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Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Adam Thielen Suffers Injury In Practice

January 8th, 2020 at 8:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

With every team booked into divisional-round action having now begun practice, here is the latest from the injury front going into Round 2. We’ll start with a midweek Vikings setback:

  • Stefon Diggs has missed two Vikings practices because of illness this week, but Mike Zimmer expects him to suit up in San Francisco. However, Adam Thielen suffered an ankle injury at practice and was limited on Wednesday as a result. Thielen was not on Minnesota’s Tuesday injury report. The Pro Bowl wideout missed much of this season with a hamstring injury. He caught seven passes for a game-high 129 yards against the Saints.

Vikings’ Mackensie Alexander To Have Surgery

January 7th, 2020 at 11:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings won’t have Mackensie Alexander on the field for Saturday’s game against the 49ers. The cornerback will undergo arthroscopic surgery for the small tear in his lateral meniscus, a source tells NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). 

On the plus side – Alexander’s season isn’t necessarily over. If the Vikings advance, Alexander could conceivably return for the NFC title game or the Super Bowl.

The Vikings managed to upset the Saints in the opening round of the playoffs, despite not having Alexander or Mike Hughes on the field. Their other cornerbacks – Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Holton Hill – will be tasked with holding down the fort yet again as they face the Niners’ potent offense.

If the Vikings fall to the Niners, that could mark the end of Alexander’s career in purple. The cornerback is scheduled to reach free agency in March.

Coaching Rumors: Panthers, Rhule, McDaniels

January 6th, 2020 at 2:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL:

  • Saints assistant Mike Nolan is a name to watch as new Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy searches for his next defensive coordinator, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears.
  • The Panthers‘ interview with Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski will take place in Minneapolis on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) reports. The Browns could also schedule a chat with Stefanski for that same day. During Stefanski’s first full season at the helm, the Vikings ranked as a top-10 offense in points. With Stefanski on the sidelines, the Vikings also managed a 26-20 win over the Saints on Sunday to advance to the divisional round.
  • The Giants‘ interview with Baylor head coach Matt Rhule has been scheduled for Tuesday, Schefter hears. After that, they’ll meet with Patriots OC Josh McDaniels on Wednesday. Both interviews will take place in New Jersey.
  • At least 4 NFL teams have expressed interest in former Giants head coach Pat Shurmur as an offensive coordinator, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) hears. Shurmur has also heard from “a college team or two.” Shurmur was fired by the Giants after amassing a 9-23 record over the course of two disappointing seasons.

Vikings’ Mackensie Alexander May Need Surgery

January 6th, 2020 at 1:50pm CST by Zachary Links

On Sunday, the Vikings got past the Saints without Mackensie Alexander. They might not have him for the rest of the postseason, either. 

Alexander is meeting with doctors to determine whether he needs surgery on his injured knee, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Alexander is dealing with a small tear to his lateral meniscus, so it could go either way. A final decision is expected to come by the end of business on Tuesday, which will give the Vikings some time to formulate a game plan in advance of Saturday’s showdown with the 49ers.

The Vikings are already without Mike Hughes, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Friday. Without Alexander or Hughes, the Vikings deployed Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Holton Hill at cornerback in their overtime victory.

Alexander, the No. 54 overall pick in the 2016 draft, is scheduled to reach free agency in March. Whether or not he returns to the Vikings, he’ll see a major pay bump from his four-year, $4.316MM rookie deal.

Panthers To Interview Kevin Stefanski

January 4th, 2020 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

Add another name to the list. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports (via Twitter) that Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski is scheduled to interview for the Panthers head coaching vacancy next week. The interview is tentatively set for Thursday, although that could change if Minnesota tops New Orleans tomorrow.

Stefanski has served in a variety of roles for the Vikings since joining the organization back in 2006, including stints as the tight ends coach, running backs coach, and quarterbacks coach. The 37-year-old was named interim offensive coordinator following the firing of John DeFilippo during the 2018 season, and he earned the full-time gig prior to the 2019 campaign.

During Stefanski’s first full season at the helm, the Vikings ranked as a top-10 offense in points. The coach led the trio of Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, and Mike Boone to top-six rankings in rushing yards and touchdowns, and he also helped quarterback Kirk Cousins have one of the best seasons of his career.

