Vikings 2026 temperature check: Are the Vikings better than Vegas thinks?

Training camp is officially here, and the Minnesota Vikings are already generating buzz that Vegas clearly hasn’t caught up to. With the over/under set at a conservative 8.5 wins, Two Old Bloggers hosts Dave Stefano and special guest Drew Bunting — the original Good Morning Gjallarhorn co-host, legendary bass player and longtime Vikings analyst — aren’t buying the skepticism. Armed with stats and unfiltered passion, this episode delivers a full temperature check on every unit of the 2026 Vikings roster, from Brian Flores’s loaded defense to the most talked-about quarterback battle in the NFL.

The duo debates Vegas win totals, the Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy quarterback competition, Wes Phillips’s job security, the strength of Brian Flores’s defense, and a 2026 draft class Drew calls his most exciting in a decade. Real stats, sharp quotes, and genuine expertise make this a must-listen for every die-hard Vikings fan heading into training camp.

Key Points:

• Vegas set the Vikings at 8.5 wins — both hosts believe the number is too low
• Blake Cashman is the most undervalued player on the roster: “If Blake Cashman played a full season, he would be the NFL’s number one tackler in the entire league” — Drew Bunting
• Dallas Turner’s rise makes the Greenard trade defensible: “If Brian Flores didn’t have faith in Dallas Turner, Greenard would still be here”
• Drew’s bold QB call: both Murray and McCarthy see the field in 2026, with McCarthy emerging as the future — “I think it’s gonna be both… Murray starts, at some point Murray gets banged up, McCarthy comes in and plays really good football”
• KOC’s play-calling aggression problem: “He cowers in those moments… a 14-point lead in modern-day football is nothing”
• Wes Phillips hot seat: his role remains a mystery — “I made you a menu with 350 plays. You called 60”
• The 2022 Kwesi draft class is a full wipeout — zero players remain on the roster
• Rookies Jacobe Thomas and Charles Demmings in the secondary draw massive praise from Drew
• The defense is the strength: “The defense of this team will hold their own every single game”
• Special teams bright spots: Reichard’s near-perfect 2025 season and De’Vondre Claiborne as a home-run threat in the backfield and on returns

Listen:

Or on your favorite podcast aggregator.

Watch:

If you want Vikings analysis that goes deeper than headlines and hotter takes than anything in your feed, Two Old Bloggers delivers every week. Dave and Drew bring decades of football passion and zero corporate filter to every episode. Subscribe on the Bleav Network, find them at Vikings 1st & SKOL, and become part of a community that bleeds purple every single Sunday.

Fan With Us!

We have your Minnesota Vikings talk amongst the Two Old Bloggers, Drew Bunting in for a vacationing Darren @KickassblogVike and Dave @Luft_Krigare. Join the conversation! Fan with us at Vikings 1st & SKOL @Vikings1stSKOL and the at the @BleavNetwork.

**Open...