Fans of many NFL teams would love to add Stefon Diggs.
Stefon Diggs had a career year last season with the Minnesota Vikings, posting his highest receiving yards as well as yards per catch while helping Minnesota get back in the playoffs.
But it’s starting to feel like his time with the team is soon going to be over.
While rumors swirl about the Vikings looking to move on from the wide receiver and get some draft picks back in return, Diggs appeared to delete everything Vikings related from his social media on Tuesday night.
That, of course, sent fans of other NFL teams into a sea of speculation about possibly adding the 26-year-old Diggs:
Idk about you guys but this 100% means Diggs and Byron Jones will be Eagles https://t.co/2B4LTFIfpU
Heading into 2019, one of the biggest question marks on the Vikings roster revolved around who was going to step up and claim the wide receiver three spots. The offense was tight end heavy with a lot of 12 and 13 personnel, but rookie wide receiver …
Heading into 2019, one of the biggest question marks on the Vikings roster revolved around who was going to step up and claim the wide receiver three spots. The offense was tight end heavy with a lot of 12 and 13 personnel, but rookie wide receiver Bisi Johnson seemed to be the team’s favorite when putting out three or more receivers.
Johnson stepped up at times, but when Adam Thielen went down it was clear the Vikings were missing one of their key pieces. Stefon Diggs was the team’s best receiver in 2019, but he was underutilized at times.
The underutilization of Diggs was due to the run-heavy style that Kevin Stefanski ran in 2019. Mike Zimmer has made it clear that he wants to be able to run the football, but that shouldn’t negate from what the Vikings could have in the passing game.
Heading into 2020, the Vikings already have one of the league’s best pass-catching duos in Diggs and Thielen. On top of the two great receivers, the team has multiple tight ends and one of the league’s best pass-catching running backs in Dalvin Cook.
Kirk Cousins has shown that he is one of the best at play-action passes, something that Kubiak will more than likely use to his advantage in 2020. The addition of one more playmaker on the Vikings offense would make it hard for opposing defenses to key in on just one of the Vikings stars.
The exciting part about needing a wide receiver in 2020 is how deep the class is coming in from the college level. That should be perfect for the Vikings, not only because they need to address other issues in the earlier rounds of the draft, but they also haven’t had the best luck in recent years when drafting a receiver in the first round.
Even if the Vikings continue to be a run-heavy team, the addition of a better receiver would make it much more difficult on opposing defenses. If they decide to load the box, there would be an additional weapon for Cousins. If they decide to bring in a nickel package, the Vikings could simply give the ball to Cook and try to get him into space.
Names like CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III are projected to be gone by the time the Vikings even get on the clock in the first round, but that isn’t when they should take a shot on their next playmaker. There are numerous talented guys that could be there for the Vikings on day two that could come in on day one and be the number three receiver. Here are a few players to keep an eye on at the combine, pro days and eventually the NFL Draft.
K.J. Halmer, Penn State
Halmer is a smaller receiver coming in around 5’9 176 pounds, but he showed during his time at Penn State that he has some big play ability. In 2019, Halmer caught 56 passes for 904 yards and eight touchdowns. He could come in on day one and stretch the field vertically for the Vikings.
Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
Vikings fans would go crazy over this pick, after watching Johnson be an elite receiver for the Gophers over the last two seasons. Johnson tallied 86 catches for 1,318 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Gophers in 2019, and showed how good he is with the ball in his hands after the catch. He wouldn’t bring a ton of speed to the Vikings roster, but he would bring great route running and a bigger body standing at 6’2 and just over 200 pounds.
Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
Aiyuk had a good senior season with Arizona State, hauling in 65 catches for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns. Todd McShay has said he has the potential of being a first-round pick, but with so much talent at the receiver position, there is a chance he could fall.
Justin Jefferson, LSU
Jefferson is coming off a National Title winning season where he caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was the favorite of potential first overall pick Joe Burrow, and it is likely he will be a first or early second round pick. If he were to somehow fall to the Vikings in the second round, it might be too difficult to pass up on his talent.
