The Vikings made a change to their roster after the end of this week’s mandatory minicamp.
They announced the signing of offensive lineman Vershon Lee. Lee worked out for the team on Thursday and also met with them prior to going undrafted earlier this year.
Lee started 40 games while at South Carolina and saw time at center, guard and tackle for the Gamecocks. He spent the 2024 season at center, which is a spot the Vikings plan to fill with free agent acquisition Ryan Kelly.
The Vikings waived safety Bubba Bolden in a corresponding move. Bolden signed with the team in March and has previously spent time with the Seahawks, Browns, and in the UFL.
The Vikings, like all teams, will have an extended break before training camp opens next month. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy intends to maximize any opportunity to work with his receivers during the otherwise down time.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, McCarthy said he plans to “take advantage of this time with the guys and just get as many reps as I can, with Justin [Jefferson], Jordan [Addison], T.J. [Hockenson], all the guys, and just make sure that, you know, we hit this ground running when we get back here.”
Where will the workouts happen?
“I’ll stay here,” McCarthy said “but if I have to go find them, I will. For sure.”
That’s the kind of thing Vikings fans will want to hear from a 2024 first-round quarterback whose rookie season was scrapped by a knee injury. He’s still unproven, but the commitment he’s showing will make a difference when the time comes to show what he can do in September.
A full meniscus repair wiped out all of quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s rookie season. He’s officially ready to go for 2025.
McCarthy told reporters on Thursday that he recently received full medical clearance.
It happened at a physical last Monday, June 2.
McCarthy also said the knee wasn’t an issue for him during the offseason program.
“I’ve never felt it at all,” McCarthy said. “You know, it feels honestly stronger than ever.”
That’s great news for McCarthy and for the Vikings’ offense. The team has taken a calculated risk by rolling the dice on an unproven commodity, given that the rest of the roster is ready to contend for a division title — and a potentially deep playoff run.
The Vikings signed General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to a contract extension this offseason and they announced that he’ll be working with a pair of assistant General Managers on Wednesday.
The team has promoted Ryan Grigson and Demitrius Washington to that position. Grigson, who served as the G.M. of the Colts earlier in his career, was the senior vice president of player personnel. Washington’s previous title was vice president of football operations.
“We’re proud of the continued growth and evolution of our entire football staff as we enter 2025,” Adofo-Mensah said in a statement. “Our success is built on the dedication of our talented individuals who bring unique strengths to the table as we push forward to our ultimate goal of bringing a championship to Minnesota.”
The Vikings also announced promotions for assistant equipment manager Terrell Barnes, team operations manager Milan Burgess, senior director of football information systems Luke Burson, senior player personnel analyst Taylor Brooks, senior database administrator Mike Desplenter, director of family engagement Quinn Gjersvig, college area scout Michell Mankoff, and associate head athletic trainer Connor Whicker.
In addition to those moves, the Vikings announced titles for director of sports medicine Matt Duhamel, college area scout Jake Essler, senior manager of team operations/liaison to player personnel Chuck Petersen, assistant strength coach/head of applied sports science Dan Ridenour, senior college executive Pat Roberts, and football video coordinator Ella Pearson.
After his first practice with the Steelers, quarterback Aaron Rodgers spent 12 minutes or so with reporters. One of the most important answers Rodgers gave related to his alternatives to signing with Pittsburgh.
As Rodgers told it on Tuesday, the choice was simple.
“There was conversations with other organizations, for sure,” Rodgers said. “But, again, the rapport that fell in between me and Mike [Tomlin] made it to where, as I was going through my personal stuff, there wasn’t any other option for me. It was here or not play.”
Rodgers previously has said that he spoke to other teams. Most notably, he talked to the Vikings and the Giants. In the end, as he explains it, there was only one team he was going to play for.
Rodgers also said that he doesn’t need to keep playing for his “ego,” and that he made the decision that was “best for my soul.”
“I felt like being here with Coach T and the guys they got here and the opportunity here was the best for me, and I’m excited to be here,” Rodgers said.
Plenty of Steelers fans aren’t as excited, for now. If things go well, they will be. If nothing else, they should be excited about the very low base value of the Rodgers deal — and about the fact that, if he make his full $19.5 million, it will mean that the Steelers have won their seventh Super Bowl.
