Regardless of how the Minnesota Vikings frame it, rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison will be viewed as the de-facto replacement to longtime franchise favorite Adam Thielen.

Selected 22nd overall in the draft, Addison’s arrival came after the Vikings released Thielen to offload his $20 million cap hit for the upcoming season. Thielen, 33,  has lost a step from his Pro Bowl days but still landed a three-year, $25 million contract with the Carolina Panthers after his release.

Appearing on “NFL Total Access” on June 22, the question of “replacing” Thielen surfaced. Addison admitted he hasn’t been fueled by narrative but also didn’t step down from the challenge.

“I ain’t going to get into it too much, comparing,” Addison said when asked whether he sees himself as a more dynamic receiver than Thielen. “I just know what I can do. I’m confident, and I am going to fill his shoes.”

Jordan Addison, Adam Thielen’s Similar Skillsets

While Addison didn’t want to focus on the comparisons to Thielen, it is inevitable as a first-round selection a month after Thielen’s departure.

Although Thielen is bigger and had more top-end speed in his prime, Addison’s polished route tree will give him the ability to step in and be as diverse of a route runner as Thielen.

Addison won the Biletnikoff Trophy primarily as a slot receiver at Pitt in 2021 but evolved his game his senior season at USC, seeing 63% of his targets when lined up outside, according to The 33rd Team.

Although Addison lacks the size and speed to be a go-route, deep-ball threat, he excels at maintaining the same speed coming in and out of his breaks. That should bode well against non-premier corners that he should face with the attention Justin Jefferson garners.

The two routes he was most effective running at USC were the corner and post routes, which the Vikings deployed more often than the league average.

“Addison’s addition means the team has even more options to move the ball downfield effectively,” The 33rd Team’s Jordan Vanek wrote. “Addison’s college experience as a successful route runner on these two routes bodes well for him to become a deep-threat player in the Vikings’ offense.”

Addison has already proved he can win in the slot and his ability to win deep last season at USC shows that teams will have to respect his side of the field at all three levels.

“Addison played in the slot and out wide during his college years. This bodes well for how the O’Connell system will utilize him, and it gives the Vikings a player that can win effectively on these routes that require you not to lose speed in and out of breaks,” Vanek wrote. “Jefferson gets a player that allows him to work more freely and possibly avoid double coverage.”

Jordan Addison Expected to Be a Full Go at Training Camp After Undisclosed Injury

Addison was dealing with an undisclosed injury through minicamps but is expected to be a full go come training camp in July, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.

“We’ve had a plan in place for him and continuing to kind of build up to where he’ll be,” O’Connell said in June 13 media conference. “He’ll be spending quite a bit of time continuing his playbook. He’s been phenomenal in meetings and out here asking great questions when they come up.

“But my expectation is that Jordan will be full when we get going in late July.”

While Addison wasn’t running as many drills as fans would like to see during spring minicamps, he’s spent the time studying Justin Jefferson on the field.

“Oh, man, it’s just been all learning for me, not too much talking,” he said. “Just out there on the field watching what he do and just trying to pick his brain to see why he wants to run his routes the way he do,” Addison told “NFL Total Access.”

After failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason, quarterback Kirk Cousins revealed that he plans to not engage in any more contract talks with the team until March.

Unless the Vikings make him an offer he can’t refuse until then, Cousins intends to entertain free agency, where two old friends and NFC contenders are expected to engage in a “tug of war” for the four-time Pro Bowler — The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.

“I think you’re going to see — unless the Vikings re-sign him by then, and they can’t use the franchise tag on him, the way his contract is structured — you’re going to see a potential tug of war between Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay for Kirk Cousins next March,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said June 22 on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “Mark that down.”

Shanahan and McVay worked with Cousins in Washington as many of the league’s brightest offensive minds came up under the Shanahan coaching tree with Cousins executing their offense.

Los Angeles and San Francisco have ideal situations that could lure Cousins away from Minnesota after the Vikings declined to take a hometown discount from the veteran quarterback last spring.

 Why Vikings Declined Hometown Discount With Kirk Cousins

Cousins’ reputation proceeds him as the recipient of some of the largest contracts in NFL history.

He’s earned over $159 million the past five seasons with the Vikings, the largest by any player in the league. However, after leading the league with eight game-winning drives last season, Cousins didn’t test the waters of how much he could get with quarterback annual earnings exceeding $50 million.

Apparently, he wanted three more seasons in Minnesota and was willing to take a discount, Star Tribune reporters Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer revealed on the Access Vikings podcast.

“The sense I’ve gotten is that they didn’t want to commit as long as what he was looking for. They wanted something shorter, he wanted something longer. My understanding is that 2025 was the issue,” Goessling said. “The question of how long would everyone guarantee it for. I think he wanted ’25, they were like ‘Well, we don’t want to commit that long.’ He’d be 37 before the 2025 season so it gets to be later in the game than you want to fully guarantee a quarterback deal.”

Krammer added that Cousins was willing to take a discount despite an inflated quarterback market that saw New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones secure a deal worth over $40 million a year.

“I had also heard that he wasn’t asking for $40 [million],” Krammer added. “He wasn’t asking for that much, in terms of what Daniel Jones got, who is obviously much younger but much less accomplished. Cousins’ camp was kind of surprised I guess, from what I heard, at the Vikings not jumping or at least accepting what they were asking for.”

 Kirk Cousins to Go Where He’s Wanted Long-Term

Throughout the tenure of his career, Cousins has largely been the guy teams have stuck with yet rarely committed to.

Other than his three-year, $84 million contract he signed to join the Vikings in 2018, he’s largely had to go back to the bartering table in one- to two-year intervals.

Cousins, who turns 35 in August, is looking for one more long-term deal, which the new regime in Minnesota. has not shown they’re willing to offer.

If another suitor can give Cousins a three-year deal, his loyalties to the purple and gold may be pushed aside for long-term security in the twilight of his career.

The Minnesota Vikings have a handful of expensive contract extensions on the horizon that may leave K.J. Osborn the odd man out next offseason.

Osborn, entering the final year of his rookie contract, has emerged as a reliable receiving threat in a loaded offense that has numerous stars who need to be paid.

Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson are high priorities by the end of this season along with the possibility of Kirk Cousins seeing an extension as well.

Given the NFL increasingly valuing wide receivers, Osborn could find a lucrative contract elsewhere that the Vikings cannot match. Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller said on a June 19 episode of his podcast he doubts the Vikings would want to make him a competitive offer compared to what he could see in free agency.

“If you look back at what free agents made… if you’re even a decent player you’re going to get huge money that I doubt the Vikings want to pay K.J. Osborn,” Coller said, noting Adam Thielen‘s three-year, $25 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. “So [Osborn] could still be their No. 2 this year and then they just let him go because the price is too high.”

The Vikings drafting Jordan Addison in the first round is also a tell that they’re building to be comfortable at wide receiver and not need to splurge beyond Jefferson.

K.J. Osborn Sounds off on His Future With Vikings

GettyWide receiver K.J. Osborn of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game against the New York Giants in January 2023.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2020 draft, Osborn went from not seeing a single snap on offense his rookie season to emerging as a viable third option in the passing game.

Osborn has reeled in 110 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons and is presumed to start the season as the No. 2 receiver.

“I do if I’m being completely honest with you,” Osborn said when asked if sees the 2023 season as a chance to become the team’s No. 2 wide receiver back in April. “I know it’s an opportunity. I know there’s stuff ahead. We could still bring guys on and things like that, but at least I can say I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Even with the arrival of Addison, wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell isn’t concerned with any shakiness from Osborn.

“He’s a guy that can handle adversity really well,” McCardell told Purple Insider. “He doesn’t let it break him. He steps up to the challenge. Now that everyone is saying that we drafted Jordan and we’re going to replace him…Us drafting Jordan adds fuel to his fire but he has to have the professionalism to teach [Jordan]. It’s part of how football is.”

K.J. Osborn Helps Save Man From Burning Car

While Osborn looks to leave his mark in Minnesota this upcoming season, the Vikings receiver made an impact last spring by rescuing a man from a burning car in Texas.

“Last night myself and these 3 absolute heroes helped save a man’s life by rescuing him from a vehicle up in flames after a bad crash. A situation I’d never imagine being a part of in a million years,” Osborn tweeted with photos from the night on March 5. “I’ll leave you with this. God is real. And His LOVE is real. He will send his angels to be camped around you and provide you with his grace and mercy.”

The man turned out to be Nelson Thomas, a reality TV star from MTV’s “The Challenge” and the two have stayed in contact since the accident.

“I want to thank [K.J.] for being on the scene and filming my rescue,” Thomas tweeted, adding that he is “forever grateful.”

In April, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers‘ meeting talked Trey Lance at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

However, those talks did not seem to have gone far.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed on“The Pat McAfee Show” on June 21 that despite numerous reports of the 49ers fielding calls for Lance, none produced any substantive trade talks.

“There was no trade market and Kyle Shanahan has said that they didn’t have any trade talks with teams. He’s not going anywhere right now,” Schefter said.

The obvious trade proposal that was floated all offseason was a deal including Kirk Cousins and Lance. The flirtation between the 49ers and Cousins is well-documented and there were rumors at the combine of a potential trade involving Cousins.

Given Schefter’s latest report, a potential trade package for Cousins likely would not have included Lance. Either the Vikings were not in on Lance or the 49ers wanted too much in a trade for the former No. 3 pick.

 49ers Are Holding Tight Onto Trey Lance

Lance is in limbo after the 49ers traded three first-round picks to land the Minnesota native third overall in the 2021 draft. He earned the starting job to start the 2022 season but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.

Since then, the 49ers have had a revelation in seventh-round pick Brock Purdy, who is the presumptive starter, and made Sam Darnold a priority signing this offseason — spelling that Lance may become the third option in San Francisco’s quarterback room.

“Sam Darnold signed with the 49ers on the first day of free agency … that tells you that the team really liked that guy, and they really did like Sam Darnold. Let’s also be very clear that Brock Purdy, if he’s healthy, he’s the guy, he’s the starting quarterback, he’s the No. 1. If he’s not, if for some reason he can’t go, we’ll see how Darnold and Trey Lance do in camp this summer. My guess would be Darnold has a chance to really shine and excel.”

While San Francisco appears to be offloading its investment into Lance, the team’s unwillingness to pursue a trade could come from a place of pride.

“There’s legacy, there’s pride, there’s ego. There’s a lot of potential worry that you’re going to be viewed as a failure, especially when you trade a couple future first-round picks on it all,” McAfee said.

The 49ers’ timeline and Lance’s development have not aligned throughout his tenure. But the longer Lance sits the lower his value will become.

San Francisco may be hedging its hopes that Lance can overcome the competition in training camp, but if they remain stubborn in trade talks and get nothing from his stint, their decision could go down as one of the worst draft trades in recent memory — which the Vikings could use as leverage.

The Possibilities for Trey Lance in Minnesota

While the 49ers appear unwilling to trade Lance this season, another year of assessing their quarterback position could create the possibility of Lance being moved next offseason.