Tee Higgins, Clemson
This pick would make a lot of sense for the Vikings, because they’d finally be getting a true outside receiver. Higgins would allow Diggs or Thielen to play from the slot more frequently, creating more mismatches all over the field. Higgins is 6’4, and he would be a great red zone target for Cousins.
Jalen Reagor, TCU
Another speed guy, Reagor would be another playmaker with the ability to take the top off of opposing defenses. His stat line wasn’t the best in college, but he was frequently getting open. Adding a guy with his speed to the Vikings roster, and potentially a new punt returner could make sense for the Vikings if he is there in the second round.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
Peoples-Jones is another guy coming out of college with not the greatest numbers, but he played in a Michigan offense that struggled in the passing game. He will more than likely be available in the mid-rounds, and still has the talent to make an impact on the Vikings offense on day one.
There are numerous options out there for the Vikings at the receiver position, but finding one in the draft makes the most sense. Bisi Johnson would be a great depth piece, and would be able to bring fresh legs on the field throughout the season. Even if the Vikings want to continue to be a run first team, the addition of another playmaker is needed if they want to take the next step forward.
The New Orleans Saints can improve by trading draft picks for veterans in 2020, targeting players like Stefon Diggs and David Njoku.
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How can the New Orleans Saints improve after another disappointing playoffs exit? They don’t have much to work with on paper as far as draft picks and salary cap accounting is concerned, but that’s typical for the Saints. Their goal every year is to maximize their resources and leave no stones unturned in search of upgrades. So expect New Orleans to again get creative during the long NFL offseason.
Trading some of those picks for players is one option they could explore. While the Saints got great production out of their first two selections in last year’s draft (Erik McCoy started every game at center, while C.J. Gardner-Johnson averaged 34 snaps per game at defensive back), every other rookie they drafted finished the year on injured reserve or on another team’s practice squad.
Swapping late-round picks for proven veterans on the outs with other teams — whether due to coaching staff upheaval or poor salary cap management — is one of the few big market inefficiencies in the NFL today, and the Saints should take advantage of it. It’s a tactic they’ve used in the past (and nearly did last year, before Robert Quinn made a poor decision to pick the Dallas Cowboys instead) and they’re set up well to do it again.
With that in mind, here are four trade candidates the Saints should call in about in the weeks ahead:
LB Christian Kirksey, Cleveland Browns
The Minnesota Vikings lost conservative play-caller Kevin Stefanski to the Browns, and he’ll be Cleveland’s new head coach. That means changes are on the way, and Stefanski doing some housecleaning could mean Kirksey gets offloaded. He’s played well for the Browns, earning a leadership role as team captain, but ended each of the last two years on injured reserve. If healthy, he could help the Saints replace two of their three projected starting linebackers, Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso, who are both recovering from season-ending injuries.
The trade: Saints acquire Kirksey in exchange for their 2020 fifth-round pick.
TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
This would be more of a long-term move than an instant upgrade, but the Saints should really consider it. Jared Cook is entering the final leg of his two-year contract and projects to be one of the team’s biggest playmakers in 2020, while backup tight end Josh Hill remains an integral blocker. Njoku was in Freddie Kitchens’ doghouse last year for unclear reasons, and there’s no telling whether Stefanski will have the patience to let Njoku learn another new system and develop. The Saints could bring him in as an heir-apparent to replace Cook after the 2020 season.
The trade: Saints acquire Njoku in exchange for their 2021 second-round pick and their 2020 sixth-round pick.
LG Lane Taylor, Green Bay Packers
Nick Easton is projected to start at left guard for New Orleans next season (two-time Pro Bowler Andrus Peat is headed for free agency), but Taylor would be a clear upgrade if the Saints can land him. While he was cut down by an injury just two games into the 2019 season, Taylor did start 45 games in the previous three years. The Packers have an obvious in-house replacement for him in second-year pro Elgton Jenkins, and could clear salary space by trading Taylor away. If the Saints acquired Taylor (counting a little over $4.6 million against the cap) and released Easton (freeing up about $3.8 million), it would result in a net cost of roughly $780,000.
