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Minnesota Vikings stock up, stock down

With training camp two months away, teams continue to evaluate their rosters. Here's the stock rising — and falling — for the Minnesota Vikings:

Stock Up
Running game: The rushing attack was abysmal in 2022, ranked fifth worst in the NFC by Pro Football Focus. However, head coach Kevin O'Connell recently emphasized the importance of improving in that area, saying it was a "goal" heading into the 2023 season.

Despite the uncertainty of RB Dalvin Cook's future in Minnesota, the backfield may be in line for significant improvements. Alexander Mattison recently signed a two-year, $7M deal and seems ready for a more prominent role, especially if Cook is traded or cut.

Meanwhile, the likes of Mattison and Ty Chandler will be running behind Pro Bowl fullback C.J. Ham and free-agent addition Josh Oliver, whom PFF ranked as the second-best blocking tight end in the NFL last season.

Justin Jefferson, wide receiver: He recorded career highs in receptions (128), yards (1,809) and yards per game (106.4) last season. Jefferson also was named to a third consecutive Pro Bowl and earned his first All-Pro nod.

Jefferson has improved in each of his three NFL seasons, and there's reason to believe he'll continue that trend. QB Kirk Cousins, coming off a solid but unspectacular Pro Bowl season, should make another leap in his second year under play-caller O'Connell.


Meanwhile, the Vikings essentially swapped veteran wideout Adam Thielen, who signed with Carolina as a free agent, for first-round draft pick Jordan Addison, who should open things more for the dynamic Jefferson. If the Vikings have some semblance of a competent rushing attack, Jefferson could produce unreal numbers for the defending NFC North champs.

Stock Down
Jalen Reagor, wide receiver: The Vikings acquired him from the Eagles last August for two late-round draft picks. The hope for Reagor was that a change of scenery would do the former first-round pick some good. However, after a lackluster 2022, he is in danger of being left off the roster.

Mainly brought in to return punts, Reagor didn't show the flash the Vikings wanted, averaging only 6.4 yards per return on 26 attempts. As a receiver, he was targeted only 13 times, recording eight receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown in 17 games.


After bringing little to the table last season, Reagor's spot on the depth chart is in serious danger, especially with the addition of free-agent returner Brandon Powell.

Defense: Only the Arizona Cardinals (26.4) and Chicago Bears (27.2) gave up more points per game than the Vikings (25.1) in 2022. Minnesota made a change at defensive coordinator, hiring Brian Flores, who will undoubtedly change the look of the unit. Still, his presence alone may not be enough to produce dramatic improvements.

Minnesota could have as many as six new starters on defense. The new-look unit will be tested early, facing four playoff teams over the first seven weeks, including dates with last year's Super Bowl teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

YARDBARKER

 

Jalen Reagor is a Bust a change of scene didn't help,I don't expect them to win against the Eagles or Chiefs or the 49ers, just want them play really really well

 

The other Jalen, lol.

 

Oh Sorry about that lol

 

Its cool... there are 2 Jalen's. Reagor and Nailor, both competing for a WR spot, lol. Nailor is looking good, dont know much or heard much on Reagor.

 

Vikings’ contract structure could complicate Justin Jefferson deal



Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson‘s absence from offseason workouts isn’t accidental. He wants a new contract. He has earned a new contract. And he has no reason to show up without one.

The Vikings obviously want to give him a contract. The sticking points will be the amount and the structure.

When it comes to new money, Jefferson has every right to except to re-set the market, surpassing the $30 million annual value of Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill‘s contract.

When it comes to structure, and as a league source explained it to PFT, the Vikings typically insist on a structure that entails injury guarantees that don’t become fully guaranteed until the year the money is earned. It gives the Vikings an annual out, as long as the player is healthy.

The Vikings broke that precedent for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Will they do it for Jefferson?

I asked a source involved in the Jefferson negotiations whether the Vikings’ guarantee structure will be an issue. The response was simple.

“We’ll see.”

Indeed we will.

Jefferson is currently the best receiver in the NFL. He gets open consistently, he catches everything thrown his way, and he holds onto the ball no matter how hard he’s being hit.

To get this done, the team likely needs to be willing to fully guarantee at least two if not three years of the deal. And the deal needs to pay plenty for one of the most important players on the team.

That’s the reality of scratching off a lottery ticket in the first round of the draft and having it hit. The jackpot eventually gets paid out by, not to, the winner.

The better the player, the bigger the jackpot.

PFT

 

If they paid Capt Kirk what was it 35 then 45 million dollars......if the Vikings can pay Capt Kirk Justin Jefferson is an elite receiver I don't get the front office half-steping when it comes to Justin Jefferson PAY the MAN he's earned it and proved it!!!

 

Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah makes me nervous just don't know about him and rocking the high-water draft night was a trip

 

Arguably the best WR in the entire NFL, I agree, pay the man!

 

Dalvin Cook resolution could be coming by end of week



The Vikings and running back Dalvin Cook have had an unsettled situation, to say the least, throughout the 2023 offseason. It has seemed at times inevitable that the Vikings will part ways with Cook. The only remaining questions have been when, and how.

A trade remains very possible, and it could happen by the end of the week, once June 1 comes and goes and the Vikings can split the $6.2 cap acceleration over two years, $3.1 million in 2023 and $3.1 million in 2024.

Cook has a base salary of $10.4 million in 2023. The question becomes whether someone else will take on the full salary — and if so whether the next team will want to restructure the deal, converting most of the salary into a signing bonus that would be spread over the remaining three years of the deal, and possibly beyond, through voidable years.

One team to watch continues to be the Dolphins. However, if another team is willing to take on the full salary and the Dolphins aren’t, another team could end up doing the deal.

PFT

 

About time this gets settled be nice if he remains a Vikings but whatever the outcome it's time to get this done but I still don't trust Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah something about ĥim just lrks me

 

WATCH Lewis Cine make plays during Vikings OTAs



Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine’s NFL career has been nothing close to easy.

Cine suffered a compound fracture in his left leg during the Vikings’ Week 4 victory over the New Orleans Saints in London. As a result of the injury, Cine had to stay behind in London and undergo surgery while the team returned stateside.

The injury ended Cine’s rookie season after just four games and prompted a long recovery to get back onto the field.

Almost nine months after the first injury, Cine is back on the field for the Vikings and participating in their organized team activity (OTA) practices.

On Wednesday, the Vikings posted a video to Twitter of Cine intercepting a pass from backup quarterback Nick Mullens.



Although fans shouldn’t put too much stock into OTAs, it’s good to see Cine on the field making plays. The Vikings will likely rely on Cine a lot this season, and he should earn a starting spot at safety.

Cine was the Vikings’ first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.

VIKINGS WIRE

 

Cine some much needed speed Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah just grins too much like he's the smartest person in the room maybe I'm wrong ɓut in a way it's like he's Rick Spielman 2.0 and Jordan Addison injury? not a good sign is he going to injury prone

 

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell spent time with receiver Jordan Addison on the side during Tuesday’s work. The first-round draft pick is not participating in on-field work in the organized team activities.

O’Connell wouldn’t reveal the injury but deemed it as minor.

“We’re being overly cautious with him right now,” O’Connell said, via Will Ragatz of SI.com. “Something that popped up toward the end of rookie minicamp. Nothing serious at all. Kind of a day-to-day thing that we’re working through.”

Addison recently signed his rookie deal, getting $13.73 million in his four-year contract with a fifth-year option.

He caught 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns at Pitt during the 2021 season and then transferred to USC in 2022. He had 59 catches for 875 yards and eight touchdowns for the Trojans.

The Vikings made him the 23rd overall pick in April.

 

Hope the mystery injury is not bad cause Justin Jefferson needs him to take some of heat off him and I'm waiting for KJ Osborn to bust out hey it's now or never

 

Im pretty sure he's fine, KOC just being very, very cautious. If it were serious, there would be panic in Eagan, Minnesota.

 

NFL.com annually rolls out bold predictions for the upcoming season, and Adam Schein posted them Wednesday.

Among the nine predictions was one that will certainly pique Vikings fans' interests: Justin Jefferson makes NFL history as first 2,000-yard receiver. Shein wrote:

No wide receiver has ever hit 2K. Calvin Johnson's come the closest, posting an NFL-record 1,964 yards in 2012. Nine years later, Cooper Kupp reached 1,947 yards. In 2023, Jefferson makes history.

Shoot, it's just the natural progression of Jefferson's NFL production, from 1,400 yards in Year 1 to 1,616 yards in Year 2 to 1,809 yards last season. To reach 2,000, he needs to average just under 118 yards over 17 games. Jefferson is the kind of unstoppable force who can make that happen, especially in Year 2 of Kevin O'Connell's offense. And his new WR running mate in Jordan Addison – Minnesota's first-round pick in April – will help the cause by commanding more attention than the Vikings complementary targets last season.

The Griddy will be on full display in 2023, with No. 18 dancing his way into the record books.
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Sure would be fun to watch. Just think if he does that and Addison can flirt with a 1000 yard season, that would equate to a ton of points scored. Im excited already in June!

 

Justin Jefferson can get 2,000 yards Cooper Kupp 1,947 this guy had an outstanding year I thought he had gotten 2,000 yards + quess not when the Rams went to the SB and won

 

The Vikings added a local product to their roster on Friday.

Wide receiver Garett Maag grew up near Minneapolis in Inver Grove Heights and he’s now a member of Minnesota’s only NFL football team. The team did not include any terms of the deal in their announcement of Maag’s signing.

Maag played in 49 games for North Dakota before going undrafted earlier this year. He caught 162 passes for 2,152 yards and 18 touchdowns during his time at the school.

The Vikings did not have to make a corresponding move to get Maag on the roster because tight end Ben Ellefson announced his retirement on Thursday.

 

I saw some highlights of Garett Maag on YouTube he has nice hands nice red zone target be nice to see him and Jarren Hall work out together to sharpen there game interesting pick up