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Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Vikings Interested In Theo Riddick, Did Not Offer Contract To Orlando Scandrick

July 28th, 2019 at 10:43am CST by Rory Parks
  • Orlando Scandrick visited with the Vikings last week before signing with the Eagles, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that Minnesota did not extend a contract offer to Scandrick. The Vikes have worked out several CBs recently, and when asked whether the club would ultimately sign one, head coach Mike Zimmer said that’s ultimately up to GM Rick Spielman. Zimmer said, “we’re always looking for players. We’ll keep pounding the pavement” (Twitter link via Tomasson).
  • Darren Wolfson of KSTP.com says that the Vikings have some interest in running back Theo Riddick, who was released by the Lions on Saturday (Twitter link). Minnesota does not have a visit set up at this time, though Riddick will meet with at least one other team in addition to his summit with the Saints.
  • Orlando Scandrick visited with the Vikings last week before signing with the Eagles, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that Minnesota did not extend a contract offer to Scandrick. The Vikes have worked out several CBs recently, and when asked whether the club would ultimately sign one, head coach Mike Zimmer said that’s ultimately up to GM Rick Spielman. Zimmer said, “we’re always looking for players. We’ll keep pounding the pavement” (Twitter link via Tomasson).

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/19

July 26th, 2019 at 8:13pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A batch of minor transactions on a busy day across the league:

Atlanta Falcons:

  • Signed: LB Richie Brown
  • Waived: OT Lanard Bonner
  • Placed on IR: DL Michael Bennett

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: LB Drew Lewis
  • Waived: LB Tre Thomas

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: OL J.J. Dielman

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers from 49ers: CB Alex Brown

San Francisco 49ers

 

Vikings Work Out Morris Claiborne

July 26th, 2019 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings worked out Morris Claiborne on Friday, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Claiborne could provide the team with additional depth during a slightly rocky time for the secondary. 

Rising sophomore Mike Hughes, who suffered a torn ACL in 2018, opened up camp on the PUP list, leaving the team thin at cornerback. Furthermore, Holton Hill has been suspended for eight games (substance abuse and PEDs), so the Vikings are doing their due diligence.

Claiborne, 29, spent the past two seasons with the Jets and has played on one-year deals for the past three seasons. He hasn’t really excelled since his 2016 season with the Cowboys, when he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 12 ranked corner in a limited sample of seven games. Last year, Claiborne graded out as just the No. 75 CB in the NFL out of 112 qualified players, per PFF.

The Vikings also kicked the tires on veteran Orlando Scandrick this week.

Vikings Claim RB De’Angelo Henderson

July 24th, 2019 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after cutting ties with suspended running back Roc Thomas, the Vikings added a possible depth piece off waivers. The Vikings claimed De’Angelo Henderson off waivers from the Jets, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In a corresponding move, the club released safety Micah Abernathy.

A former Broncos sixth-round draft choice in 2017, Henderson made it just past the midway point on the waiver wire. He will join a Vikings team that has third-year player C.J. Ham and third-round rookie Alexander Mattison in place behind Dalvin Cook.

After setting an NCAA Division I record by recording a rushing touchdown in 35 consecutive games, Henderson could not stick with the Broncos last year. Denver’s additions of Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman led Henderson to New York. Between his time with the Jets and Broncos, the 5-foot-7 back has taken just nine regular-season handoffs.

Mike Zimmer said recently Ham may be the favorite to begin as Minnesota’s complementary back behind Cook, with Mattison learning the ropes as a pass protector in the meantime. Henderson figures to be competing for a spot behind that duo, should the Vikings keep four backs.

Vikings Work Out CB Orlando Scandrick

July 24th, 2019 at 2:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Vikings are apparently sniffing around the veteran free agent market and looking into corners, as they worked out veteran Orlando Scandrick earlier today, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

We haven’t heard anything about Scandrick all offseason, but it seems like he could resurface soon. Pelissero notes that the Vikings are “keeping the door open for possibly signing Scandrick during camp.” Scandrick signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Redskins last offseason, but didn’t even make it through the preseason with the team. Washington cut him in mid-August, and he was scooped up by the Chiefs.

