Category: Minnesota Vikings

Is Justin Jefferson an All-Pro? NFL announces 2024 selections

On Friday, the Associated Press announced the selections for the 2024 All-Pro team, did Justin Jefferson make the first team?

The NFL has a lot of high honors, from The Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award to the MVP Award; everyone is playing for something intentionally or not. While a lot of people will want to focus on Pro Bowl selections because there is game attached to it, the selection to an All-Pro team is what should be held in a much higher regard.

On Friday, the Associated Press announced the selections for the 2024 All-Pro team, did Justin Jefferson make the first team?

Not only did Justin Jefferson make the All-Pro team, he was a unanimous selection from the 50 writers. His former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase, who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals, was also unanimous.

Jefferson was just one of two unanimous selections.

This is the second time that Jefferson has been selected to an All-Pro team. The first came in 2022, when he caught 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. He didn’t quite replicate that production this season, but he was very good, catching 103 passes for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns.

GMF speculates what is on the line for Sam Darnold against the Rams

Good Morning Football has become a staple for viewing both for NFL fans and teams within their facilities. What that means is their analysis and opinions carry weight within the football world, so when they discuss a topic, it is worth hearing the …

Good Morning Football has become a staple for viewing both for NFL fans and teams within their facilities. What that means is their analysis and opinions carry weight within the football world, so when they discuss a topic, it is worth hearing the discussion.

On Wednesday, Peter Schrager took a break from making veins pop out of his head during Angry Runs to discuss Sam Darnold.

The Vikings quarterback has a lot at stake this coming Monday against the Los Angeles Rams. In Week 18 against the Detroit Lions, he played the worst game of the season. Peter Schrager believes for that very reason, the veteran quarterback could be playing for his career in Minnesota.

“If Sam Darnold plays poorly against the Rams, if he loses, I don’t think he’s the Vikings QB next year.”

In their matchup earlier this year, it was the defense, not Sam Darnold, that let the team down against the Rams. Darnold did well against their weaker secondary and utilized a combination of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison effectively.

If he can repeat that performance, or better yet, then perhaps the talks of him staying in Minnesota can heat up again.

 

Jaguars request interview with Vikings DC Brian Flores for HC vacancy

The Jacksonville Jaguars are the third team to request an interview with Brian Flores to become their new head coach.

Brian Flores told reporters on Tuesday that he plans to take every head coaching interview that comes his way. At the time, it was reported that the New York Jets and Chicago Bears had requested interviews with him. He now has another interview awaiting.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they have requested an interview with the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Doug Pederson was fired on Monday after spending three years as the Jaguars’ head coach.

Flores is one of the most intriguing candidates in the head coaching cycle. He has transformed the Vikings’ defense into one of the league’s best in two years and complements Kevin O’Connell’s aggressiveness on offense.

But he’s currently in the middle of a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL that stemmed from his time as the Miami Dolphins head coach from 2019-2021, as well as interviews in 2022 with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.

He must also show he has grown since his time as Miami’s head coach. Tua Tagovailoa called Flores a “terrible human being” in August, raising questions about Flores’ ability to work with the sport’s most important position. Has his time around O’Connell helped him evolve in culture- and relationship-building?

Still, this is progress for Flores. He didn’t receive a single interview in the 2024 off-season after improving the Vikings’ defense from the 31st-ranked unit in 2022 to the 16th-ranked unit in his first year as defensive coordinator. He has many hurdles to clear, but his success can’t be ignored.

California wildfires force NFL to have contingency plan for Vikings-Rams

While state officials and other agencies monitor the fire for their job, the NFL is doing its part to ensure safety of everyone involved.

The NFL, like the rest of the world, is watching the horrific events unfold in Southern California as the wildfires rage on. Despite the work of many first responders and brave volunteers, the fires remain uncontained, and there is a potential for them to approach Los Angeles.

While state officials and other agencies monitor the fire for their job, the NFL is doing its part to ensure its players, fans, officials, and stadium workers are safe.

In the event that the fires force a relocation of Monday Night’s Wild Card matchup between the Rams and Vikings, the NFL has an alternate location selected. The Arizona Cardinals and their State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona will be hosting the game if it cannot be held in Los Angeles.

The NFL, in a statement released on Wednesday night, stated that they will “continue to prepare to play the Vikings-Rams game as scheduled at SoFi Stadium.”

 

Mina Kimes of ESPN also shared a map for locals, which gives a better idea of the fire and its possible direction. The map also provides updates on calls and incidents within the affected areas. 

As they continue to monitor the situation in California, we will be sure to update you as the NFL continues to remain on top of the situation. If you are reading this and are in the area affected, we implore you to listen to local and disaster officials and follow their instructions.

