2018 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

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ESPN: Vikings to induct late coach Dennis Green into Ring of Honor

The late Dennis Green will be inducted into the Vikings' Ring of Honor at halftime of Minnesota's game against the Bills on Sept. 23 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Green, who coached the Vikings from 1992 to 2002, coached 171 games in 10 seasons with a 101-70 overall record, finishing with the second-most wins in franchise history behind Bud Grant (178).

"Dennis Green's impact on the Minnesota Vikings, and really the entire NFL, is still felt to this day," Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf said in a statement. "In addition to being widely regarded as one of the NFL's top coaches, Denny was also known as a great mentor and leader by all who had the fortune of being in his presence. We're extremely honored to forever memorialize Denny and his family in the Vikings Ring of Honor and we're looking forward to the induction in September."

Mark, Zygi and Lenny Wilf, along with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, informed Green's wife Marie of the upcoming honor at team headquarters last Friday. Goodell was in the Twin Cities or the official ribbon cutting ceremony at the Vikings' new team headquarters (Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center) in Eagan.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ngs-induct-late-coach-dennis-green-ring-honor

Skol Vikes!!
 

per STrib:

There was a time when the annual exercise of figuring out who would bump undrafted free agent Marcus Sherels off the Vikings’ roster was a rite of training camp.

Sherels, the thinking went, was too short, too one-dimensional and simply too expendable to keep on the roster. The annual bit of training camp punditry started in the Leslie Frazier era and continued in the Mike Zimmer era. But as Sherels went from roster afterthought to the Vikings’ all-time leading punt returner and one of the longest-tenured players on the roster, keen observers stopped assuming there would be any way he wouldn’t make the team.

The game might not be worth playing again this summer, after Sherels worked as both the Vikings’ kick and punt returner last year and signed a one-year contract — his eighth deal in as many years with the team — in March. But like a tired Hollywood franchise, it’s back for one more sequel this summer — and this time, there’s an adversary that might actually be worth watching.

Mike Hughes, the Vikings’ first-round pick, remains in his early studies of the team’s defense, going through a process that coach Mike Zimmer typically prefers not to rush with his young corners. Zimmer spent much of his first summer as Vikings coach in the ear of Xavier Rhodes, and brought Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander along slowly in their first years, so there’s no reason to think Hughes will be ushered hastily into a big defensive role. He only played two seasons of major college football, and though the Vikings gave Alexander most of the work as their top nickel corner this spring, they still have Terence Newman on the roster in case they need another option in the slot and want to bring Hughes along slowly.

But even if Hughes isn’t a major factor in the defense in 2018, he’s still going to be on the roster. He returned two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns at Central Florida last year, and spent most of the spring splitting time with Sherels at both returns spots.

“The kickoffs, he’s very natural catching the ball,” special teams coordinator Mike Priefer said. “Obviously, it’s a much easier ball to catch than end-over-end-type kicks. Punts, he’s come a long way since rookie minicamp. He’s never really been taught how to track a punt, how to catch a punt. We do a lot of film work, a lot of close-up film work that we go over with Mike, and all our returners for that matter, to try to hone those skills. He’s done a really nice job. He’s come a long way. He’s a great athlete, a fast learner, the sky is the limit for Mike. I think he’s going to be a very good returner on both punts and kickoffs.”

Sherels has played 45 snaps on defense in Zimmer’s four years as head coach, and it’s no secret the Vikings think of him mostly as a return man at this point. The difference this year is, they’ll have another player on the roster in Hughes who’s effectively guaranteed a spot and could be good enough to take at least one of the return jobs as a rookie.

Essentially, the decision the Vikings will have to make is this: Can they afford to carry Sherels, in a role that amounts to a fourth specialist, on a roster where they’ve already got five (and possibly six) corners? They’re likely to carry three QBs, given the investments they’ve made in Kyle Sloter already, and figure to want a third running back with Dalvin Cook still returning from a torn ACL. Roster spots start to get claimed quickly in training camp, and as Sherels turns 31 in September, the Vikings will have to determine whether they’ve got enough to go around to keep him.

The Rochester native still enjoys a deep level of trust from Priefer, and is the type of player the Vikings love to boast about: a local product whose commitment to solid technique and on-field consistency are matched by few on the roster. It’s still eminently possible they’ll make the math work to keep him on the roster and render the training camp parlor game useless once again. With Hughes on the roster this year, though, the path for Sherels could be a little trickier than it’s been in a while.

http://www.startribune.com/with-mik...ve-to-fight-to-make-vikings-roster/485821701/

Skol Vikes!!
 

I don't care what it takes - Sherels is worth keeping. He has a knack for returning punts that others simply don't have: an ability to go north/south and squeeze every yard out of the situation. That's worth a roster spot.
 

