Tag: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

Several Vikings receive votes in NFL survey for major awards

Three Vikings earned votes for Player of the Year honors.

As the regular season winds down, playoffs will ramp up, and awards will be handed out. In the latest NFL.com award survey, they asked 27 members — who will remain anonymous — to vote on several different categories to see who might win the awards.

Three different Vikings received votes, and one of them won the award.

Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell won Coach of the Year in a landslide. O’Connell ran away with COY voting. He had 16.5 votes, 13.5 votes more than any other coach. With the Vikings outplaying preseason expectations, O’Connell is the popular name to win the award. Quarterback Sam Darnold is having a career year, and plenty thank O’Connell for it.

Two other Vikings received votes in this particular voting.

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had two votes for Executive of the Year. Also, Edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel received one vote for Defensive Player of the Year. With the moves Adofo-Mensah has made and the play of Van Ginkel, it’s not a shock to see them with votes.

Jaguars extend Cam Robinson’s replacement in Jacksonville

After being traded away, his replacement impressed the Jaguars so much that they gave him the extension they wouldn’t give Robinson. 

When the Vikings lost Christian Darrisaw for the year, they knew they had to have a replacement and fast. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah went out and acquired Cam Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had been their starting left tackle since 2017.

After being traded away, his replacement impressed the Jaguars so much that they gave him the extension they wouldn’t give Robinson.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Walker Little of the Jacksonville Jaguars signed a three-year extension worth up to $45 million. Little was a draft pick for the team in 2021 in the second round.

Since being traded to the Vikings, Robinson has struggled to find consistency for the team. Little and the Jaguars’ offensive line have had struggles of their own, but Robinson has shown some promise the more reps he gets with the team.

As we approach a month with the team, Robinson will have to get things in gear as the playoffs approach.

What will offseason coverage look like for Vikings Wire?

As a Viking fan reading this, you want that team to struggle but it is important to understand their team as much as you do with Minnesota. 

The Minnesota Vikings are having a season that not many expected, especially not here on Vikings Wire. Before the season started, we made a prediction that has proven not to be close to right, and we own that. What we want to do, though, is offer complete coverage for the Vikings and the entire NFC North.

As a Vikings fan reading this, I know you want NFC North teams to struggle, but it is important to understand those teams as much as you do with Minnesota. That means our coverage this offseason is going to be complete.

Let me lay out the talking points and things to look for as we get into December and beyond with this special Vikings team.

Coaching Staff Coverage

Kevin O’Connell isn’t going anywhere, the whole world knows that, but defensive coordinator Brian Flores has earned another chance to be a head coach. Not to be forgotten, look for Wes Phillips to get interviews potentially for the work the offense is doing.

We will cover all those potential interviews, letting you know where they could go if they get a chance. We will also make sure you know everything you need to about any replacements or new additions the coaching staff may have.

Free Agent Coverage

The Vikings have many players who will be free agents in the offseason. The biggest names include Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, Aaron Jones, Sam Darnold, and Camryn Bynum. In all, they have 35 pending free agents, which means this roster could look very different in 2025.

The team only has five draft picks at this point, so free agency should be exciting for them. They are riding a hot hand in that department after finding Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, and Blake Cashman last cycle, so look for them to be active once again.

NFL Draft Coverage

Now, for this part, some people may check out or stay tuned in. The NFL Draft is the biggest event on the football calendar outside of the Super Bowl. Every team and its fanbase get excited, and the results lead to new hope being eternal for every fanbase.

We will be doing draft reports on the Vikings’ and other teams’ needs in the NFC North. Winning the division has never been a bigger mountain to climb, so keeping tabs on everyone is crucial.

We hope you stay tuned to Vikings Wire, where we will keep you informed about everything related to the team and the NFC North.

ESPN sees Sam Darnold as a highly coveted free agent in 2025

When ESPN wrote about the upcoming free agent class, they ranked the players, and Sam Darnold came in rather high compared to others. 

The Minnesota Vikings have benefited from Sam Darnold’s play this year. He is set to be a free agent since he signed a one-year deal with the team this offseason.

When ESPN wrote about the upcoming free agent class, they ranked the players, and Sam Darnold came in rather high compared to others.

Matt Bowen wrote that Darnold should be a rather popular quarterback option for teams. He writes, “With his arm strength and mobility, Darnold will have options on the market if he can produce over the second half of the season.” He has shown his year he can be more than a bridge quarterback; the money he earns this Spring could also reflect that.

However, on the note of being a bridge, Jeremy Fowler writes that “Darnold and Minnesota are 7-2 together, so entertaining a bridge deal while the team continues to develop McCarthy behind the scenes shouldn’t be completely off the table.”

If Darnold were to return, McCarthy and his knee would be in a completely different situation to justify it.

Two Vikings rookies mentioned by The Athletic’s All-Rookie team

The Athletic recognized the work of General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Wednesday.

The 2024 NFL Draft has proven to have a larger impact than many expected following the injury to J.J. McCarthy. Despite losing their first-round quarterback, the draft class has produced several reliable players for the team.

The Athletic recognized the work of General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Wednesday.

Dane Brugler wrote up his selection for his midseason All-Rookie team, and two Vikings made the cut: first-round pick Dallas Turner and sixth-round pick Will Reichard. Turner has started to play more in recent weeks, including in Week 9 against the Colts. Reichard, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the more reliable kickers in the NFL.

Reichard did not miss a kick all season until Week 9, though his misses against the Colts could be blamed on a quad injury he suffered.