One Vikings player is named to the 2024 NFLPA All-Pro Team

One Minnesota Viking made the NFLPA’s third-annual All-Pro team.

The NFL Players Association released its third-annual All-Pro team on Wednesday. One Minnesota Vikings player was represented on the team.

Justin Jefferson was one of two wide receivers selected to the team, joining Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase. This is the second time in three years that Jefferson has made the team.

It was another spectacular season for Jefferson. He caught 103 passes for 1,533 yards and ten touchdowns. This marked the third time in his career that he reached 100 receptions and 1,500 yards, becoming just the fifth player in NFL history to do so.

This is the only team that NFL players exclusively vote on. JC Tretter, who now serves as the NFLPA’s chief strategy officer, laid out the voting process when the 2022 team was announced:

  • Only active NFL players can vote and they get only one vote.
  • If a player missed five or more games as of Week 15, then they are ineligible. This is to ensure that we are choosing the best players who had the most impact this season. Being available counts.
  • Players cannot vote for themselves or for their own teammates
  • Players vote for the position group they play in and line up against.
    • For example, centers can vote for:
      • The best Center in the league
      • The best nose tackle in the league
      • The best Interior defensive lineman in the league
      • The best off-ball linebacker in the league

The process makes sense, as players can only devote their attention to so many players and positions during the grind of an NFL season. It may not take an eight-year veteran to realize that Jefferson has once again been one of the league’s best receivers. But it’s fun to know that he has the respect of his peers.

Unexpected Vikings defender seen as X-factor heading into playoffs

Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team named his playoff X-factor’s, and he gave an unexpected name for who could make a difference for the Vikings.

The playoffs are where players can emerge and become legends for their fanbase. During the Patriots dynasty run, players like Julian Edelman and Deion Branch emerged. In recent memory, we have players like Nick Foles and Isiah Pacheco who exceeded expectations on the way to playing pivotal roles in their team’s Super Bowl wins.

On that note, Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team named his playoff X-factor’s, and he gave an unexpected name for who could make a difference for the Vikings.

Valentino didn’t go with a big name but rather someone who can be forgotten on the defensive side of things. He writes that Jihad Ward has the chance to be the biggest x-factor for the Vikings in a potential playoff run.

He cites Ward’s ability to rush the passer citing, “. . .totaling 31 quarterback pressures, Ward set career-highs in pass-rush effectiveness despite having only one sack. Flores has asked Ward to forget about run assignments as much. . .he’s simply penetrating with his quickness and length, and it’s boosting a defense lacking defined talent across the unit.”

The interior defensive line of the Vikings lacks one true monster for teams to worry about, but rather, they are working with a rotation of players. Jihad Ward is a part of it, but Jalen Redmond has also emerged from that approach.

It will be interesting to see how his pressure rate continues in the playoffs, starting on Monday against the Rams.

NFL analyst sees Vikings-Rams Wild Card matchup as a toss-up

Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team talked about Minnesota’s playoff matchup and discussed the possibility of an upset occurring for the Vikings. 

The NFL Wild Card round is upon us and while Vikings fans hoped they wouldn’t be watching their team, the Lions had other plans. Coming off a disappointing season finale performance in Detroit, the Vikings have a lot to prove against the Rams.

Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team talked about Minnesota’s playoff matchup and discussed the possibility of an upset occurring for the Vikings. This is a rematch of a matchup we have already seen this season and he discusses what makes this game so close despite the previous viewing of it.

Brooke gives the Vikings credit for their coaching staff building such a complete team writing, “Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores have built up one of the best complimentary football teams in the league.” All season long Vikings teams have enjoyed watching this team build momentum for each side of the ball and allowing for them to remain fresh as a result.

For the Rams, Brook also gives their offense credit but worries about the defense. He writes, “For as talented as their defense is, the Rams are so young on that side of the ball that the lack of playoff experience could lead to some mental lapses.”

While he ranks the game as a 5 out of 10 on the upset charts, he does believe the Vikings offense to be the difference maker in the end.

“. . .the Vikings’ offensive attack is simply too balanced to be on full-on upset watch.”

The Vikings elevate a former starting quarterback to the active roster

The Vikings have made a change to their quarterback room ahead of Monday’s game against the Rams.

There is a shake-up in the Minnesota Vikings quarterback room ahead of Monday’s wild card game against the Los Angeles Rams.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Daniel Jones has been signed to the Vikings’ active roster. The Vikings waived QB Brett Rypien in a corresponding move to open up the roster spot. Jones will likely serve as the emergency third quarterback on the Vikings’ gameday roster behind Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens.

This is a move that has been expected for weeks. Jones was signed to the Vikings’ practice squad shortly after being released by the Giants on Nov. 22. There was speculation that signing Jones would help the Vikings get a compensatory pick in 2026.

Jones had to be signed to the active roster to be part of the compensatory pick formula. If he leaves via free agency this spring, he will count towards any potential compensatory pick the Vikings would get in 2026.

It was a low-risk move for both the Vikings and Jones. As a former top-10 pick, he helps strengthen the quarterback room. And because Darnold and Mullens have had success under Kevin O’Connell, there wouldn’t be pressure to thrust Jones into the starting lineup if he wasn’t ready.

For Jones, joining the Vikings allowed him to sit back and be coached by one of the league’s best coaches. He could have signed with a QB-needy team, played and failed, and hurt future opportunities around the league.

Instead, he followed what Darnold did in 2023. After a disastrous start to his career, Darnold signed with the 49ers, who have a strong offensive coaching staff. He sat on the bench behind Brock Purdy and learned how to be a professional quarterback. Whether he stays in Minnesota or elsewhere, Darnold’s career trajectory has changed going into 2025.

Jones has taken the first step in altering his quarterback journey. Meanwhile, the Vikings can help their future draft capital while also strengthening their QB room and future draft capital.

Two Vikings didn’t miss a snap during the the 2024 season

There were two Vikings who played every snap during the 2024 season, joining only seven other players across the league to do so.

The NFL season is a grind, especially now that the league has expanded to 17 games. Players deal with aches and pains, even if they aren’t showing up on the injury report and missing games.

But not every player can be on the field for every snap of a season. Injuries and personnel packages make it difficult for any player to have a chance of playing all 1,000-plus snaps.

According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, only nine offensive players played the entire 2024 NFL season without missing a snap. Two of those were Vikings left guard Blake Brandel and center Garrett Bradbury. They played all 1,117 snaps.

Brandel, in his fifth season, became a full-time starter in 2024. Although Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks him 64th out of 77 guards, he has been reliable in availability. It should be noted that right guard Ed Ingram was replaced for on-field performance, not Brandel. He also played all 90 snaps on the field goal team.

Bradbury is ranked 29th of 43 centers, but his grasp of the playbook and offensive line calls make him the most important player on the offensive line. He will never make an All-Pro appearance, but Bradbury’s availability kept the Vikings from being forced to put Dan Feeney or rookie Michael Jurgens in the lineup during their first years with the team.

The other seven players on the list were also offensive linemen. It makes sense for a few reasons. First, teams usually activate only seven or eight linemen for games. So even if a game gets out of hand, teams can’t pull their entire line.

Second, offensive linemen usually don’t get substituted in and out of lineups during a game. Most other positions have different personnel packages requiring different players or positions to combat certain situations.

The Vikings had three other players who played at least 1,000 snaps on offense. This included Sam Darnold (1,110), Brian O’Neill (1,100), and Justin Jefferson played (1,043).

Vikings running backs struggled in the redzone at a league-high rate

No NFL running backs struggled to get past the line of scrimmage inside the 10-yard line as much as the Vikings in 2024.

The Minnesota Vikings struggled in the redzone in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. Part of this was the team’s inability to run the ball when they got inside the 10-yard line. The statistics tell us that this has been a trend all season.

On Tuesday, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune shared the troubling stat on through his X account.

According to Sports Info Solutions, Vikings running backs have been hit at the line on 72.2% of their runs inside the opponent’s 10-yard line. That’s the highest rate in the league.

This can largely be attributed to a weak interior offensive line. Center Garrett Bradbury is a better run blocker (13th among centers, according to Pro Football Focus) than a pass blocker. But the guards haven’t been as good.

Left guard Blake Brandel ranks 54th out of 77 guards in run blocking. Dalton Risner took over at right guard because he was a better pass blocker than Ed Ingram. But neither has been good this year in run blocking, with Risner ranking 59th, seven spots lower than Ingram.

How vital left tackle Christian Darrisaw was to the run game shouldn’t be forgotten, either. His 82.3 run-block grade was the sixth-highest in the league before his season ended with an ACL injury in Week 8. Cam Robinson has filled in admirably after starting the season in Jacksonville, but his 59.9 run-block grade ranks 53rd among tackles.

When free agency begins in March, the Vikings will have plenty of cap space. With core pieces in place at premium positions throughout the roster, this would be the year to spend money on interior linemen.
Sunday night’s game was disappointing, but it exposed a season-long weakness that the Vikings must address in 2025. Struggling to move the ball on the ground is frustrating, and it’s backbreaking when those struggles come near the endzone.