Vikings start 2024 offseason workout program April 15

Vikings talk Kirk Cousins departure in free agency

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O'Connell spoke Thursday at TCO Performance Center about Kirk Cousins' departure in free agency and the team's plan at quarterback moving forward.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - All is quiet on the Minnesota Vikings front for now, but that will change in a few short weeks.

The Vikings had representation at the NFL Combine last month, and the team was at the league’s owners’ meetings earlier this week. In about two weeks, the team will start its offseason workout program at TCO Performance Center.

The key dates are as follows:

April 15 – First Day
Organized Team Activities – May 20-21, May 23, May 28-29, May 31, June 10-13
Mandatory minicamp – June 10-13

It’s important to note that organized team activities are not mandatory, and many players workout on their own during the offseason. It will be time that’s important for the new free agents the Vikings have brought in. Here’s a look at some of the changes.

Arrivals – A.J. Green (DB), Shaq Griffin (DB), Jerry Tillery (DL), Jihad Ward (DL), Blake Cashman (LB), Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB), Jonathan Greenard (OLB), Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB), Sam Darnold (QB), Aaron Jones (RB), Trent Sherfield (WR)
Departures – Kirk Cousins, Jordan Hicks, Alexander Mattison (waived), Danielle Hunter

The Vikings have made a concerted effort to address the defense as Brian Flores enters his second season in Minnesota. Cashman likely replaces Hicks, Greenard replaces Hunter and they added other pieces in Van Ginkel and Griffin. Jones should give the ground game a boost if he can stay healthy, and we’ll see if Darnold is the Week 1 starter with Cousins gone.

WHAT IS THE PLAN AT QUARTERBACK?

The biggest question of the Vikings’ offseason remains at quarterback. Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons, and Minnesota now has the No. 11 and No. 23 pick in the first round. The popular theory across the league is that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will package the two picks, and perhaps add a future pick, to move up into a top-five pick in the NFL Draft.

That should clear the path to pick between Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy. If for whatever reason they stay at 11 and 23, they probably take a defensive player early and then roll the dice on a Bo Nix or Michael Penix later on.