Four takeaways from Kevin O’Connell, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as the Vikings begin training camp

Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell kicked off training camp on Tuesday, heading into a pivotal stage of their plan for the team after an offseason when both men were rewarded with new multiyear contracts.

The Vikings, owners of a 34-17 record over the past three years, are still seeking their first playoff win since Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell took over and will turn things over to J.J. McCarthy, the 22-year-old quarterback who missed his rookie season with a torn meniscus after the team drafted him 10th overall in 2024. He will take command of a team that won 14 games a year ago and committed more than $300 million to veteran players this offseason, trying to optimize the roster for a Super Bowl shot while McCarthy is in his rookie contract.

“We feel proud of some of the things we’ve accomplished,” O’Connell said. “But at the same time, I think it’s time for all of us to continue to look inward as a group as this team builds itself, day in and day out, with the leadership of our team kind of driving that ship. It’s time for us to acknowledge what we’re actually trying to build here. What that’s going to take is, in my opinion, an invisible presence in this building of understanding that we’re capable, but we’ve got to put in a lot of work to feel totally worthy in those moments to get where we want.”

Here are four takeaways from O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah’s news conference on Tuesday, as the Vikings opened the 65th training camp in their history and the eighth at their facility in Eagan:

O’Connell said left tackle Christian Darrisaw, right guard Will Fries and wide receiver Rondale Moore will not need to open camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list, as all three players made enough progress in injury rehab over the summer to avoid it. Darrisaw, who tore his left ACL and MCL in October, figures to start camp with individual work, but O’Connell said Fries has been completely cleared for practice. Fries, who signed a five-year, $88 million deal this offseason, had sustained a right tibia fracture last October with the Colts. Moore, who tore his ACL last August, signed a one-year deal with the Vikings in March.

“I want to highlight the work they put in this summer, to put themselves in a position to be out on the grass, practicing all in different capacities,” O’Connell said.

Safety Josh Metellus, who’s set to be a free agent after this season, only participated in team drills this offseason, as he seeks a new deal from the team. Adofo-Mensah said the Vikings “have had great dialogue with his agent,” Drew Rosenhaus, and added he expects Metellus to be a full participant in training camp even without a new contract “from what we understand.”

The Vikings’ young quarterback spent time throwing with many of his receivers in the five-week break between minicamp and training camp, and O’Connell sounded confident that McCarthy’s offseason work, combined with his study of the offense last season as he rehabbed from injury, would create enough of a foundation to help the quarterback make up for the time he lost on the field as a rookie. While McCarthy spent part of the Vikings’ offseason program testing himself with throws he might not normally make in a game situation, O’Connell said coaches will test his decision-making in more realistic situations during camp.

“I do think there’s a layer now where you start having real conversations about managing situations,” O’Connell said. “What does a first-and-10 decision look like versus a third-down, gotta-have-it type situation? People want to talk about the game manager position of the quarterback. All 32 guys better manage the game, or your team’s going to lose. The best quarterbacks that have ever played this game, and the best guys in the league right now, do a great job managing their decision-making throughout games, and it can change from the ebbs and flows of a game. I’d like to think during practices we can simulate that.”