Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Vikings Sign QB Josh Rosen To Practice Squad

Josh Rosen has found another new home in the NFL. The former first-round quarterback has been signed to the Vikings’ practice squad, the team announced on Tuesday.

This deal makes Minnesota the seventh franchise which Rosen has been a member of in his relatively brief NFL career. The 10th overall pick in 2018, his time in Arizona only lasted one season. That campaign saw him put up underwhelming numbers (55.2% completion percentage, 11:14 touchdown-to-interception ratio) as the Cardinals finished at the bottom of the NFL.

That gave them the opportunity to draft Kyler Murray as his replacement, resulting in a trade sending Rosen to Miami. That one-year stint only saw him make six appearances (including three starts), however, and the selection of Tua Tagovailoa once again ended Rosen’s long-term prospects of seeing consistent time as a starter without another move. The 2019 campaign was followed by brief tenures spent with the Buccaneers, 49ers and Falcons as he bounced around to various depth roles.

This past summer, the UCLA product joined the Browns while they rebuilt their QB room. Signed to provide depth behind bridge starter Jacoby Brissett while Deshaun Watson served his suspension, Rosen was identified as a passer the team wished to keep in the fold. That was evidenced by their decision to sign him to their taxi squad immediately following roster cutdowns. The move also came after the Browns claimed Kellen Mond off waivers from the Vikings.

In his absence – and, more recently, that of David Blough, who signed with the Cardinals’ 53-man roster last week – Minnesota has been in need of a signal-caller on their practice squad. Rosen will fill that vacancy for them down the stretch, serving as an emergency option should starter Kirk Cousins or backup Nick Mullens miss time. The deal will also give Rosen his latest opportunity to audition for a training camp spot in Minnesota or elsewhere during the offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/22

Here are today’s minor moves heading into the Saturday slate of games:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/22

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals Sign QB David Blough, Place WR Rondale Moore On IR

In need of a new quarterback to fill out the depth chart, the Cardinals have quickly made a move. Arizona has signed David Blough off the Vikings’ practice squad, per a team announcement.

The 27-year-old has spent most of his career in Detroit, making seven total appearances with the Lions. That time includes five starts in 2019. He was among the team’s final cuts this season, though, with Nate Sudfeld being their preferred option as Jared Goff‘s backup. They hoped to keep Blough on their taxi squad, but he made an intra-divisional move to Minnesota instead.

Now, another NFC deal is on tap, and it will allow him to see time on Arizona’s active roster; the spot opened up with Kyler Murray being placed on IR following his ACL tear suffered on Monday night. Blough will serve as Colt McCoy‘s backup for the remainder of the season, and audition for a 53-man spot with Arizona or another team in the process.

The Cardinals also announced on Wednesday that wideout Rondale Moore has been placed on IR. The move means that his season is over, and marks a disappointing end to his second NFL campaign. The former second-rounder was injured early in Arizona’s Week 11 loss to San Francisco, and finishes with 41 receptions, 414 yards and one touchdown for the year. The Cardinals’ already shorthanded offense will move forward with the likes of A.J. Green, Robbie Anderson and Greg Dortch serving in rotational receiver roles.

In a more positive development, Arizona has designated Will Hernandez for return from IR. The veteran guard started each of the first nine games of the season, his first with the Cardinals. He has been sidelined ever since due to a pectoral injury, and his return to action will be a welcomed sight given the injuries suffered up front by D.J. Humphries, Rodney Hudson and Justin Pugh this year.

If Hernandez is activated within the next three weeks, the Cardinals will be left with two IR activations. The offense he will be returning to, though, will look much different than the one he last saw.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/14/22

Today’s practice squad moves:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Vikings’ Ed Donatell To Remain Play-Caller

Sunday marked the continuation of a troubling streak for the Vikings on the defensive side of the ball, but it will not be enough to warrant a significant change on the sidelines. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said defensive coordinator Ed Donatell will retain play-calling duties despite the unit’s struggles.

