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The Problem with Kwesi’s Moneyball Approach for the Vikings
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was hired in 2022 for his analytics-based approach to the game. Heading into his third season as general manager, however, the Minnesota Vikings find themselves with the 11th-lowest Super Bowl odds of any team, with no playoff wins and regular season win totals that are trending in the wrong direction.
Vikings Fans are Concerned about the DTs; The Vikings Coach is Encouraged
Ask around and there’s very likely to be a bit of concern about Minnesota’s defensive tackles among Vikings fans. Kevin O’Connell would appear to disagree with that negative sentiment. While chatting with the media on Monday, O’Connell was quick to offer some praise to his defensive tackles....
Vikings Rumors: 70% and Dwindling, Pass Rushers Up for Grabs, and Corner Help Leaving Town
Since we’re officially into the portion of the year when Vikings rumors are ramping up, we’ll 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 the draft class being down to 70%, the NFL offering several pass rushers, and corner help leaving without a deal.
Suddenly, One Viking Is a Lock to Stay with the Franchise
Rarely has any news item been more devastating and depressing than Kevin O’Connell’s announcement that first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy would require knee surgery just days after his first preseason contest. A torn meniscus jeopardizes his rookie season depending on the kind of surgery the medical personnel ultimately opts...
Vikings Sign 1 Linebacker and Waive Another Linebacker
The Minnesota Vikings have made a plethora of moves in the short time since training started just over three weeks ago. At the cornerback position, the team has already added Duke Shelley, Jacobi Francis, Nahshon Wright, and Fabian Moreau, while safety Bobby McCain has some experience in the slot, too.
Assessing Blake Brandel’s First Preseason Game
Saturday’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders left Vikings fans with a level of excitement that isn’t normal this time of year. The performances from rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy to undrafted free-agent EDGE rusher Bo Richter stood out. Sixth-round kicker Will Reichard even gave fans some last-second heroics, booting in a 37-yard game-winning field goal as time expired. As far as preseason games go, this one was one of the better ones you’ll see as a fan.
Stephon Gilmore Visited the Vikings…And Left.
Long gone are the days of elite cornerback play with Xavier Rhodes and his teammates shutting down opposing aerial attacks. The Vikings haven’t had satisfying coverage in years, likely since Rhodes and Trae Waynes left the building in the 2020 offseason. Rick Spielman’s and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s investments in the draft haven’t worked out.
Vikings Provide Devastating Injury Update for J.J. McCarthy
The Minnesota Vikings managed to win the first preseason game since 2019 and the first since Kevin O’Connell took over the head coaching job. Much more important, however, is that the rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy played extremely well in his first exhibition. Concerns about his knee injury have surfaced, though.
53-Man Roster Prediction after Vikings Preseason Opener
The Minnesota Vikings preseason started on Saturday with a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. While wins don’t matter in preseason, it’s still always good to taste victory. We got to see J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner make their debuts, and a couple of players helped their case...
A Former Vikings Target Is Available Again
At the top of Minnesota’s wishlist all offseason was the acquisition of a new defensive tackle. Besides Harrison Phillips, who is a solid run defender, the Vikings lack the juice to be a problem on the inside, especially against the pass. But the front office failed to lure a notable free agent to the Twin Cities as Christian Wilkins, Arik Armstead, and D.J. Reeder all said no thanks to the Vikes.
The Vikings’ Surprise Success Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight
Jalen Nailor, fittingly, picked up a lot of praise for his effort against the Raiders. The third-year receiver turned 4 targets into 3 receptions for 63 yards, good for a 21 yards-per-reception average. Impressive. At this point, though, the strong effort was expected. Nailor has been putting in excellent work at training camp, looking like the frontrunner to be the WR3.
One Viking Appears More Likely Than Ever to be Traded Away
No doubt, it was a game to forget for Jaren Hall.*. The sophomore passer got inserted in the second half but largely struggled. He finished his day 7/16 for just 63 yards. His passer rating was sitting at a modest 54.9. To his credit, Hall did lead Minnesota down the field to give Will Reichard a shot at the game winning field goal — which was nailed — but the 2023 5th-Round selection appears to be one Viking who is in a tough spot to get onto the final roster. In the post-game press conference, Kevin O’Connell barely mentioned the young passer; being an afterthought isn’t a great omen when it comes to sneaking onto the roster.
J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings Are on Knee Watch
Just two days after playing the first of the three annual preseason games that led to excitement around the Twin Cities following J.J. McCarthy’s promising play, there’s trouble brewing in Minnesota. The future of the organization sat out the night practice on Monday. Here’s what we know.
3 Winners & Losers from 1st Vikings Preseason Game
The Minnesota Vikings are 1-0 in the meaningless preseason standings. It was the first exhibition victory for head coach Kevin O’Connell and the first for the franchise since 2019, when Kyle Sloter was wearing purple and gold in the pre-COVID era, throwing for 102 yards and a touchdown on only seven attempts.
Purple Headlines of the Week: Another Trade, Injury Update, First Preseason Game
The Minnesota Vikings kicked off their preseason action on Saturday. The Vikings came away with a preseason win for the first time in Kevin O’Connell’s coaching tenure, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 24-23 in heroic fashion as many young Vikings got their first taste of NFL action.
Vikings Preseason Week 1: The Good & The Bad
The first Vikings preseason contest is in the books. Kevin O’Connell’s unit survived due to a last-minute field goal, winning 24-23 versus the Las Vegas Raiders. It was the first of three scheduled exhibitions, and the next will be held on Saturday. It was just one game, but...
2 Recently-Released Vikings Linebackers Find New Teams
The Minnesota Vikings have acquired a bunch of players in recent weeks to fill their roster, especially on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage. Brian Flores needed some reinforcements in the secondary following Mekhi Blackmon’s season-ending knee injury and Shaq Griffin’s week-to-week status with an injury of his own.
Kevin O’Connell Says Overlooked Defender “Flashed” in Raiders Tilt
The opening depth chart may have listed him as the S7, but Kevin O’Connell walked away impressed. Bobby McCain got the chance to show off some of what he can do on Saturday when the Raiders visited U.S. Bank Stadium. Per O’Connell, the veteran safety “flashed,” a term that suggests the head coach was impressed with some moments from the defensive back: “Bobby McCain flashed to me a little bit tonight.” Getting noticed by the head coach and then receiving press conference praise afterwards is a great way to get more opportunities.
Vikings Can’t Afford to Let the Star Leave
The Minnesota Vikings have undergone a significant roster transformation this past offseason. On offense, the new QB duo of Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy was acquired. Aaron Jones is asked to provide a spark to a horrendous rushing attack. On the defensive side, the pass rush is completely new after the exit of the top three rushers.
Vikings GM Leaves Door Ajar for Adding More Corner Talent
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah knows that team building is eternal. Nothing from training camp and the preseason has changed that basic understanding. Adofo-Mensah recently chatted with Dan Barreiro of KFAN. The corner position gets brought up a few minutes into the conversation and the young executive acknowledged that there could still be some additions. “I’m always looking,” Adofo-Mensah notes, “always looking to be opportunistic, not just for current players but players that have upside in the future.”
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