Vikings - Lions

It took until November but the Minnesota Vikings lost their first game of the season. Unfortunately, the loss was to a division foe. The Detroit Lions took control at the end to win the hard-fought game, 19-15. 

There were dreams that the Vikings might go undefeated. They were always only dreams. Skipping through an entire NFL season without a loss is a very difficult thing to do. Through six games, and now seven games, everything is just so difficult with the Vikings offense. They did enough to win six games. They didn’t do enough to win this game. Despite some second half tackling issues, the defense held the Lions to fewer than 20 points. With the playmakers the Vikings have on offense, putting up more than 20 points shouldn’t be a chore against any defense. Unfortunately, everything feels like a chore with this offense. That has to change. Some put the blame on Kyler Murray’s quarterbacking. Some put the blame on Kevin O’Connell’s play-calling. I’m not sure why there always has to be one person to blame but that’s the world in which we live these days. Gotta point that finger at someone. 

Perhaps this game goes a different way if the Vikings had opted for a field goal rather than go for fa first down on fourth-and-five at the Lions 25-yard line. It was a couple plays into the fourth quarter with the Lions holding a 12-7 lead. The fourth down gamble followed a very long delay after a serious injury to Lions linebacker Jack Campbell. It was an uncomfortable moment as it’s always difficult to get back to football after such an injury. The fourth down play never really had a shot and it felt like the Vikings just tossed away points. At least the defense forced a three-and-out and quickly got the ball back for the offense. The Vikings offense responded with their best possession of the game. It was a possession that ended with a touchdown, s two-point conversion, and a 15-12 lead. It’s a lead that could’ve been 18-12 if they opted for a field goal rather than a gamble. 

The Vikings took that 15-12 lead with 8:44 to play. Over that final 8:44, the Lions offense simply whipped the Vikings defense. It was a puzzling stretch because it looked like the Vikings defense simply forgot how to tackle. Before kneel-downs to end the game, the Lions ran the ball on 11 of 13 snaps over two possessions. Here are those runs:

17 yards

12 yards

10 yards

9 yards

9 yards

14 yards

8 yards

2 yards

6 yards

3 yards

2 yards

On every run, the Vikings had defenders positioned to stop those runs for a loss or little gain. On every run, multiple defenders slid off or whiffed on the runners. I guess the Lions wanted it more. With as great as the Vikings defense has played all season, it was startling to see. On the two passes during that game-flipping sequence, Jared Goff tossed a short 5-yarder early in the first drive and a seven-yard touchdown to end it. 

The Vikings were never out of this game. Even considering the late tackling issues, the defense played well enough to win. Holding the Lions to 19 points should be enough to win. Even with the offensive struggles, the Vikings could’ve won this game. All of the could’ve/should’ve/would’ve don’t mean a thing. The Vikings lost. And they deserved to lose. The offense simply has to get better. It should not be this hard to move the ball. It should not be this hard to get the ball in the end zone. It should no be this hard to get the ball to Justin Jefferson. He should never finish a game with only 33 yards. 

After a loss, especially a loss to a division opponent, it’s easy to believe everything is shit. If told in August that the Vikings would be 6-1 at the start of November, I believe everyone surrounding the team would be thrilled. Well, the Vikings are 6-1 at the start of November. They are on the top of the best division in the league. The path to the playoffs and the top seed in the conference is in their hands. A difficult schedule is in front of them. That tough stretch starts with the Buffalo Bills next week on Monday Night. 

Flea Flicker Week 8 Predictions

We’re on to Week 8. There was a time when the completion of the Week 8 games put the league at the half-way point of the NFL season. Can’t don’t that with 17 games. The league, under the guidance of the Roger Goodell, has done a lot of stupid things. Every stupid thing was done out of sheer greed. Bumping the season to 17 might be the worst. Player safety be damned, 18 feels inevitable. Anyway, here are some guesses at this Week’s games.

