https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7167213...est-worst/

The Cardinals released quarterback Kyler Murray instead of trading him, and it’s easy to see why. The team began telegraphing Murray’s exit last season when handing over the job to Jacoby Brissett, limiting its leverage in trade talks.

Some saw that as a missed chance.

“I feel like they could have done a lot of different things, but they chose not to,” one exec said. “They just wanted him off the roster, wanted to save the $19.5 million (in 2027 salary that would have become fully guaranteed this month). They did not want to mess with it. I don’t know why. They don’t have a good enough roster where that $19.5 million really matters.”

The Vikings had to feel even better about adding quarterback Kyler Murray on the cheap after seeing one of their former QBs, Kirk Cousins, command guarantees in the second year from Las Vegas. Yes, the Vikings agreed not to use the franchise tag on Murray after 2026, but that’s a problem Minnesota might welcome at this point.

“Minnesota improved,” an exec said. “I like what they did with Kyler Murray. How could you not? They have a ton of talent on offense. They have a more competitive QB room now.”

With all the talk about if the Vikings should/will trade down from 18 or some other trade to fill that 4th round gap in our 9 picks, I nerded out and found the 2026 draft value chart

https://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value...stTeam=MIN

and figured out trade-downs with every team below us in the 1st round.   For 2 teams, Seattle and Buffalo, while the trades are a value match, I think there's no way they're moving up.  Seattle only has 4 picks: 32, 64, 96, and 188.  If Buffalo did this proposed trade, their next pick after 18 would be #165.  Anyway, here's 14 trades that Brez might pull on Thursday night: 

CAR: gets #18, Vikings  19 +158.  
DAL: 18+163, Vikings #20 + 112
PIT: 18, Vikings #21+121+237 (The Steelers have 11 picks, a prime candidate)
LAC: 18+163+196, Vikings #22+86 (An odd one.  Vikes lose a 6th, but pole vault their 5th 77 spots)
PHI: 18, Vikings #23+98+187 
CLE: 18+49, Vikings #24+39+146
CHI: 18+97, Vikings #25+57 (yes, I know, division rival, yuck, but you never know...)
BUF: 18, Vikings #26+91+126
SF: 18, Vikings #27+127+133+138+139 (Well, you wanted 4th rounders...)
HOU: 18+163, Vikings #28+59
KC: 18+163, Vikings #29+74+109
MIA: 18, Vikings #30+87+94 
NE: 18, Vikings #31+63+131
SEA: 18+163+196, Vikings #32+64+96

The Steeler and Eagle trades I like the best, while the SF swap makes me grin just for the weird of it.

Another possible trade: our #97 for SF's 127+133.  Fills in the middle of the draft board.

The NFL announced offseason workout program dates for all 32 teams, and the Vikings will start getting back together pretty quickly.

Players will report to TCO Performance Center in Eagan for the first day of the offseason program on April 20, three days before this year’s NFL draft in Pittsburgh.

Mandatory minicamp will take place June 9-11.

The league’s nine-week voluntary offseason program is divided into three phases, beginning with two weeks of meetings, strength and conditioning and rehabilitation exclusively in Phase 1.

In Phase 2, teams are allowed on-field activities but limited to select types of drills, some limited to walk-through speed. Live contact or team drills pitting the offense and defense against each other are allowed.

Organized team activities, as well as mandatory mini-camp, are Phase 3 of the program. Teams are allowed 10 days of OTA practices where 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are allowed but live contact is still not permitted.

At the NFL annual meeting on Monday, March 30, in Phoenix, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he expects the team’s “full group of wide receivers” to be in attendance for all of OTAs.

The only portion of OTAs veteran players are fined for missing is mandatory minicamp, though attendance is encouraged.

Last season, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s presence was notable as the team looked to establish chemistry between him and young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. This year, they will be onboarding him with new QB addition Kyler Murray as well as building on the foundation laid with McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer last year.

“The way the offseason’s set up, we’re going to be out there for Phase 2 where there’s really not a lot of competitive reps to go around, other than throwing routes on air, and we’re going to want to have guys working with everybody. Getting as many reps as we possibly can,” O’Connell said. 

“The offseason program anymore is still a pretty strong teaching, learning phase, and when it’s time to truly start logging reps and counting throws … there’ll be a time and place for that.”

Last year, the Vikings ended their OTAs early per O’Connell’s decision following the completion of mandatory minicamp.

Here is the Vikings’ full offseason program schedule:

• First day: April 20
  
• Rookie minicamp: Either May 1-4 or 8-11
  
• OTAs: May 26-27, May 29, June 1-2, June 4, June 15-18
  
• Mandatory minicamp: June 9-11
  

Time flies, it'll be OTA's' in the blink of an eye!

I'm curious, as a Fan, when did you realize the 2025 Vikings weren't gonna be as good as you'd hoped? 

When did ya get the feeling in your gut that said, "Uh-oh" this isn't gonna work nearly as well as you'd hoped?

The moment you  figured out, JJ wasn't be as good as  advertised ?

FWIW The Vikings played lights out in 2000,Culpepper's first  year as a starter.   it was  a precedent of what was possible. 

With Free Agency spending , the roster,    there were semi realistic high expectations  in 2025.


For me it was in Preseason, when the starters didn't play much.
A rookie QB who'd sat out an entire year ,playing behind a replaced IOL , and a new IDL in Flores system that all  got limited reps....?  


Denny Green got it right when his teams  played full out in preseason and it worked.

The practice of sitting starters in preseason was predicated on a veteran unit returning in tact, where they'd demonstrated they didn't need the reps. That's not what is happening now. These units and players are unproven due to Free Agency yet everyone sits out most of Preseason....


What's the upside to resting starters only for them to show up  week 1 looking off and out of sorts where they  needed more reps..Isn't that the purpose of Preseason?

Now I am not a fan of Mr Hair, and he is rarely accurate, but this was a 3 round mock from 4 .   Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates took turns making selections through the top 100 picks.  

49. Minnesota Vikings
Kiper's pick: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

Aaron Jones Sr. is 31 years old, and Jordan Mason hasn't made the jump to clear RB1. Neither is signed beyond 2026. And Price is a powerful runner with enough speed to cut and go.

Here are the other Minnesota mocks in the Top 100:
Matt Miller had a predictable pick at #18...this would not be a surprise:
18. Minnesota Vikings
Miller's pick: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
This might be the second-most-predicted pick in mock drafts behind Mendoza to the Raiders. Thieneman can be a smooth-moving replacement for longtime Vikings safety Harrison Smith.

82. Minnesota Vikings
Miller's pick: Connor Lew, C, Auburn
Ryan Kelly's retirement this offseason leaves an opening at center. Lew is coming off an ACL injury but has high-end starter traits.

97. Minnesota Vikings*
Kiper's pick: De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
The Jalen Nailor role behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is open for applicants in the Minnesota offense, and Stribling is fresh off his second straight 800-plus-yard season.

Keep in mind that being accurate in the second or third round is like predicting the temperature next month. But I could certainly feel good about these first three picks.

At end of the last season, it was fair to wonder what the future held for Darrisaw after a particularly frustrating return from an October 2024 knee injury. He was on the active roster at the start of the campaign but managed only 10 starts at left tackle, five of which he left early, and finished on injured reserve.

The Vikings did not look to replace him this offseason, although they did sign a formidable backup in restricted free agent Ryan Van Demark. In Phoenix, O'Connell was asked if he thinks Darrisaw will be ready to play a full season in 2026. O'Connell expressed optimism for him playing 17 games, although it seems possible that Darrisaw will continue to follow a maintenance plan that limits his practice time.

"With an injury like that, sometimes time is truly the only thing that will ultimately get us to where we want to get to," O'Connell said. "And I do believe we're at that point now. He's having a really good offseason. What that looks like, what his daily practice schedule and plan looks like, we're going to do what we think is best to get Christian ready to play 17 games and feel at his absolute best to do so."

ESPN

I believe it was Murphy with a pick and the receiver reached in and put one hand on the ball and was awarded possession?
I can't remember which game that was.

Jalen Hurts: the guy is 57-25 as a starter. I'm 100% convinced its mostly because he's not dynamic or exciting enough, just workmanlike. Accomplished alot already at 27 years old.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4822...brown-2026

Speculation....Makes some sense with Willis gone and LaFleur & Kirk go back to DC together...

================================

Currently, the Packers have quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord on their roster behind Love. However, neither has a reputation for success that the NFL level and many wonder if Green Bay may want to add a veteran quarterback who would provide more certain security.

That being said, Willis did not have a good reputation as a successful NFL quarterback when the Packers first acquired him.

Still, there have been suggestions thrown out that Green Bay may look into signing four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins to backup Love. General manager Brian Gutekunst addressed this suggestion earlier this week, per Matt Schneidman:

“We’ve discussed a lot of those options. Obviously, that’s a guy who’s got a lot of pelts on the wall in this league, so we’ve certainly discussed all those kind of things, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Obviously, this is an intriguing idea because of how successful Cousins had been, overall, in his NFL career. He is also familiar with the Packers thanks to his tenure with the rival Minnesota Vikings.

Beyond that, though, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur was Cousins’ first quarterbacks coach dating back to their days in Washington.

It remains to be seen who exactly will end up as Love’s backup in 2026. Cousins is a free agent and likely is headed for a backup role wherever he goes. Him ending up with the Packers may be a stretch, but it is far from impossible.

Source: Wisportsheroics