McVay can say what he wants publicly, but this ongoing back issue has to be majorly concerning for their outlook in 2025. Backs are always tricky things and Matt is 37 years old. Was supposed to practice last Friday....didn't. Was supposed to practice yesterday.....in street clothes, didn't. They've got time to be extra cautious yet and maybe that's whats happening, but something to keep an eye on.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings-training-...d-pressure

“[McCarthy] is a very, very hungry and driven player, but also a leader,” Jones says. “He’s different. In terms of the smarts, I put him in that category with Aaron Rodgers, in terms of how smart he is and really having an understanding for the game.”

It’s a lot of pressure on McCarthy, but his ring from Michigan’s 2024 title team suggests he might be able to handle it.

“He’s been amazing,” Jones says. “I’m honestly confident in what we have here. I feel like we have everything we need, all the pieces we need here. I feel like J.J. is going to surprise a lot of people.”

Various other nuggets, including some quotes from Will Fries. The D might be legit as well. Also read from another source that Jurgens held his own very well yesterday with a vet day off for Ryan Kelly. Showed power in the run game. Held decently against the bigger inside DTs in pass protect, Jurgens is progressing nicely. KAM and staff seemed particularly stoked to draft Jurgens on the inside video coverage of the Draft, maybe we are seeing why now. His big knock was functional strength coming out and that's been rectified. He's got the required length necessary. My comp is a Matt Birk type, Birk was a former 6th rounder that just kept getting better like Jurgens with identical body frame.

Wouldn't wish this on anyone...

Dolphins running back Alexander Mattison underwent season-ending neck surgery Sunday in Chicago, per sources. Mattison hurt his neck during Sunday’s game vs. the Bears, was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and had surgery.

EAGAN, Minn. -- The best player in the Minnesota Vikings training camp this summer had done it once again. Linebacker Jonathan Greenard destroyed the combination of blockers assigned to slow him down, reaching quarterback J.J. McCarthy so fast that coaches blew their whistles before McCarthy could look downfield.

"We call him the closer," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said. "How many times have we seen him win a one-on-one, or even with help from the back or the tight end, and he just wins and ends the drill?"

The answer: Too many to count.

Greenard dominated the opening weeks of Vikings training camp, reminding crowds not only of his breakout 2024 season, but making clear he has more to give. After posting the message "More is Required" on social media following the Vikings' playoff ouster in January, Greenard has taken it upon himself to demonstrate what he meant.

"It takes a lot of humility to just say, 'Hey, I'm ready to learn today,'" Greenard told ESPN. "I'm trying to learn something every single day so I can just build up on my game, so that nobody can stop me. They may know I do a certain move, but I may have added something else to the move that they've never seen before. And at that point, you're balling."

Greenard earned his first Pro Bowl honor last season after signing with the Vikings as a free agent, and his "Closer" nickname was well-earned. He recorded six of his 12 sacks, and nine of his 18 total tackles for loss, in the fourth quarter or overtime -- the third- and second-most in the NFL, respectively. Sacks are not always the perfect measure of pass-rush skills, but their impact at the end of close games is significant. It's not difficult to connect those plays to the Vikings' 9-1 record in one-score games.

The Vikings' coaching staff, particularly defensive coordinator Brian Flores, has been interested in Greenard's push this summer. Where can the team require more from Greenard? Flores and Greenard held a nuanced conversation about it this offseason.

"He's worked on his pass rush," Flores said. "He's worked on setting the edge in the run game. But also: How do I set somebody up? I think he's that sort of unselfish player."

In other words, what can Greenard do to make the players around him more productive? Greenard nodded his head vigorously when asked for details. One example, he said, is knowing the scheme well enough to avoid using an inside pass-rush move that gets in the way of a defensive tackle.

"That's just about understanding where I can take my moves and realizing that it could lock him up and not let him play free, depending on what I do," Greenard said. "So anytime that I could just make other guys play comfortably and free, while I'm still doing my thing on the outside, that's the main thing we're speaking on.

"Last year was my first year getting used to this system, so now I have a better understanding when I can be aggressive and then add on the ways I can set other people up."

Coverage is also a point of emphasis; it's a requirement for even the most accomplished pass rushers in Flores' scheme. This past season, Greenard bemoaned his failure to follow Detroit Lions tailback Jahmyr Gibbs on a wheel route in the teams' Week 7 matchup. Gibbs gained 16 yards on the play, putting the Lions in position for what turned out to be the winning field goal.

In all, Greenard dropped into coverage on a career-high 64 snaps last season, the second most of any player who finished the season with 10 or more sacks. The only such player with more snaps in coverage was teammate Andrew Van Ginkel (115). Among the 15 other players with at least 10 sacks, the average snaps in coverage was 23.7.


