The Minnesota Vikings are charging into the 2025 offseason with momentum, and The Real Forno Show is your front-row seat to the action. Hosted by Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports’ Minnesota Vikings reporter and NFL analyst, alongside producer Dave Stefano, this episode—recorded on March 18, 2025—dives into a week of roster shakeups, trade surprises, and financial foresight. From the acquisition of running back Jordan Mason to the release of Garrett Bradbury and the realization that Justin Jefferson might be underpaid, the Vikings are flexing their flexibility under GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Throw in some Aaron Rodgers chatter and a mock draft to close it out, and this episode is a treasure trove for fans hungry for insight into Minnesota’s Super Bowl aspirations.

Jordan Mason Trade: A Shocking Steal for the Vikings

The episode kicks off with Forness recounting a moment of disbelief: the Vikings’ trade for San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason. While driving his new pup Marzipan on Saturday night, Forness learned the details—pick 160 and a 2026 sixth-rounder sent to San Francisco for Mason and pick 187, a 27-pick drop. “At the exact moment, Dave, I’m like, why? This doesn’t make a lot of sense,” he confesses. But as the dust settled, the move’s brilliance emerged.

Mason, a 5’11”, 220-pound power back entering his fourth year, brings a bruising style to Minnesota’s backfield. With just 237 career carries, he averages an eye-popping 5.3 yards per carry and topped the NFL in missed tackle forced rate (37.3%) among backs with 150+ carries, per Next Gen Stats. “He’s built differently than Aaron Jones,” Forness explains. “Jones is very stout for his size… Mason is much more of a power back. He’s so good at breaking tackles.”

The contract sweetens the deal: a two-year extension worth up to $12 million, with $7 million guaranteed and $1.5 million in rolling incentives. At a max of $6 million annually, Forness sees Adofo-Mensah exploiting a market that undervalues non-rookie RB2s. “Najee Harris just got a one-year deal worth up to $9.5 million. Najee Harris is not better than Jordan Mason,” he asserts. Compared to Saquon Barkley’s $21 million AAV, Mason’s deal is a bargain for a player who shined against the Vikings in Week 2 (20 carries, 100 yards, one touchdown).

Stefano highlights Mason’s 2.8 yards after contact in 2024, ranking him 10th among running backs. “He gets hit, he doesn’t stop,” Stefano says, emphasizing why this trade could transform Minnesota’s run game. Forness agrees, noting how Mason’s addition—paired with a now-solid offensive line—gives the Vikings flexibility they’ve lacked in years past.

Garrett Bradbury’s Departure: A Cap-Saving Strategy

Next up is the Vikings’ decision to release center Garrett Bradbury with a post-June 1st designation, a move that initially baffled Forness. “It felt kind of weird on the surface,” he admits. “Why would they give him a post-June 1st designation?” The answer lies in the numbers: a $2.4 million dead cap hit shrinks to $814,000 this year, with $1.628 million deferred to 2026.

Forness breaks down why Bradbury didn’t fetch a trade return: “This isn’t Madden football where you can get optimum value for a guy who’s 30 years old on the final year of his contract. Teams aren’t willing to give up draft capital for a guy who does not have much upside.” By contrast, younger guard Ed Ingram netted a pick because teams see potential, even if unproven. “Theoretically, Ed Ingram could still be that guy,” Forness says, while Bradbury is a known quantity with little growth left.

The post-June 1st tag is about more than just Bradbury—it’s about cap flexibility. “A dollar tomorrow is cheaper than a dollar today,” Forness explains, noting how spreading the hit saves cap space as the salary cap rises. That extra $1.62 million this year could fuel a summer signing or trade deadline move. “If they don’t end up using that money, Dave, it just pushes to next year anyways,” he adds. “It’s honestly a win-win situation for the Vikings.” Stefano agrees, suggesting Adofo-Mensah likely shopped Bradbury to all 31 teams without success—a testament to the trade market’s quirks.