The trade: Saints acquire Taylor in exchange for their 2020 fifth-round pick.
WR Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are one of two teams currently in the red for 2020 salary cap space, and Diggs is a logical trade candidate. The offense’s run-first approach makes him a bit redundant next to Adam Thielen as two highly-paid wideouts, and Diggs’ frustration with the coaching staff was evident last year. With Gary Kubiak taking on a larger role in conducting the Vikings offense (which means even more reliance on the running game), it’s possible Diggs lands somewhere else in 2020. And as a 26-year-old in the middle of a $72 million contract, he won’t come cheaply. Would he be a better addition for the Saints (at that cost) than a rookie first-round draft pick?
The trade: Saints acquire Diggs in exchange for their 2020 first-round pick.
It’s no secret that the Vikings will need some help at cornerback in 2020. There’s a pretty good chance they could be without Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander.
That’s why it’s not much of a surprise that in Chad Reuter’s latest mock draft over at NFL.com, Reuter has the Vikings taking a cornerback in the first round. And not just any cornerback. Alabama’s Trevon Diggs, the brother of Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Here’s what Reuter wrote about the pick:
The Vikings’ secondary is due for a reboot this spring. Diggs gets to take on his brother, Stefon, in practice on a daily basis, which will be good prep for taking on the rest of the league’s top wideouts.
Diggs played four seasons at Alabama. As a senior, he finished with 37 tackles and three interceptions. He accounted for two defensive touchdowns. In 2019, he was named First Team All-SEC.
If the Vikings were to make this move, it would certainly be a fun one and would certainly be convenient for the Diggs familiy.
Could the Seattle Seahawks look to add some considerable wide receiver talent? If so, Stefon Diggs could be available.
The Seattle Seahawks are fully engaged in offseason mode, which will include talent acquisition to improve the team ahead of the 2020 season. In fact, the Seahawks could very well be far more aggressive in this department than they have in previous offseasons.
While the season may have ended in disappointment, quarterback Russell Wilson was in the midst of an MVP caliber season by starting the year with 22 touchdowns against only one interception. For the first half of the year, he seemed to be a lock for the league’s top honor. However, thanks to injuries to many skill position players, Wilson and the offense’s high level of play faltered toward the end of the season.
Thanks to injuries, Wilson fell from being the MVP front-runner and Seattle blew a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC. As such, the Seahawks signal caller has made it clear the team needs to add more superstars to the roster. While Seattle definitely needs an infusion of talent on defense, they could certainly use some help on the offense as well.
Coming off a career high 1,130 receiving yards and back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons, it’s no secret Diggs is one of the league’s better wide outs. In his five year career, Diggs has never had less than 730 yards, which came in his rookie season. Since then he has gone on to abuse NFL secondaries to the tune of 30 touchdowns.
In early October, there were rumblings Diggs was unhappy and frustrated in Minnesota. Diggs could still be open to a change of scenery. Given the flow of receiving talent from Minnesota to Seattle – such as Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin – the Seahawks could be a landing spot.
The catch here is Diggs recently signed a five-year extension worth $72 million, which will pay him a base salary of $11.4 million in 2020. To acquire Diggs would take some serious cap negotiating and considerable draft capital surrendered to the Vikings.
However, the thought of adding a player like Diggs to a receiving corps headlined by Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf certainly is tantalizing to say the least.
In his senior year at Bayor, Mims caught 66 passes for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Vikings have receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.
That’s good.
That’s pretty much it, though, besides last year’s seventh-round pick Bisi Johnson. The Vikings badly need depth at wide receiver.
In a mock draft over at The Athletic, the Vikings draft a receiver in the fourth round, Denzel Mims out of Baylor.
