Vikings training camp recap, Day 11: Rondale Moore among standouts

Moore is making his case to see an elevated role at the start of this season.

Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore (4) takes part in drills during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Coming off of Monday's night practice and an off day, the Vikings were back to their regularly-scheduled programming on Wednesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center. It wasn't the most eventful session, but here's what I noticed, starting with an impressive day from a new wide receiver.

Moore makes plays

Due to Justin Jefferson's current hamstring injury and Jordan Addison's three-game suspension to begin the regular season, there are real opportunities for other wide receivers to step up into a bigger role in the Vikings' offense. One of the players who is in the mix is Rondale Moore, a former second-round pick who the Vikings signed to a one-year deal this offseason. He's coming off of missing all of last season due to an ACL injury, but he's healthy now and looks as explosive as advertised.

Moore was one of the standouts of Wednesday's practice. He burned Dwight McGlothern on a go route for a touchdown in red zone 7-on-7 action, creating plenty of separation for Sam Howell (who threw a great ball). In 11-on-11, Moore caught back-to-back passes from Howell, including an acrobatic grab on a throw that was a bit low and towards the sideline. He then got some work with the first-team offense and got open for a pass from J.J. McCarthy.

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Moore is only 25 years old and is looking to emerge as a contributor in the Vikings' offense. At just 5'7", he's a remarkable athlete who has all kinds of acceleration and agility with the ball in his hands. He caught 135 passes over three years with the Cardinals and also carried the ball 52 games. Assuming he makes the Vikings' roster, he's got a chance to be a fun weapon as a gadget player, traditional slot receiver, and perhaps as a punt returner as well.

McCarthy's day

J.J. McCarthy had a solid practice. It wasn't a high-volume day for him in terms of total reps or pushing the ball downfield, but he mostly looked good — outside of one ill-advised pass that resulted in an interception.

The connection between McCarthy and Addison has been a strong one all camp, with Addison elevated to the WR1 role during Jefferson's absence. Those two connected several times on Wednesday. McCarthy threw a dart to Addison into a tight window over the middle of the field in the initial 11-on-11 period, then found him for another chunk gain towards the right sideline in a move-the-ball drill. They connected a couple more times in the final period of practice.

But not every McCarthy throw intended for Addison was completed. There was a back-shoulder throw in 7-on-7 that was broken up by Isaiah Rodgers, who made an athletic play to get his hand on the ball. And later on, McCarthy made a poor decision when he double-clutched and tried to check the ball down to Addison underneath. The throw was behind Addison and picked off by linebacker Blake Cashman. That's one of those learning moments for the Vikings' young quarterback.

Other notes

• Christian Darrisaw got more work in team periods as he continues ramping up. T.J. Hockenson also returned to practice after a minor injury scare on Saturday. Javon Hargrave had another rest day.

• Second-year defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez had a strong day on Wednesday and has put together a nice camp. He's gotten some work with the first-team defense when starters have rested, and he seems to be securing his spot on the 53-man roster. LDR plays with a ton of energy.

• Another second-year player, outside linebacker Gabriel Murphy, had a sack and showed up a couple other times. He looks to be the favorite for the OLB4 role, although Bo Richter has also done some nice things.

• Linebacker Eric Wilson has been active as a run defender throughout camp. He's this year's Kamu Grugier-Hill — a quality veteran backup who will play a ton on special teams.

• Wide receiver Thayer Thomas caught a bunch of balls in this practice and even got some work with the first-team offense. He made one of the best plays of the day with a contested catch from Brett Rypien against good coverage from Zemaiah Vaughn, Now in his third season, Thomas is looking to find a way to go from the practice squad to the active roster, but it'll be tough.

• There has been a lot of emphasis on the running game in these padded practices. I expect big years from both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, and the RB3 competition between Ty Chandler and Zavier Scott will be an interesting one to watch in the preseason.

• The final play of practice was a highlight: Rookie QB Max Brosmer floated a perfect deep ball to Dontae Fleming for a big gain. Row the Boat, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers.