The Vikings have hired Nolan Teasley. I am sure there will be a separate post.
The Vikings have three more OTAs on June 1, June 2, and June 4. Mandatory Minicamp runs from June 9th to June 11th. Training camp will begin in mid-July so the players get a month off to go out and do something fun (or dumb – let’s hope not). I expect any moves to happen after June 1st.
The Jauan Jennings contract details are now known.
Base Value: $8,000,000
Maximum Value: $13,000,000 (via incentives)
Fully Guaranteed Money: $6,130,000 (guaranteed at signing)
2026 Salary Cap Hit: $9,530,000
Signing Bonus: $4,500,000 (fully guaranteed upfront)
Base Salary: $1,630,000 (fully guaranteed)
Per-Game Roster Bonuses: Up to $1,650,000 (roughly $97,000 per week active on game day).
Incentives Structure:
The $5 million in total incentives is divided by the league’s accountants into two categories:
Likely-to-be-Earned (LTBE): $1,750,000 (automatically counts against the current cap hit).
Not-Likely-to-be-Earned (NLTBE): $3,250,000 (only counts against next year’s cap if he achieves them).
The incentives are unknown so I consulted yore favorite AI to cobble together some info quickly.
For those of you that are anti-AI, feel free to verify the response.
1. Likely-To-Be-Earned (LTBE) Tier: $1.75 Million
This portion of the incentive pool automatically counts against the Vikings’ current salary cap. Under NFL rules, an incentive is deemed LTBE if the player achieved those exact statistical metrics during the previous season. Because Jennings is coming off a highly productive 55-catch, 9-touchdown final year with San Francisco, this $1.75 million block is tied to baseline replication:
- Playtime Floor: Playing in at least 50% to 55% of the total offensive snaps.
- Game Day Availability: Being physically active on the 48-man game-day roster for at least 14 to 15 regular-season games.
- Baseline Volume: Reaching at least 45 receptions and 500 receiving yards.
2. Not-Likely-To-Be-Earned (NLTBE) Tier: $3.25 Million
This larger chunk acts as a performance escalator and does not hit the Vikings’ current salary cap. It is strictly paid out as a cash bonus if Jennings clears elevated, stretch-goal benchmarks. Given his role as a premium No. 3 option behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, these escalators are heavily tied to high-end utilization:
- The 70% Snap Threshold: A significant cash escalator kicks in if Kevin O’Connell utilizes his run-blocking and slot abilities to push his playing time past 65–70% of total team offensive snaps. [1]
- Milestone Production Hooks: Tiered bonuses that unlock sequentially as he hits higher benchmarks, such as:
- 65 receptions
- 800 receiving yards
- 8+ regular-season receiving touchdowns
- Team Performance / Playoff Success: Cash triggers linked directly to the Vikings winning the NFC North division, securing a playoff berth, or hitting specific team-wide offensive efficiency rankings.
The Accounting Fallout
Because of this split, if Jennings goes completely off and earns all $3.25 million of the NLTBE tier, the Vikings will not face a financial penalty this season. Instead, that $3.25 million will be carried over as an adjustments penalty against Minnesota’s 2027 salary cap.
Right now, after the Jennings deal is confirmed (I am surprised at no void years), the team has $2,928,166 in cap space now but will get an additional 12.5M from the Smith and Allen releases.
Now, I am going to bring up something controversial that will surely light some fires. This is just thinking out loud and feel free to dismiss it at your will.
I AM NOT ADVOCATING THAT THE TEAM DOES THIS!!!!
I was wondering if the team is considering trading JJ. His comments the other day amount to a nothing burger to me but maybe not to the team. It seems like we are in for a long, drawn out summer media circus where there will be questions after every single practice about body language and friction between JJ and Kyler. Trading him would eliminate players having to split allegiances or answer awkward questions about who should be the long-term starter.
There is risk to a trade though. Kyler missed 3 games in 2021 for an ankle sprain. He missed 6 games in 2022 and 9 games in 2023 from the ACL tear. He missed 12 games last year from the foot injury but could have returned but the Cardinals did not want to risk guaranteeing that 19.5M roster bonus which was due the fifth day off the league year. The roster bonus was guaranteed for injury. Sometimes it is quite easy to see why teams do things.
The other risk is that Murray gets hurt and then you turn it over to Wentz who should be respectable. If JJ is gone now you have no QB for 2027 but Murray who you will have to pay a pretty good contract but if he gets hurt it could be a lot lower. On the other hand, if Kyler plays well and does not get hurt, then JJ gets no snaps and will enter the last year of his deal with very little trade value.
I do not know anything but it feels like to me that a trade request could be coming. It might not be public but privately it could be made. Total speculation on my part and feel free to throw the BS flag.
