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They're baaaaack, and draft week is here!

Vikings players are opening the voluntary offseason workout program this morning to begin an escalating schedule that will eventually lead to some on-field Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices at the end of May and in June.

There's always a nice surge of energy throughout the building when players return, and there's so much to be excited about with the 2025 Vikings, which will continue to evolve at the end of this week through the draft.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and a couple of marquee returnees are scheduled to participate in media sessions today, so be sure to check out coverage from that, and we'll keep you posted on this weekend's efforts to add to the roster.

Speaking of roster building, the Vikings.com editorial team of Lindsey Young, Rob Kleifield and myself set out to build our greatest Vikings all-time rosters through a draft. To be eligible, players had to be with Minnesota for at least three seasons, but they could have joined as a draft pick, an undrafted free agent, as a veteran signee or via trade. We also ruled out any players who are currently active on the Vikings or another team.

We are each proud of our rosters, which I think speaks strongly to the legacy of the Vikings franchise.

That article will post today, so please give it a look and feel free to let us know how we did.

On a sentimental note, I'd like to congratulate Ebbony and Raymond Jackson on their launching of the Khyree Jackson Foundation, which will direct the love of their late son into making positive differences in the lives of others. The family announced the foundation last week.

"It's about making a difference and encouraging young people to embrace their journey and rise above challenges to make an impact in this world, just as Khyree did," Ebbony said.

The Khyree Jackson Foundation will utilize football camps, scholarships and community outreach to support children and families. A signature feature will be a traveling memorial locker called "Khyree's Locker of Hope" filled with football gear that will be distributed.

The Vikings donated $10,000 to the foundation, and it is so great that Khyree’s kind spirit will continue to influence others.

The Vikings are holding off on signing any more free agents until after the draft to protect extra comp picks for next year, which according to overthecap.com, are currently a 3^rd and a 5^th. With our salary cap projection next year not nearly as good as it was this year, do you see a philosophy of protecting our picks for 2026 or potentially trading off future picks to fill needs in this year's draft.

I like the fact we have picks in rounds 1, 2, 3, and 3 comp next year to get more youth on the roster.

— Rick in Blaine, Minnesota

It appears the Vikings (and practically every other team) are in position to wait until after the draft for any additional free agency moves, but Adofo-Mensah didn't rule out the prospect of always emphasizing comp pick tallies against the prospect of a signing. Last Thursday, he mentioned the opportunity to add Jonathan Greenard during free agency in 2024 outweighed any 2025 comp pick reward, and I think there would be quite a consensus on that decision working out well for Minnesota.

This page from overthecap.com has a forecast of 2026 compensatory picks for all teams based on the formula that is part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association (this page has a little more on the formula's application). By their calculations, the Vikings will receive those picks to offset the departures of Sam Darnold and Cam Robinson in free agency this year.

Currently, the Vikings have the following 2026 selections (this does not include any comp picks):

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 5

Round 7

Round 7

So that's a bit more capital, especially when thinking about the potential of comp picks being added.

Whether the Vikings use any of next year's selections in order to move up the board could depend on a few factors, including whether or not they add to the number of picks this year by moving down in the first round, or if there's a player this year that the organization believes is worthy of borrowing from next year's resources to make a move.

I know I know. We all are itching to see how the draft unfolds and what picks the Vikes get or will have. My two cents are betting on drafting another tight end to join with Josh Oliver and T.J. Hockenson. My choice would be Colston Loveland out of Michigan. What do you think about that?

SKOL,

— Jerry in Ohio

Jerry isn't the only person with a high opinion of Loveland, whom NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in his Top 50. Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks slotted Penn State's Tyler Warren just above Loveland, who teamed with J.J. McCarthy at Michigan and helped the Wolverines win it all in 2023.

With only two — albeit high-end — tight ends on the Vikings roster, it's quite certain that the room will be added to this week, either through the draft or in the hours that follow the final pick.

Who will the Vikings get for a backup QB behind McCarthy? Any names floating out there?

— Darnell James

And

Do you see us drafting a QB late in the draft or signing Carson Wentz?

— Warren

No names to float from me, but similar to Minnesota's status at tight end, the Vikings only have two quarterbacks on the roster at this point, so it's likely that the room is added to, either with a veteran or a rookie, or both because teams generally have three or four quarterbacks during their offseason programs.

With all the pre-draft attention going toward the combine and a million mock drafts, very little attention and information is applied to the prospects and their visits. Can you give us all some insight/rules and a list of prospects that the Vikings are bringing in for their Top 30 visits?

