Going into the game, there are plenty of players that make an impact and potentially earn a roster spot. Who are some of those players?
The wide receiver position is filled with plenty of those players. Now, there aren’t any players after the top three that are going to be true difference-makers, but the back end of the position group is key to having a solid roster.
Which players on the bubble need to have a great performance? What does Jaren Hall need to show against the Seahawks?
After the first day of Minnesota Vikings training camp practice, there is a lot to discuss, including the cornerback battle.
The first day of Minnesota Vikings training camp practice is in the books and there is a lot to discuss.
On the latest episode of Purple Access, hosts Judd Zulgad and Tyler Forness of Vikings Wire and Declan Goff discuss the biggest takeaways from the first day of practice.
The cornerbacks are a very intriguing group to watch and Joejuan Williams was getting first-team reps over Andrew Booth Jr. Is this a trend or mirage?
On the latest Purple Access, hosts Tyler, Judd and Declan create a Bud Grant and moder day Minnesota Vikings Mount Rushmore.
Who would be on the Minnesota Vikings Mount Rushmore? The guys discuss not one, but two Mount Rushmores for the franchise that has been around for 62 seasons.
In order to accomplish that, hosts Tyler, Judd and Declan split up the Vikings into two groups: 1961-1985 (essentially Bud Grant’s tenure) and 1986-present day.
There were a lot of players who were considered for both Mount Rushmores, but only 11 total players were selected for both monuments. Of those 11, six of those were unanimous.
Who did the guys select for their Mount Rushmores? Who was the biggest surprise inclusion on the list? Find out on the latest episode of Purple Access on the Purple Daily YouTube channel.
As the Minnesota Vikings are in phase three of OTAs, there are surprise cuts that could be on the horizon.
As the Minnesota Vikings are entrenched in phase three of organized team activities, discussions about how the roster will shape up. The roster has a lot of young talent on it and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has showed no hesitation in cutting players drafted from the previous regime.
Who are some players on the chopping block? Managing editor Tyler Forness joins columnist Judd Zulgad to discuss that and more on the latest episode of Purple Access.
The Minnesota Vikings are banking on their 2022 NFL Draft class to make a big impact in 2023.
The Minnesota Vikings spent their 2023 offseason in both free agency and the NFL draft banking on their 2022 draft class making a major impact. The Vikings have all 10 players returning to them for training camp this July.
Will that strategy pay off? The Vikings sure hope so, and they have a lot of talent to make it happen.
On the latest episode of Purple Access, Vikings Wire’s Tyler Forness and Judd Zulgad talk about that and more, including:
With the Minnesota Vikings needing a quarterback of the future, they need to make sure they don’t reach for one.
The Minnesota Vikings are just two weeks away from potentially finding their next franchise quarterback. Could they get one in round one? That is going to be a fascinating discussion.
On the latest episode of Purple Access, managing editor Tyler Forness joins columnist Judd Zulgad to discuss the quarterback position. They discuss:
On the latest episode of Purple Access, managing editor Tyler Forness and columnist Judd Zulgad discuss the likely outcomes in the NFL draft
The Minnesota Vikings are just 28 days away from making a huge difference on the roster. They currently have five picks on the roste, but all 10 selections from the 2022 NFL draft were acquired during the draft.
There are multiple options that the Vikings could target during the first round of the NFL draft. They could trade up for a quarterback which feels likely if Will Levis or Anthony Richardson slide down the board at all.
What happens if quarterback isn’t an option in round one? How do they attack the draft. Would it be cornerback? Wide receiver? Pass rusher? Trade down?
Managing editor Tyler Forness and columnist Judd Zulgad discuss that and more on the latest episode of Purple Access.
The Vikings hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell to find their franchise quarterback writes @jzulgad.
There are a multitude of reasons why Rick Spielman no longer sits in the general manager’s chair at TCO Performance Center. A primary one was his inability to solve the Vikings’ quarterback conundrum during his run as the man in charge.
Spielman was sharing power over personnel decisions with coach Leslie Frazier in 2011 when he made Christian Ponder the 12th-overall pick in the draft. Ponder spent four seasons in Minnesota and ranks among the Vikings’ biggest draft busts. Spielman’s next big swing came in 2014 when he selected Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd pick in the opening round. The hope of Bridgewater turning into a franchise QB ended with a gruesome, non-contact leg injury just before the 2016 season.
