season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kwesi-adofo-mensah-gives-april-update-jj-mccarthy');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gives April update on JJ McCarthy');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah-gives-April-update-on-JJ-McCarthy.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gives April update on JJ McCarthy</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T21:04:33-07:00">April 2nd, 9:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T21:08:11-07:00">April 2nd, 9:08pm</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings received <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-j-j-mccarthy-sales-pitch-fans">a positive update on JJ McCarthy</a> as the offseason inches closer to the NFL Draft.</p><p>Vikings general manager discussed McCarthy’s progression since his injury, and is optimistic about where things currently <a href="https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1907587875996139773" rel="noopener">stand with the young quarterback</a>, via NFL Network on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“We’re excited about JJ McCarthy,” Adofo-Mensah told Tom Pelissero on Wednesday. “Somebody that we identified in the draft process last year. Somebody, not just from an arm talent, athleticism, just the work ethic. We talk a lot about leadership, and having your quarterback embody what your culture is. He’s somebody from a positive attitude. The way he cares about his teammates. All those different things that we want to be our starting quarterback for a long time. I want to chase this thing with Kev, him, myself, the alignment we have together. So we’re excited about him, and what he’s brought. Obviously he had an injury and a setback, but we’re excited about everything that he’s done from that point. We’re going to go forward with that. We’re going to look to always add depth to that room to upgrade it, but we’ve set out to build the type of team that’s very quarterback friendly to a young player from a running game and defensive standpoint. A lot of the moves we made was with that in mind.”</p><p>The Vikings are looking to make McCarthy their starting quarterback of the future, so fans should be encouraged by his status this early into the offseason.</p><h2><b>JJ McCarthy set to return for start of Vikings’ 2025-26 season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JJ-McCarthy.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After quietly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-reveals-aaron-rodgers-message-jj-mccarthy">considering Aaron Rodgers in free agency</a>, it appears that the Vikings are beginning to wrap their head around McCarthy going forward.</p><p>“He looks great right now,” Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “Obviously there were some struggles with the injury, that a lot of players can have. With something that you love that much, it almost shows what you loved about the player. How much he loves the game, and how much it matters to his life.. But he approached everything with a can-do, and unbelievable mentality to be the best version of himself. That’s why he’s somebody we want to embody our leadership and our culture.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gives April update on JJ McCarthy

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-aaron-rodgers-rumors-draw-matt-lafleur-mic-drop');   ga('set', 'title', 'Aaron Rodgers-Vikings rumors draw Matt LaFleur mic drop');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Aaron-Rodgers-rumors-draw-Matt-LaFleur-mic-drop.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Aaron Rodgers-Vikings rumors draw Matt LaFleur mic drop</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-01T09:24:15-07:00">April 1st, 9:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-01T09:24:15-07:00">April 1st, 9:24am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Green Bay Packers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur responded Tuesday to swirling <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-aaron-rodgers-former-teammate-weighs-in-on-vikings-gms-recent-cryptic-comments">speculation linking former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Minnesota Vikings</a>, offering a candid reaction during the NFL league meetings.</p><p>“It would be a helluva story, wouldn’t it?” LaFleur said when asked about the possibility of Rodgers joining Green Bay’s NFC North rival.</p><p>LaFleur added that while he <a href="https://x.com/mattschneidman/status/1907049569331888299" rel="noopener">acknowledged the intrigue</a> surrounding the rumors, it’s not something he dwells on outside of preparing for games.</p><p>“I mean, there are great players on every team. So if it works out, it works out,” LaFleur said. “That’s not something I’ll sit here and constantly think about. Sure, you think about the week of when you’re playing somebody. If it works out, great for them.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Matt LaFleur on Aaron Rodgers potentially playing for the Vikings:</p><p>“It would be a hell of a story, wouldn’t it?” <a href="https://t.co/t7uCPralUe">pic.twitter.com/t7uCPralUe</a></p><p>— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattschneidman/status/1907049569331888299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Rodgers, 41, spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and played under LaFleur from 2019 to 2022, winning back-to-back NFL MVP honors in 2020 and 2021. During their four-year partnership, the Packers consistently remained contenders, with LaFleur helping guide Rodgers through one of the most efficient stretches of his career.</p><p>After a prolonged offseason saga in 2023, the Packers traded Rodgers to the New York Jets. However, the four-time MVP tore his Achilles just four snaps into his debut, ending his season. He returned for a full campaign in 2024, but the Jets struggled to a 5-12 record.</p><p>New York released Rodgers in early March, making him a free agent for the first time in his 20-year NFL career.</p><h2><b>Aaron Rodgers-Vikings buzz mirrors Brett Favre’s path but interest remains unclear</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Aaron-Rodgers_232103.jpg"><figcaption>© Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Rodgers has reportedly reached out to the Minnesota Vikings, fueling speculation about a potential move that would mirror Brett Favre’s late-career path. The Vikings lost quarterback Sam Darnold in free agency and are expected to turn to rookie J.J. McCarthy, who is recovering from a torn meniscus. Rodgers has been discussed as a potential bridge option for the 2025 season as McCarthy develops.</p><p>Despite the rumors, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-reveals-aaron-rodgers-message-jj-mccarthy">Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell appeared to temper expectations</a> regarding the team’s interest in Rodgers. In a conversation with The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, O’Connell said he addressed the speculation directly with McCarthy.</p><p>“I do see him every day throughout the week, and I thought it was important that he was hearing it from me,” O’Connell said.</p><p>Rodgers potentially joining the Vikings would mark a full-circle moment in NFC North history. Favre, another former Packers quarterback, departed Green Bay for the Jets in 2008 before finishing his career with the Vikings from 2009 to 2010.</p><p>While the Vikings have not confirmed any official interest in Rodgers, the possibility of another former Packers star suiting up for a division rival continues to generate attention around the league.</p><p>LaFleur, now focused on developing quarterback Jordan Love, offered his remarks with measured confidence, choosing not to add further fuel to the speculation.</p><p>Rodgers’ next move remains uncertain, but with free agency ongoing and quarterback-needy teams evaluating options, his future in the NFL could soon come into focus.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Aaron Rodgers-Vikings rumors draw Matt LaFleur mic drop

