Day 3 Practice ~ July 31st

NorseFeathers wrote:

Jordan Mason…. best shape of his life?!?!?
“What I'm really impressed with Jordan is that, some guys come back, and you just know they're in shape, and you look at, he dropped some pounds, he felt like he was too heavy,” Phillips said. “He put a lot of work this offseason, both in the spring and the summer, into coming in and making sure he's at his best. So, really impressed with his mindset coming in here.”
The Vikings, who have reiterated their commitment to improving the run, will have to decide how they want to divy up the reps between Mason and Aaron Jones. Last year they were fairly closely split when both were healthy and both players had their moments but the 27-year-old Mason ended up with 4.8 yards per carry and in the top-15 in yards after contact.
If the team can trust Mason with all aspects of the offense i.e. pass protection and receiving, it stands to reason that they would lean on him more in hopes of keeping Aaron Jones healthy all year. Being in shape to take on an RB1(ish) workload could help Mason from the jump.

Im personally hoping Claiborne takes over AJ's job quickly. I have a feeling we might have our Sproles.

JustInTime wrote:

Can’t help but go back to the first presser.
“He’s on one side of the room, I’m on the other. It’s up to the coaches to teach us”
No, JJ. You’re both in the same classroom. He made it decisive from the jump. And he’s apparently continuing the juvenile bull shit.
Painfully immature.

That is why everyone loves JJ that is around him in the building. That is why everyone gravitates towards JJ in the building. Sure dude. Sure.

Oh, and that came out of Adam Thielen mouth on NFL Live.

Canthony wrote:

It is why everyone loves JJ that is around him in the building. That is why everyone gravitates towards JJ in the building. Sure dude. Sure.

Oh, and that came out of Adam Thielen mouth on NFL Live.

Yeah, this immature narrative is hilarious.

Like I said, not genuflecting at the altar of K1 does rub some the wrong way I guess. I'll be glad to do so when I see it, but not before then. And I've no doubt it is possible....Murray has got talent.

StickierBuns wrote:

Yeah, this immature narrative is hilarious.
Like I said, not genuflecting at the altar of K1 does rub some the wrong way I guess. I'll be glad to do so when I see it, but not before then. And I've no doubt it is possible....Murray has got talent.

They are treating each other like the one that loses the job will be traded. That is all. They are playing for something big. I have no issues with it. So he didn't fist bump Murray. Who gives a shit.

JustInTime wrote:

https://twitter.com/vikingzfanpage/status/2083236399638085898I’d hope so. I believe Rouse might kick inside or already has had snaps at G.

I thought he'd be kicked to the curb tbh...But thats a good point, he could kick inside.

purplefaithful wrote:

I thought he'd be kicked to the curb tbh...But thats a good point, he could kick inside.

Maybe Carter squeezes something out of him.

Both him and Nabors seem ahead of schedule.

JustInTime wrote:

https://twitter.com/vikingzfanpage/status/2083236399638085898I’d hope so. I believe Rouse might kick inside or already has had snaps at G.

I wonder if we could get a late round draft pick for Rouse at the cut down.

Knucklehead wrote:

I wonder if we could get a late round draft pick for Rouse at the cut down.

I think it’s more likely he heads to the PS.

JustInTime wrote:

I think it’s more likely he heads to the PS.

I wonder how they feel about Rouse now? With the team having a new OL coach, I wonder if Rouse is enough of a dawg for the 'standard' now. I think he might be cut outright.

Only 4️⃣4️⃣ more days... pic.twitter.com/6L8XXRokqk

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 31, 2026

Chad Ochocinco is a Justin Jefferson believer in 2026.

“He will be back.” pic.twitter.com/aQNP2JL4sj

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) July 31, 2026

Cricket wrote:

https://x.com/vikingzfanpage/status/2083240612443115774?s=20

Man, I hope so! 2 TDs was just brutal.

Caught up this morning with former Vikings and Colts center Ryan Kelly, who agreed to chat about new Vikings center Blake Brandel and coach Kevin O'Connell's offense.

Kelly, who retired this offseason after four Pro Bowls in 10 NFL seasons, shared his struggles adapting to O'Connell's system last summer. Fans should keep this in mind as a new quarterback-center combination will emerge between Brandel and either Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.

Kelly said he gives "a lot of credit and grace to the QBs" who can run this Vikings offense.

