All Things 2021 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

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TruthSeeker said:
Good cut. Colquitt sucks.

I'm operating under the cynical mindset that the Vikings still want him, and they're just gaming the system.
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If they wait until after week 1, salary isn't guaranteed. That might be what's going on with Griffin. Seems less likely with Colquitt.
 

He's back, again!

The Vikings re-signed defensive end Everson Griffen on Wednesday, a day after making him one of their final cuts to set their initial 53-man roster.

The team also signed 14 players to their practice squad, but quarterback Jake Browning was not one of them. His rise from 2019-20 practice squad player to first crack at the 2021 No. 2 job quickly fizzled during a dismal preseason performance.

Griffen, the 12-year veteran who had 74 ½ sacks as a Viking in his first 10 seasons, initially rejoined the team on Aug. 23 after he spend last season with the Cowboys and Lions. Cutting him on Tuesday appears to have been a largely procedural move.

Added to the practice squad Wednesday were running back Ameer Abdullah, last year's kickoff returner; guard Dakota Dozier, a 16-game starter last year; offensive tackle Zack Bailey; fullback Jake Bargas; linebacker Tuf Borland; tight end Zach Davidson; guard Kyle Hinton; running back A.J. Rose Jr.; defensive end Kenny Willekes; safety Myles Dorn; receivers Myron Mitchell and Whop Philyor; and cornerbacks Parry Nickerson and Tye Smith.

www.startribune.com

Vikings re-sign Everson Griffen, add 14 players to practice squad

The defensive end rejoined the team after being cut Tuesday along with Ameer Abdullah and Dakota Dozier, among others.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Skol Vikes!!
 



howeda7 said:
Lame but expected.
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So the Vikings are going to manipulate the rules, pay Mannion Practice Squad pay, and then activate him on gamedays to be the actual backup.

Zimmer wants more of this for all players and positions.

The NFLPA should get their act together and realize the potential problem here.
 

TruthSeeker said:
So the Vikings are going to manipulate the rules, pay Mannion Practice Squad pay, and then activate him on gamedays to be the actual backup.

Zimmer wants more of this for all players and positions.

The NFLPA should get their act together and realize the potential problem here.
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If he's willing to be the "true" backup for practice squad pay and no spot on the roster, that's his choice.

What would you propose? That any elevated player from the practice squad must spend X weeks on the roster before moving back down to the PS? I think that would be fine for me ... but what coaches are going to vote for that? None, I would guess.
 

They "released" Griffen and the long-snapper, because they needed to sneak three injured players over on the 53 man for a day before then putting them on the IR. Otherwise, they would not be able to come back during the season. And they knew that neither (Griff or snapper) would hit the waiver wire, since they're vets, and told them they'd turn right around and sign them again.

Guessing they're trying to play a similar game with Colquitt? Or maybe they're genuinely going to see what punters are available.
 



MplsGopher said:
Guessing they're trying to play a similar game with Colquitt? Or maybe they're genuinely going to see what punters are available.
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My guess is they re-sign him unless they want to take a flyer on JK Scott.
 
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TruthSeeker said:
So the Vikings are going to manipulate the rules, pay Mannion Practice Squad pay, and then activate him on gamedays to be the actual backup.

Zimmer wants more of this for all players and positions.

The NFLPA should get their act together and realize the potential problem here.
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I wouldn't assume that for now. We'll see how it is week 1. They could want Mond to get the back-up reps in practice and would only elevate Mannion to active if Cousins is out for some reason. Mond looked decent the last two games.
 

Don't you always have three active QBs for each gameday? Maybe not.

If Kirk actually went down with injury, and Mannion wasn't active .... we'd be fine with Mond taking over on an important game?
 

MplsGopher said:
Don't you always have three active QBs for each gameday? Maybe not.

If Kirk actually went down with injury, and Mannion wasn't active .... we'd be fine with Mond taking over on an important game?
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Possible. Tarvaris Jackson was pretty good when put in mid-game but usually awful when teams could game plan for him. Same could hold for Mond, at least for now. Mannion would be elevated and start if Kirk gets Covid or gets exposed etc.
 







PA says vikes will be 12-4. He knows MFL football. Note- he also guaranteed arog would never play for Green Bay again.
 

8/9 wins seems reasonable. Maybe they figure something out and get more.

If it's anything less than winning a Wild Card game: clean house and start over. Cut Kirk's ass, don't give a shit how much we have to pay him to not play. Mond can play, it's a rebuild year anyway.
 


per Shama:

Bob Lurtsema, the former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman who remains a close observer and loyalist to the franchise, predicts a mediocre team record in 2021 and possible end to the Mike Zimmer-Rick Spielman era. “I think both their jobs are on the line,” Lurtsema told Sports Headliners.