Byes: New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings must win. They must stay undefeated. 

Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Bills

With Lamar Jackson back, the Ravens must go on a run. Despite a winning record, 4-3, they are at the bottom of the AFC North. I expect to see Jackson with a little rust. 

Tennessee Titans @ Cincinnati Bengals 

Pick: Bengals

Bengals roll.

Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Cowboys

Remember when the Cardinals and Cowboys were division foes? 

Las Vegas Raiders @ New York Jets

Pick: Raiders

If the Jets couldn’t handle the Dolphins, I don’t see them handling the Raiders. 

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Browns

It always feels wrong to pick a DeShaun Watson-led team. 

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Falcons

If the Buccaneers play like they did last week against the Carolina Panthers, this could be a fun game.

Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars 

Pick: Jaguars

As the Colts trade away their top players, the Jaguars roll.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Los Angeles Rams

Pick: Rams

It’s a home game for both teams. For about five weeks, I kept expecting the switch to flip for the Chargers. Now, I just don’t care. The team is a mess. 

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Chiefs

Chiefs rebound from their first loss of the season.

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Patriots

After ending a five-game losing streak to start the season, the Dolphins start another one. 

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Commanders

It would be difficult to pick the Eagles against any team.

Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks corral Caleb Williams.

Detroit Lions All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings travel to Detroit for a clash with the Lions. For most of my football-following days, the Detroit Lions have been a mere road bump on the NFL schedule. They weren’t very good. They had some nice moments with Barry Sanders making defenses look silly. They had some competitive days when Matthew Stafford was throwing the ball for them. They had Calvin Johnson. Billy Sims. Decades of frustration make their recent ascent feel like an anomaly. All those years of poor teams and frustrations make it hard to believe that the Lions were once a dominant team. They really were. The brilliant Dutch Clark led them to their first NFL title in 1935. They were a force in the 1950s with three more titles. They were once a great and fun team. On the eve of their big game against the Vikings, here are some of best players in the complicated history of the Detroit Lions. 

Detroit Lions All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback 

Bobby Layne

Running Back

Barry Sanders

Fullback

Ace Gutowsky

Tailback

Dutch Clark

Dutch Clark must be on all Detroit Lions All-Time Teams.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Tight End

Charlie Sanders

Tackles

Lou Creekmur

Lomas Brown

Guards

Ox Emerson

Dick Stanfel

Center

Alex Wojciechowicz

Defense

Defensive Ends

Al Baker

Robert Porcher

Defensive Tackles

Alex Karras

Roger Brown

Linebackers

Chris Spielman

Joe Schmidt

Wayne Walker

Cornerbacks

Dick “Night Train” Lane

Lem Barney

Safeties

Jack Christiansen

Yale Lary

Special Teams

Kicker

Jason Hanson

Punter

Yale Lary

Kick Returner

Mel Gray

Punt Returner

Jack Christiansen

Vikings Tight Ends

This week, the Minnesota Vikings continued their search for the right tight end room. Without Josh Oliver, that’s a tough ask. The Vikings lost Oliver to a torn bicep injury in Week 3 and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season. He’s the best blocking tight end in the league and has been missed. In his absence, the Vikings offense is forced to change rather than simply drop in a replacement player. As they should, the Vikings are looking at and bringing in some tight ends. Two were signed to the practice squad. 

Bryson Nesbit

Devin Culp

Josh Oliver’s injury created a significant tight end need. When the Cincinnati Bengals swiped Cam Grandy off the practice squad earlier this week, the need increased. Bryson Nesbit is a familiar name as he was on the Vikings practice squad last season and was among the team’s final cuts in August. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Devin Culp out of Washington in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s appeared in 18 NFL games and has six catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. Those 18 games and six catches make him the most experienced tight on the Vikings roster outside of starter T.J. Hockenson. 

The loss of Cam Grandy and addition of Bryson Nesbit and Devin Culp gives the Vikings a tight end room of five players.

