You blinked — and summer arrived, which includes organized team activities (OTAs) for the Minnesota Vikings. OTAs often fly under the radar for casual fans, so we’re here to bring the heat with an update.
OTAs and minicamp will last until mid-to-late June. These are the takeaways so far, ranked in ascending order (No. = most important thing to know).
Vikings’ First OTA Clues Arrive before Minicamp
5. Positive Updates on Caleb Banks, Christian Darrisaw
Darrisaw was live and partaking in the flesh — almost as if no ACL injury had happened at all, which is obviously encouraging. The Vikings shut him down last December, as the ACL recovery evidently has not transpired as everyone hoped. It’s messy.
On Banks, The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis tweeted, “Banks didn’t practice, but he was present throughout and doing some S&C work after. Looked good, positive signs.”
Banks injured his foot twice in seven months, sinking his draft stock from Round 1 to Round 2 in the eyes of draftniks. Minnesota disagreed, however, and picked Banks at No. 18. Folks will spend the next few months wondering if he will play right away. OTAs brought a positive hint. Training camp is the best big marker.
4. The World Is Unimpressed with J.J. McCarthy’s Oratory Skills
Here’s a clip from McCarthy this week in Eagan:
Then, he got dragged. FantasyLife‘s Matthew Berry tweeted, “He could have said they’re still finding their way in terms of a relationship but he respects everything Kyler has done in the league. Ultimately at the end of the day he wants to be starting QB of Vikes & he’s gonna compete like hell. That would have been a non controversial way to express what he tried and failed to do here.”
Former NFLer Kurt Benkert posted, “That JJ McCarthy interview was BRUTAL. Not the type of guy that will lead an NFL team & locker room the way he is. He needs to grow up.”
The Ringer‘s Diante Lee: “Not saying it’s fair… But those quotes yesterday were objectively not a good look. JJ split time as a freshman in college with Cade McNamera before ultimately taking over as Michigan’s QB1. You can literally borrow from your own experience before mentioning high school lol.”
McCarthy has begun to enter Kirk Cousins territory, where whatever he says or does gets scrutinized.
3. Jordan Addison Cooking
Folks weren’t chomping at the bit to see if Addison would play well in 2026 — he usually does — but the man looked especially sharp to start OTAs, even thriving with both quarterbacks, Murray and McCarthy.
Some footage:
And the McCarthy-to-Addison toss:
The Vikings pressed the green button on Addison’s fifth-year extension a few weeks ago; he’s connected to the franchise through the end of 2027. He’ll also likely haul in a sweet extension in the next 12 months.
2. Blake Brandel, Indeed, Is the Guy at Center
Minnesota could’ve signed Cade Mays, Luke Fortner, or Tyler Biadsz in free agency, among others, but it did no such thing. It could’ve drafted Jake Slaughter, Logan Jones, Sam Hecht, or Connor Lew in April, but it did no such thing.
Therefore, the clues pointed to Brandel starting at center in 2026, and at OTAs, that theory was vindicated. Brandel took first-team reps at the position. Barring a summer surge from Michael Jurgens or Gavin Gerhardt, a free-agent signing like Ethan Pocic, or a trade for a center like Miami’s Aaron Brewer, Brandel will be the starting center for the 2026 Vikings.
He’s now played ample snaps at tackle, guard, and center in his career — a beacon of offensive line versatility.
1. Kyler Murray Is the Heavy Favorite to Earn the QB1 Job
McCarthy and Murray actually played well at OTAs. Onlookers were impressed with McCarthy’s improved mechanics, and Murray looked like classic Murray.
Still, Murray is the overwhelming frontrunner to win the QB1 title, even if social media users are eager to claim McCarthy is “right there” for the upset.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert observed: “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.”
The situation is this: McCarthy may show marked improvement over last year, and even that may not be enough to topple Murray.
Seifert added. “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.”
