D-Day is here and all signs point to the Vikings allowing Sam Darnold to test the market. There are a few “reports” that they still want him back but at their own price. This falls in line with what I believe is Kwesi’s philosophy of not going past a price point with players. Perhaps Darnold wont get a large offer that surpasses the Vikings “offer” (if there is one)? Perhaps the other situation is not good enough for Darnold to want to sign there? You would think that he would bet on himself and put up another good season with the Vikings and really be able to cash in next year?
If he does leave the Vikings do have JJ McCarthy and will sign a veteran to either start or compete to start with JJ. Who that will be is still in question although many Vikings fans assume it will be Daniel Jones. That will work too.
There is still a lot of work to do in the cornerback, interior defensive and offensive line, and running back positions. I wonder if there are price points with those positions as well. I have to assume there is otherwise they should have been able to re-sign Murphy and Bynum by now. Although, that can still happen.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Vikings not expected to use franchise tag on QB Sam Darnold; parties working through options
The Minnesota Vikings won’t squat on Sam Darnold’s rights heading toward free agency.
The Vikings are not expected to franchise tag the quarterback ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday night, per sources informed of the situation.
Rapoport and Pelissero added that all parties are working through options to potentially keep him in Minnesota.
The decision aligns with what head coach Kevin O’Connell has said all offseason, namely that Darnold has earned the right to test the open market.
If Sam Darnold stays with the Vikings, 2025 will be very different than 2024
The Vikings are still deciding whether they’ll keep quarterback Sam Darnold, even if they don’t plan to apply the franchise tag before 4:00 p.m. ET today. Should they stick with Darnold, or move on?
On one hand, Darnold went 14-3 last year as a starter in the regular season, and one-and-done in the playoffs. Through 17 weeks, he dramatically exceeded any reasonable expectations, making big throws in big spots and getting some big wins.
Then came Game No. 272. Vikings at Lions. Winner gets the No. 1 seed. Loser has to take the harder road in the postseason.
It was the biggest game of the regular season, and also the biggest game of Darnold’s life. As it turned out, it was too big. He got a sudden case of the yips.
Then came the playoffs. That loss wasn’t on him. The Vikings were out-coached. And many of the players (especially on offense) lacked the requisite intensity needed to advance in a win-or-go-home setting.
This year, it will be different. McCarthy will be ready. If Darnold struggles at all, they’ll start clamoring for J.J. And the yips that didn’t show up until Week 18 could arrive a lot sooner.
Of course, this assumes McCarthy is still there. If the Vikings sign Darnold to a contract that amounts to a two-year commitment, McCarthy might try to enter the NFL’s version of the transfer portal.
The ultimate question becomes whether the Vikings are content to contend — and possibly make a quick playoff exit — with a guy who has already shown that the biggest stage is too big, or whether they want to see whether they have something special in McCarthy.
Basically, is just good enough going to be good enough?
To many on the outside, it’s a no-brainer. See what the kid can do and save the money for other positions of need. To folks on the inside whose job security hinges much more on making the playoffs than winning playoff games, there’s a very good reason to embrace the option with a higher floor.
Even if it comes with a lower ceiling.
Vikings trade pitch lands $125M superstar, 1st-round pick from Browns for J.J. McCarthy
Mike Tannenbaum had a lengthy career as an NFL executive, including stints as general manager of the New York Jets (7 years) and executive vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins (4 years).
He has since joined the national media, including regular appearances on ESPN, where he’s become known for dropping some seriously wild takes. A recent morning talk show segment titled “Tannenbaum’s bold offseason trade ideas” is sure to drum up some commentary — or eye rolls — among NFL fans.
Tannenbaum had a few doozies during Monday’s appearance on Get Up, but his trade pitch for the Minnesota Vikings came out of another galaxy. The former league executive proposed a blockbuster deal between the Vikings and Cleveland Browns that would send disgruntled superstar Myles Garrett plus a first-round pick to Minnesota for phenom quarterback prospect J.J. McCarthy. Here was Tannenbaum’s pitch:
If you’re Minnesota: ‘Hey, we could get to the Super Bowl with a Hall of Fame pass rusher.’ Obviously, you’re going to re-sign Sam Darnold, and J.J. McCarthy answers the Browns’ problem at quarterback.