Here’s what was written about Mims:
Mims does have more work to do as a receiver, particularly when it comes to refining some of the other aspects of his route-running, especially on comeback and in-breaking routes. There are also some fair questions about whether or not he’ll be able to maintain his high level of contested-catch ability given his frame and overall strength.
The Vikings will almost certainly draft a receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft — we just don’t know where.
In his senior year at Bayor, Mims caught 66 passes for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Veteran offensive mastermind Gary Kubiak replaces Kevin Stefanski as the playcaller of Minnesota’s talented offense.
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski turned a stint of less than two full years at the position into the head coaching gig of the Cleveland Browns, and it resulted in Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer naming veteran offensive mastermind Gary Kubiak the OC for 2020.
The move makes a ton of sense for a number of reasons. Primarily, this team has tremendous “win-now pressure” to go on top of playing in a tough division and highly competitive conference. Rather than turning over the keys to an inexperienced playcaller, letting Kubiak drive this supercharged offense helps ensure it will achieve peak performance. His offensive system won’t be much different from what Stefanski ran, since Kubiak helped develop that system.
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If you remember back to Stefanski taking over for the fired John DeFilippo in 2018, Zimmer wanted to return to his roots with a ground-based offense. The Vikings were extremely effective running the ball in 2019 under Stefanski, and only two teams (SF, BAL) passed less often than Minnesota (50.5 percent run plays). Six of the seven teams to run the most plays on the ground were in the postseason this year, whereas just KC out of the 11 most pass-happy teams clinched a postseason berth. Remaining committed to such a formula is Zimmer’s directive in hiring Kubiak, the 2019 assistant head coach.
A quick refresher on Kubiak’s history reminds us of his love for running the football. Due, in part, to past health issues, he sat out of coaching in 2017 and ’18, instead holding a consultation role with the Denver Broncos. Granted, much has changed across the NFL from 1995 to present day, yet we have seen Kub produce top rushing and passing offenses, depending upon the personnel. While he mostly found success with average quarterback talent and a superstar in his last hoorah, it’s not like too many of Kubiak’s running backs were elite, either.
Offense
Rushing Off
Passing Off
Year
Tm
Role
Yds
Pts
TO
Att
Yds
TD
Y/A
FL
Att
Yds
TD
Int
1995
DEN
OC
3
9
14
16
5
13
2
22
7
7
8
8
1996
DEN
OC
1
4
17
2
1
2
4
25
16
13
5
12
1997
DEN
OC
1
1
6
6
4
5
2
7
20
9
4
6
1998
DEN
OC
3
2
3
2
2
1
2
3
21
7
5
8
1999
DEN
OC
14
18
10
9
12
10
14
8
10
15
26
16
2000
DEN
OC
2
2
7
4
3
3
6
17
9
3
6
5
2001
DEN
OC
22
10
9
6
10
30
19
3
20
25
8
18
2002
DEN
OC
3
7
11
11
5
5
3
4
14
8
18
23
2003
DEN
OC
7
10
7
2
2
3
4
2
26
22
16
18
2004
DEN
OC
5
9
18
2
4
15
8
5
16
6
8
25
2005
DEN
OC
5
7
1
2
2
3
4
5
25
18
20
2
2006
HOU
HC
28
28
11
21
21
14
20
16
23
27
28
8
2007
HOU
HC
14
12
31
22
22
16
24
27
19
11
12
28
2008
HOU
HC
3
17
30
16
13
11
13
20
7
4
13
29
2009
HOU
HC
4
10
16
20
30
18
31
17
4
1
5
17
2010
HOU
HC
3
9
4
19
7
1
3
2
10
4
17
7
2011
HOU
HC
13
10
6
1
2
3
8
22
30
18
18
3
2012
HOU
HC
7
8
6
4
8
4
16
1
18
11
18
10
2013
HOU
HC
11
31
26
22
20
28
15
9
6
15
25
28
2014
BAL
OC
12
8
6
11
8
5
7
9
17
13
12
8
2015
DEN
HC
16
19
29
17
17
12
13
7
13
14
28
32
2016
DEN
HC
27
22
21
15
27
20
28
30
17
21
21
12
Kubiak didn’t call the plays himself in each of those seasons. However, including them is a must, since he didn’t take his finger off of the heartbeat of his teams’ systems. Whether it be handpicking the playcaller, constructing a game plan, and/or interjecting with a specific call during a game, Kubiak never let the offensive designs truly go out of his control. He also had a large role in molding the Stefanski system of 2019, as mentioned.
