The Minnesota Vikings opened 2025 training camp with a stacked roster and sky-high expectations. While most position battles are happening on the fringes, one under-the-radar defender is quickly gaining buzz. Gabriel Murphy, a second-year EDGE out of UCLA, is making a strong case to crack the top pass-rush rotation behind the team’s Pro Bowlers. With Pat Jones II now in Carolina, Murphy could emerge as one of the Vikings' biggest surprise contributors this season.
The Minnesota Vikings officially kicked-off their 2025 training camp on Wednesday, and fans in attendance this summer will have a hard time spotting a roster weakness.
Minnesota’s offense, once again, is absolutely loaded, with key new additions along the offensive line, running back room and wide receiver group. While perhaps a bit thin in the secondary, the defense is well-positioned to dominate once again, with one analytics expert naming the Vikings the No. 1 front seven in the NFL.
Given their star-studded roster, the Vikings’ top position battles will come on the fringes of the initial 53-man roster. With EDGE Pat Jones II now with the Carolina Panthers, Phil Mackey of skornorth.com is eyeing one under-the-radar defender in particular that deserves fans’ attention this summer.
Mackey not only predicts second-year EDGE Gabriel Murphy to survive cut-down day in August, he sees the former undrafted star out of UCLA carving out a prominent role in Brian Flores’ defense this season.
“I stand for Gabe Murphy,” Mackey said during a recent episode of the Purple Daily Podcast. “He is going to be a guy that I am excited to watch, starting Wednesday at practice. And I think there’s a legitimate chance, not only does he get on the 53, but that he could be in the rotation among your top four EDGE rushers. The top three are settled. It’s the battle for that sort of second unit next to Dallas Turner. I think he could legitimately… tally sacks with the Vikings this year, in a crowded defensive grouping where there’s a lot of good veteran players.”
Murphy was among the Vikings’ training camp studs in 2024, at times running with the first-team defense. He should be back in the mix for second-team reps this summer along with Turner and Bo Richter, who’s a special teams ace.
Jones II played 459 snaps last season, so there is plenty of playing time up for grabs behind Pro Bowlers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. Turner should be the biggest beneficiary as a former first-round draft pick, but Murphy has a chance to be one of the team’s top young risers in 2025.
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Category: Football
