Category: Minnesota Vikings

Vikings kicker John Parker Romo was staying ready for his chance

Vikings’ kicker John Parker Romo was ready for his first action in the NFL,

It was beginning to feel like the same old story for the Vikings after rookie kicker Will Reichard missed field goals last week in the win over the Colts. But come to find out, the star kicker was injured and would be placed on the Injured Reserve, which meant Minnesota was in need of finding yet another kicker.

In came John Parker Romo. He was with the Vikings this summer and was cut in camp in favor of Reichard, but Romo stayed ready for his chance.

In his first-ever NFL game, Romo scored all 12 points for the Vikings during their 12-7 win over the Jaguars. He nailed kicks of 45, 33, 34, and 29 yards to help the Minnesota defense win the game.

On Monday, Kevin O’Connell told the media the conversation he had with Romo before the game.

“I told him before the game, I said it the night before the game in front of the whole team that we all have confidence in him, and you’re gonna go do your thing,” O’Connell said on Monday. “‘It’s just the same old thing, you’ve done this 10,000 times, but now you’re gonna be doing it to help the Minnesota Vikings win,’ and that’s exactly what he did.”

Vikings RB Aaron Jones discusses why he needed a cart after his injury

As it turned out, the cart was just an extra accessory to his situation, which was not very serious.

On Sunday, the Vikings played a messy game against the Jaguars, which resulted in the team winning by a score of just 12-7. In that game, we saw lots of turnovers, a stagnant offense, and one injury that made fans nervous.

It became more concerning when we saw running back Aaron Jones being taken off the field and then carted away on the sideline. As it turned out, the cart was just an extra accessory to his situation, which was not very serious.

 

It is good to know that Jones is healthy after the heavy usage he has been dealing with in recent weeks. He is the straw that stirs the drink for this Vikings offense, so it is good to know that he will be healthy on Sunday.

Salary cap implications complicate Sam Darnold being a Viking in 2025

The voice of the Vikings, Paul Allen doesn’t see Darnold back in Minnesota next season.

Plenty of Viking fans are left scratching their head following Sam Darnold’s three-interception performance on Sunday against the Jaguars. Minnesota got the job done and won 12-7 against Jacksonville, but Darnold arguably played his worst Viking game.

Darnold is tied with Geno Smith and Jordan Love for last in the league with 10 interceptions thrown. There was a reason the Vikings drafted Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy to become their new franchise quarterback, and even if Darnold can get back on track, it’s unlikely he will be in Minnesota after this year.

What Allen eludes to is the main issue with Darnold returning to the Vikings in 2025. It has nothing to do with his play but rather with the salary cap implications. Darnold is likely to get a contract earning between $20-$30 million a year from a team needing a quality starter, which Darnold has proven to be.

“I mean, if Sam Darnold wins the Super Bowl as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, he’s not getting 100 million guaranteed here,” Paul Allen said on KFAN1003. “He’s not, because Kwesi in that group has worked so hard for two and a half years to get salary cap flexibility. And in essence, jettison picks in certain parts of the draft to get Greenard, to get Van Ginkel, to get Cashman.”

The Vikings and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are in prime posit[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media]ion to make a splash in free agency, with a projected $76 million available to them. That will allow them to re-sign and extend some core players while also going out and addressing some team needs.

Bringing Darnold back makes those two goals more challenging for a franchise that has shown efficiency in player management.

Vikings made unique history on Sunday against the Jaguars

It was a weird game from all levels on Sunday.

Minnesota moved to 7-2 on the season after taking down the Jaguars in Jacksonville, 12-7. It was a unique game for the Vikings for multiple reasons. Quarterback Sam Darnold threw three interceptions and the Vikings still won the game without their star rookie kicker, Will Reichard.

But the main reason why the win was so unique was because teams were 0-147 since 2010 if they had three turnovers or more paired with zero touchdowns scored. Minnesota is the first team to win a game like this since Green Bay took down the Vikings back in 2006.

All three of Darnold’s interceptions came when he was looking toward start receiver Justin Jefferson. Darnold was locked in on his main target and forced throws his way.

But behind the leg of John Parker Romo and Brian Flores’ defense, the Vikings prevailed against a Jaguars team that was down Trevor Lawrence. Former New England quarterback Mac Jone might have helped the Vikings out as well.

Justin Jefferson passes Adam Thielen for No. 4 all-time in Vikings receiving yards

The Vikings WR continues to climb the ladder as the he makes his first catch of the day against the Jaguars in Week 10.

With his first catch of the day on Sunday, Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson passed Adam Thielen and moved into fourth for all-time receiving yards with Minnesota. Jefferson was sitting at 6,687 yards following his first grab of the day against Jacksonville.

Jefferson is now behind Cris Carter, Randy Moss, and Anthony Carter. Carter, the next man in line, had 7,636 yards as a Viking and Jefferson is well on his way to passing the former Viking legend.

The Vikings got things started quickly after holding the Jaguars on their first series. Then Minnesota went down for a field goal, but Minnesota allowed Mac Jones to lead the Jaguars down the field for a score. Sam Darnold turned the ball over, and the Vikings found themselves down 7-3 to the Jaguars.