Sid: Vikings face challenge of high expectations as camp nears

Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman continues to say that he is withholding judgment on his team until they get their pads on at training camp.

But there is just no denying that Spielman and the entire staff know this is a Super Bowl-caliber club, and after reaching the NFC Championship Game last season, that will be their only goal when training camp kicks off in July.

“We’re excited about the football team. We thought on paper we made some improvements through free agency and the draft this year,” he said. “Now you just have to stay healthy. I think everybody knows the expectations on this club, but we just take it one day at a time.”

Spielman did say that these young players are going to give the team excellent depth and that the secondary might be the strength of the team with the defensive line not far behind.

“I think that is a strength of this team and, as I’ve said, we have a lot of depth behind the starters that I think will help in terms of maybe being able to rotate the defensive line more this year. I know we have depth at the cornerback position,” Spielman said.

When it comes to quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, they will have an impact.

http://www.startribune.com/vikings-face-challenge-of-high-expectations-as-camp-nears/486363661/

Skol Vikes!!
 

Great deal for both sides. He'll only be 28 when this contract expires.

 


Good work front office. Need to get Diggs signed. Barr is wait and see in my book.
 

march madness said:
Good work front office. Need to get Diggs signed. Barr is wait and see in my book.
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I think this pretty much says to Barr, "You're good, but not good enough." If they can figure out how to pay him what he wants after paying everyone else, I'll be surprised.
 

Charley Walters: Stefon Diggs will be next Viking to cash in big

With defensive end Danielle Hunter locked up with a contract extension last week, next in line for the Minnesota Vikings appears to be Stefon Diggs, who can become a free agent after the coming season.

The wide receiver’s deal won’t approach the reported $72 million Hunter received, but it could be worth nearly $50 million over four years.

Meanwhile, fellow wideout Adam Thielen, a Pro Bowl starter last season, is signed through 2020 for nearly $18 million.

No one could blame Thielen should he wish to renegotiate.

Diggs, 24, has caught 200 passes for 2,472 yards the past three seasons.

Thielen, 27, has 172 catches for 2,387 yards the past three seasons.

Should Thielen have a season this year like last year, when he caught 91 passes for a team-leading 1,276 yards, a contract renegotiation could become an issue.

https://www.twincities.com/2018/06/30/charley-walters-stefon-diggs-will-be-next-viking-to-cash-in/

Skol Vikes!!
 

per Sid:

• Rick Spielman’s love of draft day trades brought the Vikings Danielle Hunter, who signed a five-year, $72 million deal this past week. The Vikings traded the No. 80 overall pick in 2015 to Detroit for picks No. 88 and 143. USA Today reported that Hunter’s 25½ career sacks are the 10th most by a player 23 or younger in NFL history. Houston star J.J. Watt had 26 sacks by that age.

• Pro Football Focus and ESPN ranked the Vikings as having the fifth-best personnel in the NFL behind the Eagles, Falcons, Saints and Patriots. Safety Harrison Smith was ranked as their best player overall and wide receiver Stefon Diggs as their best offensive player.

http://www.startribune.com/like-twins-joe-mauer-rolls-with-the-ups-and-downs/487034781/

Skol Vikes!!
 



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Wow. I had to look up the assistant OL coach - never heard of the guy.

From a logistical standpoint, how do you fill a vacancy like this when you are literally a few days away from training camp? I suppose you name the assistant coach as the Interim OL coach - but from there, are there any qualified candidates available at this time of the year? Maybe you go out and find some veteran coach who recently retired and talk them into coming back on a temporary basis?

Any way you slice it, not good for one of the key positions on the team.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
Wow. I had to look up the assistant OL coach - never heard of the guy.

From a logistical standpoint, how do you fill a vacancy like this when you are literally a few days away from training camp? I suppose you name the assistant coach as the Interim OL coach - but from there, are there any qualified candidates available at this time of the year? Maybe you go out and find some veteran coach who recently retired and talk them into coming back on a temporary basis?

Any way you slice it, not good for one of the key positions on the team.
Click to expand...

He was the head coach of the Dolphins from 08-11 to the interim Raiders coach a few years ago.
 




die hard gopher said:
He was the head coach of the Dolphins from 08-11 to the interim Raiders coach a few years ago.
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I know who Sparano is. My point was - the Vikings OL coach died. So who takes over for him? and, as I said, I didn't have a clue who the assistant OL coach was - key word being assistant, and assuming he would be next in line - so I had to look him up.

Just saying that, personal feelings aside, this has the potential to impact the OL, which is a key position on the team.
 

This is shades of Korey Stringer - tragic OL death near the beginning of camp, coming off a promising season and with big hopes for the coming season. This feels like yet another random banana peel / lightning strike for the Vikes.

Prayers to the team and Sparano's family.
 


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