The fourth year together for coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah comes with a high bar for success after they each received a long-term contract extension and led another ownership-supported aggressive push for upgrades at several positions in free agency.

The Minnesota Vikings turned a few heads on Thursday when they named second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy one of the eight team captains.

Vikings safety Harrison Smith, who has not practiced in over two weeks, is recovering from a "personal health matter," according to multiple team beat reporters. Smith has not been placed on injured reserve and is expected to make a full recovery, but the wording of the reports throws his availability for the September 8 opener into question.

Safety Lewis Cine was released by the Philadelphia Eagles over the weekend as the team prepared for the Tuesday cut down deadline. It likely ends an unceremonious three year NFL career that began with hopes that Cine could be heir apparent to a franchise legends in Minnesota, and quickly turned into a mess.

The Minnesota Vikings‘ cornerback room was thin after the team surprisingly traded away third-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon. A 2023 third-round pick, Blackmon flashed in his rookie year and was poised to start in 2024 as a prototype Brian Flores cornerback.