Minnesota Vikings News and Links: We Think It is JJ Time

I still am a little upset that the Bears for Joe Thuney for a 2026 4th. I would have given up the 3rd with the hope of getting back a 6th. You are talking All Pro caliber left guard. The Vikings needed that bad. I know some will say he is going to be 33 but do these same people want to get Zeitler or Scherff who are older?

Kwesi has a lot of work to do.

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Bears Making Moves to Fix O-Line as Vikings Watch

The Minnesota Vikings have made it very clear early on this offseason. They have two main focuses between now and when training camp kicks off in July and that’s fixing the interior defensive and offensive lines.

If we believe what the Vikings are selling us, then gone (supposedly) are the days where we watch Ed Ingram, Dalton Risner and Blake Brandel fail to open holes for Vikings running backs and get bowled over by more talented defensive tackles.

Chicago Bears trade for two top offensive guards – Minnesota Vikings choose patience

They were not willing to wait until bidding wars get started next week. Instead, the Bears have completed trades for two guards — Jonah Jackson (Rams) Joe Thuney (Chiefs). Jackson was given permission to seek a trade out of LA last week, and did just that. The Thuney trade is a bit more surprising, but he too is entering the final year of his current deal.

Bears trade 4th round pick for Joe Thuney

Joe Thuney is 32 years old. He is a former 3rd round pick of the New England Patriots back in 2016. Since being drafted, he has been one of the best and most reliable guards in the NFL for two different teams. Since his sophomore season, Thuney has never posted a PFF grade lower than 74.4.

Last season, he got an 80.0 overall grade, his second best ever. Thuney has a massive $26.9 million cap hit this season, the final year of his current five-year $80 million contract, but it’s very possible he and the Bears work out an extension before the offseason is over.

Bears trade 6th round pick for Jonah Jackson

Jonah Jackson, 28, is a former third round pick by the Detroit Lions, so he has familiarity in the NFC North. In 2024, after signing a three-year, $51 million contact with the Rams last offseason, he ended up playing just four games because he was usurped on the roster by second-year guard out of TCU, Steve Avila.

Jackson has a $14.6 million cap hit in 2025. The Bears are banking on Jackson’s falling out with the Rams as more of a credit to Avila, than a detriment on Jackson, but that has yet to be proven. In week 18 last season vs the Seahawks, Jonah Jackson was on a mission to prove he’s a starter, posting a 91.8 PFF grade, which may have helped convince the Bears to deal for him.

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With Sam Darnold’s free-agent options expected to be thin, the NFL’s QB carousel is taking shape

Multiple sources who spoke with Yahoo Sports following the conclusion of the NFL scouting combine — including a handful of team executives and agents with interest in the quarterback market — believe Darnold is going to lack the robust free-agent market that was anticipated for much of his 2024 breakout season. Instead, there is growing consensus that Darnold’s best option will be to work out a one- or two-year contract with the Vikings for $25 million to $30 million a season, giving the two sides an opportunity to either do a new deal next offseason or for Darnold to re-enter free agency in 2026.

“You’d think the supply and demand is on the side of the quarterbacks this offseason because there really aren’t enough good ones to go around, but the landing spots aren’t really very attractive, either,” said one prominent NFL agent with a history of doing big quarterback deals. “I just think Darnold’s market is a lot softer than people realize, and his best setup is going to be staying in Minnesota another year.”

Two general managers shared a similar opinion, pointing to Darnold’s shaky end to the season as having a chilling effect that could be remedied with another strong year in Minnesota.

There has been some uncertainty about where Vikings 2024 first-round QB J.J. McCarthy is in his rehab process from offseason surgeries to repair his meniscus — including weight loss that occurred in the wake of that repair. However, a source said McCarthy has already improved his weight and should be available for the offseason passing program and ready to go in June’s minicamp. Despite that, the Vikings have left the door open for a potential Darnold return on an economical short-term deal that would give the franchise another year of runway to evaluate both Darnold and McCarthy. That option would only materialize if Darnold’s free agency options are weak.

One source believes Darnold could end up back in Minnesota on a fully guaranteed one-year, $25 million deal. Another believed it could be a two-year $60 million deal with some guaranteed money also in the second year, but not enough to remove the option of the Vikings either trading or cutting Darnold next offseason if the team wants to move in another direction.

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Schefter hints at possibility of Sam Darnold returning to Vikings on one-year deal

Adam Schefter believes a one-year deal to return to the Vikings is a realistic outcome.

“He’s happy in Minnesota. He’s with a great coach, a great team, and he thrived there. So, the worst-case scenario is you go back to Minnesota, take a short deal, make good money this year,” Schefter said Tuesday on his podcast, “and then you parlay that, basically putting off free agency for a year, and try to test the market again next year.”

It would be surprising if Darnold didn’t receive a multi-year offer from another team in free agency. The Raiders, Giants, Browns, Colts, Titans, and Jets could all use an upgrade at quarterback. With a weak quarterback draft class, the options in free agency are limited to Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and Jameis Winston.

