Which contract is the most critical for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025?
While the 2025 season has yet to start (save for the first pre-season game last week), it's never too early to get a look ahead at what the salary cap situation might be for the team going forward, and who the Vikings must keep around for the long haul. That's exactly what the team over at Bleacher Report has done with one of their most recent articles.
NFL writer Moe Moton recently took a look at the contract situations for every team in the league and identified one player for each team as their "most important" contract decision for 2025. For the Vikings, that player is none other than Pro Bowl right tackle Brian O'Neill. O'Neill has been a fixture on the Vikings' offensive line since arriving in Minnesota as a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Since then, O'Neill has established himself as a solid-to-great right tackle in the league, being named to two Pro Bowl teams and missing just four games in the past four seasons. His strong play earned him a contract extension after his first Pro Bowl, and, as Moton writes, with no guaranteed money left on that deal, it may be time for O'Neill and the Vikings to reach another extension.
The only hurdle to that extension may be O'Neill's age. The talented right tackle will turn 30 next month, and while he has been on the field for all but a handful of games over the past four seasons, he hasn't escaped injury. O'Neill has played through several injuries over the years, and as he ages, the front office may be concerned that those injuries will catch up with him.
O'Neill is still at the top of his game, only allowing two sacks in 664 pass-blocking snaps in 2024, according to PFF, but Father Time comes for everyone eventually. Still, with a new quarterback entering the fold, it may be in the team's best interest to lock up one of the best tackles in the league long-term, regardless of age and/or injury concerns.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Updating the New Orleans Saints WR corps after surprise Devaughn Vele trade
Here's that shakeup to the New Orleans Saints receiving corps we've been waiting for. The team hoped to land an impactful rookie in the 2025 NFL draft like Tetairoa McMillan (taken one spot ahead of them in Round 1) or Isaac TeSlaa (who the Detroit Lions traded ahead of them to pick), but they struck out. So Saints GM Mickey Loomis waited until the week before roster cuts to cut a deal with the Denver Broncos, acquiring 6-foot-5 contested-catch specialist Devaugn Vele. So how does Vele fit into the Saints wide receiver rotation? Here's how the group seems to stack up, assuming Vele is a lock to make the roster, based off what we've seen in preseason games and at training camp practices: Vele is the tallest guy in the room (nobody else measures in over 6-foot-2), and the heaviest. Peoples-Jones, at 204 pounds, is the only other wideout to weigh in at over 200. And he can play. Pro Football Reference has a great "success rate" stat, which you can read about here, but the gist of it is that it measures how close a player comes to converting a first down every time they touch the ball. Last season, 89 difference wide receivers were targeted 50 or more times. Vele, with 55 targets, had the fourth-best receiving success rate in that group (63.6), trailing only Tee Higgins (64.2), Amon-Ra St. Brown (70.2), and Chris Godwin (72.6). That's impressive. We're expecting the Saints to keep at least four receivers on the 53-man roster next week, but they could go higher. Kellen Moore's previous teams always rostered at least five (including last year on the Philadelphia Eagles), and they ran as high as seven deep on the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. It's a safe bet that two or three guys will return on the practice squad after waiver claims are processed. But at this point it's hard to see Wilson, Tipton, and Pettis each making the roster. If they were expected to, the Saints probably wouldn't have traded for Vele in the first place.
New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
Chargers' rebuilt interior defensive line just might be the deepest spot on the roster
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Entering training camp, there was some uncertainty surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers' interior defensive line. Now, with just one practice remaining before the Chargers break camp, that group has turned into perhaps the deepest position on the roster. All the answerable questions have been answered. The only unanswered question remaining: What will the defensive line look like when the regular season begins Sept. 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil? Advertisement Teair Tart, who re-signed with the Chargers on a one-year deal in March, has looked dominant at times in practice as a pass rusher and run defender. Otito Ogbonnia looks like one of the most improved players on the roster, particularly in his get-off as a pass rusher. Da'Shawn Hand, whom the Chargers signed in free agency, has been one of the team's top performers in preseason games. Hand has only started 13 games in his seven-year NFL career, but he has looked like a starting-caliber player in camp. Hand can destroy blocks and penetrate as a run defender. Jamaree Caldwell, the Chargers' third-round pick in April, has adjusted quickly to the NFL. He is a complete interior defensive lineman, with the ability to align in multiple spots and affect games in several ways. He has the strength and frame to take on double-teams. He also has the quick feet and sudden hands to win one-on-ones as a pass rusher. Justin Eboigbe added mass this offseason, and that has translated to a night-and-day difference in his power, particularly as a run defender. Eboigbe, a fourth-round pick in 2024, was an afterthought last year. He only played 26 defensive snaps and was inactive for all but five games. Eboigbe was too often displaced off the line of scrimmage last year. This year, he can stand up those double-teams and fit the run more consistently. And he has been disruptive when given the opportunity to attack upfield. Naquan Jones, a cheap free-agent signing, has a chance to make an impact as a rotational passing-down rusher. Even Scott Matlock, who plays both offense and defense, has flashed in preseason games against the run and pass. The Chargers truly have seven defensive linemen who deserve snaps this season. No squinting necessary. 