Though the Vikings have yet to declare a starting QB between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy, there's continuity elsewhere in the offense, with the team's top two RBs, WRs and TEs from last year back for another campaign. Mason is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he recorded 758 yards and six TDs on 159 carries to go along with 14 catches for 51 yards in 16 contests, while Jones carried the ball 132 times for 548 yards and two touchdowns, adding 28 catches (on 41 targets) for 199 yards and a score in 12 games. With Mason and Jones both still around, another RB timeshare — one that favors Jones in PPR formats — is in the making for 2026, while Claiborne is a candidate to mix in on passing downs.

Jones is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he carried the ball 132 times for 548 yards and two touchdowns while adding 28 catches on 41 targets for 199 yards and a score in 12 games. With Mason (758 rushing yards and six TDs on 159 carries plus 14 catches for 51 yards in 16 contests) still around, another RB timeshare — one that favors Jones in PPR formats — looms in 2026, with Claiborne a bigger threat to Jones' snaps on passing downs.

Former Cardinal Kyler Murray was brought in to compete with J.J. McCarthy, and according to coach Kevin O'Connell, it's possible that the team's looming QB competition could extend into the preseason, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports. Murray, the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, is viewed as the favorite to win the job, and if that ends up being the outcome, he'd be Minnesota's fourth different Week 1 starter in the past four seasons. Subpar QB play hampered Jefferson's fantasy upside in 2025, but if Murray seizes the top job and engineers a bounce-back season of his own in the process, the four-time Pro Bowler stands to benefit.

Lang shifted between practice squads for Seattle and New England during his rookie year in 2025, and now he's getting a new opportunity with the Vikings. With T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver both expected to contribute at tight end in 2026, there won't be much breathing room for others to find their way onto the field.

Tackle Brian O'Neill had high praise for Darrisaw when asked about his first full offseason back from a torn ACL, which is a promising sign for his recovery. Darrisaw had a scheduled down day Wednesday, but once fully healthy, he's expected to operate as Minnesota's starting left tackle.

Fellow signal callers Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer remain in the reserve mix, while Kevin Seifert of ESPN relays that Murray was on the field for the first QB snaps during team drills Tuesday, after which McCarthy took about an equal number of snaps with the starters — as was the trend during the media-access portions of Minnesota's OTAs. Per Seifert, Murray is viewed as the favorite to win the the team's ongoing quarterback competition, but at this stage the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft continues his transition to a new offensive system while splitting work with McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in 2024, who is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he threw for 1,632 yards with an 11:12 TD:INT in 10 regular-season starts.

Though Murray was out there first Tuesday, J.J. McCarthy took about an equal number of snaps with the starters, which was also the case during the media-access portions of the Vikings' OTAs. At this stage, a decision on the team's starting quarterback doesn't appear imminent, with Murray acknowledging that sharing reps with McCarthy has been challenging as he adjusts to a new offensive system. Murray remains the favorite to win the top job, but McCarthy — who Minnesota took 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft — still has time to change that narrative ahead of Week 1.

A little over a week after he was waived by Seattle, Rudolph is now getting another shot with a new club. The undrafted rookie is not physically imposing, but he did demonstrate some ability as a kick returner at Toledo, which could help him get more opportunities early on.

There were questions about Briscoe's health when he was waived by Seattle in May, but he's presumably in good shape now. The undrafted rookie boasts good size, and he caught 43 passes for 779 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season at Cal Poly in 2025.

Loudermilk suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 of the 2025 season and subsequently didn't return to action. The 2021 fifth-round pick out of Wisconsin spent five years with the Steelers in a reserve role, as he never surpassed 275 defensive snaps or 23 tackles — both marks he set in his rookie year. Loudermilk will add depth to the Vikings' stout defensive line.

Jennings will head to Minnesota after spending the first six years of his NFL career with the 49ers, five of which were as a member of the team's active roster. The wide receiver most recently caught 55 of 90 targets for 643 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns over 15 regular-season games in 2025. He now will join a Vikings roster that has a pair of former first-round picks in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison as anchors in the WR room, but Jennings will provide the team with a formidable trio at the position.

The details of the contract are unknown at this point, but Johnson will be linking up with his third team in as many years. He played a depth role on the interior of Indianapolis' defensive line in 2025, logging 131 defensive snaps over 12 games. He joins rookie first-rounder Caleb Banks (foot) and rookie third-rounder Domonique Orange as recent acquisitions meant to beef up Minnesota's defensive front.

Vikings EVP of football operations Rob Brzezinski said last month that the team would be making this move, and it's now official. Addison will earn $18 million in 2027 as a result. The 23rd overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Addison has shown flashes of big-time playmaking ability during his first three seasons, but he also was a victim of extremely poor quarterback play during the 2025 campaign. With Kyler Murray now in town to compete with J.J. McCarthy (hand), the Vikings are banking on more competency under center, which should obviously help Justin Jefferson and Addison produce better numbers in the box score.

Sanders played four seasons with Georgia Southern and had his best campaign last year, when he produced 797 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 50 catches. He was one of four wideouts signed as UDFAs by the Vikings on Saturday along with Dillon Bell, Luke Wysong and Shaleak Knotts.

Gerhardt started four years at Cincinnati and didn't allow a single sack during the 2025 season, blocking for star quarterback Brendan Sorsby. He'll settle into a depth role along a Vikings offensive line that allowed the fourth-most sacks in the league last season. As a late seventh-round selection, Gerhardt will likely need to prove his worth in camp to guarantee himself a 53-man roster spot this fall.

Claiborne brings a dynamic skillset to Minnesota after four years at Wake Forest — two as a starter. The 22-year-old is a patient runner with the speed (4.37 40-yard dash) to break open a play when he sees daylight. At 5-foot-10, 188 pounds, he doesn't project as a consistent threat between the tackles, but there's clear upside if the Vikings can get him into space. Over his final two seasons, Claiborne rushed 407 times for 1,956 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 51 receptions for 194 yards and two scores. Claiborne could earn his keep in a third-down role if he can tidy up his pass blocking, but it's a crowded room for now with 31-year-old Aaron Jones leading the way ahead of Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott.

Demmings (6-foot-1, 193 pounds) heads to Minnesota after five years at Stephen F. Austin, serving as a starter for the final 3.5 seasons. He never recorded more than 18 tackles in a season, but he piled up 39 pass breakups and eight interceptions over 32 games through his final three years. With a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Demmings has the tools and experience to develop into a starter in the NFL, and his physicality should provide an immediate boost on special teams.

For a fullback to go in the fifth round these days is to all but set aside a roster spot for him, though Bredeson's lack of athletic testing makes it difficult to assess how notable of a fullback prospect he might be. Either way, the Michigan product has a good chance to make the Minnesota roster following the retirement of longtime standout fullback C.J. Ham.

Thomas transferred to Miami for his fifth and final college season, where he established himself as a key piece in the Hurricanes secondary en route to an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Indiana. He started in all 16 games in 2025 and was named as the Fiesta Bowl MVP and to the All-ACC Second-Team after posting 76 total tackles, including 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 11 pass defenses (five interceptions). Thomas is an avid playmaker both in coverage and as a run stopper, and while that aggressiveness led to game-changing plays in college, he'll have to be careful not to get exposed at the NFL level. Thomas will have the chance to compete against Theo Jackson and Jay Ward for the second starting safety job alongside Josh Metellus (shoulder).

Tiernan (6-foot-8, 323 pounds) boasts a dominating frame and notable experience, having started the last three-and-a-half seasons at Northwestern. The 32-and-2/8-inch arm length Tiernan logged at the 2026 NFL Combine somewhat undercuts excitement about his size, though he made up for that by showcasing significant explosiveness via a 35.5-inch vertical. Tiernan will kick off his career in a depth role behind LT Christian Darrisaw, who struggled to play through a knee injury in 2025 but should be back to full form for the 2026 campaign.

Orange (6-foot-2, 322 pounds) emerged as an effective run stopper while starting the last 2.5 of his four total seasons at Iowa State, though he totaled only 1.0 sack in his collegiate career. He pencils in as the backup and No. 2 rotational man at nose tackle behind fellow rookie Caleb Banks (foot), whom Minnesota selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 18 overall. Banks is recovering from a fractured foot and expected to be healthy around June, so Orange could benefit from increased reps throughout the spring and early summer.

Although he started his college career at FCS Central Arkansas, Golday (6-foot-5, 239 pounds) looked like a five-star recruit getting off the bus for Cincinnati, and he showed at the combine that he's also a standout athlete by NFL standards (4.62-second 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical jump). Ivan Pace fell off hard following his promising rookie year, so before the Golday selection the Vikings didn't know who would play in nickel formations alongside Blake Cashman. Although he still needs to earn it, Golday is expected to secure a three-down role at some point before his rookie year concludes.

Banks (6-foot-6, 327 pounds) is more theory than practice to this point, but it's easy enough to see why the theoretical versions of Banks are so tempting to NFL coaches. Banks' 5.04-second 40 and 114-inch broad jump aren't numbers you see for guys as big as Banks or with Banks' 35-inch arms, so it's easy to envision the Vikings' new defensive tackle establishing a wide lateral reach at the line of scrimmage to trap ball carriers and collapse the pocket. The fractured foot that Banks incurred at the February Combine is believed to be a non-issue — the recovery is expected to complete itself some time in June.

No organization submitted a better offer sheet for Pace's services in the restricted free agency window. As such, the linebacker has signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract to remain with the Vikings through the 2026 season. The 25-year-old was a reliable depth piece in 2025, playing heavy snaps to start the year before returning to the reserve role that he will likely maintain in 2026.

Redmond will officially remain with the Vikings on a one-year deal after a breakout campaign in 2025. The defensive tackle totaled 62 tackles (33 solo), including 6.0 sacks, with five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games and starting 15 of them.