“It would not be surprising if the two sides worked out some type of short-term contract that allowed the Vikings to keep Sam Darnold, that allowed him to get paid, and that enabled them to run it back if J.J. McCarthy isn’t fully ready this season due to his knee injury, struggles in the preseason, or any type of setback. So, to me, Sam Darnold to Minnesota makes sense, but now that he’s not going to be tagged, other teams will have their say,” Schefter argued.

“We’ll see if a team like the New York Giants makes a compelling enough offer to pry Sam Darnold away. My guess, as we tape this, is no. My guess is the most sensible option is Minnesota.

“It’s not exactly what Sam Darnold would have hoped for or wanted, but it’s still a pretty favorable outcome in my mind. I think the Raiders have some interest, but not a lot. I think the Giants have some interest, but not a lot.”

If Darnold does return to Minnesota on a one-year deal, what’s the number? The Vikings could’ve locked him in via the franchise tag for $41.3 million. That was clearly too rich for their blood, so could the number be closer to $30 million?

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Note: this is for humor purposes only. try not to get your undies to bunched up

Could J.J. McCarthy demand a trade? Mike Florio sparks wild Vikings QB speculation

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/could-j-j-mccarthy-demand-a-trade-mike-florio-sparks-wild-vikings-qb-speculation-01jnm0ak0n53

Is J.J. McCarthy going to ask for a trade out of Minnesota before he even takes a meaningful snap in purple? While highly unlikely, that’s exactly what Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio seems to think could happen if the team brings back Sam Darnold on a multi-year deal.

After the Vikings chose not to franchise-tag Darnold, the immediate speculation shifted to which QB-needy team would sign him to a major deal this offseason. However, insiders like ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport have suggested that a reunion in Minnesota remains a strong possibility—despite the lack of a franchise tag.

Now, enter Florio’s, dare we say, pretty reckless speculation about the Vikings’ quarterback situation.

“I thought maybe they would tag and trade him, tag him and keep him for a year. They might still keep him. A lot of it depends on—and this has parallels to Kirk Cousins last year—what else is out there for Sam Darnold? And is he willing to take that in lieu of whatever the Vikings’ best offer is?” Florio said in an interview on KFAN Wednesday morning. “Assuming they’re going to put an offer on the table—I have no reason to think they won’t—what is the magic number that makes sense for the Vikings to bring Darnold back? And what would the structure look like? Would it be a one-year deal? Two years or longer? And if it’s two years, that becomes a problem—at least from J.J. McCarthy’s perspective.”

“Because if they commit to Darnold for two years, I predict J.J. McCarthy is going to ask for a trade,” Florio continued. “And maybe that’s what the Vikings would want to do. You know, before things fell apart in Week 18 for Darnold—before the chariot turned back into a pumpkin—the thinking was, ‘Hey, wait a minute. We might have stumbled into plutonium by accident with Sam Darnold.’ So, if McCarthy is better than any quarterback in this year’s draft class, you could get a top-five pick for him, grab an elite player at another position of need, and call it a win-win. ‘Sorry, J.J., stuff happens, and you’re getting a fresh start somewhere else.’”

“If they try to do an ‘Aaron Rodgers-Jordan Love sit-three-years’ type of handoff, I don’t think McCarthy will be on board with it,” Florio added. “That’s going to be a problem.”

Florio then took things a step further, suggesting that, based on sources he’s spoken to, there’s uncertainty about who is actually calling the shots in Minnesota.

“And through it all—I wrote this yesterday—and I have to be real with everybody, I have to be honest with the audience. I’m not thrilled about it, but people dealing with the Vikings have told me they don’t know who’s in charge. They don’t know who’s making the final decisions,” Florio said. “Now, maybe that’s deliberate. Maybe it’s part of the strategy. Maybe it’s a negotiation tactic… but there’s real confusion over who ultimately decides between Darnold and McCarthy. Who wants Darnold? Who wants McCarthy? Who is making these decisions? And that has created this sense of fluidity—you’ve seen reports that the situation is constantly shifting. One reason for that? No one seems to have a clear picture of who’s making the final call.”

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Will the Vikings look to pursue these cornerback options in free agency?

Cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, Shaq Griffin and Fabian Moreau are among Minnesota’s free agents this season. While it seems likely the Vikings will try and bring back Murphy, Gilmore is 34 years old and is contemplating retirement. Moreau wasn’t a huge contributor, and while the Vikings could look to re-sign Griffin, they could also look to the free agent market for an upgrade, and there are a number of top cornerbacks hitting the market in short order.

“Carlton Davis is a name that I would keep an eye on,” the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling said on their Access Vikings podcast on Tuesday. “I’ve heard a little bit to think they may be interested there. I mean, D.J. Reed had a great game against them last year, too, so those names could be in the mix, and I think they want to bring Byron Murphy back.”

