As I was preparing this, the Wentz signing popped. This is very interesting and curious to say the least. Is it a precursor to a trade of JJ? I don’t think so but I would not be surprised. The latest new in free agency was the signing of Johnny Hekker and Ryan Van Demark. The interesting thing about the signing is that neither the Bills or Vikings can modify his deal that he signed until after he plays one full season. It will be 4.25M against the cap for both teams. I am still waiting on something to happen with O’Neill and Greenard.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Minnesota Vikings do have a plan, but will it continue?
Without a general manager outside of interim Rob Brzezinski, there have been a lot of questions about what is going to happen with the future. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote about why they have been so quiet in free agency, with some interesting quotes from Brzezinski.
“We had a plan that we devised together,” Brzezinski said, “and I’m just really proud of the way everybody worked together, identifying some targets that we were able to reach agreements with. There’s others we weren’t, but I think I’m really most proud of the patience. … Really grateful also for [Hockenson and Jones] reworking their contracts to find a middle ground. These were two players and two people that are really important to our football team and to [coach Kevin O’Connell] in our locker room.
“So I feel like we’ve navigated responsibly the future versus being competitive this year. And I feel like we’re in a really good spot, but like we keep saying, there’s a long way to go.”
It’s great that the Vikings have devised a plan and are executing it, but what changes with a new general manager in May? Will they want to follow the same direction that Brzezinski is seemingly laying out? They will likely want to achieve some form of what Brzezinski wants to get back to: drafting and developing.
“Brzezinski said last month that he envisioned the Vikings as a franchise that looks to draft and develop and to retain our core, and supplement in free agency.’” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert said. “That served as a reminder that teams don’t just use cap space on free agency, but also — and often more importantly — on signing their existing players to contract extensions. Right tackle Brian O’Neill and receiver Jordan Addison are among the upcoming deals the Vikings have budgeted for. It’s also worth noting that Brzezinski described the Vikings’ 2026 roster build as being ‘barely out of the gate here,’ implying there are other ways than free agency to make substantive roster improvements.”
Wednesday afternoon brought the first news that the Minnesota Vikings had an extension for right tackle Brian O’Neill budgeted into their future plans.
“Brzezinski said last month that he envisioned the Vikings as a franchise that looks to “draft and develop and to retain our core, and supplement in free agency.” That served as a reminder that teams don’t just use cap space on free agency, but also — and often more importantly — on signing their existing players to contract extensions. Right tackle Brian O’Neill and receiver Jordan Addison are among the upcoming deals the Vikings have budgeted for.”
The latest on Greenard comes from Alec Lewis of The Athletic, who revealed two potential landing spots that make sense for the Vikings pass rusher.
“I think over the course of the last week or last two weeks, it probably seemed more imminent than it was,” Lewis said on the March 18 edition of “The Alec Lewis Show.” “I would say that the Minnesota Vikings have been very clear from the outset that they are doing this on their terms. So they are not going to trade a talented player that they’ve really liked having, Jonathan Greenard, unless it makes a lot of sense for them to do that.
“I would say the Philadelphia Eagles definitely still need edge rusher talent. I mean, they have Jalyx Hunt, they signed Arnold Ebiketie, they have Nolan Smith Jr., but to have another elite edge rusher, it’s part of the reason they were in on Jaelan Phillips. And then I think the Indianapolis Colts are kind of in a similar vein.”
Lewis isn’t the only one who has recently provided an update on Greenard’s future. On March 13, NFL insider Jordan Schultz offered the latest regarding the Vikings veteran.
“[The Vikings are] trying to trade him,“ Schultz said during an appearance on 105.3 The FAN. “They’ve got multiple suitors, but the issue with him is he’s going to want a new deal. Anytime you have a guy that you’re trading for, you have to give up draft capital. That’s one part.
“But it becomes a lot more complicated when that player is going to want a new contract. He’s got a lot of stuff to him. He’s a very good player, and I think has a lot of really good football left.”
Moreover, Schultz notes that the Dallas Cowboys should consider a move for Greenard, especially if a team within their division, like the Eagles, decides to make a move on the Vikings standout.
“To me, that’s the type of player that Dallas should go after,“ Schultz added. “I still think they need more juice coming off the edge. He can rush, he’s a really good tackler. I would be surprised if he wasn’t moved, but I also know that you’re going to have to pay him a big salary on a multi‑year deal, and that’s probably why it hasn’t happened just yet.”