That resulted in trading a first-round pick for Sam Bradford, whose career was derailed by injury in 2017; the decision to go with Case Keenum, a huge one-season success; and finally the signing of Kirk Cousins to a fully guaranteed free-agent contract in 2018. (There’s no reason to pile on by mentioning Josh Freeman’s disastrous one-game stint in 2013.)
When Spielman was shown the door, along with coach Mike Zimmer, after the 2021 season, the investment in Cousins had led to only one playoff appearance in four seasons and back-to-back losing years.
The amazing thing is that in Cousins’ five years with the Vikings, there’s a case to be made that he’s among the top five among quarterbacks in franchise history. Fran Tarkenton is atop that list and then the debate begins with names (in no particular order) such as Daunte Culpepper, Randall Cunningham, Brett Favre, Tommy Kramer, Warren Moon and Cousins.
That means a franchise that began play in 1961 has had one franchise quarterback and he retired 45 years ago. Not surprisingly, this has created nervousness among some about the decision of new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell to begin exploring a future without Cousins.
If you haven’t been paying attention this offseason, the Vikings have done everything but write Cousins a Dear John letter to announce their intention of a breakup after the 2023 season. The latest indication of this came when the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer reported Cousins had asked for less than what the Giants gave Daniel Jones but that conversation went nowhere.
As much confidence as O’Connell showed in Cousins throughout last season, here’s the truth of the matter: Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell weren’t hired to stick with Cousins long term. He turns 35 in August and even with a recent contract restructure will count $28.5 million against the salary cap in 2023.
O’Connell, in particular, was hired to find Cousins’ replacement and solve this longtime issue at quarterback. O’Connell played the position at San Diego State and was drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots in 2008. While he only appeared in two career games and threw six passes, his work with quarterbacks as an assistant impressed the Vikings enough to put their trust in him. It’s clear O’Connell knows what he’s doing and what he wants.
He was able to lead the Vikings to a 13-win season in his first year as a coach and oversaw a Cousins-led offense that had an NFL-record tying eight four-quarter comebacks. What the Vikings would like to see is O’Connell build off that success with a young quarterback, preferably a first-round pick, who will spend his first five seasons in Minnesota playing on a rookie contract and be as successful, if not more so, than Cousins.
NFC North titles shouldn’t be the goal. Long playoff runs and Super Bowl appearance should.
There is a necessity on the financial side considering wide receiver Justin Jefferson figures to get a huge contract this offseason that will kick in in 2025. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw, a first-round pick the year after Jefferson, will be eligible for a big extension next offseason. The easiest way to retain key players, and build a competitive roster, starts with having a quarterback on a rookie contract.
When you are normally as competitive as the Vikings have been throughout their existence, being in a position to draft a top quarterback prospect isn’t easy. But that’s why Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell are reportedly kicking the tires on different options and why the name of Kentucky’s Will Levis has been tied to the Vikings more than once.
It’s in the Vikings best interest to do as much due diligence as possible when it comes to life without Cousins. Owners Zygi and Mark Wilf trust Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell to do what their predecessors couldn’t and finally deliver a long-term franchise QB.
The pressure to do so will be immense and likely determine how long both are in their current positions. There is plenty of risk, but the potential reward could finally land a Lombardi in the trophy case.
Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com
With Adam Thielen potentially moving on from the Vikings, what direction could they go? @TheRealForno and @jzulgad discuss on Purple Access
The Minnesota Vikings are currently working to get under the salary cap and have about $15 million left to clear and there are rumors abound on how to do it.
One player that has gotten a lot of attention is wide receiver Adam Thielen. He currently has a cap hit of $19.97 million and releasing him would save $6.9 million on the salary cap. With both sides at an impasse, it feels like a move is likely.
What will the Vikings do if they end up moving on from Thielen? Is there anyone in free agency that the Vikings would be interested in signing? What about the NFL draft?
Join managing editor Tyler Forness and columnist Judd Zulgad as they discuss that and more on the latest episode of Purple Access.