Scandrick ended up appearing in 15 games for Kansas City, making seven starts. He finished the year with 44 tackles, 13 passes defended, and an interception. Before signing with the Redskins, Scandrick played the first ten seasons of his career with the Cowboys. He had some good years in Dallas, but had declined sharply due to multiple injuries by the end of his run there.

Simply put, there’s a reason he didn’t make it through camp with the Redskins. With Scandrick in tow, the Chiefs had one of the worst secondaries in the league. He’s 32 now, and probably doesn’t have much left in the tank. If the Vikings signed him, it would be as depth. This news comes on the heels of cornerback Holton Hill being suspended for eight games yesterday, so a signing wouldn’t be shocking.

Vikings’ Holton Hill Suspended (Again)

July 23rd, 2019 at 2:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings cornerback Holton Hill has been suspended, once again. This time around, it’s a four-game ban for violating the NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. 

Hill, 22, made the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Texas and wound up appearing in all 16 games for the Vikings last year, including three starts. He finished out with 36 tackles in total and made his first career interception in the Vikings’ October romp over the Jets.

This year, he was slated for a significant role in the secondary, but a pair of four-game bans will keep him sidelined until the midway point of the season. In April, the Vikings learned that they would be without Hill for a quarter of the season thanks to a PED policy violation.

The team will not be releasing a statement, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).

Latest On Vikings' RB Depth Chart

July 22nd, 2019 at 9:17pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Although Alexander Mattison is the assumed next man up if Dalvin Cook again goes down with an injury, Mike Zimmer cautioned about anointing the third-round pick too soon. The sixth-year Vikings coach (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling) singled out third-year UDFA C.J. Ham as a player who stands to play more on passing downs, in front of Mattison, due to pass-protection skills. Backs often begin their NFL careers limited at this skill, so the 26-year-old Ham (31 touches in two seasons, when Latavius Murray played behind Cook) may function as a stopgap while Mattison is groomed.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/19

July 22nd, 2019 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: OL Tiano Pupungatoa
  • Waived: RB Roc Thomas

New York Jets

  • Placed on active/PUP list: DB Brandon Bryant
  • Placed on active/NFI list: CB Bless Austin

Vikings Finalize 2019 Draft Class Deals

July 21st, 2019 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

More clarity arrived regarding Vikings long snapper Austin Cutting‘s status recently, and the seventh-round pick agreed to terms on his rookie deal, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (on Twitter).

Cutting’s commitment to the Air Force Academy had left his status in limbo for a while this offseason, but he has been cleared to play. This marks the last of 2019’s Day 3 draft choices to agree to the terms of his rookie contract. Cutting’s deal is for four years and $2.59MM.

Cutting will serve a two-year military commitment but will be allowed to play for the Vikings, with Tomasson tweeting the arrangement will allow the Air Force product to live in Minnesota during that time. Cutting will serve as a first-year recruiting lieutenant, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic tweets.

It is not a given this year’s No. 250 overall pick will make Minnesota’s roster, despite being the rare long snapper draft choice. Kevin McDermott has served as the Vikings’ deep snapper since 2015. McDermott, 29, is signed through 2020.

Only five draft picks — first-rounders Nick Bosa (49ers), Quinnen Williams (Jets), Daniel Jones (Giants), Brian Burns (Panthers), and second-rounder Deebo Samuel (49ers) — remain unsigned.

Here is the Vikings’ 2019 draft class:

Vikings’ Austin Cutting Cleared To Play

July 18th, 2019 at 1:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings rookie long snapper Austin Cutting has been cleared to play in the NFL, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Previously, the seventh-round pick’s status was up in the air due to his commitment to the Air Force Academy. 

Cutting, taken with the No. 250 overall pick, is expected to sign a four-year, $2.59MM contract with the team, including a $74K signing bonus. With a deal in hand, he’ll start training camp early next week with the other Vikings rookies.

Unsurprisingly, Cutting was the lone unsigned seventh-round pick in the NFL. Once he signs, there will be just seven stragglers left in the league.

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