Minnesota Vikings News and Links, 13 January 2024

“Philosophy: where deep thoughts meet even deeper wrinkles on the forehead.”

I love watching playoff games but it will be disappointing not seeing the Vikings play even if they would get beat.

I think that it is quite possible that Kwesi is going to play it safe and extend Cousins because you simply MUST have a QB in the NFL.

He could go with a rookie and another cheaper veteran but that comes with just as much risk as extending Cousins.

I think he has to be proactive in at least considering a trade for a QB who teams have soured on like a Zach Wilson (yuck), Justin Fields (maybe), or Davis Mills.

Since yore last open thread

Vikings Off-Season Evaluation Part V: Wide Receivers

Why the Vikings May Move On from Lewis Cine

Vikings to return to United Kingdom in 2024

Two Vikings Made PFF’s All-Rookie Team

Are the Vikings Exploring NFL Draft Trade-Ups? Find out!

Off Season Plan

Cap Space

2024: $36,381,185 (40 players including Cousin, Hunter, Davenport who have dead money)

2025: $139,489,530

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Extend Cousins – 2 yr 75M (fully gtd & no trade)

Extend JJ – 4 yr 132M

Cut Smith

Extend Dalton Risner – 3 yr 21M

.

Cap Space

2024: $52,758,301

2025: $81,755,414

Sign Bryce Huff (EDGE) – 4 yr 64M

Sign DJ Reader (DT) – 3 yr 45M

Sign AJ Epenesa (DE) – 3 yr 21M

Sign L’Jarius Sneed (CB) – 4 yr 70M

Give Original RFA tender to Blake Brandel – 2.828M

.

Cap Space

2024: $21,805,301 (43 players with Hunter, Davenport, and Smith gone)

2025: $24,880,414

Pick up ERFA contracts of Nick Muse, Theo Jackson, and TJ Smith

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Cap Space

2024: $19,040,301 (46 players)

2025: $24,880,414

Yore Mock

Trade Partner: Green Bay Packers

Sent: Round 1 Pick 11

Received: Round 1 Pick 19, Round 2 Pick 19

…

Trade Partner: Carolina Panthers

Sent: Round 2 Pick 10

Round 4 Pick 8, Received: Round 2 Pick 1

…

Trade Partner: San Francisco 49ers

Sent: Round 2 Pick 19

Received: Round 2 Pick 31, Round 3 Pick 30

…

19: R1 P19 EDGE Jared Verse – Florida State

33: R2 P1 C Jackson Powers-Johnson – Oregon 6’3” 320

63: R2 P31 EDGE Jonah Elliss – Utah 6’2” 246

94: R3 P30 LB Edgerrin Cooper – Texas A&M 6’3” 230

128: R4 P28 CB Mike Sainristil – Michigan 5’10” 183

162: R5 P26 S Kitan Oladapo – Oregon State 6’1” 217

163: R5 P27 WR Jermaine Burton – Alabama 6’0” 194

176: R6 P1 G LaDarius Henderson – Michigan 6’4” 315

187: R6 P12 LB Trevin Wallace – Kentucky 6’2” 241

229: R7 P10 K Joshua Karty – Stanford

Roster

QB: Cousins, Mullens, Hall

RB: Chandler, Mattison, Nwangwu, Ham

WR: Jefferson, Addison, Nailor, Jackson, Harry, Thomas, *Burton

TE: Hockenson, Oliver, Muse, Mundt

OT: Darrisaw, O’Neill, Brandel, Cronk

OG: Risner, Ingram, Robinson, Byrd, *Henderson

OC: Bradbury, *Powers-Johnson

DT: Reader, Phillips, Roy

DE: Epenesa, Jones, Lowry,

EDGE: Huff, *Verse, *Ellis

LB: Pace, Asamoah, Kwenkeu, *Cooper, *Wallace

CB: Murphy, Sneed, Evans, Blackmon, Booth, *Sainristil

S: Bynum, Metellus, Cine, Ward, Thompson, *Oladapo

P: Wright

K: *Karty

LS: DePaola

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Is that going ALL-IN? They could give minimum deals to Schlottmann, Udoh, Reed, Quessenberry, Mundt (likely), and Bullard but none would really effect much when you add in the rookies. They could go after other free agents as well but only on mimimum deals. They might want to extend Bynum and Phillips over the summer depending on the price.

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