2025 Vikings Offseason

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

People still listen to Barreiro? Huh.

Heh, I do from time to time on the treadmill, but mostly because I haven't found many options that give me an eclectic array of topics to enjoy.  I hate listening to one-note shows......so I'm open to suggestions, :)

[gunnarthor]

5 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm wondering why you get that impression? 

 

4 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

I actually think he gets a bad wrap by MN media, particularly Barreiro.  He's framed as a dogmatic guy who wants to rip the ball down field and ignores the running game, but I don't think either is true.  He came from McVay's tree.  The same tree that ran Todd Gurley into an early retirement.  And made 5 yard throws to Kupp all the rage.

I think KOC is a pretty flexible guy and I think the success he's had so far reflects on his ability to match his scheme to the talent he has.  He hasn't run because his backs have been bad and his center can't hold the point of attack.  He doesn't throw underneath because Sam Darnold was literally one of the worst QBs in the league last year in short yardage accuracy.  

Frankly...I think he's exactly the kind of coach you want to have: the one that will find the optimal path no matter what is thrown at him.  (Hell...we'd have picked 5 or so spots higher last year if he hadn't worked miracles with Josh freaking Dobbs)

So I love KOC and I don't listen to Barreiro. The reasons I have some concerns is 

1) After the Rams loss, KOC sorta/kinda threw Darnold, KAM, and the IOL under the bus in a game where many people thought he was clearly out-coached (by his own mentor). And he didn't seem to take any responsibility for the loss and there are legit criticisms of how we handle the offensive play calling in that game. From going for it at the end of 2nd half, to the lack of using a TE to help block, etc.

2) KAM pushed back a bit on how to fix the IOL by suggesting that one area to work on could be passing schemes, which suggest some disagreement between the two.

3) He seems to mostly be bringing in people from the McVey tree instead of getting folks with other views of offensive scheming. No one on our team has enough experience to tell KOC that our offensive gameplan isn't working.

All of that said, I love KOC. Defended him all year. Think he'll win a superbowl here. But if there are issues of concerns that could be valid, those are them. I tend to agree with Levi that KOC isn't that stubborn and if we had a Delvin Cook on our team, the offense would have looked different as well.

[TheLeviathan]

How did you feel he threw KAM under the bus?

Darnold deserved the bus, :)

[gunnarthor]

18 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

How did you feel he threw KAM under the bus?

Darnold deserved the bus, :)

His postgame press comments about how he's been complaining for years about the interior line. I took that - and others might have read it differently - as "it's not my fault our o-line sucks, the GM brings in the players." 

[Vanimal46]

My pipe dream is dead. Damnit. 

[gunnarthor]

Here's a list of the top free agents. 

https://www.nfl.com/news/top-101-nfl-free-agents-of-2025-who-are-the-best-players-available

[Vanimal46]

5 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Here's a list of the top free agents. 

https://www.nfl.com/news/top-101-nfl-free-agents-of-2025-who-are-the-best-players-available

Sign me up for OL Will Fries and C Drew Dahlman. Also CB DJ Reed. That would be a great start heading into the draft. 

[Vanimal46]

Gotta sign at least one of these names. Preferably 2. 

[TheLeviathan]

28 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Gotta sign at least one of these names. Preferably 2. 

As I said a week or so back.....it's likely they get one player for their IOL in FA.

Bradbury isn't going anywhere and they will likely upgrade RG and leave Brandel at LG.  

On the plus side, that means money to go get Reed, retain Bynum or Murphy, and sign someone like Milton Williams.  But this was never going to be the total overhaul some people dreamed.

[TheLeviathan]

58 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

His postgame press comments about how he's been complaining for years about the interior line. I took that - and others might have read it differently - as "it's not my fault our o-line sucks, the GM brings in the players." 

Interesting, I either forgot that or didn't hear it. 

I guess I put that down as frustration over getting his ass kicked.  Not the right response, but understandable.  It sure seems like KAM and KOC work well together.

[Vanimal46]

https://www.nfl.com/combine/iq/mobile

NFL draft combine data with next gen stats. Pretty cool to check out 

[gunnarthor]

The Vikes can restructure both Van Ginkel and O'Neil to get more cap space. I think something like this is doable - 

Sign S Holland - I think he's a perfect fit in Flores scheme and Flores drafted him in Miami. A safety trio of Holland, Mettalus (as the pocket knife player), and Theo Jackson works. Holland will get paid though. Some online projections think 4 years and 18-19 per. But I don't want Bynum back and I think Smith will retire.

