Vikings Activate QB Taylor Heinicke
The Vikings have released tight end MyCole Pruitt, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. The move will allow Minnesota to activate quarterback Taylor Heinicke. 
To date, Heinicke has spent the season on the non-football injury list after foot injury in July. Heinicke, 23, returned to practice earlier this month, starting the clock on a three-week window during which the Vikings must place him on the 53-man roster. The deadline was tomorrow, but Minnesota has decided to put him on the roster a day early. After recently waiving quarterback Joel Stave from the taxi squad, Heinicke should now have plenty of opportunities to shake off the rust in practice.
Pruitt suffered a sprained MCL late in the preseason and has been largely hampered by injuries this year. The 24-year-old has been cut after appearing in just two games this year.
Heinicke will now slot in as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart behind starter Sam Bradford and primary backup Shaun Hill. Meanwhile, the Vikings will now move ahead with three tight ends: starter Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison, and rookie David Morgan II.
Vikings To Audition Kickers
The Vikings are set to audition a group of kickers on Tuesday, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). The workout will include Kai Forbath, tweets Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Randy Bullock is also likely to be a part of that group, but it’s not clear who else will be participating. In total, there should be four or five kickers in attendance, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter).
On Sunday, Blair Walsh missed an extra point attempt and had a field goal blocked as the Vikings lost to the Lions 22-16. This year, Walsh is just 12-16 on field goal attempts, though it should be noted that three of those misses came from more than 40 yards away.
Bullock was part of a group of kickers that worked out for the Bengals recently, along with Zach Hocker and Forbath. As of right now, the Bengals have not made a change at kicker and are forging ahead with Mike Nugent. Bullock served as the Giants’ kicker in the season opener while Josh Brown served his (initial) one-game suspension.
Latest On Norv Turner
The comments that Norv Turner made upon his resignation as Vikings offensive coordinator last week indicated that his decision was wholly voluntary and that he truly believed he was preventing Minnesota from realizing its full potential on the offensive side of the ball. But one always wonders if those types of decisions are truly voluntary, or if the club is simply allowing a respected coach to depart without the ignominy of being fired.
That does not seem to be the case with Turner, as both Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com write. Per La Canfora, the decision took the entire Vikings organization by surprise, and Turner was not pressured to step down in any way. La Canfora adds that Turner and newly-promoted OC Pat Shurmur–who was serving as the tight ends coach prior to Turner’s resignation–had a strong working relationship, but it became clear during a full staff meeting Tuesday afternoon that Turner and head coach Mike Zimmer had incompatible opinions on how to spark the Vikings’ stagnant offense. The personal relationship between the two men remained strong, but their differing professional viewpoints triggered the split.
Rapoport’s piece is largely consistent with La Canfora, though Rapoport does add that Shurmur was a “huge proponent” of the Sam Bradford acquisition and that Shurmur and Bradford “speak the same language,” whereas Turner was a bit of an outsider when it came to his newly-acquired quarterback.
Both Rapoport and La Canfora indicate that Turner has not ruled out resuming his coaching career, although Turner himself said that any new job would “need to be a right place and with the right people.”
Vikings Work Out RB Jonas Gray
The Vikings worked out free agent running back Jonas Gray today, reports Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Gray has been on the open market since being waived off injured reserve by the Jaguars in late August.
[RELATED: Norv Turner Resigns As Vikings OC]
Minnesota should seeing another running back return to the field on Sunday, as Jerick McKinnon participated in practice today and confirmed to reporters, including Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link), that he expects to play against the Lions this weekend. With McKinnon sidelined in Week 8, Matt Asiata managed 42 yards on 14 carries, while Ronnie Hillman — seeing significant snaps for the first time all year — posted four rushes for 15 yards.
Gray, 26, is most known for his brief tenure in New England, which featured a 201-yard, four-touchdown rushing performance against the Colts in November 2014. That showing represented a significant portion of Gray’s production as a rookie. All told, he amassed 89 carries (37 in the Indy game) for 412 yards and five scores in eight contests. Gray has also spent time with the Dolphins and, most recently, the Jaguars.
Gray’s audition with the Vikings was his third known workout this year, as he’s also met with the Lions and Dolphins.
Norv Turner Didn't Think Offense Was Working
- Norv Turner‘s surprising resignation from his post as Vikings OC caught Mike Zimmer off-guard, but the veteran play-caller said he thinks this could spark a bottom-tier Minnesota offense. “I got the utmost respect for Mike. I think he’s as good a coach as I’ve been around. But it just got to the point where I didn’t think it was going to work with me. So I removed myself,” Turner said, via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “I truly think this move may end up being a positive thing for the Vikings. I just think they got a chance to get on the same page now. I don’t know how to describe that, but I think it could be the case.” A veteran of 42 years in the NFL, the 64-year-old Turner did not say he was retiring from coaching, telling Craig he will return to San Diego and weigh his options.