Anyway, trading JJ gives him a chance to get a fresh start and is doing right by him especially if the team looks like they will start Kyler. They would eliminate all controversy because when or if Kyler throws a pick, has a bad game, etc. the calls for JJ will be coming. Unfortunately, the circus will continue if the keep both and we already have enough clowns.
Here is a trade I think makes a ton of sense for both teams.
Vikings send: JJ McCarthy and a 2027 6th
Jets send: Will McDonald and a 2027 3rd
The Jets have three 1st round picks next year, a 2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th, and three 6th round picks. They signed Geno who is making the minimum like Kyler on a one year deal. Smith is 35 and will be 36 in October. They have Bailey Zappe, Cade Klubnik, and Brady Cook as the backups. It can be argued that they have stock piled picks to get a QB next year. But what if Smith plays about average and they finish middle of the pack? The could be drafted anywhere from 12-18 or maybe a couple of spots sooner. The projected first round QBs are Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Drew Mestemaker, CJ Carr, LaNorris Sellers, and maybe Jayden Maiava, Julain Sayin, and Darian Mensah. Every one of these players has at least one year of eligibility remaining after the 2026 season meaning that they do not have to turn pro. banking on a possible QB next year is very risky indeed. Plus, if they cannot draft one outright then they have to use that draft capital to go get one. I don’t know but if I am the Jets I would take a flyer on JJ and save those three 1st round picks to build more around him.
Why would they trade McDonald though. Well, they draft David Bailey and signed Joseph Ossai (3 yr 54M) and Kinglsey Enagbare (1 yr 9M). They did pick up the 5th year option on McDonald which pays him 14.475M in 2027. McDonald is not good vs the run but is good rushing the passer. The Vikings could use another pass rusher too. The Jest could add another veteran if they wanted like a Derek Barnnett for example. They can afford to trade McDonald to get a possible QBOTF.
The risk is that JJ goes on to play really well, Kyler is just OK, and McDonald is just a pass rushing specialist (he is now and nothing wrong with that either).
But why should the Jets give up a good pass rusher and high draft pick? Well, JJ is physically fine. He had the knee and then two common injuries for QBs, a concussion and a hand hitting the helmet (or something) injury. He is a top 10 pick and still has two years left on his deal as well.
Additionally, from the Vikings point of view, Andrew Van Ginkel is a free agent in 2027. I think they probably bring him back for less due to his age but if they cannot, they would have McDonald at least.
To be honest, after I lay it all out (there is a lot more I could include but it comes from you know where and there is enough disdain here for that stuff), I would be hesitant to make this move if I am the GM or whatevs. The Jets can also say GTFOH.
If this fantasy trade does go down the cap situation for trading JJ would be …
POST-6/1 TRADE
2026 Dead Cap: $3,178,599
2027 Dead Cap: $3,178,599
2026 Savings: $2,781,800
.. to get McDonald the team would only have to pay $1,662,702 this year. This trade would save the Vikings about 1.1M this year but cost that 3.178M in 2027.
If you are the Vikings and you believe Kyler will play even better than he has in years past, then this is a win win deal.
Remember, this is just spit balling and I am not saying they should. I am just wondering if they would and then where he could go and what they could get in returnbecause I am bored.
A little note about links. I do not write these and they are what pops up when I google “Vikings news”. I usually post most of the links and unfortunately for some of the more sensitive fans, there are a lot of stories about the QB situation with many different writers not giving flowers to JJ. I know this will not stop the tin foil hat conspiracy ideas (aka pea brain ideas) about me including these because I am a hater. I do not have time for middle school level thinking. I still am not smarter than a 5th grader.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
What Vikings QBs Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy showed at OTA
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48901198/nfl-minnesota-vikings-kyler-murray-jj-mccarthy
After months of (sometimes wild) speculation, the Minnesota Vikings finally provided a glimpse this week of what their ostensible quarterback competition will look like.
In the team’s second OTA of the spring, and the first open to local media members, Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy both took snaps with projected starters and against the likely first-team defense. If you were drawing up a plan to give each player fair and equal time to prove they are the team’s best option, this would be it.
But you can only have a genuine competition if there is actual uncertainty about who the best quarterback on the roster is. With the caveat that this was one day in May, with no pads and some drills performed at half speed, it is only fair to point out that the gap between the two quarterbacks was not close.
Murray made all of the best throws of the practice, demonstrating his downfield touch and accuracy. Nothing McCarthy did was objectionable, and one of his few incompletions — a pass to the flat that cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. nearly intercepted — occurred when two receivers drifted far too close to each other. And while McCarthy’s post-practice comments about their relationship delivered headlines, it was Murray who might have said the most notable four words of the afternoon: “My confidence is unshakeable.”
Overall, the afternoon was a reminder that McCarthy could continue along the upward trajectory he established at the end of last season — and still fall well short of matching Murray’s experience, arm talent and potential to make big plays in the passing game.
