Minnesota Vikings News and Links, 9 March 2024

Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all. – Hypatia

Well, we are down to the nitty gritty. We are two days away from players being able to negotiate (ie., agree to) deals.

What is going to happen to our beloved QB?

Now that Russell Wilson is available and can be signed for 1.2M. He is not going to get more as any he gets means Denver has to pay him less. Some will argue he wont sign a one year deal and will want a multi-year deal thereby releasing Denver from financial responsibility but they are mistaken and foolish.

Wilson has met with the Giants (surprise) and is set to meet with the Steelers. There is nothing coming from Minnesota where they are showing any interest. I believe that they would be idiots to not be interested in a QB like Wilson for that price. I think they cannot say they are interested while still expressing their desire to bring back our beloved QB. Once that is settled then they should get involved.

If the Vikings show interest, Wilson will visit. JJ, Addison, Hock, two stud tackles and an emerging interior line plus Chandler looks good. What is not to like. Trust me. If he has the chance to throw it to JJ then he will come for a visit at the very least.

If I am the Vikings, I would tell Cousins that he can test the market and then try to sign Wilson. This would make it easier on everyone. He can secure a deal with a team like Atlanta or maybe the Raiders and the Vikings can get the cheapest solid veteran QB they ever could imagine. I ain’t worried about how he “fits” into the offense. He will be fine. Mullens and even Dobbs looked decent in this offense. Dobbs should get a break considering it was his third offense he was trying to learn last year and he had to do it in less than a few weeks. Yet that wont stop the criticism though.

If Wilson signs with Pittsburgh and Atlanta and the Raiders and Falcons decide they want to go a cheaper route, where is Cousins going to go?

I do not believe that the team MUST sign Cousins before the 28.5M hits the books. They probably should but it is not mandatory and they can navigate around that number and even bring him back after March 13th albeit at a much cheaper number.

I do not believe any of the nonsense about him getting 45 to 50M per year at age 36 coming off a torn Achilles. No way no how. He is good but the risk of further injury is now higher. Not to the Achilles but to other parts. He has been very fortunate and tough as nails to withstand all the hits he has taken over the last 8-11 years. The Achilles could simply have been the first domino. Hopefully not and knock on wood.

If they do wait and are still able to bring him back, all it means is less dead money in future years. But with a higher cap in future years likely going to happen, I do agree it makes more sense to get it done before March 13th.

Personally, in this situation, with the football Gods offering the team a solution in the form of Russell Wilson at 1.2M, I could not pass on the chance to bring him into the fold.

Tell Cousins thank you for everything but we are moving on.

News and Links

Minnesota Vikings Free Agency 2024

Connecting dots: Why Kirk Cousins is likely leaving Vikings

No matter what the Vikings might offer him before March 13, would it be enough to convince him to not explore the Falcons’ option or hear out any other team that might be interested?

Not even Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell thinks that will be the case. In a revealing interview last weekend on NFL Network, O’Connell made clear that Cousins will have suitors and that he will almost certainly entertain them.

“The combine just gave everybody else an opportunity, whether they’re supposed to be or not, to maybe have some conversations,” O’Connell said. “But I’ve been having the dialogue that you have with a player like Kirk Cousins ; the relationship we’ve built up over a long period of time. I know Kirk, where he’s at in this whole process. He’s earned the right to be a free agent. He’s played really good football. I think he’s [17-8] since I arrived in Minnesota coaching him. I’ve had a blast coaching him, his fit in the offense, where we’ve taken our version of the offense to with guys like Jordan [ Addison] and Justin [ Jefferson] and T.J. [ Hockenson] .

“I know Kirk is going to go through a full process. He’s a process guy. Hopefully we continue to be a strong part in that process and we figure out a way to keep him a Minnesota Viking. My expectation is that we aren’t going to be the only ones that want Kirk Cousins to be the quarterback of our team in 2024.”

Matthew Coller: Vikings next QB can’t just fill the void

Vikings Face Decisions With Bradbury, Risner on Interior O-Line

At center, Garrett Bradbury was brought back last year on a three-year deal. He continued to be roughly the same player (PFF thought he took a slight step back from his 2022 campaign), which is a good run blocker and communicator who tends to struggle in pass protection at times.

On March 16th, Bradbury’s $4.65 million base salary for this year will become fully guaranteed, so the Vikings have a decision to make before then. They could release him, though that would only come with $2.5 million in cap savings and $3.25 million in dead money, unless it were designated as post-June 1. They’d also need a new center in that case, so the safe assumption is that Bradbury will be back for a sixth season with the Vikings.

Report: Vikings have ‘expressed interest’ in Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed

Vikings Poised to Lose $65 Million Star After Declining Trade With Rival

The Minnesota Vikings had a chance to acquire valuable draft capital at last year’s trade deadline by dealing edge rusher Danielle Hunter, who is instead poised to walk in free agency next week.

NFL insider Ari Meirov reported in a segment with The 33rd Team that the Vikings fielded offers for Hunter at the trade deadline but opted to keep him and strive for a competitive season after losing Kirk Cousins for the year.

“One of the teams that did give Minnesota a call were their division rival Detroit Lions,” Meirove said on March 6. “Those two teams did do a trade previously with T.J. Hockenson. They didn’t do it this time I would keep an eye on them as well.”

Matthew Coller: 12 best-fit (non-QB) free agents for the Vikings

Rich Eisen: Trey Lance a ‘possible solve’ for Vikings at quarterback

The perfect trade package Vikings can send to Cowboys for Trey Lance

The Cowboys are projected to receive a fifth- and sixth-round compensatory pick this year. Say they jettison Lance to Minnesota for a fourth- and sixth-rounder. They would suddenly have a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, two sixths and two sevenths at their disposal.