Minnesota will need a bigger game from Jefferson, who has just two catches on the day against the Jaguars. Minnesota has struggled to get much of anything going on the offensive side.

Linebacker groups health highlights Wednesday’s injury report

With Jacksonville next on the slate, the Vikings saw three impact players sit out of Wednesday’s practice.

Minnesota will travel to Jacksonville for its next game. The Vikings released their first injury report on Wednesday ahead of the Jaguars’ game and Minnesota had three players not practice.

Linebackers Ivan Pace Jr., Andrew VanGinkel, and center Garrett Bradbury were all OUT. But both Bradbury and VanGinkel didn’t practice due to rest. However, Pace Jr. was listed OUT with a knee injury.

Linebacker Blake Cashman was back in practice but was on a limited basis. Cashman hasn’t played in the last two games, but the Vikings could really use his presence on the field in the coming weeks. Both Akayleb Evans and Gabriel Murphy were listed as limited as well.

Tight end Josh Oliver and safety Theo Jackson were both full participants. Oliver is progressing with his wrist, while Jackson’s hand is progressing, allowing them both to log full practices on Wednesday.

It will be essential to monitor the injury report as Sunday approaches.

Trevor Lawrence’s status is unknown for Week 10 matchup with Vikings

The Jaguars could be without their star QB on Sunday.

The Vikings are set to travel to Jacksonville for their next game, but the game could get slightly easier if star quarterback Trevor Lawrence is unable to go. Head coach Doug Pederson was noncommittal about whether Lawrence would play against the Vikings on Wednesday. The former Clemson star was a limited participant in the Jaguars’ practice.

But on Thursday morning, Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network reported it’s unlikely Lawrence will suit up against the Vikings. Lawrence has been battling a left shoulder but has been playing through it. Rapoport added that while surgery is not scheduled for Lawrence, several options remain possible for the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback

The 2-7 Jaguars’ backup would be former New England starter Mac Jones. The Patriots attempted to make the former Alabama quarterback their franchise quarterback, but due to a lack of talent in New England and Jones’s inconsistency, the Patriots moved on.

Jacksonville could be major underdogs come Sunday if Lawrence doesn’t play.

Vikings linebacker was mentioned in trade talks before deadline

The Vikings were speaking with teams to move the former second-round pick.

After Brian Flores took over as the Minnesota defensive coordinator, former second-round pick Brian Asamoah II was expected to make a major impact for the Vikings. But after signing Ivan Pace Jr. as an undrafted free agent, he took over as the starter next to Jordan Hicks and Asamoah II struggled to get onto the field.

Some rumors circulated that Minnesota could consider trading him at the deadline to gain some compensation, but no deals were made. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the Vikings did have conversations with teams, but no moves were made.

“A few former Day 2 picks from the 2022 draft class who were on my radar but didn’t get traded were Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich and Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah II. Both teams had trade discussions on the players, who are not in the mix for playing time. And there was interest, which deepened the intrigue on deadline day. But both teams decided to stand pat.”

If nothing else, Asamoah II will remain a depth piece for the Vikings.

Aaron Jones shares details of pregame moment with family of Khyree Jackson

The tragic passing of Khyree Jackson may not be in the news as much as it was this offseason, but his presence is very much on this team. 

The sudden and tragic passing of Khyree Jackson may not be in the news as much as it was this offseason, but his presence is very much on this team. His locker has been left untouched at U.S. Bank Stadium, and on the road, they always make sure his memory travels with them.

Vikings running back Aaron Jones spoke to the media on Wednesday and shared the details of a moment he had with the family of Khyree Jackson before their matchup with the Colts.

Jones shared that he has made sure that flowers have remained in Jackson’s locker all year, and he shared that with his family. Jones added, “We miss him and he’s not forgotten. Everything we’re doing this year is for him.”

Jones has quickly become one of the leaders on this Vikings team despite just joining the team this offseason. If he continues his work on and off the field, the Vikings would be wise to have him get a longer-term deal done with the team.

Dan Graziano offers high praise for Vikings trade of Cam Robinson

The NFL Trade Deadline was very busy for most teams, the Vikings included, but one move did more than the rest.

The NFL Trade Deadline was very busy for most teams, the Vikings included, but one move did more than the rest. Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has always been a proactive roster builder but this year he was forced into the role more than before.

The Vikings had lost their starting tackle, Christian Darrisaw, and wasted no time finding a fill-in tackle by trading for Cam Robinson.

Most outlets praised the move, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano is taking it a step further, saying it was the “most important addition over the past month.”

Graziano wrote, “Robinson is certainly not Darrisaw, but given how difficult it is to find starting-caliber offensive linemen at any time of the season, you have to admire the Vikings for getting out there and trying to plug a hole they absolutely had to plug.”

Robinson looked okay in his first game with the Vikings as they played the Colts in Week 9. With more than just one day of practice under his belt now, the offensive line as a whole is expected to look more in sync as they play his former team on Sunday.