Minnesota Vikings news

Vikings elevate Hekker to 53-man roster as Thorson sidelined, Samac lands on IR

Minnesota signed veteran punter Johnny Hekker from the practice squad after rookie Brett Thorson suffered a hamstring injury, while C Nick Samac went to injured reserve with a knee injury, ahead of the unbeaten Vikings' trip to Tampa Bay.

Vikings' Week 3 injury report: Thorson, Samac out; Darrisaw, Smith limited

P Brett Thorson and C Nick Samac are ruled out, while T Christian Darrisaw and S Harrison Smith were limited Friday without a game designation, as 2-0 Minnesota travels to Tampa Bay.

Dallas Turner leads NFL with 20 pressures as Vikings look to stay unbeaten

Edge rusher Dallas Turner leads the league with 20 pressures through two games, while RB Aaron Jones' heavy 24-carry workload last week is a mild watch item as Minnesota visits winless Tampa Bay.

Hekker's signing and Samac's IR move are this week's roster-move story behind an unbeaten Vikings trip to Tampa.

Vikings rule out punter, sign Johnny Hekker to practice squad ahead of Buccaneers

Minnesota's punter is out with a hamstring injury and the unbeaten Vikings quickly moved for a veteran replacement option.

Kyler Murray returns as Vikings' record-setting blitz rate meets Buccaneers

Minnesota's quarterback is back from a concussion as the unbeaten Vikings bring the NFL's highest blitz rate in the Next Gen Stats era to Tampa.

Kyler Murray's return meets a record-setting blitz rate as the unbeaten Vikings visit Tampa.

Vikings' Defense Grinds Out Rainy Win Over Bears, Improve to 2-0

Minnesota held Chicago without a touchdown in a 9-3 win, limiting the Bears to 297 total yards and recording four sacks to stay the only unbeaten team in the NFC North.

Carson Wentz Runs Offense as Kyler Murray Clears Concussion Protocol

Backup Carson Wentz led Minnesota's offense in the win over Chicago while starter Kyler Murray worked through and has since cleared the concussion protocol.

Rookie Linebacker Dallas Turner's Development Drawing Notice

Local Vikings coverage highlighted linebacker Dallas Turner's continued growth as a building block for Minnesota's defense during the team's 2-0 start.

Aaron Jones Emerging as Vikings' Workhorse Running Back

Running back Aaron Jones is taking on a bigger role in Minnesota's offense as the Vikings look to keep pace with an unbeaten start.

Minnesota's defense has carried the NFC North's only unbeaten team.

The Vikings' quarterback picture bears watching as Kyler Murray returns from concussion protocol.

Vikings survive Soldier Field rain, beat Bears 9-3 as Dallas Turner's walk-off sack seals a 2-0 start

Minnesota is the NFC North's only unbeaten team after winning the lowest-scoring game in the series' history. Dallas Turner had 2 sacks including the game-sealing sack of Bears backup Tyson Bagent; K Will Reichard went 3-for-3 to account for all of Minnesota's points.

Vikings are the NFC North's last unbeaten team — Dallas Turner's emerging pass rush is a thread to watch.

Carson Wentz to make 100th career start as Vikings QB1 vs. Bears with Kyler Murray still in concussion protocol

Murray was ruled out Friday after Week 1's concussion; Wentz went 12-of-19 for 133 yards and 3 TDs in relief last week and will make his 100th career start, sixth as a Viking.

Wentz's 100th career start carries the Vikings' 1-0 start while Murray's concussion timeline stays the thing to watch.

Carson Wentz gets his 100th career start Sunday at Bears with Kyler Murray in concussion protocol

O'Connell confirmed Wentz starts in place of Murray; Wentz threw 3 TDs off the bench in Week 1's comeback win over Green Bay, and DC Brian Flores blitzed at an 82.1% rate that game.

Vikings rule out Kyler Murray, list Brian O'Neill questionable for Sunday's game at Chicago

Murray (concussion) is out after a full week of limited practice; O'Neill (knee) is questionable after a mixed practice week.

Vikings place RB Jordan Mason on injured reserve with fractured thumb, promote DeeJay Dallas

Mason led Minnesota in Week 1 with 59 yards and a TD before the injury; his IR stint means a four-game minimum absence. Dallas, promoted from the practice squad, delivered a key block on a 68-yard kickoff return in his debut.

Carson Wentz's 100th career start comes with the division lead on the line at Chicago.

Minnesota's backfield is reshuffled after Jordan Mason's season-altering thumb injury.