— Roman in Grand Forks, North Dakota

The Vikings don't disclose their list of Top 30 visits before the draft (because they don't want other teams knowing what they might be thinking), but the team has under Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell shared anecdotes of Top 30 visits when a prospect has become a Viking.

NFL rules allow each team to host up to 30 prospects ("local" players do not count against that maximum) on official visits to their headquarters leading up to the draft. Teams have different motivations for deciding which players they invite to their facilities. ESPN has a succinct explanation of the visits as part of an overarching draft preview.

If the Vikings wind up with some of the players who were hosted, we'll see if there are some cool anecdotes to relay.

I have been a Vikings fan since the beginning and have been through all the ups and downs over the years. That said, my son and I really get into the offseason, projecting what they will do during free agency and of course the draft. Kwesi did have a horrible first year with the draft, but since then he has done a good job with the draft and an extremely good job with free agency. I believe our 2024 draft will prove itself to be a real winner during the upcoming season. That and the free agent signings for both 2024 and 2025 have been spectacular, which at times can be a double-edged sword. The free agents stole the show and, as such, the players drafted did not really get to show how good they really are. Their time will come.

It will be similar in 2025 where Kwesi has filled out the team with some excellent top-level free agents who once again are likely to steal the show. It will be difficult for Kwesi to draft players that will have immediate impact on the team since they will most likely not be No. 1 on the depth chart. Example: we draft a safety, running back or defensive lineman – they will not be starters in 2025. I think it is even remote that if we draft a cornerback that he will become an immediate starter. Probably the only starter we could get from the draft would be an offensive lineman. Injuries of course can change this all dramatically. Kwesi can have a great draft in 2025, but we will not see the impact for two or three years – have patience.

One last thing – there is far too much rhetoric regarding no real NFL experience for J.J. McCarthy. Give it a rest. Look at the 2024 QB draft class — for the most part, they were all starters and performed well. Those who performed at the top had a good offensive line and targets. Those that did not fare so well simply did not have the supporting cast needed to be successful. J.J. will do just fine. He has a full supporting cast and great coaches.

— Mr. Bill from Texas

One of the comments that resonated from Adofo-Mensah's media session last week was when he said, "You have to earn the right to be the type of team, the type of organization that drafts for impact and not need."

Efforts in free agency last year and this year, have positioned Minnesota to emphasize impact — and define how it will be measured (immediate starter with a high floor/highly projected ceiling who might benefit from backing up veterans for a year or be able to rotate in and save some snaps from a veteran's workload).

I personally like the thought of impact, particularly when seeing the success O'Connell and Co. have had on offense and the way Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores and assistants have maximized impact by several players.

Get aggressive. All chips in. GIVE UP ALL PICKS, MOVE UP TO 4^TH SPOT. Take running back. Ohio State? Trade [Jordan] Addison, get BEST offensive lineman in draft.

— Alphonsus Bruey

The addition of a running back was a notion people had for the Vikings early in the mock season, with two suggestions (among those we included in our trackers) for Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson and one for his former teammate Quinshon Judkins, but that was before Minnesota traded to acquire Jordan Mason from San Francisco to pair with Aaron Jones, Sr.

Most mocks have mentioned offensive line, defensive line, cornerback and safety as the likeliest areas for the Vikings to address in the first round.

O'Connell has spoken multiple times with positivity about Addison's impact, especially in tandem with Justin Jefferson. Addison is still quite early in his NFL career.

Fan since 1970 and lots of sleepless nights. People have to remember J.J. McCarthy is a rookie QB and is going to make mistakes while he is learning the NFL way! No rookie QB (as it is well-proven) is going to win the Super Bowl in his first season, but that being said, what he brings to our team is going to be unmeasurable for the next 10 years. I and all my Purple friends know, and we are waiting for greatness. He is the way to go. Go Vikes!

— Al Allensandrine

The NFL had a rookie QB (and his team) advance to the NFC Championship Game last year before Washington's first season with Jayden Daniels concluded at Philadelphia. Brock Purdy and the Niners also had their first season together end in Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game two years earlier. Daniels was picked No. 2 overall, and Purdy was tabbed at 262.

They were just the fifth and sixth rookie QBs to start a Conference Championship since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, joining Shaun King (1999 season), Ben Roethlisberger (2004), Joe Flacco (2008) and Mark Sanchez (2009), and no rookie QB has won a Super Bowl.

