An interesting Saturday for sure in the ol' CFB scene. 

• Belicheat and UNC: gross. The stadium was less than half full and the Tarheels stink. Clemson dog walked them in the first half. No word from Jordon....
  
• What is it with Penn State and their annual chokefest that comes every single year? I do think Drew Allar is a NFL QB, but nobody shits the bed with higher expectations than the Nittany Lions every year.
  
• Arch Manning looks like a kid that needs reps....needs to play more football. If he cares about a serious NFL career, he needs to stay for sure another year in college after this one. He currently smells like a guy that will throw a lot of INTs in the NFL. 
  
• Vanderbilt gave the game away with their horrible turnovers in the worst spots against Alabama.
  
• Colorado and Coach < Prime lost again. Under Sanders, Colorado is now 15-16 overall with more retired jerseys (2) than wins over ranked foes (1).
  
• QBs I'm liking so far: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Oregon QB Dante Moore and Alabama's Ty Simpson. 
  
• Somebody in the NFL is going to get a big time gamer in Iowa State QB Rocco Becht. He impresses me every time I watch him. He's got nice NFL QB2 vibes. 
  
• Man, Michigan coaches are really trying to keep QB Bryce Underwood from running and he's a force of nature if they'd let him. I get that he's a true freshman and although they are ranked 20th, this isn't their year to get into the playoffs, but let loose the reins a bit in Ann Arbor. Next year they could be a top 5 ranked team.
  
• University of Miami looks really good, lots of excitement for them down here in south Florida.
  
• Minnesota got a wake up call against Ohio State.....that's real talent in Columbus.
  
• Nice win for Notre Dame against a scrappy Boise State squad.
  

The Vikings placed center Ryan Kelly on injured reserve Saturday while activating fullback C.J. Ham.

Kelly suffered a concussion in last weekend’s game against the Steelers in Dublin, did not practice all week in England and was listed as out for Sunday’s game against the Browns in London. It was Kelly’s second concussion of the season, after he suffered one in the home opener against the Falcons.

Kelly, 32, will need to miss a minimum of four games, meaning he will not be eligible to return until the Week 10 game against the Ravens on Nov. 9.

Coming off IR was Ham, meaning the fullback, who had been sidelined by a knee injury, might make his season debut Sunday. Ham was a full participant in practice this week and had been listed as questionable.

The Vikings also signed rookie guard Vershon Lee from the practice squad to the active roster and elevated running back Cam Akers and guard Henry Byrd from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game..

Quarterback Desmond Ridder was waived. With J.J. McCarthy sidelined for a third consecutive week by a high ankle sprain, it means the Vikings will have only two available quarterbacks on the roster for Sunday: starter Carson Wentz and rookie backup Max Brosmer.

STRIB

Sources confirmed to Vikings Wire late Wednesday that the team has agreed to terms on a deal with the New York Giants to acquire former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal in exchange for a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The blockbuster acquisition comes at a make-or-break moment for Minnesota, who enter their Week 5 bye on the ropes after a gut-wrenching 24-21 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in London. That overseas heartbreaker wasn’t just a loss on the scoreboard; it was a demolition of the Vikings’ front five, with two key starters—center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Brian O’Neill—carted off with injuries that exposed the unit’s fragility like never before.

With backups shuffling in and out like a bad game of musical chairs, Minnesota’s “makeshift” O-line featured three non-starters against Pittsburgh, allowing three sacks and countless pressures on quarterback Sam Darnold. The result? A stalled run game, a harried passing attack, and a fanbase that’s seen enough patchwork to last a lifetime.

Enter Evan Neal: the 6-foot-7, 337-pound Alabama product who was once hailed as the future of the Giants’ trenches. Drafted seventh overall in 2022 amid sky-high expectations, Neal’s NFL journey has been a rollercoaster of positional tweaks and unfulfilled promise. Moved from tackle to guard in a bid for playing time, he’s logged 27 starts across both spots but has been relegated to the bench in 2025 behind Jon Runyan Jr. and Greg Van Roten. Zero snaps this season for the Giants, who are 1-3 and shopping assets ahead of their own reset.

But here’s the twist that makes this trade a potential masterstroke: Neal’s versatility. He’s got 1,200-plus snaps at tackle in college and the pros, making him a seamless plug-and-play replacement for O’Neill. And for a Vikings team coached by the offensive wizard Kevin O’Connell—who’s turned castoffs like Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson into Pro Bowl caliber—this smells like destiny.

“Kevin’s got a knack for unlocking talent that others couldn’t,” Adofo-Mensah added. “We’ve seen it with our skill players, and now we’re extending that to the line. Evan fits our culture, our scheme, and our timeline perfectly.”

O’Connell’s Reclamation Magic: Neal’s Perfect Landing Spot
Neal’s slide isn’t for lack of physical gifts. At 25, he’s still young enough to rebound, with the athleticism that made him a top-10 lock three drafts ago. Scouts rave about his footwork, punch, and run-blocking prowess—traits that could thrive in O’Connell’s zone-heavy, play-action attack. Imagine Neal pulling on sweeps or stonewalling edge rushers like Myles Garrett in the coming weeks; it’s the kind of vision that has Minnesota’s brass salivating.

For the Giants, it’s a salary cap dump and draft capital haul. Neal’s rookie deal carries a $4.8 million cap hit in 2025, and with New York eyeing a rebuild, moving him for a late-rounder (that could upgrade to a sixth based on snaps) is low-risk housekeeping. Giants GM Joe Schoen confirmed the deal in a terse team statement: “Evan’s a tremendous talent, and we’re excited for his next chapter. This gives us flexibility moving forward.”

