The Biggest Winners from Vikings Training Camp Week 1
The Minnesota Vikings put the first week of training camp to bed last week, kicking off the summer party in Eagan and welcoming fans on Saturday. The first preseason game is 12 days away.
Vikings training camp Week 1 is in the rearview. Here are the biggest winners so far: the players who impressed, climbed depth charts, and made noise.
The week featured some prestigious highlight moments and some eye-rolls, such as Justin Jefferson’s hamstring tweak.
You can read about “losers” from Vikings training camp here.
Otherwise, these are the Week 1 winners.
Vikings Training Camp Winners | 2025 Week 1
All the men who stood out for various reasons for the Vikings at the first week of training camp.
1. Christian Darrisaw
Minnesota announced a Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list last week, and surprise, surprise — Darrisaw avoided the damn thing.
Darrisaw tore his ACL last October in a game against the Los Angeles Rams. His timetable for return has been uncertain since then. Some believe his natural return date should be before Week 1 or on that date.
Well, Darrisaw avoiding the PUP list is a wondrous sign, increasing his probability of being ready for the Chicago Bears in six weeks.
2. Will Fries
Take everything you read about Darrisaw — and copy + paste for Fries.
Fries broke his tibia early last season, a sad occurrence because the man was orchestrating a career breakout campaign. Like Darrisaw, though, Fries abstained from the PUP list. He’s on track for Week 1 readiness.
USA Today‘s Cole Smith remarked on Fries, “Even though he has been cleared, that doesn’t mean the Vikings will expect Fries to be a full participant right away. On Tuesday, Kevin O’Connell said that the Vikings will ‘ramp up’ Fries as camp progresses.”
“That likely begins with individual drills, followed by combination drills, and then team drills. That means that as long as there are no setbacks, Fries should be ready for Week 1. Darrisaw’s status remains uncertain, although his recovery appears to be on schedule.”
3. Josh Metellus
Metellus wanted a new contract. He got it.
Minnesota will pay the versatile-as-hell safety up to $42 million over the next three seasons, connecting him to the franchise through the end of 2028 because Metellus has one year left on his current agreement. There wasn’t much of a standoff between Metellus and the Vikings’ brass, but in the end, Metellus won out nevertheless.
He hasn’t done much on the field yet in Eagan. That could change this week, equipped with a fancy new extension.
4. J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy has unloaded bombs like these throughout camp:
And darts like this:
Accordingly, McCarthy is all the rage at camp. Rightfully so.
5. Rondale Moore
Moore has turned heads so far as a Viking. He certainly has the speed for the task, showing it and then some in Eagan over one week.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said about Moore, “You see the explosion. He’s obviously not a tall guy, but he’s very explosive, very strong, and you see some of that quickness on his releases already. The thing for Rondale is, he was very attentive in the spring, but these are really some of his first reps.”
“So just getting used to some of the splits, some of the little details of the plays when you’re actually in there doing it, it’s a little different from the meeting room.”
That’s a ringing endorsement, one that could land Moore on the 53-man roster late next month.
6. Jeff Okudah
Okudah appears to be a starter in Brian Flores’ 2025 scheme. He’s running with 1st-teamers.
Star Tribune‘s Mark Craig noted on Okudah, “The top three cornerbacks look good. On paper, at least. When the Vikings used their nickel package Wednesday, rising star Byron Murphy Jr. was in the slot, while Rodgers and former No. 3 overall draft pick Jeff Okudah lined up outside. Mekhi Blackmon, who missed all last season with a torn ACL, worked with the second team.”
For 3-4 months, fans have wondered who might start in addition to Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. The first week of training camp suggests Okudah is the CB3 frontrunner.
7. Dallas Turner
Turner is visibly stronger in Year No. 2.
The franchise traded the farm to acquire him in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it needs Turner to play at a Pro Bowl level soon be worth the draft-night trade.
Flores said about Turner, “He’s gotten bigger, stronger, faster, he looks way different than last year. His mindset, he’s locked in, he’s receiving coaching a lot better. I’m just ready to see what he can do. I worked with him all offseason and to see it translate out on the field, I’m excited to see what he can do.”
Those are the best kind of comments regarding an outside linebacker waiting to explode.
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