Athletic: NFL execs unfiltered on NFL free agency

[supafreak84]

They have one playoff win since 10, but yah I'm still waiting for a SB appearance...Christo, I forget they were even in one as the AZ Cardinals. 

I was 16 at the last one we represented, too long.

Your tagline says it all my friend. It's been way too long for us all and I really fear with the Wilfs running things we will continue to be regular season champions with zero chance of ever getting to the Super Bowl. It's their flawed vision, poor hiring practices, poor roster building philosophies, and a general lack of understanding. We just wasted four years, FOUR YEARS, on a completely worthless and undeserving GM hire that anybody with half a brain knew was not going to go well and we are now scrambling to dig ourselves out of the holes he created. So if we knew it, how did the Wilfs not? They are Woody Johnson level bad, but just have shinier urinals in the stadium bathrooms. I'm just beyond tired of their clown show.

[Canthony]

Murray came to Eagan to sign his deal and took a couple pictures. Then left and he hasn't been back since. Until he changes his black cloud about him, that isn't a good sign. You have four months till TC and games are played. I think you should be at the facility as much as you can if you expect to learn a whole new offense. If you have a player like Jefferson, why haven't you even met up with him, even outside the facility. IDK, still smells like a rat to me.

[purplefaithful]

Murray came to Eagan to sign his deal and took a couple pictures. Then left and he hasn't been back since. Until he changes his black cloud about him, that isn't a good sign. You have four months till TC and games are played. I think you should be at the facility as much as you can if you expect to learn a whole new offense. If you have a player like Jefferson, why haven't you even met up with him, even outside the facility. IDK, still smells like a rat to me.

I'd have to find it again, but I recall reading on the STRIB KM has been at Eagan 2-3 days a week from AZ since signing the contract. But like we said elsewhere, it's overall up to him to change the narrative

[Canthony]

I'd have to find it again, but I recall reading on the STRIB KM has been at Eagan 2-3 days a week from AZ since signing the contract. But like we said elsewhere, it's overall up to him to change the narrative

I looked it up before I posted it. He hasn't been back. JJ has been at the facility every day from the things I read. I hope Murray comes out and absolutely blows me away. Pretty reserved for the reasons I have discussed the last week or so.

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Unless what I read was wrong. Who knows, it is the offseason, I guess.

[purplefaithful]

I looked it up before I posted it. He hasn't been back. JJ has been at the facility every day from the things I read. I hope Murray comes out and absolutely blows me away. Pretty reserved for the reasons I have discussed the last week or so.

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Unless what I read was wrong. Who knows, it is the offseason, I guess.

Yah, I think that source was wrong...This was from the Strib about 5 days ago:

O’Connell said he expects OTAs will include the full group of receivers, including Justin Jefferson, who had a voice in the quarterback discussions this offseason as the Vikings’ franchise player. 

Jefferson attended OTAs in full last year, too, as the Vikings looked to build his chemistry with McCarthy.

Getting every quarterback a high number of reps with every member of that receiving group and the rest of the offense is more important to O’Connell than funneling them all to a potential No. 1. “You can’t go into it with a mindset of trying to elevate your quarterback room and get as many talented players as you can in there and then start carving out the reps in March,” O’Connell said. “It really doesn’t work like that.”

It helps, then, that the four QBs are already spending time in Minnesota working together and establishing rapport. Murray, whose signing last month comes after seven years living in Arizona while with the Cardinals, is in town a few days a week. 

McCarthy, meanwhile, returned recently from training in Southern California with former NFL QB and 3DQB trainer John Beck. O’Connell said he believes McCarthy gained “perspective” through his 10 starts last season, but the Vikings would still like to see a level of consistency from McCarthy on and off the field that they didn’t quite get in 2025.

[Canthony]

Yah, I think that source was wrong...This was from the Strib about 5 days ago:

O’Connell said he expects OTAs will include the full group of receivers, including Justin Jefferson, who had a voice in the quarterback discussions this offseason as the Vikings’ franchise player. 

