2025 Vikings Offseason

[gunnarthor]

Reports on Blackmon at camp were that he was struggling and had fallen to sixth on the depth chart. I had hoped he'd recover and improve on a solid rookie season but not to be. 

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, gunnarthor said:

Reports on Blackmon at camp were that he was struggling and had fallen to sixth on the depth chart. I had hoped he'd recover and improve on a solid rookie season but not to be. 

It really closes the book on an awful first draft year for Kwesi.  I think we've improved since then, but that really set us back.

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

It really closes the book on an awful first draft year for Kwesi.  I think we've improved since then, but that really set us back.

Blackmon was the second-highest pick of his second class, not first... it's Addison and almost nothing else from 2022 and 2023.

[gunnarthor]

Vikes waived Gabe Murphy. Not a huge surprise but I thought he had a chance to be one of the last few roster spots. He looked good in pre-season games. I think the Vikings might keep more of the interior DL/OL than I had originally thought. I haven't seen that Huber has been cut yet. 

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, Danchat said:

Blackmon was the second-highest pick of his second class, not first... it's Addison and almost nothing else from 2022 and 2023.

Good catch....yeah that's true.

[gunnarthor]

Looks like both Chaz Chambliss and Elijah Williams made the Vikings initial roster. I thought the Phillips trade was a good sign for both of them. Bit surprised that Chambliss made it over Murphy. 

[Vanimal46]

We’re obviously not heading into week 1 with 4 CBs and a WR room looking like that. More work to be done over the next couple of days. I’ll guess 2 CBs and maybe 2 WRs added 

[Vanimal46]

7 (!!) UDFAs made the initial roster. 

[gunnarthor]

4 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

7 (!!) UDFAs made the initial roster. 

Yeah, some of these definitely won't be there. I'm surprised RB Scott made the team but I think he'll be gone before week one. I think Myles Price is the punt returner so WR Jones is probably next in line to get cut when we add Theilen (or someone else). 10 offensive linemen is a bit surprising but Huber had a great camp and Jurgens is the only other center. LB Keys had a nice camp and he was apparently a really strong special teamer.  

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

7 (!!) UDFAs made the initial roster. 

At least two won't be here long....likely 3-4.

[Danchat]

Here's what I got for the PFF depth chart:

I threw Scott at FB as a placeholder, we'll see if the team just stops using formations with FBs with Ham on the IR.

[DocBauer]

There's a lot to compact here.

I NEVER thought Phillips would be traded! Anyone saw that coming? I mean, I've been looking at all the young talent on the DL mixed with the veteran FA signings, and was wondering how we could possibly keep everyone, but I still didn't see that trade happening. 

Long look, I get it. A pair of top FA additions and salary cap concerns and a host of top young talent and I guess a move had to be made. 

On the plus side, Redmond has proven to be a steal. The staff has been excited about LDR since they picked him. He looks like the real deal. Ingram-Dawkins appears to be the real deal. A super talented kid who played behind a lot of other talented players and never got his time to really shine in college. 

And I'm not patting my back on Eligah Williams, but I did post that despite being a small school kid with amazing production, I was surprised he was only a camp invite, and to watch him as a PS option. I NEVER thought he'd be this good so soon!

CRAZY to realize the DL is potentially just fine without Phillips! And just as crazy to NOT HAVE ROOM for Taimani as a backup NT who AGAIN had a good camp and preseason. I really hope we can keep him for the PS.

SOMEBODY tell me why Murphy wasn't kept? Is there something we don't know about his cut? I like Richter a lot as a ST player with the ability to contribute on the defensive side as well. And I saw enough of UDFA Chambliss that I wanted him on the PS. But how in hell does Murphy go from a few flash plays when healthy in 2024, a great preseason this year, to suddenly being cut? I'm so confused right now!

I think Thayer Thompson is a better WR than Jones. I think it came down to previous ST production. I'd have gone with offensive potential instead, but I'm not the head coach.

Tavierre Thomas Is a CB who they converted to S, IIRC. So he can still fit there as the 5th CB.  Metellus often plays nickel and dime CB. Still, I'd expect a trade or signing soon at CB and Thomas waived.

I'm so disappointed that Howell didn't take the #2 QB role and run with it. I thought he was a great fit to be a Donaldson-like project who could really step forward on this team, with this coaching staff, and build his career as a top backup, or maybe earn a better job later. But to get a better pick for him and get Wentz as a veteran backup option is OK for me.

The FIRST 53 man is ALWAYS fluid for the first couple of days. I get that.

But SOMEBODY please tell me why a young, talented guy like Murphy was let go? There HAS to be more to the story.

[Vanimal46]

A bit of an overpay but we were put in a desperate spot. 