Active Roster:

T.J. Hockenson

Gavin Bartholomew 

Ben Yurosek

Practice Squad:

Bryson Nesbit

Devin Culp 

With the NFL trade deadline less than two weeks away, there’s been a lot of fan and media talk of the Vikings taking a big swing at boosting the team. After all, it isn’t often a team starts a season 6-0. Why not take a big swing? Much of that talk has been about adding a running back, an offensive lineman, and/or a defensive lineman. I actually think tight end might be the Vikings biggest immediate need. T.J. Hockenson can’t do everything and definitely can’t duplicate himself when multiple tight ends are needed. Gavin Bartholomew and Ben Yurosek have shown some potential. Maybe they can make further strides with more playing time. Rather than hoping for a player on the roster to emerge, I wouldn’t mind if the Vikings trade for a tight end. The Philadelphia Eagles Dallas Goeddert is probably the biggest name out there. For some reason, trading for Goeddert doesn’t feel right but I’d probably come around to it. A perhaps under-the-radar addition could be Tampa Bay Buccaneers Payne Durham. 

There’s no replacing Josh Oliver but I’d feel better about the tight end position if the Vikings added an experienced and accomplished option. 

Throwback Thursday: All - Time NFC North Team

The NFC North has been an NFL division since the league’s realignment in 2002. The division might be fairly new but the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions have been conference and division foes since the Vikings joined the NFL in 1961. Through all of the league’s merging and juggling, those four teams have always been grouped together. It’s a beautiful, geographically accurate thing. This is just the most recent iteration. Here's a look at the best players to play each position in the short history of the NFC North.

Offense

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Running backs
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Fullback
John Kuhn, Green Bay Packers

Receivers
Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings 

Moss only played in the NFC North for three seasons (2010 doesn't count). That's enough for me. His three years were that fantastic.

Tackles
Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings

Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions

Guards
Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota Vikings
Kyle Long, Chicago Bears

Center
Matt Birk, Minnesota Vikings

Defense

Defensive ends 
Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings
Julius Peppers, Chicago Bears/Green Bay Packers

Defensive tackles
Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions
Kevin Willaims, Minnesota Vikings

Linebackers
Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings 
Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears
Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears

Cornerbacks
Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers
Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings

Safeties
Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers

Kicker
Ryan Longwell, Green Bay Packers/Minnesota Vikings 

Punter
Nick Harris, Detroit Lions

Returner
Devin Hester, Chicago Bears

NFL Trade Deadline

The NFL’s November 10 Trade Deadline is less than two weeks away. Perhaps to mimic their pro sport neighbors, the number of in-season trades seems to be increasing with each passing year. The NFL clearly loves the attention it brings. Fans absolutely love the activity and possibilities. I’ve always questioned football’s in-season trades and always will. A new player dropped into a new team in the middle of the season doesn’t work out very often. It takes too long to incorporate and coordinate a new player in football. It’s even more difficult when it’s in the heat of the regular season. There just isn’t enough practice time or hours in the day to properly incorporate a new player into a new football scheme. My thoughts on the matter have no impact on the reality of in-season trades being on the rise. So far this season, seven players have already been traded:

9/28: J.J. McCarthy, QB: Minnesota Vikings -> New York Giants

10/1: Broderick Jones, OT: Pittsburgh Steelers -> Dallas Cowboys

10/1: Joey Porter Jr., CB: Pittsburgh Steelers -> Dallas Cowboys

10/7: Cam Jurgens, C: Philadelphia Eagles -> Baltimore Ravens

10/12: Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals -> Houston Texans

10/27: Quenton Nelson, G: Indianapolis Colts -> Seattle Seahawks

10/27: DeForest Buckner, DT: Indianapolis Colts -> San Francisco 49ers

There was a time when seven in-season trades would be considered active. This year, the wheeling and dealing is just getting started. About this time last year, the Indianapolis Colts were an optimistic team and looking to buy. They sent two first-round picks to the New York Jets for corner Sauce Gardner. This year, they’re not so optimistic and looking to sell. They traded guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner yesterday. Topped by running back Jonathan Taylor, several more Colts players are rumored to be available. What a difference a year makes. 

A further indication that the NFL Trade Deadline has become a big deal is the Athletic putting together a 50-player NFL Trade Deadline Big Board. 50 players! The #3 (Quenton Nelson) and #4 (DeForest Buckner) players on the list have already been dealt. Here’s the Top 10 of the Athletic’s Big Board:

1.   Jeffery Simmons, DT, Tennessee Titans

2.   Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

3.   Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts

4.   Deforest Buckner, DT, Indianapolis Colts

5.   Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

6.   Vita Vea, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

7.   Alex Highsmith, Edge, Pittsburgh Steelers 

8.   Moro Ojomo, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

9.   Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts 

10. Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings fans are clamoring for a deal for Jonathan Taylor. I’m a bit hesitant. I get going all in on a team off to a 6-0 start. I’m just not totally sold on spending what it takes to get Taylor when the team already has the productive combo of Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. The team has raved all offseason and season about the potential of their two backs. Despite the undefeated start, offense has been the Vikings weak link so I get the Taylor hoopla. Mason and Jones are good and could be very good. Taylor is a difference-maker. 

Other than Jonathan Taylor, here are some players on the Athletic Big Board that catch my attention.

5.   Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

8.   Moro Ojomo, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

11. Amani Hooker, S, Tennessee Titans

15. Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals

16. Yaya Diaby, Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

24. Landon Dickerson, G, Philadelphia Eagles

33. Ben Bredeson, G, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

37. Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins

48. Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

The two edge players, Tuli Tuipulotu and Yaya Diaby, are more intriguing (greedy) than realistic. I liked both coming out of college and I’ve liked how each has played in the NFL. Edge rusher isn’t the Vikings biggest need right now but either one of those players opposite Dallas Turner in a few years is dreamy. Before this exercise, I didn’t consider safety as a particular Vikings need but adding Amani Hooker or Budda Baker to the defense would be real interesting. I really like the idea of adding Moro Ojomo to the Vikings young defensive line. I also like the idea of Elijah Williams being active on game day. The Vikings have enough young defensive linemen. If there’s a current need in that group it’s perhaps a veteran presence with some experience in a Brian Flores defense. There’s a player that fits that description perfectly in Zach Sieler. If there’s a player on the Big Board that could be dropped into the Vikings roster and hit the ground running, that player is Sieler. 

It’s easy to get excited about the variety of trade possibilities for the Vikings. It might be more important to be realistic. The Vikings have less than $5 million in cap space. There are ways to make more space. The draft pick cost of any deal is the real concern. It would be exciting to see the Vikings take a big swing at Jonathan Taylor. Perhaps it’s memories of the Herschel Walker trade that gives me pause on doing another blockbuster midseason deal for a talented back. The main pain of that horrible trade was the extreme number of high-end draft picks sent to the Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings would never do that again. They shouldn’t have done it the first time. With all that in mind, my idea of a dream trade deadline would bring the following players to Minnesota.

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins

Ben Bredeson, G, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Zach Sieler feels like he’d be a seamless addition to the Vikings defensive line rotation. Ben Bredeson is a capable starter. Perhaps more important, and the reason for this deal, is the depth he’d provide. Plus, he’s the brother of fullback Max Bredeson. That would be a fun family reunion. Losing left guard Donovan Jackson for the regular season was a huge blow. He’s an emerging franchise player. Second-year Joe Huber stepped into Jackson’s left guard spot. I like his potential. Bredeson would be a nice option if Huber or right guard Will Fries struggles. The Vikings could take that big swing and add Jonathan Taylor. I’m not against it. I just question the need and the cost. I also really like Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. The problem moving forward with that duo is Jones currently playing on an injured knee. And he’s 31. Tony Pollard would supplement/compliment the duo rather than replace it. 

