The Biggest Winners from Vikings Training Camp Week 1

[Cliff]

1. Christian Darrisaw
Minnesota announced a Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list last week, and surprise, surprise — Darrisaw avoided the damn thing.

Darrisaw tore his ACL last October in a game against the Los Angeles Rams. His timetable for return has been uncertain since then. Some believe his natural return date should be before Week 1 or on that date.

2. Will Fries
Take everything you read about Darrisaw — and copy + paste for Fries.

Fries broke his tibia early last season, a sad occurrence because the man was orchestrating a career breakout campaign. Like Darrisaw, though, Fries abstained from the PUP list. He’s on track for Week 1 readiness.

USA Today‘s Cole Smith remarked on Fries, “Even though he has been cleared, that doesn’t mean the Vikings will expect Fries to be a full participant right away. On Tuesday, Kevin O’Connell said that the Vikings will ‘ramp up’ Fries as camp progresses.”

3. Josh Metellus
Metellus wanted a new contract. He got it.

Minnesota will pay the versatile-as-hell safety up to $42 million over the next three seasons, connecting him to the franchise through the end of 2028 because Metellus has one year left on his current agreement. There wasn’t much of a standoff between Metellus and the Vikings’ brass, but in the end, Metellus won out nevertheless.

4. J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy has unloaded bombs like these throughout camp:


And darts like this:



Accordingly, McCarthy is all the rage at camp. Rightfully so.

5. Rondale Moore
Moore has turned heads so far as a Viking. He certainly has the speed for the task, showing it and then some in Eagan over one week.

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said about Moore, “You see the explosion. He’s obviously not a tall guy, but he’s very explosive, very strong, and you see some of that quickness on his releases already. The thing for Rondale is, he was very attentive in the spring, but these are really some of his first reps.”

6. Jeff Okudah
Okudah appears to be a starter in Brian Flores’ 2025 scheme. He’s running with 1st-teamers.

Star Tribune‘s Mark Craig noted on Okudah, “The top three cornerbacks look good. On paper, at least. When the Vikings used their nickel package Wednesday, rising star Byron Murphy Jr. was in the slot, while Rodgers and former No. 3 overall draft pick Jeff Okudah lined up outside. Mekhi Blackmon, who missed all last season with a torn ACL, worked with the second team.”

7. Dallas Turner
Turner is visibly stronger in Year No. 2.

The franchise traded the farm to acquire him in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it needs Turner to play at a Pro Bowl level soon be worth the draft-night trade.

Flores said about Turner, “He’s gotten bigger, stronger, faster, he looks way different than last year. His mindset, he’s locked in, he’s receiving coaching a lot better. I’m just ready to see what he can do. I worked with him all offseason and to see it translate out on the field, I’m excited to see what he can do.”

Those are the best kind of comments regarding an outside linebacker waiting to explode.

Source: https://vikingsterritory.com/2025/news/ ... -1-winners

[VikingsFan12345]

The offensive line should be much improved from last year and I am very excited to see how McCarthy will do when the regular season starts

[VikingLord]

JJ seems like he finds guys who then find the endzone. He doesn't have a lot of time under center as a pro for sure so its hard to say if that is what he'll show on game days but so far based on his training camp time last year and the single preseason game he played and then again so far in training camp this year, he seems to be able to find the endzone in a variety of ways, with his deep ball anticipation standing out so far, at least based on what I've seen.

Let's hope it continues. Finding a QB who can throw guys open and see those deep routes before they come open is a rare thing. There is some evidence McCarthy has those skills.

[CharVike]

Flores said about Turner, “He’s gotten bigger, stronger, faster, he looks way different than last year. There was a poster on here last year that saw Turner play in person he said he looked small. He's still a very young player who needed time and I'm confident in him. It's not like he did nothing last year which I've seen many times with 1st rounders. Our OL is the group that's the key to our success or failure on O. They need to play with a set of balls and control the point. Health as always will be important.
Perhaps this guy will help. Dwight McGlothern Got His 2nd Straight Interceptions in the 2 Days of the Minnesota Vikings at Training Camp. Yes camp is only camp we'll see.

[VikingsVictorious]

Flores said about Turner, “He’s gotten bigger, stronger, faster, he looks way different than last year. There was a poster on here last year that saw Turner play in person he said he looked small. He's still a very young player who needed time and I'm confident in him. It's not like he did nothing last year which I've seen many times with 1st rounders. Our OL is the group that's the key to our success or failure on O. They need to play with a set of balls and control the point. Health as always will be important.
Perhaps this guy will help. Dwight McGlothern Got His 2nd Straight Interceptions in the 2 Days of the Minnesota Vikings at Training Camp. Yes camp is only camp we'll see.

Bigger and stronger is great, but if Turner is actually faster that is insane. It might make him the fastest to ever play the position.