Consider, for example, the subtle but meaningful differences in two deep passes receiver Jordan Addison caught.
The first came on the initial play of 7-on-7 — a deep throw from McCarthy down the left sideline. The ball’s arc forced Addison to make a slight adjustment and make a leaping catch that left him rolling out of bounds short of the goal line.
Later, Murray lofted a pass deep down the right sideline as Addison got a half-step on cornerback James Pierre. The ball hit Addison in stride at a full sprint as he approached the goal line. He stepped out of bounds after the catch, but on a live play in full pads, he was one broken tackle away from a touchdown.
…
It’s important to note that no one was crowning Murray after that throw. NFL quarterbacks routinely hit receivers in stride during non-contact drills. Nor was anyone condemning McCarthy’s imperfect placement. NFL receivers are expected to adjust and make difficult catches.
The difference was still noticeable. McCarthy didn’t want to get into specifics about how he worked to improve during the early part of this offseason, but in a nod to his 57.6% completion rate during his 10 starts last season, he twice referenced accuracy while speaking to reporters. He said one of his points of emphasis was “ball placement, putting it in the right spots” and later said he was “focusing on the ball placement for each routes for certain coverages.”
Mike Florio Doesn’t Hold Back on Vikings QB Competition
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/mike-florio-jj-mccarthy-kyler-murray/
Nonetheless, regardless of who emerges as the starting QB, NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio states that Minnesota is in a win-win scenario.
“If this unlocks something in J.J. McCarthy that makes him as good as they thought he was going to be, then that’s a win,” Florio said on the May 28 edition of “PFT Live.”
“If it doesn’t and Kyler Murray starts this year, then that’s a win. They’re protecting themselves against J.J. McCarthy getting injured, J.J. McCarthy missing wide-open receivers, and J.J. McCarthy not doing what he needs to do.”
Moreover, Florio believes this situation should be awkward and isn’t a mentor-mentee relationship. Both players are fighting to show the Vikings and the rest of the league that they are capable starters and do not want to be relegated to being backups.
“If this spurs [McCarthy] to achieve at the level they expected, then so be it,” Florio added. “But yeah, it should be awkward. They didn’t bring Kyler Murray in to be J.J. McCarthy’s caddie, to be J.J. McCarthy’s support system, to be J.J. McCarthy’s mentor. They brought in Kyler Murray to compete with J.J. McCarthy. And if McCarthy doesn’t step up, he’s going to be stepping off.”
In the same segment, NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms said he understands where McCarthy is coming from about how the player is feeling now that Murray is in the QB room.
“I don’t think he’s got too many positive thoughts about it right now,” Simms added. “I get that. Been there. It is hard when you’re in that spot, and you’re looking at a guy, and you go, man, they brought him to take my job.
“On top of that, where it can get even more contentious, if that guy comes in and is maybe not great to you either and is trying to kind of shun you and start his own thing with the team and all that, that only makes it more divided between the two players.
“So this looks like it’s going to be a real quarterback battle, which we don’t have very often. That’s what’s going to be exciting to see with the team that we know is pretty good too. That’s odd to see as well. So there’s a lot here with your Vikings. Get the popcorn ready.”
New Vikings Rumors on Kyler Murray Acting Like ‘Alpha QB’ amid J.J. McCarthy Competition
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25432098-new-vikings-rumors-kyler-murray-acting-alpha-qb-amid-jj-mccarthy-competition
Kyler Murray has reportedly “handled himself like an alpha quarterback” in the QB1 competition with J.J. McCarthy thus far during the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason. However, McCarthy has also impressed Vikings coaches with his improvements.
“I talked to sources in the building who said Kyler Murray has handled himself like an alpha quarterback. He’s walked in with the experience and the swagger you would expect from a guy who’s been to Pro Bowls and had success. He’s also taken the offense very quickly, he’s absorbed it in a hurry, so the expectation leaguewide is that he will have the leg up.
“However, J.J. McCarthy, I’m told that he’s made improvements that the Vikings coaches have noted and have told him so, things like layering the ball a little better, using all the clubs in your bag, not throwing a fastball all the time. He’s shown some things this spring that have been impressive so far.”
The Latest on Harrison Smith’s Decision Between Year 15 and Retirement
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/the-latest-on-harrison-smiths-decision-between-year-15-and-retirement
Smith was released in a procedural move in March, so he has no obligations to make a decision anytime soon. Assuming he’s still weighing the possibility of playing another season, the 37-year-old likely has no interest in attending OTAs or minicamp or maybe even training camp, for that matter.
He’s presumably staying in shape at the Wood Gym back home in Knoxville, TN. And 215 games into his NFL career, Smith could roll up to Minnesota and be ready to go whenever he wants. The team has made it clear that they’re supporting his decision and would welcome him back with open arms if he chooses to play one more year.
