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Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Vikings Trade Za’Darius Smith To Browns

May 16th, 2023 at 12:51pm CST by Ely Allen

MAY 16: Further details on Smith’s re-worked contract are in, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Field Yates. The Vikings will be on the hook for the $1.177MM signing bonus included in his deal. As for the Browns, they will see a cap charge of only $3.032M this season before Smith hits the open market. He will be able to earn a maximum of nearly $13MM in cashflow, however, meaning this swap could still prove to be a rather lucrative one.

With Smith having passed a physical, both teams have announced that the trade is now official.

MAY 12: The Vikings have come to an agreement with the Browns that will send pass rusher Za’Darius Smith to Cleveland, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The deal finally happens for Smith after he requested his release two months ago. The Browns will receive Smith, a 2025 sixth-round pick, and a 2025 seventh-round pick, while the Vikings will receive a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick.

Originally, Smith was under a three-year, $42MM contract through the 2024 season. He had a base salary this year of $9.45MM with only $5MM of it guaranteed. After changing agents and requesting a release, Smith was able to get a reworked deal that would guarantee him $11.75MM in 2023 and allow him to hit free agency a year earlier, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The new deal presumably made Smith a bit easier to trade, negating the cap hits of $15.49MM in 2023 and $21.67MM in 2024. The Browns should inherit this new contract from Minnesota, giving Smith a one-year tryout in Cleveland. The former Ravens and Packers edge defender will turn 31 just before the season begins.

In Smith, the Browns are obtaining a productive pass rusher to pair with Myles Garrett. The Browns tied for 27th in the league in sacks last year after failing to find any pressure outside of what Garrett provided. Garrett had his usual strong outing, matching his career-high of 16 sacks in 2022. The team’s second-leading pass rusher was defensive tackle Taven Bryan, who tallied only three.

Smith provides that missing fire support. Since leaving Baltimore as a prime free agent in 2019, Smith has had double-digit sack seasons in any year in which he started multiple games (he only made one appearance in 2021 due to a back injury), making the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. In those four years (essentially three seasons), Smith has 36 sacks, 44 tackles for loss, and 84 quarterback hits, forcing six forced fumbles and deflecting seven passes for good measure.

Smith immediately stands to slot in as a starter opposite Garrett, though the Browns also signed free agent edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo from the Texans. He, Garrett and Smith will present an interesting trio. The Browns used Jadeveon Clowney as Garrett’s top sidekick for the past two years, but clashes with the coaching staff will almost definitely nix a third Garrett-Browns contract agreement. As for the Vikings, they signed one of this year’s top defensive free agents — Marcus Davenport — and the former Cameron Jordan Saints wingman now has a clear path to start opposite Danielle Hunter.

The Browns have all they can handle facing Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson twice a year. With Smith meeting Garrett at the quarterback, Cleveland has retooled itself, setting it up well for the challenges ahead while not needing to give up too much draft capital to do so.

Latest On Vikings, Justin Jefferson

May 15th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

With much of the roster-building portion of the offseason done with, many teams are shifting attention to extensions with their top in-house players. In the Vikings’ case, that means a new deal for wideout Justin Jefferson is an obvious priority.

The reigning Offensive Player of the Year has put up the most productive three-year start to a career in NFL history, meaning a second contract will no doubt be a lucrative one. Jefferson could easily command a deal placing him amongst the highest-paid receivers in the league, something which would be particularly noteworthy given the recent surge in the positions’ market.

14 wideouts average $20MM or more per season on their current contracts, while Miami’s Tyreek Hill became the league’s first ever $30MMM-per-year player at the position in 2022. Talks between the Vikings and Jefferson will likely be centered around where he fits in he receiver pecking order given not only his statistical achievements, but also his age (23) relative to the league’s other highly-paid WRs.

“I don’t know if I’d put a timeline on it,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said of a Jefferson extension, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I just know that, you know, we very much are looking forward to having Justin play here for a really long time… I look forward to when we get that done and we can move forward knowing that Justin’s going to be here for the long term and we will get that done. Justin knows, his representation knows exactly how we feel about him.”

Those comments echo ones made by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah earlier this offseason on the topic of getting a new deal done with Jefferson this offseason, the first in which one can be signed. The LSU alum has one year remaining on his rookie contract, and Minnesota made the obvious decision of picking up his fifth-year option (worth $19.74MM) for 2024.

While that will keep Jefferson on the books for the short-term future, a mega-deal being finalized in the coming weeks or months would come as little surprise. The Vikings currently find themselves in worse cap shape than all but the Buccaneers at the moment, but clarity could emerge next offseason when quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ deal expires. By that point, Jefferson could very well find himself as the league’s highest-paid receiver.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/23

May 12th, 2023 at 9:09pm CST by Ely Allen

Rookie minicamps started today and more rookies put the names on the dotted line of their four-year contracts. Here are the mid- to late-round picks who signed today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/23

May 11th, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

With many rookie minicamps set to start tomorrow, teams were busy today inking draft picks to contracts. We’ve compiled those signings below:

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • DT Cameron Young (fourth round, Mississippi State)
  • C Olusegun Oluwatimi (fifth round, Michigan)
  • S Jerrick Reed II (sixth round, New Mexico)

Tennessee Titans

  • TE Josh Whyle (fifth round, Cincinnati)
  • OT Jaelyn Duncan (sixth round, Maryland)
  • WR Colton Dowell (seventh round, Tennessee-Martin)

Browns, Ravens, Vikings Interested In OLB Trent Harris; Broncos On Radar

May 10th, 2023 at 9:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Houston Roughnecks outside linebacker Trent Harris recently received reported interest from the Broncos in the form of a rookie minicamp invitation. The report also indicated that other teams were showing interest, as well, and we now have the names of teams we can tie to Harris, thanks to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.

According to Tomasson, some of the other teams that extended an invitation to Harris include the Vikings, Ravens, and Browns. The Browns and the Vikings make sense as both teams finished last season in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks. Cleveland was only able to get consistent pressure out of star defensive end Myles Garrett. Behind Garrett’s 16.0 sacks, the Browns’ next highest sack total came from defensive tackle Taven Bryan, who had three.

Minnesota had a much more balanced attack, getting double-digit sack totals out of Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. They were even able to get eight more combined sacks out of backups D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones. All are under contract through at least this year, with Hunter and Wonnum entering contract years. Perhaps the Vikings’ interest in Harris is as an eventual replacement for one of the two.

While Baltimore tied with the Saints for fifth in the league in sacks last year, their sack numbers did not consistently come from the outside linebacker position. Aside from Justin Houston, who is no longer with the team, the Ravens’ top sack-getters were defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (5.5), defensive tackle Calais Campbell (5.5) (also no longer with the Ravens), inside linebacker Patrick Queen (5.0), and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (3.0). New defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald seemingly took a page out of former defensive coordinator Don Martindale‘s playbook by manufacturing a pass rush from all over the field.

Landing a strong pass-rushing outside linebacker like Harris could add to the production of a Ravens outside linebacker group that contains Tyus Bowser, Odafe Oweh, and David Ojabo. Harris spent almost two weeks in camp with Baltimore last year, spending all but three days on injured reserve before being released prior to the start of the regular season.

Despite the additional interest, Tomasson reports that the “ball looks as if it will be in (the Broncos’) court.” With XFL players eligible to sign NFL deals this coming Monday, May 15, Harris seemed to say that, if Denver wants him, he’ll be a Bronco. In reference to his Broncos tryout, Harris told the media, “I would assume that if I have a good workout and they want to sign me, I’d stay there.”

Latest On Vikings, Dalvin Cook

May 10th, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mentioned as both a trade and release candidate this offseason, Dalvin Cook remains with the Vikings. But the parties continue to sort through the Pro Bowl running back’s contract situation.

No resolution has emerged, but second-year Minnesota HC Kevin O’Connell would prefer Cook remain with the team. That remains up in the air, however.

“They’re still, you know, working through some things, and I’m sure we’ll come to a great resolution,” O’Connell said, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “And if that means Dalvin Cook is still playing running back for the Vikings, that’s something that will be a really good thing for me as the head coach and play-caller.

“… I tend to let [GM] Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] and [executive VP of football operations] Rob [Brzezinski] work through things, you know, contractually or whatever may be there. I can just tell you what Dalvin meant to me, not only in year one as one of our core leaders of our team, but also just the impact he had on the field.”

O’Connell’s support stands to matter to a degree regarding the Vikings’ plans with Cook, who recently passed Chuck Foreman to move into third place (behind Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith) on the franchise’s all-time rushing list. But the Vikings do not appear prepared to carry Cook’s $10.4MM base salary (and $14.1MM cap number) into this coming season. Only $2MM of Cook’s salary is guaranteed, giving the Vikings some wiggle room in the coming weeks.

Minnesota re-signed longtime Cook backup Alexander Mattison and engaged briefly with Miami in trade talks, but the Dolphins have brought back both Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson and drafted Devon Achane in Round 3. That would seemingly take Miami off the table as a Cook destination. Few teams are in the market for backs, as the brief Austin Ekeler trade rumors showed, and the Vikings and Cook would need to agree to a resolution that reduces the seventh-year back’s base salary before moving forward in a trade. The Vikings are believed to have told teams they do not need to shed Cook’s salary in a trade, but seeing as they sit 31st in cap space ($1.1MM), moves will need to be made to sign draft picks.