Kyler Murray remains in concussion protocol; Vikings will make QB call Friday for Bears game

QB Kyler Murray was a limited participant Wednesday and Thursday as he works through concussion protocol; Minnesota will announce Friday whether he or Carson Wentz starts Sunday's road game at Chicago.

Vikings place RB Jordan Mason on IR after thumb surgery; Aaron Jones set as lead back at Chicago

Mason had surgery for a fractured thumb and landed on IR Wednesday; Aaron Jones is set to carry the lead role Sunday against a Bears run defense that allowed 291 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in Week 1.

Whether Kyler Murray clears concussion protocol by Friday is the swing factor for Minnesota's division-defining trip to Chicago.

Vikings place RB Jordan Mason on IR with thumb fracture, sign DeeJay Dallas

Mason led Minnesota in Week 1 rushing before the injury; Dallas is promoted from the practice squad as the division-leading Vikings prep for Chicago.

Kyler Murray limited in concussion protocol as Vikings open Week 2 prep

Murray's game status won't be decided until Friday; LB Blake Cashman and T Brian O'Neill were also limited Wednesday.

Kyler Murray's concussion status is the top storyline for the division-leading Vikings.

Jordan Mason's IR move reshuffles the backfield behind DeeJay Dallas.

Kyler Murray in concussion protocol; Carson Wentz on standby for Bears rematch

Murray remains in the NFL-mandated protocol on a day-to-day basis; Wentz threw 4 TDs in relief last week and would make his 100th career start if he plays Sunday.

Vikings mourn Bob Lee, former QB/punter, dead at 81

The club's own announcement remembers Lee, who punted in Super Bowl IV and threw the franchise's most recent Super Bowl touchdown pass, with an on-record Fran Tarkenton tribute.

Vikings' QB plan — Murray or Wentz — will be set day-to-day heading into the Bears rematch.

Vikings still uncertain on Kyler Murray's Week 2 availability as concussion protocol continues

Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell is evaluating quarterback Kyler Murray day-to-day after a first-quarter head injury in Sunday's win over Green Bay; if Murray doesn't clear protocol, Carson Wentz — who relieved him — is set to start at Chicago in Week 2.

Murray's concussion-protocol status will decide the Week 2 starter at Chicago.

Vikings erase 12-point deficit, score final 29 points to beat Packers 39-22

Minnesota trailed 22-10 in the third quarter before Carson Wentz relieved Kyler Murray and threw three touchdown passes to complete the comeback.

Justin Jefferson ties Randy Moss for second on franchise reception list

Jefferson's touchdown catch was his 587th career reception, tying the franchise mark held by Moss.

Vikings entered Week 1 with a clean injury report

No Minnesota player carried a game-status designation heading into the Packers game.

Minnesota's 29-0 closing run to beat Green Bay sets an early tone under a rotation that saw Wentz relieve Murray.

Justin Jefferson's pursuit of the franchise's all-time reception mark continues after tying Randy Moss for second.

Kyler Murray set to make first Vikings start today in home opener vs. Packers

Local coverage frames Murray's first start under center as the marquee storyline of Minnesota's opener, while cautioning fans against over-reading one game.

Kyler Murray's first start under center is the headline as Minnesota hosts Green Bay.

Vikings enter home opener with no players carrying an injury designation

Minnesota's Friday injury report shows no game-status tags heading into Sunday's opener vs. Green Bay.

Dallas Turner ready to fill leadership void left by Jonathan Greenard trade

Turner, the 17th overall pick in 2024, has 11 sacks in 10 career starts and steps into a larger role after Greenard's trade to Philadelphia.

Harrison Smith opens 15th season after off-and-on retirement deliberation

Smith, who has 39 career interceptions (most among active players), returned rather than retire after last year's apparent send-off game.

Vikings release Week 1 depth chart ahead of 'Border Battle' vs. Packers

Kyler Murray is confirmed starter at QB; Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason are listed as co-starters at running back.

Vikings re-sign familiar face Jihad Ward to practice squad

Ward, who had 5.0 sacks with Tennessee in 2025 and played for Minnesota in 2024, adds depth at outside linebacker.

Kyler Murray's regular-season debut at QB is the definitive storyline of Minnesota's opener.

Harrison Smith's snap count/role will signal how the veteran leadership plan plays out.

Dallas Turner's pass-rush production without Greenard is a season-long watch item.

Harrison Smith returns for a 15th season as the Vikings' defensive anchor

Smith is back for a remarkable 15th year at the heart of Minnesota's secondary as Brian Flores' defense opens the season.

Vikings' cornerback tandem built for 'disciplined aggression' under Brian Flores

Local coverage frames Minnesota's cornerback pairing as a strength heading into Sunday's opener against Green Bay's newly healthy receiver trio.

Harrison Smith opening a 15th season as Minnesota's defensive anchor.

How the cornerback pairing performs under Brian Flores against Green Bay.

Vikings post clean Week 1 injury report ahead of Packers opener

Only three Vikings were listed, all rookies with minor issues, ahead of Sunday's home division opener against Green Bay.

Vikings lean on Harrison Smith, newly-signed Kyle Van Noy amid Week 1 prep

Zone Coverage tracks whether the 15th-year safety can still perform at a high level, and how practice-squad addition Van Noy (reuniting with DC Brian Flores) stabilizes the OLB spot.

Harrison Smith's ability to hold up in year 15 is an open question

Van Noy's addition reunites him with DC Brian Flores to stabilize an OLB spot

Harrison Smith returns for a 15th season days before hosting Green Bay

The veteran safety and potential Hall of Famer re-signed just before Week 1, set for his 27th career 'Border Battle' appearance if he suits up.

Vikings name eight captains, including first-time honoree Kyler Murray

Murray -- a Cardinals captain every year from 2020-25 -- earns his first Vikings captaincy alongside Justin Jefferson and Brian O'Neill.

Vikings' initial 53 keeps four QBs; McCarthy held out of the finale with an ankle injury

Kyler Murray is set to make his Vikings debut vs. Green Bay with J.J. McCarthy as backup, GM Nolan Teasley's first roster keeping four quarterbacks -- a first in at least a decade for the club.

Kyler Murray's Vikings debut vs. Green Bay is the marquee local storyline of Week 1.

McCarthy's ankle injury keeps the backup-QB picture murky behind Murray.

Zone Coverage: Kyler Murray framed as 'biggest winner' of Vikings' QB competition

A same-day column argued Murray is the biggest winner of Minnesota's ongoing QB2 competition behind him; only the headline and dateline were independently confirmed (see GAPS).

Zone Coverage: Vikings' cut-down approach signals a bet on the future over experience

A column argued Minnesota's 53-man roster decisions prioritized youth, with 8 of 9 draft picks reportedly making the roster and four quarterbacks kept.

Zone Coverage: Vikings 'wisely' holding out on a Harrison Smith reunion

Veteran safety Harrison Smith remains unsigned days before the Sept. 13 opener against Green Bay; the column frames the team's patience as deliberate rather than stalled.

Kyler Murray's QB2 competition remains the loudest storyline in the building.

Harrison Smith's free-agent status is still unresolved days before kickoff.

Vikings sign veterans Kyle Van Noy, DeeJay Dallas to practice squad; bring back Brosmer, Bell

Minnesota added Flores-system veteran OLB Kyle Van Noy and RB DeeJay Dallas to the practice squad; OLB Tyler Batty placed on season-ending IR.

Kyle Van Noy, a Flores-system veteran, added to the practice squad for OLB depth.

Vikings' waiver-claim additions drawing early local praise

Minnesota's post-cutdown waiver activity drew a positive early notice from local coverage, part of the broader roster-fix effort ahead of the opener.

Vikings testing Blake Brandel at center as an offensive-line fix

Local reporting described Minnesota experimenting with tackle Blake Brandel at center as one answer to an offense that 'flatlined' at times last season despite coach Kevin O'Connell's reputation for scheme.

Blake Brandel's center experiment as Minnesota's answer to O-line questions.

Vikings trade OL Walter Rouse to Patriots for a 2027 sixth-round pick

Minnesota moved on from Rouse, who had shifted from tackle to guard in camp, as part of its offensive-line roster shuffle ahead of Week 1.

Vikings sign 15 to practice squad, load up on offensive-line depth

Five of Minnesota's 15 practice-squad signings are offensive linemen, underscoring a clear organizational priority after a thin O-line group made the initial 53.

Vikings' sloppy preseason finale exposes real roster-depth gaps at center, edge and backup QB

Minnesota kept all four quarterbacks (Murray, McCarthy, Wentz, Brosmer) from camp; local analysis flags an unproven backup center behind Blake Brandel and thin depth behind edge starters Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel.

No news this cycle -- a tooling gap, not a quiet week: startribune.com and zonecoverage.com hub pages showed genuine current (Aug 27) headlines, but every specific article-level fetch attempted at both outlets returned an empty body.

No proposals this cycle — a tooling gap: startribune.com and zonecoverage.com article-level fetches returned empty bodies; zonecoverage.com's hub page loaded but its freshest items fell just outside the lookback window.

