Minnesota Vikings defenders Blake Cashman and Jonathan Greenard converge on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams throughout NFC North motion at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The Minnesota move rush created havoc all through the competition, forcing a key turnover that helped swing momentum early. The play occurred on Dec. 16, 2024, throughout a divisional showdown in Minneapolis. Obligatory Credit score: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Photographs.
With coaching camp simply seven weeks away and the common season kicking off in about three months, the Minnesota Vikings are within the thick of the summer time and subsequent rumor mill.
The staff lately concluded one other spherical of organized staff actions and made a shocking entrance workplace transfer this week, onboarding Nolan Teasley from the Seattle Seahawks as their new common supervisor. Given these developments, now is a perfect time to assessment the Sunday Vikings rumors and weekend buzz.
Vikings Rumor Mill Has a Few Unusual Turns
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman races towards the tip zone throughout a play that was in the end wiped away by penalty towards the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cashman remained one in all Minnesota’s most impactful defenders all through the season, repeatedly creating momentum-changing moments. The sequence occurred on Nov. 10, 2024, throughout a 12-7 Vikings victory in Jacksonville. Obligatory Credit score: Corey Perrine/Florida Instances-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK through Imagn Photographs.
Rumor: Buffalo Payments-themed media thinks the Payments will be capable to signal Blake Cashman from late-summer free company after an obvious roster lower.
The speculation arose in a chunk from Randy Gurzi titled: Publish-June 1 Lower Candidates the Buffalo Payments May Goal.
Gurzi defined, “Blake Cashman recently turned 30, which is one of the reasons the Minnesota Vikings might be willing to shed his $9.18 million salary. As a post-June 1 cut, the Vikings would free up $7.6 million. Despite his age, Cashman has remained highly effective, recording 144 tackles in 2025.”
“Still, he’s been named a potential trade or cut candidate throughout the offseason and if that winds up being the case, the Bills would be wise to bring him in on a one-year deal as they help Kaleb Elarms-Orr develop into a consistent starter.”
Cashman is likely one of the Vikings’ prime defenders, however that didn’t cease SI.com from envisioning an August roster launch. Weird.
The SI.com piece is surprisingly framed, significantly its assertion that Cashman’s launch is an apparent and anticipated final result for the Vikings. That perspective is inaccurate. Cashman is a core and central determine in Brian Flores’ protection, serving as a communication czar. His contributions are an enormous cause why Minnesota’s linebacker unit reworked from a priority right into a power. He’s not merely a backup vying for a roster spot in August.
The Vikings will undoubtedly have a number of gamers actually on the roster bubble, reminiscent of Theo Jackson, Walter Rouse, and Ben Yurosek, relying on their coaching camp efficiency. Cashman, nevertheless, shouldn’t be thought-about in that dialogue.
Suggesting he shall be a free agent in late August is a peculiar leap, indicative of a roster evaluation that overlooks his precise position and significance to the Vikings.
Rumor: Internally, the Vikings will not be purchasing J.J. McCarthy through commerce.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis stated this week, “My conversations with people internally have not been about trade. They have not been about those comments. They have been about wanting to maximize every single day in the field and making sure that happens. The chips will fall how the chips will fall.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy strains up below middle throughout preseason motion towards the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The rookie signal-caller continued gaining invaluable expertise whereas directing the offense and evaluating defensive seems. The snap happened on Aug. 10, 2024, throughout McCarthy’s early developmental stage with Minnesota. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports activities.
The second that Murray signed with Minnesota three months in the past, commerce rumors surrounding McCarthy started to flow into. Impatient NFL media and followers, fast to imagine a quarterback’s growth timeline, interpreted Murray’s signing as a possible precursor to McCarthy’s departure.
However the Vikings’ brass has affirmed their perception in McCarthy and their dedication to his growth. Lewis’s reporting appears extra logical than Minnesota being in a rush to commerce McCarthy. significantly after two of the final three seasons had been ravaged by quarterback accidents and an absence of depth on the place.
Rumor: Externally, unnamed NFL executives consider McCarthy will request a commerce.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora quoted one common supervisor this week — nameless and never specified as present or former — who stated about McCarthy, “I think he wants out of there.”
La Canfora added, “Minnesota would likely not fetch much for McCarthy under these circumstances, and it might require an injury elsewhere to create more demand. If O’Connell couldn’t get much from him and opted to sell low on him, that would resonate around the league.”
“But it also stands to reason that obvious friction between a new QB you need to win with now, and one who has to quickly come to grips with watching games and not playing them so soon after being drafted that high, is far from ideal.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy shares a postgame trade with Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore after a matchup at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The interplay mirrored the mutual respect typically displayed between opponents following NFL contests. The second occurred on Dec. 7, 2025, as gamers concluded postgame actions on the sphere. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Rempel-Imagn Photographs.
The Vikings would seemingly have traded McCarthy in March or April, when quarterback demand was increased, relatively than ready for pre-training-camp rumors.
Whereas his place is presently difficult with Murray on the roster, he nonetheless has a chance to reclaim his beginning position and solidify his future because the staff’s franchise quarterback. His efficiency throughout coaching camp and his response to the teaching employees’s final determination would be the sign of his endurance. Fortunately, that course of and determination will not be distant.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