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-7-round-2025-nfl-mock-draft-pff-simulator');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings 7-round 2025 NFL mock draft, per PFF simulator');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Minnesota-Vikings-7-round-2025-NFL-mock-draft-per-PFF-simulator.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings 7-round 2025 NFL mock draft, per PFF simulator</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-01T08:00:37-07:00">April 1st, 8:00am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-01T08:00:37-07:00">April 1st, 8:00am</time><address><a href="https://matthew516sports.substack.com/">Douglas Fritz</a>Douglas Fritz has been writing about sports for almost four decades and publishes a Christian sports newsletter and podcast on Substack at Matthew516Sports. He started as a reporter for the student newspaper at East Tennessee State University, worked his way up to Editor-In-Chief, and began his sports writing career at the Johnson City Press daily newspaper while still in college. During 30-plus years at the Press, he covered University of Tennessee football, men's and women's basketball, ETSU athletics, and high school athletics. Among the people he has interviewed are Dale Murphy, Bobby Cox, John Smoltz, and Bruce Smith. He is also a Christian-based screenwriter (five feature-length and one short), book writer (three completed manuscripts and one novel), and songwriter.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/washington-commanders/commanders-news-2-time-pro-bowler-reveals-why-left-vikings">Minnesota Vikings had a home for Jonathan Allen</a>, but will the same <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-reveals-aaron-rodgers-message-jj-mccarthy">be true for Aaron Rodgers</a>? And what impact would it have on the draft? Regardless, here is the Vikings’ <a href="https://www.pff.com/draft/nfl-mock-draft-simulator?ref=93927ac5-d612-422f-ad2c-261bdcaf2a5e&amp;complete=7&amp;draft_grade=B-&amp;multi=false" rel="noopener">seven-round 2025</a> NFL mock draft, according to the Pro Football Focus simulator.</p><p>The Vikings have enjoyed a good offseason. If they hit the right notes in the draft, they might be dancing to a fun tune in the 2025 season. But they need to make good picks and smooth out the edges of their roster.</p><p>Entering the draft, the Vikings have needs at running back, defensive line, and defensive back. Here is what the PFF simulator delivered.</p><h2><b>Vikings get OT Kelvin Banks Jr. in Round 1</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/University-of-Texas-OT-Kelvin-Banks-Jr.-with-a-Vikings-logo-beside-him.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Improving the offensive line is never a bad idea. But the Vikings ignored their needs with this pick. The most notable pass came at the running back position, where Omarion Hampton of North Carolina remained on the board.</p><p>Banks would have to be a big-time player to justify passing on a top-flight running back. And the report from nfl.com suggests he <a href="https://www.nfl.com/prospects/kelvin-banks-jr./32004241-4e67-3432-7372-ee2dfd2cbf64" rel="noopener">could be a starter</a> soon in the league.</p><p>“Banks will come into the league as an early starter but his run blocking is more pro-ready than his pass protection,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “He’s technically sound and scrappy in the ground game, with the quickness and athleticism to get to all move blocks.</p><p>“(Also,) he has the leverage and strain to hold his own at the point. Banks has the slide quickness to deal with speed, but he must become more proactive in attacking power rushers and long-limbed attackers to prevent them from dictating the terms. He needs to improve his anchor and hand placement but he should become a long-time NFL starter at either tackle or guard.”</p><p>Adding a lineman could be a help for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Head coach Kevin O’Connell <a href="https://www.vikings.com/news/kevin-o-connell-jj-mccarthy-confidence-aaron-rodgers" rel="noopener">has high hopes</a> for the second-year player, according to vikings.com.</p><p>“(McCarthy) knows a lot of the core principles of our offense now,” O’Connell said. “There’s going to be some areas where we look to improve as a team, as an offense, as a defense, special teams. And J.J. gets to hit the ground running as a big part of that with our whole team, when we get going in the spring.”</p><p>That sounds pretty good, but Hampton grades out as a plus starter. He would have been the better pick here. And it’s especially risky since the Vikings don’t pick again until the third round.</p><h2><b>Vikings get RB in Round 3</b></h2><p>It’s a big step down from Hampton to D.J. Giddens of Kansas State. That’s the compromise for the surprise first-round pick.</p><p>Giddens projects as an average backup or <a href="https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dj-giddens/32004749-4427-1611-d63e-c26d3e507e94" rel="noopener">special-teams player</a>.</p><p>“A productive runner with good size, Giddens lacks explosive elements in his game,” Zierlein wrote. “He defies expectations as a big back who doesn’t run with heavy power. He’s a long-strider with wiggle between the tackles.</p><p>“(Giddens is) patient behind his blocks and quickly processes run-lane development. He’s not sudden and lacks the burst to outflank defenses, so running behind his pads and picking up the tough yardage inside might have to be his ticket into a rotation.”</p><h2><b>Another lineman lands in Round 5</b></h2><p>An interior defensive lineman or defensive back should have been the pick here. However, the simulator got fascinated with the offensive line again and selected Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, a tackle out of Florida.</p><p>He looks like little more than <a href="https://www.nfl.com/prospects/brandon-crenshaw-dickson/32004352-4558-2702-40b8-e782ec28784b" rel="noopener">a practice-squad guy</a> or a roster fill-in.</p><p>“Big tackle with a broad frame, long arms and 46 starts to his name,” Zierlein wrote. “He can find run-block connections provided they’re in front of him and uses his size to create movement on double teams and down blocks.</p><p>“However, he’s simply not quick enough to expand very far beyond the batter’s box as a run blocker. He will struggle to mirror and anchor as a pro due to his lack of bend, but he’s crafty with his hands and does a nice job of sticking rushers with well-timed punches to slow their rush plan. Crenshaw-Dickson is scheme-limited and will need to use all the tricks up his sleeve to overcome his athletic limitations.”