2023 Vikings Off Season Thread

[minnesotacubsfan]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

End of an era. I enjoyed watching him but this is the right (and obvious) move to make this offseason. 

Next up, figuring out how to pay Danielle Hunter. If we can’t, then he’s likely getting traded. 

 

[nicksaviking]

On 6/8/2023 at 10:28 AM, Danchat said:

I hope people don't have their expectations too high for 2023... because they're clearly taking a step back and gathering cap space for 2024. I don't think they win close to 13 games again.

Yeah, taking a step back to build a real contender was my hope all along. But they’re putting themselves in purgatory because they’re only taking a half step back.

If they were going to do this approach, they should have traded Cousins and Smith. They likely aren’t getting a franchise QB drafting 14th next year. 

[Mike Sixel]

Who's trading for Cousins?

I mean, I'd blow it up also, but if you squint you can see a legit team. 

[nicksaviking]

On 6/10/2023 at 1:28 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Who's trading for Cousins?

I mean, I'd blow it up also, but if you squint you can see a legit team. 

Cousins' contract would have looked like a bargain prior to the draft, but now teams are mostly set at QB, so that bridge is likely burned unless a contender loses their QB in training camp.

I think the Vikings will be largely average, but could/should still win the division. Detroit should be good, but I mean, it's Detroit so odds are they'll shoot themselves in the foot as is tradition.

[Vanimal46]

On 6/9/2023 at 7:17 PM, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, taking a step back to build a real contender was my hope all along. But they’re putting themselves in purgatory because they’re only taking a half step back.

If they were going to do this approach, they should have traded Cousins and Smith. They likely aren’t getting a franchise QB drafting 14th next year. 

How can they possibly take a further step back without trading our foundation of players 27 years old and younger? Harry is a declining player likely in his last year in the NFL. Isn’t that preferred to a younger player with a chance of getting better if the goal is to be bad? 

[nicksaviking]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

How can they possibly take a further step back without trading our foundation of players 27 years old and younger? Harry is a declining player likely in his last year in the NFL. Isn’t that preferred to a younger player with a chance of getting better if the goal is to be bad? 

You're likely right, Smith probably doesn't add to the win total this year. Figured the team may have landed a draft pick for him, but likely not a high one, and based on what we've seen thus far, it's possible he'd have gotten no draft pick at all.

The QB positions is always where the wins and losses are going to add up.

[Parfigliano]

On 6/12/2023 at 11:55 AM, nicksaviking said:

You're likely right, Smith probably doesn't add to the win total this year. Figured the team may have landed a draft pick for him, but likely not a high one, and based on what we've seen thus far, it's possible he'd have gotten no draft pick at all.

The QB positions is always where the wins and losses are going to add up.

With Cousins and the O-line it will be losses adding up.

[Cap'n Piranha]

Just my first look at the schedule--

Wins--Tampa, Chicago, @LV, Green Bay

Losses--@Philly, LAC, KC, SF, @Denver, @Cincy, @Detroit, Detroit

Toss-ups--@Carolina, @Chicago, @Green Bay, @Atlanta, NO

It feels so Vikings-y for Young to have his coming out party against us, with Thielen going for 140 and 2TD, we always struggle in Chicago and Green Bay, Bijan Robinson could run all over our defensive front, and Derek Carr seems like the kind of average-ish QB that the Vikings make look like a HOFer.

So I think 9-8 is the ceiling, with 4-13 the floor, which makes 6-7 wins seem likely.  That could yield a pick anywhere from just inside the top 10, to all the way back to 14/15.  Either way, probably not enough to get the franchise QB, which suggests that we should all start looking at 2025 mock drafts.

[nicksaviking]

I'd put the Chargers, Broncos and Detroit games in the toss up bin as well. I'd say the ceiling is still a very winnable NFC North title. As good as Detroit looks, they're still Detroit. Two 10 win seasons this century and no first place finishes since 1993? They're going to have to show they won't choke before I buy into them. This schedule looked way harder last year before the AFC West, NFC South and NFC North all decided to become bottom feeders last year (KC/SF excluded, obviously).

Not that I in any way care about winning the division with a team that has no shot at winning a Super Bowl. I was all for blowing this thing up. To me it actually seems more Vikings-y to have a good but empty record and blow any chance at a franchise QB.

[Vanimal46]

I watched the first 2 episodes of Quarterback on Netflix. Couple of things stood out. First, Pat Mahomes is on another level. With his mindset, talent, and environment working with a HOF coach, it’s no wonder he’s the best QB on the planet. 

Second, seeing Kirk confirms things we’ve always speculated. He’s a very smart person and constant learner. We also see what holds him back from being a great QB. And it’s all in his head. 

[nicksaviking]

Just a guess, but I bet Delvin Cook returns to the Vikings. He's clearly not getting the money he wants on the open market, and I'd guess the Vikings have, and have always had the highest offer out there.

One of his AFC East suitors, New England, is working out inferior RBs in Fournette and Darrel Henderson, so they look comfortable getting a vet minimum kind of player instead. 

[Mike Sixel]

Addison. Sigh. Hope he doesn't kill anyone.

[nicksaviking]

I'm sure people don't buy fast cars because just to drive 80 MPH, but come one, you KNOW you're going to get pulled over if you're doing 140 driving a Lamborghini. 

At least he wasn't drinking. This isn't Wisconsin, they would have nailed him for that, and rightfully so.

[Vanimal46]

22 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Just a guess, but I bet Delvin Cook returns to the Vikings.

Nah I think the Vikings have moved on. Besides, he’s got some legal matters to clean up first. 

 

[Mike Sixel]

That's a lot of hush money....wow.

[Danchat]

When that story first came out in late 2021, the Cook camp got out in front of the allegations and claimed he was the one assualted... well, somehow I doubt that he is the victim, seeing as how he's offering $1M to make the story go away.

[nicksaviking]

On 7/20/2023 at 3:29 PM, Vanimal46 said:

Nah I think the Vikings have moved on. Besides, he’s got some legal matters to clean up first. 

 

Ha yeah, that hunch dried up and died after that latest report. I wouldn't be surprised if no team wants to deal with that.

Though to be fair to Cook (and I really couldn't care less if I was fair to him), was this really 'hush' money? Or was it the normal 'settlement' offer that always happens in these situations but NEVER gets disclosed. Anyway, Mike Florio, who's a former lawyer, suggested that may be the case here.

[Mike Sixel]

They signed another nothing TE? What's going on?

[nicksaviking]

Probably just need bodies in camp. After the top two TEs, they have Mundt and some UDFAs from the past two years. 

Edit:

Looking this over, Johnny Mundt was the "blocking" TE last year and actually was credited with starting 12 games. But the Vikings brought in Oliver for that role this year and despite being the blocking TE, Mundt is well undersized at only 233 lbs. As a UFA vet last year, he did sign a contract that will pay him 1.2M this year, which is probably overkill for an undersized #3 TE. Additionally, if he's cut, it would only hit the future cap at 100K, so I'd think there's a pretty solid chance that Mundt will be gone in the near future.

[Mike Sixel]

17 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Probably just need bodies in camp. After the top two TEs, they have Mundt and some UDFAs from the past two years. 

Edit:

Looking this over, Johnny Mundt was the "blocking" TE last year and actually was credited with starting 12 games. But the Vikings brought in Oliver for that role this year and despite being the blocking TE, Mundt is well undersized at only 233 lbs. As a UFA vet last year, he did sign a contract that will pay him 1.2M this year, which is probably overkill for an undersized #3 TE. Additionally, if he's cut, it would only hit the future cap at 100K, so I'd think there's a pretty solid chance that Mundt will be gone in the near future.

Hard to see how he's on the roster, given they signed his very expensive replacement....

[nicksaviking]

4 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Hard to see how he's on the roster, given they signed his very expensive replacement....

Yeah, I mean you always need more than two TE's, but your third one probably doesn't need to be paid +1M.

It would be nice if someone other than Hockenson had some offensive potential, but I can't imagine any of these guys I've never heard of have that.

[Vanimal46]

Long snapper and TE depth guy. I’m guessing we will want to move him to the practice squad. 

[nicksaviking]

With camp around the corner, the dead part of the NFL season is finally about over.

Still, barring an injury, seems like it will be a pretty drama-free training camp unless they fudge up a new deal for Jefferson. Wake me up when they trade for Mahomes.

[Mike Sixel]

5 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

With camp around the corner, the dead part of the NFL season is finally about over.

Still, barring an injury, seems like it will be a pretty drama-free training camp unless they fudge up a new deal for Jefferson. Wake me up when they trade for Mahomes.

I'd bet Hockenson signs first. Also, there is the TINIEST chance they deal their unhappy DE, but I doubt that very, very, much.

[Danchat]

Quote

Vikings looking at options to move Danielle Hunter, sources say

Jeremy Fowler, senior NFL national reporter

Jul 29, 2023, 11:56 AM ET
The Vikings have evaluated trade options for Danielle Hunter in light of his ongoing unhappiness with his contract, with sources from multiple teams saying Minnesota has made the former Pro Bowler available.

Danielle Hunter continues to seek a new contract, and the Vikings are now considering “creative solutions” in case they can’t agree to a deal with the pass rusher.

It seems like contract talks have reached an impasse, and a trade is firmly on the table. I am mixed on whether if this is the right move or not. The team is in an odd position as their offense should be a top 10 unit, while the defense quite possibly has the least amount of talent in the whole NFL minus Hunter. We would have a lot of high scoring games!

As for the price for Hunter, I would want a late 1st (from a contender) or early 2nd + more. Based upon the price of other pass rushers getting traded (see Bradley Chubb), that would be a fair price.

[Vanimal46]

Hunter agrees to the band aid contract. Works for me. 

[nicksaviking]

This honestly sounds like the worst case scenario to me. Now he’ll only be here this season, which seems like an impossible season to win it all, AND the team won’t get a high draft pick, which could have perhaps been in part used to get a future franchise QB.

[Vanimal46]

10 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

This honestly sounds like the worst case scenario to me. Now he’ll only be here this season, which seems like an impossible season to win it all, AND the team won’t get a high draft pick, which could have perhaps been in part used to get a future franchise QB.

Nothing’s stopping us from trading him by the trade deadline if the season goes south. We were never in position to get a high draft pick. The floor is too high for this current roster. 

[Vanimal46]

Business terms aside, I like Danielle Hunter. He’s really good when he’s healthy. I’m excited to see what he looks like in Flores’ defense. 

[nicksaviking]

32 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Nothing’s stopping us from trading him by the trade deadline if the season goes south. We were never in position to get a high draft pick. The floor is too high for this current roster. 

I was talking about the hypothetical pick you’d get for Hunter. You could package two 20ish picks and move up.

No clue what, if anything was offered for him of course.