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Minnesota Vikings poised for a breakout during training camp in 2025

Minnesota Vikings poised for a breakout during training camp in 2025

USA Today3 days ago
The Vikings took a significant step in the right direction in 2024, going 14-3 with Sam Darnold and the rest of the roster raising their level of play. While the result wasn't what they had hoped for, the team found out a lot about themselves in the process. Several players stepped up and earned new roles with the team in the process, while others were left picking up the pieces of a lost season.
Some players, however, are taking the tough ending to the 2024 season as an opportunity to break out in 2025.
The path to a breakout all starts next week at training camp when the team descends upon Eden Prairie and gets ready for one of the biggest seasons in recent memory for the team. We have three players in mind who could be getting ready for a special season, starting with their training camp.
Here are our choices.
Jordan Mason, Running Back
While Aaron Jones gets a lot of the attention in the Vikings' backfield, Jordan Mason is ready to steal the show. After being acquired from the 49ers this offseason, Mason is ready to see what he can do in the Vikings offense that is likely to rely on the running game a tad more than usual in 2025. With J.J. McCarthy taking over, they may want to ease him into things, which may result in the run game getting more work than usual. Mason stepped up in a big way and had a career year in the absence of Christian McCaffrey in 2024, he could do it again alongside Jones.
Dallas Turner, Edge Rusher
Plain and simple, Dallas Turner needs to find his way onto the field more in 2025 and having a strong training camp can secure that. While the edge rushers for the team are the Pro Bowl duo of Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, he can at least carve out a rotational role, just as others have in deeper pools at the position; he will be set. What cannot be done is another season where Brian Flores cannot use him after the team traded up to get him in last year's draft.
J.J. McCarthy, Quarterback
A simple, yet honest, answer here when it comes to finding players who are poised for a breakout. If the clips we saw during minicamp are any indication, McCarthy is going to be making fans' jaws drop time and again. He looked like his arm had gotten better, his processing was better, and all while spending the last year getting better between the ears.
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