Latest news with #Vikings
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
This Minnesota Gophers star's confidence has everyone talking
Minnesota Gophers safety Koi Perich wasted no time making a name for himself. As a true freshman last season, he exceeded expectations and quickly emerged as a cornerstone for the program moving forward. The Gophers don't just have a rising star — they've got a player so confident in his game, he believes he could've gone straight to the NFL out of high school. In a recent interview with KSTP Sports during Gophers media day, Perich admitted his dream was never about Saturdays — it was always about Sundays. More specifically, playing for his hometown team. 'No… I didn't watch college football, and my dream was to play for the Vikings,' Perich said. 'I would just skip through college if I could and play for the Vikings. We gotta do our three years, so I'm ready to do it.' It's a bold statement — but one that fits the edge Perich brings on the field. He's not shy about his goals, and he's already building the kind of resume that backs them up. The Minnesota Vikings could be on the hunt for a future replacement for veteran safety Harrison Smith, but they'll likely have to wait. Perich still has at least two more seasons left in a Gophers uniform. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp That doesn't mean he's just biding his time. Perich has already become one of the most important pieces on Minnesota's defense — and arguably their top long-term asset. The more plays he makes, the more attention he'll draw at the next level. He's made it clear where he wants to end up. And at the rate he's rising, Vikings fans might not have to wait long to see that dream come full circle.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
1st and North: Offseason moves and rankings
Sports anchors from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit team up to discuss the NFC North, including Kirk Cousins opens up about leaving Vikings in Netflix Series 'Quarterback' and the Vikings Andrew Van Ginkel and Lions Sam Laporta cracking the NFL Top 100 Players List.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Minnesota Vikings poised for a breakout during training camp in 2025
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.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Rankings the Minnesota Vikings position groups ahead of training camp
The Vikings roster is among the best in the NFL, and that speaks to the work of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff. Both his assistants have received extensions, interviewed for general manager spots of their own, and yet they remain with the team, continuing their pursuit of a Super Bowl. The team has used the draft, free agency, and trades to improve itself under the tenure of Adofo-Mensah. Going into the 2025 season, the team has high expectations and a roster ready to compete. However, we wanted to look at things top to bottom and rank the teams position groups. In the same process, we want to highlight some of the best players within those groups for fans to look out for this year. Here are our rankings. 1) Linebacker Best Player: Jonathan Greenard Most Underrated Player: Brian Asamoah II X-Factor Player: Ivan Pace Jr. 2) Wide Receiver Best Player: Justin Jefferson Most Underrated Player: Jalen Nailor X-Factor Player: Tai Felton 3) Offensive Line Best Player: Christian Darrisaw Most Underrated Player: Christian Darrisaw X-Factor Player: Will Fries 4) Quarterback Best Player: J.J. McCarthy Most Underrated Player: Sam Howell X-Factor Player: J.J. McCarthy 5) Running Back Best Player: Aaron Jones Most Underrated Player: Jordan Mason X-Factor Player: Jordan Mason 6) Defensive Line Best Player: Harrison Phillips Most Underrated Player: Javon Hargrave X-Factor Player: Jonathan Allen 7) Safety Best Player: Harrison Smith Most Underrated Player: Josh Metellus X-Factor Player: Josh Metellus 8) Cornerback Best Player: Byron Murphy Jr. Most Underrated Player: Isaiah Rodgers X-Factor Player: Jeff Okudah
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Minnesota Vikings secondary earns poor ranking from PFF ahead of 2025
The Minnesota Vikings were aggressive this offseason in an effort to improve a roster that went 14-3 last season. But did they do enough to address a secondary that is older and filled with question marks? Last week, PFF ranked all 32 secondaries in the league. They ranked the Vikings 27th, citing talented yet aging players and unproven younger additions as concerns. This is an aging secondary that benefits from a defensive scheme designed to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Safety Harrison Smith still plays quality football, though his prime years are behind him. Josh Metellus is an average safety but reliable against the run. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. is coming off a career year, but it's unclear whether he's finally hitting his stride or if it was a one-year spike in performance. The Vikings added several defensive backs in free agency — Isaiah Rodgers, Tavierre Thomas and Jeff Okudah — but they will likely need the front seven to continue generating heavy pressure for the secondary to succeed. It's hard to argue the assessment of Smith, who is 36. But Metellus is a Swiss Army Knife, a leader on the defense who plays all over the defense. Calling him "average" is one thing, but pigeon-holing him as a traditional safety further diminishes his actual impact. There is no mention of fourth-year safety Theo Jackson, who has played sparingly through three seasons. Yet teammates and coaches rave about him when he's mentioned. Could he be the latest safety to break through in Flores' defense? If Rodgers can meet his potential and Murphy can repeat his Pro Bowl season, the Vikings could have a solid cornerback tandem. Questions remain about the CB3 spot, as Mekhi Blackmon returns from injury, and Okudah probably isn't being counted on to start. 27th feels harsh, but it's hard to give any definitive reasons why the Vikings should be higher on the list outside of "trust Brian Flores". At worst, the secondary isn't very good, but the improved pass rush helps mitigate this. At best, the pieces in the secondary come together and solidify this defense as one of the league's best.