Jefferson attended OTAs in full last year, too, as the Vikings looked to build his chemistry with McCarthy.

Getting every quarterback a high number of reps with every member of that receiving group and the rest of the offense is more important to O’Connell than funneling them all to a potential No. 1. “You can’t go into it with a mindset of trying to elevate your quarterback room and get as many talented players as you can in there and then start carving out the reps in March,” O’Connell said. “It really doesn’t work like that.”

It helps, then, that the four QBs are already spending time in Minnesota working together and establishing rapport. Murray, whose signing last month comes after seven years living in Arizona while with the Cardinals, is in town a few days a week. 

McCarthy, meanwhile, returned recently from training in Southern California with former NFL QB and 3DQB trainer John Beck. O’Connell said he believes McCarthy gained “perspective” through his 10 starts last season, but the Vikings would still like to see a level of consistency from McCarthy on and off the field that they didn’t quite get in 2025.

I still think the kid is going to be special. I really do. He always had that drive and work ethic. He needed a quick wake up call on maturity. We will see. it's super positive about him this offseason. So I look forward to seeing him grow. With or without Murray, JJM is still here. For now...

[JustInTime]

Yah, I think that source was wrong...This was from the Strib about 5 days ago:

O’Connell said he expects OTAs will include the full group of receivers, including Justin Jefferson, who had a voice in the quarterback discussions this offseason as the Vikings’ franchise player. 

Jefferson attended OTAs in full last year, too, as the Vikings looked to build his chemistry with McCarthy.

Getting every quarterback a high number of reps with every member of that receiving group and the rest of the offense is more important to O’Connell than funneling them all to a potential No. 1. “You can’t go into it with a mindset of trying to elevate your quarterback room and get as many talented players as you can in there and then start carving out the reps in March,” O’Connell said. “It really doesn’t work like that.”

It helps, then, that the four QBs are already spending time in Minnesota working together and establishing rapport. Murray, whose signing last month comes after seven years living in Arizona while with the Cardinals, is in town a few days a week. 

McCarthy, meanwhile, returned recently from training in Southern California with former NFL QB and 3DQB trainer John Beck. O’Connell said he believes McCarthy gained “perspective” through his 10 starts last season, but the Vikings would still like to see a level of consistency from McCarthy on and off the field that they didn’t quite get in 2025.

Thanks for setting this straight. 

Did anyone really think K1 wouldn’t be working out here? He’s got about $60 million reasons to make this work. Motivated and this best team he’s ever been on.

[purplefaithful]

I still think the kid is going to be special. I really do. He always had that drive and work ethic. He needed a quick wake up call on maturity. We will see. it's super positive about him this offseason. So I look forward to seeing him grow. With or without Murray, JJM is still here. For now...

Thanks for setting this straight. 

Did anyone really think K1 wouldn’t be working out here? He’s got about $60 million reasons to make this work. Motivated and this best team he’s ever been on.

I dont know now what KOC means by level of consistency on and off the field from JJM? It doesnt matter much at this point.

I dont know how or if it'll happen, but I'm hoping both these guys end up changing the narrative about them this year. It would be a good problem for MN to have.

[JustInTime]

I dont know now what KOC means by level of consistency on and off the field from JJM? It doesnt matter much at this point.

I dont know how or if it'll happen, but I'm hoping both these guys end up changing the narrative about them this year. It would be a good problem for MN to have.

It’s kinda cryptic, isn’t it? The only thing I can think of was McCarthy doing the griddy into the end zone vs Detroit? When he had done so in practice and KO told him not to. Tapping out was also…odd. And then there’s the 9 persona that has been beaten to death on Twitter.

What set off more of an alarm for me was the lack of basic fundamentals. I’m still considering a class action suit against IMG, Jim Harbaugh, and the university of Michigan.