McCarthy is officially no longer a rookie, but he is lining up to be a first-year starter. He'll be able to apply the mental reps he took last year while recovering and apply them. I do appreciate the understanding that development will continue with a player so early in his career, especially at a position that can be so difficult.

With the earlier report that the Buffalo Bills have discussed a trade for Jordan Addison, if I were the Vikings, I would be more than glad to receive a 1st & 3rd or 4th for Addison.

What do you think?

From a Viking lifelong fan since 1971 at age of 6, despite never living in Minnesota (while in U.S. Marine Corps) lived in Texas & North Carolina and grew up in Virginia).

— Curtis Johnson from North Carolina

Really cool that you've repped the Vikings from afar, and I sincerely appreciate your military service.

I'm not sure if the historic trade between Minnesota (sending Stefon Diggs to the Bills) and Buffalo (the pick used to select Jefferson, along with a 2020 fifth, 2020 sixth and 2021 conditional fourth) prompted a hypothesis for a sequel. That one is unique because of how well it worked for both teams, but I do believe the Vikings have a high value on what Addison has done so far and what is believed he can accomplish.

Who will drop to us at 24? What are the other teams going to do? Do we have a specific target or many? We need developmental players more than holes to fix. Our staff knows more than us arm-chair analysts. I trust them to make some great choices. I cannot project for sure who that will be.

— Gerald Goblirsch

I've mentioned previously that it is not the worst idea in the world to prepare for multiple scenarios. That range is still high enough where the Vikings have selected big-time difference makers like Jefferson (No. 22) and Christian Darrisaw (No. 23) in recent back-to-back drafts.

The options also likely include a willingness to move down the board.

"Given where we're picking, we're excited about a lot of different players at every part of the board that we have current picks at, that we would be excited to stand up at clap [for after selecting], that'll help this team, not just this year, with year-one roles that we think can help us this year, but for the future," Adofo-Mensah said. "And I think that's a lot of different positions. So we're excited about that."

I am glad the Vikings are going with J.J. McCarthy this coming year. He has been a winner his whole career. Plus, his salary is a little less than $1 million. That leaves a ton of money for other players. If you look at the offense, the only position that might be in question is a guard position. Other than that, we are really solid. Skilled positions are super good. Third receiver maybe, but Rondale Moore [was a] good pickup. Defense, we shored up the interior line, secured Byron Murphy, Jr., at corner, and the kid from Ohio State (Jeff Okudah) is promising. It looks like safety or possibly another corner in draft. We have done wonders with free agency. I feel in this year's draft, quality over quantity should be a priority. If we're going to draft a safety, get the best. Don't trade back and pass on the best safety to then draft another safety and pick up additional picks. Please no more pass on Kyle Hamilton to pick a Lewis Cine. Still don't understand how we move up in the first round last year to take Dallas Turner (exchange 1st, and give up 2nd and 4th-round picks) and he doesn't play. I'll trust the powers to be on that one. We have a solid team with needs on defense. Quality over quantity please. Fan since 1969 — go Vikings.

— Bill Finnical

The Vikings made their first trade to add to their options in the first round of 2024 and partner that No. 23 pick with the fact they were on the board at No. 11. Perhaps they would have needed it to move further up the board had they not determined a one-spot nudge was all that would be needed to land McCarthy.

Once the board started falling the way it did, and with McCarthy selected without giving up the No. 23 spot, Minnesota then further elevated to go from No. 23 to No. 17.

Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel both turned out to be tremendous signings who each made the Pro Bowl last season. Pat Jones II was in his fourth NFL season in 2024 and worked in the rotation, so that meant more of a developmental year for Turner, who is likely to have more of a role after Jones departed in free agency.

Adofo-Mensah was asked about those trades last week.

"I love these questions where you go back, because I'm pretty tough on myself," Adofo-Mensah said. "I would say I'm not, you know, when you're trying to have self-improvement, holding yourself to that standard, we all have that little voice that says we're good enough. And I'm not scared of questioning that voice every now and then to be really hard on myself. But I know exactly why we did those things at the time, the move to get to 23 was about optionality.

"It was about kind of, maybe a perceived need at a certain position, and never wanting to be in that place, in addition to wanting to be the last call if anybody was considering a trade, which, again, I think we executed in that regard, also knowing at that time and again, we talked about two-year horizons," he added. "We don't want to be planning to pick in the top third of the first round. So are these opportunities available for you in your future? Are we going to able to pick a player like this in the future if we're the team that we think we can be? Those are all things that went into the calculus, and ultimately, don't know how that answer is going to work out, but looking back on it, we feel good about that exact approach and that exact thought process."

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