Chiefs Acquire Vikings’ No. 86 Pick
The Chiefs have traded for the Vikings No. 86 pick, which they will use to select Toledo running back Kareem Hunt. Minnesota will pick up No. 104, No. 132 and No. 245.
Hunt will give the Chiefs another option at running back, where veteran Jamaal Charles has been released. Hunt will team with Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West.
Vikings Acquire 70th Pick From Jets
The Vikings have acquired the 70th overall pick from the Jets, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). Minnesota surrendered the 79th and 160th selections to move up, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. With the 70th choice, the Vikings selected Ohio State center Pat Elflein.
Formerly a guard, the 300-pound Elflein started all of the Buckeyes’ games over the previous three seasons and last year earned the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s top center. On paper, the Vikings are already in good shape at center with Joe Berger, but he’s entering his age-35 campaign. If Berger, not Elflein, serves as the Vikings’ pivot next season, the latter could end up at right guard, where Jeremiah Sirles is the penciled-in starter. Sirles worked as a tackle in 2016 and turned in uninspiring results.
Vikings Acquire 41st Pick From Bengals, Draft Dalvin Cook
The Vikings have acquired the 41st pick from the Bengals in exchange for the 48th and 128th selections. Minnesota will select Florida State running back Dalvin Cook.
While Cook was originally viewed as a first-round lock, poor measurables at the combine and off-field concerns forced him into Day 2. But while Cook didn’t test out as an elite athlete, the results are there on film. In each of the past two seasons, Cook topped 1,600 yards rushing and scored 19 touchdowns on the ground.
Cook figures to be the long-term answer for the Vikings in the wake of Adrian Peterson‘s departure. For now, he’ll team up with the recently signed Latavius Murray to form a one-two backfield punch for the Vikes, whose running game was among the worst in the NFL last season.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Teddy Bridgewater's Contract Could Toll
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater‘s catastrophic knee injury last summer continues to have a sizable effect on the Eagles, observes Paul Domowitch of Philly.com. In response to Bridgewater’s injury, the Vikings sent a first-rounder (which turned into the 14th pick) to the Eagles, who otherwise wouldn’t have selected until the second this year after they traded up for Carson Wentz last spring. And with Bradford off the roster, Wentz was able to start all 16 games as a rookie. Further, had Bridgewater not gotten hurt and Bradford stayed put, the Eagles might not have had the cap space this offseason to sign wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, writes Domowitch. With an $18MM cap hit, Bradford wouldn’t have had as much much trade value this offseason, and releasing him would have cost Philadelphia $4MM in dead money. “I think it’s safe to say that the Bridgewater injury, while a horrible thing for Teddy, couldn’t have worked out any better for the Eagles,” one general manager told Domowitch.
As for the Vikings, even though they’re not going to pick up Bridgewater’s fifth-year option for 2018, it’s possible he’ll remain under their control that season. If he starts 2017 on the physically unable to perform list and doesn’t come off, his contract will toll for 2018, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Vikes To Decline Teddy Bridgewater’s Option
The Vikings are unlikely to pick up quarterback Teddy Bridgewater‘s fifth-year option, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Minnesota has until early May to formally make the call. 
[RELATED: 2018 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
The news doesn’t come as a huge surprise when considering the medical battle that still lies ahead for the QB. Recently, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer admitted that he has “no idea” whether Bridgewater will be able to play in 2017. When Bridgewater does return, he’ll be susceptible to further complications and with that in mind the Vikings are not inclined to guarantee his 2018 season for injury. The option year is worth upwards of $11MM.
Bridgewater, of course, missed all of last season after suffering an ACL tear and knee dislocation. After the injury, the Vikings traded for Sam Bradford and this year they signed Case Keenum to be his backup. The Vikings are hoping for the best with Bridgewater, but they are planning for the worst and proceeding as though they will not get him back on the field anytime soon.
Sam Bradford, Vikings Haven’t Discussed Extension
The Vikings have not yet discussed an extension with quarterback Sam Bradford, as Bradford himself tells Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). Bradford is entering the final year of his contract in 2017.
