Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings News and Links: 12 Days Until Training Camp!
12 days until the rookies and quarterbacks report!
The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 training camp will begin with rookies and quarterbacks reporting on July 20th, followed by the rest of the team on July 22nd. The first open practice to the public will be on Saturday, July 26th. Practices will be held at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota.
Key Dates:
July 20: Rookies and quarterbacks report.
July 22: Veteran players report.
July 26: First public practice, part of “Back Together Weekend”.
July 28 – August 6: Multiple open practices scheduled.
August 9: First Preseason Game vs Texans
August 11 & 13: Additional open practices, with August 13th being a joint practice with the Patriots.
The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 training camp Schedule
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2025 NFL offensive line rankings: Eagles, Broncos open the season at the top
7. Minnesota Vikings
Although Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill formed a top-notch tackle duo over the past couple of seasons, the Vikings’ interior held back the unit, and the offense overall.
Minnesota will feature three new starters along the interior in 2025, looking to turn a weakness into a strength. Center Ryan Kelly just turned 32 and is still among the best players at his position when healthy. Right guard Will Fries was on his way to a breakout season in 2024 before an injury ended his year after five games. Rookie Donovan Jackson, whom the Vikings drafted in the first round, completes the pack.
2025 NFL secondary rankings: Ravens and Chiefs take the top spots
27. Minnesota Vikings
This is an aging secondary that benefits from a defensive scheme designed to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Safety Harrison Smith still plays quality football, though his prime years are behind him. Josh Metellus is an average safety but reliable against the run. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. is coming off a career year, but it’s unclear whether he’s finally hitting his stride or if it was a one-year spike in performance. The Vikings added several defensive backs in free agency — Isaiah Rodgers, Tavierre Thomas and Jeff Okudah — but they will likely need the front seven to continue generating heavy pressure for the secondary to succeed.
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Note: The only one over 30 is Smith thus the opening sentence reveals ignorance
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Vikings Predicted to Part With Their ‘Best-Kept Secret’
But, there’s one player who has been called the Vikings “best-kept secret” who they may opt to part with coming up. That could certainly hurt, but a team has to do what a team has to do.
That guy is Jalen Nailor, who Miller notes “has slowly improved his performance over the last three years, but 2025 has become a pivotal one for the 26-year-old receiver.”
“This season will be important for Nailor in many ways, as it could be his last in the purple and white uniforms,” he adds.
So, what’s the state of Nailor’s contract? During an appearance on SKOR North’s “Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd” on Thursday, July 3, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson discussed how Minnesota is dealing with Nailor’s situation right now. He said that they aren’t talking about a contract extension right now, but he will be still be a big part of the upcoming season.
“On Jalen Nailor, there just hasn’t been any dialogue. Not that the Vikings are like ‘we drafted Felton. Guess what? Like Nailor, you are the No. 4 receiver,’” he said. “I think Nailor is going to have some good opportunities this year, but I think the idea is he’ll get paid pretty well elsewhere.”
He added, “Think about Patrick Jones. Good year for the Vikings, gets paid in Carolina. I think with Jalen Nailor, hopefully in his case, Speedy can stay healthy, contribute to the Vikings winning this year, and he ends up elsewhere next March.”
Back in May, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder called Nailor is the Vikings’ “best-kept secret.”
“Nailor quietly proved to be a quality WR3 and fourth option in the passing game last season,” Holder stated on May 19. “If the 2022 sixth-round pick can cut down on the drops–four last season, per PFF–he can carve out an even bigger role in Minnesota this fall.”
Kirk Cousins felt ‘misled’ by Falcons: ‘I had no reason to leave Minnesota’
Kirk Cousins never would’ve left the Minnesota Vikings — even if he knew they were aiming for a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft — had he known the Atlanta Falcons were going to take a quarterback in the draft.
“At the time it felt like I had been a little bit misled or certainly if I had the information around free agency it certainly would’ve affected my decision,” said Cousins, whose feelings were revealed with the release of Quarterback on Netflix.
“I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there, if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback high. But I’ve also learned in 12 years in this league that you’re not entitled to anything. It’s all about being able to earn your spot and prove yourself.”
It’s long been known that Cousins signed with Atlanta for the long-term extension, whereas he was looking at a year-to-year situation in Minnesota. He reiterated that the year-to-year offer from the Vikings is what made his decision to go to Atlanta rather easy.
“It became clear that we were going to be there year-to-year — and that’s what we didn’t want,” Cousins said. “At that point, we said, ‘Alright, we need to look elsewhere and if that’s our only option, we’ll be back.’ And when we said, ‘Well, we looked around and we found there’s an opportunity that would be a longer commitment, would you be interested in giving us that longer commitment?’ They said, ‘Nope. We’re good with our offer.’ I said, ‘OK, you made my decision really easy.’”
