Vikings training camp notebook, day 4: Metellus extended, McCarthy shines
The Vikings roster has reported to Eden Prairie, and as a result, they have started their journey into the 2025 season. It starts at home in Minnesota, but they hope it ends on the road in Santa Clara, where they have a chance to raise the Lombardi Trophy for the first time.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have new extensions, as do their assistants and coordinators. J.J. McCarthy is finally healthy and ready to take over the controls of a franchise that trusted him enough to stick with him when so many other options presented themselves. All in all, the coaching staff remains essentially unchanged, while the roster sees some position groups infused with youth and talent to solidify them.
The fourth day of training camp has wrapped, though, and it was action-packed. We saw a new extension for a fan favorite in Josh Metellus, and fans got to see firsthand how well J.J. McCarthy is developing.
J.J. McCarthy has the fanbase behind him
The fans got to have their eyes on the 2025 version of the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, and as a result, they got to see their favorite team look impressive up close and personal. In the process, they got to do the Skol Chant with Hall of Famer Cris Carter, they saw the defense look impressive, but most importantly, they saw J.J. McCarthy.
After months away from the spotlight, at least on the field, McCarthy returned with a vengeance. He unleashed velocity, quick decisions, tight window throws, you name it. What stole the show, though, was another deep ball touchdown to Jordan Addison downfield. It seems those two have a strong connection early in camp, with Justin Jefferson's absence that is likely to keep growing.
Brian Flores is in his bag early in camp
The questions around the defense have focused on the secondary and the usage of sophomore pass rusher, Dallas Turner. On Saturday, the Vikings extended their Swiss Army knife defender, Josh Metellus, and Dallas Turner was reported to be used on the field in a variety of ways as well.
The biggest news, as it relates to Turner, is that he was on the field while Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel were also present. Opposing offenses struggled to get consistent blocking done while handling Van Ginkel and Greenard; throwing Dallas Turner into the mix makes things almost impossible. Expect to see more consistent usage of the former Crimson Tide defender as camp progresses.
T.J. Hockenson is looking healthy
Last year, the Vikings' star tight end T.J. Hockenson was coming off a torn ACL at the hands of Lions safety Kerby Joseph. Coming back from a knee injury in the middle of the season is never easy, and we saw Hockenson struggle to find the momentum and success he was accustomed to.
Fast forward to Vikings training camp on Saturday, reports indicate that Hockenson is back to his old self. On Saturday, he was hit down the field by J.J. McCarthy, and it got a big pop out of fans. While no one wants to see Justin Jefferson miss time, it will help him build his connection with those around the offense.
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