The Most Intriguing Vikings Players of the Summer
Minnesota Vikings’ mandatory minicamp gets underway this week, one of the final stepping stones to a summer break before training camp in late July.
The summer has arrived, and these are the most intriguing players on the Vikings’ 2025 roster.
Operations will really heat up at training camp, and along the way, onlookers will become familiar with some of the most intriguing Vikings players this year.
From a June standpoint, these are the most intriguing players on the current 90-man roster, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most intriguing player of 2025).
5. Bo Richter (OLB)
As an undrafted free agent in 2024, Richer played 29 defensive snaps, which isn’t otherworldly, but an UDFA playing snaps at all as a rookie means something.
Moreover, because Patrick Jones II and Jihad Ward no longer work for the Vikings, a different EDGE must emerge this summer as a replacement. Richter will be 25 this summer, so his career’s prime is rapidly approaching. There’s a scenario where he turns into a steady contributor in Brian Flores’ defense.
He’s intriguing due to the fact he could also be cut or sent to the practice squad at the end of August. His 2025 outlook swings wildly.
4. Dwight McGlothern (CB)
Ahead of McGlothern on the Vikings’ depth chart, Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon, and possibly Jeff Okudah reside.
But like the aforementioned Richter, McGlothern made the regular season roster last year, and there’s a chance he does the same in 2025. The Vikings also don’t employ a cornerback with a stranglehold on the CB2 job, meaning McGlothern, in theory, could scale the depth chart this summer.
3. Tai Felton (WR)
The Vikings “weren’t supposed to” draft a Round 3 wide receiver because they already had Jalen Nailor and Rondale Moore squared away from WR3 and WR4 duty.
Felton, a Maryland alumnus, changed that.
Third-round wide receivers usually play sooner rather than later, and Felton should not be considered an exception to the rule. He’s fascinating because the Vikings have a distinctly successful track record of drafting wide receivers. Is Felton the next masterclass?
Our own Brevan Bane recently opined on Felton: “It has been theorized what his role will be in this high-powered Vikings offense, as the consensus seems to be that he will likely become the WR3 behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison sooner rather than later, beating out free agency pick-up Rondale Moore and the Vikings’ 2024 WR3 representative, Jalen Nailor.”
“The question still arises: How exactly will the purple team utilize Tai Felton’s talents? Where is he most likely to succeed on the field? Is he a slot guy? Can he beat defenses over the top?”
Felton is 6’2″ and 185 pounds.
Bane added, “Tai Felton likely will not be an X-receiver in the NFL (though the same was said about another certain current Vikings WR), as all of his strengths point towards him being a speed-flanking wideout that will also see a lot of work in the slot. It’s fine that he’s unlikely to be a boundary receiver; the Vikings already have two wideouts that can excel in both the slot and on the boundary.”
“Having Felton handle duties in the slot and on short routes all over the field will only help Jefferson and Addison, who both have a knack for winning immediately and over the top of defensive shells.”
2. Isaiah Rodgers (CB)
Minnesota signed Rodgers to play CB2 in 2025 — we think — and that’s compelling because most don’t consider him a bonafide starting cornerback, at least not yet.
Rodgers is fast as hell, potentially performing kick returner duties, too.
The mystery remains, however: Will a team with Super Bowl hopes really rely on Rodgers as the other starting cornerback? If not, that’s probably why the rumor mill has been rather intense for Jalen Ramsey, Asante Samuel Jr., and Jaire Alexander.
1. J.J. McCarthy (QB)
The article would be garbage without McCarthy as the most intriguing Vikings player of the summer.
All eyes will be on the young Wolverine, as fans trust a kind-of rookie quarterback with the entire enterprise for the first time in 11 years. Teddy Bridgewater was the last guy, and an injury spoiled that big dream.
McCarthy is the almighty, enthralling player, and there’s no real explanation needed.
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