Adofo-Mensah has not guaranteed Cook will be back but said he and Mattison can coexist for a fifth season. The 2017 running back class produced several extensions, but the past year has introduced some hurdles. Cook is on similar terrain as the Bengals’ Joe Mixon, who looms as a pay-cut candidate. The Packers restructured Aaron Jones‘ deal this offseason, while the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey‘s $16MM-per-year contract to the 49ers. The Saints have repeatedly gone to the restructure well with Alvin Kamara, but the versatile back remains tied to a $15MM-AAV accord. Ditto Ekeler, a 2017 UDFA who is in the final year of a below-market contract. The Vikes have never restructured Cook’s $12.6MM-per-year deal. Doing so would reduce his 2023 cap hit but make a future departure more difficult.

Should the Vikings trade Cook after June 1, it would save them $11MM. They are in a similar boat with Za’Darius Smith, who sought a release earlier this year. As OTAs near, both players are in limbo.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/8/23

May 8th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Teams are moving quickly on inking their Day 3 draftees to their four-year rookie deals, with this process involving a slot system that does not feature many complications for late-round players. Here are the latest such agreements to commence:

Carolina Panthers

Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins Wants To Remain With Vikings

May 6th, 2023 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings’ quarterback situation beyond 2023 remains a key talking point, since Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract. If the veteran signal-caller has his way, the coming season will not be he last with the team.

“I want to be in Minnesota,” Cousins said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. That’s kind of a no-brainer. Hopefully, we can earn the right to do that.”

Cousins, 34, will carry a cap hit of $20.25MM this year, after he agreed to a simple restructure of his contract. That came in place of another extension, leading to speculation regarding the Vikings’ potential to select a potential successor in the draft. That didn’t come to fruition, however, and the team remains open to another deal in the future.

The former fourth-rounder has done quite well for himself financially while playing on short-term contracts throughout his career. Cousins has remained consistent in his performances with the Vikings, and earned his second straight (and fourth overall) Pro Bowl nod in 2022. He helped guide an offense which ranked seventh in yardage and eighth in scoring en route to a 13-4 record, but Minnesota fell short in the first round of the playoffs. That extended their (and Cousins’) postseason struggles and the presumed upside of moving in a different direction under center next year.

Cousins would represent a notable free agent if he were to hit the market, and Minnesota’s continued strength (at least on the offensive side of the ball) suggests a repeat of last year’s record could be in reach. That could take the Vikings out of contention for one of the top passers in what is expected to be a celebrated 2024 QB draft class. A new Cousins contract could also alter the $28.5MM cap hit he is scheduled for as a result of void years on his current deal. He would welcome the opportunity to continue his Vikings tenure beyond what will be its sixth year in no small part due to his confidence in his ability to remain productive deep into his career.

“I’m encouraged and excited,” Cousins added, “because I do feel like I’ve got a lot of good football ahead of me.”

Eight Players Join NFC North, AFC West Teams Via NFL International Player Pathway Program

May 4th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Established in 2017, the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program “aims to provide elite athletes from around the world with the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster.” This year, eight international players joined NFC North and AFC West teams (per the league’s website):

  • Bears: OL Roy Mbaeteka, Nigeria
  • Lions: TE Patrick Murtagh, Australia
  • Packers: DL Kenneth Odumegwu, Nigeria
  • Vikings: DL Junior Aho, France
  • Broncos: DL Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, Nigeria
  • Chiefs: OL Chukwuebuka Godrick, Nigeria
  • Raiders: DL David Ebuka Agoha, Nigeria
  • Chargers: DL Basil Chijioke Okoye, Nigeria

The NFC North and AFC West were the two divisions that had yet to participate in the program, and this is the first year that the NFL is opening the program to two divisions. The IPP program allows these teams to carry an additional international player on their practice squads during the regular season.

“To see this hugely talented group of players be allocated to NFL rosters is very exciting, and a testament to the success of the NFL’s global football development programs for international athletes,” said NFL executive Peter O’Reilly. “The International Player Pathway is a critical program in identifying, supporting and enabling athletes from around the world and we look forward to seeing each players’ NFL journey unfold as they become global ambassadors for the sport.”

Per NFL.com, the six Nigerian players participated in Osi Umenyiora‘s The Uprise initiative and were participants in the NFL’s inaugural talent camp in Ghana. Alumni of the IPP program include Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, Commanders defensive end Efe Obada and defensive tackle David Bada, and Raiders fullback Jakob Johnson.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/23

May 4th, 2023 at 6:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

  • Claimed off waivers (from Falcons): CB John Reid

Hart got into 39 games for the Seahawks over the past three years. The majority of his work came on special teams, but he did manage to haul in 11 receptions during his limited snaps on offense. More notably, Hart had 17 special teams tackles over the past two years, including 11 last season.

Meanwhile, the Vikings made a move on a Falcons castoff. Reid got into 24 games for the Texans and Seahawks between 2020 and 2021, but he bounced around the league a bit in 2022. He appeared in three games (one start) with the Titans before catching on with Atlanta’s practice squad late in the season.

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