Note: It still is silly season but that is quite a trade package that would be very tempting indeed.
Vikings, Bears to Compete in Bidding War for Projected $56.5M Free Agent
Both NFC North rivals are in need of revamping the interior of their offensive line, and both are now likely to turn to arguably the next best option now that Smith is off the table.
“Headlining the list is Indianapolis Colts guard Will Fries. He fits the Vikings’ preferred free-agent benchmarks in that he’s young, versatile and productive,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote Monday, March 3. “How his right tibia fracture affects his market remains to be seen, but the Vikings will likely be bidding against multiple teams, including the [Bears].”
“Before a right tibia injury ended his season in Week 5, Fries had posted career bests in both pass block win rate (92.4%) and run block win rate (74.3%),” Bowen wrote. “He might lack high-end traits, but the tape tells us he can upgrade the interior of an offensive front. He has a fundamentally sound play style, the lower-body mobility to handle power rushers and an ability to sustain blocks on contact.”
Vikings Predicted to Sign $46 Million Super Bowl Champion in Free Agency
The Minnesota Vikings proved they could adjust when faced with adversity last season, shuffling the deck at cornerback before the campaign began. Facing similar uncertainty this offseason, the Vikings could fill a need with Charvarius Ward in free agency.
Ward, who turns 29 in May, spent the past three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2023, leading the league with 23 pass deflections and had 5 interceptions. Ward also won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2019 season.
“The Vikings will likely lose both of their outside cornerbacks — Byron Murphy Jr. and Stephon Gilmore — in free agency. Ward makes for a good replacement,” ESPN’s Aaron Schatz wrote on February 28. “He’s solid in both man and zone coverage, and the 49ers played more zone this past season while the Vikings play a lot of zone behind Brian Flores‘ blitz packages.”
“Ward had a below-average coverage DVOA in 12 games in 2024 with only seven passes defended,” Schatz wrote. “But in 2023, he ranked 26th in coverage DVOA, led the NFL with 23 passes defensed and had five interceptions.”
“Like practically all of the 49ers, Ward took a step back last season, though it was a particularly trying season for the 28-year-old. He missed time because of hamstring and knee injuries. Then tragedy struck, with the death of his 1-year-old daughter,” The Athletic’s David DeChant, Jourdan Rodrigue and Vic Tafur wrote on February 24.
“He has said he’d like to be closer to Texas — where his girlfriend and newborn son live — and farther from the trauma he experienced in California.”
Minnesota is a quicker flight to Texas than California is. Still, several teams are closer.
When you look at the interior of the offensive line for the Vikings, it’s often the guard spots that get the most attention. Blake Brandel and the duo of Ed Ingram and Dalton Risner saw a fair amount of struggles so they got the most attention. However, the struggles of Garrett Bradbury have persisted throughout his six years with the Vikings.
When they selected Bradbury in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Vikings were making a switch to a wide zone system under Kevin Stefanski and Gary Kubiak. His scouting report coming out essentially said he was a perfect fit and a readymade starter. While he did start right away, the results weren’t what you expected.
The six years of Bradbury have been marred with pass protection issues. Being such a great athlete at the position has left some flaws, mainly with his core strength and anchor. Far too often, Bradbury has been driven back by defensive tackles and forklifted off the ball. That element has fans livid, and it’s one of the reasons why the Vikings struggled so much in the final two games of the season.
There is one problem with finding a change: is there anyone who’s a certain upgrade?
That’s the tough element to answer, especially since finding an upgrade is two fold: not only do they need to be better, but the contract needs to match it. The popular name is Drew Dalman from the Atlanta Falcons. He is also a wide/outside zone center but his flaws are very similar to Bradbury’s, especially when it comes to pass blocking. Is that worth paying up to $18 million/year to potentially experience the same issues?
What about Ryan Kelly from the Indianapolis Colts? He would obviously be a nice addition, but Kelly is 32 years old and coming off a couple injury plagued seasons. If you can’t trust him to be on the field, is he worth giving a sizable contract to?
Minnesota Vikings 7-round mock draft: No trades, O-line with first pick
Round 1, Pick 24: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Round 3, Pick 97: C.J. West, DT, Indiana
Round 5, Pick 140: Brashard Smith, RB, SMU
Round 5, Pick 161: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
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