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Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Vikings Sign 15 UDFAs

April 30th, 2023 at 7:56pm CST by Ely Allen

The Vikings have officially added to their six-man draft class, announcing the signing of 15 undrafted free agents last night. Here is the list of undrafted rookies who will be given an opportunity in Minnesota this summer:

The team has also invited Ouachita Baptist running back T.J. Cole to rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The former-Tiger was also invited to go to Philadelphia for the Eagles’ rookie minicamp, as well.

Minnesota was able to nab the 2022 AAC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American linebacker in Cincinnati’s Pace. He’ll have the opportunity to continue working alongside his former teammate, Huber, in rookie minicamp.

The Vikings brought in some strong pass catchers in Knowles, Thomas, and Sims. Johnson will look to continue developing as a receiver. He spent time at Southeastern Louisiana as both a backup quarterback and wide receiver, although he only had three catches in college. They also added a few defensive backs with ball skills in Coldon, Thompson, and Williams. Thompson didn’t have the interception totals of Coldon and Williams, but after playing both sides of the ball, he should have the hands to start turning deflections into picks.

Podlesny is an intriguing addition for Minnesota. The Vikings re-signed incumbent kicker Greg Joseph after a season that saw him miss seven field goals attempts, six of which were attempts over 50 yards. Joseph’s new deal is only for one year, though, leaving an opportunity for a potential kicking competition. Podlesny provides Minnesota with a second kicking option, but after not attempting a field goal over 50 yards in all of 2022, it’s to be determined if Podlesny represents a potential improvement.

2023 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

April 29th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway, we will keep track of each team’s haul here:

Arizona Cardinals

Round 1, No. 6 (from Rams through Lions): Paris Johnson, OT (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 41 (from Titans): BJ Ojulari, DE (LSU) (signed)
Round 3, No. 72 (from Titans): Garrett Williams, CB (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 94 (from Eagles): Michael Wilson, WR (Stanford) (signed)
Round 4, No. 122 (from Dolphins through Chiefs and Lions): Jon Gaines II, G (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 139 (from Broncos through Lions): Clayton Tune, QB (Houston) (signed)
Round 5, No. 168 (from Cardinals through Lions): Owen Pappoe, LB (Auburn) (signed)
Round 5, No. 180: Kei’Trel Clark, CB (Louisville) (signed)
Round 6, No. 213: Dante Stills, DT (West Virginia) (signed)

Atlanta Falcons

Round 1, No. 8: Bijan Robinson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 2, No. 38 (from Colts): Matthew Bergeron, T (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 75: Zach Harrison, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 4, No. 113: Clark Phillips III, CB (Utah) (signed)
Round 7, No. 224 (from Raiders): DeMarcco Hellams, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 7, No. 225: Jovaughn Gwyn, G (South Carolina) (signed)

Baltimore Ravens

Round 1, No. 22: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) (signed)
Round 3, No. 86: Trenton Simpson, LB (Clemson) (signed)
Round 4, No. 124: Tavius Robinson, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5, No. 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB (Stanford) (signed)
Round 6, No. 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 7, No. 229 (from Browns): Andrew Vorhees, G (USC) (signed)

Buffalo Bills

Round 1, No. 25 (from Giants through Jaguars): Dalton Kincaid, TE (Utah) (signed)
Round 2, No. 59: O’Cyrus Torrence, G (Florida) (signed)
Round 3, No, 91: Dorian Williams, LB (Tulane) (signed)
Round 5, No. 150 (from Commanders): Justin Shorter, WR (Florida) (signed)
Round 7, No. 230 (from Buccaneers through Jets, Texans, Eagles and Bills): Nick Broeker, G (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 7, No. 252 (from Buccaneers through Rams): Alex Austin, CB (Oregon State) (signed)

Carolina Panthers

Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)

Chicago Bears

Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, OT (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami) (signed)
Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)

Cincinnati Bengals

Round 1, No. 28: Myles Murphy, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 2, No. 60: DJ Turner, CB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3, No. 95 (from Chiefs): Jordan Battle, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4, No. 131: Charlie Jones, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 163: Chase Brown, RB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 6, No. 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR (Princeton) (signed)
Round 6, No. 217 (from Chiefs): Brad Robbins, P (Michigan) (signed)
Round 7, No. 246: DJ Ivey, CB (Miami) (signed)

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Vikings Open To Trading Dalvin Cook, Za’Darius Smith

April 29th, 2023 at 6:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

The post-draft period will no doubt see a number of NFL veterans finding new homes, on the free agent and trade markets. The Vikings will be a team to watch with respect to the futures of key contributors on both sides of the ball.

