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Some form of football is back every weekend from now through Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 9, 2025).

The Texans and Bears appearance in the 2024 Hall of Fame Game was shortened by weather, but it got the 2024 preseason kicked off last Thursday.

Speaking of kickoffs, be on the lookout this week for a story about the new kickoff rules by Seasonal Editorial Assistant Rob Kleifield, who started with us on July 22. Some of you have probably been reading his work on Vikings.com already. It's been great to add Rob to our VEN Editorial Team and have him join Lindsey Young and myself in bringing you coverage of this season.

There have been some great crowds at training camp, despite some warm days.

The annual night practice scheduled for tonight has been canceled. Anyone who purchased tickets will be refunded. The Minnesota Vikings Museum and the Vikings Locker Room store will be closed today.

The team added a night practice for Aug. 12. People interested in attending should visit Vikings.com/camp beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) today to purchase tickets.

Multiple dates so far have reached sell-out status, as did this coming Wednesday. At the time of this post, some tickets remained for Aug. 8.

Fans interested in another opportunity to preview the team should check out this link because some tickets for Saturday's preseason opener against the Raiders (3 p.m. CT) may become available before the end of the week. If a visiting team does not reach its allotment total, those tickets become available.

After Saturday, it will be more than a month before the Vikings are back at U.S. Bank Stadium. This link includes options for each Vikings home game of 2024.

I heard the Vikings were going to replace the turf in their stadium. Was that actually done?

Thanks,

— Gary Lipsey

Yes, the Vikings did replace the turf in U.S. Bank Stadium, as well as TCO Stadium and in Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center's Indoor Practice Facility.

Players already have spent some time on the new surface during the offseason program when weather moved sessions inside.

The new surface is Act Global Xtreme Turf DX. It looks a little different in person and probably will on your screens.

Do you think that the Vikings have one of the best jersey rotations in the NFL? Last year we had the Classic and the Color Rush, and this year we have the Winter Warrior jerseys.

— Graham VW from Texas

I'm sure some would say I'm biased, but I'd feel comfortable lining up the Vikings combination with any other team's options and putting it to a vote.

I've always liked purple. It's honestly my favorite color (high school alma mater also utilized purple; Mississippi State instilled a love for maroon, as well), so its prominence in the Vikings color scheme has always been a welcome sight.

The Vikings Classic utilizes a deeper shade and really pops with the bold trim. It was fun to see current players react to the look last year during the promotional video/photo shoot. They went all in with trying to mimic some of the old-timey poses from that era of football cards, and it's a nice connection to some of the best teams in league history.

The Winter Warrior uniforms offered a chance for the team to really lean into a regional identity that makes Minnesota quite unique compared to many other NFL locales. In case people missed the backstory on the development of the Winter Warrior, I'm adding this link from the unveiling. Players were hyped about the white jerseys, pants and helmets, which really accentuate the look.

Kudos, too, for the icy set design that was executed to further bring home the concept.

In the answer to the first question [in last week's Mailbag], just three QBs were mentioned. I realize Jaren Hall is probably on the outside looking to get in, but any report/word on how he is doing? I am rooting for Jaren.

— Matt C. in Hampton, Virginia

I can say, based on everything I know about Jaren that wanting good things to happen for him is well placed, but his snaps have been limited in number during practices. With Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy being newcomers to the system, they've had the largest share of snaps.

The Vikings are continuing to develop every player on the roster, even if some are not taking as many snaps in practices.

O'Connell said last week that he has a plan regarding playing time in preseason games for everyone on the roster, but he did not reveal it. I guess we'll find out soon.

The draft went a little better than years past, I think. They kept their first-round choices, and I think both players will ultimately be solid.

Is J.J. the next Patrick Mahomes? No, probably not. But he might be an excellent teammate and game manager. He will need to learn to protect the ball in the NFL.

I would expect some bonehead throws to crop up in preseason. But, if he can learn quickly, he has some excellent "tools" to be an NFL QB (top 8).

I am very saddened at the terrible tragedy with Khyree Jackson. Very sad for everyone. I cannot imagine what the family must be going through, still today. My sincere condolences.

Finally, in my estimation, the defense will be the determining factor in the number of wins this year. If the group can "overachieve," the Vikings could win 10 games and be a Wild Card. If the defense is very mediocre and our cornerback play "poor," we are in for a long season. Win total of 5 might be optimistic.

Keep my email. Let's see what happens. But, as always; I support the Vikings, no matter where we reside. They are in my bloodline going back to all three Fran Tarkenton losses.

— Mb Shaw in San Antonio, Texas

McCarthy's first couple of weeks of an NFL training camp are off to a great start by multiple accounts. He has shown the demeanor to handle good plays and bad plays, which is admirable and important for a young QB over the course of his development.

I understand why there's temptation to compare any incoming quarterback with a high draft pedigree to Mahomes, but I also see value in just letting McCarthy pursue being the best version of himself. If that sounds familiar, it's because it's close to a line he's stated is a goal.

Every NFL team is different. Every NFL market is unique. We know McCarthy openly communicated his desire to become a Viking in interviews before and after the draft, and it happened.

He and Darnold made some nice off-script plays on Saturday that were shades of Tarkenton, who retired atop most people's QB rankings and the NFL leaderboards.

Thank you for your condolences on behalf of Khyree and his family. The team will continue its tribute to him this week at the game.

As for the potential impact of the defense, Brian Flores continues to innovate and try to maximize every player on the roster. I'd envision him putting players in position for success.

Don't forget that the Vikings tied for 30^th in the NFL in turnover margin in 2023 at minus-12, and while Kansas City tied for 28^th yet still somehow made the playoffs and won the Super Bowl, that's more of an outlier, compared to the usual correlation of teams that make the playoffs being ranked much better in turnover margin.

I'm curious as to how much coaches use new players to help gather information on their former team for scouting purposes. A great example will be Atlanta and Kirk Cousins giving away secrets of the Viking offense, or Aaron Jones from Green Bay helping the Vikings.

— Rick in Blaine, Minnesota

I'm sure there's always a bit of information that gets swapped when a former player winds up on the schedule, but teams have developed mechanisms for shifting when there is such an occurrence.

Cousins obviously has been highly tuned into O'Connell's playbook for the past two seasons, and Jones has been instrumental in the success of the Packers.

Several decades removed from the implementation of free agency, it's become quite common for players to move from team to team. Squads can change their verbiage/code words if facing a really familiar opponent.

I discuss quite often with a friend of mine that if an NFL team would go back to the "Old School" running game, a 2-back set with a 250-pound fullback attacking the defense by pounding the ball 20 times a game, they would probably have great success. The way that defenses are now darn near exclusively set up to stop the pass, one would think that the old, basic power/trap run plays with a double team and a pulling guard with a handoff to the second man through would have to be successful. Just a thought for discussion. The Vikings do already have the 250-pound fullback and a couple of very good runners — and YES! I am an old dinosaur!

— Phil Zupetz in Monroe North Carolina

Late in the above video from earlier in camp, Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips was asked about the use of the I-formation, which involves a fullback and running back.

"I think it fits in if you have C.J. Ham. If you don't have a fullback that's as capable and as good of a player as he is … it's one of those things where you're trying to get the best 11 on the field, and what can personnel groups do for you? 21, maybe they play base defense. Maybe they play single-high defense for the only snaps we get in the whole game where they're not putting a safety over the top of Justin Jefferson.

We do want to run the football better. We're not hiding, not shying away from that, and I think we're on the path to do that, but C.J. is a very valuable player, both blocking and coming out of the backfield. He runs great routes, is probably a little underutilized as a route runner. We are happy with him. We love C.J. Again, 21 personnel, sometimes you want base defense. Sometimes you want them to put the big guys out there and get some opportunities, whether it's pass game, or if they want to put some smaller guys out there, maybe we get a chance to hammer them."

All that to say I think the coaching staff is aware of Ham's versatility and how his presence on the field could impact defenses.

Darnold was asked about what he's been gaining from Minnesota's 2-minute drill periods at the end of practices and drew a connection with how the Vikings utilized their personnel and tempo to upset the 49ers last season (when Darnold was San Francisco's backup QB).

