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Happy schedule release week (and a belated Happy Mother's Day)!
There's been a bunch of buzz surrounding this year's schedule release, which will officially occur at 7 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, May 14.
The NFL will begin confirming games today with announcements of select matchups made by league broadcast partners.
Additionally, the NFL will announce the pairings for the International Games during Good Morning Football on Tuesday morning.
After that, the full schedule will be announced on NFL Network and ESPN2 Wednesday night.
Vikings.com will provide you with schedule news and analysis when we are permitted by the NFL. We also can announce the full schedule at 7 p.m. (CT) Wednesday.
The schedule release is one of my favorite parts of the offseason because it sheds light on what August through (hopefully) February looks like.
View photos of Vikings players during rookie minicamp practice on May 9 at the TCO Performance Center.
How did the rookie minicamp go? Were there any surprise performances? Did any of the tryout players get signed to a contract for the remainder of the offseason programs?
Thanks as always,
— Roman in Grand Forks, North Dakota
Friday's practice was open to the media, so we posted some observations from the session that was limited to shorts and helmets for individual drills and a couple of 7-on-7 periods.
There were also some takeaways from Head Coach Kevin O'Connell at the podium, as well as this feature that checked in with sixth-round pick Kobe King, who recorded the second of back-to-back interceptions by Vikings defenders to follow-up a nice play by undrafted rookie cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn.
Vikings analyst Pete Bercich, a linebacker tabbed in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft by Minnesota (211th overall), highlighted King's college film in an episode of Film Review. Let's just say the analyst and former coach liked what he's seen from King, the 201st overall pick of 2025. Be on the lookout for that installment.
Rookie minicamp is always a pretty special weekend, even if the on-field activities are not as grueling as they will be in training camp, because of the palpable excitement level exuding through players who are just taking their first steps as professional football players or those who might be taking the field for one of the final days after years of sweat-filled practices and sore-muscle recovery days.
You get to see guys connect with each other and the culture that has been established as they prepare to integrate with veterans beginning today.
What is the status of the new contract for the Vikings GM? I am 85 years old and a true Viking fan.
— Alan Tiseth
There haven't been any updates lately regarding this because the focus has been draft-centric.
When Adofo-Mensah has been asked about this, he's simply stated his appreciation for his role and a desire to keep doing it. Adofo-Mensah focused his attention on the team's acquisitions.
Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf was asked about Adofo-Mensah at the Annual League Meeting in late March.
"Kwesi's part of our football leadership," Wilf said. "We feel great about the moves Kwesi's made, in terms of positioning, along with Coach O'Connell and Rob [Brzezinski], in terms of our salary cap position, our draft position and potential, and so we have all the faith in Kwesi, and we've had very, very positive conversations, and that's something we're going to continue to work toward this offseason, in terms of making sure he's part of that.
"I think Coach O'Connell and Kwesi and Rob and our entire football leadership, our coordinators, our scouting department work very well together, and we as ownership feel strongly about it, as well," Wilf later added. "I think this offseason has been a real positive; I hope our fans sense that, as well."
Gink' is secured now through, what, the 2026 season? And Byron Murphy, Jr., and Mekhi Blackmon (healthy again, I hope) and Joshua Metellus and Harrison Smith are there, with their veteran presence, to anchor the secondary. But we did lose Camryn Bynum in free agency, and who's going to leave after this upcoming season? [Jonathan] Greenard is signed for three more years, but will "Hitman Harry" hang up his cleats next February? The bottom line is that we need to retain [Defensive Coordinator Brian] Flores and his gang of coaches, and we need for the younger players to develop quickly and fill those future anchor positions.
The quarterbacks room does look a little thin, though, especially from an experience standpoint. If the Vikings were cursed with another season like we had two years ago, we could be in serious trouble. Although, I'm not as concerned as I would be if I were a Browns fan. What a mess. An expensive mess. Deshaun Watson has become the poster child for truly bad quarterback signings, making Johnny Manziel look like a genius move.
But that's not a concern for the Vikings. Our new fortified offensive line just needs to stand firm, to bend instead of breaking. To help J.J. perform week in, week out, like he did in his lone preseason game last year. Because I don't think 14 wins was a fluke — well beyond expectations. And this year I would not be surprised if they match or exceed that. They just need to keep their foot on their opponents' necks for the full 17 games and throughout the playoffs. If this is Hitman's last season, give him and the long-deserving fans a Lombardi to hoist in February.
And on a final, sentimental note, I read that this year may be the final season for Adam Thielen. And even though he's suited up for a rival the past two years, he's a true homegrown superstar who deserves to officially retire as a Viking next year. So if he does hang up his cleats after this season, Minnesota should sign him to one of those honorary one-day contracts and let him retire in style during the first home game of the 2026 season.