This is Zimmer’s eighth season as head coach, while Spielman is in his 10th as GM and 16th as a front office personnel executive with the club. The Vikings have won only three playoff games in the last 16 years and the team missed the playoffs last season after a 7-9 regular season record.

Minnesota has been inconsistent under Zimmer, who in his only NFL head coaching assignment has often earned praise for his defensive savvy. Two times the club has won NFC North Division titles and twice finished second, but four times hasn’t qualified for the playoffs. Spielman earns credit for many savvy draft choices but in the last several off-seasons he’s been unable to fix the offensive line, and he has critics of his quarterback choices over the years—from first-rounder Christian Ponder in 2011 to the mega contract he committed to current QB Kirk Cousins.

Lurtsema particularly scrutinizes Viking offensive and defensive linemen, and wonders why some of them were acquired. “What are they doing?” Lurtsema said about the front office.

He labels the footwork of some defensive linemen as “terrible.” The Vikings were supposed to have fixed their defensive line in the off-season and maybe they have but Lurtsema didn’t like the lack of aggressiveness he watched in the preseason. “If you catch the contact, rather than initiate it, you’re really losing that six to eight inches (of space and advantage) which you’re fighting for all the time on the defensive and offensive line.”

Minnesota’s offensive line is the most suspect unit on the team going into the season opener Sunday, September 12 at Cincinnati against the Bengals. All the starters were on the roster last season when the collective results were lacking. Except for right tackle Brian O’Neill, the other regulars are judged mediocre at best.

Powerful, fast and elusive running back Dalvin Cook, a second round steal by Spielman in 2017, is so talented he can make his line look better than it is. “He can do it on his own,” Lurtsema said of the man he considers team MVP.

Lurtsema’s hope is the offensive line can improve its performance and make Cook’s running production even better. An opposing defense almost completely trying to contain the Viking run game results in minimal pass rush. “Then the sky’s the limit for Cousins and (Justin) Jefferson and a healthy Adam Thielen,” Lurtsema said about the team’s QB and top wide receivers.

Through the years Lurtsema’s predictions of Minnesota’s final win-loss record has been impressive. What’s in the crystal ball for this season? “If they’re .500, that’s about as high as I would go with them,” he said about 2021. “I am hoping for a lot better, of course.”

Lurtsema deliberated between forecasting 8-9 or 9-8 records, before going with the latter because it sounds more positive. “I love Zim—okay—but his job is on the line. He goes 8-9, he’s gone. He has got to have a winning season.”

If there is a losing season, what about Spielman? “I would say he should lose his job, too,” Lurtsema said.


Skol Vikes!!
 



1998, 2000, 2009, 2017 - NFC Championship games

Maybe not 2000, but the other 3 at a minimum should have been Super Bowl appearances. Obviously 98 winning it all. 09 should have too.
 

Vikings extend Brian O'Neill, not surprising. They have invested some capital in recent drafts in the OL, it wouldn't be shocking for this OL to start to pan out over this season and into next. At least it sounds like Darrisaw is practicing now, although he's out of shape

Color me optimistic, this OL could be a strength of the team in the next couple seasons.
 

I'm inclined to place a sizable wager on the Vikings at +3 against Cincinnati in the opener. If I were going to do that, I would shop around to see if there's a +2.5 to be had somewhere. First game back for Burrow, still not a great OL in front of him, and a completely revamped DL for the Vikings.

I don't see this as close, but it IS on the road and outside, two things indoor teams tend to struggle with.
 

Interesting quote from Zimmer on team's depth.

Zimmer on Vikings depth: "It’s concerning. I feel really good about the top guys,and then some of these young guys got to come on. But when you’re kind of top-heavy with finances, that’s what you’ve got to do.Hopefully we’ll stay healthy, and try to get these younger guys better"

The "top-heavy with finances" could be read as a shot at Spielman and the front office. I saw a story somewhere that the Vikes were among the NFL leaders in the number of players making $10-million a year or more. And whether Zim means it or not, the questions about the "younger guys" could be a shot at the recent draft classes for failing to produce.
 


The Vikings will take last place in their division this year. Even Detroit is better than the Vikings.
 

MennoSota said:
The Vikings will take last place in their division this year. Even Detroit is better than the Vikings.
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If so, I hope they lose early and often so I waste the bear minimum time watching them.
 

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