Lance’s $34 million rookie deal runs through the 2024 season and also includes a fifth-year option, which would cost roughly $20 million and is still inexpensive at the position.

Unless Lance plays this season, it’s unlikely Minnesota would exercise that option, but Lance has the potential of playing a prove-it season in Minnesota considering Cousins’ contract expires after this season.

Much has been made of the reasons behind the Minnesota Vikings releasing Dalvin Cook, who is coming off a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance this year and showed he’s still one of the league’s most explosive backs.

It ultimately came down to finances. Cook was due a $10.4 million base salary that the new Vikings regime did not want to sink in at the running back position.

However, another wrinkle in the decision to move on from Cook was Kevin O’Connell’s hope for more consistency in the running game after Cook led the league with 62 rushes of zero or negative yards, per ESPN.

Appearing on The Adam Schefter Podcast on June 19, Cook addressed the changes to the offense in the first year under O’Connell, which didn’t necessarily benefit him as a runner.

“I’m a three-down back. Running the ball, outside zone, inside zone, that’s what I do. That’s my bread and butter. That’s not their scheme. They want to get the ball out wide to the guys outside, and they want to toss the ball around, and that’s not what I’m looking [for],” Cook said.

He added that he’s hoping to find a team that is willing to commit to the run game more as opposed to a more diverse scheme like O’Connell’s.

“I want somebody that’s going to ground and pound, and we’re going to make plays on the outside, and I’m going to help somebody win,” Cook said.

Cook’s agent also bad-mouthed the Vikings’ playcalling in the run game earlier this offseason. While Cook had his issues with the offense, he maintained his grace with the organization and expressed his understanding of the business decision to release him.

“The relationship between me K.O. [O’Connell], Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah]… it’s just love. I appreciate them coming in and being the people they was — just making sure that Dalvin Cook the person was okay every day when I walked in the building,” Cook said. They good people, I appreciate them so much, but the move was anticipated.”

Alexander Mattison Is Not the Answer for Vikings

GettyAlexander Mattison isn’t the complete answer for replacing Dalvin Cook.

While Alexander Mattison has proven effective in his starts replacing Cook, he’s not the full answer to solving the Vikings running game, which ranked 26th in yards per attempt (4.1) last season.

Mattison is a back that will largely take what he’s given and struggles to create in space like Cook can. Cook’s playmaking abilities were a double-edged sword last season given the number of times he was tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

The chart below shows both backs rushing yards over expected (RYOE) — a metric that grades every run on whether they gained more, less or what was expected compared to an average running back in the NFL.

Cook had a higher level of variance than Mattison, who cannot be expected to replace the explosives that Cook brought to the offense.

However, the goal this season is to create better situations on later downs by having more consistency in the running game. If that is achieved, the offense will be much harder to read with a stable of diverse running backs to deploy on third-and-short.

 Ty Chandler a Breakout Candidate for Vikings

GettySecond-year running back Ty Chandler is considered a breakout candidate for the Vikings in 2023.

After flashing promise as a fifth-round rookie in the 2022 preseason, Ty Chandler is garnering attention as a breakout candidate this season.

FantasyPros recently listed three second-year running backs who could see more playing time this season and is bullish on the North Carolina prospect.

“Do not discount the impact that a secondary option could have in the Vikings’ offense. Mattison is a three-down back, but Chandler offers a more explosive skillset that could play well off Mattison’s more traditional style,” FantasyPros wrote on June 9.

The Minnesota Vikings have moved on from Dalvin Cook and will attempt to replace his production by committee.

While Alexander Mattison is poised to be the lead back for the first time in his career, the Vikings have few proven options beyond the fifth-year back.

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, a former agent proposed Minnesota should sign veteran back J.D. McKissic, who could be acquired for the veteran minimum of $1.1 million for this season.

“Minnesota signaled with its release of Cook that it doesn’t intend to commit big money to the position, but new starter Alexander Mattison is owed just $2.4M in 2023, and his reserves are relatively unproven,” Benjamin wrote on June 20. “McKissic is a utility-type veteran best known for his pass catching, making him a potential plug-and-play third-down option out of camp.”

McKissic, 29, has proven to be one of the most productive pass-catching running backs in the league. Across the 2020 and 2021 seasons, McKissic reeled in 123 receptions for 986 receiving yards for the Washington Commanders — ranking third among running backs behind only Alvin Kamara and Austin Ekeler.

Kevin O’Connell has touted the value of having diverse pieces in his offense, and McKissic’s versatility as a former college receiver would give O’Connell a receiving threat out of the backfield that could also line up in the slot or outside.

The Vikings backfield has potential in Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu and seventh-round rookie DeWayne McBride, however, McKissic would bring surefire abilities primarily in the passing game but also as a change-of-pace back.

J.D. McKissic’s Evolution Into a Dual-Threat RB

Undrafted out of Arkansas State in 2016, McKissic has been the epitome of a journeyman in the NFL. His first touch in the NFL was a 101-yard kickoff return touchdown with the Atlanta Falcons during the preseason.

It wasn’t enough to earn him a roster spot as a raw prospect coming out of college, however, he was signed to the practice squad and spent the majority of the 2016 season with the Falcons. Atlanta released McKissic in December, leading to the Seattle Seahawks signing him off waivers. McKissic earned a spot in Seattle for the following two seasons.

In his 2017 debut, McKissic scored a pair of touchdowns in a 46-18 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

McKissic didn’t make the final roster in 2019, prompting the Detroit Lions to sign him that season. McKissic saw his largest share of carries that season yet as his evolution as a running back in the NFL had been realized. He posted 38 carries for 205 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry that season, earning himself a two-year contract with the Commanders the following season.

McKissic carved out a dominant role in Washington the following two seasons before he reached free agency. He had agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Buffalo Bills before backing out of the deal after the Commanders had offered him an identical contract to stay in Washington.

He’s battled injury throughout his career, most recently a neck injury that landed him on the injured reserve after eight weeks in 2022. The Commanders released him in March as he remains unsigned.

 Vikings Looking for RB Room to Step Up to Replace Dalvin Cook

After Cook had struggled with efficiency running the ball last season, the Vikings are hoping to reinvent their run game with a committee approach to the backfield.

Chandler is considered a candidate to make a significant leap in his second NFL season.

“Ty’s obviously a great athlete — it’s the reason why we brought him here, but he’s a real pro. He’s been working really hard at it, as has that whole [running back] group,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said on June 7, per Vikings.com. “It’s a really special group of guys as far as Alex [Mattison], Kene [Nwangwu] and Ty, and then of course [fullback] C.J. [Ham] being involved with that, as well.”

After his release from the Minnesota Vikings, Dalvin Cook has banked on the idea of another team seeing the value he would bring to their offense — and he may just realize that in the AFC.

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, a former agent, played running back “matchmaker” with a stable of Pro Bowl-caliber free agent backs and proposed the idea of Cook signing a two-year, $21 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.

“The connections here are well-documented, with Cook growing up in Miami and the Dolphins not-so-subtly eyeing a RB upgrade,” Benjamin wrote on June 20. “In the end, few teams have reason to outbid Cook’s hometown team, and while Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson make a serviceable pair for coach Mike McDaniel, Cook’s peak speed would make the Dolphins even more explosive.”

Miami has been the only team that publicly revealed interest in a trade for Cook back in March. However, with no deal in sight, the Dolphins re-signed their entire backfield but still have the cap space to support a deal slightly north of $10 million a season for Cook.

Minnesota, who would’ve had a $14.1 million cap hit, released Cook on June 10 instead of paying his full salary. In February, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson reported that Cook “was not inclined” to take a pay cut to stay with the Vikings. Now, he will look for a deal that would come close to his $10.4 million base salary for 2023, according to The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson on June 11.

Dalvin Cook in No Rush to Sign to a New Team

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Cook is in no rush to sign to a new team and may wait until the running backs who have received a franchise tag finish their negotiations.

“He’s in a little bit of a wait-and-see mode right now,” Fowler said on the June 17 episode of “SportsCenter,” per Bleacher Report. “No official visits to teams that I’m aware of, and we talk about the franchise tag with [Saquon] Barkley, Cook can actually wait until July 17 [to sign], I’m told, because you’ve got three running backs on the franchise tag—Tony Pollard, Josh Jacobs.”

The running back market is brimming with talent, with several former Pro Bowl backs still weighing their options. Kareem Hunt, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Cook are all free agents while Joe Mixon, Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs are embroiled in contract negotiations.

Kirk Cousins Leaves Door Open for Dalvin Cook’s Return to Vikings

While the Vikings couldn’t reach an agreement with keeping Cook on the roster with his current contract, a reunion may not be out of the question if he can’t find the money he wants in free agency.

Minnesota would likely be open to that. The organization spoke highly of Cook upon his release. Unprompted in a media conference, Kirk Cousins openly expressed that he’s still holding on to hope that Cook could come back.

“I’m excited to see where he goes, I’ll always be pulling for him, and I’m kind of optimistically hoping we get him back — who knows,” Cousins said on June 14. “Maybe there’s an outside chance. We’ll see.”

The Minnesota Vikings made a move back in March that may spell the end of Jalen Reagor‘s time in Minnesota.

Signing veteran receiver Brandon Powell, who won a Super Bowl alongside Kevin O’Connell with the Los Angeles Rams, the Vikings added more competition at receiver and, more notably concerning Reagor, the punt returner role.

The 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft, Reagor has had a lackluster career as a first-round wide receiver. Minnesota landed the TCU product in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, exchanging a seventh-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick for Reagor last September.

The move was made largely to bolster the Vikings’ special teams with the possibility of salvaging Reagor’s potential as a pass catcher. But after securing just eight catches for 104 yards and a touchdown last season, Reagor’s involvement in the offense may not be enough to keep him around — especially with Powell pressing for the punt return role.

“I think Powell has done enough as a receiver to be a depth guy who can be a returner-receiver,” ESPN’s Mike Clay said on the  “Purple Insider” podcast on June 19, adding that Reagor’s grace as a first-round pick is fleeting entering the final year of his rookie deal. “Reagor, certainly his scholarship is over — no idea if he even makes the team.”

Jalen Reagor Unlikely to Sweeten Trade With Eagles

While the Eagles made do with the seventh-round pick they received from the Vikings in the draft this April, the 2024 conditional pick is unlikely to swing in their favor.

Reagor is unlikely to reach the statistical benchmarks that would turn the conditional fifth-rounder into a fourth.

According to Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice, Reagor would have to surpass any of the three given benchmarks:

• 40 receptions
• 500 receiving yards
• Five touchdowns

He did not come near any of those figures in 2022, and considering the additions of T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison since the trade, Reagor’s unlikely to carve out a role large enough to reach those benchmarks in 2023.

Minnesota didn’t gain much from the trade other than a relief punt returner. Reagor ranked 16th of 17 punt returners with 20 or more returns, averaging 6.4 yards per return.

Powell has averaged 9.6 yards per punt return in his career, including a 61-yard punt return touchdown in a 30-23 victory over the Vikings that clinched Los Angeles its playoff berth in 2021. He went on to average 11.6 yards per return during the postseason run.