Cousins’ first experience watching the Vikings as an outsider came during the preseason. He compared it to “seeing someone dating the person you used to date.”
“Like, I used to throw to Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson and now someone else is enjoying doing that. That’s interesting,” Cousins joked.
Who would be on the Minnesota Vikings Mt. Rushmore this quarter century?
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/minnesota-vikings-mt-rushmore-quarter-140134317.html
DE Jared Allen
RB Adrian Peterson
S Harrison Smith
DT Kevin Williams
Note: Hard to leave Randy Moss off this list. Does JJ belong?
Minnesota Vikings Latest Valuation is Astonishing
Mark, Zygi, and Leonard Wilf bought the Minnesota Vikings in 2005 from then owner, Red McCombs, for a cool $600 million. Exactly 20 years later, longtime local columnist Charley Walters (Pioneer Press) is reporting that the Vikings are now worth 11x what the Wilfs originally purchased them for.
“No doubt if the Wilf family, which bought the Vikings for $600 million in 2005, put the Vikings on the market today, they would receive a minimum of $8 billion.”
Charley Walters – Pioneer Press
The latest valuation equates to growth of more than 1,130% what the team was purchased for. Of course the Wilf’s aren’t done investing either. The TCO Performance Center and surrounding area at Vikings Lakes continues to be expanded upon and has room for additional opportunity.
NFL executive states the obvious about Minnesota Vikings RB Aaron Jones and it could define his 2025 season
Latest Vikings Rumors: Eye-Popping Trade Idea and 2 Notable Names
Yore “I’m bored and need to think of something to write about” piece
Vikings Blockbuster Trade Idea Flips Jefferson for $115 Million WR, Starting CB, Draft Haul
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports authored a trade pitch on Monday, July 7, which he described as “outlandish” but also contended is the most likely sort of deal in which Minnesota might decide to move the superstar wideout — and to which Jefferson would also agree.
The bones of the deal would see the Vikings move on from Jefferson for Bengals receiver Tee Higgins and his recent $115 million contract, Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II, a future first-round pick from Cincinnati and a future third-round selection from the Detroit Lions.
The Bengals would receive Jefferson from Minnesota and defensive end Julian Okwara from the Browns. Detroit would end up with All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson from Cincinnati, while Cleveland would get a fourth-round pick from Detroit for Newsome, who is entering the fifth-year team option on his rookie deal after the Browns made him a first-round selection in 2021 (No. 26 overall).
Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:
- No discussion of politics or religion
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- While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm
Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Wallstedt made 27 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and Zuccarello had three assists.
“I was definitely nervous,” said Wallstedt, a rookie. “I think it shows that it means something to you. I like a little bit of nerves. I think it’s something good. There were definitely some nerves throughout the day and then a little bit extra rolling into the game. But after the national anthem was over and the first couple pucks started coming, you’re good.
“I wanted to play and I felt like I have been going good. I was a little surprised (to get the start). But I was very excited as soon as I got the news. I just wanted to make sure I was ready today.”
Jason Robertson scored, and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who are the No. 2 seed in the Central.
“We didn’t deserve to win,” Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think two power-play goals for them, two a little-bit bounces for them where we had guys in the right spot. Just even keel. Playoffs are like this. Sometimes you lose a game, you can feel like you’re done. But that’s the mentality you need to have, you’ve got to reset and learn from mistakes.
“First 30 minutes, we didn’t win enough battles. They were just that little bit stronger in the battles and that’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger.”
Game 2 is here on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).
“We prepped for a couple days coming into this one. Now, we will gather information from this game and continue to move forward,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “For me, it’s game to game and day to day. We want to continue to get better. We won and they [Dallas] lost. It’s not so much being satisfied where you’re at or that’s what it is. We need to continue to find ways to get better.”
Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period on the power play. He scored on a one-timer from the left hash marks to finish a tic-tac-toe passing play with Zuccarello and Boldy, who found an open Eriksson Ek with a pass from the goal line.
“I think every team in the playoffs talks about not getting too high or too low. Just enjoy every day and each game and then we will go from there,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think we played pretty good today. The next game is a new game, so we just have to do it over and over every game. We know they are probably not the happiest with that game, so I am sure it’s going to be hard next game.”
Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault accusing him of involvement in a February road-rage incident.
Trump administration ends Minnesota immigration operation
Border Czar Tom Homan announced the end of Minnesota’s immigration operation after fatal shootings heightened tension and community backlash.
Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault, saying the agent was involved in a February road-rage incident during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to April 16 Hennepin County court records. He has a nationwide warrant for his arrest.