"We have a great tempo offense right now, and I saw it last year on the sideline when we came here and played at U.S. Bank. They really pushed the tempo on our defense and it was, just standing on the sideline watching, it was really tough for our defense to be able to, whether they were in base personnel and then going up-tempo or running certain plays out of 12 (one running back and two tight ends) and 21 (two running backs and a tight end) personnel and then being in base personnel and being in certain matchups and only being able to be in a certain amount of coverages. You can really use it to your advantage, and then in 2-minute, just to be able to have that same exact system has been really nice."

With Roger Goodell being in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, do you know if he's planning to meet with the head of the International Olympic Committee to get football into future Summer Olympics?

— Brandon Fiedler in Chisholm, Minnesota

Several players and coaches and coworkers have been intently following along with the 2024 Olympics, tracking results and enjoying the celebrations, including of the athletes with Minnesota connections.

Football — of the flag variety — officially has been added to the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be hosted by Los Angeles.

That's a great continuation of expanding football to the global audience, and Goodell and NFL leadership worked to promote the addition of flag football. Vikings coaches have mentioned their excitement about the addition of flag football to the Olympics.

Hi, my name is Andrew, and I am from a small town in southern Minnesota. With Mekhi Blackmon tearing his ACL and Shaq Griffin getting hurt, we need a good DB to help Byron Murphy, Jr., so why are we not signing Stephon Gilmore?

Skol Vikes,

— Andrew Husom

Andrew's email came in early last week, before the Vikings were able to sign veteran defensive back Bobby McCain and cornerback Fabian Moreau.

The duo brought 143 career regular-season starts to Minnesota's defensive backfield, and both players have already been involved in noticeable reps.

Flores previously coached McCain, and O'Connell overlapped with Moreau in Washington, so the familiarity between players and coaches, as well as the availability of McCain and Moreau factored into the effort to help the defensive backs group.

Hi, I am originally from Georgia but now reside in Texas, and I have been a Vikings fan since 1974. I am a little confused as to why people keep saying J.J.'s snap total is low compared to other QBs in this year's draft. When you look at last year's QBs, [Anthony] Richardson didn't have the number of snaps that J.J. had, and he went higher in the draft. I know that they went on POTENTIAL, but the body of work wasn't even close, and they are bringing up J.J.'s number of plays. Richardson started for the Colts in year one, so I don't see any reason why J.J. can't start year one.

— Timothy Short

Richardson blew the doors off the combine, but yes, he played fewer college snaps than McCarthy. He finished 215-of-393 passing (54.7 percent) for 3,105 yards, 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions over the course of three seasons at Florida.

McCarthy finished 482-of-713 with 6,226 yards, 49 touchdowns and 11 interceptions over the course of three seasons at Michigan. He also played considerable "weighty downs" to borrow a phrase from O'Connell in leading Michigan to the CFP National Championship.

Teams have different philosophies for handling quarterbacks and different roster statuses that impact those decisions.

Dwight McGlothern does not have the best physical traits. Smaller hands and shorter arms than most. He makes up for that with football smarts. Being in the right place at the right time. Hopefully he makes the team and surprises a lot of people.

— Gerald Goblirsch

And

What do you think of Dwight McGlothern?

— Demarous Davis

I've seen McGlothern flash a few times during drills. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, McGlothern is lanky, and his arm length of 30 ½ is shorter than all but nine of the 54 cornerbacks listed in "The Beast" draft guide produced by The Athletic's Dane Brugler.

McGlothern played the 2022-23 seasons at Arkansas after beginning his college career at LSU (2020-21), where he overlapped with Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones in 2021.

Flores was asked about McGlothern Saturday and said, "We liked a lot of things about him coming out."

"Ball skills would be the first thing that comes to mind. He's a guy who's just got a knack in the field for being around the ball when it's in the air. Obviously, he's got height and length and speed, but instincts are the thing that jumped out to me and us as a staff," Flores said. "His familiarity with [Jones] was certainly a plus. … It's important to him; he works hard. He wants to do it right. So, again, we're just going to try to build with these young players and just try to help them improve day to day."