Two more weeks. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 7 Superlatives

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Indianapolis Colts 16-10. Though six games, the Vikings are 6-0. Here are some of the players that helped keep the record perfect. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Jordan Mason, RB

After missing the previous four games, it was great to see Jordan Mason back on the field. He had a modest 68 yards on 15 carries. It was an important 68 yards. His absence was forcing the Vikings to lean heavily on Aaron Jones Sr. Individually, Mason and Jones are very good backs. They are much, much better as a combo. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Blake Cashman, LB

Blake Cashman has been the best linebacker I’ve watched this season. He’s been outstanding. Rushing the passer, playing the run, coverage. He does everything. This season, he’s been excellent at doing everything. 

Against the Colts:

12 tackles

2 sacks

3 QB hits

4 passes defensed

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Cashman isn’t just the Vikings defensive MVP but the team’s MVP. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

Myles Price, Returner

This would go to kicker Will Reichard if it wasn’t for the 59-yard attempt he had blocked. It was his first missed kick in about a year. 

Instead, Myles Price gets the nod for his 46-yard kick return to start the game. It’s a damn shame that the Vikings offense responded to that excellent field position by going for it on fourth down, not getting it, and giving the Colts excellent field position. 

In his second season, Myles Price has emerged as arguably the best returner in the league. Like Percy Harvin and Cordarrelle Patterson before him, the Vikings have a returner that is a touchdown-threat every time he touches the ball. 

Vikings - Colts

The Minnesota Vikings won again. With the 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Vikings are undefeated at 6-0. 

As with the previous five wins, the difference in this win was the Vikings defense. It starts with limiting the Colts to only 10 points. The best sequence of the game for the Colts were the events that followed a nice start by the Vikings. Myles Price returned the opening kickoff 46 yards to the Colts 47-yard line. Excellent! Then came a 7-yard run by Aaron Jones Sr. Nice! Jones followed that with two yards on third down and no yards on fourth down. Not so nice. The Colts flipped that fourth down stop into a seven play, 61-yard touchdown drive. Jonathan Taylor burst through the Vikings defense for the final 38 yards for the touchdown. One moment, it looked like the Vikings were starting the game in fine fashion. The next, the Colts had an 7-0 early lead and had grabbed all of the early momentum. After that disappointing sequence of plays, the Vikings defense did this to the Colts offense the rest of the game.

Punt

Punt

Field Goal

Punt

Missed Field Goal

Punt 

Missed Field Goal

Interception

8 possessions and three points. 

218 total yards

3.7 yards/play

The Vikings pass rush harassed Colts quarterback Daniel Jones all game. Sacked him four times, hit him several times, and pressured him on nearly every one of his 22 attempts. The Colts had a robust 64 yards passing for the game. 

The Vikings defense was great. That Jonathan Taylor touchdown burst was really the only blemish. 

In today’s NFL, the only thing nearly all in the media, and most fans, care about is offense. Back in Week 5, the Vikings offense showed some rhythm. Quarterback Kyler Murray finally showed some comfort in the offense. It seems the Vikings might have lost some of that rhythm and comfort during their Week 6 bye. Murray was off on several passes against the Colts. He missed high on some, wide on a few others. If he had put the ball on his receivers hands a bit more consistently, the Vikings would’ve put up more than 30 points. The opportunities were there. With the Detroit Lions up next week, the Vikings offense must find the rhythm and Murray must regain the comfort that they were starting to show before the bye. There really aren’t any easy games, or days off, the rest of the way. 

I believe that the Vikings offense will get there. Against the Colts, this was the first game Murray had with all of his playmakers. Running back Jordan Mason was back. Receiver Jordan Addison was back. Tight end T.J. Hockenson was back. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw was back. With those returns, the optimistic expected an offensive explosion. It didn’t happen Colts. Hopefully, those fireworks are in the works. The Vikings defense could use a little help. The positive offensive developments of the game were probably the return of Mason and a couple impact catches from receiver Jauan Jennings. Mason gained a modest 68 yards on 15 carries. It was an important 68 yards. He’d been on injured reserve since a Week 1 thumb injury. Aaron Jones Jr. had carried the offensive load while Mason was out. At 31, carrying the running load over extended stretches of the season is a tough ask of Jones. It was great to see Mason back on the field. When he was signed in the spring, a lot was expected of Jennings as a third-receiver complement to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Through five games, Jennings hadn’t done much. Against the Colts, he had a 14-yarder and a 20-yarder. Each converted a first down and each was a critical play on a drive that ended with a field goal. The Vikings have the ingredients for an explosive, dominant offense. They have to start clicking together. 

The Vikings most highlight-worthy offensive play was a scintillating 35-yard scramble and run by Kyler Murray. The offense had six plays of more than 15 yards. The Murray run was the biggest in yardage and impact. It set up the only touchdown. The Vikings must take advantage of explosive plays. Against the Colts, and so far this season, they are isolated plays. The offense often stumbled after getting the Colts defense on their heels. Despite the stop-and-go nature of offense, it felt like the Vikings were in control throughout the game. That feeling must’ve been due to the dominance of the defense as the Vikings didn’t have a lead until the start of the fourth quarter. That fourth quarter lead was never more than six points. The Colts had opportunities to steal the game until Harrison Smith sealed the Vikings win with his 40th career interception with 1:15 to play. Congratulations on #40 and thank you Mr. Smith. 

Blake Cashman’s play must be mentioned. Honored even. Actually, it probably will be recognized with Defensive Player of the Week honors. Against the Colts, he might’ve had one of the best linebacker games I’ve ever seen. It was certainly one of the best in recent memory. His numbers: 

12 tackles

2 sacks

3 QB hits

4 passes defensed

That’s a nice stat sheet but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Numbers rarely do. Cashman’s play against the Colts had to be seen. He was everywhere. So much so that it felt like there were several #51s on the field. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones probably thought he was seeing too many Cashmans. 

The manner in which the Vikings have made their way to a 6-0 start often has me thinking about my early days with football. In the 1970s, winning games was the only thing that mattered. How a team won a game was celebrated rather than questioned. In today’s NFL, the only wins that seem to matter are those that come as a result of explosive offenses. Are an excess of points really more important than enough points? It sure appears so. If the offense wins the game, it counts. If the defense wins the game, “what’s wrong with the offense?” Last I checked, all wins count the same. 

The Vikings are 6-0. Up next is a visit to the Detroit Lions. 

Flea Flicker Week 7 Predictions

The Minnesota Vikings are finally back on the field! An NFL week is always better when the Vikings are playing. Here are some guesses at the Week 7 games. 

Byes: Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings remain undefeated. 

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Steelers

The NFL jams another game into Europe. This one is in France. These international games are all about NFL greed. The league’s greed is insatiable. 

San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Falcons

Geography be damned, there 49ers and Falcons were once division foes. In those days, the plucky Falcons somehow gave the powerhouse 49ers fits. This upset prediction is a callback to those days. 

Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Titans

The Titans are on a winning streak!

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Pick: Dolphins

The Dolphins finally win a game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Buccaneers

The Buccaneers in a classic NFC South battle. 

Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens

Pick: Bengals

Without Lamar Jackson, it’s the Bengals. 

New York Giants @ Houston Texans

Pick: Texans

J.J. McCarthy gets his first start with the Giants. The Texans win it in the end. 

Denver Broncos @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Cardinals

I simply can’t pick a Sean Payton-led team. That clown is just so annoying. 

Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Tie

I wish both teams could lose. 

