A pretty good weekend for football save for the Seahawks vs 49ers game. The Bills choked it away again and now fired their coach. The Patriots look to have an easy path to the Super Bowl with Bo Nix injured. The Rams vs Seahawks game should be good as their two games this season were very close with one going overtime in Seattle.
All that being said, since the Vikings did not get into the dance, it is A Case of the Mondays!
I am not feeling good about keeping Flores. I hope they don’t take too long and see other replacement candidates sign elsewhere.
No 8. Miami Dolphins
No 7. Arizona Cardinals
No 6. Cleveland Browns
No 5. Tennessee Titans
No 4. Las Vegas Raiders
No 3. Pittsburgh Steelers
No 2. Buffalo Bills
No 1. Baltimore Ravens
….
I think Flores would be great for any of the top 3 teams with the Ravens being perticularly a good fit IMHO. I do not see him wanting to suffer through the growing pains of a young QB.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Our own Trevor Squire provided some reasoning on Kuper being let go by the Vikings.
“The Minnesota Vikings poured major investment into their offensive line last offseason to no avail.
After signing former Indianapolis Colts starters Ryan Kelly and Will Fries to deals worth a combined $105 million and drafting Donovan Jackson in the first round, the Vikings offensive line finished the 2025 season ranked 31st in pass protection.
Injuries were the bane of the team’s struggles on the offensive front as the starting unit played just 89 snaps together all season.”
Squire also pulled up some evidence that led to the divorce from Kuper from Alec Lewis.
“Minnesota’s interior still allowed the highest pressure rate in the NFL this past season, according to Next Gen Stats. Only the Las Vegas Raiders’ interior was dinged for more sacks. The Vikings improved throughout 2025 in the run game, but struggles continued against more physical and respected defensive fronts.”
Lewis also mentioned another nail in Kuper’s coffin. The productivity of former Vikings such as Ezra Cleveland, Dalton Risner, Ed Ingram, and Garrett Bradbury proved that their struggles in Minnesota may have been a coaching issue.
Adam Patrick of The Viking Age had the scoop on the Vikings missing out on Bill Callahan.
“According to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo on Sunday, Callahan is expected to join the Atlanta Falcons as their new offensive line coach following the team’s announcement on Saturday that former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski has been hired as the Falcons’ new head coach
Callahan had previously worked with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell when both were members of the Washington Commanders‘ coaching staff from 2017 to 2019. But instead of reuniting with O’Connell, the veteran offensive line coach will join Stefanski in Atlanta.”
Patrick points out some potential good news in the situation for Minnesota.
“With Callahan expected to take over as the Falcons’ offensive line coach, that frees up Dwayne Ledford, who had been Atlanta’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the last five seasons.
Under Ledford, the Falcons consistently had one of the NFL’s top offensive lines, and he would be a tremendous upgrade over what the Vikings had with Kuper for the last few years, especially if he can help improve Minnesota’s rushing attack as well.”
Kevin Stefanski was just hired as the Falcons’ new head coach, replacing Raheem Morris. According to reports, veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan will be joining Stefanski’s staff in that role. That means Ledford, who is a well-respected OL coach, will become a free agent who should receive significant interest around the league. (Shoutout to Alec Lewis of The Athletic for pointing that out).
Ledford, 49, has been with the Falcons since 2021. In addition to serving as their OL coach, he’s been Atlanta’s run game coordinator for the past two seasons. The Falcons have boasted a very strong offensive line and running game in recent years. Right guard Chris Lindstrom has made four straight Pro Bowls, and Atlanta’s other standout offensive linemen include tackles Kaleb McGary and Jake Matthews, guard Matthew Bergeron, and centers Drew Dalman and Ryan Neuzil.
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Note: Yore run game does look a lot better with Bijan Robinson. Just sayin.
Vikings Get Bad Jalen Nailor News Amid Jordan Addison Concerns
Appearing in a December interview with Ari Meirov that was released on January 13, Nailor addressed his upcoming free agency.
“Whatever happens after it, happens. I’m just trying to do what I can to put myself and my family in the best situation there is in the near future,” Nailor said, adding that he was focused on the final three games of the regular season to close out his rookie deal in Minnesota.
Nailor’s comments align with an account from Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Emily Leiker, who said Nailor wouldn’t mind returning to Minnesota but appeared content with testing the market first.
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Responding to Leikert’s account of Nailor’s comments at locker room cleanout day, colleague Ben Goessling read through the lines, arguing that Nailor is likely to going to force the Vikings’ hand to compete for him in free agency.
“Yeah, there’s a chance to get a payday there for a guy that was a sixth-round pick,” Goessling said on the “Access Vikings” podcast.
“The fact that, if he’s saying, ‘Yeah, we’re going to see how it plays out,’ it’s a nice way of saying, ‘Yeah, I expect to be on the market, and I’m gonna get paid if I can,’ I mean, you know, this is your shot to do that. So, I don’t think that’s an unreasonable approach to this at all.”
Minnesota Vikings NFL mock draft tracker
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler
Sports Illustrated’s Nick Merriam
“If T.J. Hockenson is a cap casualty this offseason, tight end would move up the Vikings’ needs list.
“Sadiq is a big, freaky athlete with the adjustment skills to make difficult catches look routine and the mentality to be an asset as a blocker. NFL teams believe he has the talent to be a top-10 pick.”- Brugler
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Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson
USA Today’s Ayrton Ostly
Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick
A to Z Sports’ Staff
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards
Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness
“Avieon Terrell is a sharp cover man with excellent speed and short-area burst, as well as good route-recognition capabilities. In 2024, he notched 2 interceptions and 12 pass breakups for Clemson, and he’s combined 21 pass deflections over the course of his last two seasons.
