Vikings roster: When will JJ McCarthy and Khyree Jackson start?
Minnesota Vikings – In the first four months of the NFL offseason, the Minnesota Vikings spent a lot of energy and attracted public attention in their search for a new quarterback. Of course, behind the scenes, the Vikings did more than just transition from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold and rookie JJ McCarthy.
They replaced their starting running back, parting ways with Alexander Mattison and signing Aaron Jones. They restructured the defensive line, signing free agents edge rushers Jonathan Grenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, selecting Dallas Turner with the 17th pick, and solidifying a new pair of interior guards with free agent Blake Cashman and emerging star Evan Pace II. They even planned to bring in a new kicker after Greg Joseph’s three seasons with the team.
So, on the first day of rookie minicamp earlier this month, coach Kevin O’Connell wore a sincere smile, understandable as he knew it was time to transition from planning mode to evaluation mode.
“It’s really exciting,” he said, “to see the whole process come to a crescendo, to see these guys in purple shirts, starting their growth and journey.”
As the Vikings go through their month-long OTA and minicamp until mid-June, let’s take a look back and see five observations about their roster:
1. Ready to hear a lot about Sam Darnold
The public’s expectations for McCarthy are understandable. Top-ten draft picks are often expected to start quickly, and Darnold’s history doesn’t necessarily suggest he should be the starter.
However, behind the scenes, the Vikings have a different version of the same idea: there’s a reason they signed Darnold.
Expect O’Connell to treat Darnold the same way he did with Cousins in 2022: nurturing him through positive reinforcement at every turn.
The Vikings don’t view Darnold as just a placeholder until McCarthy can start in Week One. More accurately, they believe they can compete with Darnold because McCarthy is developing in an organized fashion, prioritizing his long-term future.
Does this mean the Vikings have ruled out McCarthy as a potential Week One starter? Of course not. But they hope his promotion will be natural—based on his own talent and preparedness—rather than forced due to a lack of other options.
That’s why when asked about evaluating McCarthy’s individual passing during rookie minicamp, O’Connell chuckled.
“I know some people might be focusing on completion percentage and interceptions,” O’Connell said. “It’s too early to talk about that, I can only tell you so much.”
2. People think a WR3 is needed, but…
From the outside, it’s entirely reasonable to question the depth of the roster behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison after KJ Osborn departed as a free agent. After all, in O’Connell’s first two seasons as head coach, the Vikings used 11 personnel (one tight end, one running back, three wide receivers) on 70% of their snaps, ranking eighth in the NFL.
Do they have a WR3?
They made a minor move in free agency, signing veteran Trent Sherfield to a one million dollar guaranteed contract. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently suggested the Vikings could sign free agent receiver Hunter Renfrow, but signs at the start of OTAs indicate they want to evaluate progress in internal depth.
At the top of this list is veteran Brandon Powell, who had the longest playing time of his career last season, establishing a high reputation. As a converted running back, Powell caught 29 passes for 324 yards, including a game-winning touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. He re-signed for a one-year contract with a guaranteed salary of $625,000.
Veteran N’Keal Harry remains on the roster, and the Vikings have several wide receivers who have been quietly developing behind the scenes over the past two years—including 2022 sixth-round pick Jalen Nailor and long-time practice squad member Trishton Jackson. O’Connell also mentioned the progress of two players who joined the team last season in different capacities: Thayer Thomas (2023 practice squad) and Malik Knowles (2023 injured reserve).
3. Safety position is in flux
The most specific information we can provide is that the Vikings hope to achieve their initial plan when they signed free agent Byron Murphy last year.
The idea was to have Murphy play nickel when opponents lined up with slot receivers and push him outside in dime packages. But due to injuries and performance issues, Murphy spent 71% of his time on the outside in 14 games last season.
There are plenty of candidates to fill the two positions needed to achieve this goal, but most of them had questions, at least at the start of OTAs.
Free agent Shaquill Griffin seems to have the edge to secure a spot, with the Vikings fully guaranteeing his salary at $3.99 million. Akayleb Evans started 15 games last season but was benched twice. Mekhi Blackmon started three games as a rookie but had inconsistent performances in 435 snaps, while 2022 second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. (256 snaps over two seasons) may be running out of chances.
All of this sets up fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson for significant playing time, provided he performs well in the spring and summer. Jackson stands nearly 6-foot-4, making him one of the tallest cornerbacks in the NFL, but Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson says, “His way of dropping his weight, his hip action, and footwork are all unusual.” Grigson added, “We think he can be an excellent outside cornerback.”
4. Left guard is… Blake Brandel?
The Vikings have not re-signed Dakota Dozier, who started the last 11 games for the Vikings last season, replacing Ezra Cleveland as the starting left guard. Dozier remains a free agent, so theoretically, he could return, but it’s worth noting the Vikings signed Brandel to a contract in March.
They could have simply tendered him as a restricted free agent and matched any offer he might receive, but instead, they signed him to a three-year contract worth $3.25 million this season. It’s not an obvious starter salary, but reliable depth across multiple positions is valuable, as Brandel has provided over the past few seasons. But it’s enough to suggest the Vikings anticipate strong potential from him over the next few years, not just as a backup.
The Vikings signed veteran Dan Feeney, who started 65 games in his career, to a contract worth $1.8 million this season. They also selected Wake Forest guard/center Michael Jurgen in the seventh round. But the Vikings believe Jurgen’s best position is center, and Feeney is likely viewed as a backup at this stage of his career.
5. Potentially adding two specialists
It’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Vikings to change two of the three specialist positions this offseason. Pro Bowl long snapper Andrew DePaola remains solid (his $1.21 million salary is fully guaranteed). However, the Vikings selected kicker Will Reichard as a possible replacement for Joseph and signed free agent Seth Vernon to compete with incumbent punter Ryan Wright.
Vernon has yet to kick in a regular-season NFL game, so it will take some time to see if he has what it takes to win the job. But assuming Wright isn’t a strong competitor, the summer could see changes to the roster after the UFL season ends.