We previously heard that Stefanski was set to interview for the Browns head coaching gig, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero passes along (via Twitter) that the coach will indeed interview with Cleveland this week. Stefanski was a finalist for the Browns job last year.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that Panther interim head coach Perry Fewell is scheduled to meet with the team on Wednesday. As our head coaching tracker shows, Stefanski and Fewell are two of five coaches who will interview for the gig, a grouping that also includes Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, and former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Baylor head coach Matt Rhule has also been mentioned as a potential candidate, but no interview has been scheduled.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/20

January 3rd, 2020 at 8:23pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Today’s minor moves:

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed to reserve/futures contract: DB Marcus Sayles

San Francisco 49ers

Since it’s a reserve/futures deal, Kindred won’t be playing for the 49ers in the playoffs, he’ll be added to the offseason roster for 2020. A fourth-round pick of the Browns back in 2016, he started 17 games for Cleveland from 2016-18.

Vikings To Stick With Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman

January 3rd, 2020 at 3:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings won’t be on the hunt for a new head coach or a GM. On Friday, Vikings owner Mark Wilf backed Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman in a press release and ensured their status for 2020: 

“We value Mike and Rick’s leadership and we have every intent of Mike continuing as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and Rick leading our football operations, next year and beyond.”

The Vikings finished the year 10-6, good enough for a Wild Card spot in the NFC. They enter this weekend’s game against the Saints as underdogs – particularly with a thinned-out secondary to guard Michael Thomas & Co. – but Zimmer and Spielman will return, regardless of the outcome.

It’s worth noting that the contracts for Zimmer and Spielman will expire after the 2020 season. An extension would truly solidify their standing in Minnesota. Otherwise, they’ll be lame ducks heading into next year.

Zimmer, 63, has led the Vikings to three playoff appearances and two divisional crowns over five seasons. In 2017, the Vikings reached the NFC Championship Game where they were stopped by the Eagles. Last year, the Vikings fell short of expectations with a 8-7-1 finish, and they waffled at times in 2019, but they still believe Zimmer is the best man for the job.

Spielman, 57, spent six years as the team’s vice president of player personnel before being promoted to GM in 2012.

Vikings Place Mike Hughes On IR

January 3rd, 2020 at 12:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings will head into the playoffs without the services of Mike Hughes. On Friday, the Vikes placed the cornerback on injured reserve with a neck injury.

Hughes, a 2018 first-round pick, figured to see an increased role against the Saints in the Wild Card round as Mackensie Alexander nurses a knee injury. Now, the Vikings are without both corners for the big game on Sunday.

Hughes played in 14 games (three starts) in 2019, logging one interception, two forced fumbles, and 43 total tackles. The Vikings already had their work cut out for them with Michael Thomas & Co., but things are looking extra bleak for them at this moment.

To fill in at cornerback, the Vikings re-signed old friend Marcus Sherels. Sherels, a Minnesota native, spent nine straight seasons with the Vikings. From 2011-18, Sherels returned 231 punts for 2,447 yards (10.6 average) and five touchdowns, setting franchise records in all three categories.

Designated To Return: Packers, Vikings

January 2nd, 2020 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Teams may still designate players to return from IR during the playoffs, and the two NFC North squads still playing took advantage of this flexibility. Teams are designated two IR-return spots each season.

  • Reserve offensive lineman Brett Jones returned to Vikings practice. The former Giants starting center went down with a knee injury in November. Since he went on IR in advance of Week 11, Jones is not eligible to suit up in the Vikings’ first-round game. Should the Vikings upset the Saints in Round 1, he would then be eligible to be activated for the divisional round. The Vikings signed Jones to a one-year deal this offseason but used him in only two games. With the Vikings having brought Josh Doctson off IR earlier this season, they are out of IR-return moves.
  • The Packers followed suit, designating safety Raven Greene to return. Green Bay placed Greene on IR in September due to an ankle injury, making him eligible to be activated before the Packers’ divisional-round game. The second-year UDFA also finished the 2018 regular season on IR. Greene played in two games for the Packers this season, starting one. Green Bay used its first IR-return designation on tight end Jace Sternberger.

Dalvin Cook Returns To Practice

January 1st, 2020 at 7:17pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • The Vikings‘ plan to sit Dalvin Cook (shoulder, chest) for the final two regular-season games looks to have paid off. Minnesota’s Pro Bowl back took part in a full practice Wednesday, putting him in line to suit up for the Vikings’ first-round game against the Saints. Alexander Mattison (ankle) was also a full participant, giving Minnesota a good chance of having the best version of its backfield in action Sunday in New Orleans.
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