</p><p>Ick. The Vikings draft isn’t going well. And there’s only one pick remaining.</p><h2><b>Vikings finally get defensive lineman</b></h2><p>All things considered, this may be the Vikings’ best pick. But that’s mainly because the other selections came out so poorly.</p><p>Utah’s Junior Tafuna <a href="https://www.nfl.com/prospects/junior-tafuna/32005441-4662-7023-89f1-e34da8069daa" rel="noopener">isn’t a total wash</a> for this late in the draft.</p><p>“Tafuna lacks the traits and production teams look for from interior defenders, but his athletic flashes might be enough to create intrigue,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s gritty at the point of attack, fighting to neutralize double-teams and down blocks but has a smaller margin for error.</p><p>“(Tafuna) gets around with fluidity and good change of direction when he’s twisting and stunting. He can chase plays down the line. Tafuna is an early-down-only player with some rush qualities that could be developed, but his ceiling is limited.”</p><p><i>Overall, the Vikings didn’t make solid contact in their swings to fill needs on the team. None of the picks brought excitement. Grade: F.</i></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings 7-round 2025 NFL mock draft, per PFF simulator

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-reveals-aaron-rodgers-message-jj-mccarthy');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell reveals Aaron Rodgers message to J.J. McCarthy');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kevin-OConnell-reveals-Aaron-Rodgers-message-to-J.J.-McCarthy.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell reveals Aaron Rodgers message to J.J. McCarthy</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T10:04:14-07:00">March 31st, 10:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T14:47:39-07:00">March 31st, 2:47pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings have always been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-j-j-mccarthy-sales-pitch-fans">enamored with J.J. McCarthy</a>, but since the young quarterback is coming off a torn meniscus, and 2024 Pro Bowl selection Sam Darnold is no longer on the roster, it is good to consider all options. A future Hall of Fame quarterback could make for a fine insurance policy.</p><p>Aaron Rodgers’ first choice in free agency was and still might be the Vikings. He knows the NFC North and is surely fond of an offense that features Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and former teammate Aaron Jones.</p><p>He reached out to the squad, and speculation rose about him serving as a bridge option to McCarthy. Minnesota is not interested in such a union at this time, however.</p><p>The franchise is committed to McCarthy and may not want to bring in a veteran who could threaten his position as the immediate starting QB. Before a decision was reached, head coach Kevin O’Connell made sure to keep the 2023-24 national champion <a href="https://x.com/alec_lewis/status/1906731842880905394" rel="noopener">in the loop</a> about a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-gm-breaks-silence-aaron-rodgers-rumors">possible Rodgers pursuit</a>.</p><p>“I do see him every day throughout the week, and I thought it was important that he was hearing it from me,” he said, per The Athletic’s Alec Lewis. The reigning NFL Coach of the Year cares deeply about building a strong relationship with the man tapped to be the organization’s long-term quarterback.</p><h2><b>J.J. McCarthy has the Vikings behind him</b></h2><p>The Vikings traded up from the No. 11 pick to No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft to ensure that neither the Denver Broncos nor any other team would jump them and select the former Michigan man.</p><p>They believe McCarthy’s skill set and tutelage under Jim Harbaugh will enable him to smoothly transition to the NFL and effectively operate O’Connell’s offense. Though, a key part of sound execution is instilling confidence in the QB.</p><p>Minnesota’s transparency with J.J. McCarthy should optimally give him a crucial mental boost as he prepares to take snaps under center in NFL competition for the first time in his career. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/nfl-rumors-how-vikings-aaron-rodgers-decision-impacts-free-agency-timeline">Rebuffing Aaron Rodgers’ advances</a>, at least temporarily so, tells the rest of the NFC that the Vikings trust the 21-year-old to lead them to towering heights.</p><p>How high his ascent will reach is obviously unknown, but McCarthy seemingly has clearance to begin the climb next season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell reveals Aaron Rodgers message to J.J. McCarthy

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-j-j-mccarthy-sales-pitch-fans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell makes J.J. McCarthy sales pitch to fans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vikings-news-Kevin-OConnell-makes-JJ-McCarthy-sales-pitch-to-fans.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell makes J.J. McCarthy sales pitch to fans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-30T14:15:57-07:00">March 30th, 2:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-30T14:16:42-07:00">March 30th, 2:16pm</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings are fully prepared to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-minnesota-quarterback-situation-after-free-agency-departures">give J.J. McCarthy the keys to their franchise</a> as soon as 2025. Despite the Michigan product coming off a torn meniscus, Kevin O’Connell is confident in him as the Vikings’ franchise quarterback.</p><p>With the Vikings expected to officially hand McCarthy the starting job, O’Connell gushed over his new quarterback’s potential in the league. When asked what he would tell a skeptic fan, O’Connell <a href="https://x.com/bykevinclark/status/1906437867091402942" rel="noopener">spewed a list of reasons</a> why he believes McCarthy will be successful right away.</p><p>“[J.J. McCarthy] didn’t throw a lot of bubble screens, he didn’t throw a lot of RPOs [in college],” O’Connell said to Kevin Clark on ‘This is Football.’ “He was in a pro-style offense where they were running the football. They needed some high-quality execution on some of those weighty downs that’s really what we’d like to be with our offense.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I asked Kevin O’Connell what he’d say to a Vikings fan who asked to be sold on JJ McCarthy. Awesome answer on what JJ does well. </p><p>“I’m really confident and really excited to see him hit the ground running. He’s had a great offseason.” </p><p>Great This Is Football drops tonight. <a href="https://t.co/lA2aUBIiQD">pic.twitter.com/lA2aUBIiQD</a></p><p>— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) <a href="https://twitter.com/bykevinclark/status/1906437867091402942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>O’Connell continued with his reasons why Vikings fans should put their full faith in McCarthy. The credentialed head coach said the former No. 10 overall pick sitting out his official rookie year only improved his development and has him more prepared for his regular season debut.