'Really encouraged,' defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said of the development of this group. 'Kind of what we hoped in the sense that you're going to maybe be deeper, maybe have more guys, and then guys that maybe weren't in roles last year, the improvement that they've made.' Advertisement Minter specifically mentioned Eboigbe. 'He's taken a huge step,' Minter said. Poona Ford played 604 defensive snaps for the Chargers last season. Morgan Fox played 577 snaps. They were the two most-used interior defensive lineman for Minter in 2024. The Chargers let Ford walk in free agency, and he signed with the Los Angeles Rams. They let Fox walk in free agency, and he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. The Chargers had to somehow replace their snaps and, more importantly, their production. TruMedia has a stat called splash plays, which includes sacks, tackles for loss, pressures leading to a throwaway, run stuffs and batted passes. Ford and Fox combined for 32 splash plays in 2024. All the other interior defensive linemen on the roster combined for 19. With the assembled talent, the Chargers do not need to replace Ford and Fox with two players. That could happen. But it does not have to happen. The Chargers can easily take a committee approach to filling the production holes because this room is so deep. All seven of the aforementioned defensive linemen should make the 53-man roster. Matlock said Wednesday that his 'priority' this season will be on offense as the Chargers' starting fullback. That aligns with his usage last year. Matlock played 362 plays on offense last year compared to 137 on defense. And by the end of the year, Matlock was playing sparingly on defense. For example, he only played four defensive snaps in the playoff loss at the Houston Texans. And, notably, Matlock did not play any defensive snaps in Saturday's preseason game against the Rams, after playing 33 combined defensive snaps in the first two preseason games. By the end of 2024, the Chargers had settled on a four-man rotation on the interior: Ford, Fox, Tart and Ogbonnia. This year, that rotation will grow. The Chargers could hypothetically rotate seven defensive lineman in one game, depending on how they configure their game-day roster. Advertisement When asked how many defensive linemen could play in games this season, Minter said, 'However many guys have helmets.' Defensive line coach Mike Elston worked wonders with his group last year. Elston was a key piece in Ford's resurgent season. He was a key piece in Tart finding a role after he was cast off by the Miami Dolphins. He is on his way to doing it again. 'Really love where that room is at,' Minter said. 'I think it gives us a chance to really stay fresh at that position throughout the course of the season, particularly in the games.' • Mekhi Becton returned to team drills Wednesday for the first time since July 28. He worked in at right guard with the first-team offense. In total, Becton got 13 reps in 11-on-11. The Chargers were not in pads. hey mekhi 👋 — Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 20, 2025 • Chargers who did not practice: receiver Quentin Johnston, linebacker Junior Colson, running back Kimani Vidal, cornerback Deane Leonard, running back Jaret Patterson, cornerback Harrison Hand and cornerback Eric Rogers. • Receiver Tre' Harris left practice with trainers after individual drills and walked into The Bolt. Harris did not participate in team drills. • Receiver Jalen Reagor and cornerback Cam Hart both returned to team drills. • Receiver Derius Davis, tight end Tyler Conklin, receiver Ladd McConkey and receiver Keenan Allen all caught touchdowns from Justin Herbert in red-zone team drills. Allen also had an explosive touchdown from Herbert on a corner route in open-field team drills. • Safety Alohi Gilman intercepted quarterback Trey Lance in the end zone during red-zone team drills. • For the second straight day, quarterback Taylor Heinicke did not participate in team drills. (Top photo of Teair Tart: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Top 15 fantasy football running backs in 2025
The post Top 15 fantasy football running backs in 2025 appeared first on ClutchPoints. It is finally time to be building out your fantasy football draft strategies for the 2025 NFL season. With the start of the season just weeks away, starting to determine your draft plans now will help set you apart from your league mates. For the second installment of ClutchPoints' positional rankings, let's take a deep dive into the running back position. After Jahmyr Gibbs took home top honors as RB1 last year, the offense in Detroit will look vastly different, especially after Ben Johnson left for Chicago – so is he in a position to lead all RBs again, or will someone else take the crown? Any data regarding player stats from the 2024 fantasy season were pulled from Sleeper and all rankings factor in a point-per-reception (PPR), single-QB league format. As always, utilize our rankings but make sure to build out your predraft rankings to match the specific format of your fantasy football league. 