Los Angeles Rams @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Rams

The Rams finally manage a win.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Chiefs

The defending champs haven’t looked the part. The Chiefs do enough to remain undefeated.

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Cowboys

Neither team is very interesting right now. 

Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts tomorrow. The Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts have a great and fun NFL history. Johnny Unitas, Jim Parker, Gino Marchetti, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry, Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James, Dwight Freeney. So many great, fun players. So many great, fun teams. It would’ve been an even better history if the team hadn’t moved to Indianapolis. No offense to the fine city of Indianapolis but the Colts will always be more associated with Baltimore for me. On the eve of their big game with the Vikings, here’s a look at some of the best players in the great, fun history of the Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts. 

Offense

Quarterback

Johnny Unitas

Running Back

Lenny Moore

Fullback

Alan Ameche

Wide Receivers

Raymond Berry

Marvin Harrison

Tight End

John Mackey

Offensive Tackles

Jim Parker

Chris Hinton

Offensive Guards

Jim Parker

Quenton Nelson

Jim Parker is one of the few players in league history that is an all-time great at two positions. He’s probably the only player in league history that’s an all-time great at two positions on the same side of the ball. 

                               

Center

Jeff Saturday

Defense

Defensive Ends

Gino Marchetti

Dwight Freeney

Defensive Tackles

Art Donovan

Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb

Linebackers

Shaquille Leonard

Mike Curtis

Bill Pellington

Cornerbacks

Bobby Boyd

Milt Davis

Safeties

Bob Sanders

Rick Volk

Special Teams

Kicker 

Adam Vinatieri

Punter

Pat McAfee

Kick Returner

Terrence Wilkins

Punt Returner

Clarence Verdin

Minnesota Vikings Roster

Coming off a Week 6 bye, the Minnesota Vikings roster is in decent shape for a 12-week run to the playoffs. Before the break, offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, receiver Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson were dealing with ailments. Running back Jordan Mason was on short-term injured reserve. All four of those critical offensive players practiced in full this week and appear ready to return for Week 7. Other than left guard Donovan Jackson and tight end Josh Oliver being out for the regular season, the Vikings roster is in fine shape. Here is a look at the roster in advance of hosting the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster

Offense (24)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

DeeJay Dallas

Demond Claiborne

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (5)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Tight End (3)

T.J. Hockenson

Gavin Bartholomew

Ben Yurosek

Offensive Line (9)

Christian Darrisaw

Joe Huber

Blake Brandel

Will Fries

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Caleb Tiernan

Michael Jurgens

Trevor Keegan

Defense (26)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker (5)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Kyle Van Noy

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Linebacker (4)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback (5)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Chuck Demmings

Zemaiah Vaughn

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jacob Thomas

Jakobe Thomas

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

Practice Squad

Da’Veawn Armstead, CB

Keshawn Banks, LB

Odell Beckham Jr., WR

Dillon Bell, WR

Michael Briscoe, WR

Natrone Brooks, CB

Henry Byrd, G

Kenny Dyson, OLB

Cam Grandy, TE

Jeshaun Jones, WR

Bengally Kamara, LB

Jack Nelson, OL

Josh Priebe, G

Jahvaree Ritzie, DL

Tavierre Thomas, S

Jihad Ward, OLB

It still feels a little to see Odell Beckham Jr. on the Vikings practice squad. A quarter of the practice squad is receivers. That feels like a lot. 

Throwback Thursday: Alphabet Soup

Dan Daly's book, The National Forgotten League, is loaded with fun, informative facts, notes, and stories. This little nugget about the 1929 Orange Tornadoes caught my attention. The Tornadoes were a professional football team that competed in some manifestation from 1887-1941 and 1958-70. From 1929-30 the Tornadoes were an NFL team. From the time that someone first decided to put personal identifiers on an athletic uniform that identifier has been a number. For some reason, the Tornadoes went a different route in 1929.

