Vikings Gear Up for Camp with Focus on Improvement
Hours after their playoff exit, the Minnesota Vikings were already looking ahead. Jonathan Greenard, a veteran edge rusher, took to social media to challenge his teammates, urging them to embrace the hard work necessary to improve upon their 14-4 record and avoid another early postseason departure. "More is required," he declared.
Fast forward three months, and Greenard's call to action transformed into a motivational T-shirt, waiting for each player at their locker as they arrived for spring strength and conditioning sessions.
"You can only control your individual effort," Greenard explained earlier this offseason. "As long as you do that, you're going to pull somebody else along, and it’s going to be infectious for the whole team, the whole building." His message resonated deeply within the organization, which is preparing to field a competitive roster in 2025 while still grappling with its status as a championship contender.
The Vikings are among the few NFL franchises that have never secured a Super Bowl victory despite their long history. "Clearly that scale hasn't been tipped for us," right tackle Brian O'Neill remarked. "We need to find a way to make that happen."
As training camp commenced this week, head coach Kevin O'Connell amplified the team's messaging. Both O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah signed contract extensions during the offseason, aligning their futures as they enter their fourth year together and raising expectations for the upcoming season. The Vikings have not won a playoff game since 2019, marking a significant drought.
"We feel proud of some of the things we've accomplished," O'Connell stated at a joint news conference with Adofo-Mensah. "But it's time for all of us to continue to look inward first. We need to acknowledge what we're trying to build here, and that requires an invisible presence of understanding that we’re capable but must put in a lot of work to feel worthy of our goals."
Currently, only two players are on the physically unable to perform list: tight end Gavin Bartholomew (back) and linebacker Chaz Chambliss (foot). This leaves left tackle Christian Darrisaw, recovering from ACL surgery, and new right guard Will Fries, who suffered a broken leg last season, on track for training camp. O'Connell indicated both would likely start with individual drills but expressed optimism about their readiness for Week 1, which would be crucial for quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
In other news, wide receiver Jordan Addison recently pleaded guilty to a lesser charge related to his 2024 DUI citation, paving the way for potential league discipline. Adofo-Mensah noted that the Vikings have yet to receive any indication regarding the timing of such a decision.
"When that originally happened, we knew it was a possibility," Adofo-Mensah said. "But team building is about being prepared for various situations; you might not have players on the field for different reasons, so depth is always essential."