[Original_JB]

Thielen on his way back....

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2025/08/panthers-to-send-wr-adam-thielen-back-to-vikings

[nicksaviking]

Not sure what Theilen has left in the tank, this is totally a comfort move.

[gunnarthor]

Just now, nicksaviking said:

Not sure what Theilen has left in the tank, this is totally a comfort move.

I know he was injured last year but he looked ok in the games he played. His last six games he had 37 catches for 450 yards. At his age, he could fall of a cliff but he worked out with McCarthy this offseason and knows the playbook (more or less). He should be able to adequately cover for Addison the first few weeks. 

I agree that a 2027 4th seemed more than I expected.

[Mike Sixel]

So they move down for two years and get a Wr. I'm ok with this. This is all Addisons fault....

[Mike Sixel]

For a team with a rookie-ish QB, they are definitely all in on this year and next.....

[TheLeviathan]

17 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

For a team with a rookie-ish QB, they are definitely all in on this year and next.....

For sure.  And with the way they loaded the cap.....I think they believe next year's cap sees a major increase.

[DocBauer]

23 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

For sure.  And with the way they loaded the cap.....I think they believe next year's cap sees a major increase.

I hope you're right. Some re-worked deals are a possibility. Thankfully, we have some of the best CAP thinkers in the league. Having, potentially, 6 picks in the 1st 4 rounds doesn't hurt for the future either.

[Cap'n Piranha]

On 8/21/2025 at 10:06 AM, Fatbat said:

All the kid has done is win. Id rather win football games and championships than have a Phillip Rivers that throws for thousands of yards and rarely wins. 

Yeah, not the point I was making.  I was saying it's a little much to think the Vikes traded Harrison Phillips because a couple of undrafted DTs are going to be all-pros.

[DocBauer]

Just tossing out a couple of thoughts now that the roster and PS are MOSTLY set.

Hard not to love having Thielen back. If he's got enough gas in the tank for 2yrs left, it's a really nice add. But I don't like the 2027 4th rounder to make it happen. 

Really unfortunate that Howell didn't work out. But I feel really comfortable about Wentz as a veteran #2.

Doesn't it just feel like another CB is coming on board still?

The PS is pretty close to what I thought and hoped. But a couple guys I thought would be there are on the current roster, or on the temporary IL list.

Very happy to see Taimani back. He deserved to be on the 53 man. Just crazy we are so deep there that there wasn't room. Equally happy to have Murphy back. Thought for sure someone would snag him. What am I missing that he didn't make the 53 man?

Also nice to see Vaughn kept at CB. Terribly inconsistent in the preseason. Flash one play and then slip or break wrong on the next. But there's some real potential there. And interesting to see Moreau back at CB. Initially, I thought they'd bring him back as a 5th-6th CB option.

Obviously, the primary roster is going to change a bit over the next few weeks. Addison will be back, Ham will be back, and so will rookie UDFA Batty. So the roster and PS are going to be in some state of flux still.

Any initial thoughts one way or another?

 

[DocBauer]

14 minutes ago, Cap'n Piranha said:

Yeah, not the point I was making.  I was saying it's a little much to think the Vikes traded Harrison Phillips because a couple of undrafted DTs are going to be all-pros.

Only copying your post due to the fact it mentioned Phillips and the DT spot. 

I was really surprised to see Phillips go, and quite sad. He's been a really good performer, captain, leader, and great influence in every community he's been a part of. Including here in his home town of Omaha.

NEVER saw that move coming!

But the more I've thought and reflected on it, kinda makes some sense. They get another pick, help with the CAP to some degree, and as good as Phillips has been, he's just probably not as good as Allen or Hargrave. 

I also doubt any of the young DL turn out to be Pro Bowl type performers. But I was so impressed with Redmond last preseason and thought they might have gotten a steal. Looks like they might have.

Hard to say how good LDR and Ingram-Dawkins will turn out, but damn if it doesn't look like they got a couple of potential steals there as well. A lot of talent and EFFORT on the field with those two.

When they brought Elijah Williams in for a tryout, I did as much research as I could. And when I saw his numbers at Morgan State, and his test numbers at the small school HBCU Legacy Bowl, I couldn't figure out why he wasn't listed as a possible late round or priority UDFA option. He's still got a lot to prove coming from such a small program, but he really flashed in all 3 preseason games. I have to believe he did as well in camp, and the various team scrimmages. 

It's really hard to believe that Taimani...who made the initial roster last season before becoming injured...couldn't land a spot despite quality play this preseason. 

Just a lot of young talent to work with behind the veterans. I'm really going to miss Phillips, but I'm also very encouraged by the young kids and their potential.