The Must-Know Drama for the Vikings Summer
The Minnesota Vikings have 114 days before they kick off the 2025 regular season.
Summer activities will get cracking quite soon for the Vikings, and these are the 37 storylines surrounding the team.
Folks learned this week that their season will begin on Monday Night Football at the Chicago Bears, a daunting test for first-time starter J.J. McCarthy.
And every year on this exact weekend, we provide the Vikings’ top 37 storylines for the summer. Last year’s can be found here. Have a peek at this edition, with all topics counted down. No. 1 is the top Vikings storyline.
37. Is C.J. Ham Nearing Retirement?
Ham, somewhat quietly, enters his 10th season in 2025. He’ll be 32 by the season’s start. Is this the last hurrah or close to it?
36. Will Brian Asamoah Finally Get Cut?
The Vikings’ 2022 draft class utterly flopped, but Asamoah is still on the roster. With Kobe King in the house, will Asamoah be dropped amid roster trimdowns in August?
35. Will Max Brosmer Upset Brett Rypien for QB3?
Analysts like Thor Nystrom believe Brosmer could earn the QB3 job over Brett Rypien. Will that prophecy come true?
34. Who Nabs the RB3 Post?
On the current roster, Ty Chandler, Tre Stewart, and Zavier Scott will vie for the RB3 post. Who will win in it?
33. Gavin Bartholomew, Ben Yurosek, or Veteran to Be Named Later for TE3?
The Vikings entered the draft with just two tight ends on the depth chart, a rather small figure per normative procedures. They exited with three more from the draft and undrafted free agency. Which guy seizes the TE3 job behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver?
32. Do the Vikings Remain Underdogs for Week 1?
Per sportsbooks, the Chicago Bears are scheduled to beat the Vikings by a point or two in Week 1 on Monday Night Football. As we draw closer to the season, will Minnesota “take the lead?”
31. Is Walter Rouse a Guard or Tackle?
Some rumblings suggested this offseason that Rouse, a second-year offensive lineman, could switch to guard. Was that accurate?
30. Will Ty Chandler Be Cut?
Ty Chandler doesn’t pass-protect very well and subsequently doesn’t get much playing time. Will he be dropped?
29. Who’s the OLB4?
Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner have three OLB jobs sewn up. What about the four spot? It’s a battle between Bo Richter, Gabriel Murphy, and rookie Tyler Batty.
28. What about the Kick and Punt Returners?
Brandon Powell no longer works for the Vikings. So, who replaces his special teams mastery?
27. Will the Vikings Splash in the Post-Roster-Cut Market?
Over one thousand players will lose their jobs in late August, creating a robust waiver market for a couple of days. Will Minnesota pounce on any freshly released players?
26. Which UDFAs Make the 53-Man Roster?
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah added just over 20 undrafted free agents in April. How many will make the 53-man roster?
25. Does Ryan Wright End up as the Punter?
In that UDFA class, Oscar Chapman, an Australian, joined the punting room. Will Chapman have the juice to take Wright’s job from the last three seasons?
24. What Does Dwight McGlothern’s Role Look Like?
A UDFA from last year, McGlothern began peeking at playing time in 2024. With Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin off the roster, will McGlothern continue his unsung ascension?
23. Jeff Okudah. A Real Reclamation Story?
The Lions drafted Okudah with the third overall pick in 2020. He’s disappointed since. Can Brian Flores salvage his career? This season might be his last to establish himself as a long-term starter.
22. Is the Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins Hype Real, or Is He Just a 5th-Rounder?
Some are already banging the table for Ingram-Dawkins as a late-round sleeper. Is that smoke, or is Ingram-Dawkins the real deal?
21. Will Anything Ever Come of the Asante Samuel Jr. Rumors?
Local media claimed that Asante Samuel Jr. might sign with the Vikings after the draft, but teams won’t know about his health prognosis until July. If all good, will the Vikings sign him and fulfill the rumors?
20. Pre-Injury Will Reichard? Or Post-Injury Will Reichard?
Will Reichard played the best kicker ever for two months as a rookie. Then, he hurt his quad. Upon his return, he was an average kicker. Which guy shows up for 2025?
19. How Much Does Josh Metellus Make via Extension?
Metellus should lock in an extension this summer, and curious minds want to know the amount. He currently earns $4 million a year, a steal of a deal for Minnesota.
18. Does Rondale Moore Make the Cut?
The Vikings signed Moore before drafting Tai Felton. Could Moore be a roster cut candidate? Especially if he hasn’t fully recovered from a season-ending injury last year?
17. Was Jalen Redmond a One-Hit Wonder?
Redmond thoroughly impressed everyone last year. Now, he must do it again on a crowded DT depth chart featuring Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.
16. Is Theo Jackson Ready for the Big Job at Safety?
Camryn Bynum is out. Theo Jackson is in. Is Jackson equipped for the top job?
15. What Role Does Tai Felton Immediately Fill?
Adofo-Mensah made Felton his second pick of the draft a few weeks ago. Will Felton play right away?
14. Will Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason Split Carries in a Committee?
Aaron Jones was a bellcow running back for the Vikings in 2024. Coming up on age 31, he should probably split carries with somebody — like Jordan Mason, who arrived via trade in March.
13. Is Brian O’Neill Prematurely Extended?
O’Neill needs an extension before too long. How about this summer?
12. Is Donovan Jackson at LG a Total No-Brainer?
Minnesota drafted Jackson from Round 1 to start. Will that happen in Week 1 with no summer debates or questions whatsoever?
11. Does Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Sign an Extra CB?
Some claim the Vikings should sign a free-agent cornerback like Jack Jones, Mike Hilton, Rasul Douglas, or the aforementioned Samuel Jr. Will they?
10. What Percentage of Snaps Will Dallas Turner Play?
Dallas Turner only played about 30% of the time as a rookie. That needs to be adjusted closer to 50% or more. Does the coaching staff make it happen?
9. Can Justin Jefferson Regain the Receiving Yards Throne?
The summer is prime territory for fans to forecast a 2,000-yard season for Jefferson. Will he do that and regain his receiving yards throne around the league?
8. Mekhi Blackmon Back to Full Strength … as a Starter?
Blackmon tore his ACL last summer after a pretty sweet rookie season. Will he return to nab a starter’s job?
7. Will Isaiah Rodgers Be as Good as Advertised?
Adofo-Mensah signed Rodgers in March — his very first free-agent signing of the cycle. Is Rodgers, a Super Bowl champion, really ready for a starting CB opening?
6. Do the Vikings Avoid Major Injuries This Summer?
Injuries rattled and ruined Minnesota’s summer in 2024, mainly McCarthy and Blackmon. Are those avoided this summer?
5. Is This Harrison Smith’s Last Season?
Last season felt like Harrison Smith’s final. It was not. Hitman’s back. Is this the swan song?
4. Is Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Extension Locked In?
Minnesota extended head coach Kevin O’Connell right away in the offseason. Why not Adofo-Mensah? When will his extension be finalized? Could it really drag into next offseason?
3. Will Jordan Addison Be Suspended?
California law enforcement arrested Addison last July for DUI, and he evidently has a trial upcoming. Will he be suspended when it’s all said and done?
2. How Soon Will Christian Darrisaw Be Ready?
Darrisaw tore his ACL last October at Los Angeles. His injury recovery has progressed nicely. But that does mean he’ll be ready for Week 1?
1. Is J.J. McCarthy Ready to Lead?
Sans any injuries, drama, or competitions, now is the time for McCarthy to take over the Vikings as a franchise quarterback. Is he ready? Or will he be one of those really raw and shaky rookies?
The Newest Viking Is Official
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