On Feb. 5, prosecutors said Morgan allegedly drove illegally on the shoulder of a congested Minnesota highway in an unmarked SUV and pointed his weapon at two people in another car.
Morgan is the first agent charged in Operation Metro Surge, the controversial Minneapolis-area federal immigration operation that resulted in two American citizens fatally shot by federal officials, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
The charges “reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in an April 16 video statement.
Second-degree assault with a gun has a presumptive sentence of 36 months in prison if convicted, she said.
“Mr. Morgan’s conduct was extremely dangerous,” she said, adding his actions could have led to “another disastrous incident” in the community.
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to email requests for comment. A cell phone listed for Morgan, identified as a Maryland resident, didn’t immediately respond to a call or text message.
The incident came less than two weeks after two Customs and Border Protection officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, during a protest in Minneapolis. Pretti would be the second American killed during Metro Surge after an ICE agent in early January fatally shot Renee Good, 37, while she drove her SUV in Minneapolis near an immigration operation.
Later in February, the Trump administration drew down Metro Surge, which officials called the largest immigration operation in modern American history.
Investigators said they interviewed Morgan, who identified himself as the driver. Morgan told investigators he and the other ICE employee were returning from a surveillance shift. Morgan said he feared for his life and others’ safety, so he pulled up alongside the vehicle and drew his Glock 19 firearm. He said he identified himself as police.
State investigators said neither Morgan nor the other ICE agent reported the incident to an ICE supervisor.
The April 16 warrant, signed by District Court Judge Paul Scoggin, said there was a “substantial likelihood” Morgan would fail to respond to a summons, and officials couldn’t locate him.
On April 18, Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the county attorney’s office, said there is no knowledge of Morgan being arrested yet.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Reds’ Brandon Williamson talks Minnesota homecoming, beating Twins
Cincinnati Reds lefty Brandon Williamson pitched into the sixth inning to beat his home-state Minnesota Twins 2-1 in his first pro start in Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Williamson came to this ballpark as a kid, rooted for Joe Mauer and the Twins, maybe even dreamed a little of playing there one day.
“Oh, yeah. Joe Ma,” Williamson said. “That’s my guy.”
By the time that day came, Mauer had a statue outside the stadium, and Williamson had 29 career starts across three big-league seasons for the Cincinnati Reds.
And then the kid from tiny Trimont, Minnesota, came up big enough to beat the Twins in his first professional start in his home state – a 2-1 victory Friday in front of 200 or more personal friends and family from Trimont. And about 31,000 other people.
“It was awesome,” said Williamson, whose personal contingent at the game represented close to one-third of greater Trimont (pop. 705). “It was everything I thought it would be.”
The left-hander didn’t pitch especially deep into the game, getting two batters into the sixth. But on a night made for native Minnesotans, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees, Williamson looked right at, well, home, pitching to the conditions and setting down the first six batters he faced – and eight of the first nine.
As one local press box wag quipped during the second inning, “These Minnesota boys know how to pitch in the cold.”
A pair of one-out runs in the fourth inning provided the scoring for a Reds team lineup still trying to break free from its early season woes – albeit with the twin obstacles of the weather and All-Star starter Joe Ryan’s presence on the mound for the Twins for the first six innings.
The only two hits off Ryan were doubles in the fourth by Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez, sandwiched around a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Kreidler. Suárez’s hit drove in two.
The only run against Williamson scored after he inexplicably followed four strong innings with three consecutive walks to open the fifth, including a four-pitch walk to No. 8 hitter Brooks Lee leading off the inning.
Austin Martin followed the three freebies with a sacrifice fly on a dying liner to the gap in right that Will Benson caught with a slide.
Williamson then rallied to get Luke Keaschall on an inning-ending, 5-4-3 double play started by Suárez, who got the rare start at third base.
“I thought he handled himself really good,” manager Terry Francona said. “He looked like he was having fun pitching. I know he didn’t like walking the bases loaded. But he looked like he was enjoying himself out there. I like that when guys are enjoying competing; then we’re OK.”
Williamson also left the bases loaded in the third after a hit batter and two-out single followed by a walk. He struck out Keaschall on a called third strike that was confirmed after Keaschall challenged.
“I could have kissed whoever was running the ABS,” Williamson said.
The Reds improved to 12-8 and remained tied for first place in the National League Central after their third win in four games – the second in that stretch by a 2-1 score.“That was cool,” said closer Emilio Pagán, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save in his first outing since experiencing hamstring tightness Tuesday.
“I don’t have a team in my home state (of South Carolina),” Pagán said, “so I don’t know what that feels like. But to pitch against probably his favorite team growing up in front of that many friends and family had to be a surreal feeling. And he handled it great.”
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