EAGAN, Minn. — Energy in the Vikings facility has been palpable.
Players have returned to Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center for spring workouts and meetings, and smiles from faces new and old are plenty.
Among those excited to be back at work is Brian O'Neill, who spoke with Twin Cities media members Tuesday about J.J. McCarthy’s work ethic and taking things up a notch for the upcoming season.
O'Neill also discussed the focus by General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on Minnesota's interior offensive line. In addition to signing former Colts Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in free agency, the Vikings used their first-round draft pick to tab guard Donovan Jackson.
Though it's personally difficult to part ways with friends and former teammates Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram, O'Neill understands and appreciates the business of an ever-evolving roster.
"The team is always trying to get better," O'Neill said. "That's the environment you want to play for … that's always striving to get better, to improve."
He's excited to work with Fries and Kelly, whose existing rapport with each other should help as the 2025 position group works to gel.
O'Neill noted the three have already gotten out on the golf course together, as well.
"Have a lot of respect for Ryan, just following his career. I got to meet him a couple times over the years, whether we played him or at different NFL events," O'Neill said. "Will, we've started watching film together, kind of understanding how each other plays. It's going to take some time and reps for all three of us, all five of us, really, to get to be one cohesive unite."
Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper has reminded O'Neill and his linemates that while communication may need to be simpler at this stage, it will pay off down the road.
"Hopefully we can play together for a long time and then … you just kind of give them a look and you're ready to go," O'Neill said. "So it's on us to start at the baseline and build it up the right way.
"Will is a big dude," he added with a laugh. "I shook his hand was like, 'Whoa, OK.' So yeah, I'm really excited about them both."
View photos of Vikings players during 2025 Offseason Workouts.
O'Neill is thankful for another season with Kuper, whom he says he "loves" to play for, even when there's constructive criticism given.
"He's known me for a couple years. He can get after me a little bit more than he thought he could at the beginning," O'Neill quipped. "And we kind of see things the same way. He can shoot me straight and tell me that wasn't good enough, and I just take it on the chin and keep it moving.
"He's continually found ways to push me to get better in different areas of my game," he continued. "As we get on the grass next week, I'm sure he'll have a few things for me like, 'That wasn't good enough last year.' Or, 'Here's how we need to take your game from here to here.' Yeah, I totally respect his way of coaching and how he handles the guys."
Kuper brings eight seasons of NFL playing experience to Minnesota's offensive line group, which continues to benefit guys like O'Neill, Christian Darrisaw and Blake Brandel and will be especially helpful for young players like Jackson.
O'Neill already is impressed with the rookie, though. He and his wife Bryn went out to dinner with Jackson and his family Friday and enjoyed making an initial connection.
O'Neill said he has "a lot of respect" for players like Jackson who demonstrate selflessness the way he did at Georgia, as well as the talent it took Jackson to slide from his typical guard spot outside to left tackle when 32nd overall pick Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending injury.
"It's really hard to do that," O'Neill said. "I remember my third year, about a week after the first game, we weren't sure if Riley Reiff was still going to be here, and they said, 'Hey, if he's not here, you're playing left tackle.'
"I was freaking out," he laughed. "I even played in college, and I was like, 'This is not going to go well for anybody involved.' So I have a ton of respect for somebody to be able to do that."
As the Vikings offensive linemen continue to grow and mesh as a group, they'll also keep working to improve communication and chemistry with QB J.J. McCarthy, in line to start this season after a knee injury derailed his rookie campaign.
McCarthy already has been meeting with the offensive linemen to go over snap counts and cadences, and O'Neill is excited for what's to come. Because when the 2025 season kicks off, he's ready to pass rush and protect McCarthy, block in the run game or do whatever else is asked of him to help Minnesota succeed.
"I don't really care [how that happens]; I just want to win," O'Neill said. "However that happens, I'm good with whatever we need to do.
"If that's throwing it 75 times, if that's running it 75 times, let's go," he added. "We've gotta make something shake here."