Sign CB Asante Samuel Jr. - or Charvarius Ward both projected to get something like 3/45 - and Kristian Fulton (3/20), who I think is an underrated player and would be a good fit in our defense. Neither will break the bank but both are clear NFL caliber starters and, with better coaching, I think, can really make a leap forward kind of like what Murphy did. Samuel, Fulton, and Blackmon is a good threesome to start with at corner, although they'd have to add another corner. 

Sign two of C Dalman (4/48m), OG Will Freis (4/58) or OG Treven Jenkens (4/40). Even with those signings (or similar ones) they should still have cap room to get a few other rotational guys and a solid third receiver. Also, if the Vikes could somehow add another LB in the Cashman mold - Nick Bolton or Robert Spillaine, for instance, would be nice. 

In the draft, I'd like them to draft one of the big DL at 24 - someone like Nolan or Grant, who probably won't be there. And then grab the running back of the future in the 3rd round. 

[TheLeviathan]

5 hours ago, gunnarthor said:

The Vikes can restructure both Van Ginkel and O'Neil to get more cap space. I think something like this is doable - 

Sign S Holland - I think he's a perfect fit in Flores scheme and Flores drafted him in Miami. A safety trio of Holland, Mettalus (as the pocket knife player), and Theo Jackson works. Holland will get paid though. Some online projections think 4 years and 18-19 per. But I don't want Bynum back and I think Smith will retire.

Sign CB Asante Samuel Jr. - or Charvarius Ward both projected to get something like 3/45 - and Kristian Fulton (3/20), who I think is an underrated player and would be a good fit in our defense. Neither will break the bank but both are clear NFL caliber starters and, with better coaching, I think, can really make a leap forward kind of like what Murphy did. Samuel, Fulton, and Blackmon is a good threesome to start with at corner, although they'd have to add another corner. 

Sign two of C Dalman (4/48m), OG Will Freis (4/58) or OG Treven Jenkens (4/40). Even with those signings (or similar ones) they should still have cap room to get a few other rotational guys and a solid third receiver. Also, if the Vikes could somehow add another LB in the Cashman mold - Nick Bolton or Robert Spillaine, for instance, would be nice. 

In the draft, I'd like them to draft one of the big DL at 24 - someone like Nolan or Grant, who probably won't be there. And then grab the running back of the future in the 3rd round. 

I really like the targets.  I think your projected contracts are low though.  With the restructures, it'll probably be about 70 or 75M in room.  Holland is going to eat 17 of that.  Samuel 15M.  Fulton probably 4M.  I think PFF is low on all the OL contracts, but I could be wrong.  Personally I think Jenkins and Dalman are both probably closer to 15M.  That would be 65M of that 70M and you wouldn't have draft picks accounted for, and there isn't much for filler.  

As nice as it sounds to have 75M, it doesn't go as far as we'd like it to.  I think the Vikings will be able to offer 3 deals in that 15+ range.  I'm guessing one OL, one DB, and one DL.  Or one OL and two DBs.  Then they'll play in the slightly smaller range like they did with Gink last year and your suggestion with Fulton.  That's why my plans have rested on getting guys like Kinlaw and James Daniels instead.

[nicksaviking]

I know it's a scary position, but KAW has been fantastic finding affordable and decent CBs both early in the off season and late. Or maybe it's not him, maybe it's Flores and his system. I definitely want this addressed in free agency and not the draft, but I'm not going to sweat it if they don't get someone exciting. The unexciting guys have been working out pretty well all things considered.

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

I really like the targets.  I think your projected contracts are low though.  With the restructures, it'll probably be about 70 or 75M in room.  Holland is going to eat 17 of that.  Samuel 15M.  Fulton probably 4M.  I think PFF is low on all the OL contracts, but I could be wrong.  Personally I think Jenkins and Dalman are both probably closer to 15M.  That would be 65M of that 70M and you wouldn't have draft picks accounted for, and there isn't much for filler.  

As nice as it sounds to have 75M, it doesn't go as far as we'd like it to.  I think the Vikings will be able to offer 3 deals in that 15+ range.  I'm guessing one OL, one DB, and one DL.  Or one OL and two DBs.  Then they'll play in the slightly smaller range like they did with Gink last year and your suggestion with Fulton.  That's why my plans have rested on getting guys like Kinlaw and James Daniels instead.

