Vikings Dates to Know as Free Agency and the NFL Draft Recede
The vast majority of NFL fans look to March for free agency and then April for the NFL Draft. Best to tune out afterwards? Not so fast.
Some important Vikings dates are upcoming. In particular, there’s OTAs alongside minicamp. Kevin O’Connell sees these times as being pivotal for teaching. Think class on the grass, not Oklahoma drill. Keep reading to see when the Minnesota Vikings will work through these parts of the 2026 offseason.
Vikings Dates to Know: May & June
Already, the players have been working at TCO Performance center to build up their bodies. Getting into the Twin Cities and at the team facility means being able to work closely with the team’s staff, at least the portion of the staff that focuses on strength and conditioning.
Checking out the Vikings’ social media will involve seeing some of the team hype. There are highly-manicured videos, often with slow-mo clips of NFL athletes doing athletic things, to sustain some level of interest.
After these basic workouts, the Vikings will move into rookie minicamp (shout out to Aaron Wilson).
The Vikings move through rookie minicamp from May 8th until May 9th. So much of the attention will be on Caleb Banks. The huge defensive tackle was chosen at No. 18, a lofty spot for someone coming off foot injuries that will likely hinder him in these initial portions of the offseason program. The Vikings will be working with the other eight draftees, the nineteen UDFAs, and then other players who are allowed to get there early.
Next up will be OTAs. Check out the dates: May 26 & May 27, May 29, June 1 & June 2, June 4, and then from June 15-18. The final dates — the ones arriving in the middle of June — could get trimmed. Coaches like to reward the players if they do a great job of accomplishing the internal goals. Essentially, arriving at a spot where the predetermined items have been ticked off the to-do list means the coaches can send the players on their summer vacation a few days early.
Finally, remember that mandatory minicamp goes from June 9th until June 11th.
Seeing someone stay away during these three days usually raises eyebrows since it’s mandatory. Trading away Jonathan Greenard clears up one contract issue. Is there someone else on the roster who is looking for a raise? If so, does that desire for a raise mean withholding work — even “mandatory” work — to increase pressure on the team to drain the ATM?
Something else to remember is the firm details surrounding the NFL’s schedule. The opponents are known. So, too, is there clarity on home and away opponents. What needs to be determined are dates and time slots. Best guess is that updates will arise within the next week or two.
Moreover, there’s the ongoing GM search. Tom Pelissero has suggested there will be weeks between the interview process beginning and a hire being made. My guess: look to the end of May.
There’s going to be a quiet period in late-June and into July. Afterwards, the NFL will move into training camp. The Vikings are going to command a ton of attention.
