Rob Kleifield

Seven nationally televised games, with action in three countries, and a first-year starting quarterback.

That's what ESPN's Kevin Seifert called a "doozy" of a schedule for Minnesota and J.J. McCarthy.

After the 2025 NFL schedule dropped Wednesday evening, Seifert focused on what is in store for the Vikings, offering his biggest takeaway, a date to circle on the calendar, a key stretch and bold prediction.

We'll touch on a couple of those topics.

Seifert didn't have to look far down the sheet to circle a date.

In Week 1, the Vikings travel to Chicago for a potential-tone-setting division contest that pits new Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson and 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams against McCarthy, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of La Grange Park, Illinois. Storylines will be aplenty for the first Monday Night Football game of 2025.

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Regarding a bold prediction, Seifert foresees the Vikings dealing with different end-of-season circumstances than 2024, and entering Week 17 with a couple must-wins in order to make the playoffs:

That's not because of the high-profile start to their season, but instead a five-game stretch that will include four road games between Weeks 12 and 16. Their only home game during that period is against the Commanders, and three of the road games at Green Bay, Seattle and New York are outdoors.

Additionally, Seifert posed an honest question: Is it fair for the NFL to impose two games in Europe?

The answer depends on the perception, according to Seifert.

One truth is international travel mid-season is grueling for players and coaches, and there's no NFL precedent for teams playing consecutive games overseas in different countries. Another truth is the Vikings will play two fewer true road games in 2025 and avoid playing in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, places they've historically struggled to win. Oh, also, Minnesota is 4-0 in London and 2-0 under O'Connell.

Acknowledging a different perspective on Minnesota's schedule, Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports listed the Vikings asone of three losersbased on their gauntlet of games (along with Dallas and Philadelphia).

Sullivan cited some presumed adversity in McCarthy's debut as QB1, writing the following about the franchise's back-to-back international games against the Steelers and Browns:

While Minnesota could conceivably be favored in both of those contests, it's an added early season wrinkle for Head Coach Kevin O'Connell to navigate as he also tries to usher in his young signal-caller.

To Seifert's earlier point, avoiding two road games in generally tough environments is a positive.

Read the rest of Seifert's articlehere.

PFF names teams' most underrated player

There's been no shortage of offseason dialogue about McCarthy (and Minnesota upgrading its trenches).

Select returning players have been spotlighted, as well, whether it was Byron Murphy, Jr., when he re-signed early in free agency or Andrew Van Ginkel more recently after inking a deserved extension.

Of course, as with any team in any given year, there's a player, or several, who fly under the radar.

Pro Football Focus analyst Jonathon Macri on Wednesday tabulated the most underrated player on every NFL roster. He pinned linebacker and Eden Prairie native Blake Cashman as his selection for the Vikings.

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Macri wrote the following:

Cashman is a relative unknown in the league as a former fifth-round pick who, outside of his rookie season and prior to becoming a starter in 2023, had failed to crack 150 defensive snaps in three straight years. However, Cashman broke out in a big way in 2023 with the Texans, earning a top-10 PFF overall grade for his position (82.1), which helped him land a three-year deal with Brian Flores in Minnesota.

And what did Cashman do in Year 1 under Flores? He played even more frequently, and exceptionally.

Cashman logged a career-high 947 defensive snaps in 2024, per PFF, and recorded solid grades across the board, including a personal-best 72.0 pass-rush score. In all, Cashman notched career highs in starts (14), total tackles (112), solo tackles (68), sacks (4.5), hits on the quarterback (11) and passes defended (8).

His impact extended well beyond the box score, too. Cashman wore the "green dot" helmet with the communication device last season, relaying messages from Flores to teammates, and was a colossal piece to Minnesota's defensive success, as evidenced by a decline in numbers during his absence in the middle of the season due to a turf toe injury he suffered in the London game vs. the Jets.

With front-seven reinforcements coming in the form of veterans Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave and draft picks Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Kobe King, there's good odds Cashman's breakthrough continues.

Rounding out the NFC North, Macri underlined noteworthy contributions from Chicago defensive lineman Gervon Dexter, Sr., Detroit cornerback Amik Robertson and Green Bay receiver Romeo Doubs.

Check out Macri's complete storyhere.

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