Josh Metellus, who is currently the veteran in the Vikings’ safety room, said this week that he spent time with Smith recently and will support him either way.
“I’m always doing my part,” Metellus said when asked if he’s recruiting Smith to come back. “We watched the game last Friday, we spent some good time together, he came out here. Obviously he’s his own person, he’s on his own time. I’ma just do whatever I can to help this team win, whether that’s get 2-2 back or let him walk off into the sunset, I’ma do my part. Whatever he’s planning on doing, that’s his decision. I’m here to just be a good friend.”
NFL’s Most Underrated Players: Brock Purdy, Christian Watson Among Those With Larger Impact Scores Than Expected
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-most-underrated-players-2026/
Jalen Redmond, DT, Minnesota Vikings
An exclusive rights free agent in 2026, Jalen Redmond’s price tag of just over $1 million this year is a steal for the Minnesota Vikings when you consider how well he played last year. He had 62 tackles and 6.0 sacks in 2025, ranking second among all NFL defensive tackles with 18 splash plays. With an 82.8 PFSN DT Impact Score that ranked No. 12 at his position, Redmond is arguably the most underrated defensive lineman in football.
James Pierre, CB, Minnesota Vikings
James Pierre is the only player on this list to have changed teams this offseason, as he signed with the Vikings in free agency. With the Steelers, though, he put together a quietly stellar 2025 campaign. In particular, he broke up 11 passes in 14 games and only allowed a targeted passer rating of 57.2 in coverage. That level of play saw him finish No. 2 in the entire league in PFSN CB Impact Scoring.
After years as Vikings’ swingman, Blake Brandel settles in at center
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/vikings-blake-brandel-settles-at-center/
There’s a new quarterback in town, but there’s also a new guy snapping him the ball. Blake Brandel has been a Viking for a while, but this offseason, he’s making the switch to center.
“They asked me what I thought about it and I was all for it,” said Brandel after the Vikings’ second day of OTAs. “I just want to play. I love football and I love playing the game. Any opportunity I get to play the game.”
Last year’s center, Ryan Kelly, retired this offseason and the Vikings did not sign a replacement. They’ve publicly said it is Brandel’s job. He was previously a guard and tackle, though he filled in at center a bit last season.
“I had a couple bad snaps last year, so grinding on that throughout the offseason was huge,” said Brandel. “Just making sure… C-Q is huge, center-quarterback exchange. That was a big aspect. Everything is still relatively new. But I feel like I’m on the right track.”
“I would actually snap to my wife,” said Brandel. “My thought process was if she can catch it, then the quarterback can. And she’d let me know if it was a bad snap. Shoutout to her. Shoutout to Natalie. We got a lot of snaps in the backyard in Arizona.”
Note” Then let her play QB right?
Brian Flores appears to be cooking up another Vikings surprise
https://thevikingage.com/brian-flores-minnesota-vikings-surprise-tyrion-ingram-dawkins
The Vikings Landed a “Dog” Who is Bringing “Juice”
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/the-vikings-bringing-juice
La Velle Neal’s 3-2 pitch: Vikings offense should sing with Kyler Murray and Jauan Jennings
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-kyler-murray-jauan-jennings-lynx-courtney-williams-olivia-miles-cheryl-reeve-twins-mlb/601849079
2 Vikings Defenders Highlighted as Hidden Gems
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-hidden-gems-redmond-pierre
Vikings CB James Pierre Is Apparently a Demon in the Clutch
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/analysis/james-pierre-vikings-clutch
3 Intriguing Position Battles to Follow During 2026 Vikings OTAs
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/3-intriguing-position-battles-follow-during-2026-vikings-otas?page_source=v_recirc
Minnesota Vikings 2026 Training Camp Preview: It’s Now Kyler Murray’s Team
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/minnesota-vikings-2026-training-camp-014935885.html
The Vikings’ To-Do List before Training Camp Is Loaded
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-list-training-camp-loaded-012800768.html
JJ McCarthy Has Concerning Issues With Vikings: Report
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jj-mccarthy-concerning-issues-vikings-193714256.html
Which NFL players have the most money at stake in 2026? Kyler Murray, Christian Watson could cash in
https://www.nfl.com/news/which-nfl-players-have-the-most-money-at-stake-in-2026-kyler-murray-christian-watson-could-cash-in
The Best Side Of the Vikings QB Battle Is Not Taking One At All
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/the-best-side-of-the-vikings-qb-battle-is-not-taking-one-at-all/
Could Kevin O’Connell be on his way out if Vikings underperform in 2026?
https://sports.yahoo.com/video/could-kevin-oconnell-way-vikings-192613844.html
Note: Already? They do have someone on the staff that could take over.
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