Turner had been struggling to find playing time with the depth the Vikings have at edge rusher, but he may finally be earning the coaching staff’s trust.

Could Andrew Van Ginkel win the Defensive Player of the Year Award?

The Defensive Player of the Year award was considered a virtual lock for Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson before his brutal knee injury.

The Defensive Player of the Year award was considered a virtual lock for Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson before his brutal knee injury. Since his injury, we have discussed a handful of defensive players, minus one that deserves it.

Andrew Van Ginkel has been playing as well as any defender in the NFL.

Despite that, no one has been highlighting his performance this year. The entire Vikings defense has been playing well as a unit, so it is easy to blend in, but his work needs to be highlighted.

Through six games, Andrew Van Ginkel has 26 total tackles, six tackles for a loss, five sacks, two interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns. If his name was Fred Warner, T.J. Watt, or Myles Garrett, he would be a national star this year.

Sooner or later, if he keeps playing this way, folks around the NFL will be forced to take notice. For now, he will remain a free agent steal for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and a menace for Brian Flores in his defense.

The trade terms for Cam Akers should sound familiar to Vikings fans

The team traded for running back Cam Akers, ironically, the reported trade price for him on Tuesday should sound familiar to Vikings fans. 

The Vikings made a quiet but important move on Tuesday when the team traded for running back Cam Akers. The former Florida State Seminole has been around the league and has shown that he can find traction for several teams.

Ironically, the reported trade price for Akers on Tuesday should sound familiar to Vikings fans.

The team saw its offense sputter some without Aaron Jones, so Akers proved to be a nice insurance policy. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah knew he could get Akers for cheap because he did so in 2023. As it turns out, his trade value has remained the same since then.

In 2023, Akers was acquired by the Vikings for a 2026 conditional sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Akers and a 2026 conditional seven-round pick.

It was nearly identical terms used to acquire him on Tuesday.

With Aaron Jones injured, Akers could see a big role immediately in a matchup with the Lions on the horizon. Sam Darnold relies upon the running game to keep his passing options open, so it will be interesting to see how Kevin O’Connell utilizes him on a short week.

ESPN predicts which Vikings player will see a contract extension next

ESPN discussed this week that his work and the potential for another extension for a player might be on the way.

Some, myself included, have questioned Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s work, but his work with contracts is unmatched. He does a great job finding the building blocks for a franchise and not letting them go.

What more could a fanbase ask for?

ESPN discussed this week that his work and the potential for another extension for a player might be on the way. The player for said projected extension was Camryn Bynum. The former California cornerback turned safety has had a breakout role under Brian Flores the last two seasons.

Jeremy Fowler writes, “Bynum discussed an extension in recent months but couldn’t reach an agreement. As of now, he is set to enter free agency. He’s thriving in Brian Flores’ defense, with two interceptions, five pass deflections and a fumble recovery. Making splash plays in a contract year is a way to nudge the team back to the negotiation table. . .”

Bynum coming back will be a big-time decision, but with Harrison Smith being 36 years old and Lewis Cine being gone, perhaps this makes for a no-brainer move.

Vikings extend DL Harrison Phillips with a two-year deal

Phillips is being rewarded in the form of job and financial security as the team has signed him to a two-year extension.

The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2024 season with some questions about their defensive line, and on Sunday, Harrison Phillips reminded everyone he had things covered.

As a result of what he did, plus his work last year with the team, Phillips is being rewarded. That reward is coming in the form of job and financial security as the team has signed him to a two-year extension worth up to $19 million.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported that the deal includes a guaranteed amount of $13 million.

Phillips came to the Vikings in 2022, signing a three-year deal after playing for the Buffalo Bills. This deal now extends his tenure with the team through the 2026 season.

He has emerged as a leader on defense, both on and off the field. His teammates have voted him captain and honored him as the team’s representative as their Walter Payton Man of the Year.

His captaincy should continue to thrive while he mans the middle of Brian Flores’ defense. Both Flores and Phillips have proven to be a dream pairing, and they hope it is a relationship that will continue to be two-way for years to come.

ESPN predicts how the Vikings 2024 season will go and it’s not great

The football power index and Seth Walder of ESPN published the results this week, which were unfavorable to the Vikings.

There is nothing that spurs a conversation into overdrive like a computer’s season prediction. We got rid of the BCS in college football, and since then, we have seen so many different projection methods and forms of analysis pop up in its place.

The latest is ESPN’s FPI.

The football power index predicts an NFL team’s winning percentage of games on its schedule. Seth Walder of ESPN published the results this week, which were unfavorable to the Vikings.

“The result? A paltry four-win season. But with the losing came hope in the form of the No. 1 overall pick. With their quarterback already in hand — J.J. McCarthy is the QB of the future here, despite his right meniscus tear — the Vikings enter the offseason in position to deal the No. 1 pick to a QB-needy team for a series of selections that will bolster the roster for an immediate turnaround. The present is bleak in Minnesota, but the future is bright.”

That’s right, folks. The Vikings are predicted to have the worst record in the NFL and earn the top pick in the NFL draft.

As Walder mentions here, that actually is a good thing for the Vikings in the long term. They can trade the first pick overall for a king ransom and recover picks in the 2025 NFL Draft while also getting some for 2026 and potentially even 2027.

This roster is not built to win right now without J.J. McCarthy. They have the right players locked up long-term, and they can build around McCarthy for a strong 2026. If this happens, it won’t be very nice but there may finally be light on the other side.