All players and coaches have officially reported to Eagan for 2026 Minnesota Vikings training camp; the long wait is over. The franchise missed the postseason last year and is hoping to rebound, return to the postseason, and maybe even win the NFC North for the first time in four years.
To get the event started, new general manager Nolan Teasley and head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to reporters. Here’s what to know in ascending order of importance (No. 1 = most important takeaway).
What We Learned from Kevin O’Connell and Nolan Teasley
7. Disappointment in Gerald Alexander for a DWI
Defensive passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander replaced Daronte Jones this offseason, and he’s off to a rotten start after being recently convicted of a DWI.
“As coaches, the expectations and the standards we have are clear, and it’s important that we do those things for our players and be the examples on and off the field in this organization, and we take that very seriously,” O’Connell said of the situation.
“Gerald understands that. He knows he fell short of those expectations, and he’s taken full responsibility for what happened.”
O’Connell used the term “disappointment,” and Alexander has been suspended for three weeks.
6. Brian O’Neill Is Indeed a Foundational Viking
Teasley extended O’Neill’s contract on Tuesday morning, connecting the longtime right tackle to the franchise through the end of 2030.
Teasley on O’Neill: “It’s a foundational piece, and we’re really, really pleased that we were able to keep him here for a long time.”
O’Connell added, “He’s been such a pillar of this organization … this organization means so much to him, our fans, our ownership.”
The extension is worth $96 million over the four years, and when the numbers emerge, Teasley may have lowered O’Neill’s 2026 cap hit, providing more short-term salary cap flexibility.
5. O’Connell Wants More Physicality
An annual tradition: O’Connell stated his desire to run the football more on offense, while also talking about more physicality overall.
“We want to build our team and the ability to play the way we want to play along the line of scrimmage. And then, you know, obviously both offense and defense, our schemes are, you know, layered and built on top of each other, but it still comes down to play style and physicality in so many aspects of this game,” O’Connell declared.
On running the football more frequently and efficiently, O’Connell has said that in four consecutive offseasons; we shall see if the proof is in the pudding this September.
4. Jamal Adams Is a Brian Flores Special — and He Might Rush the Passer
Minnesota signed Adams, a linebacker, on Monday night, and Teasley envisions him as a Flores-esque chess piece – – which is precisely what fans spitballed on social media.
“The thing that excited me the most was just again you guys will hear me talk about process, but just like having the conversations with Flo and the personnel staff and kind of bringing those two areas of expertise to life together,” Teasley said.
“It started to, you know – – getting in again to the specific skill set – – of what he does well and then what Flo tasks players or what he can give them the freedom to do within this system.”
Adams sure sounds like a man who will make the 53-man roster. It’s worth noting that Teasley did not rule out more signings just because Adams is on board. An EDGE rusher behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner could be next.
3. Harrison Smith’s Status Is Still Undetermined
“Nothing has really changed,” O’Connell clarified about Smith’s future. Some onlookers believed that because Adams signed with the Vikings, Smith would not return. That is not true.
“There was never an expectation, at least on my end or our end,” O’Connell said about Smith’s timetable. “I believe that now would be the time we would really dive into that, and we’ll continue to have dialogue with him and keep you guys updated, as you know, if there were to be anything come about with that.”
The Smith door remains open.
2. Christian Darrisaw Is Ready to Rock
Over the last two months, Darrisaw has said that he feels great, and credible reporting has claimed he would be ready for training camp. All of that was accurate.
The exchange turned short and sweet. Asked if Darrisaw had any limitations at training camp, O’Connell replied, “No, there’s not.”
The pitch counts are gone.
1. The QB Battle Is Wide Open — and O’Connell Has a Secret Date in Mind
O’Connell insisted that Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will divide reps with the first team and second team. When pressed about a QB1 decision date, O’Connell mentioned, “I think there’s an ideal date based upon training camp to make sure you know we check a lot of boxes for our team but also for not only that player but our entire offense. So yeah, there’s absolutely a date in mind.”
Of course, O’Connell didn’t reveal the date, but he did point out that joint practices between the Vikings and Ravens would be a critical event.
May the best man win.
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VikesNow Verdict: The Vikings entered camp with plenty of unanswered questions, but Tuesday’s press conference offered a little clarity. Darrisaw appears ready, the offensive line has its cornerstone, and O’Connell already has a deadline in mind for the quarterback competition.
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