Vikings Could Have Makeshift Deadline with 2 Important Players

Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner at the first day of rookie minicamp on May 10th, 2024, in Eagan, Minnesota. TCO Performance Center. Turner was drafted by the Vikings with the 17th overall pick on April 25th, 2024 in Detroit.

Thirty-four days ago, smoke regarding a J.J. McCarthy holdout emerged on social media.

Vikings Could Have Makeshift Deadline with 2 Important Players

McCarthy is the Minnesota Vikings’ new rookie quarterback, and he hasn’t signed his contract. Neither has fellow 1st-Rounder Dallas Turner, Minnesota’s direct EDGE replacement for Danielle Hunter, who bolted in free agency to the Houston Texans.

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Minnesota Vikings 2024 NFL Draft. Watch as QB J.J. McCarthy addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center on Friday. The Vikings traded up one spot on the draftboard with the New York Jets for McCarthy.

Generally speaking, McCarthy and Turner will eventually sign their deals — and that will be that. However, with the rookie segment of training camp kicking off Sunday, only rostered players are allowed to participate.

For better or worse, this creates a faux deadline for the Vikings, McCarthy, and Turner, at least for onlookers who want to see the new players on the practice field.

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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

On June 11th, a social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted this:

The account has tweeted accurate information in the past, so its track record caused NFL media to run with the legitimacy of a would-be McCarthy holdout if his alleged demands aren’t met. And a few days later, Pioneer Press’ Charley Walters elevated the rumors, “Rumors persist that the rookie QB wants all of his signing bonus upfront with no deferrals.”

The Vikings don’t need McCarthy to play Week 1 in September, nor is he really required at all in 2024. That’s what Sam Darnold’s for. All signs point to Darnold out of the gate this season; some even expect a Baker Mayfield-like rebirth from Darnold.

Yet, no McCarthy at training camp would turn heads — not in a good way — either painting general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as an executive who couldn’t whisk his newcomer(s) to training camp. Others might run with a narrative suggesting McCarthy or Turner is playing hardball.

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Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports.

Twenty-two years ago, an honest-to-goodness holdout occurred with former Viking Bryant McKinnie. Minnesota chose the mammoth lineman with the seventh overall pick in 2022, and because of a holdout, McKinnie didn’t see the field until Week 9 as a rookie.

That season, the purple team could’ve used McKinnie in the starting lineup. Without social media for players to get their voices into the national discourse, McKinnie was vilified as selfish and the antithesis of a “team player.” In reality, all McKinnie wanted was a fair contract akin to those drafted in his 1st-Round range. Minnesota oddly played hardball with the man.

So, there is precedent for this. It’s just that this version of the Vikings would probably like to avoid any holdout(s) with McCarthy or Turner.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

But let it be known, unless rules have changed without specificity, McCarthy and Turner must be under contract to participate on Sunday. There’s an unspoken deadline.

Three other 1st-Round rookies remain unsigned: Caleb Williams + Rome Odunze of the Chicago Bears and Amarius Mims from the Cincinnati Bengals.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.