Norv Turner Resigns As Vikings OC
Surprising news out of Minnesota as Norv Turner has resigned as the Vikings’ offensive coordinator. The team announced that Pat Shurmur is taking over as interim offensive coordinator. The exact circumstances of Turner’s departure are not immediately clear. Turner has released the following statement:
“I have tremendous respect for [head coach] Mike Zimmer, our coaching staff, and our players and at this time I think it is in the best interest of the team to step down. I thank the Wilf family for my time here in Minnesota and want to see our players and coaches achieve success.”
The Vikings got off to a hot 5-0 start this year which was extra impressive considering the team’s unusual situation at quarterback. Since then, however, the Vikes have dropped their last two games. While Minnesota sits atop the NFC North, they have gotten there thanks in large part to their defense. Offensively, the team has left much to be desired in its seven games this season. Currently, the Vikings have the fifth-worst passing yards per game average in the league (221.4). Meanwhile, their running game (mostly without Adrian Peterson) has amassed just 71.9 yards per game, the second-worst average in the NFL.
Turner was in his third season as Minnesota’s OC. Over the years, Turner has built up quite the resume including head coaching stints with the Redskins, Raiders, and Chargers. While Turner has taken criticism from Vikings fans for his play calling, one has to wonder how different things might be if the team was at full strength. After all, this a club that has lost its top quarterback, top running back, and two starting tackles. Before those injuries, the team also saw veteran lineman Phil Loadholt retire.
Before today’s sudden promotion, Shurmur was serving as the Vikings’ tight ends coach. Shurmur served as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator from 2013-2015, so he has a history with quarterback Sam Bradford.
Vikings Likely To Activate Taylor Heinicke Soon
The Vikings are likely to activate quarterback Taylor Heinicke following the club’s Week 9 game against the Lions, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Heinicke has spent the season on the non-football injury list after suffering a freak injury to his left foot in July.
[RELATED: Teddy Bridgewater’s Career In Jeopardy?]
Minnesota waived fellow quarterback Joel Stave from its practice squad earlier this week, a move that not only signaled confidence in Heinicke’s ability to return, but will allow him to garner more snaps during practice sessions, the source told Tomasson. Heinicke, 23, returned to practice earlier this month, starting the clock on a three-week window during which the Vikings must place him on the 53-man roster. If he’s not activated by November 9, Heinicke will miss the remainder of the season.
If and when he returns to the active roster, Heinicke would served as the Vikings’ third quarterback behind Sam Bradford and Shaun Hill. He’d also have practice squad eligibility, but Minnesota would have to feel comfortable placing him on waivers before sneaking him onto its taxi squad. Heinicke, a 2015 undrafted free agent, was on the Vikings’ roster for his entire rookie campaign, but was never active for a game.
Vikings, Colts, Seahawks Seeking O-line Help
With Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline approaching, the Vikings, Colts and Seahawks are looking to bolster their offensive lines for potential playoff runs, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). It’s unclear if any of those teams will offer enough for either of the best offensive tackles potentially on the move – the Browns’ Joe Thomas or the 49ers’ Joe Staley – says Cole, who adds that it would likely take at least a second-round pick to land one of them.
Despite his Hall of Fame-caliber resume, interest in the 31-year-old Thomas is limited, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday. Browns head coach Hue Jackson has shot down rumors that the team is shopping the nine-time Pro Bowler, and Thomas has made it clear that he doesn’t want to leave Cleveland, but general managers around the league expect a deal to materialize by the deadline. Any team that trades for Thomas would be on the hook for the cap charges remaining on the seven-year, $84MM extension he signed in 2011. Thomas has a $9.5MM cap number for this year and a $10MM figure in each of the next two seasons, though there’s no dead money left on his deal.
Staley, 32, hasn’t achieved Thomas’ level of success, but the 10th-year man has nonetheless been a terrific and durable lineman throughout his career. Now, there are conflicting stories on whether the five-time Pro Bowler is on the block. Staley’s contract isn’t nearly as club-friendly as Thomas’, with a combined $13.2MM in dead money remaining from 2017-19 and individual cap holds of $8.3MM, $11.15MM, and $7.7MM in both 2018 and ’19.
At 5-1, Minnesota is in a tie with Dallas for the best record in the NFC, but the Vikings’ offensive line has been problematic from a run-blocking standpoint. The group ranks last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards metrics, and the Adrian Peterson-less running back corps is looking up at the rest of the league with a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. Further, after the team’s 21-10 loss to the Eagles last week, head coach Mike Zimmer called the O-line “soft.” Quarterback Sam Bradford, in whom the Vikings invested a significant amount after Teddy Bridgewater‘s catastrophic injury, took six sacks in Philadelphia, though the Vikings have only allowed 14 this year.
Without left tackle Matt Kalil, who went on injured reserve after Week 2, the Vikings have turned to T.J. Clemmings and Jake Long and received underwhelming results. Either Thomas or Staley would provide a major boost on Bradford’s blind side, but the Vikings are already without a first-round pick in 2017 because of the Bradford trade. Losing another high selection wouldn’t be optimal, as general manager Rick Spielman said earlier this month.
“We’re still going to always build through the draft. You can’t do that without having the draft picks,” he stated.
Unlike the Vikings’, the Colts’ pass blocking has been disastrous. Quarterback Andrew Luck has taken a league-worst 25 sacks this year, and FO ranks the team’s line 30th in adjusted sack rate. Acquiring Thomas or Staley would enable the Colts to shift left tackle Anthony Castonzo to the right side, thereby sending fifth-round rookie Joe Haeg to the bench. However, the 3-4 Colts don’t look like a team that should be parting with valuable draft choices, and picking up Thomas or Staley would add another sizable contract to the ledger on the offensive side of the ball. GM Ryan Grigson said three weeks ago that the Colts are at a disadvantage in building a defense because of Luck’s deal, so it’s difficult to envision them racking up another big-money offensive cog.
The 4-1-1 Seahawks are above average in adjusted sack rate (13th) and sacks surrendered (fifth), but they might have incentive to further strengthen their line with quarterback Russell Wilson playing through multiple injuries and left tackle Bradley Sowell on the shelf with a knee sprain. Plus, unlike in years past, Seattle has struggled to run the ball, ranking 28th in adjusted line yards and 31st in YPC (3.1).
With each of these teams set to play another game before the deadline, this week’s outcomes could affect whether they make a late push for Thomas or Staley. The same goes for the league’s other playoff contenders, as an injury to a left tackle could send a GM scrambling to the phone to call Cleveland’s Sashi Brown or San Francisco’s Trent Baalke about their O-line stalwarts.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jarius Wright Hopes To Stay With Vikings
Earlier this year, Jarius Wright was the subject of trade rumors. As this year’s trade deadline approaches, however, the Vikings wide receiver says that he has not caught wind of any trade possibility, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. Furthermore, he says that he hopes to remain in Minnesota. 
As it stands, Wright is slated to be with the Vikings for a long time thanks to the extension he signed about 13 months ago. Initially slated to finish out his rookie deal after the 2015 season, the four-year extension worth $14.8MM ($7MM guaranteed) should keep him in place through 2019.
Last season, Wright caught 34 passes for 442 yards. However, he’s been mostly relegated to the bench this season with Stefon Diggs, Charles Johnson, Adam Thielen, and Cordarrelle Patterson ahead of him. Wright has only seen the field in two games this season and did not get his opportunity until injuries carved a path for him.
“The only reason I was frustrated was I just know that I could help this team,’’ said Wright earlier this month (via Tomasson). “But I also have been in the league long enough to understand it’s a long season. But who would I replace? All the receivers have been making plays. … Sometimes it takes an injury to get a chance.’’
Wright, 27 in November, could get more of an opportunity elsewhere. But, as far as he knows, he’s not being shopped and wants it to stay that way.
Teddy Bridgewater’s Career In Jeopardy?
Some people around the NFL believe that Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater‘s career could be in jeopardy following his gruesome knee injury this summer, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter has heard from multiple medical officials, both in the NFL and not in the NFL, who are questioning whether he’ll be able to take the field again. 
“If he didn’t make it back, it wouldn’t surprise me,” one doctor who has worked with NFL teams said. “This is a bad injury, about the worst knee injury a player can have.”
Schefter notes that Bridgewater is making progress in his recovery, and Vikings officials are pleased with what they’ve seen from his early stages of rehab. Still, the Vikings paid a small fortune to acquire Sam Bradford after Bridgewater went down and it’s believed that they made the trade with the 2017 season in mind. Given the complex nature of Bridgewater’s injury – he suffered a torn ACL and dislocated his knee – there are no guarantees when it comes to his timetable.