Access Vikings

On this episode of the Access Vikings podcast, Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the many intriguing options available in the trenches during this year's NFL Draft. What are some of the best fits in the first round on each side? What about in later rounds? And what does the current depth chart tell us about what direction they'll go?

Emily Leiker and Ben Goessling discuss a handful of defensive back prospects in this year's NFL Draft who'd be good fits for the Vikings, including potential first rounders and those who might still be on the board further in the draft. Plus, they briefly go down tangents on the Vikings' comp pick outlook for 2026 and who could replace Cam Bynum's role as Josh Metellus' co-dance captain next year Prospects discussed: Texas' Jahdae Barron, Georgia's Malaki Starks, Notre Dame's Xavier Watts, East Carolina's Shavon Revel Jr., Virginia's Jonas Sanker and more.

In his first public comments to local reporters about the Vikings’ QB situation, O’Connell on Monday addressed the team’s interest in Rodgers and his communication with McCarthy about it. Star Tribune Vikings writers Ben Goessling and Emily Leiker break it all down.

The Star Tribune's Andrew Krammer is joined by Indianapolis Star reporter Joel Erickson to discuss the Vikings and Colts swapping players this offseason. Why was new Vikings center Ryan Kelly available after nine years with the Colts? How did new Vikings guard Will Fries go from seventh-round pick to $17 million per year starter? And how do Cam Bynum and Daniel Jones fit into a new team?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss what they heard from Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah during his post-free agency news conference with local reporters. What did he have to say about J.J. McCarthy? Aaron Rodgers? His own contract situation? They also discuss the annual NFL rule proposals and take listener questions.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the Vikings' non-pursuit of Aaron Rodgers, their backup quarterback situation, new coaches, and new players getting introduced to local reporters. They also open the mailbag to answer some of your questions.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the Vikings trading away guard Ed Ingram, trying to trade center Garrett Bradbury, and the state of their current search for a veteran quarterback to pair with J.J. McCarthy.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the flurry of Vikings moves from Monday night into Tuesday morning, including the re-signing of cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and the addition of new linemen in guard Will Fries and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (and potentially Javon Hargrave). Daniel Jones left for the Colts. What does that mean for the Vikings' plans at quarterback?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the first day of NFL free agency from a Vikings perspective. What do they make of Sam Darnold's fit and contract with the Seahawks? What does that mean at QB in Minnesota? There appears to be a new starting center despite Garrett Bradbury remaining on the roster. And what about safety Camryn Bynum leaving for the Colts?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the Vikings' decision not to franchise tag Sam Darnold, who is cleared to become a free agent on March 12. That is unless he agrees to a new deal with the Vikings beforehand. What are the Vikings' options otherwise? What does that mean for J.J. McCarthy? And what will the team prioritize in free agency this month?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker come to you from a random corner of the Indiana Convention Center where they and hundreds of other media members fight to stake out corners of the building to record content for the modern age. What's going to happen with Sam Darnold? What about Byron Murphy Jr.? What are the positions of need from this NFL Draft class? Why is their new assistant O-line coach an intriguing hire?

Andrew Krammer is joined by Purple Insider's Matthew Coller to discuss the two-week franchise tag window and whether the Vikings will use it on quarterback Sam Darnold or cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (Editor's note: After recording, news broke that the Vikings agreed to push back Murphy's void date, making him ineligible for the franchise tag). Plus, the Vikings made an agreement with running back Aaron Jones. It's not a new contract, but it could precede one.

Ben Goessling and Emily Leiker have you covered on the latest edition of the podcast.

Star Tribune writer and Pro Football Hall of Fame selector Mark Craig joins Andrew Krammer from New Orleans, where the Vikings had a busy night at the annual NFL Honors ceremony prior to the Super Bowl. Craig discusses his voting for all NFL awards, including O'Connell's winning case and an interesting Defensive Player of the Year ballot, as well as O'Connell's comments about Sam Darnold and former Vikings pass rusher Jared Allen making it through a changing Hall of Fame process.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker begin Super Bowl week by talking about Vikings quarterbacks, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's contract, and more. They also open the mailbag to answer your questions about trade targets like Myles Garrett and Cooper Kupp, as well as a what-if with Kirk Cousins.

Andrew Krammer, Michael Rand and Emily Leiker discuss defensive coordinator Brian Flores not being hired in this head coaching cycle, his relatively older depth chart on defense, plus takeaways from this year's playoffs and thoughts on pending Vikings free agents. There are a few among their many free agents who could be coveted elsewhere.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the Vikings extending head coach Kevin O'Connell, the chances of defensive coordinator Brian Flores sticking around, the dominant(?) NFC North going 0-3 in the playoffs, the fallout for both the Lions and Bears after Chicago hired Ben Johnson, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Emily Leiker open the mailbag and answer your Vikings questions about coaching changes, how far the Vikings are from being contenders, how game planning factored into Sam Darnold's disappointing end, safety Cam Bynum's free agency, positions that are better off entering 2025, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Emily Leiker discuss the season-ending press conferences by Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell. Quarterbacks dominated the roughly 40 combined minutes with both. What's their plan with Sam Darnold? Where's J.J. McCarthy in his recovery? Are they committed to either at this point?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Jim Souhan recap the Vikings' 27-9 loss to the L.A. Rams in the NFC's wild-card round on Monday night, when quarterback Sam Darnold didn't give them much of a chance in another big game. How does this affect the Vikings outlook at quarterback this offseason? How far away is this team from being a real contender? What do we make of an aging secondary that could be retooled? And what about that O-line?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker open the mailbag and answer your Vikings questions about defensive coordinator Brian Flores' head coaching interviews, quarterback Sam Darnold, the offensive line, quarterback Daniel Jones as QB2, whether the loss could be good for them, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Michael Rand preview Monday night's playoff game against the Rams, including quarterback Sam Darnold's confidence and consistency, L.A.'s young defense, receiver Puka Nacua's impact, and what this game means in the bigger picture of judging the 2024 season.

DETROIT -- Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan recap the Vikings' 31-9 loss to the Lions at Ford Field, where their hopes of clinching a division title, a first-round bye, and establishing their dominance in the NFC were left in tatters. What do we make of Sam Darnold's no-show? The lack of consistent protection? What about the approach on offense? Or how they have to take a 14-win team on the road back to the Rams?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Emily Leiker open the mailbag and answer your Vikings questions about health in the playoffs, takeaways, the future of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, big game emotions, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Emily Leiker preview Sunday's game between the Vikings (14-2) and Lions (14-2) at Ford Field, where the NFC's No. 1 seed and NFC North champion will be decided. They discuss how they're proceeding with quarterback Sam Darnold, who has just one regular season game left under contract, and how well this Vikings defense is playing before facing the NFL's No. 1 offense in Detroit. They also make their final predictions of the regular season.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker discuss the Vikings' 27-25 win over the Packers from U.S. Bank Stadium, where they talked to players and coaches afterward about what exactly happened between the 20-3 lead to another fourth-quarter rally by Packers quarterback Jordan Love. But it fell short again. And the Vikings were victorious... again. They're 14-2 with a chance to take the "little hats" back from the Lions, although they'd get their own NFC North hats with a win next week.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your Vikings questions about the playoffs, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., running back Aaron Jones and 2025, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and youth vs. experience in the postseason.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer preview the latest chapter between the Vikings and Packers on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium, where this may be the most significant matchup in recent memory. They've played for division titles before, but the Vikings' pursuit of the No. 1 overall seed (and division title) can hinge on this game, and the Packers (11-4) are rolling off back-to-back decisive wins. Green Bay also needs this win for playoff positioning -- or risk falling to the No. 7 seed and a first-round trip to potential No. 2 seed Philadelphia.

Ben Goessling, JIm Souhan, and Emily Leiker join Andrew Krammer from Seattle, where they emerged from the visitor's locker room to share what they saw and heard during and after Sunday's 27-24 win over the Seahawks. They're now set up to win out for the No. 1 seed. Are there any NFC quarterbacks playing better than Sam Darnold right now? How good is this Vikings defense after yet another closing takeaway? How tough of a test was a road game against this Seahawks team?

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag for a shortened episode on a short week to answer your Vikings-adjacent questions. What should be considered a successful season? Is a pass-heavy approach concerning at all come playoff time? And which players need to stay healthy as all NFL teams try to win the attrition battle?

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer preview Sunday's game in Seattle, where the Vikings haven't won in a long time. But this isn't the same Seahawks team nor is it the same Vikings team as past losers on the west coast. What does Sam Darnold's development arc say about where this season is headed? What do they think happens in the final three games?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan emerge from the locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium to discuss what they saw and heard during and after the Vikings' 30-12 win over the Bears on Monday night. What does this win say about the state of the Bears? How are the Vikings set up for the stretch run? How's Brian O'Neill's right knee? What about the outlook for the division crown?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about the future at quarterback, contract extensions for leadership, what this defensive depth chart has shown so far and who could be rejoining by season's end.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss quarterback Sam Darnold's MVP candidacy, playoff scenarios, Monday night's rematch against the Chicago Bears, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan recap the Vikings' 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins on Sunday. There was no question who the better quarterback was at U.S. Bank Stadium, where Sam Darnold threw for a career-high 347 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes. What does this win say about Kevin O'Connell's system? About Sam Darnold? Or about their chances in chasing the NFC North title?

Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about the age of the roster, how many Pro Bowlers they'll have, chasing the No. 1 seed in the NFC, quarterbacks, and more.

Andrew Krammer, Michael Rand, and new Star Tribune writer Emily Leiker preview Sunday's game against the Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins, who returns to Minnesota after six eventful seasons for the Vikings from 2018-2023. What will the reception be like at U.S. Bank Stadium? How will he fare against a better Brian Flores defense than the one he practiced against last season? And how does quarterback Sam Darnold look in comparison after the Vikings "settled" for him in free agency last March?

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Chip Scoggins discuss the Vikings' 23-22 win over the Cardinals on Sunday from U.S. Bank Stadium, where quarterback Sam Darnold gave people more reasons to believe in his ability to win. For the second straight game, Darnold led a game-winning drive. But for the first time, the defense had to weather the loss of Stephon Gilmore. For how much longer? Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. got his 'skimask' revenge, and safety Harrison Smith says he's not injured after sitting out part of the game.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about the recent addition of ex-Giants QB Daniel Jones, the various events on special teams, what GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has learned from, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss the Vikings' signing of former Giants first-round quarterback Daniel Jones, who chose Minnesota over other suitors in his first stop to rehabilitate his NFL career. What does the move mean for the Vikings this season? And more pertinently with Jones, what does it mean for 2025 when only J.J. McCarthy is under contract for the Vikings? They also preview Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

The Star Tribune's Andrew Krammer sat down with Vikings safety Josh Metellus for a wide-ranging interview about the fifth-year safety emerging as a leading voice for a veteran defense, playing with Harrison Smith and under Brian Flores, and hosting Tell Us With Metellus. You'll hear from Metellus, Smith and Maleah Pearson, a producer for Vikings.com.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer emerge from the visiting locker room at Soldier Field to discuss the Vikings' 30-27 win in overtime over the Bears and being 9-2 in a tight NFC North. First, they discuss a huge game from quarterback Sam Darnold, who gutted through a foot injury to lead them to victory in overtime. But Bears quarterback Caleb Williams also gave the Vikings reasons to be concerned about having to see him twice a year. What did Justin Jefferson have to say after his quiet game? And what about the eventful afternoons for Vikings special teams and NFL officials.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about vibes around an 8-2 team that has exceeded expectations so far this season, tight end T.J. Hockenson's roughly 50% role at this point, the futures of a couple starting defensive backs on expiring contracts, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss where the Vikings and Bears are at nearly three years into the tenures of general managers Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Ryan Poles. How do the roster and salary cap situations stack up? And what do they think happens on Sunday at Soldier Field, where the Vikings have won four straight trips?

Ben Goessling and Chip Scoggins join Andrew Krammer from Nashville, where the Vikings completed their 4-0 sweep of the AFC South with a 23-13 win over the Titans. No, it wasn’t a complete game by the Vikings. But it was a better showing from quarterback Sam Darnold, who navigated a stout Titans defensive front without much of a running game. We also saw a change at right guard, some strong performances by edge rushers, and a wild result elsewhere in the NFC North.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about quarterback development, rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner, the interior offensive line, trick plays, and more.

Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer come to you from TCO Performance Center in Eagan, where rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy needed a surprise second procedure on his right knee this week. What does that entail? And what do they need from their current quarterback, Sam Darnold, this week in Tennessee? They preview Vikings-Titans and discuss the key matchups from 2023 draftee Will Levis to a stout Titans defensive line.

Ben Goessling and Jim Souhan join Andrew Krammer from Jacksonville, where the Vikings escaped with a 12-7 win over the Jaguars on Sunday. How loud do you sound the alarm after quarterback Sam Darnold's continued turnovers? Will Aaron Jones be all right after his injury? The defense again stomps on an inferior opponent, this time with linebacker Blake Cashman doing his thing. And a new kicker, John Parker Romo, comes through big to save an offense that couldn't score a touchdown.

The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your questions about the change from kicker Will Reichard to newcomer John Parker Romo, their short-yardage woes, hits on quarterback Sam Darnold, Brian Flores vs. young QBs, and more.

Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game at Jacksonville, where the Vikings (6-2) have a chance to start a new winning streak against the lowly Jaguars (2-7). Who's going to be the kicker? How long will Will Reichard be sidelined? Will linebacker Blake Cashman return? And what are we to make of a streamlined (or simplified) offense for quarterback Sam Darnold?