Minnesota will listen to trade offers on running back Dalvin Cook and edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, as noted (on Twitter) by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Both players have been mentioned in trade talk, leading to speculation that they could be on the move this offseason in the event their respective financial situations could be sorted out.

Cook emerged on other teams’ radars when general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah came short of guaranteeing he would be in the Vikings’ plans for 2023. The Dolphins emerged as a potential landing spot for the Miami native, though they have re-signed all four running backs they had last season in free agency and added a rookie (Devon Achane) at the position as well.

Adofo-Mensah recently left the door open to both Cook and backup Alexander Mattison staying together next season, but the latter could provide a cost-effective replacement option for Cook if he were to be dealt. The Vikings have also added DeWayne McBride in the seventh round of this year’s draft, giving the team added depth in the backfield.

Cook, 27, only has guaranteed money on his deal in 2023, but is set to carry cap figures between $14.1MM and $15.6MM in each of the next three seasons. As Breer notes, a re-worked contract would be needed to lower those figures and make a trade possible. Trading the four-time Pro Bowler would yield considerable cap savings both before or after June 1.

Dealing Smith after that date would also result in notable breathing space for the Vikings. The 30-year-old made it clear last month that he wanted to be released, a development which was understandably met by the team with a response indicating they would not grant that request. Smith appeared to have a deal in place to return to the Ravens last offseason, but he backed out of it to sign a three-year pact in Minnesota instead.

If he were to agree to a re-worked contract, Smith could generate trade a market for his services given his continued production (including 10 sacks last season and a third career Pro Bowl nod). Minnesota did not draft any edge rushers this weekend, which could give them added reason to keep Smith. They will entertain offers, though, which could result in a notable move or two in the near future.

Vikings Select BYU QB Jaren Hall At No. 164

April 29th, 2023 at 1:59pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings have added a quarterback with their fifth-round pick. The team used pick No. 164 to select BYU QB Jaren Hall.

Thanks in part to his medical redshirt year in 2020, his lack of size (6’0″, 207 pounds), and the fact that he’s 25, Hall found himself slide to the fifth round of the draft. However, the quarterback has still drawn strong reviews from coaches and scouts for his anticipation and his ability to extend plays.

After sitting behind Zach Wilson and redshirting in 2020, Hall got into 22 games for Brigham Young over the past two seasons, including a productive 2022 campaign where he finished with 3,171 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. Hall also showed some promise in the running game, adding another 350 yards and three scores.

Kirk Cousins is still firmly entrenched as Minnesota’s starting quarterback, but there could be an opening for a backup gig. Hall will battle with Nick Mullens for the QB2 gig heading into the 2023 campaign.

Hall marks the 12th QB to be selected in the first five rounds of the draft. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets, this is a new record for the Common Draft Era.

Chiefs Trade Up For S Chamarri Conner

April 29th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs are moving up. Kansas City has acquired pick No. 119 from the Vikings. In exchange, Minnesota is acquiring pick No. 134 and a 2024 fifth-round pick.

The Chiefs have used the fourth-round selection on Chamarri Conner. The Virginia Tech defensive back had a productive collegiate career, collecting 207 tackles and four interceptions. He earned a Reese’s Senior Bowl selection this past year after compiling 67 tackles and two passes defended.

Conner’s ability to hold his own against tight ends could lead to him seeing time at safety in the NFL. Thanks to his speed, he also has the ability play outside or slot cornerback, making him an interesting piece for the Chiefs secondary.

