The delay may have had to do with when the signing bonus would be paid and some compensatory language in the contracts. However, it should be noted that Andrew Booth and Ed Ingram signed at the start of training camp in 2022, and Justin Jefferson also signed in 2020.

Both debutants could play an important role in their debut season, although the path to get there is different.

The Vikings selected McCarthy as their quarterback of the future. He’ll face Sam Darnold in training camp, but there’s a good chance the veteran will be the Week 1 starter. The Vikings have made it clear since the draft that they won’t throw their shiny rookie in the fire until he’s up to par.

Friday, during a performance at KFAN’s Power Trip Morning ShowHead coach Kevin O’Connell expressed his excitement to finally see the rookie in action: “I’m really excited about where he’s going, I hope he’s the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings for a long time. He’s putting in the work; I’m sure he’s going to have a great training camp. It’s going to be competitive with him and Sam (Darnold), and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Conversely, Turner plays a position that relies heavily on rotation. Teams try to keep their pass rushers fresh to increase efficiency, so he will likely split snaps with Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard regardless of the starting position.

Van Ginkel is in the final stages of recovery from an injury he sustained at Lisfranc in late 2023. The former Dolphin could be limited early in training camp, which could be an intriguing opportunity for Turner to compete against first-team offensive tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, which will really shed light on his talent level. A big role in early 2024 isn’t guaranteed, but easily achievable.

The remaining rookies signed their contracts earlier in the offseason. Late fan favorite Khyree Jackson signed in May, but his journey ended tragically two weeks ago.

Perhaps the most impactful player of the rookie class (besides the first-rounders) is kicker Will Reichard, who will compete with John Parker Romo for the chance to fix the ghostly kicking job.

Offensive linemen Walter Rouse and Michael Jurgens aren’t expected to see the field in their first seasons unless they suffer devastating injuries. Defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez has an easy path to earning snaps, though expectations for a seventh-round pick should be lower.

The rookies will get their first chance to play in an exhibition game against the Las Vegas Raiders on August 10. Their first regular season game will be played on September 8 in an away game against the New York Giants.

Janik Eckardt is a football fan who loves numbers and statistics. The Vikings became his favorite team, despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking football encyclopedia, enjoys watching sitcoms and prefers classic rock to other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt