Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Ezra Cleveland Interested In Vikes Extension

February 8th, 2023 at 12:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Deploying an offensive line flooded with first- or second-round rookie contracts, the Vikings will soon have to make decisions regarding those young blockers’ futures. Garrett Bradbury is nearing free agency, and Ezra Cleveland is now extension-eligible.

While the matter of keeping Cleveland may not yet be on the Vikes’ front burner, it represents one of the team’s long-term calls this offseason. Cleveland is a former second-round pick whose deal lacks a fifth-year option like Bradbury’s did or Christian Darrisaw‘s does.

As of now, the 2023 season will be a walk year for Cleveland. The fourth-year guard, however, is interested in a long-term Vikings deal, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson (Twitter link).

The former Boise State left tackle took a step in 2022; Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-10 guard. This came after the advanced metrics site slotted him as a top-30 player at his position in 2020 and ’21. Although PFF graded Cleveland as one of this season’s top run-blocking guards, he landed outside the top 10 on ESPN’s run block win rate. PFF also did not view Cleveland as a plus pass protector, charging him with five regular-season sacks allowed.

Since moving into the starting lineup during his rookie season, Cleveland has been a dependable cog. The ex-Alexander Mattison college teammate has started 17 games in each of the past two seasons.

Of the Vikes’ front five, only Brian O’Neill has signed a long-term extension. Bradbury is set to be a free agent, but Darrisaw, Cleveland and right guard Ed Ingram remain on rookie deals. Darrisaw can be kept through 2025 via the fifth-year option, while Engram’s rookie pact also runs through 2025. After determining Bradbury’s Twin Cities future, the Vikes will need to decide on Cleveland’s. Bradbury has maintained he wants to stay in Minnesota; the Vikings declined their center’s fifth-year option in 2022.

Minnesota was the only team to field an O-line consisting of five homegrown first- or second-round picks this season. The NFC North champions’ defense will present more questions compared to the Kevin O’Connell-overseen unit, but the Vikings have higher extension priorities on offense. Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson are in Minnesota’s extension queue, with the latter joining Cleveland in a contract year. Once the Vikes pick up Jefferson’s fifth-year option, he will be under contract through 2024. Jefferson and the Vikes are expected to huddle up on an extension this offseason, despite teams generally avoiding re-ups for non-quarterbacks with two years of rookie-contract control. The team’s pricey year-to-year Kirk Cousins plan stands to factor into its extension budget as well.

Brian Flores Informed Cardinals He Was Withdrawing From HC Search

February 7th, 2023 at 3:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brian Flores is set for a Twin Cities relocation, taking over as the next Vikings defensive coordinator. The former Dolphins head coach’s quick decision here was somewhat surprising, considering he had a second interview for the Cardinals’ HC job lined up.

It is not believed Flores had been eliminated from the Cardinals’ search just yet. He instead informed the Cards he was not going to meet with them a second time and would accept the Vikings’ DC offer, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Flores’ second Arizona interview had been scheduled for Wednesday, but the Cards are now onto other options. Arizona and Indianapolis remain on the hunt for head coaches, though the Colts’ search is more open-ended than the Cardinals’.

Bigger-picture plans factored into Flores’ withdrawal. Next year’s lot of potential job openings represented part of the reason, per KPRC’s Aaron Wilson (via Twitter), Flores backed out of the Cards’ search. Higher-profile jobs might be available in 2024. The Chargers and Cowboys come to mind. While this was believed to be a factor for Sean Payton, next year’s coaching carousel also appears to be impacting other candidates’ decisions.

The team’s search may come down to two of its late additions. Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is meeting with the Cardinals today, while Bengals DC Lou Anarumo‘s meeting is scheduled for Friday. Both are already on their second interviews, despite each having been added to the pool Jan. 30. Vance Joseph, Bengals OC Brian Callahan and Lions DC Aaron Glenn were not among the finalists for the job, though Flores taking a coordinator gig despite being included as a finalist came after other options passed.

Dan Quinn also backed out of multiple searches to stay with the Cowboys, and after interviewing with the Cardinals, Frank Reich accepted the Panthers’ HC offer. Then again, it is unknown how serious the Cardinals were on Reich, who was not a candidate in Denver or Houston. Payton was the biggest fish this offseason, but not much smoke emerged connecting the former Super Bowl-winning HC to Arizona’s vacancy. The Cards added Anarumo and Kafka to their mix days after Payton’s interview and just before he accepted the Broncos’ HC offer.

Despite his discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and a few teams, Flores interviewed for four HC jobs last year following his surprise Dolphins ouster. The longtime Patriots assistant spent this season as the Steelers’ linebackers coach. He was on the Cards’ radar both before and after the team hired ex-Pats executive Monti Ossenfort as GM. A Flores-Ossenfort connection loomed for weeks; no other teams interviewed him for their HC jobs this year. He was among a host of Payton backup plans. Anarumo and Kafka were not even part of the search at that stage.

Vikings To Hire Brian Flores As DC

February 6th, 2023 at 10:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Just after one of their preferred targets took a defensive coordinator job elsewhere, the Vikings have pivoted to their other finalist. Minnesota is hiring Brian Flores as their DC, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The team has since announced the move.

Flores, 41, had been on the radar for a number of positions in this year’s hiring cycle, including both coordinator and head coaching opportunities. One of the former was with the Vikings, who moved on from Ed Donatell following a disappointing 2022 season for his unit. The team’s search for his replacement led them to a relatively short list of candidates, including former Broncos DC Ejiro Evero.

Minnesota was closely linked to Evero both before and after Denver let him out of his contract to move on to other opportunities. That opened the door to an interview with the Vikings, but the Panthers moved very quickly and hired him Sunday. That move was highly lauded for Frank Reich and his new staff in Charlotte, but it left Minnesota with only one of its two reported favorites available. It thus comes as little surprise that the next major coaching domino has fallen so soon after Evero found his new employer.

Flores spent 2022 as the Steelers’ linebackers coach and an experienced voice on Mike Tomlin‘s staff. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the Dolphins, a tenure which saw him help guide the team to consecutive winning seasons but be let go amidst tension with the front office. He is one of the plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and many of its teams alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices.

After his one-year posting as a positional coach, the longtime Patriots staffer drew considerable interest this offseason, pointing to at least a coordinator position coming his way. Arizona — one of two teams yet to hire their new head coach in 2023 — had a second interview with Flores lined up for later this week, making him one of three finalists for that job. With his name now off that list, the Cardinals appear set to go with either Lou Anarumo or Mike Kafka as their next HC.

The Broncos, meanwhile, were said to be down to two finalists for Evero’s replacement after it was learned he would not be retained by new head coach Sean Payton. Flores was one of them, and Sean Desai the other. The latter should now be considered the favorite to join Payton in the Mile High city, as Flores prepares for the newest chapter of his coaching career.

The Vikings ranked near the bottom of the league in a number of defensive categories in 2022, including points and yards allowed (28th and 31st, respectively). Flores will thus face an uphill battle to lead the unit to an improved performance in 2023, though the team’s playoff berth under head coach Kevin O’Connell suggests even a small step forward could be enough to turn them into contenders.

Panthers Request DC Interview With Ejiro Evero; Latest On Broncos Candidacy

February 4th, 2023 at 7:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

7:40pm: With Evero no longer a member of the Broncos’ staff, Denver does not have the power to block a lateral move such as one which would see him head to Carolina. An interview with the Panthers at an unknown date has been set up, per Troy Renck of Denver7. To little surprise, he adds that Evero “expects to get” either that DC position, or the one in Minnesota to which he has also been very closely linked. In any case, it will likely not take long before his next NFL gig is in place.

1:58pm: Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero continues to draw considerable interest around the NFL despite the uncertainty regarding his future in Denver. In addition to the Vikings, the Panthers are interested in hiring him via a lateral move.

Carolina has requested a DC interview with Evero, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). That news comes less than one month after the Panthers met with the 42-year-old for their head coaching vacancy, which has since been filled by Frank Reich. Despite not landing a HC role so far in the 2023 cycle, Evero is expected to lead an NFL staff in the very near future.

Not long after Reich’s appointment, it came out that the Panthers were eying Vic Fangio for their DC position. The latter eventually chose to head to Miami instead, though, leaving them to turn elsewhere in their search. It comes as little surprise they have their eyes on Evero, who drew notable praise for his work with Denver’s defense in 2022, his first campaign in the Mile High City. Whether he stays there for the upcoming sesason or not remains to be seen, however.

The Broncos have not yet given the Vikings permission to interview Evero as their Ed Donatell replacement, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). He adds that Evero would be Minnesota’s preferred choice if a sit-down were to be arranged, though that may be unlikely. It was reported earlier this week that the Broncos wish to keep Evero in place as a top assistant under new head coach Sean Payton; Breer notes that the pair have spoken to discuss their (potential) future together.

In a follow-up, Breer also tweets that the Rams could be a team to keep an eye on should they find themselves in need of a new DC. Raheem Morris is one of many candidates remaining for the Colts’ HC position, so the possibility remains that he winds up in Indianapolis in the near future. Evero would represent a logical replacement candidate for Morris, since he spent five years in Los Angeles prior to his arrival in Denver this past year.

Amidst all this uncertainty, the Broncos have requested DC interviews of their own with Seahawks defensive assistant Sean Desai and Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores. That leaves much to be answered with respect to Evero’s immediate future, but if he does end up outside of Denver in 2023, he will have no shortage of suitors.

Broncos Release Ejiro Evero From Contract; DC Expected To Interview With Vikings

February 4th, 2023 at 5:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The future of Ejiro Evero could become clearer in the near future. The Broncos have let their defensive coordinator out of his contract, freeing him to interview with other teams for a new opportunity under the same title, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Mike Klis of 9News corroborates that report, adding that Evero preferred to move on from Denver (Twitter link). The 42-year-old was close with ousted head coach Nathaniel Hackett, something which left plenty of doubt in the wake of his firing before the regular season had ended. Evero was offered the interim HC role for the final two games of the campaign, but kept his attention on his DC duties in preparation for a busy schedule of interviews during the 2023 coaching cycle.

In spite of the Broncos’ wishes to keep Evero in place, new head coach Sean Payton is moving on from the former with this decision. As a result, Evero can now meet with the Vikings, who requested an interview with him yesterday. It remained very much in doubt whether or not Denver would block that request – as they previously had done with the Falcons. Now, though, Minnesota is working on scheduling a sit-down for early next week, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tweets.

As Klis notes, “all signs point to” Evero landing the DC position with the Vikings once that interview takes place. He has been a hot commodity this offseason as one of the league’s fastest-rising coordinators, even receiving head coach consideration from the Panthers last month. Carolina also has an interview request in with Evero for their DC vacancy, as Frank Reich begins to piece together his new staff.

An NFL staffer since 2017, Evero has spent time with the Buccaneers, 49ers, Packers and Rams in a number of capacities. His lone DC spell came this past season with the Broncos, who put up impressive statistics in several categories despite the team’s well-documented struggles all year long. That showing had led to the expectation that Evero will be an NFL head coach not far down the road.

Payton and the Broncos, meanwhile, will now squarely turn their attention elsewhere to fill the DC opening. Denver has interview requests in with Sean Desai and Brian Flores, but more names could be added to the list of their targets with the knowledge that their highly-acclaimed assistant will be heading elsewhere.

Vikings Eyeing Ejiro Evero For DC Job

February 3rd, 2023 at 9:33pm CST by Ben Levine

FEBRUARY 3: The Vikings have put in a request to interview Evero, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That comes as little surprise, given their interest already shown in him, but it remains to be seen if the Broncos will allow him to meet and discuss what would be a lateral move. If they do, Minnesota would presumably become a leading contender for the highly sought-after staffer’s services.

FEBRUARY 1: The Vikings are treading lightly with their defensive coordinator search just in case one of their preferred candidates becomes available. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert (on Twitter), the Vikings are waiting to see if they can get an interview with Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hints on Twitter that Evero would be a top candidate for Minnesota’s DC vacancy.

The Vikings have been seeking a new defensive coordinator after moving on from Ed Donatell after the season. Seahawks defensive assistant Sean Desai, Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores, Vikings defensive assistant Mike Pettine, and Saints co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen (who has since landed in Atlanta) have been mentioned as candidates for the vacancy. There haven’t been many developments regarding the interview process for a week.

Minnesota may be hard pressed to coax the Broncos into granting an interview. Denver previously blocked Evero from interviewing for the Falcons defensive coordinator gig since it would have been a lateral move. That was before the Broncos had clarity at head coach, and with Sean Payton now running the show, it remains to be seen if Evero will still be sticking around Denver.

For what it’s worth, we heard earlier today that Broncos brass was pushing Payton to keep Evero on the coaching staff. Besides the blocked interview with the Falcons, the Broncos organization has continually shown how much they value the coach. After being brought on to lead the defense last year, he was offered the interim HC role following the firing of Nathaniel Hackett. Evero declined that role out of respect for his ousted good friend, but it’s still clear that the front office values the coach.

Despite injuries and the loss of Bradley Chubb, the Broncos defense still ranked 10th in defensive DVOA and seventh in total defense this past season. As a result, the 42-year-old became a hot name on the head coaching market, and Evero ultimately interviewed for all five HC vacancies. He’s still still a candidate for the Colts and Cardinals head coaching jobs, moves that the Broncos wouldn’t be able to block.

Sean Desai Receives Broncos Interview Request, Withdraws From Vikings’ DC Search

February 3rd, 2023 at 1:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Sean Desai dropped off the defensive coordinator tier this season, the Seahawks assistant continues to generate interest for a second chance. The Broncos are now in play to bring him aboard.

The Broncos requested a DC interview with Desai, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This request could very well lead to a hire. Desai has informed the Vikings he is withdrawing from their DC search, Mike Klis of 9News adds (on Twitter), noting the former Vic Fangio lieutenant wants to concentrate on the Broncos job. Desai interviewed for the Minnesota gig early last week.

Fangio was connected to Sean Payton this offseason, but a return to Denver so soon after being fired never seemed realistic. That said, Klis adds Fangio recommended the Broncos to Desai. The 39-year-old assistant spent the 2021 season as Chicago’s DC and worked under Pete Carroll and fellow Fangio disciple Clint Hurtt this season in Seattle.

Fangio making recommendations regarding the Broncos would seem to carry some weight, given his coordinator pedigree and Payton’s view of the new Dolphins defensive boss. Desai was with the Bears for nine seasons, four of those coming under Fangio’s leadership on the defensive side. The Bears promoted him from the quality control level to safeties coach once Fangio departed for Denver, and after Chuck Pagano stepped down, Desai received the promotion to DC.

Desai’s season in charge led to a No. 6 ranking in total defense, despite Khalil Mack missing more than half the season. Robert Quinn also broke Richard Dent‘s longstanding single-season sack record. The Bears went 6-11 in Matt Nagy‘s final year, and the franchise changed regimes in January 2022. Desai would represent some continuity for the Broncos, who used Fangio concepts under Ejiro Evero this season.

Evero remains in contention for the job, speaking with Payton about staying. Broncos management supports a Payton-Evero alliance. But the Desai development would seem to further distance the incumbent from a second season. Desai withdrawing from Minnesota’s search may also give the NFC North team a chance to interview Evero, which it sought earlier this week. Evero is under contract with the Broncos, but if Payton is zeroing in on an outside hire, they would be unlikely to block their 2022 DC from another interview. Denver did block Evero from interviewing for Atlanta’s DC post, but that came before Payton’s arrival.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 2nd, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:

Chicago Bears: $90.91MM
Atlanta Falcons: $56.42MM
New York Giants: $44.28MM
Houston Texans: $37.56MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $35.55MM
New England Patriots: $32.71MM
Seattle Seahawks: $31.04MM
Baltimore Ravens: $26.87MM
Las Vegas Raiders: $19.78MM
Arizona Cardinals: $14.47MM
Kansas City Chiefs: $13.96MM
Detroit Lions: $13.83MM
Indianapolis Colts: $12.59MM
Denver Broncos: $9.07MM
San Francisco 49ers: $8.28MM
Washington Commanders: $8.24MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $4.24MM
Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.03MM
New York Jets: $1.31MM over the cap
Dallas Cowboys: $7.18MM over
Carolina Panthers: $8.94MM over
Los Angeles Rams: $14.19MM over
Cleveland Browns: $14.64MM over
Miami Dolphins: $16.45MM over
Green Bay Packers: $16.48MM over
Buffalo Bills: $17.88MM over
Los Angeles Chargers: $20.38MM over
Jacksonville Jaguars: $22.35MM over
Minnesota Vikings: $23.43MM over
Tennessee Titans: $23.67MM over
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $55.03MM over
New Orleans Saints: $60.47MM over

These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.

