Tag: vikings news

Daniel Jones makes decision on next team after spurning Broncos’ rival

Daniel Jones won’t land in the AFC West. He has opted to join the Vikings after turning down interest from the Raiders.

Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports first reported Wednesday.

Jones received offers from multiple teams after being cut by the Giants and he spurned interest from the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Schultz.

The Raiders were seeking more help at quarterback after losing Gardner Minshew to a season-ending shoulder injury against the Denver Broncos in Week 12.

Jones will now serve as a backup behind Sam Darnold in Minnesota. He will initially join the practice squad but is expected to be activated to the active roster after getting up to speed.

Darnold is scheduled to become a free agent in 2025 so it wouldn’t be surprising if Jones is a candidate to re-sign in the spring to serve as the Vikings’ veteran backup behind J.J. McCarthy next season.

McCarthy is sitting out his rookie season with a knee injury, but he is expected to be fully recovered in time for the 2025 campaign.

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49ers were hoping Vikings starting QB would return to San Francisco as backup

Sam Darnold would’ve been the 49ers backup QB again if Kyle Shanahan hand his druthers.

The San Francisco 49ers went into the offseason with only one quarterback under contract.

Last season Sam Darnold held down the backup QB role. Brandon Allen operated as the emergency third QB. The only time the 49ers strayed from this setup was when Brock Purdy sat out the season finale and Darnold started with Allen as QB2. Both Darnold and Allen were free agents entering 2024.

San Francisco’s chances to retain Darnold were slim. The former No. 3 overall pick joined the 49ers in part to rehab an image that had been battered during tumultuous tenures with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. His success in simply existing as the 49ers’ backup for a season put the then-26-year-old on track to score a decent free agent contract and a potential starting job.

He landed with the Minnesota Vikings, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was hopeful Darnold would have no suitors and be forced to return to San Francisco.

“Yeah, I thought it was a real good spot for him,” Shanahan told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday. “And I was happy for him. I was hoping he’d find no good spots and come back here. But I was happy for him. He got this opportunity because Sam more than deserves it. Sam is a starting quarterback in this league and he should run with it.”

Darnold proved his supporters correct in his debut with the Vikings. He completed 19-of-24 throws for 208 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Minnesota’s 28-6 rout of the New York Giants.

The 49ers weren’t able to keep Darnold, and now they’ll have to face him in Week 2 when he lines up under center for the Vikings. Shanahan believes Darnold is a starting QB in the NFL, but the 49ers and their coach will be hoping he looks more like a backup on Sunday.

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Vikings sign former Broncos backup quarterback

The Vikings signed former Broncos backup quarterback Brett Rypien. He went 2-1 as a starter in Denver.

The Minnesota Vikings have signed quarterback Brett Rypien and waived Jaren Hall, the team announced Thursday.

Minnesota used a fifth-round pick to select Hall in last year’s NFL draft out of BYU. He might be a candidate to return on the practice squad.

Rypien is now set to serve as the team’s third-string quarterback behind starter Sam Darnold and primary backup Nick Mullens. J.J. McCarthy, the team’s first-round pick in April, will miss the 2024 season with a knee injury.

Rypien, 28, joined the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State following the 2019 NFL draft. He spent four years in Denver, mostly on the practice squad. Rypien was called on to start three times when the Broncos had injuries at quarterback and he went 2-1 as a starter.

He competed with the Chicago Bears this summer (and impressed in the Hall of Fame Game) but was cut this week when Chicago went down to a 53-man roster. Rypien will now get a new opportunity with the Vikings.

Another former Broncos backup quarterback, Ben DiNucci, was cut by the Buffalo Bills earlier this week. DiNucci, 27, remains a free agent.

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Twitter goes wild over Vikings WR Jordan Addison’s 60-yard TD against the 49ers

Twitter had plenty of remarks when Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison caught a 60-yard touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers.

Jordan Addison wasn’t going to it happen again.

On the third play of the Minnesota Vikings’ opening drive on Monday Night Football, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward wrested away a catch from the rookie receiver for a quick interception. The 49ers now had possession, first-and-10 at the Vikings’ 48-yard line.

The first-rounder from USC would have a chance to redeem himself.

With 16 seconds until halftime, Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins heaved a third-and-6 throw to the 49ers’ 35-yard line. Ward seemingly had another interception until Addison ripped the ball away and burst for the end zone.

Addison’s score gave the Vikings a 16-7 lead at the break and also generated fascinating remarks from social media. Here are some samples.

Best photos from Chargers’ win over Vikings in Week 3

Here are some of the best photos from U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

The Chargers defeated the Vikings in Week 3 by the score of 28-24.

To relive the game, here are some of the best photos from U.S. Bank Stadium.

Who are the experts taking in Chargers vs. Vikings?

Find out who the experts are picking between the Chargers and Vikings.

The Chargers are 1-point favorites over the Vikings in Week 3 of the 2023 regular season, which is a pick’em, meaning that it’s deemed a complete toss-up. The over/under is 54 points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 54 points.

My score prediction for the game is a 31-27 win for the Vikings, with a combined total of 58 points. So if I were putting money behind my prediction, I’d bet the over.

As for game picks, analysts are leaning toward Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings in this one.

Expert Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today) Vikings
Jarrett Bell (USA Today) Vikings
Mike Clay (ESPN) Chargers
Matt Bowen (ESPN) Vikings
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Vikings
Bill Bender (Sporting News) Vikings
NFL.com Staff Vikings (4 to 1)
Bleacher Report Chargers

Sunday’s game will begin at 10:00 a.m. PT and will be televised on Fox.

Statistical Breakdown: How the Chargers and Vikings stack up before Week 3 game

Here’s how the Chargers and Vikings stack up statistically ahead of the Week 3 matchup.

The Chargers and Vikings are set to square off on Sunday. Both teams are looking to avoid a 0-3 start.

Here’s how Los Angeles and Minnesota stack up statistically ahead of the Week 3 matchup:

Report: former Georgia DB in the NFL ahead of rehab schedule

Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine is ahead of his rehab schedule after suffer a serious leg injury during the 2022 NFL season

Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine is reportedly ahead of his rehab schedule for his broken leg. Cine, a former Georgia Bulldog star, suffered a serious leg injury in Week 4.

Cine and the Vikings were playing against the New Orleans Saints in London, England, when Cine suffered his unfortunate injury. Cine underwent a successful surgery on his fractured leg in the days following the game.

Cine primarily played special teams for the Vikings to begin the 2022 NFL season. Minnesota selected Cine with a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Lewis Cine did not have much time to adapt to the NFL to have a big role for the Minnesota defense. However, Cine is hoping to have a large role for the defense in 2023. Cine hopes to return in time for OTAs as the Vikings are installing a new defensive scheme.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell gave an update on Cine’s progress since suffering the severe leg injury.

He’s well ahead of his rehab process. I see him [every day]. It’s unique to see a player every single day this time of year at the facility, but that’s been Lew.

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Ex-Chargers LB Troy Reeder signing with Vikings

Troy Reeder was a core special teams player for the Chargers.

Former Chargers linebacker Troy Reeder has signed with the Vikings.

Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Rams in 2019, Reeder produced 230 tackles, fives sacks, eight passes defended, and two interceptions over three seasons.

Reeder signed with the Chargers last offseason, as Brandon Staley was familiar with him, having been his defensive coordinator during the 2020 season.

In 2022, Reeder was a core special teams player. He logged 11 tackles, a pass deflection and a forced fumble.

With Reeder joining the Vikings and Drue Tranquill signing with the Chiefs, here is a look at the state of the linebacker room.

Report: Chargers request interview with Vikings’ Jerrod Johnson for offensive coordinator position

This marks the second requested interview for the Chargers’ offensive coordinator vacancy.

As the Chargers look to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy, they have requested permission to interview Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, according to CBS Sport’s Jonathan Jones.

Johnson’s career as a coach began in 2017 when he was a part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the 49ers. In 2019, he resumed the same role with the Colts. In 2020 and 2021, Johnson was an offensive quality control coach with Indianapolis.

This season, Johnson joined the Vikings as the assistant quarterbacks coach, where he helped Kirk Cousins amass the most passing yards of his career (4,547) en route to a 13-4 Minnesota record.

Los Angeles has also requested an interview with Rams passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson.