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Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Zygi Wilf Says Mike Zimmer’s Job Is Safe

December 16th, 2018 at 7:53pm CST by Micah Powell

Despite taking fire recently from fans and the media, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer‘s job is not in jeopardy according to team owner Zygi Wilf, Bob Sansevere of the Pioneer Press writes. 

“We’re very happy with the coach and the entire coaching staff,” Wilf said. “It’s great to be in this position in December, that’s for sure. I’m very proud we stepped up and answered any questions about who we were as a team. I think we showed we were one of the best and can beat anyone on any given day.”

Considering he made the comments following Minnesota’s 41-17 win over Miami, Wilf was unlikely to make a statement saying his coaching staff was on the hot seat. The victory kept the Vikings in control of the sixth and final playoff spot.
After reaching the NFC Championship Game a year ago and splurging on Kirk Cousins in the offseason, the Vikings got off to a 6-6-1 start when many fans and pundits expected them to compete for the conference’s top seed. After scuffling on offense, the team made its first move when it fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo following last week’s 21-7 loss to the Seahawks. Kevin Stefanski was elevated to the role and the offense thrived by putting a greater emphasis on the running game and Dalvin Cook.
The move could be the one to right the Vikings’ ship. But even if Minnesota struggles down the stretch, it is unlikely that Zimmer, considered one of the game’s top coaches, would be going anywhere.

 

Kevin Stefanski Garnering Interest As HC Candidate

December 16th, 2018 at 9:35am CST by Rory Parks
  • La Canfora writes that Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who was just promoted to the role earlier this week, was already being considered for head coaching jobs before he took over as Minnesota’s OC. Obviously, how the club’s offense performs down the stretch and perhaps into the playoffs will go a long way towards determining Stefanski’s 2019 prospects, but La Canfora reports that teams are conducting preliminary research on him, and a strong playoff push could solidify his chances of running his own team next season.

Teams Tried To Sign DE Ifeadi Odenigbo Off Vikings PS

December 15th, 2018 at 12:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Ifeadi Odenigbo had several chances to join an NFL team’s active roster, but the defensive end decided to stick with the Vikings organization. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that multiple teams tried to poach Odenigbo off the Vikings’ roster squad.

The second-year player apparently rejected those offers, but the Vikings also incentivized his practice squad deal. Odenigbo’s weekly salary was bumped to $28,235, with Pelissero noting that the Vikings were focused on “protecting their depth.”

The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Northwestern started his career with the Vikings, but the team waived the defensive lineman at the end of the 2017 preseason. He subsequently caught on with the Browns and Cardinals, and he ended up landing on Minnesota’s practice squad towards the end of this past October. The 24-year-old appeared in a single game for Arizona, compiling one tackle.

Barring injury, it will be difficult for Odenigbo to earn a promotion to the active roster. Despite rookie Ade Aruna landing on the injured reserve at the beginning of the season, the Vikings are still rostering five capable defensive ends in Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, Stephen Weatherly, Tashawn Bower, and Jalyn Holmes.

Vikings Fire OC John DeFilippo

December 11th, 2018 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo has been fired, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). DeFilippo was a hot name in coaching circles after helping to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory last year, but things have not gone according to plan in Minnesota. 

[RELATED: Vikings’ George Paton Remains Top GM Candidate]

After the Vikings were blown out in the NFC Championship game by the Eagles, they hired Philly’s quarterbacks coach to oversee their offense. They also gave Kirk Cousins a historic three-year, fully guaranteed contract with the expectation that he would greatly outperform Case Keenum. Cousins, so far, has not lived up to the deal, and the Vikings seem to think that DeFilippo is partly to blame.

Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski will replace DeFilippo as OC, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). Stefanski becomes the fourth offensive coordinator to serve under Mike Zimmer since 2014, following Norv Turner (quit), Pat Shurmur (hired away by the Giants), and DeFilippo (fired).

The midseason change is far from ideal, but Stefanski has been with the team since 2006 and was a candidate for the OC position before DeFilippo was hired, so he’s qualified for the role. Stefanski was also a top candidate for the Giants’ OC post in February before the Vikings denied their request for an interview.

DeFilippo’s dismissal comes hours after an embarrassing 21-7 loss to the Seahawks. The defeat dropped their playoff odds to just 57%, according to FiveThirtyEight, ramping up the pressure in advance of this week’s tilt against the Dolphins. The good news here is that the Vikings still control their own destiny – wins over the Dolphins, Lions, and Bears would clinch their spot in the postseason.

This wasn’t a banner year for DeFilippo, but he figures to be a popular target for teams yet again this offseason. The 40-year-old may or may not get head coaching interviews, but he’ll probably be in the mix for multiple OC vacancies.

DeFilippo has been criticized for relying on the pass too much and ignoring the run game, but it’s worth noting that he was without star rusher Dalvin Cook for much of the fall. The offensive line has also been shaky and it’s fair to wonder whether GM Rick Spielman did enough to bolster the unit in the offseason.

George Paton Remains Top GM Candidate

December 9th, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Rory Parks

Vikings assistant GM George Paton has seen his name come up a great deal over the past couple of years as rival clubs sought new general managers, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Paton remains one of the top candidates for teams that will be looking for a GM in 2019. The fact that Paton has withdrawn his name from consideration for GM jobs in the past have suggested to some that he does not want to leave Minnesota, but La Canfora says Paton is indeed open to taking over a franchise next year. Although he declined to interview with the Dolphins in the past, Miami would be a potential landing spot if the team were to make front office changes this offseason.

