Do you have a comment or question? Send it to the Mailbag. Every Monday we'll post several comments and/or questions. Click here to submit a comment or question to Mailbag. Remember to include your name and town in the email. If Twitter / X is your jam, you can send a question to me that way as well.

"Truly special" is the best way I can personally describe last Thursday when Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham signed one-day contracts to retire as Vikings.

Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski jokingly presented each with $1 as a "signing bonus," and the organization commissioned custom art, as well as uniquely painted helmets to present to Thielen and Ham. Family, friends and significant influences on their lives were welcomed to Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center for a press conference and reception.

Having the benefit of covering both since their early days (Thielen's first career catches occurred during my second game with the team in 2014, and I remember Ham's days on the practice squad and his transition from running back to fullback), there were palpable emotions, including the sadness of not getting to cover them in action again. The top emotions, however, were pride in knowing how much each achieved, comfort in the peace each has with his decision and gladness in knowing each will stay connected to the community and franchise.

We've had the opportunity at Vikings.com to chronicle their careers in words, pictures and videos, and we've also spotlighted their authentic efforts to help their home community.

It meant so much to each to become a Minnesota Viking, and each further enriched what it will mean for future players to become Minnesota Vikings.

And as in the case of players who preceded them, they didn't enjoy realizing the ultimate prize, but their effort in rowing toward that goal will be connected if the team succeeds in winning a title in the future.

Colleague Lindsey Young wrote feature stories about Thielen and Ham, including comments from some blasts from the past, prior to the ceremony, and Rob Kleifield and I worked together to recap Thursday in a story that we'll post today, along with some more multimedia content.

Let's get to some questions.

Spring has had some interesting reading regarding players. Some re-signed. Some moved to other teams and some retiring. Good luck to C.J and Adam. Now as I've followed some about punter Ryan Wright and seeing that he has signed with the Saints, I see also that the Vikes signed punter Johnny Hekker on almost the same day. It is mentioned that Ryan had a repertoire of kicks named Napalm, Moon Ball and Banana Ball. Does Hekker have any special kicks in his repertoire? I give credit to the staff and front office for moving quickly in filling the punter position.

SKOL,

— Jerry in Ohio

It's not too often that a Mailbag will start with punter transactions, but it's also not every day that a team can offset the loss of an ascending player in Wright who grew and developed on his way to free agency with a four-time First-Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. Today also lines up with Hekker being scheduled to visit TCO Performance Center and sign his contract. Sorry he missed out on Saturday's gorgeous weather.

He should fit right in with a specialist group that includes All-Pros Andrew DePaola and Will Reichard, as Hekker's holding also has been highlighted as a strength.

Beyond that, Hekker knows all the tricks of the trade (a banana ball was noted in our 5 Things about him), and he's even factored into quite a few trick plays over the years, completing 15 of 26 passes for 193 yards with a 2-yard TD pass in 2012.

Now 36, Hekker has had at least one put of 61-plus yards in 13 of his 14 seasons with a career long of 78 back in 2016. Directional punting and net punting average have been priorities for the Vikings under Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels, who teamed with Hekker and later coached him.

I've admired Hekker's career from afar, going back to his early years with the Rams in St. Louis, which in full disclosure, may have been impacted slightly by the fact that he got to fly with the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels.

I have to ask the question, what are we doing? While I am glad to see Kyler Murray come to the Vikings and Carson Wentz being re-signed, I don't think management has addressed the main issue on our roster which is the offensive line. I get having a veteran backup QB, and I even get having a veteran QB backing up the backup QB, especially with the injury history we've experienced over the last few years at that position. Do you know how to make sure our starting QB doesn't get hurt? Make sure he doesn't get hit (unless you're Kirk Cousins and tear your Achilles on the 20-yard line)! Do you want a 1,500-yard rusher in our backfield? Fix the offensive line!! You want to give our all-star receivers time to develop their routes and get open, fix the offensive line! Seems like there is a theme developing. It doesn't matter if you have Joe Montana, Steve Young or Tom Brady under center, they can't throw a pass if they are on their back.

— Jonathan Dittmer

And…

I've been a Vikings fan for 25 years now, and I'll always be a Vikings fan. This week, the Vikings signed Carson Wentz again to shore-up the quarterbacks room, knocking Max Brosmer out of the 53-man rotation. Hopefully he can stay and be placed on the practice squad. With the Vikings having Murray, Wentz and J.J. McCarthy as their quarterbacks for this coming season, are they going to try to keep on developing McCarthy for their long-term franchise quarterback? He started turning it around in the second half of the season. The thing that has been hurting him is his injuries. If he can stay healthy, he might be able to develop into a franchise quarterback.

The Vikings also signed Ryan Van Demark for backup on the offensive line and Johnny Hekker for punting. What are the Vikings going to do at center now since Ryan Kelly retired, and they only have Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens to replace him? Are they still looking at free agency or are they going to wait until the draft to pick one up? The Vikings have a lot of spots between now and the draft on offense and defense to fill.

Vikings fan forever!

— Matt from Iowa

And…

I have confidence in Murray. He is smart. Not just smart enough, SMART. In my dream offseason, every time they ask him about his progress, he looks at K.O., smiles a wicked smile and says "taking it one day at a time."

Got to get the meanest center available. I would love to get a guy that just mauls those DTs, makes the calls and goes and gets somebody for real. Ryan Kelly would have made a huge difference. Hope he catches a fish or two now that he has time.

— Gary from Florida

I combined these questions since there's a little bit of overlap with concern at center, the lone spot on the offensive line where the Vikings aren't expected to return their 2025 first-team player in 2026.

I also want Kelly to enjoy his well-earned retirement, whether that's fishing or going full "dad mode."

While the ultimate preference would have been to have Kelly's services all season (he was really solid when available), the silver lining is that Jurgens, a 2024 seventh-round pick, started three games (Cincinnati in Week 3; Detroit and Green Bay in Weeks 17-18) and Blake Brandel, a 2020 sixth-round selection, in six games (Week 5 against Cleveland in London and Weeks 7-11) at center last season.

The general consensus about Brandel was his versatility (he has also played tackle and guard) adds quite a bit of flexibility on game days when active roster spots are limited. If the Vikings opt for him to start at center, then that would sacrifice a bit of value provided by his versatility.

I don't know how coaches graded Jurgens or Brandel last season or what Keith Carter, Minnesota's assistant offensive line coach last year who has been promoted, will want to do with the room this year, but I do believe the Vikings will be interested in stymieing quick pressure from interior defensive linemen.

Another thing that should help at center is Donovan Jackson will be in his second NFL season after showing promise as a rookie, and Will Fries, who started all 17 games last season less than a full year after recovering from a broken leg, is projected to ascend. Returning Christian Darrisaw at left tackle and Brian O'Neill at right tackle also helps the whole group considerably.

The maneuver to acquire Van Demark by signing him to an offer sheet above what Buffalo offered is a way the Vikings again strategically added depth at tackle. He has a really interesting backstory, by the way.

I just can't wait to see you in purple, Kyler Murray. I have you on fantasy, and our record with you is 10 and 3. Hope you can do the same thing on the field.

— Isaiah S.

The Vikings offseason program is eagerly anticipated every year, and that will again be the case this season for the first glimpses of Murray in Vikings Purple since his youth football days.

The number I keep circling back to is 194, which is how many more regular-season games of experience the Vikings quarterbacks room has now (198) than it did at this point in the calendar in 2025 (four).

Ideally all four Vikings quarterbacks experience growth in working together through full and healthy offseasons because of how much that position can impact others.

You hear so much chatter about Murray, Wentz and McCarthy and whether we need to trade J.J. Unless you're getting a first- or second-round pick for him, you are crazy to get rid of him this year. Reasons to me are obvious.

1. Murray and Wentz are on one-year deals. We have J.J. under contract for two, and if they like his development during this year, they could still have control of the fifth-year option.

2. They all have a track record of injuries. Two of last three years, we have gone to QB3.

3. Chances are, at the end of this season, Murray or Wentz will be gone and at worse J.J. is QB2 and knows the system.

4. If you don't pick up his fifth-year option, you have a shot at getting a comp pick, which is probably similar to what you would get if he is traded now.

5. Keeping him and giving him a bit more time saves the team a potential embarrassment of giving up early on a 23-year-old.

Your thoughts?

— Rick in Blaine

My first thought is Rick laid out multiple, reasoned lines of thinking for continuing to develop McCarthy, who has been discussed at great length on cable sports shows.

At the NFL Scouting Combine last month, Kevin O'Connell said he's excited to continue working with McCarthy even though the Vikings had also been saying they wanted to add talent and competition to the room, which has happened with the addition of Murray and the re-signing of Wentz, who had joined the Vikings just before the regular season.

The injuries Minnesota suffered at the position in 2023 and 2025 likely left lasting impressions on O'Connell, prompting him to have layers of depth.

There is still quite a bit of football opportunity ahead for McCarthy, but being able to stay healthy will be important in his continued development.

More recently than the combine, O'Connell spoke with Twin Cities media members after Minnesota signed Murray and was asked about McCarthy.

"J.J. is ready to have the best possible offseason that he can. Unlike going into 2025, he now has 10 games of experience in the NFL. He's experienced the ebbs and flows of an NFL season that you've got to learn from," O'Connell said. "You've got to continue to attack in the most consistent way possible, getting totally locked into that routine of not only the game-plan week, with the time we have together, but the work you do on your own, how you're taking care of your body, how you're taking care of every aspect of who and what you are as a quarterback, because it means so much, because it's such a difficult position to play, both physically and mentally.

"I think having that experience now, of having felt that, knowing what that's like, he's just excited," O'Connell added. "He knew we were going to be adding somebody to the room. He knew that didn't change anything about his mindset and focus on improving and attacking this offseason the right way, and really proud of him for that, and excited to get to get back on the grass and in the meeting room with him when that time comes."

O'Connell is set to attend the NFL Annual League Meeting and participate in some interviews next week, by the way, so be on the lookout for coverage from Arizona.

BIG thanks to Kyler Murray for wanting to be a Viking! He could have signed with multiple teams, but I'm ecstatic he chose us! We acquired a Heisman Trophy winner and former number one draft pick who is a double threat to defenses on every play. Kyler is still in his prime and I can't wait to see him lead a NEW and exciting offense with Kevin O'Connell. I believe our time of possession and points per game should vastly improve with Kyler and this will help our defense immensely! Here's to a great draft and 2026 season. SKOL!!!

— Dan Staton in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

And…

The Vikings have a long history of bringing in old quarterbacks. This procedure hasn't produced a Super Bowl win or anywhere close. Winning teams typically recruit young QBs, so my question is how do you plan for a winning season when history doesn't support these tactics?

— Steve Nelson in Briceville, Tennessee

It's really remarkable that the Vikings have lacked continuity at the sport's most important position for so many seasons but have been competitive more often than not. Aside from Cousins, who was Minnesota's top passer for six (2018-23), the Vikings haven't had the same player be their top passer for more than three consecutive seasons since Daunte Culpepper (2000-05).

Murray's age (he'll turn 29 on Aug. 7, sharing a birthday with Alan Page, by the way), dual-threat athleticism and career accomplishments are a unique combination for the Vikings to be able to add this year, especially in a year where the team has been working against the salary cap.

If he is the starter and things go well, there could be a situation where he and the team work out a longer-term deal that capitalizes on a roadway the width of Texas. The Vikings want to limit negative plays, and Murray's footspeed could help with that.

Wentz, who turned 33 in December, is more advanced in age but successfully moved the football, despite limited time in the system.

McCarthy showed progress at the end of the season, despite the hand injury down the stretch. He and Brosmer helped Minnesota close on a five-game winning streak with complementary football.

Would there be a way that the Minnesota Vikings could trade for Maxx Crosby? Hopefully the Las Vegas Raiders could offer him for a bargain basement price. I think he would make the Minnesota Vikings formidable. Something that hasn't happened since the Purple People Eaters Era.

— Brandan Fiedler in Chisholm, Minnesota

Crosby has done most of his damage as a 4-3 defensive end. The Vikings under Brian Flores have been quite multiple with their defense, but they have spent a good amount of time in a 3-4.

While Crosby is a well-decorated player with five Pro Bowls to his credit, the Vikings have outside linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner under contract for 2026. Minnesota viewed it as having three starters, and Turner filled in for Van Ginkel and Greenard (different roles despite both being listed as OLBs) last season.

NFL offenses have seen few forces as absolutely dominant as the Purple People Eaters front of Carl Eller, Gary Larsen (later on Doug Sutherland), Alan Page and Captain Jim Marshall, but there have been some really impressive defensive fronts that have built on that legacy (here are three groupings of three players that were pretty intense: Chris Doleman, Keith Millard and Henry Thomas; Jared Allen and the Williams Wall; Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph and Danielle Hunter).

In my opinion, I believe the Vikings should get young, athletic, aggressive defensive linemen and linebackers, along with some veterans to show what the NFL is like being in the league and how to deal with other veterans during games.

— Karim W.

The Vikings are returning Jalen Redmond after his breakout season on an economical deal with the idea of having him in the mix for years to come. Levi Drake Rodriguez has had some nice moments for a seventh-round pick. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins also flashed as a rookie last season.

Taki Taimani and Elijah Williams are undrafted developmental prospects that generate intrigue.

The Vikings also have Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace, Jr., returning at the inside linebacker spots but do need to boost depth (and probably add some core special teamers in the process) in the middle of the defense.

See the Vikings 2026 Opponents.

Check out the Vikings 2026 Draft Picks.

View future opponents for the Vikings.

Buy single game tickets.

Download the official Vikings App.