</p><p>“The other thing I’ll say is he’s had a year now of being around a guy like Sam Darnold through his journey,” O’Connell said. “He got to watch it [and] see what meetings were like; what’s it like when I install third-down plays… He’s not a rookie. He’s had that pseudo-redshirt year — albeit without the reps we would’ve wanted — but I’m really confident, really excited to see him hit the ground running.”</p><h2><b>J.J. McCarthy prepared to start for Vikings in 2025</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Minnesota-Vikings-QB-JJ-McCarthy-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Vikings all but confirmed McCarthy would be their starting quarterback in 2025 when they chose <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/nfl-rumors-sam-darnold-not-expected-return-vikings">not to re-sign Sam Darnold</a> in free agency. By letting Darnold walk, Minnesota essentially confirmed its plans to have McCarthy take over, especially considering its roster contains no other quarterback.</p><p>While McCarthy remains mostly unproven, he impressed in the 2024 preseason before suffering the torn meniscus. His return from injury furthers the questions surrounding him, but O’Connell’s confident testimony gives no reason anyone should doubt him.</p><p>Once McCarthy officially takes the field, it will be his first game since leading Michigan to a win in the 2024 National Championship game. In his three years in Ann Arbor, McCarthy led the Wolverines to a 27-1 record as a starter, making him one of the most successful quarterbacks in college football history.</p><p>The Vikings made a considerable effort to give McCarthy the best possible situation to return to. With an already elite skill position group, Minnesota bolstered its offensive line in free agency. The team signed Ryan Kelly and Will Fries while extending Blake Brandel to compose what should be a top-10 offensive line in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell makes J.J. McCarthy sales pitch to fans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/washington-commanders/commanders-news-2-time-pro-bowler-reveals-why-left-vikings');   ga('set', 'title', 'Commanders’ 2-time Pro Bowler reveals why he left for Vikings');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Commanders-news-2-time-Pro-Bowler-reveals-why-he-left-for-Vikings.jpg"></figure><h1>Commanders’ 2-time Pro Bowler reveals why he left for Vikings</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-30T13:08:56-07:00">March 30th, 1:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-30T13:10:11-07:00">March 30th, 1:10pm</time><address><a>Dakota Zientek</a>Dakota Zientek graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 and has been writing about the NFL ever since. As a die-hard NFL fan, Dakota's fandom rides with the Chicago Bears through thick and thin -- regardless of how much pain it has caused his heart throughout the years. One day, he believes he will celebrate the Bears winning a Super Bowl. Maybe even... a few?</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jonathan Allen spent eight seasons with the Washington Commanders, earning two Pro Bowls while with the team. However, following their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/washington-commanders/commanders-news-washington-preparing-major-front-office-shake-up">front-office rebuild</a> in Ashburn, VA, after the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/washington-commanders/commanders-news-daniel-snyders-6-05-billion-sale-josh-harris-final-vote-owners">purchase of the Commanders in 2023</a>, the team’s new ownership has come with a new vision in place. And in their new vision, their two-time Pro Bowler defensive lineman didn’t seem to be a part of their process, causing the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/washington-commanders/commanders-news-washington-releasing-pro-bowl-defensive-tackle">Commanders to release Allen</a>. Upon getting released, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-minnesota-lands-ex-commanders-2-time-pro-bowler-60-million-contract">Jonathan Allen signed with the Minnesota Vikings</a>, setting his sights on success alongside former Commanders offensive coordinator and current Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.</p><p>In an appearance on<i> The Rich Eisen Show</i> on Saturday, Allen <a href="https://x.com/jaydanielsmvp/status/1905757001709507066" rel="noopener">gave an inside peek</a> at how his release came to fruition, along with showing his excitement about the new journey with Minnesota.</p><p>“In the NFL, it’s very hard to play your entire career on one [team], you know,” Allen said via JayDanielsMVP on X. “A new regime came in. They had a path that they wanted to follow, and I wasn’t a part of that. So, I mean, I gotta give them a lot of credit for doing me a favor of releasing me when they did, but you know, things just didn’t work out for whatever reason.</p><p>“But, super excited,” Allen added. “Super, super excited to be part of this new team and reunite with coach O’Connell.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Former <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Commanders?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Commanders</a> DE Jonathan Allen on why he left for the Vikings:</p><p>“New regime came in, they had a path they wanted to follow and I wasn’t a part of that so I mean gotta give them a lot of credit for doing me a favor by releasing me…” </p><p>(🎥:<a href="https://twitter.com/RichEisenShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RichEisenShow</a>) <a href="https://t.co/CF2scOQGWd">pic.twitter.com/CF2scOQGWd</a></p><p>— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayDanielsMVP/status/1905757001709507066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Now, Allen is spot on with his first statement. It’s nearly impossible to stay on one team throughout one’s career, and it’s only getting tougher. With the amount of money players can gain by exercising the right to explore other teams, it’s not easy for NFL players to stick with one team throughout their entire career, especially when it starts getting close to 10 years.</p><p>Even in the traditional workplace, spending a decade at a job is impressive. It’s not an even one-to-one comparison, but it’s there.</p><p>So, although Allen has produced well throughout his career, it appeared Adam Peters had different plans with the defensive line, as the Commanders are only one year separated from <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/washington-commanders/best-moves-commanders-2024-nfl-draft">drafting Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton in the second round</a> of the 2024 NFL Draft.</p><p>If they plan on getting him more involved on the defensive line, allowing an aging veteran to test free agency makes sense. It opens the lane for a younger player, Newton, to develop into a potentially better player than Allen. Sure, it’s a gamble, but they were seemingly willing to take it.</p><p>So, although Allen was a staple of the Commanders — and all of their other names throughout franchise history — over the last eight seasons, there’s no ill will towards Washington. In fact, he appreciated how they handled a situation that had the potential to get sticky.</p><p>Now, the two-time Pro Bowler is ready to suit up in the Purple and Gold with the Vikings and make his new home in Eagan, MI.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Commanders’ 2-time Pro Bowler reveals why he left for Vikings