“This year, he improved as a tackler, dropping his missed tackle percentage down to 10.4% from 4.1% the year before.”-Infante
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Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
Pro Football Network’s Josh Weil
“While the Vikings may be upset to miss out on Love, Clemson’s Peter Woods will help them quickly quell any draft-day blues, as he is a highly physical and high-motor player who excels against both the pass and the run. Adding a player like Woods to an already solid defensive front will create more pressure on opposing offenses and create more havoc in what is becoming one of the best divisions in football.”-Weil
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Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer
“The Vikings need to get more explosive in stretching the field with their passing game, as there was too much short-to-intermediate reliance. Tate can take the top off the defense and get open well in single coverage outside away from Justin Jefferson to boost J.J. McCarthy.”-Iyer
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Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Sports Illustrated’s Richie Bradshaw
“Jordan Addison’s NFL future is in doubt following his third arrest since entering the league. He was hardly dependable even when he was in the field, and Justin Jefferson suffered from his absence and poor quarterback play. The offense needs another receiver, if for no other reason than to help JJ McCarthy’a development. Lemon is a great route runner who can break off big plays at any given moment. While Jefferson attacks each level of the field, Lemon can work underneath and intermediate to give the passing game a check down option to keep the chains moving. “-Bradshaw
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Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Scouting Report
The Draft Network’s Jaime Eisner
“Why Jeremiyah Love here? Aaron Jones could be a cap casualty and Jordan Mason has just one more year left on his deal. The Minnesota Vikings need a strong run game while they figure out their short- and long-term quarterback situation and Love is an elite talent. If he is on the board, he’s too good to pass up.”-Eisner
Paid site but the story is so very true
Reusse: Vikings have been treading water in 25 years since ‘41-doughnut’
10 takeaways from Divisional Playoff weekend
Sam Darnold going to the NFC Championship game is proof that the QB isn’t always the reason a team succeeds or fails in the playoffs
The ironic thing is that Darnold didn’t have to do much to beat the 49ers. He made a great throw running to his left that resulted in an early touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba that put San Fran on ice but otherwise he could have pulled a Jimmy G and thrown eight passes and still won the game easily. The banged-up 49ers had no shot after losing George Kittle and then Christian McCaffrey.
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Oh, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The only take on Darnold from Vikings fans should be that it’s great for him. He handled everything in Minnesota, including his exit, like a pro. He gave them a great season and they made the choice to let him leave by not franchise tagging him.
And if he does win the Super Bowl, it will go down as one of the most colossal mistakes of all time in the NFL to let him walk.
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Bo Nix’s success highlights Vikings 2024 draft decision
You won’t find anybody who dislikes the “coulda drafted this guy instead!” analysis in the NFL. Yes, the Vikings could have taken Kyle Hamilton. Yes, they could have picked Michael Thomas other Laquon Treadwell. They had a half dozen shots at Tom Brady, too. What are we supposed to do with that? Every team has a history of missing on great players who were picked later.
However, the Vikings had a choice in the 2024 draft. JJ McCarthy or Bo Nix. They picked the much more raw, inexperienced prospect with college numbers that didn’t even begin to approach those of Nix. They must have felt that Nix’s tools limited his upside or his offense was cartoony or that his flat-top looked too much like Ivan Drago. Who knows what they thought but they thought wrong.
McCarthy may someday become a great quarterback but the Vikings’ timeline required a QB that was ready to play ASAP and that was much more Nix than McCarthy.
Over the last two years, he’s been in the postseason twice and put together an excellent overall performance with a massive clutch deep touchdown to give the Broncos a shot to win the game against Buffalo.
Do you have any insight into changes at the college scouting level over the past few years? — Tim F.
There haven’t been many.
Former director of college scouting Jamaal Stephenson remains with the team as a senior personnel executive. Mike Sholiton and Pat Roberts, two longtime scouts who have also been with the Vikings for more than a decade, still head the team’s college scouting staff. Below them, the Vikings have shuffled some of their college-area scouts in the last few years.
Cap Space Work
2026 Cap : (-$49,183,588)
Trade Hockenson and a 2027 7th to Rams for a 5th
Cut Hargrave, Jones, & Kelly
After these moves the team would still be negative (-$13,258,883)
.
Extend O’Neill 3 yr 72M
Restructure Jefferson (max)
Restructure Greenard (max)
.
Cap now at $29,565,382
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Extend Wright 2 yr 6M
Extend DePaola 2 yr 3.5M
Extend Redmond 3 yr 37.5M
Give Zavier Scott & Bo Richter the ERFA tender
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Cap now at $24,070,382
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Sign CB Alontae Taylor 3 yr 39M
Sign LB Leo Chenal 3 yr 21M
Sign RB Kenneth Gainwell 3 yr 18M
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Updated 2026 Cap : $17,440,382 (57 players)
2027 Cap : (-$13,784,227)
Probable 2027 moves … Cut Allen & Metellus would take 2027 cap to $12,060,773
Probably could restructure Darrisaw as well.
Yore Mock
Trade Partner: RamsSent: T.J. Hockenson TE, 7.234Received: 5.167
…Trade Partner:JetsSent: 3.97Received: 4.103, 5.178…Trade Partner:ChargersSent: 5.161, 5.178Received: 4.123…
Pick 18. Kenyon Sadiq TE Oregon 6’3” 245Pick 49. Dillon Thieneman S Oregon 6’0” 205Pick 82.Keionte Scott CB Miami (FL) 6’0” 194Pick 103. Tim Keenan III DL Alabama 6’2” 320Pick 123. Logan Jones IOL Iowa 6’3” 303Pick 167. Louis Moore S Indiana 5’11” 200Pick 194. Mike Washington Jr. RB Arkansas 6’2” 228Pick 240. Roy Williams EDGE Northern Illinois 6’6” 257
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