The Vikings announced on Thursday they are bringing Carson Wentz back on a one-year deal and he now joins a room that includes Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
This obviously makes for an interesting dynamic that could result in a trade at some point, whether that be sooner or later.
The expectation is Murray is going to win out in the competition for the starting job over McCarthy, the team’s 2024 first-round pick, and it’s hard to fathom Minnesota holding on to all three quarterbacks.
If that scenario with Murray unfolds, the Vikings may choose to unload Wentz or McCarthy, with the latter likely to draw more interest considering his age.
Four teams we could see calling the Vikings are the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders.
We know, we know, the Packers and the Vikings are in the same division and trades between divisional foes are rare.
But we don’t think it’s impossible the Vikings would be willing to unload Wentz to the Packers, who would make sense for Green Bay thanks to their need for a more established veteran backup behind Jordan Love.
Note: This person is already trying to trade Wentz.
The blame game is still being played over Minnesota’s 2025 quarterback decision disaster.
“As I understand it, O’Connell got overruled. He wanted to have Darnold or Jones or Aaron Rodgers, and he got overruled.” Florio said. “They said no to Rodgers. Rodgers wanted to play for them last year, and they said no. They’re sticking with JJ McCarthy. And Jones is really the one that I think gulled O’Connell the most, because I think they thought they had something special with Jones.”
Hey, the way I heard it, there was a chance Darnold was going to get benched during the playoffs last year for Daniel Jones,” Florio continued. “They put him on the active roster late in the regular season for a reason. They really wanted to keep Daniel Jones.”
…
Never has O’Connell said he was overruled or that he didn’t fully believe in McCarthy ahead of last season. If it’s true that he was overruled, he toed the company line and didn’t throw Adofo-Mensah or anyone else under the bus. Instead, NFL insiders are doing the talking.
“They fired the GM because he had Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and an interested Aaron Rodgers in the building, and he said, no, we’re good with J.J. (McCarthy), and Max Brosmer and Carson Wentz are gonna be his backups. They’re not going to make the same mistake twice,” ESPN’s Peter Schrager said after Adofo-Mensah was fired.
…
And this isn’t the first time Florio has suggested O’Connell didn’t get his wish a year ago.
“I believe that last year, Kevin O’Connell was banging hard on the table to have an accomplished veteran to go along with J.J. McCarthy. Recognizing that McCarthy wasn’t ready to go out there and be the guy, and that they needed someone else. Whether it was Sam Darnold, whether it was Daniel Jones, whether it was Aaron Rodgers,” Florio said in February.
The Minnesota Vikings might not be set at running back for the 2026 season despite the potential return of talented running back Aaron Jones Sr. With former Minnesota running back Ty Chandler headed to the Saints and uncertainty at the position, the team could look to the draft to address the need.
…
”Draft writer Ryan Fowler has shared on X that the Vikings will be hosting Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne on a “30 visit,” which teams use on prospects they’re particularly interested in.
Claiborne ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. … He’d certainly be a nice get for the Vikings to be able to learn behind the veterans while also adding a new element of speed to their offense.”
…
”In 2024, Claiborne really broke out. He carried 228 times for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding 23 catches for 254 yards and two more scores.
Then in 2025, he increased his rushing efficiency by going for 907 yards on 179 runs (5.1 yards per carry). He scored 10 touchdowns and added 28 catches for 140 yards.”
Yore Mock
Draft Results from Mock Draft HeroPre-Draft Rankings: DraftTek
TradesVikings receive: 1.23, 3.68, 4.122Eagles receive: 1.18, 3.82…Vikings receive: 2.46, 5.155Buccaneers receive: 2.49, 4.122…Vikings receive: 4.13849ers receive: 5.155, 2027 5th…Pick 23. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo) 6’3 1/2” 201Pick 46. Lee Hunter (DL1T, Texas Tech) 6’3 1/2” 318Pick 68. Keylan Rutledge (OG, Georgia Tech) 6’4” 316Pick 97. Ja’Kobi Lane (WR, USC) 6’4” 200Pick 138. Jaishawn Barham (EDGE, Michigan) 6’2 1/2” 240Pick 163. Ephesians Prysock (CB, Washington) 6’3 3/8” 196Pick 196. Adam Randall (RB, Clemson) 6’3” 232Pick 234. Tanner Koziol (TE, Houston) 6’6 5/8” 247Pick 235. Kaleb Elarms-Orr (OLB, TCU) 6’2” 234Pick 244. Kaden Wetjen (WRS, Iowa) 5’10 1/8 192
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