Vikings on Short List to Trade for Projected $283 Million QB: Report

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN on Sunday, March 3, added the Vikings to the short list of teams interested in trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

“Chicago will need multiple teams in the fray to drive a market, and after asking around, I expect Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Minnesota to be on Fields’ radar,” Fowler reported.

NFL Draft QBs: Chris Simms Ranks Nix and Penix Above McCarthy and Maye

Simms just dropped his 2024 QB rankings, and as usual, they’re making heads turn. He has Caleb Williams at 1 like everyone else, followed by Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. Then it gets interesting. Simms has Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. at 3 and 4, followed by J.J. McCarthy and Drake Maye at 5 and 6. Yes, he has Maye — the consensus projected No. 2 overall pick — as his QB6 this year, calling him a “talented project.”

Good Chris Simms QB calls

2017: Called Patrick Mahomes the most special QB in the draft

2018: Ranked Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen over Mayfield/Darnold/Rosen

2020: Had Burrow-Herbert-Love-Tua as top 4

2023: Ranked C.J. Stroud over Bryce Young

Bad Chris Simms QB calls

2019: Ranked Daniel Jones as QB6 behind Lock, Haskins, Finley, Stidham

2021: Had Zach Wilson as QB1 over Trevor Lawrence, Kellen Mond as QB4 over Justin Fields

2022: Ranked Matt Corral and Malik Willis over Kenny Pickett (meh)

2023: Had Hendon Hooker as QB3 over Anthony Richardson

Analyzing Vikings salary cap situation after official Mattison release

According to Over The Cap, the Vikings now have around $37.3 million in available cap space when the new league year starts next Wednesday.

Yore Mock with a Q&D Free Agency Plan

Starting Cap Space

2024: $37,116,005

2025: $139,559,530

…

Cut Harrison Smith & Dean Lowry

Extend WR Justin Jefferson – 4 yr 140M

Extend EDGE DJ Wonnum – 2 yr 11M

Sign EDGE Dorance Armstrong 3 yr 39M

Sign EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos 3 yr 24M

Sign DT Raekwon Davis – 2yr 12M

Sign DT Justin Jones – 3 yr 18M

Sign DT Bilal Nichols 3 yr 21M

Sign LB Sione Takitaki 3 yr 15M

Sign LB Krys Barnes 2 yr 7M

Sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon – 4 yr 36M

Sign FS Brandon Jones 2 yr 9M

Sign OG Jon Runyan 4 yr 48M

Sign OG Sua Opeta 2 yr 8M

Sign OT Blake Brandel 1 yr 2.25M

Sign OC Austin Shclottmann 1 yr 1.375M

Sign WR Brandon Powell 1 yr 1.375M

Pick up ERFA deal DT TJ Smith

…

2024: $17,972,291

2025: $43,460,414

* Signed TE Johnny Mundt 1 yr 2.5M

Trade Partner: Rams

Sent: Pick 11 – Dallas Turner

Received: Pick 19, Pick 52

…

Trade Partner: Steelers

Sent: Pick 19 – Taliese Fuaga

Received: Pick 20, Pick 119

…

Trade Partner: Bengals

Sent: Pick 42 – Leonard Taylor, Pick 128 – Theo Johnson

Received: Pick 49, Pick 80

…

Trade Partner: Texans

Received: Pick 49 – Trey Benson, Pick 166 – M.J. Devonshire

Received: Pick 59, Pick 86

…

20. Michael Penix Jr. QB Washington 6’3” 213

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

52. Chris Braswell EDGE Alabama 6’3” 255

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images

59. Roman Wilson WR Michigan 6’0” 192

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images

80. McKinnley Jackson DT Texas A&M 6’2” 325

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

86. Jaylen Wright RB Tennessee 5’11” 210

Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

107. Mason McCormick OG South Dakota St 6’5” 315

Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

119. Khyree Jackson CB Oregon 6’3” 195

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

156. Hunter Nourzad OC Penn State 6’3” 315

Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

176. Marist Liufau LB Notre Dame 6’2” 239

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

187. Sione Vaki S Utah 6’0” 208

Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

230. Joshua Karty K Stanford 6’2” 208

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

…

Depth Chart

QB: Mullens, Penix, Ward

RB: Chandler, Wright, Nwangwu, Gaskin, McBride

WR: Jefferson, Harry, T. Jackson, Baldwin, Thomas

WR: Addison, Nailor, *Wilson, L. Jackson, Knowles

TE: Hockenson, Oliver, Mundt, Muse

LT: Darrisaw, Cronk

LG: Opeta, McCormick, Byrd

OC: Bradbury, Schlottman, Nourzad

RG: Runyan, Ingram, Robinson

RT: O’Neill, Brandel

…

DT: Jones

DT: Phillips, Jackson

DT: Davis, Roy

EDGE: Wonnum, Gross-Matos, Carter

EDGE: Armstrong, Braswell, Jones II

LB: Pace, Liufau, Kwenkeu, Beauplan

LB: Takitaki, Barnes, Asamoah

CB: Witherspoon, Evans, JoeJuan Williams

CB: Murphy, Metellus, NaJee Thompson, Jaylin Williams

CB: Blackmon, Booth

FS: Bynum, Ward

SS: Jones, Jackson, Cine

…

P: Wright

K: Karty

LS: DePaola

…

They can and should bring in Wilson and if not, then some other bridge like Darnold if they think that QB is better than Mullens.

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