Vikings fall 13-3 to Ravens as J.J. McCarthy takes hits, exits after one quarter

Both teams rested most starters after joint practices; McCarthy, the named backup behind Kyler Murray, went 5-of-10 for 81 yards including a 50-yard completion, but absorbed four hits including consecutive shots to the knees. No injury designation was reported as of filing.

Jamal Adams' season ends with torn quadriceps tendon

Adams tore his quad tendon in Minnesota's preseason win over the Giants and has been placed on injured reserve, ending a season in which he'd been getting first-team reps all over Brian Flores's defense.

J.J. McCarthy questionable on preseason-finale day after losing the starting job to Kyler Murray

McCarthy, the 2024 first-round pick, was listed questionable with an undisclosed injury; Murray was named the Week 1 starter Aug. 11 after building a rep advantage in camp.

Vikings defense loses Adams for the year

McCarthy's role uncertain after losing the QB job

Vikings-Ravens joint practices close with Dallas Turner dominant, Murray and McCarthy rallying late

Edge Dallas Turner got multiple pressures against Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley; both Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy struggled early in the two-day session but rallied Thursday with scoring drives.

Vikings host Ravens Saturday in final home tune-up before roster cuts

Because both teams already got extensive live-tempo reps in joint practices this week, most first-teamers are expected to see limited or no snaps in Saturday's noon kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Kevin O'Connell says J.J. McCarthy is 'named' backup quarterback

O'Connell effectively named McCarthy QB2 behind Murray while stopping short of guaranteeing the role holds through final cuts.

Vikings sign G Joshua Gray, release DL Eric Johnson II

Same-day O-line move as Minnesota opens two days of joint practices with Baltimore; Gray started a school-record 56 games at Oregon State.

3 things to watch at Vikings joint practices with Ravens

Minnesota hosts Baltimore Aug 19-20 ahead of its lone home preseason game Saturday; matchups include Kyler Murray vs. Lamar Jackson and rookie DL Caleb Banks against a stout Ravens O-line.

Jamal Adams's Vikings Debut Ends in Season-Ending Knee Injury, Confirmed Sunday

Adams was signed on a one-year veteran-minimum deal just before camp to fill a hybrid safety/linebacker role under DC Brian Flores; losing him for 2026 forces an early depth reshuffle at both positions and reopens the linebacker rotation he had squeezed. Ian Rapoport reported Sunday, Aug. 16, that Adams has been diagnosed with a season-ending knee injury, one day after the non-contact injury in the preseason opener at MetLife Stadium Adams was hurt in the second quarter covering Giants WR Calvin Austin III with no contact, fell to the turf, and was carted off; Vikings went on to win 13-10 Adams, a three-time Pro Bowler/All-Pro, had signed a one-year, $1.4 million veteran-minimum deal with Minnesota shortly before camp and had transitioned into a hybrid safety/linebacker role Vikings S Josh Metellus spoke to media about the loss, describing Adams as an immediate locker-room fit Analysts n

Jamal Adams's Vikings Debut Ends in Season-Ending Knee Injury, Confirmed Sunday

Vikings beat the Giants 13-10 but Kyler Murray's debut is brief, not extended

Murray went 2-for-3 with the starters including an 8-yard third-down conversion to Jordan Addison, well short of the extended workload previewed before kickoff. J.J. McCarthy played into the game with the second unit and finished 4-of-7 for 34 yards. Justin Jefferson was the only offensive starter held out.

Jamal Adams carted off in a return to MetLife Stadium

Adams spent extended time in the injury tent before leaving on a cart in the first half, with Justin Jefferson and Kevin O'Connell among those consoling him. O'Connell said the team will need players to step up in his absence. No severity or timetable has been confirmed from a Minnesota-vantage source.

Myles Price's one-handed touchdown headlines a night for roster hopefuls

Price had four catches for 51 yards including a contested one-handed 1-yard score from Carson Wentz. Undrafted rookies Jacob Roberts and Jacob Thomas each recorded an interception.

Dallas Turner opens the preseason with a sack in a four-sack defensive effort

Turner recorded Minnesota's first sack of the preseason, with Elijah Williams and Bo Richter also getting home. Brian Flores split defensive play-calling between Mike Siravo in the first half and Ryan Nielsen in the second.

Kyler Murray's workload came in well under the pre-game expectation

Jamal Adams's injury reopens a safety depth question

Pass rush producing early answers to an offseason question

Roster bubble battles ahead of cuts

Jefferson and Darrisaw sit out Thursday and trend toward missing Giants opener

Both star WR Justin Jefferson and starting LT Christian Darrisaw were non-participants Thursday. Starting RG Will Fries returned after missing two sessions, with Joe Huber having filled in.

Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw's availability

Offensive line health at right guard