3,500 fans crowd to watch first day of Vikings training camp in Eagan

EAGAN, Minn. -- 3,500 Vikings faithful crowded into TCO Performance Center in Eagan on Saturday for the first day of training camp with fans.

It may not seem like it, but the last time the Vikings held training camp in Mankato was in 2017, since then, they've held the summer tradition in Eagan.

So what do the fans expect, after an offseason of major change?

"I'm hoping this is their year," said Shemar Degannes. "Green Bay is down a little bit. The Bears are obviously down. I feel like this is the year to get over the hump. So hopefully (Kevin) O'Connell can do that. They recruited some good pieces in free agency. It's a good outlook. So they just gotta go out there and execute. Sometimes they get out there and stumble a little bit. But I think this year might be the year."

Record predictions?

"13-4," said Courtney Little of St. Louis Park. "Yes! Starts off with Green Bay, baby!"

"I think they'll do pretty well this season. Definitely better," said Tavion White, a ninth grader from Woodbury. He says he thinks the Vikings will make the playoffs. "Hopefully Super Bowl, but we'll see."

Through everything, we're all Minnesotans.

"We live in Minnesota so we know what happens," said Eric Weathers of Blaine. "We get there and then it falls off. But, maybe this year."