While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.

The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.

The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).

Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/30/23

January 30th, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s reserve/futures contracts handed out:

Minnesota Vikings

DL Sheldon Day

New England Patriots

WR Lynn Bowden

The Vikings ended Day’s three-month free agency stay in December, adding the veteran D-lineman to their practice squad. Day, 28, did not see any action with the team this season, but he will stick around ahead of the 2023 league year. Day saw 46% of the Browns’ defensive snaps in 2021 and was a regular 49ers contributor in the late 2010s. Although injuries bumped him up to such status, Day worked as a starter in each of San Francisco’s three 2019 playoff games.

The rare Day 2 draft choice to be traded before he played a down with the team that selected him, Bowden spent the season on the Patriots’ practice squad. The former Raiders draftee-turned-Dolphins trade acquisition loomed as a trade candidate in August but ended up being waived. Bowden, 25, has played in just one game over the past two seasons. But he spent the full season on New England’s P-squad. The Pats will keep him around ahead of Bill O’Brien‘s first offseason back in Foxborough.

NFC North Rumors: Bears, Bradbury, Lions

January 28th, 2023 at 4:36pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bears made waves recently when they announced the addition of Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as the new president and CEO in Chicago. The addition resulted in a number of questions about Warren’s responsibilities and how they will compare to those of general manager Ryan Poles. While Poles will report to Warren in the grand scheme of things, the Bears will leave the football aspect of the team to Poles, allowing Warren to focus on business, according to Adam Jahns of The Athletic.

This is similar to Warren’s past roles in the NFL, specifically his time in Minnesota as chief operating officer. Warren worked hand-in-hand with former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman for several years before Warren moved on to the Big Ten. Spielman told Jahns that he operated with Warren in a similar manner to how the Bears plan to operate, with Spielman focused on football and Warren on business. The only difference in Chicago is that, while Spielman and Warren both reported to Vikings’ ownership, Poles is now reporting directly to Warren.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC North concerning some likely offseason transactions:

Vikings center Garrett Bradbury struggled as a first-round selection up until this season. In his first three years of NFL football, Bradbury’s best season in 2020 saw him rank 25th out of 36 graded centers, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The other two years saw Bradbury rank 28th in 2019 and 29th in 2021, leading to Minnesota declining his fifth-year option heading into this season. After a hot start to the season that considerably raised his stock as a pending free agent, Bradbury iterated that he loved his team and preferred to stay in Minnesota. Three and a half months later and Bradbury finished off his hot season for a career year that saw him rank 11th out of 38 graded centers. With free agency on the horizon, Bradbury was asked again and, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, he reiterated his desires to re-sign with the team that drafted him.
Unlike Bradbury, Lions guard Jonah Jackson is fully locked into his starting position at left guard heading into his contract year. If he has his way, though, the 25-year-old won’t even sniff free agency. Jackson told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that he is fully open to remaining with the Lions long-term. “I would retire in Detroit,” Jackson said. “I would love to be a Lion forever. I love the city.” Jackson isn’t expected to earn a top guard contract but still may fetch a significant deal worth $13-15MM. He made sure to clarify that if it doesn’t happen, he doesn’t intend to hold out. “If it doesn’t (happen), I’m the same guy, the same 73 who showed up for work every day from COVID Year 1 to now…If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Another player who is getting ahead of free agency, Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney signed with a new agency in advance of potential contract extension negotiations, according to the official Twitter account of Athletes First sports agency. Mooney came back down to reality this year after a stellar 2021 season, partially due to injuries that kept him out of the final five games of the season. Mooney still has the ability to be a 1,000-yard receiver like he was a year ago and should benefit from another year of experience and improvement for quarterback Justin Fields. Taking action with his representation could indicate that Mooney is ready to start working towards a long-term extension before a contract year next season.

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