Bradford, 29, signed a two-year deal with the Eagles before being traded to Minnesota last year. Under the terms of that pact, Bradford will earn $18MM in 2017: $14MM in base salary, and $4MM as a roster bonus. Unless he’s extended before next spring, Bradford would become a free agent in a 2018 quarterback class that’s currently scheduled to include Kirk Cousins, Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, Matthew Stafford, and others (although, clearly, some of those signal-callers will never truly approach free agency).
Of course, Bradford’s contract status is directly tied to the health of fellow quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who missed the entirety of the 2016 season with a severe knee injury. Bridgewater’s injury necessitated the Bradford trade, and if the Vikings don’t believe Bridgewater will be ready to take the field any time soon, a new deal for Bradford could make sense. For what it’s worth, Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer recently said he has “no idea” if Bridgewater will be able to suit up for the 2017 campaign.
In his first season with the Vikings, Bradford posted best year of his career, at least based on metrics such as quarterback rating and QBR. Bradford tossed 20 touchdowns and only six interceptions while passing for more than 3,800 yards, and led the league in completion percentage (71.6).
Jake Long Announces Retirement
Offensive tackle Jake Long has announced his retirement from the NFL. In a message posted on Twitter, the former No. 1 overall pick thanked his family, fans, and NFL mentors for their belief in him along the way. 
“Football has been something that I have put my entire heart and soul into,” Long wrote. “I have always given this game the respect and attention to detail that it demands. As I continue with my recent rehab, I realize that although my heart and mind still want to play, my body is telling me something completely different.”
Long dealt with injuries throughout his career and never truly fulfilled his potential as a result. Long started out with four consecutive Pro Bowl nods in his first four seasons with the Dolphins (including one First Team All-Pro nod in 2010), but his health slowly chipped him down. From 2012 through 2016, Long missed 38 regular season games.
After a lengthy career which included two ACL tears and one Achilles tear, one can hardly blame Long for hanging ’em up. Just prior to his 32nd birthday, Long has opted to spend more time with his family than try to hook on with another team for yet another one year deal. We here at PFR wish Long the best in retirement.
Vikings Showing Interest In Joe Mixon
- Joe Mixon has garnered the most interest from the Bengals, Vikings, Packers, and Jaguars, King hears. King personally wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bengals take the controversial running back with the No. 41 overall pick given the team’s past willingness to gamble on a checkered history.
Dan Feeney Visited Vikings
- Indiana offensive lineman Dan Feeney could be a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder, according to Pauline, who reports he has visited the Vikings, Bears and Colts. Feeney also has meetings with the 49ers and Rams on tap. The Dolphins have also worked out Feeney, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, who adds Miami has also spent “considerable time” with Western Kentucky guard Forrest Lamp.
[SOURCE LINK]
Brian Robison Plans To Retire After 2018
Brian Robison signed a contract extension that could allow him the opportunity to retire as a Viking, the same way Chad Greenway did. As of now, the veteran defensive end does not plan to play beyond that contract.
This will be Robison’s 11th season, and the 34-year-old defender told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press the 2018 season will likely be his last.
“I really do believe that probably at the end of those two years, it will be it,’’ Robison said. “It’ll be about my time to call it (a career), but we’ll see how I feel when I get there. … But I would say that more than likely, that will probably be the time that I’m going to have to lay things to the side and get ready for life after football.”
Having arrived in the same draft class with Adrian Peterson, Robison is set to outlast the future Hall of Famer in purple. He is now the longest-tenured player on the team after Greenway retired. Robison’s contract now runs through 2017, with an overall pay reduction being agreed upon in exchange for an extra year and more guaranteed dollars. Robison expected the Vikings to call about a renegotiation, per Tomasson, and the result gave Minnesota $1.8MM in additional cap space.
“This solidifies me to be able to retire as a Minnesota Viking,” Robinson said, via Tomasson. “… I had a long talk with Rick Spielman. We were on the phone for probably 45 minutes, just discussing it.”
The former fourth-round pick registered 7.5 sacks last season and made 16 starts for the Vikings. Since commandeering a starting end job in 2011, Robison has missed just one start. Robison acknowledged third-year player Danielle Hunter could be in position to snare his starting job at some point in the near future, but the veteran’s skill set could probably be used as a pass-rushing-specific capacity in that event.