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/buffalo-bills/nfl-rumors-bills-trade-up-scenario-vikings-outlined-draft-expert');   ga('set', 'title', 'NFL rumors: Bills trade up scenario with Vikings outlined by draft expert');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Bills-trade-up-scenario-with-Vikings-outlined-by-draft-expert.jpg"></figure><h1>NFL rumors: Bills trade up scenario with Vikings outlined by draft expert</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-30T12:45:44-07:00">March 30th, 12:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-30T12:45:44-07:00">March 30th, 12:45pm</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Buffalo Bills</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>While no team has multiple picks in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, a single trade could change that. As one of the most aggressive draft night teams in recent years, some see the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/perfect-trade-buffalo-bills-2025-nfl-free-agency-frenzy">Buffalo Bills as the most likely team</a> to do so, potentially with the draft capital-deprived Minnesota Vikings.</p><p>The Bills and Vikings would be <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/2025-nfl-draft-six-win-win-first-round-trades-teams-should-make" rel="noopener">ideal trade partners</a>, according to NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter. In Reuter’s hypothetical scenario, Buffalo acquires Minnesota’s No. 24 pick in exchange for No. 30, No. 109 and No. 132 selections.</p><p>“The Bills have been aggressive in the first round in recent years, trading up for Josh Allen, tight end Dalton Kincaid and cornerback Kaiir Elam,” Reuter wrote. “They have seven Day Three picks to use to jump up the board for a game-changing talent — one who might get them over the hump and into the Super Bowl. In this scenario, I could see them targeting a receiver (Isaiah Horton or Emeka Egbuka), defensive tackle (Kenneth Grant or Derrick Harmon) or secondary help (Nick Emmanwori or Azareye’h Thomas).”</p><p>Reuter noted that the Vikings might be open to trading down to gain more picks due to owning just four selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. Minnesota used most of its draft capital in previous trades, giving it the fewest picks in the league.</p><p>The Bills wrapped up a modest free agency without adding much talent to its roster. Buffalo had a much clearer focus during the offseason on re-signing its own talent by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/bills-news-josh-allen-buffalo-agree-record-330m-contract-extension">extending Josh Allen</a>, Christian Benford, Khalil Shakir, Greg Rousseau and Terrel Bernard.</p><h2><b>Bills’ biggest roster needs ahead of 2025 NFL Draft</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sean-McDermott.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As one of the premier teams in the league, the Bills hardly have any holes in their current roster. However, their team is far from perfect. Despite five consecutive AFC East titles, Buffalo continues to suffer early exits in the playoffs and has not been back to the Super Bowl since 1993.</p><p>When healthy, Buffalo’s ceiling is clearly a Super Bowl. Yet, untimely injuries and late-game collapses continue to prevent them from reaching that goal.</p><p>On paper, the Bills’ linebacker trio of Matt Milano, Baylon Spector and Bernard is one of the best in the league. Yet, keeping all three healthy at one time has proven more difficult than it should be, routinely limiting the group’s effectiveness late in the year. Buffalo would be wise to address the position in the draft, especially without any depth.</p><p>The Bills could also use depth at defensive tackle, safety and receiver. Since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/texans-news-houston-acquires-stefon-diggs-blockbuster-bills-trade">trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans</a>, Buffalo has not had a true alpha wideout for Allen to work with. Cornerback could also be a position of interest, given the lack of depth behind Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson and Benford.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NFL rumors: Bills trade up scenario with Vikings outlined by draft expert

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/vikings-news-aaron-rodgers-former-teammate-weighs-in-on-vikings-gms-recent-cryptic-comments');   ga('set', 'title', 'Aaron Rodgers’ former teammate weighs in on Vikings GM’s recent cryptic comments');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Aaron-Rodgers-former-teammate-weighs-in-on-GMs-recent-cryptic-comments.jpg"><figcaption>3/28/25</figcaption></figure><h1>Aaron Rodgers’ former teammate weighs in on Vikings GM’s recent cryptic comments</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T15:18:46-07:00">March 28th, 3:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T15:19:18-07:00">March 28th, 3:19pm</time><address><a>Steve Silverman</a>Steve Silverman has been covering the NFL for more than 35 years, and his writing has appeared in ESPN Magazine, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. He has written 10 books, including "Who's Better, Who's Best in the NFL." He has won multiple awards from the Pro Football Writers of America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-gm-reveals-jj-mccarthy-outcome-minnesota-wants-aaron-rodgers-rumors">Minnesota Vikings have not</a> slammed the door shut on Aaron Rodgers just yet. It seems that they would like to turn their quarterback responsibilities over to J.J. McCarthy for the coming season and that’s just what they will do if last year’s first-round selection is healthy and able to handle the responsibilities that head coach Kevin O’Connell will require of him.</p><p>But while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-gm-breaks-silence-aaron-rodgers-rumors">the Vikings</a> have plenty of confidence — at least outwardly — that McCarthy will be up for the task at hand, they don’t know for sure. It seems fairly likely that he will be healthy enough since he has passed all his benchmarks to this point. He also was in a good position prior to suffering a torn meniscus last year when it came to understanding the Vikings offense.</p><p>It’s one thing to have made the first few steps, it’s quite another to master them. That’s why the door has to remain open for Rodgers. Even if McCarthy has all the ability in the world, if he does not master a high-level offense before the season kicks off — or is at least on track to do so early in the year — it would not make sense to put him in the starting lineup.</p><p>Former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk was a guest on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show and he said the Vikings may still have a belief that they could need Rodgers at one point or another.  “The Vikings had the opportunity to completely close the door on Aaron Rodgers and they didn’t,” <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1905666925666972101">Hawk said</a>. “I know that Aaron Rodgers loves everybody in that Pittsburgh Steelers building.”