How in the hell did scouts and GMs agree that Bryce Young is the #1 overall pick in the Draft he came out? HOW? He looks like my 9th grade nephew with an oversized helmet. And he's not good.......at all. The answer to my question is predicting a franchise NFL QB is a spin at the roulette table. Its nuts. But this seems especially egregious. Bryce Young never ever felt like a franchise QB to me. And I'm stupid. How with this kid?? And I say all this knowing that Bryce is really a great young man. He really is. I almost hate saying this out in the online universe because its a damn hard position to get right in the NFL. But damn.......

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2525...nk-hes-guy

Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall and running back Chuck Foreman are among 52 former players still being considered for the three finalist spots from the Seniors category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, the Hall announced Thursday morning.

The nine Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee members, who also serve on the 50-person selection committee, were tasked with reducing a list of 162 nominees down to 50, plus ties. They now will trim the field from 52 to 25 to nine over the next several weeks. After that, they’ll meet virtually to decide the three finalists.

Seniors under consideration for 2026 played their final seasons in 2000 or before.

Marshall, who died June 3, defined the term “NFL ironman” during a 20-year career (1960-79) in which he played the final 19 as an original member of the Vikings. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Marshall’s 289 consecutive games started, including playoffs, is second in NFL history behind Brett Favre’s 321. Marshall’s 301 consecutive games played, including playoffs, is third behind punter Jeff Feagles (363) and Favre (323).

Foreman, 74, was a dual-threat running back who was ahead of his time. He won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1973 and finished third in the Associated Press’ 1974 NFL MVP voting. A five-time Pro Bowl pick and 1975 first-team All-Pro, Foreman played seven seasons with the Vikings and a final year in New England. He led the NFL in receptions in 1975 (73), touchdowns from scrimmage in 1974 (15) and 1976 (14) and total touchdowns from 1974-76 (51).

Strib

The Vikings are the NFL’s second-most penalized team. 

The offense, specifically, has drawn 19 flags, including a league-worst 13 pre-snap penalties like delay of game and false start. Opponents have accepted 37 flags against Minnesota as a team, which has been a focus for coaches during practices.

Whether it’s left tackle Christian Darrisaw flinching too early or replacement center Michael Jurgens, who is also injured now, looking back at Wentz during a protection call and drawing another false start, the Vikings have spread the penalties around as an offense.

“That’s something that unfortunately is biting us,” Wentz said. “I don’t think that’s by any means a center thing; it’s just everybody as a whole. We just got to lock in on all the small things.”

The plan for McCarthy, who has not practiced since sustaining a sprained right ankle in the Sept. 14 loss to the Falcons, is to return to quarterback drills as early as Thursday. O’Connell has declined to answer whether McCarthy will be the starter when he’s healthy.

On Wednesday, O’Connell said McCarthy will return “sooner than later.” O’Connell clarified he wants to see McCarthy in position drills before getting him “real reps” in full-team sessions.

“Where he’s throwing to our guys and working the techniques and fundamentals,” O’Connell said. “Think it’s more important to feel his footwork, and with it specifically being the back foot, you know, the base of a right-handed thrower. Making sure he can trust that, put it in the ground and transfer his weight.”

Wentz, 32, was asked how he views his role with McCarthy, who is a decade younger than Wentz and has been pegged as the franchise quarterback.

“I knew that coming in from the moment I got here,” Wentz said. “How can I help this team, which without a doubt would be helping him in any way, shape or form. Obviously, he’s probably been helping me a lot more learning the playbook, learning the guys, all those things, both him and Max [Brosmer].”

Wentz said he’s been helping McCarthy “whether that’s after practice, in the film room, whatever that looks like. I’ve seen a lot of this stuff – the good, the bad and the ugly for a while now, so any insight I can add to help him, he’s been super receptive to that. He wants to learn as much as he can.”


STRIB

Vikings OL comments at 1:11:29

With 2 concussions in three weeks and 4 since 2023, we may have a problem with Ryan Kelly. Will he miss the average 9 days in the protocol and come back with a guardian cap? Or will he go on IR to clear his head and miss 4 games? Or will the 32-year-old decide enough's enough and retire? 

I have no clue. But I do know that while Skule and Brandel have been serviceable, Michael Jurgens has not. And this could present a big problem for our young QB when he returns after the bye.  

Unless Kelly retires, I think we'll just keep after it with Jurgens while he's out. But if he does retire, the Vikings may look to trade for a veteran, ala Cam Robinson last year. 

Erik McCoy in New Orleans is a name I see pop up every now and then. He just turned 28, he made the Pro Bowl in each of his last two seasons, and the Saints are winless and have been trying to shed salary since...hell since Brees retired. Looks like there's a shit-ton of dead cap involved though.

Trump promises to cut off funding to NYC if they elect Mamdani. For those on both sides.  Does this rhetoric no worry you?  If we're going to cut off federal funding for areas of the country when the opposite party is in charge do we not have a significant problem? Knives cut both ways.  There will be a day when your preferred political party isn't in power. 

I'm not typically one to start screaming for the backup, but I really think what hurt us most against Pittsburgh was Wentz's unfamiliarity with the offense. If Wentz struggles again, I wonder if KOC might consider putting in Brosmer. 

This is obviously not the ideal situation to debut your undrafted free agent QB, but there is one big difference between him and Wentz. He's been in this offense since May.