Sincerely,
— David A. (from the North Shore but stuck in the South)
Flores has been a force multiplier of sorts. He can draw on his early NFL days of working in the Patriots personnel department, as well as lessons gathered since joining the sideline ranks. His perception and focus to help maximize each player should not be undersold.
A bevy of activity in the past two free agencies has enabled Minnesota to add several veterans Minnesota believes will be important in continuing where last season left off, even with a schedule that is tied for "fifth-toughest" based on 2025 opponents' win percentage.
It's definitely not my place to speak for Thielen, and I generally avoid commenting on players who are under contract with other teams, but since we are on the heels of Vikings rookie minicamp weekend, how about a shoutout to one of the most successful tryout stories in NFL history. Thielen is heading toward his 12th accrued NFL season with 685 catches, 8,311 yards and 64 receiving touchdowns.
Hopefully everyone has had a chance to view this video feature on Joe Webb. If you haven't, there's a clip of Webb and Thielen from their Vikings days together, so be on the lookout for that if watching for the first time or enjoying an encore.
I would have liked to pick a few of the top defensive backs with our top pick, but there are other ways to improve our backfield. I like the idea of improving the pass rush. Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were picked up in free agency. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins has the physical attributes to be really good. Our defensive backfield will be much better with these players on our team.
And…
Our seven picks in the draft resulted in the addition of Dallas Turner, Jordan Mason, Sam Howell, Donovan Jackson, Tai Felton, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Kobe King and Gavin Bartholomew. All those players are a result of trades or picks from this year. I say we had a pretty good haul if you look at it this way.
— Gerald Goblirsch
Last year's Ring of Honor inductee Bobby Bryant is perpetually humble. Although he was incredibly talented, he is consistently quick to point out how much better things were for him because of the Purple People Eaters wreaking havoc for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks.
The addition of Allen and Hargrave to a defensive line group that made some dents with several young players last season has a potential to be one of those force multipliers. Ingram-Dawkins, who also stands to benefit from Allen and Hargrave as he continues to develop his game, referenced the Purple People Eaters during an interview with Vikings Entertainment Network last week. Love it when the incoming young players are mindful of the legacy that preceded them.
It's worthwhile to consider players added via trades of picks in summary of the overall impact of roster improvements.
I have held this fan perspective treatise in check for some time but now it feels appropriate to engage in a bit of a Vikings blocking scheme history lesson. The Vikings have completely rebuilt not only the offensive line but the philosophy under which the prior IOL's were constructed. Going back, then Head Coach Mike Zimmer appeared to buy into the Gary/Klint Kubiak blocking philosophy handed down from Mike Shanahan. It was a scheme that allowed lighter, quicker, more athletic and easier to find/less expensive offensive lineman especially guards and centers to engage defenders below the waist and even fall and roll into defenders' legs. It allowed initially unheralded Broncos RBs (Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Terrell Davis) in the late '90s and early Y2Ks to generate very high and even league-leading yardage totals. Terrell Davis earned two rings and a Gold Jacket in large part to that blocking scheme.
Zimmer and then GM Rick Spielman crafted a drafting and OL acquisition strategy that relied on lighter, quicker, more "athletic" offensive lineman. Thus, the Vikings acquired names like Pat Elflein, Garrett Bradbury, Nick Easton, et al., who were fine players for that style but were very limited in the power run and upright, isolated pass blocking game. Rule changes dating back to at least 2016 began limiting the ability of teams to employ this blocking style including cut blocks, crackback blocks, chop blocks, etc. The age of "athletic" offensive linemen who had difficulty holding ground while upright was losing value. But over the Zimmer/Spielman years, the Vikings had invested draft picks and free agency capital into the scheme, and it has taken time and additional draft and free agency capital to unravel the past. Finally, the Vikings have the offensive line traits and talents to conform to the modern standards for run and pass blocking. I am excited to revisit the days of Randall McDaniel, Steve Hutchinson and other maulers who controlled the line of scrimmage with power and technique, as well as quickness. In most sports and even chess, it is a losing proposition to be weak up the middle. I believe the Vikings have recognized and rectified that facet of the OL.
Skol!
— Jeff in Sacramento, California
Jeff's point illustrates trying to match traits and scheme, particularly the wide zone and mobile offensive linemen, but it's hard to find players who can do everything.
O'Connell's scheme has been more about the mid zone, but there's also been some integration of gap schemes.
One thing we are all seeing is what can happen when a team can maintain continuity on offense, defense and special teams. While coaches make some changes and continue to adapt, there are also certain building blocks to guide player acquisitions to try to maximize impact.
View the 2025 Vikings Undrafted Free Agents
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