One notable aspect of the Vikings’ free agent acquisitions is the number of players they signed who are recovering from significant injuries last season. Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Ryan Kelly, and Will Fries — the team’s top four free-agent signings — each missed between 7-14 games in 2024.
While these players are at varying stages of recovery, all are expected to be ready for training camp. The only player who may not be fully available when camp begins is wide receiver, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell, who spoke about it at the NFL’s annual league meeting.
“The only one that I believe we’ll be really looking to see if he has a normal training camp or not is veteran star, as far as I’ve been told,” said O’Connell.
A former second-round pick with significant upside, tore his ACL last August during training camp with the Falcons. He’ll be right around the one-year recovery mark when Vikings camp kicks off in late July. Given his playing style, which relies heavily on burst and agility, Minnesota is expected to take a cautious approach with him.
After an outstanding freshman season at Purdue in 2018, Moore struggled with injuries in his next two college years. However, the Cardinals saw enough potential to draft him 49th overall in 2021. Over three seasons in Arizona, the dynamic 5’7″ receiver showcased his ability in flashes, accumulating 1,450 yards from scrimmage and 4 touchdowns.
Despite missing all of last season after being traded to Atlanta, the Vikings took a low-risk chance on Rondale Moore this offseason. They signed him to a one-year, $2 million deal, which includes just $250,000 in guaranteed money. Moore, who will turn 25 this summer, has the explosive athleticism to be a valuable addition to the Vikings’ offense if he can recover from his knee injury and stay healthy.
O’Connell and the Vikings are confident in their medical staff, led by VP of player health and performance Tyler Williams, believing it gives them an edge. Last year, they signed two marquee free agents—Aaron Jones and Andrew Van Ginkel—both of whom had dealt with injuries the previous year. In 2024, Jones set a new career high in rushing yards, and Van Ginkel was named a second-team All-Pro, with both players remaining healthy and missing no games.
“More and more every year, it’s like ‘ah, Tyler and those guys, they got ’em. We’re gonna be just fine,'” O’Connell said. “They’ve just proven, time and time again, (they’re) world class down there with what they do.”
Allen (pec) and Kelly (knee) both successfully returned from their injuries last season. In addition to Moore, Fries (tibia) and Hargrave (tricep) are still recovering from season-ending injuries. As is typical with players recovering, the Vikings have tailored, specific plans and timelines for each individual.
“Although injuries, as a whole, are very easy to paint with a broad brush of ‘they signed a bunch of injured guys,’ it’s not that simple,” O’Connell added. “It’s more something where you have to treat each one as its own.”
This offseason, the Vikings are once again placing their trust in Williams and their medical staff. By taking on the inherent risk of signing talented players with injury histories, they hope to reap the rewards if these players can stay healthy.
“We’ll see how it goes,” O’Connell said. “We’ve gotta have depth and we’ve gotta have other guys available to us, but … I’ll tell you what, when you put that group on paper, what it’s going to look like up front on both sides of the ball, we feel really good about that.”