Vikings Pass Catchers Rank Inside NFL Top 10

While the Reagor reclamation project hasn’t panned out as they’d hoped, the Vikings still boast one of the league’s top pass-catching corps.

Pro Football Focus ranked all 32 receiving corps in the league ahead of the 2023 season and slotted Minnesota at No. 7. The ranking is largely thanks to Justin Jefferson and Hockenson, who should soak up nearly half of the offense’s targets this season.

But if Addison can emerge as a viable threat to complement K.J. Osborn and Jefferson, the Vikings could present a case to be ranked even higher by the season’s end.

That bodes well for Kirk Cousins, who is entering a contract year in Minnesota and more than likely must take the team to at least one playoff victory to secure a future with the Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings are at an impasse with Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter.

Absent at mandatory minicamps last week, Hunter is seeking a contract extension that would significantly boost the $5.5 million in cash he is slated to earn in 2023, which ranks 56th among edge rushers.

Pioneer Press columnist Charley Walters wrote on June 18 that the Vikings are willing to give Hunter a pay raise, however, they appear standoffish about committing to the 28-year-old long-term.

“Even the Vikings realize his current $5 million contract for 2023 is undervalued, and it appears the team is willing to give him a new deal, but for just one year rather than two or three years,” Walters wrote. “Hunter, who turns 29 in October, is worth at least $15 million on a one-year deal. But it’s a good bet he’s looking for a three-year contract in the $65 million range.”

Danielle Hunter Looking for Long-Term Contract From Vikings

GettyOutside linebacker Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings looks on prior to a game against the Indianapolis Colts in December 2022.

After missing 24 or 32 games in the past two seasons due to injury, Hunter showed he is still a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher last season, playing in all 17 regular-season games and tying for sixth in the league with 70 pressures.

Minnesota hopes to undergo a defensive rehaul under the direction of new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, but Flores has his work cut out for him with the departure of six veteran starters, including pressure-leader Za’Darius Smith (78 pressures) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (29 pressures).

Hunter, who turns 29 in October, still has a few more years left in his prime and is hoping to strike one more lucrative deal — hence the holdout from team activities this spring.

He has the leverage considering his departure would make him the third of the Vikings’ four top pass rushers to leave the team. Incoming veteran Marcus Davenport and D.J. Wonnum would be the starting duo if Hunter did decide to hold out into the season.

A Vikings defense without Hunter would struggle to improve upon its performance from the 2022 season even with Flores at the controls. Minnesota overcame its defensive deficiencies last season to the tune of 13 wins, however, that came with a historic 11-0 record in single-score games that is hard to replicate year-to-year.

The 2023 Vikings have a chance to be a dark horse contender in the NFC if Flores can mold a young defensive core to peak late in the season, but that effort will be even more of an uphill battle without Hunter.

Trade Proposals Unlikely to Land Vikings 1st-Round Pick for Danielle Hunter

Three years ago, Hunter wouldn’t have left Minnesota without garnering the Vikings at least a pair of first-round picks.

But as injuries and time have caught up to Hunter, his long-term value in the league has diminished significantly.

Bleacher Report put together six potential trade packages involving Hunter and none included a first-round pick.

The Vikings front office would find it hard to part ways with Hunter for anything less than a top 32 pick in the draft, but if Hunter refuses to play, they may be left with no choice — much like how the Cleveland Browns leveraged a trade for Smith.

Danielle Hunter‘s holdout from Minnesota Vikings minicamp this week has sparked plenty of trade interest across the league, including the team that eliminated the Vikings from the playoffs six months ago.

“I know for a fact the New York Giants would love to have Danielle Hunter. Andre Patterson [former Vikings defensive line coach] thinks the world of him,” Wolfson said.

A defensive line guru, Patterson is credited with drafting and developing mid-round picks like Everson Griffen and Hunter into Pro Bowl talents during his tenure under Mike Zimmer. Patterson moved on to join the Giants after he was not retained by the new regime.

Patterson’s departure sparked a scare that Hunter could leave as well. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made sure to get on the same page as Hunter upon his hiring, making the Pro Bowl pass rusher one of his first phone calls.

“Danielle was one of the first people I spoke with,” Adofo-Mensah said in February 2022. “Really good player. Really good person. He’s a really good football player and to build a championship team you need a lot of really good football players. He’s someone we want to work with going forward.”

Adofo-Mensah’s words back then align with Wolfson’s report that the Vikings have every intention of keeping Hunter despite the holdout.

A deal should be finalized before training camp in late July if that proves true. Otherwise, the possibility of a trade will continue to grow after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Vikings have fielded trade calls for the three-time Pro Bowler.

Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger proposed the Giants should be a team that has interest in Hunter.

Kevin O’Connell Cautiously Optimistic About Vikings, Danielle Hunter Deal

Addressing Hunter’s absence at mandatory minicamps this week, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was even-keeled on his best defensive player missing.

“The only thing I would just say is I’ve got all the respect in the world for Danielle as a player, a leader, a person on our team,” O’Connell said. “Those situations, you know, I don’t want to speak for Kwesi, but we feel very strongly about being solution-oriented with everything that comes about.”

O’Connell added that he would “like to think” that reaching an agreement to keep Hunter in Minnesota is possible.

“When I say ‘solution-oriented,’ that is definitely one of the solutions that hopefully we can work toward,” he said.

O’Connell’s answers aren’t quite as encouraging when you hear the new regime speak of keeping Justin Jefferson around. The Vikings appear open to trade offers and are entertaining all options on Hunter’s future.

Danielle Hunter Trade Could Yield Vikings New Franchise QB

The Vikings embark on what could be their final season with Kirk Cousins under center.

Cousins has brought steady play to the position the past five seasons but has won just one playoff game in that span. Credit to Cousins, he has kept the Vikings from cratering through the decline of the 2017 NFC Championship roster. However, that’s also kept Minnesota out of range of taking a swing at a bonafide franchise quarterback in the top-five picks of the draft.

The Vikings are bound to land somewhere in the middle of the first round again this year considering the defense isn’t expected to make a drastic improvement after releasing Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Tomlinson and Za’Darius Smith.

But Minnesota could still find a way to climb up in the draft, and trading Hunter could be the necessary evil needed to make that happen.

Hunter is 28 years old and could still garner a first-round selection that would be needed to make a significant leap up the draft board in 2024.

The Minnesota Vikings‘ release of Dalvin Cook was months in the making as the four-time Pro Bowl running back was unwilling to take a pay cut since the start of the offseason.

Minnesota attempted to find a trade partner for Cook. But with no deal in sight, the Vikings opted to cut Cook and move forward.

However, Minnesota may not be out on Cook just yet.

Kirk Cousins addressed Cook’s departure at mandatory minicamps on June 14 and expressed that he’s still holding on to hope that the Vikings and Cook could reunite with the four-time Pro Bowl running back still wavering in free agency.

“I’m excited to see where he goes, I’ll always be pulling for him, and I’m kind of optimistically hoping we get him back — who knows,” Cousins said on Wednesday. “Maybe there’s an outside chance. We’ll see.”

Ex-Vikings RB Dalvin Cook’s Asking Price Revealed

GettyRunning back Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the NFC Wild Card game against the New York Giants in January 2023.

It’s not clear what kind of pay cut the Vikings asked Cook to take, however, there is an idea of how much Cook is looking for to sign onto a new team.

Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show on June 8, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Cook is “not coming in for $4 or $5 million and is expecting a “significant” contract with his next team.

The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported on June 11 that Cook is looking for something “far closer” to the $10.4 million base salary he was set to earn this year with the Vikings.

Most NFL teams have the cap space to support a $10 million a year deal for Cook this season, however, the team-building philosophy around paying a running back that much has disappeared from many front offices.

Ideally, Cook will sign with a new team by the start of training camp in late July. But if he remains unsigned, there could be an opportunity for Minnesota to try to sign Cook to a more modest deal.

“I wanted to take the time just to acknowledge the respect I have for [Cook] as a player and a person and the difference he’s made for our team,” Cousins added. “His toughness. His consistency. I think he’s been to four straight Pro Bowls, so that says it all right there.”

Vikings’ Decision on Danielle Hunter Comes Next

GettyVikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter’s agent is believed to be playing hardball with the front office after he negotiated a bad contract for the star back in 2018.

The conclusion of mandatory minicamps this week ushers in the de-facto summer break for the NFL. However, the Vikings front office still has plenty of work ahead, especially with disgruntled edge rusher Danielle Hunter.

Hunter held out from minicamp, costing himself nearly $50,000 to put pressure on the Vikings to offer him a lucrative contract extension.

Minnesota cleared $9 million in cap space by cutting Cook, who was carried a $14.3 million cap hit before he was released on June 9. While extending Justin Jefferson. and T.J. Hockenson are high priorities, they do not need to be extended immediately. Those cap savings could be used to sweeten Hunter’s contract right now if the Vikings hope to keep the three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher around.

Trade offers have begun to circulate for Hunter, and with the departures of valuable veterans like Adam Thielen, Za’Darius Smith and Cook, Hunter hitting the high road would signal that the 2023 season is a true rebuild year for the organization.

Danielle Hunter’s holdout from the Minnesota Vikings‘ mandatory minicamp officially puts the franchise at a crossroads with its best defender.

Hunter is seeking a lucrative contract extension, and the Vikings appear willing to give the star edge rusher a significant bump in his pay.

So where’s the catch?

Hunter’s agent could be playing “some serious hardball” after he negotiated the star’s last deal that left Hunter significantly underpaid, according to SKOR North’s Declan Goff.

“I was told that the agent for Danielle Hunter is playing some serious hardball, making negotiations a little more difficult than it was anticipated,” Goff said on June 13.

KSTP’s Darren Wolfson added that Minnesota is willing to bump Hunter’s pay significantly after previous restructures left Hunter with just $5.5 million in cash to earn this season, which ranks 56th among edge rushers this season.

The History of Danielle Hunter’s Displeasure His Contract

Hunter’s agent, Zeke Sandhu, has an established rapport with the Vikings front office and effectively negotiated the signing of former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. back in March.

However, Sandhu also negotiated a bad contract for Hunter five years ago.

“You go back to the last deal that Danielle did the agent failed miserably. That was a horrible contract,” Wolfson said. “This is me maybe opining more than informing, but Zeke [Hunter’s agent] is trying to save face… after he failed his client so badly last time around.”

Agreeing to a five-year, $72 million contract in 2018, Hunter quickly outplayed the contract, posting a league-leading 154 pressures across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, per Pro Football Focus, and the third-most sacks (29.0) among all NFL defenders.

The deal became outdated as soon as it was signed, and Hunter likely could have renegotiated a deal before he suffered a neck injury in 2020 that put his playing career into question. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Hunter would go undergo season-ending surgery that October before adding a significant detail seemingly out of left field.

“MIN has a decision this offseason: Make Hunter the highest-paid defender in football or trade him,” Rapoport tweeted in 2020. “Have we seen the last of him in a Vikings uniform?”

That sparked what has become a perennial tension between the Vikings and Hunter’s camp, which has sought to make up for the lighter years at the front of his contract.

After Hunter was reported to be “unhappy” with his contract entering the 2021 offseason, former general manager Rick Spielman restructured Hunter’s contract to allow him to enter a prove-it year by creating an $18 million signing bonus on the books that would toll five days into the 2022 league year.

The new regime, still needing to see if Hunter could play a full season, respected the restructure despite Hunter suffering a season-ending torn pectoral injury eight games into the 2021 season. He put forth a healthy season and finished top 10 in pressures for the first time since 2019.

However, The Vikings accelerating money in the contract to keep Hunter happy has left the remaining cash ($5.5 million) comparable to a backup at his position after he showed he’s still one of the top pass rushers in the league.

“There is no question agreeing to that contract in 2018 is one of the better deals the Vikings have gotten but it has bit them in the a** because at every turn it has been so undervalued,” SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad said. “They shoved cash upfront. Danielle Hunter being due a payday at 5.5 million was never supposed to happen.”

What Danielle Hunter’s New Deal May Look With Vikings

The price of a premium edge rusher in the NFL isn’t cheap, and Minnesota appears prepared to pay Hunter.

That rate will likely be in the ballpark of $20 million a season. What could be a contentious point is the duration of a deal as Hunter, who was once the youngest player to reach 50 career sacks at the age of 25, is now approaching the decline of his prime at the age of 28.

Last season showed that Hunter benefited from Za’Darius Smith being double-teamed more frequently. He wasn’t quite among the league’s elite pass rushers when it comes to beating the double team. This chart shows Hunter among a cluster in the bottom right of pass rushers who saw fewer double teams but didn’t win the snap as frequently as the league’s top pass rushers.

He’s benefited from having high-caliber running mates opposite of him like Everson Griffen and Smith. That likely makes paying him as much as T.J. Watt or Myles Garrett out of the question.

A comparable contract could be Bradley Chubb, who is on a deal worth $22 million annually.

Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph paid his team of 10 years a visit this week and teased the possibility of a potential late summer signing.

At TCO Performance Center in Eagan on June 13, Rudolph posted a photo on Instagram with his son, Henry, teasing that he was playing agent for the 4-year-old.

“I think 4 year olds can take free agency visits right!? Henry liked what he saw from the team today, had a great conversation with [head coach Kevin O’Connell] over lunch and we will evaluate his options as summer progresses,” Rudolph wrote.

Although unofficial, the visit was meaningful for Rudolph, 33, who has begun to contemplate the next step in his career. A one-day contract for Rudolph could be a possibility this year for the former Pro Bowl tight end. There is also a vacancy with Ben Ellefson’s unexpected retirement last month. However, Rudolph has declined offers since he was released from Minnesota in the 2021 offseason.

Rudolph started in 13 games for the New York Giants the following season and caught 26 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown. Last season, Rudolph dressed for nine games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but saw only five targets, three of which he pulled in for 28 yards and a touchdown.

 Kyle Rudolph Expressed His Desire to Sign With Vikings in 2022 Offseason

Last June, Rudolph made an appearance on KFAN’s #92Noon radio show, addressing the possibility of playing for the Vikings again with one final objective in mind — winning a Super Bowl.

“Certainly for me, there’s still one thing left to do here and that’s win a championship in Minnesota. Obviously, I would love to have another opportunity to get a crack at it. I talked about being calculated in my next decision,” Rudolph said. “I’ve never won a Super Bowl. I’d love to hoist a Lombardi at some point in my career. I do believe this Vikings team has a chance to do that, and certainly, I would be open to that.”

Rudolph proved prophetic in his confidence in the 2022 Vikings under the new regime that opted to keep the roster intact and make a run with a new culture in the building. Minnesota won 13 games before falling in the first round of the playoffs. However, it was a considerable improvement after a pair of losing seasons in 2020 and 2021.

Rudolph said he declined several offers from teams throughout last spring to keep his family rooted in Minnesota for the summer. He’s likely taking a similar approach and waiting for the right opportunity to sign with a team during training camp.

Kyle Rudolph’s Legacy With Vikings in Minnesota

Whenever Rudolph plans to retire, his name will be cemented in the Vikings franchise.

He is the franchise record holder for most receiving touchdowns (48) by a tight end and ranks fifth among all players. Rudolph is second in career receptions (425) and receiving yards (4,215), behind only Steve Jordan.

Whether Rudolph will sign on for another year in the league or broach retirement remains to be seen. However, he intends to stay rooted in Minnesota.

“Being around town after being gone and the amount of people saying, ‘we wished you were still here,’ just the amount of love myself and my family have gotten from people around the state it’s really opened our eyes to how admired we are by Vikings fans and how much love they’ve showed us for the last decade of our lives here,” Rudolph said on KFAN last summer.

The Minnesota Vikings made the difficult decision to release Dalvin Cook this week to become more financially flexible in future years, leaving the Vikings’ backfield vacant of a Pro Bowl running back.

The decision came down to the fact that Cook wasn’t consistently efficient enough on his runs to warrant a $14.1 million cap hit that ranks second at his position this season. Another team will reap the benefits of signing Cook to a discounted deal.

But the Vikings can with another veteran running back as well.

Longtime Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott remains a free agent after the Cowboys released him to save $10.9 million in cap space. As Elliott wavers in free agency, the league has come to a consensus that overpaying for a running back is not a winning move in today’s NFL.

And that could work to the Vikings’ advantage.

CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr suggested Minnesota could be a potential landing spot for Elliott, who would likely be asked to take a short-yardage role in a Vikings offense that is looking for more efficiency in 2023.

“With the Vikings cutting ties with their own long-time Pro Bowl running back, there is an opening for a player to be a complement to Alexander Mattison. Minnesota drafted Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride the past two years, though, and still has electric return man Kene Nwangwu (nominally a running back) on the roster as well,” Kerr wrote. “If there were a role for Zeke here, it would likely be as a short-yardage back, but we don’t know how interested either he or the Vikings would be in that proposition.”

Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook’s Drop Off Opens Avenue for Teams to Sign Vets for Cheap

GettyEzekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys.

Elliott, 28, is far from the player he once was when he garnered top dollar at his position, signing a six-year, $90 million deal in 2019.

In Elliott’s first four seasons with the Cowboys, he averaged 4.6 yards per attempt and 96.5 yards per game. In the three years since signing that extension, he averaged 4.0 yards per attempt and 60.8 yards per game.

Dallas may have even been a year behind in releasing Elliott who was on an inflated contract that did not match his efficiency running the ball.

Minnesota may be a year ahead of that trend with Cook. Whatever Cook does next season will reflect upon the Vikings. However, the signs of regression had hit Cook as well.

Despite playing all 17 games and showing he can still be an explosive playmaker, Cook led the NFL with 62 rushes of zero or negative yards, nearly a quarter of his total carries, per ESPN. According to Pro Football Focus, Cook left plenty of meat on the bone, gaining 200 yards fewer than an average running back in the league on his opportunities — the most of any starting running back.

The Vikings offense saw itself facing several second- and third-and-longs last season due to not gaining positive chunks on the ground last season. They’ve opted to have Mattison be the primary answer to that dilemma this season, but the addition of Elliott would muddy the picture for opposing defenses, especially in the red zone.

The question remains of what is the price Minnesota would sign Elliott for, which likely won’t be much with extension talks ongoing with Danielle Hunter, T.J. Hockenson and Justin Jefferson.

 Vikings Need Alexander Mattison to Get on Base, Not Hit Home Runs

GettyAlexander Mattison

The decision to move on from Cook follows the trend in baseball of having a committee of players who can get on base being more valuable than a pricey slugger like Cook.

Throughout his career, Mattison has been a physical inside runner who will take what’s given to him.

“[Mattison] is a physical inside runner, having averaged 1.91 yards per rush after contact — slightly higher than Cook’s mark of 1.77 over that period — but only one of his 404 career carries has gone beyond 24 yards,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote.

Mattison leading the Vikings backfield won’t be as flashy as it once was with Cook, but the move was to keep the offense more versatile by creating more advantageous downs and distances.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook could potentially join forces with the Vikings’ biggest bane of the past decade — Aaron Rodgers.

KSTP’s Darren Wolfson reported on June 6 that the New York Jets have surfaced as a team that is “definitely interested” in trading for the four-time Pro Bowl running back that has remained in a contract dispute with Minnesota this offseason in a win-now move following Rodgers’ blockbuster trade to New York this offseason.

“A new team that I’ve heard is definitely interested, the New York Jets,” Wolfson said on SKOR North’s Mackey and Judd, adding that New York could use more weapons at running back with Breece Hall recovering from a torn ACL. “The Jets have enormous expectations with Aaron Rodgers. They could use an upgrade at the running back position.”

New York pushed all its chips in by trading for Rodgers and can round out a talented offense with a back like Cook to complement Hall. The Jets also have the cap space to take on Cook’s contract.

Trade Proposal Lands Vikings a 4th-Round Pick From Jets

GettyNew York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers could reunite with former NFC North rival Dalvin Cook if New York can convince the Vikings of a trade this offseason.

Ahead of Tuesday’s report that the Jets indeed have interest in Cook, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report floated a trade proposal in May that would see the Vikings swap Cook for the Jets’ fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft.

The Jets’ interest in Cook comes in the wake of trade talks with the Miami Dolphins that have fizzled out since March as more teams are beginning to cement their rosters and lack the cap space to take on Cook. New York is an exception with $24.8 million in available cap space, per Over The Cap.

“The four-time Pro Bowler is one of the most expensive players at his position, with only Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey earning more annually. While Cook’s contributions are undoubtedly strong, it may be tough for Minnesota to find a taker,” Kay wrote. “Teams haven’t been willing to spend big on running backs in the modern NFL, although a club desperate to win during a small championship window may be willing to pony up.”

Vikings Driving Bidding War for Dalvin Cook

GettyGeneral Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center in February 2023.

If cap space were the only concern, the Vikings would have already parted ways with Cook.

Instead, Minnesota has held steady, waiting for a team to make the right offer.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that other teams believe the Vikings are “holding out” on Cook to create a bidding war for his services. A few ideal trade partners include the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Dolphins (despite trade talks failing to fruit a deal back in March.)

“Teams I talked to believe [the Vikings are] open to a trade and maybe holding out for that. So, they held onto [Cook’s] $14 million cap hit for a while now and can do so a little bit longer in the short-term,” Fowler said, per Bleacher Report. “But they can save $11 million on their salary cap if they trade him now that we’re past June 1. And so, should be some interest there if they can shake it out.”

The Minnesota Vikings are holding onto Dalvin Cook until they can find a suitable trade partner for the four-time Pro Bowl running back — and apparently, they had come “very close” to dealing Cook back in March.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on June 5 that Minnesota and the Miami Dolphins “came very close to a trade that would’ve made Cook a Dolphin back in March.”

The fizzled-out trade talks reveal a divide on how the two teams, both under second-year head coaches, are building their offenses.

Dolphins, Vikings Divided on How to Use Dalvin Cook

GettyMinnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook cuts upfield.

In Breer’s The Monday Morning Quarterback column, he detailed the difference in how the Vikings view Cook versus the Dolphins’ point of view.

“What’s interesting about the deal that fell apart then is how the vision the team trading for him dovetails with how the team trading him away sees him,” Breer added. “The idea, for Miami, was to add another big-play threat to an arsenal that already has two of the game’s most explosive receivers, in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, in the holster. And after that one came undone, and as Minnesota contemplated a price it’d be comfortable bringing Cook back at (which would be less than the $11 million he’s due), the Vikings discussed using him more sparingly, as an explosive complement to Alexander Mattison.”

Playing every game last season for the first time in his career, Cook showed he still can create explosive plays as one of his position’s most prominent playmakers. He broke off two of the longest runs of his career a 53-yard score in Week 6 against the Dolphins and an 81-yard touchdown in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills.

However, last season, he also led the NFL with 62 carries that either lost or did not gain a yard, per ESPN. Those runs limited the play-calling possibilities for Kevin O’Connell, who often faced second- and third-and-long. The Vikings have opted to make Mattison their three-down back in hopes Mattison can create more favorable situations on later downs.

Mattison is a significant downgrade in explosive potential. The longest touchdown of his career went for 14 yards, compared to Cook’s eight career touchdowns of 20 or more yards.

It remains to be seen if Cook is willing to split more carries in the Vikings backfield and take a pay cut after being the franchise’s feature back for the past six years, which will be the ongoing development this summer if Minnesota cannot find a trade suitor soon.

Vikings, Dolphins at a Standoff in Trade Talks

GettyGeneral Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 28, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

If the Vikings had planned to cut Cook, they would have already used those cap savings to fortify the roster during the prime free-agency period.

Instead, Minnesota has held steady, waiting for a team to make the right offer for Cook. But since the talks with Miami did not bear any finalized trade, it’s been quiet on the Cook front.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that other teams believe the Vikings are “holding out” on Cook to create a bidding war for his services. A few ideal trade partners include the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Dolphins.

“Teams I talked to believe [the Vikings are] open to a trade and maybe holding out for that. So, they held onto [Cook’s] $14 million cap hit for a while now and can do so a little bit longer in the short-term,” Fowler said, per Bleacher Report. “But they can save $11 million on their salary cap if they trade him now that we’re past June 1. And so, should be some interest there if they can shake it out.”

But this late in the offseason, many team rosters are nearly finalized and up against the cap. Miami may have already remedied its need for more explosives by drafting Texas A&M running back Devon Achane in the third round.

“For those asking if Dalvin Cook to the Dolphins is a done deal, I have been led to believe it’s not a done deal,” Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson wrote on June 2. “Could Cook end up here? Absolutely. It’s certainly a real possibility if he’s cut by Minnesota. There would be interest on both sides. But from my understanding, there’s not some secret agreement between the parties.”

The Minnesota Vikings have yet to see Danielle Hunter at organized team activities (OTAs) as the star edge rusher is putting pressure on Minnesota to offer him a contract extension.

Hunter, who deleted all team-related photos on his Instagram amid contract negotiations this offseason, will see just 5.5 million in cash this season after he agreed to restructuring his contract last season to make space for Za’Darius Smith.

Hunter’s deal will need to be adjusted after the 28-year-old posted the sixth-most pressures among edge rushers last season. The Vikings have the cap space to make that happen for Hunter after Smith was traded to the Cleveland Browns.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) projected Hunter to be among a cast of veteran NFL players who will see a contract extension this offseason, estimating Hunter will strike a three-year, $67.5 million deal.

“As a result of Hunter’s contract reworking over the 2021 offseason, he’s currently set to earn just $5.5 million in 2023, and it would come as a major surprise if he reports to the facility before that number jumps dramatically. Hunter finally had a fully healthy season after missing a lot of time over 2020-2021. His 905 snaps were a career high and his 18.4% pass rush win rate was a top-20 mark among edge rushers,” PFF’s Brad Spielberger wrote.

At a $22.5 million annual value, PFF’s projected contract for Hunter would rank sixth at his position. Hunter has shown he’s a top-10 player at his position when healthy, but after missing 24 of 32 games from 2020 to 2021.

Hunter put forth a healthy 2022 season and showed he’s still the same player he once was. Despite adjusting to a 3-4 base scheme and only posting three sacks through seven games, Hunter finished the season with 70 pressures and 12 sacks and appeared in all 17 regular-season games.

 Danielle Hunter Extension Tied to Vikings’ Decision on Dalvin Cook

GettyRunning back Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the NFC Wild Card game against the New York Giants in January 2023.

Despite the calendar turning to June, Minnesota still has many important business moves to attend to, starting with sorting out Dalvin Cook‘s future after the running back has refused to take a pay cut so far this offseason.

The Vikings have pending contract extension talks involving Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Hunter, however, how much money the team can extend this summer to the trio depends on whether Cook stays or goes.

If Cook is traded, the Vikings could create $11 million in cap space compared to $9 million if he is cut. Cook could also still take a pay cut, although the cap savings are likely to not be nearly as significant as moving on from him.

Jefferson and Hockenson are likely to show up for mandatory minicamps on June 13 and June 14, however, Hunter’s situation appears more dire at the moment.

The Vikings can also create over $10 million in cap space by restructuring Brian O’Neill‘s contract as well.

Vikings, Kirk Cousins Extension Not Off the Table

GettyThe Vikings could still come to an agreement on an extension with Kirk Cousins after past negotiations fizzled out in March.

The Vikings may not have struck a deal on an extension with Kirk Cousins before the opening of free agency in March, but that doesn’t discount the possibility of an extension in the near future.

Minnesota restructured Cousins’ contract to create immediate cap space to help rebuild the defense that saw six starters leave this offseason. That pushed a $20 million roster bonus onto the following two years’ books despite Cousins entering the final year of his contract. He carries a $28 million dead cap hit next season whether he plays for Minnesota or not.

The impasse of contract negotiations came down to the duration of his next deal. Cousins wanted one more long-term deal, while the Vikings couldn’t commit to that time horizon.

However, it may be in their best interest to find a way to keep Cousins around for the 2024 season rather than eat that dead cap hit and still have to field another signal caller.

The Minnesota Vikings struck gold when selecting Justin Jefferson 22nd overall in the 2020 draft.

But as Jefferson is approaching the end of his rookie contract, paying the superstar may be fool’s gold given the state of the franchise, Super Bowl-winning coach Marty Morhinweg asserted.

Morhinweg, a former NFL head coach and assistant coach with 34 years of experience, warned the Vikings about paying Jefferson an exorbitant salary as the ante continues to rise surrounding Jefferson’s next contract. Jefferson is expected to strike a deal that could make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, exceeding an annual value of $30 million a year.

Vikings Have the Money for Justin Jefferson, But What About the Quarterback?

Mornhinweg cautioned that paying a non-quarterback that kind of money could drastically change the construction of the roster in the future, forcing the franchise to move on from several talented players in the future.

“Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I’ll tell you the negatives. It will put a knife right into the salary cap you’re going to have to let some pretty good players go to get this thing done. It’s going to damage the core of your football team if you go about it that way,” Morhinweg said in a video with The 33rd Team. “The only way you pay Justin Jefferson as much or more as a quarterback is if you know that Justin Jefferson is the one player that you need on your football team to go win a Super Bowl. If not, then Justin Jefferson may show up on another team in the NFL at some point.”

Mornhinweg’s point is valid… but in a vacuum.

The Vikings have slowly moved on from many of their most expensive veterans who say paydays after the 2017 NFC Championship appearance. The new regime is moving forward with its competitive rebuild, shedding those expensive contracts and attempting a retool of its defense with younger players.

Most teams can only carry a handful of players making eight figures a year against the cap and still fill out a 53-man roster with talented depth players. Those contracts serve your core players.

Of young core players, the Vikings only have one locked down for the next three seasons: left tackle Brian O’Neill.

Danielle Hunter, Christian Darrisaw, T.J. Hockenson and Jefferson are all in line for extensions in the next two seasons — with Jefferson’s expected to be at the top of the cap sheet.

The Vikings can support all these players with respectable deals, but the most important roster void remains at quarterback.

Kirk Cousins is in the final year of his current contract and the Vikings likely cannot sustain Jefferson and him both making north of $30 million a year and put together a competitive roster.

Minnesota took steps toward finding a successor to Cousins, ideally a quarterback on a rookie-scale deal. However, there’s no answer currently ready to take the starting reigns by next season.

Vikings Preparing to Find Next Franchise QB and Pay Justin Jefferson

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made it abundantly clear that he does not want to be the general manager who lets Jefferson walk away from his franchise.

After an offseason where the Vikings showed they’re in process of drafting a first-round quarterback, the plan appears to be to pay Jefferson and compensate by finding a quarterback on a rookie-scale deal.

Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell spoke extensively about the benefits of building a roster with a quarterback on a rookie deal, which showed their interest in that prospect after Cousins.

However, with the amount of dead cap sunk into Cousins and no apparent heir in sight, don’t be surprised if the Vikings attempt to re-sign Cousins for at least one more year to put the plan into action.

The Minnesota Vikings wasted no time filling a roster spot after an unexpected retirement, signing a homegrown wide receiver to the 90-man training camp roster on Thursday.

The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler reported on June 1 that the Vikings have agreed to terms with North Dakota wide receiver Garett Maag, a native of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

“6’4″ pass catcher out of North Dakota had a workout with the team this afternoon, and after going undrafted, now gets an opportunity to earn a roster spot,” Fowler added.

Maag fills a roster spot left vacant by the unexpected retirement of tight end Ben Ellefson, which the 26-year-old announced on Thursday. An undrafted rookie, Maag also attended rookie minicamps for the Philadelphia Eagles and and New York Giants.

Maag’s length and impressive 40.5-inch vertical makes him an intriguing red-zone prospect. He will have an uphill battle to make the final roster given the amount of talent ahead of him.

North Dakota WR Garett Maag Deemed a Sleeper

Attending St. Croix Lutheran High School in West St. Paul, Maag helped the Crusaders make two Class 3A state championship game appearances before moving on to Grand Forks.

A four-year starter and team captain, Maag posted 162 receptions for 2,152 and 18 touchdowns.

Fowler deemed Maag a Day 3 sleeper in the draft after his pro day where he posted what would have been the third-highest vertical (40.5 inches) among wide receivers at the combine.

In an interview with Draft Diamonds, Maag revealed he’s well aware of his strengths, naming the post and fade routes as his favorite to run as a deep threat. He added that if he could meet any NFL wide receiver, he’d want to meet Calvin Johnson and Adam Thielen to gleam what he could from their differing skill sets.

“I think they are some of the best WRs in the league but both having different skill sets,” Maag said. “Definitely would want to learn from both of them.”

Vikings Pass-Catchers Ranked 7th in the NFL

The Vikings pass-catching core will look different this season without Adam Thielen, however, the team remedied the veteran’s departure by drafting Jordan Addison in the first round.

That move is the biggest shake-up for the core that is otherwise intact from the end of last season.

Lineups.com’s Jacob Wayne ranked the Vikings pass-catching core as the No. 7 group in the NFL.

From Wayne:

At a certain point, you run out of superlatives to describe a player like Justin Jefferson. Still just 23 years old, the LSU product is coming off a career high 135 catches for 1,857 yards in his first year with head coach Kevin O’Connell. Jefferson also had more touchdowns (8) than drops (7) last year and was second in the NFL with 2.55 yards per route run.

The Vikings bid farewell to Adam Thielen this offseason, leaving them with a need at wide receiver. Jordan Addison, a rookie first rounder out of USC, will step in and be an immediate contributor with his polished route running and smooth open-field running. K.J. Osborn offers sure hands and high upside as an ascending talent.

Minnesota traded for T.J. Hockenson last season, and he ranked second in the NFL with 1,043 receiving yards last year. He fills an important role as a reliable outlet option for Kirk Cousins. Free agency signing Josh Oliver offers the team flexibility if they want to play 12 personnel this season.

The Minnesota Vikings are considering adding to their quarterback room ahead of training camp this summer.

The Vikings had quarterback Jordan Ta’amu in for a workout on June 1, The Score’s Jordan Schultz reported.

“Still just 25 years old, the 6-3, 214-pound Ta’amu earned #XFL Offensive Player of the Year honors this past season for the @XFLDefenders,” Schultz added.

Ta’amu led the XFL in passing yards and touchdowns, completing 62 percent of his passes for 1,894 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and also rushing for 298 yards and three TDs. He led the D.C. Defenders to a 9-1 season and a berth to the XFL Championship, which they lost 35-26 to the Arlington Renegades on May 13.

The Vikings recently signed Ta’amu’s favorite target, wide receiver Lucky Jackson. The duo connected on 36 passes for 573 yards and five touchdowns.

Minnesota has three quarterbacks currently rostered in Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens and fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall. Most teams like to have four quarterbacks to facilitate training camp, making Ta’amu a potential signee in the coming weeks.

Jordan Ta’amu’s Prolific College Career

A native of Hawaii, Ta’amu left the island to pursue his football career, starting at New Mexico Military Institute. After two seasons, he then transferred to Ole Miss, where he was not expected to start until taking the reigns for the final five games of the 2017 season and never turned back.

A gunslinger in the Rebels offense, Ta’amu completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 5,600 yards, 30 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 507 rushing yards, and 10 rushing TDs. He posted over 300 passing yards in 12 of his 17 starts.

Ta’amu flashed his athleticism during the pre-draft process with a 4.77 40-yard dash but didn’t show enough ability as a passer to be drafted. The Houston Texans took a flyer on him in rookie free agency and he’s since been a journeyman. Ta’amu has had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.

Ta’amu also made a stop in the USFL, leading the league in passing yards (2,014) and touchdowns (14) in 2022 with the Tampa Bay Bandits.

NFL.com scouted Ta’amu and found his lag in processing would prove difficult to overcome at the speed of the NFL.

“Ultimately, Ta’amu just doesn’t play chess well enough against defensive coordinators who are able to slow his processing with disguised blitzes and multiple coverages,” his scouting report on NFL.com reads. “He’s tough enough and has the arm talent, but will need to learn to stay a step ahead of defenses since many of his inconsistencies stem from playing a rushed brand of football.”

Vikings Have Ideal Situation for Young QBs

The Vikings entertained the possibility of moving on from Cousins in the offseason after extensive research in this year’s quarterback draft class.

While they didn’t make a move to draft a quarterback of the future, they did select Hall as a developmental project. Hall and any other young quarterback who comes through TCO Performance Center will have an ideal situation at their disposal.

A quarterback-friendly head coach like Kevin O’Connell helped Cousins unlock a clutchness to his game that hadn’t been seen consistently throughout the veteran’s career. Add in a pair of Pro Bowl-caliber tackles and a weapon like Justin Jefferson and the situation in Minnesota is ideal to help develop a quarterback of the future.

The Minnesota Vikings‘ window for moving on from Dalvin Cook has officially opened with the turn of the calendar as rumors surrounding Cook’s future intensify.

With the NFL’s post-June 1 cap rule, many teams like Minnesota can save significantly more cap space by trading or releasing a player, sparking another cycle of player moves this offseason.

Outkick’s Armando Salguero, who covered the Miami Dolphins for three decades with the Miami Herald, reported that Cook has identified his ideal destinations in a trade — the Dolphins or the Buffalo Bills — through his sources.

“Cook is from Miami. He has made it known through sources he’d like to play either for the Dolphins or with his brother James Cook on the Bills And the Vikings have let it known Cook probably isn’t in their future,” Salguero wrote.

The Vikings can save at least $9 million by cutting or trading him now as opposed to $5.8 million before June 1. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are officially in an advantageous position to take on Cook’s cap hit after the post-June 1 release of cornerback Byron Jones created $13.6 million in cap space.

 Why the Vikings Could Hold Dalvin Cook Through This Summer

Since March the Dolphins have had reported interest in Cook and appeared to be willing to wait for the Vikings to potentially drop Cook.

However, Minnesota has shifted its stance since those earlier trade talks with the Dolphins. Jeremy Fowler reported that the Vikings want to “do right” by Cook and are willing to carry his cap hit until they find an ideal situation for Cook — ergo, a trade partner.

The Vikings holding onto Cook could crash his value in the market as more teams will unload their available cap space on free agents approaching the regular season, tanking Cook’s chances of striking a lucrative deal in free agency.

Minnesota could already have the cap savings of cutting Cook months ago with a post-June 1 designation in its pocket. Instead, the Vikings appear willing to sit pat, find a trade suitor and watch the running back market dry up. That leaves a trade or taking a pay cut as the only resolution if the situation plays out well into this summer.

Cook has sat out voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) so far this spring but will be fined if he does not attend mandatory minicamps on June 13 and June 14.

Vikings Content With Current RB Core at OTAs

While Cook has been away training in South Florida, the Vikings have been getting a better look at their potential running back core for the 2023 season.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell tipped his hat in a recent media conference to Alexander Mattison, who is the assumed lead back in place of Cook after signing a two-year, $7 million deal that is almost fully guaranteed. O’Connell praised Mattison for taking on a three-down role in practice.

“It’s been really good to see Alex Mattison take a few more reps and really show that all three-down kinda ownership that he’s been capable of for a long time,” O’Connell said in a May 30 media conference.

Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson‘s absence from organized team activities (OTAs) is no coincidence.

Yes, OTAs are “voluntary.” However, if a player is in good standing or trying to win over the team and make the roster, they’ll be there.

The only players who are not: Dalvin Cook (who has refused to take a pay cut and has fielded trade interest), Danielle Hunter (seeking a contract extension) and Jefferson.

As the calendar has turned to June, a decision should come soon for Jefferson who could incur fines if he does not attend mandatory minicamps on June 13 and June 14. The Vikings hope to secure Jefferson to a long-term extension by then with decisions coming on Cook and Hunter.

Former WCCO sports director Mark Rosen cautioned fans that something could shake up with Jefferson soon with June upon us.

“Keep your eye on what’s going on with Justin Jefferson the next 48 hours,” Rosen said during a May 31 edition of the Power Trip Morning Show on KFAN.

Asked if it is good news, Rosen said, “Let’s hope so.”

Jefferson is in line to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL after leading the league with 1,809 receiving yards and winning Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Why Dalvin Cook, Danielle Hunter Impact Vikings’ Contract Talks With Justin Jefferson

Jefferson’s contract isn’t just any deal. Likely to be the largest contract since Adrian Peterson’s prime, Jefferson’s deal will set the precedent for how Minnesota will build its roster for the rest of this decade.

While the Vikings should be willing to make Jefferson the highest-paid player at his position with a historic contract, the structure of the deal will be tantamount to building a successful roster around Jefferson for years to come.

Ideally, the Vikings would like to give Jefferson some cash up front, and that involves creating more cap space with Cook and Hunter’s futures in question.

Cook has held out from all team activities amid a contract dispute. The Vikings can save at least $9 million by cutting or trading Cook after June 1. However, approaching the pivotal June 1 deadline where a player’s future bonuses are pushed onto the following years books, the narrative around Cook’s future has also changed with whispers of him possibly taking a pay cut beginning to surface.

Hunter is in line for a contract extension after his deal had been reworked several times. He carries just a $4.9 base salary that ranks 25th at his position after coming off a season where he tied for the sixth-most pressures (70), per Pro Football Focus.

However Hunter and Cook’s situations play out will impact how the Vikings can structure the early years of Jefferson’s deal.

‘No Bad Blood’ Between Vikings and Justin Jefferson

Jefferson’s absence from OTAs could not go unreported, however, it hasn’t ruffled many feathers in the organization.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on May 30 that Jefferson has remained in close contact with the team despite his absence, which could in part be because of the ongoing contract dealings.

“I’m told that he’s away from the team right now but that’s no a major concern. He’s expected back for minicamp,” Fowler said. “It’s possible he’s away from OTAs because of the contract but I don’t think that’s been spelled out. I’m told he’s been in contact with the team, so there’s definitely no bad blood. They’re in a really good spot.”

The son of a former FBI agent, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has kept a cool demeanor at the press podium throughout his 18 months in Minnesota.

However, O’Connell was as visibly irked as he’s been as head coach this week when the biggest question surrounding organized team activities (OTAs) rose in a May 30 media conference.

Why is Justin Jefferson not here?

“It’s just one of those things… I just know he’s getting work, wherever he’s spending his offseason,” O’Connell said with a flick of his eyebrows. “Looking forward to having him here when he decides to come up, and I know his teammates will be excited about that.”

Eligible for a contract extension that could make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, Jefferson is working his leverage to get a deal done now by holding out from Vikings OTAs. The league’s leading wide receiver with 4,825 receiving yards over the past three seasons has been absent over the past two weeks.

Although OTAs are voluntary, they’re essentially mandatory from a team-building perspective. Even star players in good contractual standing are there like Kirk Cousins and Harrison Smith. Danielle Hunter, Dalvin Cook and Jefferson are the only other players who did not attend OTAs on May 30. Jefferson had attended all team activities in his career up until this spring.

Sports Illustrated’s Will Ragatz and Matthew Coller of Purple Insider noted that O’Connell looked the most uncomfortable since having to address Ed Donatell’s defense last season.

“I thought O’Connell’s body language and the way he talked about it you could see him being unhappy,” Coller said on a May 30 episode of the Purple Insider podcast. “We see him talk all the time for an entire year. I don’t know other than talking about Ed Donatell’s defense have I seen him have that sort of body language.”

Jefferson’s contract has a strong chance of being the biggest deal the Vikings have offered in since Adrian Peterson, which will have its sticking points in negotiations.

O’Connell’s frustration with Jefferson’s absence isn’t a definite red flag that contract talks aren’t going well, but the second-year head coach would like the situation sorted out and his best player back on the practice field. He added that there has been an open line of communication between Jefferson and him.

Mandatory minicamps are scheduled for June 13 and June 14, when all the aforementioned stars who are currently holding out from OTAs are required to attend or incur a fine.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson Could Become Highest-Paid Non-QB in NFL

GettyJustin Jefferson is poised to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

Jefferson’s contract extension is coming at an opportune time for the star wide receiver. He is coming off a 128-catch, 1,809-yard season where he won NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

The wide receiver market also exploded last offseason, setting the precedent for Jefferson to not only become the highest-paid wide receiver, but the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

“Because wide receiver—that market has gone up to $30 million with Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, all of those guys,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said, per Bleacher Report. “Jefferson is considered by many around the league as the very best receiver in the NFL. So, are we talking, you know, Aaron Donald money, $31 million per year? We’ll see.”

Jordan Addison Held Out of Vikings OTAs Opens Door for Jalen Nailor

Jefferson isn’t the only wide receiver missing from the practice field.

First-round pick Jordan Addison was held out of Tuesday’s practice. O’Connell said Addison’s injury “is not serious,” but the Vikings are opting to take it slow with the No. 23 overall pick.

K.J. Osborn assumed the de-facto No. 1 wide receiver role on first-team reps, while 2022 sixth-round pick Jalen Nailor emerged as the most productive receiver at practice.

Nailor supplanting 2020 first-rounder Jalen Reagor, acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, puts the Reagor on the bubble as a potential roster cut candidate.

Brandon Powell, signed during free agency after two years with the Los Angeles Rams, appears to have the fast lane to a roster spot after he was made a priority signing back in March.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook has remained resolute in his decision to not take a pay cut to stay with the team over the past five months.

But the star running back may be inching towards a “change of heart.”

KSTP’s Darren Wolfson reported on May 26 that he spoke with “somebody in the know… somebody I trust enough” who suggested checking in on the possibility that Cook is having a “change of heart” on taking a pay cut to stay with the Vikings.

Wolfson said he spoke to “somebody in the know … somebody I trust enough” who suggested checking on the possibility that Cook is “having a change of heart” on taking a pay cut to stay with the Vikings.

Why Dalvin Cook Could Be Warming Up to Pay Cut With Vikings

A possible reversal on Cook’s future in Minnesota comes in the wake of the running back market closing with many of the league’s top running backs unsustained on their pre-existing contracts.

Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott was released in March and has yet to find a new team. Los Angeles Chargers scatback Austin Ekeler accepted a revised contract to stay with his team, a move Wolfson sees as a possibility for Cook. Joe Mixon is also feeling the pressure to take a pay cut with the Cincinnati Bengals.

“The possibility exists that Dalvin will rework his deal, take some sort of cut, realize that there really isn’t another opportunity out there Miami drafted a running back relatively high,” Wolfson said on SKOR North’s Mackey and Judd podcast.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Vikings want to “do right” by Cook. They’ve shown they’re not trying to throw him aside to just any team for a pedestrian return. They’re looking for a situation that would be ideal for Cook — but few remain for the four-time Pro Bowler after trade talks with the Miami Dolphins fizzled out.

“Like, who really truly needs a running back? Maybe Chicago? You can make a case for a few teams, right, and Dalvin, I think, would help a lot of teams. But can he make more money taking a cut [in Minnesota], à la Harrison Smith, versus testing the market. So just the idea that maybe, just maybe, Dalvin is here in 2023. So that’s a pretty intriguing possibility,” Wolfson added.

Vikings Decision on Dalvin Cook Should Come After June 1

The Vikings have played the long game on their decision with Cook after failing to find a trade to help their position during the peak of free agency and the before the draft.

The only meaningful impact for the 2023 season comes in shedding Cook’s contract to create cap space to reach extensions with either Danielle Hunter, T.J. Hockenson or Justin Jefferson.

A post-June 1 trade or release of Cook yields $9 million in cap savings versus approximately $6 million before June 1 — that’s why the team hasn’t declared a decision just yet.

Minnesota may have well made up its mind on its plan with Cook, but allowing the situation to play out after June 1 allows any 11th-hour trade partners to make one last call.

More importantly, it’s giving Cook’s camp time to assess his potential in free agency and see if forcing his release would be more lucrative than taking a pay cut to stay with the team.

All should be revealed June 1 or shortly after.

With Dalvin Cook nowhere to be seen as the Minnesota Vikings begin organized team activities (OTAs) this week, Alexander Mattison has assumed his friend’s longtime role in Minnesota.

Mattison took the No. 1 running back reps at practice this week as Cook remains in a contract dispute with the Vikings and is absent from OTAs. He admitted not having Cook around is strange, but he is familiar with the business of the NFL brings.

“We’ve been in the backfield together for four years, so, of course, I’m used to that,” Mattison said in a May 24 media conference. “It’s part of the process. Some guys still aren’t here. Those guys will be joining us soon.”

Those guys include veteran safety Harrison Smith and linebacker Jordan Hicks, who were also absent from OTAs but restructured their contracts in the offseason to stay in Minnesota.

However, players like edge rusher Danielle Hunter and Cook, who have not resolved their contract dispute with the Vikings yet this offseason are more eyebrow-raising absences as the offseason program continues.

Justin Jefferson also didn’t attend OTAs on May 23, however, the Vikings have shown every intention to secure him long-term — likely with some of the cap space that could be available if Cook is traded or released.

Alexander Mattison, Dalvin Cook’s Bond Put to the Test by the Business of the NFL

The duo of Mattison and Cook has been inseparable at TCO Performance Center throughout their four years together and once garnered recognition as the NFL’s top running back tandem in 2020.

Likening each other to brothers, Mattison and Cook’s similar running style and hairstyle has left their offensive line unable to recognize which back just ran the ball at times.

“The O-line will turn around and they’ll ask, ‘Wait, were you in or was Dalvin in?’,” Mattison said in 2022. “So, that’s really good for us to be able to not miss a beat and continue just operate as a whole the way that we continued to prepare to do.”

That mistake has been made by many broadcasters over the past four years as Mattison has proven to be a reliable and seamless fill-in for Cook. In six career starts, Mattison has averaged 115.5 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. He surpassed 100 rushing yards in two of those games and posted over 90 rushing yards in four of his six starts.

Mattison garnered plenty of trade interest approaching the 2022 trade deadline. It was expected that Mattison would walk and find a starting job in free agency in the spring, However, the Vikings front office secured Mattison to a two-year, $7 million contract that is nearly fully guaranteed — a sign that Cook could be expendable if he does not take a pay cut.

Mattison did not address the exact decision to stay in Minnesota and if he hopes to see a larger workload as the lead back. He tipped his hat to the organization being the main reason to stay.

“There was a lot that played into it,” Mattison said. “The biggest thing was loving it here. … I always told people I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else. It’s an unbelievable organization.”

For the moment, it appears Mattison will be the star of the Vikings backfield unless Cook agrees to the pay cut. Mattison is focused on improving the team’s running game that finished 26th in rushing yards per attempt (4.1) a season ago.

“Just excited to continue to grow with the team and continue to do the work,” Mattison said. “It’s an amazing feeling to be out here with my brothers.”

Vikings Should Finalize Decision With Dalvin Cook After June 1

The decision to sign Mattison was never just one to retain a solid player on the roster. It came with the assumption that Minnesota was looking to move on from Cook, who at the age of 28 saw his efficiency running the ball plummet.

An analytics general manager like Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is likely trying to move off of Cook’s backloaded contract he signed in his prime back in 2020 with the past regime. Cook’s cap hit of $14.1 million is the bulk of the Vikings’ $21.3 million sunk at running back and full back — the third-highest cap hit at the position group for a team that ranked 27th in rushing attempts last season.

Minnesota tried to move off Cook approaching the opening of free agency but couldn’t find a suitable trade partner. Their only publicly confirmed trade partner in the Miami Dolphins fizzled out in March, and the Dolphins have since re-signed their four running backs to the tune of $12.3 million and drafted De’Von Achane in the third round.

Many teams are waiting to see if the Vikings will cut Cook on June 1, when they could save $9 million in cap space, for the chance to land the four-time Pro Bowler without having to give up draft capital.

However, if Cook remains rostered with his contract intact after the turn of the calendar, he’s likely to show up for mandatory minicamp on June 12.

The Minnesota Vikings could reenter the Ndamukong Suh sweepstakes this summer after having multiple conversations with the star last year.

A veteran free agent, Suh played the waiting game in choosing his team for the 2022 season and opted to sign with the Super Bowl-bound Philadelphia Eagles after months of speculation surrounding his signing with the Vikings.

Suh effectively announced that he is open to signing with a team at the start of the 2023 regular season, opening an avenue for the Vikings to revisit talks with the five-time Pro Bowl defender.

“I have no desire to be in a training camp,” Suh said May 15 on NFL Total Access. “I will come in and watch and look and give some advice, but when Week 1 happens, I’ll be ready.”

Minnesota lost its top interior defensive lineman in Dalvin Tomlinson, who signed with the Cleveland Browns, and is in dire need of improving its run defense. The Vikings trading Za’Darius Smith to Cleveland also created ample cap space to sign the  Super Bowl champion.

Ndamukong Suh Did Not Give Vikings a Discount in Contract Talks Last Year

The Vikings’ ongoing flirtation with Suh last season was a result of neither side ceding much room to strike a deal.

The Athletic’s Tashan Reed reported that Suh was asking for a contract in the ballpark of $9 million a season. Meanwhile, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said the Vikings would not budge beyond the veteran minimum, which would be just over $1 million for a player of Suh’s tenure, per Over the Cap.

The Las Vegas Raiders were also in on Suh and reached a similar impasse with the veteran defender. That led to Suh going the veteran minimum route, which allowed him to have his choice on the matter.

Ndamukong Suh Helped Steady Eagles Amid Regular-Season Rut

Hitching his wagon to the top team in the league, Suh signed with an Eagles team that had surrendered 152 rushing yards to the Washington Commanders in their first loss of the season in Week 10.

Suh’s presence provided an immediate turnaround. A rotational run defender, Suh helped Philadelphia hold 2021 NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor to 87 rushing yards and 3.9 yards per carry in a 17-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts the following week. The Eagles defense halted the Tennessee Titans two weeks later, holding Derrick Henry to just 11 carries and 30 yards.

Philadelphia’s run defense finished middle of the pack for the 2022 season, but Suh deserves some credit for preventing the Eagles from cratering midseason during a low point of the regular season.

Suh is not the same transformational player he once was, but he does check a lot of boxes for the Vikings as a tried and true 3-4 defensive tackle. He’s accustomed to the defensive line’s heavier burden of stopping the run and still managed to be productive in the pass rush, producing 13 pressures in 11 games last season, per Pro F0otball Focus.

The Vikings signed former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Dean Lowry to fill Tomlinson’s spot on the defensive line. Lowry finished last season with a 59.3 PFF grade compared to Suh’s 63.6 grade. Khyris Tonga is poised for a breakout season on the side of nose tackle Harrison Phillips, but Minnesota could still use the depth and veteran leadership.

If the Vikings can coax Suh to sign for slightly above the veteran minimum that he saw last year, that could be enough to reach an agreement. Minnesota currently has $9.5 million in cap space.

The Minnesota Vikings cornerbacks room will look drastically different without veteran leader Patrick Peterson leading the group this season.

Peterson had a career renaissance last season, securing a team-high five interceptions. and allowing a 66.8 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus. He signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason.