Vikings Send No. 87 To 49ers

April 28th, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers have entered the draft room. For No. 87 overall, the 49ers are sending the Vikings Nos. 102, 164 and 222. San Francisco selected Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown.

The 49ers were armed with a plethora of late selections this year, so it comes as little surprise that they have spent a few of them to move up the board. Their decision to do so has landed them one of the top options available at the position in this year’s class.

Brown was not joined by many other highly-touted safeties in terms of draftable prospects, explaining his fall to this point on Day 2. He put up impressive numbers in the past two years in particular with the Nittany Lions, however, which could set him up for a notable early role in the Bay Area.

The 5-11, 203-pounder racked up 10 interceptions and eight PBUs in 2021 and ’22, adding eight tackles for loss during that span. That production could allow him to line up at a number of spots at the NFL level, and there are vacancies to be filled in San Francisco’s secondary given the way the early free agent period played out.

The 49ers lost Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore to the Texans and Packers, respectively, last month. While San Francisco was able to re-sign Tashaun Gipson, the departures of the former two should allow for Brown to at least compete for rotational snaps as a rookie. Over the long term, he could easily find himself in a starting role down the road as a contributor on one of the league’s elite defenses.

Draft Notes: Young, Chiefs, Saints, Addison, Vikings, Patriots, Campbell, Lions

April 28th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Panthers brass joined other front offices in being wowed by Bryce Young during his 2021 Heisman-winning season, and the team had mostly decided on the Alabama prospect by the time Frank Reich arrived. David Tepper and Panthers scouts had zeroed in on Young — prior to making the trade with the Bears — and Reich learned of the staff’s preference early during his tenure.

“And it was unanimous with every guy in that room, starting from [GM] Scott [Fitterer] on down, that Bryce was the guy. That was great for me to hear,” Reich said of an early-February meeting, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (subscription required). “But what I appreciate about the way Scott handled it, he was like, ‘Frank, you take your time.’ … And it wasn’t much convincing.”

Fitterer said he sought Reich’s final stance late in the process. It would have been interesting had Reich, who was initially mentioned as preferring a taller passer, stood his ground for another prospect. He was believed to also be intrigued by Anthony Richardson. But the veteran HC will be coaching a 5-foot-10 quarterback in Carolina.

Here is the latest from the draft, as we head into Day 2:

  • The Vikings closed the record-breaking run on wide receivers at No. 23, selecting Jordan Addison, the fourth straight receiver taken from Nos. 20-23. But Minnesota received interest in the pick. The Chiefs and Saints contacted the Vikings about moving up to 23, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson, who adds the belief is at least one of the teams eyeing a trade-up would have taken the USC wide receiver (Twitter link). The Vikings appear to have received an offer, but they instead chose Addison. The Chiefs were mentioned as a team pursuing a move up the board, and the defending Super Bowl champions — after J.J. Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman‘s exits — had done a lot of work on this year’s wideout class. The Saints have not re-signed Jarvis Landry and have not seen much of a healthy Michael Thomas since the 2010s. Both teams will probably be on the hunt for receivers tonight.
  • It is not surprising to see Patriots first-round trade-downs, and the team allowing the Steelers to leapfrog the Jets for tackle Broderick Jones likely made the move doubly intriguing for Bill Belichick. But the Pats turned in their draft card quickly at No. 17, selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez. New England was high enough on the Oregon product it was close to finalizing a trade-up move from No. 14, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. The Commanders had been in on corners, but they chose Mississippi State ballhawk Emmanuel Forbes over Gonzalez at No. 16.
  • While the Patriots have been praised for nabbing a high-end prospect a bit later than he was expected to go, the Lions bucked pre-draft rankings by taking a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) at No. 12 and an off-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) at 18. Campbell, in particular, was not viewed as especially likely to be a first-round pick, and GM Brad Holmes admitted he probably could have nabbed the Iowa defender if he had traded down once again. “It’s not about just don’t pick a running back [in Round 1] because that’s not how we really view [Gibbs],” Holmes said, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “And then it’s the same thing about don’t pick an off-ball linebacker. That’s not really how we view Jack. If you put them in boxes and you put on a sheet of paper and you run mock draft analytics, yeah, you can come up with those stats. But all the hours and research and all the time that we put in, in terms of looking at these players, it becomes very, very visible that what kind of impact they can bring.”

Vikings Take WR Jordan Addison At No. 23

April 27th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The fourth straight wide receiver is off the board. The Vikings have used the No. 23 pick on USC wideout Jordan Addison. A report earlier today pegged Minnesota as an Addison suitor, and the team will add its second first-round wideout in four drafts.

Three years after striking gold with Justin Jefferson, the Vikings will try out Addison as a potential long-term running mate. The team made Adam Thielen a cap casualty this offseason and has 2020 draftee K.J. Osborn going into a contract year. Given the money Jefferson will command, the Vikings may be prepared to let Osborn walk in 2024 and build around a Jefferson-Addison tandem.

Addison transferred from Pitt to USC last year, joining Lincoln Riley and the QB guru’s third Heisman winner in six years (Caleb Williams). Addison did not fare nearly as well in Los Angeles compared to his sophomore-year Pennsylvania showing, but he did not dock his stock much with diminished production. Addison played a big part in Kenny Pickett‘s fifth-year breakthrough in 2021, erupting for 100 receptions 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns.

While Addison did not experience the 2022 swoon fellow first-round wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba did, he posted 59 receptions for 875 yards during his lone L.A. year. Still, the 5-foot-11 pass catcher has both outside and slot experience and graded as the top wideout available — by a fairly notable margin — on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.

Minnesota has used some major draft capital to bolster Jefferson’s supporting cast, trading a second-rounder for T.J. Hockenson and now drafting Addison. The team has some offensive uncertainty going forward, passing on a fourth Kirk Cousins contract this offseason. Instead, the Vikings restructured their QB’s deal. Cousins, who will turn 35 this year, is going into a contract campaign.

This was viewed as a possible Hendon Hooker spot, but the Tennessee prospect — along with Will Levis — remains on the board. But the Vikings have their receiver investment, who can be controlled on his rookie deal through 2027 (via the fifth-year option).

WR Notes: Flowers, Vikings, Chiefs, Giants, Addison, Bucs, Johnston, Robinson, Moore

April 27th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zay Flowers does not appear likely to fall out of the first round, and his final pre-draft meetup looks to have gone well. The Chiefs organizing a Flowers-Patrick Mahomes workout in Texas has led to interest on the defending Super Bowl champions’ part, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. They are not alone. The Giants and Vikings are Flowers fans as well. Previous reports also indicated the Bears and Chargers are intrigued by the speedy Boston College product, despite his 5-foot-9 stature. Flowers would be an atypical first-round pick, with Marquise Brown (2019) and Tavon Austin (2013) the only receivers chosen in Round 1 at 5-9 or shorter in the 21st century. But Flowers made a number of pre-draft visits and, coming off his only 1,000-yard college season, will be one of the first receivers off the board.

The Vikings released Adam Thielen earlier this year and have K.J. Osborn going into a contract year. Considering Justin Jefferson‘s likely extension price, Minnesota paying multiple wideouts notable veteran sums might be difficult. The Giants have performed an extensive examination on the top wideouts available.

Here is the latest from the rookie and veteran receiver landscape:

  • Regarding the Giants‘ receiver studies, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports indicates they are also believed to be considering USC’s Jordan Addison in Round 1 (Twitter link), indicating Addison might be ahead of Flowers on the team’s board. A Pitt transfer who finished his career with Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Addison spent time with the Giants during the pre-draft process. The team adding Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder and re-signing Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton — along with the 2022 second-round selection of Wan’Dale Robinson — certainly does not point to this Giants regime mandating big-bodied wideouts. While Flowers is 5-9, Addison is only 5-11. One of these two stepping in as a potential No. 1 target would round out an interesting receiver room.
  • Shifting to a taller target, the Buccaneers are believed to be interested in 6-3 TCU alum Quentin Johnston, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline offers. The Bucs would make for an unexpected Johnston destination, as they have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and 2022 free agency addition Russell Gage on the roster. Gage, however, underwhelmed in his Tampa Bay debut, while Evans is entering his age-30 season. The Chiefs are also interested in Johnston, with Pauline confirming previous reports Kansas City is both pro-Johnston and interested in trading up from No. 31.
  • Being moved to the Steelers, Allen Robinson will be prepared to work with yet another starting quarterback this year. But the well-traveled wideout will have a delayed start for on-field Steeler work. The team will hold its new receiver out of voluntary offseason workouts, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (on Twitter). Robinson is recovering from late-season foot surgery. He missed the Rams’ final seven games last season due to injury.
  • Ryan Poles confirmed D.J. Moore was indeed mandatory in the Bears‘ March trade with the Panthers. “You go back and forth and have those conversations that go over a couple of weeks, and there are some non-negotiables that you say, ‘Well, I need to have this in the package.’ DJ was that for us,” Poles said during an interview with former NFLers Charles Tillman and Roman Harper on the NFL Players: Second Acts podcast (h/t Pro Football Network). “We wanted to add more playmakers to this roster. We wanted a player that can really help Justin [Fields] be successful. So that’s kind of [what] we stuck with and went hard on that, and it worked out.” The Bears also discussed Brian Burns and Derrick Brown with the Panthers but ended up prying away their No. 1 receiver in the deal for the top pick.

Vikings Exercise Justin Jefferson’s Fifth-Year Option

April 25th, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Justin Jefferson has submitted one of the greatest three-year runs to start a wide receiver career in NFL history. Statistically speaking, it is the best start to a wideout’s career.

This has led the Vikings to discuss an extension this offseason, rather than waiting until 2024 — ahead of Jefferson’s fifth-year option season. Minnesota officially extended Jefferson’s rookie contract through 2024 on Tuesday, making the automatic call to pick up the LSU product’s fifth-year option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This will tie the three-time Pro Bowler to a fully guaranteed $19.74MM salary next year. The Vikings will look to make sure the former No. 22 overall pick does not play on that option. It will require a record-setting deal to prevent that. The only question regarding Jefferson’s extension will be how much of a gap forms between the Vikings’ superstar pass catcher and the field.

Jefferson’s 4,825 receiving yards through three seasons shattered Randy Moss‘ NFL record (4,163). While Jefferson plays in a slightly friendlier passing era, the gulf between the 2020 first-rounder and the field is eye-popping at this juncture in his career. Only three wideouts in NFL history (Jefferson, Moss, Odell Beckham Jr.) have topped 3,900 receiving yards through three seasons. A.J. Green is the only other player who reached 3,800, illustrating the rarefied air Jefferson reached in 2022. Jefferson made a push at Calvin Johnson‘s single-season record last year but fell short; still, his 1,809 receiving yards are the sixth-most in NFL history.

Tyreek Hill set the bar for receiver extensions last year, pushing it to $30MM per annum. A.J. Brown‘s $56MM fully guaranteed represents the high-water mark on that front. Jefferson, who is going into his age-24 season, should be expected to surpass both. Teams typically do not prefer to extend non-quarterbacks with more than a year of rookie-contract control remaining. But Jefferson could become an exception, given the impact he has made for the Vikings.

The 2020 CBA has also done well to limit holdouts, as the ramifications — fines and the prospect of delaying a player’s free agency by a year — have proven too severe for players to risk that leverage play. We are months away from any sort of Jefferson-Vikes standoff, and nothing thus far has indicated the sides are out of sync on a potential 2023 extension. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stopped short of saying extending Jefferson this year will be a team mandate, and seeing as this option decision locks in Jefferson for 2024, it will be interesting to see if the fourth-year wide receiver makes a legitimate push to secure a windfall this year over taking his chances and waiting for next offseason.

Previous Vikings GM Rick Spielman made Jefferson the fifth receiver drafted in 2020, following Henry Ruggs (Raiders), Jerry Jeudy (Broncos), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys) and Jalen Reagor (Eagles). Jefferson’s numbers dwarf his peers’, and his eventual payday stands to as well. For now, Jefferson is tied to a $2.4MM base salary in 2023.

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