“You know you’re always looking at things that you think might be — what could be a possible answer to help the guys play better and be more consistent,” O’Connell said, via Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, when asked about changing play-callers, “but as of right now, no, that’s not something I’m considering.”

During their Week 14 loss to the Lions, the Vikings allowed 400-plus yards to an opponent for the fifth consecutive game — the longest such streak in franchise history. Minnesota now ranks last in total defense. Allowing 403.7 yards per game, the Vikings are on pace to set a new franchise record here as well.

Donatell, 65, has been a defensive coordinator for multiple teams prior to moving to the Twin Cities — with the Packers, Falcons and Broncos — but the longtime NFL assistant spent the past decade working under Vic Fangio. The well-regarded defensive mind ran the defenses for the Broncos, Bears and 49ers dating back to 2011, minimizing Donatell’s role to some degree. With O’Connell an offense-oriented coach in his first year leading a team, Donatell’s influence on defense has expanded.

The Vikings have not dealt with the kind of injury issues select other contenders have. Minnesota has seen both Danielle Hunter (25 missed games since 2020) and Za’Darius Smith (16 absences last season) rebound from their recent injury-plagued stretches to be available for each game. Hunter and Smith have combined for 16.5 sacks, while Patrick Peterson — Pro Football Focus’ eighth-ranked cornerback — is having his best season in years. The Vikes’ 20 takeaways also sits seventh in the league, but the team has still slipped defensively.

Minnesota remains four games up on Detroit in the NFC North and is on track for its first division title in five years. The team also faces just one opponent with a winning record the rest of the way (the Giants, in Week 16). But the Vikings have a month to make sufficient adjustments defensively, as they will be a tough sell against top-caliber NFC opposition come playoff time if their defense continues on this course.

Vikings Expect TE Irv Smith Jr. To Return During Regular Season

The Vikings expect to have TE Irv Smith Jr. back on the field before the end of the regular season, as head coach Kevin O’Connell recently told reporters, including Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Smith suffered an ankle injury in Minnesota’s Week 8 victory over the Cardinals and was placed on injured reserve shortly thereafter.

The injury to Smith prompted the Vikes to swing an intra-divisional trade for former Lions TE T.J. Hockenson. Since the trade, Hockenson is averaging six catches and 45 yards per game as part of an offense that also includes wideouts Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Smith, who missed all of the 2021 season due to a meniscus tear, would represent an intriguing, high-upside complement to that group of pass-catchers. The team ranks in the top-10 in both passing yards per game and points per game, and adding Smith back into the mix could make its aerial attack even more formidable.

A 2019 second-round draft choice, Smith will be eligible for free agency at season’s end. Obviously, this year’s ankle injury coupled with his 2021 absence have not allowed him to generate much momentum towards a lucrative, multi-year pact, so he will likely be looking at one-year offers this offseason. Minnesota could be interested in a reunion, as Hockenson’s fifth-year option salary and cap charge of $9.4MM is manageable — his cap number could be further reduced with an extension — and there are no other particularly appealing tight ends on the roster.

In related news, the Vikings are without left tackle Christian Darrisaw for the third consecutive game on Sunday. However, Darrisaw has reportedly cleared the concussion protocol and should therefore have a good chance to suit up for the team’s Week 15 matchup with the Colts (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Safety Harrison Smith, meanwhile, will miss Sunday’s game against the Lions as well due to a neck injury.

The 10-2 Vikings have a five-game advantage in the NFC North and are just one game back of the 11-1 Eagles for the top seed in the NFC (though Philadelphia enjoys the tiebreaker by virtue of its Week 2 victory over Minnesota). Their divisional cushion is allowing them to be cautious with some of their top players.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/22

Here are the minor moves around the league in advance of the Week 14 slate of games:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Vikings Activate CB Cameron Dantzler, Place DL Jonathan Bullard On IR

DECEMBER 10: To no surprise, Dantzler has indeed been activated, per a team announcement. That comes as welcomed news for the Vikings, given the injuries suffered at the position by rookies Akayleb Evans and Andrew Booth during his absence. Dantzler should immediately return to a starting role.