Often, players who focus on improvement are trying to dig out from an underwhelming season. Those who played well are hoping to maintain their level. Greenard, however, is doing neither this summer.

How much better can he truly be in 2025? He's ready to find out.

"Each year I just continue to just learn something," he said. "You might feel like you know it all every single year -- until you have another year and another year under your belt. I always say it's good to be punched in the mouth at times, to make you go back to the drawing board and make you understand why you love this stuff.

"So I feel like I can take this thing as far as God will let me. I have a lot left in the tank."

ESPN

Miami Dolphins running back Alexander Mattison underwent season-ending neck surgery Sunday in Chicago, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

Mattison suffered the injury after he was tackled on a 21-yard pass play in Sunday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where the surgery took place, the sources told Schefter.

He is expected to make a full recovery, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

The Dolphins signed Mattison to a one-year contract this offseason many expected him to take over a short-yardage role that the team had lacked in previous seasons.

But he was one of the standout players of training camp, showcasing not just the ability to move the chains in short-yardage situations, but break big runs, as well.

Mattison said the Dolphins didn't pigeonhole him into any specific role and allowed his play to dictate his snaps.

"Seeing as every run that he's had in camp, you can hear me yelling, 'wait, this isn't short-yardage,'" Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "I think 'Mad Dog' [Mattison] himself is a great example of 'no, here we allow your play to tell us who you are and how you adjust to coaching and how willing you are to invest in your game and your team.'"

With Mattison sidelined, the Dolphins signed former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Aaron Shampklin, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Shampklin will compete with rookie Ollie Gordon II for snaps behind starter De'Von Achane and second-year back Jaylen Wright.

Mattison, 27, appeared in 14 games and made seven starts for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. He spent his first five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and has rushed for 2,790 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career. He also has caught 136 passes for 1,012 yards with seven touchdown receptions.

ESPN

Joe Huber
6-5, 310
23 years old
UDFA out of Wisconsin
Played LG in 2023 and RG in 2024
Allowed only 1 sack during that time
Also has experience at RT
Vikings gave him $210K guaranteed

Long way to go, but he played tough in there. Weighs at least 15 lbs. more than the weight listed. If Minnesota could get some O-line roster backup help like a Huber to guys like Brandel, Jurgens and Rouse, very solid IMO. At the very least, make the practice squad....he might have pretty good potential down the road. Not a bad athlete. 

As some of you may recall  a few months ago I shared that one of our own had a young daughter that was undergoing kidney failure ( she only had one left and it was declining) the only hope was a transplant.  Well through the grace of God a matching donor was found and she got her new kidney.  Her recovery has been a long one,  but after roughly 2 years of praying and waiting for that donor to be found and the surgery to take place,  she was trooper and pushed hard to get home to her family.  ( I wasnt aware how long that transplant patients have to stay in the hospital and how much of a journey it is to balance anti-rejection drugs and other meds,  astonishing to say the least)

I am happy to say that she was able to get home about a month earlier than expected ( about 2 months after the surgery) and has been doing very well,  although there has been a recent issue with white blood cell counts and a couple infections that you or I would brush off as the sniffles, its a bit more involved for those who have recently undergone a transplant... so please keep her and her family in your prayers.

The main reason I am writing today is to share another part of her story.   It was our young Vikefans dream to become a published author and through her health ordeals she has written the first book of what she hopes will be many more,  and her states Make A Wish foundation has decided to help her make her dream come true,  they are working to get her book published and sold.  I will attach a link to pre-order her book and help make this young lady's dream become a reality.  Please, if you can help, order a book or 2 or 5 ( even if they dont fit your age group or interest,  I am pretty sure local schools and libraries would be happy to take them,  especially knowing the back ground story ) 

If you arent able to help,  please keep our brothers daughter in your prayers, not only for this dream to become a reality,  but for the nightmare that she has been living to come to a happy ending.

Thank you in advance.

Here is the link to the Make A Wish site:  www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/T2XWN3VS3ZHQ4

I am hoping that this catches fire and we can make her a best seller. if you frequent other boards or anything that may generate a bigger response, please feel free to share.

Also,  please keep another board member in your prayers as he continues his battle with cancer, and anyone else that needs some spiritual help.

Skol,
Jimmy

   
Preseason Champion Packers looking stellar…!!! 

Unreal !\
https://twitter.com/i/status/1954338776349815211

One thing I've noticed the last few seasons; The NFL doesn't understand the fans perspective. They schedule preseason games 3 hours apart. And as usual, the game before ours is delayed and the final 4 minutes last 30 minutes and go into our time.