Hero Kanu DT Texas 6’5″ 321
Pick #239. Jonathan Maldonado EDGE Ole Miss 6’6″ 250
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