Had Peterson stayed,  Brian Flores’ defense may not have been a match for him with man coverage being Flores’ calling card. Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber said he believes Peterson would have been a “liability” this season after he had thrived in a zone-heavy scheme under Ed Donatell in 2022.

“Patrick Peterson, I don’t think he was going to fit this scheme. This is going to be more man cover. I think we’ve got better on the outside, only because he wasn’t going to fit what they were trying to do. He was going to be a liability this upcoming season,” Leber said on the Go Long TD podcast with Tyler Dunne on May 17.

Most analysts would agree with Leber, however, the Vikings apparently wanted to make it work with both Flores and the Vikings expressing interest in bringing him back.

Vikings Have a New Cast of Cornerbacks… Again

The Vikings cornerback room has had a revolving door of talent coming in and out since the 2020 season.

Minnesota has continued to invest heavily at the position but hasn’t found its cornerstone players yet.

The biggest free agent signing in former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. could be the centerpiece of the group for years to come. However, there isn’t much experience beyond Murphy — Duke Shelley, Chandon Sullivan and Cam Dantzler have moved on to new teams.

Akayleb Evans and Andrew Booth Jr. are the only returners after suffering injuries that derailed their rookie seasons. They accounted for just 7.8% of defensive snaps at cornerback last season.

Third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon should also be in the mix of competing for a starting spot come training camp.

Brian Flores Will Have to Scheme Around Secondary

The departure of Za’Darius Smith also adds another hitch in the Vikings’ plans for a defensive overhaul. Smith led the team with 78 pressures, the fourth-most of any pass rusher in the NFL last season.

Replacing those pressures by committee will be tantamount to aiding the development of a young cornerback room that can’t be left on an island too long — especially with a slate of talented quarterbacks upcoming on this year’s schedule.

In the first five weeks of the season, the Vikings face Jalen Hurts (Week 2), Justin Herbert (Week 3) and Patrick Mahomes (Week 5).

It’s much smoother waters in the division afterward, but the cornerbacks’ acclimation to the NFL will be rough if the pass rush can’t create pressure.

But if there’s any certainty with Flores, he’s willing to sell out to do just that.

In his three years as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Flores blitzed at least 30% of the snaps each season, including about 40% of the time in 2020 and 2021. The Vikings blitzed on 18.6% of snaps under Donatell in 2022, ranking 23rd in pressure rate.

Longtime Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen moved on to a new team for the first time in his 11-year career, landing with the Carolina Panthers this offseason.

However, the same critique has followed the 33-year-old receiver with his age.

Thielen addressed the slight in a recent interview with The Athletic on May 9, striking down the notion that he’s lost a step.

“It is weird for me because it happened so fast. I feel like I just came into the league and I was just trying to make it for one day. And now all of a sudden, boom, people are saying you’re too old and too slow. And I’m like, wait a second, I just got here. How am I too old and too slow? At the end of the day, people don’t actually watch the tape. They just look at stats and look at what people are saying about someone, and they don’t actually look and see what you’re doing,” Thielen said.

Thielen added that the critique that has followed him as he’s officially over the hill in football years has helped motivate him in the offseason.

“Sometimes it can be frustrating as a player. But at the same time, it gives you a little chip on your shoulder,” Thielen said. “When I’m training in the offseason, that’s in the back of my head. I better work my butt off to show I can still run and be explosive and still look like I’m young, even though to most people — especially in this league — I’m old.”

Playing Through Injury in 2022, Adam Thielen Didn’t See Significant Drop Off in Separation

The eye test suggested that Thielen struggled to separate from receivers, leading to a lackluster year for the two-time Pro Bowler. He managed to catch 73 passes for 7666 yards and six touchdowns despite playing through an ankle injury for much of the season.

However, NFL Next Gen Stats suggest Thielen didn’t lose a step in separation. In 2022, Thielen created 2.7 yards of separation per route run, which is on par with most of his career.

What may have been more limiting is Thielen’s explosiveness to separate on deep routes. According to Pro Football Focus, Thielen’s 1.08 yards per route run was his lowest since 2015 as the Vikings tended to use him primarily on short- to -intermediate routes.

Adam Thielen Can Make History at the Age of 33 Next Season

After word of Thielen’s grievances with his role in the Vikings offense was spread, he’ll look for a more productive role with the Panthers.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, only 30 players age 33 or older have posted 70 catches or more in a season. Twenty-eight players have posted a 1,000-yard season and only seven players have scored 10 or more touchdowns in a season.

All those figures could be in play for Thielen who could assume a prominent role in the Panthers offense with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.

“I want to be able to prove that I can still run and be explosive. But the greats at this position not only use speed to win, they win route running and top-of-the-route (technique) and change of direction and angles, and how you come out of your breaks,” Thielen said. “There’s definitely a time where things are gonna slow down a little bit and you have to rely even more on that stuff. But I don’t think I’m at that point yet. Actually I know that I’m not. But I have to go out there and prove that.”

Former Minnesota Vikings linebacker and sideline reporter Ben Leber is confident in Kirk Cousins entering a contract year next season but believes Cousins won’t be carrying Minnesota to a Super Bowl in 2023.

Appearing on the Go Long TD podcast with Tyler Dunne, Leber assessed the state of the Vikings after much of the business and roster-building of the offseason has come to a close.

Leber trusts Cousins will excel with his back against the wall while playing for a new contract, but the defense will again be the bane of Minnesota’s success.

“I don’t think ‘contender’ really is in the conversation right now. I think there’s a lot of optimism. The offense should be more than a top-10 offense. I think Kirk is going to have another huge year,” Leber said. “It’s another prove-it deal, which he’s very accustomed to. It’s not going to bother him. And I trust him. I do trust the fact that he’ll compartmentalize that and put that off to the side and do the best job that he can to help this team win the Super Bowl.”

Leber added that despite the addition of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the subtraction of several veteran defenders in Eric Kendricks, Patrick Peterson, Dalvin Tomlinson and Za’Darius Smith and will prove difficult to overcome.

“This is a playoff team. But unless we show physicality on defense, unless we show a real balance on offense to run the ball when we need to, this could be another disappointing season in that we’ll make the playoffs and be bounced again like we were against the Giants,” Leber said. “The defense has been the liability. The inability to control the game defensively. We can’t stop the run consistently. Too many third-down conversions. Teams march down the field and we have these high-scoring affairs because the defense can’t hold its water.”

 Ben Leber Says Vikings Offense is Good Enough to Win Super Bowl

In the first year under Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings offense finished the season ranked eighth in points (24.9 per game) and seventh in yards (361.5 per game), per Pro Football Reference. Both are great marks that could be improved upon considering the continuity on offense.

“No doubt, this offense is going to be good enough to win the Super Bowl,” Leber said. It’s just whether or not this defense can pick it up. Pick up the pieces. Figure out what this new defense looks like. Get up to speed as fast as the offense did last year.”

But considering the losses on a significantly weaker side of the ball, the Vikings defense could potentially finish worse last season after they allowed the Vikings to be outgained (388.7 yards per game; ranked 28th) and outscored (25.1 points per game; ranked 31st) despite having a top-10 offense.

Ben Leber Says Brian Flores Was the Biggest Acquisition for Vikings This Offseason

Minnesota bet on Flores transforming the defense despite the departure of six veteran starters.

It’s lofty to believe Flores can turn around a defense that will have to fill in with inexperienced players in a single year, but Leber did credit the former head coach as the team’s biggest acquisition who should have a long-term impact on the franchise.

“I think the biggest acquisition this whole offseason was Brian Flores,” Leber said. “Now, we’ve jettisoned some guys. [Eric] Kendricks is gone. Patrick Peterson… Big names are gone. But I really think if this defense can be somewhere in the 14, 15, 16 ranking, especially in points, we have a contending team. But because the last three years we haven’t proven it, there’s apprehension.”

The Minnesota Vikings had just two roster spots left for training camp this summer approaching rookie minicamp last weekend — when many NFL hopefuls vie to earn a chance to prove themselves.

One Minnesota native did just that.

Zach Ojile, a native of Blaine, Minnesota, located 30 minutes outside the Twin Cities, signed with the Vikings on May 16 after being receiving a tryout invitation for rookie minicamp last weekend.

“I was pretty excited and pretty thrilled just to get an opportunity and super fortunate,” Ojile told the Duluth News Tribune. “I’m super thrilled to have an opportunity with the hometown team.”

Zach Ojile Led High School Team to State Championship as a QB

Ojile’s football journey has largely been the path of an athlete. He played quarterback for Spring Lake Park High School, leading the Panthers to the Class 5A state title game.

The centerpiece of Spring Lake Park’s veer option offense, Ojile rushed for nearly 4,000 yards in his high school career before moving to tight end at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Splitting a timeshare at fullback and tight end for the Bulldogs, Ojile was given the ball in scoring situations often, catching 25 passes for 289 yards and five touchdowns in 2022. He also took 12 carries for 53 yards and three touchdowns.

A team captain in 2021 and 2022, Ojile finished his college career rushing for 418 yards and 14 touchdowns while also compiling 702 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches.

At 6-foot-2, 238 pounds, Ojile will look to earn his keep as a fullback in the NFL.

He’ll join fellow Minnesota native C.J. Ham as the only other fullback on the roster. There’s potential for Ojile to land a spot on the practice squad as an emergency backup to Ham considering the lack of options elsewhere.

Kevin O’Connell Revels Working With Rookie QB Jaren Hall

Overseeing fifth-round pick Jaren Hall, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell embarks on his first project of developing a young quarterback with his fingerprints on every aspect of the organization.

Hall’s experience seems already polar opposite of 2021 third-round pick Kellen Mond, who Mike Zimmer didn’t pay much mind as a defensive head coach with his job on the line.

Kevin O’Connell spoke on his experience with Hall after the first day of rookie minicamp last Friday and had a hard time staying away from the young prospect.

“I was picking my spots today, I tend to maybe overdo it sometimes and I’ve got some great coaches and want to let those guys form that initial relationship, that initial bond. But I spend a lot of time with Jaren (Hall) and I’m a big fan of his, love the way he came out and commanded a group of guys that are learning a bunch of information for the first time,” O’Connell said in a May 12 media conference.

As the new regime’s commitment to Kirk Cousins remains in limbo with the veteran quarterback entering the final year of his contract, O’Connell will undoubtedly be pouring into Hall, who is the only quarterback under contract beyond the 2023 season.

“There were some ups, there were some downs and that’s what we expect and ultimately just trying to give him tangible real things, that when Monday morning comes around and the veterans walk in here and he’s throwing alongside Kirk (Cousins) and Nick (Mullens), that he’s got some real tangible things he can work on every single rep,” O’Connell said, adding that the quarterback coaches better get used to him butting to coach up Hall.

“It’s watching and evaluating and giving them clear-cut coaching points with real tangible ways of fixing those things. And when they do it right, it’s the positive reinforcement that’s exactly how it should look every time. [Hall] was pleasant, and a joy to work with for Chris (O’Hara, quarterbacks coach), Grant (Udinski, assistant QBs coach), and myself. I’m sure those guys thought I butted my head in there a little bit too much but they better get used to that.”