Zone blocking is a staple of a Kubiak offense, and the outside stretch run is one of his favorite plays. The offense loves to deceive defenses through play-action passing, rollouts, bootlegs, misdirections and a plethora of personnel groupings. Being a West Coast system, running backs are expected to catch, and tight ends are just as important as route runners as blockers. Receivers are asked to block as much as any team. They operate with short-area routes and clearouts to keep defenses scrambling to cover the proper level.
Personnel changes
Surprisingly, on offense, that is, the Vikings have no noteworthy impending free agents. No team has less money with which to work during free agency, and there are several familiar defensive faces poised to walk for one reason or another.
Soaking up 15.5 percent of the overall salary cap, quarterback Kirk Cousins should be asked to rework his deal. The team could ask him to restructure his contract in a way that adds time to the final year of his original three-year pact, or the Vikings will let him ride it out at $31 million against the cap and limit their ability to spend elsewhere.
Left tackle Riley Reiff may be asked to restructure, and Minnesota would save $8.8 million against the cap by releasing the veteran.
Nearly 13 percent of the cap is tied up in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs alone. Dalvin Cook enters the final year of his rookie deal ahead of what figures to be his desire to ink a bank-breaking contract.
Fantasy football assessment
The most simplistic view is little should change under Kubiak. So long as the running game is effective, the passing game can be tuned into an efficient machine that operates on precision and yards after the catch, rather than sheer volume.
Cousins will continue to be asked to produce as a game manager first, gunslinger second. That results in uneven fantasy returns but can be explosive when everything properly aligns. He’s a fringe QB1 and a safer No. 2 or rotational passer in 2020 drafts.
Cook may see a few more reps if the Vikings don’t intend to re-sign him after the season. Take that into consideration: If no long-term extension is reached between the two sides before your fantasy draft, Cook might be abused with a heavy workload. Either way, he’s an elite RB1 in all formats. Handcuffing Alexander Mattison is the way to go.
The wideouts, primarily Diggs and Thielen, will continue to be inconsistent in this type of an offense. Diggs is a streaky player as it is, and Thielen should remain the preferred fantasy option, despite his lengthy absence with a bum hammy in 2019. He adds more to fantasy lineups across the board than the volume-dependent Diggs, whose game is better suited for PPR setups. Thielen is a borderline WR1 (much safer as a No. 2), and Diggs is a low-end WR2 in PPR or third in conventional scoring.
Tight end was a volatile position for this offense in 2019. Veteran Kyle Rudolph was in a slumber much of the way before awakening in grand fashion as Thielen battled his hamstring injury. We also saw flashes from rookie Irv Smith Jr., and he could be asked to take on a much larger role in 2020 — which presumably would come at the expense of Rudolph’s fantasy football contributions. Neither player is a starting target just yet in 12-team leagues with typical lineup requirements.
Stars Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs are both under contract for next season (Thielen until 2024 and Diggs until 2023).
Chad Beebe is under contract for $660,000, which would be considered a bargain if only he could stay healthy.
Bisi Johnson will enter the second year of his rookie contract.
Alexander Hollins is under contract but can be cut with no penalty. Davion Davis and Dillon Mitchell were both signed to future contracts before the season.
Free agents:
The Vikings tried to get rid of former first-round bust Laquon Treadwell prior to the 2019 season, but injuries forced them to bring him back.
Maybe the third time’s the charm?
Doubt it. There’s a very low chance Treadwell returns to the Vikings.
In either free agency or the draft, though, this group has to find a third wide receiver.
Potential Cap Casualties:
None that are super significant or likely.
Something to watch next offseason, however, will be Thielen’s contract. Thielen, who will be 31 in 2021, is due $11.6 million in 2021 and the team faces a dead cap penalty of $5.4 million.
Can anyone stop the 49ers from winning the Super Bowl?
It felt like there was a new man leading the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterback Kirk Cousins stepped up in primetime during the wild-card round against the New Orleans Saints in way he hadn’t done before.
But in the divisional round, Cousins flopped. The Vikings were a mess.
The San Francisco 49ers did what they’ve done all season. They worked the ball methodically with an efficient running game on offense, and erased their opponents’ best playmakers on defense. With a 27-10 win, Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers are headed to the NFC Championship Game against either the Green Bay Packers or the Seattle Seahawks.
Here are our takeaways from the game.
1. A healthy 49ers defense is unstoppable
We already knew this defense could likely get San Francisco to a Super Bowl. We already knew the unit was one of the best in the NFL. But they also reached new heights on Saturday. The 49ers finished as the No. 1 seed, but they didn’t peak too early. They’re still getting better, in part because defensive end Dee Ford, linebacker Kwon Alexander and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt returned from injury this week,.
San Francisco is now the Super Bowl favorite, because of their defense.
2. Kirk Cousins disappointed on Saturday, but he took a big step forward this offseason.
Cousins was the easy target for those looking for a lazy take: Oh, the quarterback folded under pressure — again.
Cousins’ stats weren’t pretty: He was 21 of 29 for 172 yards at 5.9 yards per pass for one touchdown and one interception. He also took six sacks. And frankly, the stats are flattering when compared to what he looked like on the field, particularly in the first three quarters. San Francisco had Cousins completely boxed in after they took away running back Dalvin Cook (nine carries, 18 yards).
But Cousins took a step forward this postseason. His performances against the Saints in the divisional round was praise-worthy. There aren’t many quarterbacks who would play well against that 49ers defense. Minnesota should feel better than ever about their investment in Cousins.
3. Stefon Diggs probably won’t be around to help Cousins on his upward trajectory.
It’s hard to imagine Diggs staying in Minnesota. He wanted out during the early part of the season, and he got five targets for two receptions, 57 yard and a touchdown in what may be his final game with the Vikings. Considering how this postseason ended, he may be ready to move on in 2020. He may remind the Vikings he wants a trade.
Adam Thielen may take an even bigger role for Minnesota next year. Diggs, meanwhile, would be a good fit in places like Indianapolis, Buffalo, Arizona and Oakland. They all have copious cap space and plenty of upside for Diggs to help them take a step forward. Diggs’ offseason could feel a bit like Odell Bekckham Jr.’s last year.
4. Jimmy Garoppolo’s run this offseason could feel something like Tom Brady’s in 2001.
When was the last time a quarterback won the Super Bowl in his first postseason? It was Tom Brady in 2001.
When Garoppolo tried a quarterback sneak on the goal line, it felt like a Brady impression. (Brady is famously effective at the sneak.) Even Garoppolo’s lead blocking efforts got the same amount of love as those from Brady earlier this year. But in a more meaningful way, Garoppolo is getting his footing as an NFL starter while supported by one of the NFL’s best defenses. The quarterback has managed the game, even if that has meant the 49ers aren’t asking much of him. That was the story surrounding Brady in 2001.
If Garoppolo pulls off a Super Bowl win, the run may feel a lot like Brady’s first title in New England.
5. Kyle Shanahan is special
The last time we saw Shanahan in the playoffs, he was needlessly calling for passing plays against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The aggressive (and perhaps foolish) play-calling contributed to the Falcons’ historic collapse. Shanahan’s play-calling was so atrocious that some wondered whether the wunderkind deserved the 49ers’ head coaching job.
He’s come a long way since then. Shanahan is one of the NFL’s brightest offensive minds. He’s the reason why so many of the San Francisco skill players have developed into standouts. He has proven himself as one of the elite NFL coaches.