Vikings Frustrated About Cook's Usage

December 8th, 2018 at 8:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • Dalvin Cook had his best game as a runner this season last week against the Patriots, but the Vikings only gave him one carry in the fourth quarter. The lack of late game opportunities for Cook cause “a little frustration” within the organization, a Minnesota team source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said he “absolutely” plans to give Cook more carries moving forward, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, so it doesn’t seem like it’ll be much of an issue.

Sheldon Richardson Rejected Seahawks Offer

December 6th, 2018 at 9:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Before he signed with a one-year, $8MM deal with the Vikings in March, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson received a $4-5MM offer to stay with the Seahawks, as he explained to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link). “The contract they offered me was terrible. It wasn’t what they told me when I left after the exit meetings,” Richardson said. “When my agent told me the offer, I told him, ‘They can keep that.’” Richardson has excelled for Minnesota this season: Pro Football Focus currently grades him as the league’s No. 36 interior defender, while Richardson is tied for sixth among defensive tackles with 14 quarterback hits. Given that he only inked a one-year pact, Richardson will be able to hit the free agent market again in 2019 at the age of 28.

NFL Workout Updates: 12/6/18

December 6th, 2018 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):

Carolina Panthers

  • G Jordan Morgan

Cleveland Browns

Minnesota Vikings

Washington Redskins

Extra Points: Manning, Hughes, Arians

December 4th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins, Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes was seen on video yelling at official Roy Ellison. The player was restrained by a team employee before being led back to the locker room.

ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweets that the veteran will not face a suspension for the incident, although ProFootballTalk.com’s Charean Williams says Hughes could still be fined. Meanwhile, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Ellison has been placed on administrative leave while the NFL continues to review the matter. Hughes accused the umpire of calling him a vulgar name, and Rapoport notes that Ellison was suspended back in 2013 following an incident with Trent Williams.

The 30-year-old Hughes is having another productive season with Buffalo, compiling 31 tackles, six sacks, and three forced fumbles through 12 games.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

  • Bruce Arians is apparently very focused on the Browns head coaching job. According to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss (via Twitter), the 66-year-old has “probably very little” interest in the Packers gig. The two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year winner previously said he would only consider becoming a head coach again if he were hired by Cleveland, where he was an offensive coordinator between 2001 and 2003. After serving as the Cardinals head coach for five seasons, Arians retired at the end of the 2017 campaign.
  • During an appearance on WFAN660, Giants head coach Pat Shurmur was non-committal when asked about Eli Manning‘s status heading into next season. “Those are offseason discussions,” he said (via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano on Twitter). “I’m really pleased with how he’s played of late. … I can’t answer that. I’m fond of everything Eli brings to the table.” The 37-year-old Manning has been having a solid season, completing a career-high 67.9-percent of his passes for 3,263 yards, 15 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
  • The Vikings will audition Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell this week, reports Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). The 28-year-old has won a pair of Grey Cup MVPs and two CFL Most Outstanding Player awards during his seven seasons in the league. Mitchell also won the Walter Payton Award during his time at Eastern Washington. The Vikings are currently rostering Trevor Siemian and Kyle Sloter behind Kirk Cousins.
  • Former Seahawks and Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner was sentenced to eight years in prison after he pleaded no contest to attempted murder, reports TMZ Sports. The 34-year-old was accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment, where he then “allegedly chased her, dragged her and then smothered her in a carpet.” Browner also pleaded no contest to two counts of child endangerment, while the remaining chargers (including robbery, burglary, and false imprisonment) were dropped.

Fritz Pollard Alliance Recommends HC Candidates

November 30th, 2018 at 8:44am CST by Zachary Links

Every year, the Fritz Pollard Alliance releases a list of recommended minority head coaching candidates. This year’s edition is nearly double in size and features the likes of Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores and Cowboys defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard, as Mike Jones of USA Today writes. 

Here’s the complete list of suggested candidates:

  • Keith Armstrong (Falcons special teams coordinator)
  • Teryl Austin (Former Bengals defensive coordinator)
  • Eric Bieniemy (Chiefs offensive coordinator)
  • Jim Caldwell (former Lions and Colts head coach)
  • George Edwards (Vikings defensive coordinator)
  • Brian Flores (Patriots linebackers coach)
  • Leslie Frazier (Bills defensive coordinator)
  • Raheem Morris (Falcons assistant head coach/wide receivers coach)
  • Hue Jackson (special assistant to the head coach of the Bengals; former Browns head coach)
  • Kris Richard (Cowboys defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator)
  • Duce Staley (Eagles assistant head coach/running backs coach)

Flores, the de facto defensive coordinator of the Patriots, figures to be a hot coaching candidate this year. The same goes for Bieniemy, who is helping to guide one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.

Others on this list, such as Jackson and Austin, seem unlikely to garner real consideration for head coaching positions this offseason. The Browns turned the corner after dumping Jackson and appointing Gregg Williams as the team’s interim head coach, which isn’t a great endorsement for the offensive guru. Meanwhile, the Bengals hired Austin in January but fired him earlier this month as his defense was one of the lowest ranked in the NFL.

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