Aaron Rodgers to Minnesota? Not Happening (Yet)

The Rodgers rumors are a perennial Vikings topic, but Forness isn’t buying it. “Right now, probably not,” he says, pointing to betting markets favoring retirement over a Minnesota move. “If Rodgers was going to be here, Dave, he’d already be here.” Only a dire injury to J.J. McCarthy would reopen the conversation, Forness notes: “If we get news that J.J. McCarthy’s knee is exploding… then we can have a conversation about Rodgers.”

A chat question from Skywalking McCarthy prompts Forness to muse on a hypothetical Rodgers contract—two years, $60 million, with $45 million guaranteed—but he dismisses it as unrealistic. “Rodgers ain’t coming here for a cheap deal,” he insists. For now, the Vikings seem set at quarterback, leaving Rodgers as a distant “what if.”

Justin Jefferson: From Record-Breaker to Bargain

The episode’s standout revelation comes when Forness and Stefano tackle Justin Jefferson’s contract. Once the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback at $35 million AAV, Jefferson’s deal now looks modest after Jamar Chase’s four-year, $161 million extension ($40.25 million AAV). “Jefferson at $5.25 million less per year than Chase certainly feels like a bargain now, doesn’t it?” Forness marvels.

Timing is everything. “This is why signing guys as early as you can is going to reflect well,” Forness says. “If he needed a contract extension right now, Dave, he’d get 41 or 42.” That’s a 20% jump, making his current deal a steal for a player Forness calls “the best wide receiver in football.” Jefferson’s decision to wait out a $28 million offer paid off, and the Vikings’ willingness to “do right by their players” has cemented their No. 2 ranking in the NFLPA survey.

Stefano notes Cincinnati’s cap woes—Chase, T. Higgins, and Joe Burrow eat up 47% of their offensive AAV—while Forness contrasts that with the Eagles’ success via trench drafting. For Minnesota, Jefferson’s contract is a cornerstone that keeps them competitive without cap strain.

Mock Draft: Flexibility Fuels BPA Approach

The episode closes with a seven-round mock draft, showcasing how Mason’s addition frees up Minnesota’s strategy. “It changes the philosophy of how the Minnesota Vikings are going to draft,” Forness says. “It gives them flexibility. That is the key to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.”

In the first round, Forness selects Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, a 21-year-old “lighter Deebo” with elite yards-after-catch ability. “He could add an element that this Vikings offense just doesn’t have,” he says. The second round brings Texas safety Andrew Mukuba for depth, followed by Clemson tight end Jake Briningstool in the third—a developmental pass-catcher. LSU’s Emery Jones Jr., a versatile lineman, rounds out the fourth.

“This is where BPA can take you,” Forness says of the offense-heavy haul, graded a B+ overall. Stefano agrees: “We don’t have to worry about taking a running back first unless we want to.” It’s a draft that reflects Adofo-Mensah’s aversion to being pigeonholed—a stark contrast to Rick Spielman’s rigidity.

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A Super Bowl Run in Sight

As Marzipan chews cords in the background, Forness wraps with optimism: “The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for a Super Bowl run. Get excited. Get ready.” From Mason’s value to Jefferson’s bargain, the Vikings are a team with options—a flexibility Spielman never delivered. “We’re in a great spot,” Forness says, and Stefano concurs: “It was a good trade, great value.”

Tune in Wednesday—time TBD—for more, and subscribe for live updates. With the Vikings on the rise, The Real Forno Show is your SKOL companion.

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Tyler Forness @TheRealForno of Vikings 1st & SKOL @Vikings1stSKOL and A to Z Sports @AtoZSportsNFL, with Dave Stefano @Luft_Krigare producing this Vikings 1st & SKOL production, the @RealFornoShow. Podcasts partnered with Fans First Sports Network @FansFirstSN and its NFL feed @FFSN_NFL.