Davis and Reed are two intriguing options for the Vikings. Davis is a free agent for the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions, and he was a key contributor to their efforts in the secondary. Davis played in 13 games and finished the year with 56 total tackles, 11 passes defended, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Davis received a 74.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) for 2024, which ranked 29th among 223 graded corners.

Reed, meanwhile, was a standout for the Jets amid a bad season from the team. He played in 14 games and finished with 64 total tackles, 11 passes defended and a sack. Reid had a 70.5 overall grade from PFF, 43rd of the 223 graded corners.

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Vikings trade target could make his way to Minnesota while helping them earn a draft pick

There have been a few different options discussed for the Vikings to improve their interior pass rush. Osa Odighizuwa just signed a four-year, $80 million contract and he was arguably the top option on the market. There is still Milton Williams and Levi Onwuzurike who could be difference makers.

The Vikings could also try and acquire Jonathan Allen from the Washington Commanders who was granted permission to seek a trade last month. SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson reported that Allen would have “all sorts of interest” in playing for the Vikings.

The latest reporting from The Athletic’s Mike Silver says that Allen will be released if a trade cannot be found.

For the Vikings, they could find a way to add Allen to their defensive line room and somehow add draft capital. How? Using the compensatory formula to their advantage.

It’s something the Vikings did when they signed Aaron Jones last year. If you sign a player that was cut in stead of their contract expiring, they don’t count toward the compensatory pick formula. It’s essentially a cheat code to adding talent while also adding draft capital. The Vikings are 16th in the NFL in adding compensatory picks with 28 while the Baltimore Ravens, who have used this strategy for years, sit atop the NFL with 56.

Right now, the Vikings are projected to not have a fourth round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft due to the Cam Robinson trade. With the possibility of losing both Robinson and quarterback Sam Darnold who could fetch high compensatory picks, using this strategy would be very effective for Adofo-Mensah.

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Here are some possible candidates to be released if they have not already been released. Maybe picking up released players rather than signing free agents will be the best route to take in order to preserve comp picks?

https://nfltraderumors.co/potential-cap-casualties-for-all-32-teams-in-2025/

Jonathan Allen

Javon Hargrave

Sheldon Rankins

Dre’Mont Jones

Grady Jarrett?

D.J. Reader?

Jamal Dean?

Kendall Fuller

Darius Slay

James Bradberry

Jaire Alexander

Alex Cappa

Braden Smith?

Joel Bitonio

Wyatt Teller

Noah Fant

Gerald Everett

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An Offseason Plan

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Starting Cap Space

2025: $63,032,543

2026: $107,008,844

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Trade Garrett Bradbury to Jags for a 5th round pick (143)

Cut Ed Ingram (saves 3.325M)

Cut CJ Ham (saves 2.65M)

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Extend/Redo Brian O’Neill 2 yr 38M (saves 11M)

Extend/Redo Andrew Van Ginkle 2 yr 30M (costs 1.6M)

Extend Josh Oliver – 3 yr 21M (saves 4.28M)

Extend Harrison Smith – 1 yr 8.255M (costs 7M)

Extend Theo Jackson – 2 yr 6M (this was before he was extended)

Extend Cam Akers – 1 yr 2.17M

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Sign Jonathan Allen (DL) – 3 yr 60M

Sign Drew Dalman (C) – 4 yr 56M

Sign Will Fries (RG) – 4 yr 60M

Sign Kendall Fuller (CB) – 2 yr 14M

Sign Jaire Alexander (CB) – 1 yr 10M

Sign Javonte Williams (RB) – 2 yr 7M

Sign Nate Hobbs (CB) – 2 yr 12M

Sign Tommy Tremble (TE) – 3 yr 13.5M

Sign Dillon Radunz (OL) – 2 yr 7M

…

Ending Cap Space

2025: $37,704,543 (take a couple mil off for Theo)

2026: $32,975,844

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Still need a backup QB which I do not think will be Darnold or Jones. Maybe Minshew or Wentz?

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Yore Mock Draft

Trade Partner: Chiefs

Sent: R1:24, R3:97

Received: R1:31, R2:63

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Trade Partner: Titans

Sent: R1:31

Received: R2:35, R4:102

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Trade Partner: Chiefs

Sent: R1:24, R3:97

Received: R1:31, R2:63

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Trade Partner: Jags

Sent: Garrett Bradbury

Received: R5: 143

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Trade Partner: Chargers

Sent: R5:140

Received: R5:159, R6:199

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R2:35 Derrick Harmon DT Oregon 6’4.4” 313

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R2:63 Darien Porter CB Iowa State 6’2.7” 195

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R4:102 Ty Robinson DL Nebraska 6’5.1” 288

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R5:143 Bhayshul Tuten RB Virginia Tech 5’9.2” 206

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R5:159 Jalen Travis OT Iowa State 6’7.6” 339

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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R5:161 Danny Stutsman LB Oklahoma 6’3.2” 233

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R6:199 Chimere Dike WR Florida 6’0.5” 196

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R7:256 Hunter Wohler S Wisconsin 6’2.0” 213

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