In a corresponding move, Minnesota has placed Jonathan Bullard on IR. The veteran d-lineman suffered a biceps injury last Sunday against the Jets, a game which marked the first in five weeks which he did not start. There was initial optimism that his injury would not be serious, but further testing has led to what will be at least a four-week absence.

DECEMBER 7: Kevin O’Connell expressed hope Cameron Dantzler would be ready to return from IR when first eligible. The Vikings took a step toward that happening Wednesday, designating the starting cornerback for return.

Minnesota designated both Dantzler and running back Ty Chandler for return. Each player has 21 days to be activated or miss the rest of the season. While IR math might come into play regarding Chandler, the Vikings are expecting Dantzler to be activated immediately.

A 2020 third-round pick, Dantzler has been the team’s regular boundary starter opposite Patrick Peterson this season. The Mike Zimmer-era draftee has started all eight games he has played during his third NFL slate. A part-time starter last year, Dantzler was a reliable cog for DC Ed Donatell before going down with a high ankle sprain.

Pro Football Focus rates Dantzler just outside the top 40 at corner this season. The Mississippi State alum held off second-round rookie Andrew Booth for the starting role opposite Peterson; Booth did not see much time before undergoing knee surgery last week. The Clemson product being out for the season as a result of the operation places more importance on Dantzler’s status, but the Vikings appear close to redeploying their Peterson-Dantzler duo. Dantzler has 25 starts on his resume.

Minnesota’s Ben Ellefson activation last week leaves five such moves remaining. Dantzler will undoubtedly cut into this total, though it would not surprise to see the Vikings slow-play it with Chandler to determine how their injury situation unfolds. The Vikes placed the rookie fifth-rounder on IR back in October due to a broken thumb. Playing behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, Chandler saw action in only two games before hitting IR and has not played an offensive snap as a pro yet.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

The NFL now has its first teams eliminated from playoff contention. The Texans and Bears, as they essentially have been doing throughout this season, are playing for next year. Other eliminations will soon follow, as the league’s playoff picture heats up.

Through that lens, the 2023 draft order will become an increasingly more pertinent topic. The 2023 draft will present an interesting subplot near its outset. Traded picks are set to produce early selections for the Seahawks, Lions and Eagles. Each of those picks currently land in the top five, as the teams on the other end of those trades — the Broncos, Rams and Saints — have disappointed, spectacularly so in Los Angeles and Denver’s cases.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order would look entering Week 14:

  1. Houston Texans: 1-10-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-9
  3. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  4. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  5. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  6. Carolina Panthers: 4-8
  7. Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-8
  8. Arizona Cardinals: 4-8
  9. Indianapolis Colts: 4-8-1
  10. Atlanta Falcons: 5-8
  11. Green Bay Packers: 5-8
  12. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
  13. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  14. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-7
  15. Detroit Lions: 5-7
  16. Los Angeles Chargers: 6-6
  17. New England Patriots: 6-6
  18. Washington Commanders: 7-5-1
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-6*
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 7-5*
  21. Tennessee Titans: 7-5*
  22. New York Jets: 7-5*
  23. New York Giants: 7-4-1*
  24. Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)*
  25. Baltimore Ravens: 8-4*
  26. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-4*
  27. Dallas Cowboys: 9-3*
  28. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-3*
  29. Minnesota Vikings: 10-2*
  30. Buffalo Bills: 9-3*
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-1*

* = Denotes playoff team

The 2023 first round will resemble 2008 and 2016, when the Patriots were docked their Round 1 pick for their respective “gate” scandals. This year’s Dolphins saga never developed “gate” status, but the team lost a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-rounder due to the Tom BradySean Payton tampering case. Thus, a 31-pick first round will commence.

While the Broncos, Rams and Browns lost their first-round picks due to trades for quarterbacks, the Saints passed theirs to the Eagles in this year’s pre-draft trade that allowed New Orleans a path toward moving up for Chris Olave. The No. 16 pick which was initially transferred from the Colts to the Eagles in 2021’s Carson Wentz trade was then moved to the Saints, netting Philadelphia a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second.