The Main Things We Learned about the Vikings This Spring
The Minnesota Vikings have climbed aboard the summer of 2025, and before you know it, training camp will be before your very eyes.
Summer has fully arrived, but let’s look back at the items learned about the Vikings in the spring.
But to get there with the current 90-man roster, the Vikings executed several roster decisions in free agency and the draft.
So, we look back at those events, and these are the main items learned from the Vikings in the spring, ranked from least important to most (No. 1 = most important thing learned about the Vikings).
5. Again Fixated on Rushing Offense Improvement
Here’s what the Vikings have done this offseason to improve their rushing offense, which ranked 20th per DVOA in 2024 after back-to-back seasons finishing 27th in the same metric:
- Extended Aaron Jones to lucrative terms on a deal that almost feels like a lifetime achievement contract.
- Traded for Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers late on a Saturday night in March.
- Signed two new interior offensive linemen with run-blocking expertise in Will Fries and Ryan Kelly.
- Drafted Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson in Round 1.
- Handed run-blocking tight end Josh Oliver a sweet three-year extension.
Once and for all, the Vikings are all-in on transforming their offense into a totally balanced operation.
PurplePTSD‘s Kyle Joudry wrote Oliver’s extension this week, “Essentially, the Vikings will be looking for Oliver to block defensive backs into oblivion. Once the TE2 gets his mitts on a safety or corner, then it should be game over when it comes to clearing a running lane.”
“The upside with Oliver is that the tight end can also dance with linebackers and even edge rushers. Quite often, Oliver can win those matchups. Not all tight ends can say the same, folks. Last season, Josh Oliver put together 22 catches, 258 yards, and 3 touchdowns. All of those numbers either tie or surpass previous career highs.”
Olivier is considered by most the best or second-best run-blocking tight end in football.
Joudry continued, “Again, though, there’s that central detail: the Vikings offense does not need more skilled pass catchers. What is needed are players who can help the offense to gain an edge without the ball in their hands. One wonders if Josh Oliver’s role begins to evolve in 2025. No, that doesn’t necessarily mean catching passes aplenty.”
“Rather, one thinks about picking up some snaps as a fullback, helping to shoulder some of that burden since C.J. Ham is moving into the final year of his contract and is older (Ham will be 32 in July).”
4. Taking Care of Their Own via Contract Extension
The Vikings granted outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel a one-year extension worth an extra $23 million, connecting him to the franchise through the end of 2026. They finally inked general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to a long-term deal. And the aforementioned Oliver received his new cheddar.
The only player left might be safety Josh Metellus.
For those that the Vikings value to the utmost, extensions were not bashful.
3. They Trust Their Existing Cornerbacks
The Vikings could have signed about a dozen different starting free-agent cornerbacks from free agency — about four or five are even still available — but they picked Isaiah Rodgers instead, a man who does not have a distinctive resume as a starter.
Minnesota also said “no thanks” to Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, who slid all the way to Round 2 in the draft after Top 12 projections for months.
Adofo-Mensah essentially conveyed through his actions that he trusts his cornerback group as is, implying that Rodgers is “the guy” at CB2 next to CB1 Byron Murphy Jr.
2. It Was Always J.J. McCarthy
Minnesota encountered these fair narratives this offseason:
- Will it re-up with Sam Darnold in 2025?
- How about Daniel Jones back as insurance?
- Aaron Rodgers’ desire to sign for a one-year Super Bowl sprint.
In the end, Minnesota’s coaching staff, front office, and ownership stuck with the plan — J.J. McCarthy as the QB1 in 2025 and beyond.
1. The Trenches, The Trenches, and The Trenches
In the last three months, Adofo-Mensh has added these players to his trenches:
- Will Fries (guard)
- Donovan Jackson (rookie guard)
- Ryan Kelly (center)
- Jonathan Allen (defensive tackle)
- Javon Hargrave (defensive tackle)
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (rookie defensive tackle)
The purple team wasn’t kidding about building the trenches, and for once, the Vikings won’t embark on a regular season with a suspect offensive line or flimsy defensive tackles.
It’s a new era at iOL and iDL, which conveniently coincides with J.J. McCarthy’s arrival.
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