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Staging minicamp holdout
Mon, Jun 12, 2023, 11:01 AM
Hunter intends to skip Minnesota's mandatory minicamp, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Hunter will be subjected to a total of just under $100,000 in fines if he misses the entire three-day minicamp. The standout pass rusher led the Vikings with 10.5 sacks last season and, on his current contract, is due only $4.9 million for the 2023 campaign. Holding out of minicamp is an attempt to regain negotiation leverage by the three-time Pro Bowler, and it remains to be seen whether he'd threaten to carry over his absence to the regular season. |
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Jake Bargas Jake Bargas Returns to Minnesota
Tue, May 3, 2022, 2:40 PM
The Vikings signed Bargas on Monday, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports.
Analysis: Bargas will return to Minnesota after spending each of the past two years on the Vikings' practice squad. The converted fullback appeared in one game last season, playing five snaps on special teams. |
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Fifth-year option declined
Tue, May 3, 2022, 2:07 PM
The Vikings declined the fifth-year option on Bradbury's rookie contract Monday, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reports.
Analysis: Bradbury was drafted with the 18th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but he struggled with pass protection as a rookie and was eventually benched for part of last season in favor of Mason Cole. It's unclear if he'll return to his starting role in 2022, but Bradbury will be a free agent following the campaign. |
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Links up with Vikings
Sun, May 1, 2022, 2:17 PM
Koback was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent Saturday,
Analysis: Koback played in 13 games for Toledo last season, recording 1,400 yards on 208 carries and 30 receptions for 334 yards, with a total of 18 touchdowns, which led the MAC. He'll have to work to do to earn a spot with the Vikings, with Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison entrenched at the top of the running back positional depth chart, followed by 2021 fourth-round selection Kene Nwangwu and fifth-round rookie Ty Chandler on the roster. |
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Gets chance with Minnesota
Sun, May 1, 2022, 2:08 PM
Hennigan was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent Saturday,
Analysis: Hennigan played in 14 games for Appalachian State last season, securing 60 targets for 823 yards and six touchdowns. He also was a regular contributor on special teams, with 15 punt returns for 78 yards and four kick returns for 110 yards in 2021. Hennigan leaves the Mountaineers ranked in the top six in career receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns in the Sun Belt Conference since 2001. |
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Minnesota selects in seventh round
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 4:45 PM
The Vikings selected Muse in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 227th overall.
Analysis: Muse played most recently at South Carolina, where he served as a rotational tight end, after transferring there from William & Mary. Muse wasn't especially productive in college but showed standout athleticism at his pro day workout, logging a 4.71-second 40 at a big 6-foot-6, 258 pounds. He's an interesting developmental tight end for the Vikings. |
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Going to Minnesota
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:16 PM
The Vikings selected Nailor in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 191st overall.
Analysis: Nailor (5-foot-11, 186 pounds) is an NFL long shot as a sixth-round pick, but he has some definite abilities and should stick around the NFL for a while. His main issue is that he's skinny and fragile, which limits the utility of his otherwise solid athleticism (4.5-second 40, 38-inch vertical, 128-inch broad jump), but Nailor was a good player on a Michigan State offense with at least one other NFL wide receiver (Jayden Reed). Nailor will likely compete with the likes of Ihmir Smith-Marsette to push K.J. Osborn at the WR3 spot. |
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Slots in with Minnesota
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 2:57 PM
The Vikings selected Lowe in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 184th overall.
Analysis: Lowe was a five-year starter at Illinois, but he played almost exclusively at left tackle. While the 23-year-old has the necessary arm length to be an effective blocker at the NFL level, it remains to be seen whether he can be athletic enough to play at tackle, or if the Vikings will move Lowe to a swing guard spot. |
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Joins crowded Minnesota backfield
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 2:18 PM
The Vikings selected Chandler in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 169th overall.
Analysis: Chandler was the No. 5 running back coming out of high school in 2017, and he enjoyed four productive seasons at Tennessee, leading the team in rushing in 2018 and 2019. He took his game to the next level in his final year of eligibility, as he transferred to North Carolina and rushed 182 times for 1,092 yards (6.0 YPC) and caught 15 passes (17 targets) for 216 yards and a touchdown. Chandler doesn't create a ton of yards on his own, but he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash and has the tools to succeed in the right situation. Unfortunately, he'll need to wait his turn in Minnesota, as superstar Dalvin Cook is the clear lead back while backups Alexander Mattison and Kene Nwangwu have both showed promise. |
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Staying in Minnesota
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 2:06 PM
The Vikings selected Otomewo in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 165th overall.
Analysis: A massive defensive end that went to college at Minnesota, Otomewo measures in at 6-foot-5, 282 pounds, though he didn't test in the pre-draft process due to a knee injury. Otemewo has room to improve as a pass rusher, as he registered just 7.5 sacks through four seasons with the Gophers. He's a quick, smart player that uses his tools to his advantage, and the Vikings have enough pass rushers that he won't need to contribute in that area right away. |
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Targeted by Minnesota via trade-up
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 11:50 AM
The Vikings selected Evans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 118th overall.
Analysis: Evans is a battle-tested player who spent five seasons in the college ranks. He started out at Tulsa and went to Missouri as a graduate transfer, where he led the team in forced fumbles (2) and broke up seven passes. Evans is rangy at 6-foot-2 with 32-inch arms but his long speed with a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash is middling for a boundary corner. The Vikings already took Andrew Booth out of Clemson earlier in the draft, but Evans is added depth insurance in the secondary. |
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Added to Vikes' D
Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 8:38 PM
The Vikings selected Asamoah in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 66th overall.
Analysis: Asamoah (6-foot, 226 pounds) is a linebacker-safety tweener out of Oklahoma, where he was an effective two-year starter. It's not clear where the Vikings might use him specifically -- he could compete for reps at either or both linebacker and safety -- but either way, he's likely headed to a reserve/rotational role as a rookie. |
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To help protect Cousins
Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 8:10 PM
The Vikings selected Ingram in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 59th overall.
Analysis: Ingram comes to Minnesota from LSU, where he made 35 starts, including 12 during the Tigers' run to the national championship in 2019. He checks in at 6-foot-3 and 307 pounds with long arms (33.63) and plays with power. Ingram could challenge for the starting right guard spot as a rookie. |
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Set to help Vikes defense
Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 7:03 PM
The Vikings selected Booth (sports hernia) in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 42nd overall.
Analysis: Booth was a standout cover man at Clemson, where he was the best cornerback on a tough Tigers pass defense. A sports hernia injury likely had something to do with him falling this far to the Vikings, and there's a good chance they'll be grateful he did. At 6-foot, 194 pounds with standout reach, Booth is a prototypical boundary corner and could emerge as Minnesota's best at the position even in his rookie year, especially if he's healthy enough to participate in all of training camp. |
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Taken 32nd overall by Minnesota
Thu, Apr 28, 2022, 10:40 PM
The Vikings selected Cine in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 32nd overall.
Analysis: Cine is skinny for a safety at 6-foot-2, 199 pounds, but his frame can probably add some weight if necessary and his 4.37-second 40-yard dash shows that he can afford to sacrifice a little speed to do it. Cine is immensely explosive, pairing that 40 time with a 133-inch broad jump, and he has the pursuit and tackling skill set to work underneath. He should get on the IDP radar as soon as he takes a starting role next to Harrison Smith. |
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Irv Smith Irv Smith On track for camp
Tue, Apr 19, 2022, 1:57 PM
Smith (knee) didn't run routes at Tuesday's offseason practice, but he expects to be a full participant in training camp this summer, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Analysis: Smith is limited in his on-field work, three weeks after Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said the team would "be smart" about the tight end's spring workload. Smith missed the entire 2021 campaign with a meniscus injury, but it sounds like he's a big part of the plan for 2022 under a new coaching staff, especially after fellow tight end Tyler Conklin signed with the Jets earlier this offseason. O'Connell remained optimistic Tuesday, noting that Smith remains "right on schedule" in the rehab process, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. |
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Greg Joseph Greg Joseph Inks tender with Vikings
Mon, Apr 11, 2022, 10:21 AM
Joseph signed his one-year contract tender with Minnesota on Monday, his agent Brett Tessler reports.
Analysis: Joseph was solid in 2021, when he converted a career-high 87 percent of his field-goal attempts across 17 games with the Vikings. The 27-year-old currently is the only kicker on Minnesota's roster, and he can be considered the clear favorite to begin the 2022 season as the starter, though another option realistically could be added at the position when offseason workouts ramp up. |
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Will begin offseason drills Monday
Sun, Apr 10, 2022, 9:37 AM
Twyman (pelvis) will begin offseason drills Monday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Analysis: Twyman missed his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list while recovering from four gun-shot wounds suffered last June. The 2021 sixth-round pick opted out of the 2020 campaign while at Pittsburgh, but he totaled 10.5 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss in 2019 and, if healthy, is expected to have an opportunity to carve out a sizable role along Minnesota's defensive front in 2022. |
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Joining Vikings
Thu, Apr 7, 2022, 3:49 PM
Taylor signed a one-year deal with the Vikings on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Taylor will join his third team in as many years after previously being waived by the 49ers and Titans respectively. The defensive tackle has not played since suffering a torn ACL in December of 2019 but will get another chance with the Vikings whose new general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, helped draft Taylor with San Francisco back in 2018. |
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Signs two-year deal with Minnesota
Fri, Apr 1, 2022, 2:17 PM
Reed signed a two-year contract with the Vikings on Friday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Analysis: Reed played 14 games and made six starts for the Colts last season. The 29-year-old figures to provide depth along the interior of Minnesota's offensive line during the 2022 campaign. |
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