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NFL Insider Weighs in on Vikings QB Competition
Training camp is right around the corner for the Minnesota Vikings. The rookies will report to TCO Performance Center on July 21st, while the veterans get two more vacation days. In the last few years, starting passer Kirk Cousins would generally arrive with the first-year players to have a headstart in preparing for the upcoming season.
One Splashy Vikings Trade Idea Makes the Rounds
Trading has been one of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s favorite actions since he took over the franchise in 2022. Some failed, but general manager has also pulled off some successful trades, such as acquiring tight end T.J. Hockenson, and he has been aggressive in the draft this season, trading up for both first-rounders J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner. Whether those two deals were good moves or not depends on their development.
How Secure is Dalton Risner’s Roster Spot?
For a little while, it looked like Minnesota was moving on from Dalton Risner. The left guard got added during the 2023 season and became a starter after Ezra Cleveland got hurt. In fact, Minnesota was so content with the play offered by Mr. Risner that Cleveland got shipped out, sent southward to become a Jaguar before the NFL trade deadline.
Minnesota’s Safeties Will Again be Leaned on to be Most Versatile Vikings
Over the past little bit, I’ve been unveiling a position-by-position roster projection for the Vikings. The defense finishes up with Minnesota’s safeties. Brian Flores loves the position, keeping a half dozen for last year’s iteration of the defense. Why? Well, they embody the versatility that he (and Kevin O’Connell) love in their Vikings. The safeties are all over the field in Minnesota, literally lining up from along the defensive line to the deepest area of the field. Does that mean six get kept around once again?
There Are 2 Dumb Theories about T.J. Hockenson
Acquiring tight end T.J. Hockenson has been perhaps the splashiest move during Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure as Minnesota’s general manager. When Irv Smith Jr. got hurt just before the trade deadline arrived, many thought adding a tight end could make sense. Indeed, the GM did that, but nobody expected it to be one of the league’s best players at the position.
Vikings Training Camp Sneak Peek: Running Backs
It was a fascinating stretch between 2007 and 2022 when, for 16 straight seasons, the Minnesota Vikings had one of the league’s most explosive running backs on their roster. Adrian Peterson and Dalvin Cook were the faces of some outstanding rushing attacks and focal points in many Vikings offenses. By releasing Cook in the 2023 offseason, the era of workhorse runners ended.
Is the Vikings’ 1st-Round Lineman Still a Bust?
For a little while, the consensus was that center Garrett Bradbury was a bust. The Vikings’ 1st-Round lineman hadn’t turned into the second coming of Jason Kelce, as many had foretold. Instead, he was someone who routinely struggled to anchor and who could be bullied by powerful defensive tackles. He got pushed around a decent bit.
Doomsday Scenario Forecasted for 2024 Vikings
It has been a crazy offseason for the Minnesota Vikings, especially since losing quarterback Kirk Cousins and pass rusher Danielle Hunter hurt the roster. Both players are four-time Pro Bowlers and were perhaps the two most important players on the team (although Justin Jefferson deserves serious consideration). Doomsday Scenario Forecasted...
Lewis Cine and The Problems with a Roster Cut
Lately, there hasn’t been a ton of optimism surrounding Lewis Cine. The Georgia alumnus was supposed to bring speed and physicality to the back of Minnesota’s defense. Instead, he has struggled to get off the bench, at least partly due to an unfortunate leg break in his rookie season. Does he make the roster in a competitive Vikings defensive backfield? If not, what are the downsides?
Vikings Rumors: Re-Welcoming Dalvin Cook, Saying Goodbye to Beloved Playmaker, and Panic Time
Even though we’re officially into the portion of the year when Vikings rumors are slowing down, we’ll still be highlighting some of the purple rumblings. The “Vikings Rumor Wrangle” is a series that keeps readers informed on what’s being whispered about in Vikings Land. In this iteration, we discuss Dalvin Cook still being a free agent, the chance that MIN cuts a well-respected playmaker, and whether the Vikings are panicking about the lack of rookie deals for the top picks.
Justin Jefferson’s Advice to the Rookie
The Minnesota Vikings enter a new era in their franchise’s history after the exit of Kirk Cousins, who was under center in the past six seasons. Although the organization offered him a new contract, he opted to join the Atlanta Falcons, likely accepting the better offer. According to Albert Breer, the Vikings also told him they wanted to draft a passer, which the Falcons did not.
Looks Like One Viking Is a Borderline Top 10 Player
The Minnesota Vikings have a talented offense with some premier players at their positions. First and foremost, Justin Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in the league. Blocker Christian Darrisaw has played two seasons at an elite level, although he has been snubbed from Pro Bowl and All-Pro consideration both times.
Vikings Have a Glaring Need in the 2025 Offseason
The Minnesota Vikings signed veteran running back Aaron Jones away from their rival Green Bay Packers in the early stages of the 2024 free agency legal negotiations period. While it is widely accepted, and quite obvious, to be blunt, that he will add a layer to the Vikings’ offense, it isn’t an acquisition that will align with long-term aspirations for Kevin O’Connell and the offense he is trying to achieve in the Twin Cities.
Vikings Training Camp Sneak Peek: Quarterbacks
The Minnesota Vikings begin their annual training camp in 2024 with the arrival of the rookies on July 21st, followed by the remaining players on July 23rd. The quarterback position will be the main focus after the exit of six-year starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. Two new signal-callers will compete to be his successor.
Vikings GM Has Been Hard at Work Rebuilding Team’s Middle Class
Notably, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has only a trio of Vikings carrying cap charges that surpass $10 million in 2024: RT Brian O’Neill ($23M), TE T.J. Hockenson ($14M), and CB Byron Murphy Jr. ($10.9M). Every other player is down below the notable threshold. Now, there’s some nuance needed. Justin...
An Exemplary 2024 Will Allow Justin Jefferson to Hit Several Milestones for Vikings Franchise
Notably, Justin Jefferson is playing for a franchise that knows something about elite receiver play. Randy Moss stands out, but he’s far from alone. Cris Carter was elite, too, and there have been other excellent options: Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Ahmad Rashad, Jake Reed, and so on. Jefferson, though,...
Someone Is Crazy Optimistic about Sam Darnold
Kirk Cousins arrived in 2018 and remained under center until the 2023 season. His last snap was an unforgettable one for Vikings fans, as the passer tore his Achilles tendon on Lambeau Field’s grass, shattering any Super Bowl hopes the supporters had at that moment. A consistently solid signal-caller, he has failed to make that one final step and enter the upper echelon of starting QBs in the NFL throughout his career.
Minnesota’s Offensive Line Is Sneaky Good
The Vikings’ offensive line is in the best spot that it’s been in what feels like an eternity. If you had told any fan just a couple of years ago that Pro Football Focus would rank the offensive line 13th-best in the NFL, you probably would’ve been met with disbelief.
The Vikings’ Young Defensive Tackle has “Pop and Anchor to Battle”
Playing defense is often a numbers game. If there are a pair of blockers, then the defensive coordinator wants three defenders. A pair of players can get taken out by blocks and there will still be an open man to pull off the tackle. Every DC wants to do +1 math.
Ivan Pace Enters Linebacker Rankings
Last year’s rookie class included two immediate contributors: linebacker Ivan Pace and wideout Jordan Addison. The receiver was a solid target next to Justin Jefferson early in the season and even played well during the three-time Pro Bowler’s absence. A jump in year two is possible, but some questions surround him.
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