Tag: Ezra Cleveland

8 quotes from Kevin O’Connell’s trade deadline press conference

O’Connell had plenty to say about the Vikings moves at the trade deadline

The Minnesota Vikings had a very active trade deadline by acquiring quarterback Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals and trading left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

What they didn’t do was trade Danielle Hunter or acquire a big name at the trade deadline.

As things currently sit, the Vikings are 4-4 with a beeline for a wild card spot and a plausible chance to win the NFC North. That will come down to either fifth-round pick Jaren Hall or Dobbs leading the way.

After the trade deadline, head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media about the direction of the team and where things stand with multiple players.

Zulgad: Observations from a busy trade-deadline day for the Vikings

Judd Zulgad wrote about a busy Vikings trade deadline and how it impacts the Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were busy as the NFL trade deadline passed on Tuesday, acquiring quarterback Josh Dobbs from Arizona in a deal that involved a low-level pick swap and then sending left guard Ezra Cleveland to Jacksonville for a 2024 sixth-round selection that originally belonged to Carolina.

Danielle Hunter, meanwhile, went nowhere as he continues to have an outstanding season.

Here are some thoughts on the moves the Vikings made and didn’t make.

Twitter is mixed on Ezra Cleveland trade to Jaguars

Twitter was mixed on the the Vikings trading Ezra Cleveland to the Jaguars for a sixth round pick

The Minnesota Vikings have made multiple trades ahead of the trade deadline. After acquiring Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals, the Vikings traded left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth round pick.

The move itself is interesting. Cleveland is better than the compensation of a sixth-round pick, but his compensatory selection would have likely been a 5th. The Jaguars didn’t send their sixth-round pick, but rather the one owned by the Carolina Panthers. That pick will likely be one after the compensatory fifth-round picks.

When the move was announced, there was a lot of mixed reactions from both analysts and fans alike on Twitter.

Twitter reacts to Jaguars trade to acquire Ezra Cleveland from Vikings

What was your reaction to the Jaguars getting Ezra Cleveland for a sixth-round pick?

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a move at the 2023 NFL trade deadline, sending a sixth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland.

While most expected the Jaguars to target pass rushers if they made a deal Tuesday, the cheap cost to acquire Cleveland had plenty of people applauding general manager Trent Baalke and had some questioning what the Vikings were thinking.

Here are some of the best reactions on social media to the trade when it was reported and announced Tuesday:

Jaguars waive OL Ben Bartch to make room for OL Ezra Cleveland

The Jaguars cut ties with 2020 fourth-round pick Ben Bartch to make room for their newest addition.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a trade for the Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland official Tuesday and announced that offensive lineman Ben Bartch will be waived to make room for the new addition.

Bartch, 25, was a fourth-round pick for the Jaguars in the 2020 NFL draft and made 20 starts in four seasons with the team. After earning the starting left guard job in training camp last season, Bartch suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 5.

After beginning camp and preseason on the PUP list this year, Bartch re-assumed his starting role, but the return to the lineup lasted for only three games. He was eventually benched in favor of Tyler Shatley and the team has also turned to Blake Hance before Bartch at times this year.

In each of his three starts this season, Bartch was credited with allowing three pressures. Bartch’s 55.5 grade from Pro Football Focus so far in the 2023 season is a career low.

Bartch would be eligible to join the Jaguars’ practice squad, but he’d first have to go unclaimed on the waiver wire.

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Vikings trade Ezra Cleveland to the Jaguars

The Vikings made another trade, sending Cleveland to the Jaguars

The Minnesota Vikings have traded Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The news was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The trade compensation isn’t the greatest return for the Vikings. They got just a sixth-round pick back from the Jaguars. Considering how well Cleveland has played this season and his ability to potentially play at tackle, it’s very low.

PFF grades the former second-round pick Cleveland really well. He ranks as the eighth overall guard grade, 12th in pass blocking grade and 10th in run blocking grade.

The Vikings have Dalton Risner on the roster right now to take Cleveland’s place and he’s been more than adequate in the process.

Jaguars acquire OL Ezra Cleveland in trade with Vikings

The Jaguars added to their offensive line before the trade deadline by acquiring Ezra Cleveland from the Vikings.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a move to bolster their offensive line, acquiring Ezra Cleveland from the Minnesota Vikings just a couple hours before the NFL’s 4 p.m. trade deadline Tuesday.

According to Josina Anderson of FOX Sports, the Jaguars will send a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Vikings in exchange for Cleveland.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson was live on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show when the deal was reported.