“I got here and it was West Coast, mix of [Kyle] Shanahan and [Sean] McVay and a whole different system," Kelly said. "I remember sitting down with [ex-OL coach] Chris Kuper. I ran a pro-style offense at Alabama. I had three different pro-style offenses in, I don’t know, my first 10 years of college/NFL career. .. I knew numbering systems; I knew different systems. I got here and I remember sitting with Chris Kuper and he’s trying to teach me the offense and I’m like, ‘Dude, I don’t – maybe I’m not smart enough to understand the Vikings offense.’ I had a great grasp on concepts and there’s only so much you can do with 11 guys, right? But maybe I don’t.

"He was just like cracking up because he’s like, ‘Dude, it took me forever the first time I got here.’"

Strib

purplefaithful wrote:

Caught up this morning with former Vikings and Colts center Ryan Kelly, who agreed to chat about new Vikings center Blake Brandel and coach Kevin O'Connell's offense.
Kelly, who retired this offseason after four Pro Bowls in 10 NFL seasons, shared his struggles adapting to O'Connell's system last summer. Fans should keep this in mind as a new quarterback-center combination will emerge between Brandel and either Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
Kelly said he gives "a lot of credit and grace to the QBs" who can run this Vikings offense.
“I got here and it was West Coast, mix of [Kyle] Shanahan and [Sean] McVay and a whole different system," Kelly said. "I remember sitting down with [ex-OL coach] Chris Kuper. I ran a pro-style offense at Alabama. I had three different pro-style offenses in, I don’t know, my first 10 years of college/NFL career. .. I knew numbering systems; I knew different systems. I got here and I remember sitting with Chris Kuper and he’s trying to teach me the offense and I’m like, ‘Dude, I don’t – maybe I’m not smart enough to understand the Vikings offense.’ I had a great grasp on concepts and there’s only so much you can do with 11 guys, right? But maybe I don’t.
"He was just like cracking up because he’s like, ‘Dude, it took me forever the first time I got here.’"
Strib

Not to drag the QB comments into this, but this makes me wonder who Murray is doing with this? Kudos to Darnold for mastering it so well a couple years ago.

But then again, this was a lineman with a few concussions under his belt already.

greediron wrote:

Not to drag the QB comments into this, but this makes me wonder who Murray is doing with this? Kudos to Darnold for mastering it so well a couple years ago.

But then again, this was a lineman with a few concussions under his belt already.

You just did lol!

I'm sure K1's head is spinning and he's been quite transparent about reps...

Whomever is Qb1, better be getting those reps and soon. We cant afford a bunch of F'ups vs GB.

purplefaithful wrote:

Caught up this morning with former Vikings and Colts center Ryan Kelly, who agreed to chat about new Vikings center Blake Brandel and coach Kevin O'Connell's offense.
Kelly, who retired this offseason after four Pro Bowls in 10 NFL seasons, shared his struggles adapting to O'Connell's system last summer. Fans should keep this in mind as a new quarterback-center combination will emerge between Brandel and either Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
Kelly said he gives "a lot of credit and grace to the QBs" who can run this Vikings offense.
“I got here and it was West Coast, mix of [Kyle] Shanahan and [Sean] McVay and a whole different system," Kelly said. "I remember sitting down with [ex-OL coach] Chris Kuper. I ran a pro-style offense at Alabama. I had three different pro-style offenses in, I don’t know, my first 10 years of college/NFL career. .. I knew numbering systems; I knew different systems. I got here and I remember sitting with Chris Kuper and he’s trying to teach me the offense and I’m like, ‘Dude, I don’t – maybe I’m not smart enough to understand the Vikings offense.’ I had a great grasp on concepts and there’s only so much you can do with 11 guys, right? But maybe I don’t.
"He was just like cracking up because he’s like, ‘Dude, it took me forever the first time I got here.’"
Strib

Which is another reason I thought JJ was/is the right choice to start. Two years under his belt in this notoriously difficult offense. He was always going to be ahead of the curve in the competition. Murray comes in brand new as a guy who is known to not be the hardest worker when it comes to the playbook and studying. If OConnell was never going to make adjustments for McCarthy last year, what made anyone think he would to make things easier for Murray?

supafreak84 wrote:

Which is another reason I thought JJ was the right choice to start.

There's just no way a 35.6 QBR and passer rating of 72.6 earns you the right to unequivocally start the next season.