1. Bijan Robinson 2024 Finish: RB3 Helping kick off these running back rankings, Bijan Robinson only knows how to help your fantasy football teams win championships, as he has been an RB1 in each of his first two seasons. Robinson took a massive step forward in Year 2 as he added 90 rushing attempts and three receptions to his total from his rookie season, contributing to an uptick of 424 total yards. The Atlanta Falcons offense looks ready to take a step forward as a unit too, and having Michael Penix Jr. enter the season as the announced starter will bring this unit some much-needed clarity. In the three games that Penix started last season, Robinson had 24, 20, and 30 touches, respectively, including in Week 18 where he ran for a career-best 170 yards. Robinson is your prototypical dual-threat RB that should highlight the top of your draft board. His three-down usage means that he will continue to earn a lot of looks in the passing game, which will give him one of the highest ceilings among all RBs for fantasy football this season. 2. Jahmyr Gibbs 2024 Finish: RB1 It is very tough to knock Jahmyr Gibbs down a peg after his outstanding RB1 overall season last year, but there are a few things working against a repeat performance. One, the change at offensive coordinator from Ben Johnson to John Morton likely will bring stylistic differences into the fold, likely giving David Montgomery a chance to take even more of the high-value touches near the end zone. Second, the changes to the offensive line, losing center Frank Ragnow to retirement and right guard Kevin Zeitler to the Tennessee Titans, will directly impact the efficiency of both the running game and Jared Goff. Scoring 16 rushing touchdowns again is a tall task for Gibbs to replicate again, especially with the likelihood of both Gibbs and Montgomery sharing the field more often increasing. Gibbs will absolutely do great this year as he is the clear top option for the Detroit Lions. But don't be surprised if there just a minor step-back for Gibbs as he enters his third season in the NFL. 3. De'Von Achane 2024 Finish: RB5 As we draw closer and closer to the start of the regular season, more signs point to another big year on deck for De'Von Achane. The dual-threat back led the NFL in receptions (78) and receiving yards (592) in a year that saw him have to carry the load with the likes of Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, and Tim Boyle all filling in for the injured Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. This upcoming season projects to be the best yet for Achane as his potential to lead all running backs in passing-game stats again is a very likely outcome. Look for an increased workload in the rushing game while still maintaining a healthy target share in the passing attack, putting him on pace for the 1,800 total yards mark. 4. Saquon Barkley 2024 Finish: RB2 The odds are against Saquon Barkley to make it back-to-back 2,000 rushing yard seasons, especially with his checkered injury history. Plus, running backs coming off a season of 400-plus touches don't fare well the following season. While that isn't to say that you must fade Barkley at all costs this year, this is more of a reminder that history is against Barkley to produce another top-two season. However, his role in the Philly offense is unquestioned, and with the group behind him nothing more than depth-chart fodder, Barkley should easily be able to be one of the better RBs in 2025. 5. Ashton Jeanty 2024 Finish: Rookie The highest-ranked rookie in our 2025 running back rankings is, unsurprisingly, Ashton Jeanty, who is now leading the backfield for the Las Vegas Raiders. With an offense that has gone back-to-back draft classes with an offensive skill player at the helm, Jeanty has a big-time responsibility in helping restart the Raiders' rushing attack. With no threat to his workload from the rest of the RB room, it is clear sailing for Jeanty to immediately put up a 1,000-yard rushing, 600-yard receiving season on his way to finishing as a top-tier RB1. 6. Christian McCaffrey 2024 Finish: RB68 Christian McCaffrey will be the most polarizing player for fantasy football this season as his ceiling is the highest of all RBs, but his injury history provides a concerning caveat to his draft stock. Having only suited up for four games last season, McCaffrey is looking to put that in the rear-view mirror and get back to his league-winning ways for your fantasy football roster. The San Francisco 49ers offense is a confusing puzzle this season as the wide receiver room is full of potential but plenty of injuries as is the RB room behind McCaffrey. As it currently stands, Brock Purdy will likely have George Kittle and CMC as his top two targets in the offense, a role that would immediately put McCaffrey back into overall RB1 contention. 7. Derrick Henry 2024 Finish: RB4 The dilemma of betting on Father Time kicking in has been a losing game so far for Derrick Henry as he just continues to be more than advertised. His first season with the Baltimore Ravens saw him rack up the second-most rushing yards in his career (1,921), leading one of the league's best rushing attacks alongside Lamar Jackson. The backfield is still the same for the Ravens as Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell hold change-of-pace roles behind Henry. With no signs of slowing down but a chance to regress in the TD department, Henry checks in at RB7 in our fantasy football RB rankings. 8. Chase Brown 2024 Finish: RB10 It was the Chase Brown show last season for the Cincinnati Bengals as their second-year RB from Illinois fell 10 yards short of his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign. Having produced 1,350 all-purpose yards, Brown only found the end zone 11 times with a big reason of that being how heavily this offense relied on the passing game. While a lot of signs point to the offense being a heavy-pass unit once again, Brown's role was pretty solid last year in the passing game (54/360/4). Look for Cincinnati to try and lean on Brown a bit more at times, raising his ceiling and giving him a fighting chance to rack up 1K rushing yards. 