“We’ve already got a good offensive line and Ezra can come in and give us really good depth,” Pederson said on the show. “It’s just a matter of getting him caught up. Getting him in the room with a really good offensive line. Guys like Brandon Scherff, he’s the leader in there, and Luke Fortner. Cam Robinson, Walker Little, these guys are just busting their tail every week.

“So getting a guy like Ezra, his caliber, we’ve got a starting type guard. It really solidifies our offensive line and makes us better.”

The Vikings drafted Cleveland in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft and he’s spent his entire career at guard with the team. After beginning on the right side, he’s spent time at left guard as of late and started the first six games of the 2023 season on the left side.

So why send Cleveland away for cheap?

According to Minnesota sports reporter Darren Wolfson, Cleveland has viewed himself as an offensive tackle and is itching to market himself as one in free agency. With his contract expiring in the offseason, the Vikings saw Cleveland as a player who wouldn’t be with the team in 2024 and beyond.

It could also mean the Jaguars are only getting a short-term rental. However, it also means Jacksonville would be the team getting a compensatory pick in 2025 if Cleveland leaves and there’s a strong free agency market for his services.

While the Jaguars’ offensive line has underwhelmed for much of the 2023 season, it’s unclear if Cleveland will be an immediate starter in Jacksonville. The team moved Walker Little to left guard after Cam Robinson returned from suspension and got good play from Little before a knee injury sidelined the lineman.

The likely answer is that Cleveland will take over guard duties sooner rather than later, though.

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Vikings trade Ezra Cleveland, acquire Josh Dobbs: The Real Forno Show

The Real Forno Show breaks down the Josh Downs and Ezra Cleveland

In wake of the Kirk Cousins’ torn Achilles tendon, the Minnesota Vikings have acquired a quarterback at the trade deadline.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Vikings have traded for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs. The compensation is minimal, as the Vikings send a sixth-round pick for a conditional seventh-round pick and Dobbs.

Dobbs started the first eight games for the Cardinals this season. He has a 1-7 record, but has kept them competitive while they waited for Kyler Murray to get healthy.

What does that mean for the Vikings? We will discuss that in both the short term and long term? Will Dobbs start on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons? Do the Vikings still believe in Jaren Hall or is this just to add depth without Cousins?

The Vikings also traded Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick. What does that mean as well?

We are here to break it all down and more on the latest episode of The Real Forno Show, airing Monday and Wednesday nights at 6 pm central on the Vikings 1st & SKOL YouTube channel.

Vikings release inactives for Week 8 vs. Packers

The Vikings inactive list against the Green Bay Packers includes Ezra Cleveland for the second week in a row

The Minnesota Vikings have released their inactive list for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

  • RB Kene Nwangwu (illness)
  • LG Ezra Cleveland (foot)
  • ILB Brian Asamoah II (ankle)
  • TE Nick Muse
  • OL Hakeem Adeniji
  • CB NaJee Thompson

The Vikings announced on Saturday that Nwangwu would miss the game due to an illness. He appeared on the injury report on Friday seemingly out of nowhere. The same thing happened to D.J. Wonnum before the game against the Miami Dolphins.

Cleveland is still recovering from his foot injury and with Dalton Risner’s performance, it’s a smart move to play it safe.

Muse has only suited up for one game this season but, unlike in 2022, he has been on the active roster.

Adeniji has been inactive every game since the Vikings signed him to the active roster.

Thompson is inactive for the second-consecutive game with the Vikings prioritizing depth at other positions other than a special teams ace.

Lewis Cine is active after missing the last four game with a hamstring injury. He was removed from the injury report before the game against the Chicago Bears but the Vikings still made him an inactive the last two weeks.

The Vikings and Packers kick off at noon.

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Analyzing final Vikings injury report vs. Packers

We analyzed the final Vikings injury report ahead of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers

The Minnesota Vikings will be looking to improve to 2-0 in the NFC North along with getting back to 0.500 when they take on the Green Bay Packers. They were desperate for a win against the San Francisco 49ers and they got one by a score of 22-17.

As things currently sit, the Vikings are currently tied for a wild card spot but would lose out on the tiebreaker to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a head-to-head loss.

Injuries have hit the Vikings both hard and not hard at all this year. They do have Justin Jefferson and Marcus Davenport on injured reserve, but they are mostly healthy outside of them. The final injury report is out for Sunday’s game and there were multiple changes.