They should concentrate on OL and DL free agents.

[TheLeviathan]

7 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

They should concentrate on OL and DL free agents.

Probably right, but let's just be clear on who the current members of the Vikings secondary are:

Mecki Blackmon, Jay Ward, Josh Metellus, Dwight McGlothern and like 4 guys that may or may not be in charge of gatorade.

It's going to cost 15M just to get 3 competent guys in that room.  (And they need at least 3)

[gunnarthor]

9 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

I really like the targets.  I think your projected contracts are low though. 

Could very well be. I just googled "player projected contract" and moved on, I'm horrible at guessing contracts. Holland's injury might make him a little cheaper but the need for IOL might make all three of those guys more expensive. 

But I think the Vikes will get a "big name" free agent and make some smart mid-size moves, comparable to Ginkel and Greenard. As I said, I really think Fulton could be a steal. And while it's not necessarily a big need, I'm curious what the Vikings may do for the WR3 position. 

[Mike Sixel]

Stafford staying in LA. That makes Darnold more valuable....

[TheLeviathan]

5 hours ago, gunnarthor said:

Could very well be. I just googled "player projected contract" and moved on, I'm horrible at guessing contracts. Holland's injury might make him a little cheaper but the need for IOL might make all three of those guys more expensive. 

But I think the Vikes will get a "big name" free agent and make some smart mid-size moves, comparable to Ginkel and Greenard. As I said, I really think Fulton could be a steal. And while it's not necessarily a big need, I'm curious what the Vikings may do for the WR3 position. 

I like Fulton, he was a dude I targeted too.  

Offensive line is such a problem in the league that I think, across the board, dudes are going to get paid more than current projections.  For our sake, I hope I'm wrong.

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Stafford staying in LA. That makes Darnold more valuable....

Yup, time to tag him I think.  That really clears the road IMO.

[gunnarthor]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

Yup, time to tag him I think.  That really clears the road IMO.

Anyone know how tag and trade of Darnold would impact the teams cap?

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, gunnarthor said:

Anyone know how tag and trade of Darnold would impact the teams cap?

I think they'll lose 40M in spending room until it clears.  But you can come to terms with FAs and not officially sign them until you free the space.  

IMO.....trade talks should be happening now and hopefully getting Sam's blessing.

[Mike Sixel]

Interesting that multiple OL do not like the Vikings new OL coach....I wonder if this will be an issue. 

[TheLeviathan]

28 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Interesting that multiple OL do not like the Vikings new OL coach....I wonder if this will be an issue. 

You can count out Mecki Bechton for sure.

[Vanimal46]

On 2/19/2025 at 9:08 AM, Vanimal46 said:

An early list of “My Guys” in this upcoming draft: Note that I’ve been focused mostly on RB and DL…

RB: Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, RJ Harvey, Bhayshul Tuten

IOL: Grey Zabel

DL: Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, Kenneth Grant, Derrick Harmon 

 

Omarion Hampton pretty much locked in a 1st round grade now after his combine. Henderson and Harvey ran in the 4.4s. Tuten is faster than all of them. 

 

[gunnarthor]

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Omarion Hampton pretty much locked in a 1st round grade now after his combine. Henderson and Harvey ran in the 4.4s. Tuten is faster than all of them. 

 

Here's one report on him. https://www.nfl.com/prospects/bhayshul-tuten/32005455-5406-6215-da3b-cbf31441af43

Might be around in the 3rd but likely gone by the time we pick.

[nicksaviking]

Even though the Vikings need one, it would be cool to see RBs get the respect and paychecks they've been shorted for most of the last decade. 

Anyone who thinks they are plug-n-play didn't watch Dallas, NYG or KC last year.

[TheLeviathan]

7 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Omarion Hampton pretty much locked in a 1st round grade now after his combine. Henderson and Harvey ran in the 4.4s. Tuten is faster than all of them. 

 

This only emboldens my RJ Harvey love.  

[gunnarthor]

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/sam-darnold-las-vegas-raiders-trade-news-nfl-report

Darnold to the raiders rumors are starting. 

[gunnarthor]

Vikings add Jordan Traylor as assistant QB coach. From the Saints org. I like that we're adding someone that isn't form the Sean McVay coaching tree. He used to be a college QB and has background in scouting. 

https://www.dailynorseman.com/2025/3/4/24377558/minnesota-vikings-hire-jordan-traylor-assistant-quarterbacks-coach-new-orleans-saints