9. Jonathan Taylor 2024 Finish: RB12 Even though he only suited up for 14 games last season, Jonathan Taylor still finished as an RB1, rounding out the group at RB12. Looking ahead for the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, they clearly have some issues to iron out on offense, specifically at quarterback, which should give Taylor an even bigger workload than last season. Last season was only the second time Taylor has earned 300-plus carries, a number that, provided he is healthy, he should be able to easily pass again this season. Having racked up 303 in only 14 contests last season gives him a healthy average of 21.6 carries per game, that pace would have given him 367 for the entire season, a number that would help put him in overall RB1 territory. Tread a bit lightly when it comes to trusting the Colts offense, but Taylor looks to be the safest bet out of all skill players in the offense. 10. Bucky Irving 2024 Finish: RB13 It was quite the rookie season for Bucky Irving, who finished as the best rookie RB at RB13, just outside RB1 territory. Even with Rachaad White starting the year off as the starter, it didn't take long for Irving to pick up a considerable workload as he averaged over five yards per carry on his way to 1,122 rushing yards. Irving's role in the passing game is what will make or break his sophomore campaign, as 50-plus receptions will likely need to be the base for him to reach if he wants to climb into the RB1 group. Having fallen three catches short of that last season, it is definitely in the realm of possibilities in 2025. Look for Irving to once again cross the 1,000-yard threshold on the ground while taking a small step forward in the passing game. 11. Omarion Hampton 2024 Finish: Rookie The second of two rookie running backs on this list, Omarion Hampton was the second RB drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Hampton was originally going to share time with veteran offseason signee Najee Harris, but Harris suffered an eye injury on the 4th of July, making the backfield a bit cloudy. With that in mind, Hampton's value skyrockets into RB1 territory, even with the Los Angeles Chargers losing offensive tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending injury. His ability to impact both the run and passing games for the Chargers will help take this offense to a new level, and his fourth-round ADP is a fine place to take a high-upside option. 12. Kyren Williams 2024 Finish: RB7 After signing a three-year, $33 million extension, Kyren Williams is in the long-term plans for the Los Angeles Rams, giving your fantasy football roster a solid bet at RB. Williams has finished as the RB7 in back-to-back seasons, rushing for over 1,100 yards and finding the end zone 15 and 16 times, respectively. It is very clear that Rams coach Sean McVay loves Williams, as the former Notre Dame back was given 20-plus carries in eight games last season. With questions around the health of Matthew Stafford quelling some preseason hype with the passing game, the Rams offense could look to Williams for another heavy workload, which would give your roster a solid start at RB. 13. Kenneth Walker III 2024 Finish: RB27 The injury bug just cannot leave Kenneth Walker III alone as the Seattle Seahawks RB1 has missed at least one game in each of his first three seasons. With backup Zach Charbonnet impressing in Walker's absences, the Seattle rushing attack is in good hands as they transition to a new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak. Currently dealing with a foot injury in training camp, Walker has been on the shelf at times for SEA as they ramp up for the regular season. However, the type of offensive scheme that Kubiak is installing with the Seahawks should give you a ton of interest in Walker, especially with how much Kubiak emphasizes touches for his RB group. Walker's health is his biggest caveat, so he would make an excellent RB2 for your roster. Just be aware that he is almost guaranteed to miss a few games this year. 14. Josh Jacobs 2024 Finish: RB6 Coming off the second-heaviest workload of his six-year career, Josh Jacobs checks in at RB14 after an RB6 finish last year. With Jordan Love missing time and Matt LaFleur transitioning the offense to a heavy run scheme, Jacobs produced the best season of his career. Crossing the 300-carry threshold for only the second time in his career, Jacobs is in line for positive touchdown regression after finding the end zone 15 times in 2024. As the Packers aim to become a more well-balanced offensive attack, Jacobs will likely earn fewer carries this year, but his role in the offense is far from in danger. 15. Alvin Kamara 2024 Finish: RB9 Alvin Kamara is the model of consistency at the running back position as he has finished no worse than RB16 across his eight-year career. Ready to lace up his cleats again for the New Orleans Saints, Kamara finds himself checking in at RB15 in our fantasy football rankings. The lower ranking for Kamara is more of a reflection of how putrid the Saints offense projects to be with a ton of uncertainty at quarterback and the offensive line. While Kamara is in line for yet another heavy workload, he hasn't played a full season since 2017 and has yet to cross the century mark on the ground, two things that will impact his draft stock this fantasy football draft cycle. Related: Fantasy football: 5 most valuable RB handcuffs for 2025 NFL season Related: Top 5 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates At Running Back In 2025
