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It won't be long before showtime, but first, it's "go time."
Players and coaches have begun arriving back at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center to open 2025 Vikings Training Camp presented by Omni Viking Lakes Hotel.
They'll hit the practice fields during an acclimation period this week and look forward to welcoming fans Saturday for the first of 12 sessions scheduled to be open to the public.
The work will include some dog days along the way, but the reward of games, which starts with a preseason contest against the Texans on Aug. 9 is tangible. The Aug. 16 matchup with the Patriots will follow two days of joint practices between Minnesota and New England.
The Vikings have tickets available for each of their home preseason games. Click the links in the above paragraph for ticket information.
Lastly, it was cool to see Kyle Rudolph back to TCO Performance Center. He was hosting a football camp but managed to stop by VEN for a quick interview. Keep an eye out for that fun video segment with Rudy.
Let's get to the questions.
As a true "unwavering" fan since the Vikings loss to KC in Super Bowl IV, I'm very excited to be able to come to Minneapolis for the first time this year, to watch the home opener against the Falcons! This will complete 1 of the 2 remaining items on my bucket list. (The other remaining item is jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, so that one got tabled … for now!) Anyways, through all the ups and downs of 55 seasons, I truly believe that this could be our year to win it all! My only question, and/or challenge is for the O-line. Can we give J.J. three-and-a-half-to-four seconds to release the ball?
If we can, he will be very successful, and we all win!
Yes, it's more of a challenge!
See you in September…
Sincerely,
— Russ from Fort Pierce, Florida
So glad you will be able to cross off that big bucket list item when the Vikings host the Falcons in Week 2. It's going to be quite a festive atmosphere for the home opener, with Sunday Night Football in the house.
We are less than two months from that game, so skydiving can wait, especially given your longtime support for the team.
As for the offensive line, it's going to be a veteran-laden group that will have plenty of pride in protecting a young passer. Pride at the NFL level only goes far, so execution, scheme and game plan will factor into things, as well.
View photos from the set of the Vikings Entertainment Network production day shoot.
Looking at the Vikings safeties room for 2025, does it seem like it is a weak spot on the roster?
Hitman is in his 14th year, and the rest of the room looks like average to below average.
Will the Vikings add to the room, or do the coaches feel this is good enough?
— Dan S. in Perham, Minnesota
I don't know if everyone managed to catch our camp preview series last week or not, so I'm dropping in the links to those stories here.
Harrison Smith is back for his 14th season and set to cross the elite 200-game threshold this season. He was still making plays, whether it was a sack of Aaron Rodgers in London or a seal-the-deal interception in his native Tennessee, last season. He believes in what the Vikings have at the start of the season, and I think that includes the safeties room that is bringing back Joshua Metellus, Theo Jackson and Jay Ward.
Sure, Camryn Bynum departed for a big-money deal, and the Vikings will have to offset the loss of his contributions, but Metellus has shown a bandwidth to handle almost anything from anywhere. According to advanced stats on pro-football-reference.com, Metellus recorded 103 tackles on defense and missed just three, a missed tackle percentage of 2.8 that improved from a rate of 10.1 in 2023.
Smith also has mentioned Jackson as a player whose reserve role said more about the Vikings depth at safety than Jackson's status. He played just 78 snaps on defense, so the sample size is small. Jackson, however, did well in coverage. According to pro-football-reference.com, he was targeted seven times and allowed four completions for 64 yards. Throw in his interception at Seattle, and his passer rating allowed was a paltry 48.2. I have the benefit of seeing Jackson in camp last year, and if he picks up where he left off, he should be primed to contribute nicely.
Ward has logged more than 300 special teams snaps in each of his first two seasons and showed a good bit of versatility in college.
Newcomer Tavierre Thomas (listed as a DB) has carved a role on special teams at past spots, and the Vikings likely have that vision for him. The only other safety on the roster is undrafted free agent Mishael Powell. He'll no doubt be evaluated with the rest of the roster during camp.
Teams always self-evaluate to see if their rosters can be improved at any position, but I wouldn't classify the group of returnees as "below average."
View behind-the-scene photos from the Vikings 2025 production days.
It seems the sports writers are so apprehensive about J.J. McCarthy's success in the NFL. He came out of the same class as Michael Penix, Jr., Bo Nix and Drake Maye, whom I wouldn't consider them having as huge success as Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. Is it because of his injury they don't seem too confident?
— Charlie Hallquist
There can be a bit of uncertainty in the unknown that creeps into people's minds. We saw such a situation last year with the forecasters who did not believe Sam Darnold would do as well as he did in Minnesota.
Some detracted on McCarthy during the pre-draft process, but they might not have had the benefit of a picture as full as what the Vikings believe they viewed before making him the highest-picked QB in franchise history.
It's ultimately too early to assess what many believe will be viewed as a bumper crop class of signal callers.
Can J.J. McCarthy win Rookie of the Year? It technically is his first season.
— Gerald Goblirsch
Although he didn't log regular-season experience in 2024, McCarthy is not eligible for the Rookie of the Year award.
He can set his sights toward other honors, but based on what we've seen so far, team success will be his focal point.
How is Dallas Turner doing?
— Warren
Turner's development was one of our big questions facing Vikings outside linebackers in 2025.
We'll learn more as camp and the preseason progress, but the Vikings are excited to see more from the 2024 first-round pick this season.
His athleticism is hard to match, even at this level, and Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores will be able to build off the foundational year that followed an offseason unlike any other for pro players.
Turner's college season at Alabama went long, and then he went through all the pre-draft training. He also wound up being on a roster that struck gold in 2024 free agency with the signings of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, who each made the Pro Bowl. Pat Jones II turned in his finest season as a Viking last year before hitting free agency this offseason. Jones' departure could create more opportunities for Turner.
Training Camp Tickets Now Available
Join us from July 26 through Aug. 14 at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center for 2025 Vikings Training Camp presented by Omni Viking Lakes!
View the 2025 Vikings Schedule.
Check out the 2025 International games.
View future opponents for the Vikings.
Buy single game tickets.
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