NFL: Combine
Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 28, 2025. The Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
EAGAN, Minnesota — You’d be forgiven for having to do a double-take in the early stages of training camp at TCO Performance Center whenever somebody wearing a No. 86 jersey made a nice catch over the middle.
Though it’s started to happen with a good amount of regularity as time has progressed, tight end Gavin Bartholomew isn’t exactly a household name. He didn’t suit up for the Vikings as a rookie after suffering a herniated disc that landed him on injured reserve.
“I haven’t played football in a while,” Bartholomew said after making a few more plays in practice this week. “It feels really good to be back out here.”
There was a void in Bartholomew’s life as a rookie not being able to be on the field. It was the first time he had suffered a serious injury of any sort. He struggled at times to navigate those uncharted waters.
“Just coming in as a rookie, I had so many expectations for myself, and I missed all that time,” Bartholomew said. “I felt like I didn’t really earn the respect of my teammates last year, so I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove this year.”
It’s safe to say Bartholomew is making his presence felt now that he’s back to full strength. There aren’t many players on the roster that have stood out more than Bartholomew has to this point.
“It’s been fun to watch Gavin play football,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “We had some excitement for what he could be coming out of college. We saw some explosiveness and athleticism in the pass game. We also saw a physical nature in the run game.”
The full repertoire has been on display for Bartholomew so far. He’s flashed his potential as a reliable target in practice, while also proving to be more than capable of holding his own in the trenches.
“I’m trying to show the coaches that I can do everything,” Bartholomew said. “I want to bring it all to the table.”
If he continues to prove himself over the next few weeks, not only will Bartholomew make the Vikings out of training camp, he might also earn himself some playing time behind fellow tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver.
“It’s been fun to watch him and interact with him,” Hockenson said. “He’s a sponge. He’s trying to absorb as much information as he can. He’s always asking questions, and that’s cool for me getting older in my career and being a little more experienced.”
Here are more takeaways from Day 8 of training camp:
Kyler Murray had a solid showing during a practice that didn’t center on the quarterbacks. Much of the session was dedicated to punts, with the men in red isolated on the furthest field, limiting the opportunities for the QBs to make an impression.
Murray did have the flashiest quarterback play of the day during 11-on-11 drills. He threaded an impressive pass through a broken-down defense to Tai Felton, drawing a cheer from the crowd. It was Murray’s third completion of the set, and he finished 4 for 4.
In 7-on-7, Murray had a few strong throws, including a completion to Dontae Fleming. He didn’t have a notably high-volume day, but when he did get opportunities, Murray looked sharp and decisive.
McCarthy had a solid performance on Friday, but it wasn’t necessarily enough to make a statement in his bid to establish himself as QB1.
He predominantly handed the ball off, leaving him with relatively few opportunities to show off his arm. In early 1-on-1 drills, he delivered clean passes to Myles Price and Justin Jefferson, though he also sent one throw into empty grass.
McCarthy didn’t struggle by any means, but it was a milquetoast practice. He was given similar play opportunities to Murray but didn’t get much flash out of them.
Jamal Adams switched numbers to 32 and was playing safety on Friday. Adams has primarily played linebacker since joining the Vikings, but he made it clear on the first day of training camp that he’s open to nearly any role with the team. After a quad tear put him out of commission in 2022, he’s hoping this season with the Vikings will be his comeback year — and perhaps safety will be his comeback position.
Much of Friday’s practice was dedicated to kicking and punting, something that hasn’t been a major focus of this year’s training camp. Will Reichard went 4 for 5 on field goals, connecting from 47, 46, 43 and 48 yards. His first kick would have still been good had he started 10 yards farther back, but his 58-yarder bounced off the crossbar.
Hockenson also made his presence felt. He caught a clean pass from McCarthy and, during 11-on-11, delivered a nasty hand to a defender’s face.
Also in 11-on-11, Jordan Mason found the end zone on a touchdown. The crowd roared when he scored, and Mason joined in on the celebration.
“I had really good vets coming into the league. I’ve really enjoyed being that for them,” Hockenson said on being somebody the rest of his position group can rely on for pointers
The continued absence of receiver Jordan Addison isn’t a cause for concern. He has been working off to the side after jamming his thumb earlier in training camp. It isn’t expected to keep him out long term.
There will be a normal practice on Saturday followed by the annual night practice on Sunday.
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