</p><h2><b>Vikings don’t appear to be looking at Rodgers as insurance policy</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Aaron-Rodgers-played-against-the-Vikings-for-the-majority-of-his-career.jpg"><figcaption>William Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption></figure><p>Hawk’s assessment would seem to be a warning to the Vikings that if they think they might need Rodgers for the coming season they need to make a move quickly. That’s because Rodgers believes he would be happy to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers and raise that team’s level of play.</p><p>However, the Vikings don’t seem likely to make a move in Rodgers’ direction until they are convinced that McCarthy is not on track to be the team’s QB1 by the start of the season.</p><p>Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-gm-breaks-silence-aaron-rodgers-rumors">spoke earlier</a> in the week about his team’s quarterback room. “Obviously things can change, but right now, we’re really happy with our [quarterback] room, and we’re going to look to upgrade it in different ways.”</p><p>Rodgers comes with a lot of baggage in addition to being a 41-year-old quarterback who is no longer at the peak of his powers. How well Rodgers and O’Connell would get along has not been determined, but it seems clear that the last thing the Vikings coach wants is for his locker room to undergo any kind of upheaval. Bringing Rodgers could have a negative impact on team chemistry in Minnesota.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Aaron Rodgers’ former teammate weighs in on Vikings GM’s recent cryptic comments

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/perfect-trade-minnesota-vikings-complete-2025-nfl-free-agency-frenzy');   ga('set', 'title', 'Perfect trade Minnesota Vikings must complete after 2025 NFL free agency frenzy');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Perfect-trade-Minnesota-Vikings-must-complete-after-2025-NFL-free-agency-frenzy.jpg"></figure><h1>Perfect trade Minnesota Vikings must complete after 2025 NFL free agency frenzy</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-27T17:47:41-07:00">March 27th, 5:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-27T17:47:41-07:00">March 27th, 5:47pm</time><address><a href="http://hoopnut.blogspot.com/">Enzo Flojo</a>Enzo Flojo is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints and a columnist for Asian basketball at FIBA. He brings a dynamic spirit and background, having expertise that spans writing, analytics, coaching, and broadcasting. He is also currently an Assistant Coach on Scouting &amp; Analytics for the Philippine national youth basketball team.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings have made their intentions crystal clear—they are fully committed to building for the future. After years of searching for a franchise quarterback, they finally have their answer in JJ McCarthy. However, there’s still one critical move left on the table. To ensure they are fully prepared for any scenario, the Vikings must acquire a proven veteran backup quarterback. Two prime candidates stand out as ideal trade targets: Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Howell and Las Vegas Raiders’ Aidan O’Connell.</p><h2>Minnesota’s Free Agency Recap: A New Era Begins</h2><p>Heading into the 2025 offseason, the Vikings faced major uncertainties at quarterback. Ultimately, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/seahawks-rumors-the-eye-opening-truth-behind-sam-darnolds-100-5-million-contract">they made the right call</a> by allowing Sam Darnold to walk. This redirected their available cap space toward <a href="https://www.espn.ph/nfl/team/depth/_/name/min/minnesota-vikings">other key roster needs</a>. Sure, some of their moves carried inherent risks. However, the team’s overall approach was commendable.</p><p>Minnesota’s aggressive spending raised some concerns. The roster was already loaded with talent and had only a few key holes. Some of these might have been better addressed through the draft. Yes, bolstering both the offensive and defensive lines was a necessary step. That said, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/49ers-news-release-javon-hargrave-but-theres-catch">the decision to overspend</a> on Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen—two aging veterans who have shown signs of regression—was questionable. Of course, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a track record of maximizing talent. We’ll see how that goes.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Javon-Hargrave.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>On the offensive line, Minnesota could see significant improvement if Ryan Kelly and Will Fries remain healthy throughout the season. However, a more prudent approach might have been to target a young running back in the draft rather than re-signing the 30-year-old Aaron Jones and trading for Jorsan Mason. Still, despite these minor missteps, the Vikings have positioned themselves well for the upcoming season. That’s assuming they shore up their quarterback depth before Week 1.</p><p>Here we’ll try to look at the perfect trade that the Minnesota Vikings must complete after the 2025 NFL free agency frenzy.</p><h2>The Need for a Reliable Backup</h2><p>JJ McCarthy <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-gm-reveals-jj-mccarthy-outcome-minnesota-wants-aaron-rodgers-rumors">may be the Vikings’ future</a>, but even the most promising young quarterbacks require solid support. Minnesota cannot afford to leave its season hinging on any unproven or ineffective backup. That’s why securing a capable second-string quarterback should be the final piece of their offseason puzzle.</p><p>Right now, the Vikings’ depth behind McCarthy is a major concern. In fact, it doesn’t seem like they have anyone legitimately positioned at QB2. With the departures of Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones this offseason, the quarterback room is practically empty outside of McCarthy. History has shown that every contending team needs a reliable backup. Just last season, multiple teams saw their playoff hopes dashed when their starting quarterbacks went down. If the Vikings want to be serious contenders in 2025, they must take proactive steps to bring in a veteran presence behind McCarthy.</p><p>Two quarterbacks stand out as ideal trade targets for Minnesota: Sam Howell of the Seattle Seahawks and Aidan O’Connell of the Las Vegas Raiders. Both have starting experience, have flashed potential, and would provide a significant upgrade over the Vikings’ current backup options.</p><h2>Sam Howell: A High-Upside Option</h2><p>Howell was once viewed as a future top-10 draft pick coming out of North Carolina before his stock dropped in his final college season. After starting for the Washington Commanders, he was traded to the Seahawks in 2024. However, he has since found himself on the outside looking in. With Seattle moving forward with its own quarterback plans, Howell is now an expendable asset. That makes him a strong trade candidate for Minnesota.</p><p>His mobility, arm strength, and ability to execute within a structured offense make him an excellent fit in Kevin O’Connell’s system. Howell has shown he can push the ball downfield and extend plays when needed. If the Vikings can acquire him for a mid-to-late-round draft pick, it would be a smart, low-risk move.</p><h2>Aidan O’Connell: A Dependable Game Manager</h2><p>O’Connell, meanwhile, offers a different but equally valuable skill set. The former Raiders starter nearly had a breakthrough moment in 2024 against the Chiefs on Black Friday. However, a late-game miscue cost his team a chance at victory. Sure, he lacks Howell’s dynamic playmaking ability. That said, O’Connell has proven that he can efficiently manage an offense.</p><p>With Las Vegas undergoing major changes, the new regime should be inclined to move on from O’Connell.. If that’s the case, the Vikings should be ready to strike. O’Connell’s experience handling high-pressure situations in the AFC West would make him a valuable insurance policy for Minnesota.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Antonio-Pierce-talking-to-Aidan-OConnell.jpg"><figcaption>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h2>What It Would Take</h2><p>Acquiring either Howell or O’Connell wouldn’t require a major investment. A conditional fifth- or sixth-round pick would likely be enough to land one of them, considering their current standing with their respective teams. For the Vikings, that’s a small price to pay for added security at the most important position in football.</p><p>Neither Howell nor O’Connell is a long-term franchise quarterback, but that’s not what Minnesota needs right now. They need someone who can step in and keep the offense afloat if McCarthy is sidelined. Both Howell and O’Connell fit that profile.</p><h2>Final Thoughts</h2><p>The Minnesota Vikings have made significant strides this offseason, solidifying their roster with key free-agent acquisitions and placing their faith in JJ McCarthy as the future of the franchise. However, to truly complete their championship blueprint, they must address the final missing piece—a reliable backup quarterback. Whether it’s Sam Howell’s dynamic playmaking ability or Aidan O’Connell’s steady presence, acquiring a proven second-string signal-caller would provide crucial insurance for a team with high aspirations. The 2025 NFL season is shaping up to be a defining one for the Vikings, and by securing a quality backup, they can ensure they’re ready for any challenge that comes their way. If Minnesota truly wants to contend, making this trade isn’t just a smart move—it’s a necessary one.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Perfect trade Minnesota Vikings must complete after 2025 NFL free agency frenzy

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-gm-reveals-jj-mccarthy-outcome-minnesota-wants-aaron-rodgers-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings GM reveals desired JJ McCarthy outcome amid Aaron Rodgers rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vikings-news-GM-reveals-JJ-McCarthy-outcome-that-Minnesota-wants-amid-Aaron-Rodgers-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings GM reveals desired JJ McCarthy outcome amid Aaron Rodgers rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-26T21:52:04-07:00">March 26th, 9:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-26T21:52:04-07:00">March 26th, 9:52pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Arguably the biggest storyline that is still unsolved this offseason is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-gm-breaks-silence-aaron-rodgers-rumors">surrounding Aaron Rodgers</a> and the quarterback situations in both Pittsburgh and Minnesota. Rodgers is the most high-profile free agent still left on the market, and the Vikings and the Steelers seem like the most likely destinations.</p><p>Of course, if the Vikings end up being the landing spot, the question becomes what happens to JJ McCarthy. Is he the backup? do they have a competition in camp? <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-rumors-jj-mccarthy-trade-sam-darnold-long-term-deal">Could McCarthy request a trade</a>?</p><p>As of now, it seems like McCarthy is still the favorite to be the starter in Minnesota. General manager Kewsi Adofo-Mensah is still <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44418571/vikings-want-mccarthy-qb1-rule-more-rodgers-talks" rel="noopener">hoping that’s the case</a>, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.</p><p>“Naming J.J. McCarthy the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback is ‘the outcome we want’ and ‘the outcome we’re headed towards,’ general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Wednesday in the first comments from an organizational decision-maker since the team embarked on a $300 million offseason shopping spree that included direct conversations with free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers,” Seifert wrote.</p><p>While Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wouldn’t commit to McCarthy with 100% certainty, he did shed some light on the young quarterback and the things that he has been impressed with in the Michigan product this offseason.</p><p>“At every checkpoint, whether it been the draft process or practice until the injury and really the offseason now, he’s met the bar,” Adofo-Mensah said, per Seifert. “He’s exceeded our expectations at every point. So I don’t have the ability to tell you what the future is, but I can tell you what I expect to be the outcome this offseason from the competition. But it’s also our job to set up a quarterback room that’s going to have to … provide insurance in case somebody needs to come in for a couple of games. And that’s our job as a personnel department to look at all the options out there and make sure we’re setting ourselves up for the best case we can.”</p><p>The Vikings seem to be out of the Rodgers business, as do the New York Giants after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/giants-news-russell-wilson-real-playing-for-brian-daboll">signing both Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson</a> to contracts in the last week. Unless Minnesota has a change of heart when it comes to the veteran Hall-of-Famer, it looks like McCarthy will be taking the snaps with the first team when he fully recovers from his knee injury that kept him out for his entire rookie season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings GM reveals desired JJ McCarthy outcome amid Aaron Rodgers rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-gm-breaks-silence-aaron-rodgers-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings GM breaks silence on Aaron Rodgers rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GM-breaks-silence-on-Aaron-Rodgers-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings GM breaks silence on Aaron Rodgers rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-26T13:44:29-07:00">March 26th, 1:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-26T14:35:14-07:00">March 26th, 2:35pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings look to be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-j-j-mccarthy-bombshell-revelation-kay-adams">ready to hand J.J. McCarthy the keys</a> as the starting quarterback, but there’s still a voice in the background that’s saying Aaron Rodgers could sign with them.</p><p>Rodgers has had a few options on the table on where he could sign, and with the New York Giants recently agreeing to terms with Russell Wilson, his last two options seem to be the Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers.</p><p>In a recent interview, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked about their interest in Rodgers and <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44418571/vikings-want-mccarthy-qb1-rule-more-rodgers-talks" rel="noopener">didn’t rule out</a> the possibility of them signing him.</p><p>“For me to sit here and say that anything’s 100 percent forever, that’s just not the job,” Adofo-Mensah said via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “We’re responding to scenarios and different information as it comes. So obviously things can change, but right now, we’re really happy with our [quarterback] room, and we’re going to look to upgrade it in different ways.”</p><p>Though there have been rumors that McCarthy was not told that he would be the starting quarterback, he is supposed to take first-team reps when they get back on the field. Though McCarthy is setting up to be the future of the Vikings, getting a veteran like Rodgers wouldn’t be a bad idea, and he could take their team to the next level.</p><h2><b>Could the Vikings sign Aaron Rodgers?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Aaron-Rodgers_ea9e05.jpg"><figcaption>© Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>At this point, the Vikings seem to be committed to McCarthy. He’s been cleared for offseason activities after he had to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-second-knee-surgery">recover from a torn meniscus</a> in his right knee before the start of last season, and now he’s working to regain weight after losing more than 20 pounds throughout recovery.</p><p>“Whether it been the draft process or practice until the injury and really the offseason now, he’s met the bar,” Adofo-Mensah said. “He’s exceeded our expectations at every point. So I don’t have the ability to tell you what the future is, but I can tell you what I expect to be the outcome this offseason from the competition.</p><p>“But it’s also our job to set up a quarterback room that’s going to have to … provide insurance in case somebody needs to come in for a couple of games.”</p><p>Adofo-Mensah knows the relationship that Rodgers and Kevin O’Connell have, but he’s only worried about <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/vikings-gm-kwesi-odofo-mensah-discusses-talks-with-aaron-rodgers-j-j-mccarthy-s-path-to-starting" rel="noopener">what he can control</a>.</p><p>“I know Kevin (O’Connell) and (Aaron Rodgers) have a great relationship still; they’ll still have a relationship and keep talking, but right now I’m focused on the two players that are in our room right now,” Adofo-Mensah said.</p><p>Though the Vikings know they have a young quarterback ready to play, their roster is built to win now, and Rodgers gives them that ability. It will be interesting where Rodgers ends up signing, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he chooses the Vikings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings GM breaks silence on Aaron Rodgers rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-harrison-smiths-aaron-rodgers-comments-will-draw-attention-amid-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Harrison Smith’s Aaron Rodgers comments will draw attention amid Vikings rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Harrison-Smiths-Aaron-Rodgers-comments-will-draw-attention-amid-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Harrison Smith’s Aaron Rodgers comments will draw attention amid Vikings rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-25T12:11:11-07:00">March 25th, 12:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-25T15:54:26-07:00">March 25th, 3:54pm</time><address><a>Ben Strauss</a>Ben Strauss is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a die-hard NFL fan who cheers for the Detroit Lions. He has previously written fantasy football content for IDPGuys and ImportantNonsense.com.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Vikings</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings have already had an exciting offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/seattle-seahawks/seahawks-news-seattle-sam-darnold-agree-massive-100-million-contract">Minnesota lost out on QB Sam Darnold, who left to join Seattle</a> in free agency. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-2-more-big-splashes-trenches-jonathan-allen-deal">Vikings instead decided to upgrade the trenches</a>, adding Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Will Fries on big contracts. Now rumors are swirling about possibly adding Aaron Rodgers as well.</p><p>Vikings safety Harrison Smith <a href="https://x.com/UpAndAdamsShow/status/1904555764099748184" rel="noopener">shared his thoughts</a> on Aaron Rodgers during a recent interview with Kay Adams.</p><p>“I will say, Rodgers has been- I’ve played against him my whole career,” Harrison said via Up and Adams with Kay Adams on Tuesday. “He’s always my favorite quarterback to watch and also my least favorite quarterback because he’s very tough to defend.”</p><p>The Vikings have recently stated that they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/nfl-rumors-how-vikings-aaron-rodgers-decision-impacts-free-agency-timeline">plan to move forward with JJ McCarthy at quarterback</a> in 2025. However, some still think Rodgers could become a Viking.</p><p>“I’m not going to speculate on that,” Harrison continued. “But I have a very great appreciation for him and his talent and how he… some of the throws he would make, I was just like ‘well, what do you want us to do?’ ”</p><p>Adams then asked Smith about what his verbal interactions with Rodgers have been on the football field.</p><p>“There’s a lot of eye contact honestly,” Harrison said. “Like pre-snap. I would say the funniest one was like the COVID year so it would get quiet. He knew I was trying to disguise something, and I was going to come closer to the line of scrimmage. He was under center and took his hands out and [waved at me to come forward]. He was kind of disrespecting me, I guess.”</p><h2><b>Dianna Russini ‘guesses’ Aaron Rodgers will still be a Viking</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Former-Jets-quarterback-Aaron-Rodgers.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Some NFL figures are not ready to get up on the idea of Rodgers joining the Vikings. Dianna Russini speculated that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/nfl-stories/nfl-rumors-insider-guesses-aaron-rodgers-will-still-be-a-viking">Rodgers could still end up becoming a Viking</a> despite the team’s recent lack of interest in him.</p><p>“This is a guess! This is a guess! I feel like we just need to emphasize this. I think Aaron Rodgers is going to be a Minnesota Viking,” Russini said Thursday via The Dan Patrick Show. Russini pointed to some people within the organization wanting Rodgers as part of the rationale for her gut feeling.</p><p>She is not alone in her belief. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk explained in a recent article that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-rumors-how-aaron-rodgers-could-join-minnesota-despite-jj-mccarthy-stance">Rodgers could be the “emergency option”</a> for Minnesota if JJ McCarthy struggles during the team’s offseason program.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-injury-update">McCarthy is coming off a season-ending injury</a>, so it stands to reason that he may not be ready to lead the team right away this summer.</p><p>It will be interesting to see where Aaron Rodgers eventually lands this offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Will
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