Access Vikings

Andrew Krammer, Ben Goessling and Michael Rand bring you the latest episode from the Minnesota State Fair, where they braved the sweltering Monday heat to mingle with listeners and deliver a live podcast recording.

Projections for the 53-man roster were a big topic of discussion, particularly which slow-to-develop members of the 2022 draft class will or won't make the cut.

Plus they took a swing at deciding how many wins the Vikings will end up with this year. That question largely depends on what you think of quarterback Sam Darnold.

And at the end, Minnesota Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal joined the party to talk about his beloved Bears.

Andrew Krammer is joined by the Star Tribune's Mark Craig from Cleveland, where the Vikings and Browns held two joint practices this week. Mark discusses the latest on the injury front from J.J. McCarthy to Jordan Addison and observations from practices, including how the offense fared against a tough Browns defensive front and what the Vikings secondary is looking like with less than a month before Week 1.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss rookie QB J.J. McCarthy's torn meniscus that will require surgery on his right knee. How does that impact the team's development plans? How long will he be sidelined? What it doesn't change is QB Sam Darnold's standing as the Week 1 starter. They also discuss the cornerback situation and free agent Stephon Gilmore's visit on Monday.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer recap the Vikings' 24-23 preseason-opening win over the Raiders on Saturday, when Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy made their debuts in Minnesota. How did they fare? What about the rest of the offense? And how many cornerbacks are they going to need to keep adding?

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer discuss the Vikings' plans for Saturday's preseason opener, and why quarterback Sam Darnold remains in the starting seat entering the first exhibition. Don't expect that to change anytime soon. What does J.J. McCarthy expect to see in "significant" playing time? What about Brian Flores' evolving defense in Year 2? Which players are (and aren't) standing out in camp?

On the latest edition of the Access Vikings podcast, Star Tribune beat writer Ben Goessling and regular contributor Michael Rand dug into the quarterback competition in Vikings camp. Rookie J.J. McCarthy has flashed his talent and shown a command of the offense, but fans are going to have to be patient because the Vikings certainly will be. Sam Darnold is still taking the first-team repetitions and figures to for quite some time.

Plus they get into all the recent additions at cornerback, whether the Vikings might finally run the ball more this year and the new kickoff rules that could have a big impact on early success for teams this season.

Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling and regular podcast contributor Michael Rand are back with a new episode featuring a breakdown of all that was said by head coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah at a mostly somber news conference before the start of training camp.

The head coach and GM spoke about the tragic offseason death of rookie corner Khyree Jackson as well as the recent arrest of second-year receiver Jordan Addison. While the organization's efforts around Jackson are spot-on, Rand and Goessling found the response to Addison's arrest a little lacking in toughness.

Plus thoughts on other roster battles and the all-important question: How is J.J. lookin'?

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer discuss quarterback J.J. McCarthy's spring with the Vikings after the rookie spoke with reporters following OTA No. 9 of 10. Kevin O'Connell said Sam Darnold is the starter, and McCarthy said he's been eager to learn from Darnold. What could change the plan? What else are they looking for come training camp?

From Vikings headquarters in Eagan, Minn., Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss the journey of receiver Justin Jefferson's contract talks, his mandate as leader of the team, a brief tangent on QB contracts, and observations from the three-day mandatory minicamp.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer discuss Monday's breaking news that receiver Justin Jefferson and the Vikings agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract extension through the 2028 season. The Vikings made Jefferson the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback player at $35 million per season. How long will that last as the top mark in the league? What's the team's outlook with Jefferson and their quarterback situation? And what else are we looking for at mandatory minicamp this week?