Here's their lineup for the first of two games against the Frankford Yellow Jackets:

A - Phil Scott, E, No College
B - Felix McCormick, B, Bucknell
C - Heinie Benkert, B, Rutgers
D - Leon Johnson, E, Colombia
E - George Pease, QB, Columbia
F - Ernie Cuneo, G, Penn State/Columbia

G - Frank Kirkleski, B, Lafayette

H - Ted Mitchell, C, Bucknell
 J - Ernie Hambacker, B, Bucknell
L - Ralph Barkman, B, Schuylkill
M - Bob Beattie, T, Princeton
M - Steve Hamas, FB, Penn State
N - Paul Longua, E, Villanova
O - Jack McArthur, G, St. Mary's (California)
P - Bill Feaster, T, Fordham
Q - Bill Clarkin, T, No College
R - Andy Salata, G, Pittsburgh
S - Carl Waite, B, Rutgers/Georgetown
T - Jack Depler, C/T/Coach, Illinois
X - Johnny Tomaini, E, Georgetown

Letters! The 1929 Orange Tornadoes used letters to identify the members of their football team. Teams were often trying gimmicks in the early days of professional football to try and catch the attention of the public. I'm not sure how this would do it. The Tornadoes had a longer professional existence than the other teams that came and went during the NFL's first decade. Their two-year time with the Bears, Cardinals, Packers, and Giants will be best remembered by their unique use of the alphabet.

The double M's are a curiosity. Daly thought that it could just be a typo.

Salata? I wonder if there’s a family relation between Andy Salata and “Mr. Irrelevant” creator Paul Salata. 

There's no "I" in team.

If you haven't read Dan Daly's book, I highly recommend doing so.

Vikings Injuries

Injuries will always be a part of football. While not hit as hard as some other teams, the Minnesota have navigated several injuries on their way to a perfect 5-0 start. The interesting thing about the Vikings injuries is that they have been almost exclusively on the offensive side of the ball. The following players have missed at least one of the five games.

Kyler Murray, QB

Jordan Mason, RB

Justin Jefferson, WR

Jordan Addison, WR

T.J. Hockenson, TE

Josh Oliver, TE

Christian Darrisaw, OT

Donovan Jackson, G

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted that Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jordan Mason, and T.J. Hockenson were on the field together for only nine snaps. With those Vikings playmakers available for so few snaps, is there really any surprise that the offense struggled to find any rhythm early in the season. Toss in starting quarterback Kyler Murray essentially missing the first two games with a concussion and it’s a thrown-together offense on the field to start the season. Murray returned in Week 3 but it took about a bit more than a game for him to find some comfort while surrounded with jumbled personnel. Over the final game-and-a-half before the bye, the Vikings offense finally looked lively. It’s always nice to have Jefferson on the field but they we’re still missing Addison, Mason, Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Christian Darrisaw, and Donovan Jackson. Week 6 is early for a bye. This year, it may have come at a good time. It gives a few of the above injured offensive players extra time to get healthy. Fortunately, Mason, Addison, Hockenson, and Darrisaw should all be healthy as the Vikings return to the field in Week 7. Unfortunately, Oliver and Jackson are out for the regular season. They will be missed. 

The Vikings are 5-0 because of the stellar performance of the defense and special teams. A reason for that stellar performance, especially on defense, has been the consistent availability of players. Defensively, through five games, only rookie corner Chuck Demmings has missed games. A Week 3 hamstring injury kept him out of the Week 4 and Week 5 games. As a rookie, he contributed on special teams and had scattered defensive snaps. The closest the Vikings came to not having a defensive regular was Week 3. Ivan Pace Jr. missed the team’s flight to Tampa due to the birth of his son. While his game availability was initially questioned, he was present for his son’s birth, caught a flight, and made it to the game on time. Then he got a sack and a finger on a punt. 

Hopefully, the Vikings offense gets, and stays, healthy and the defense continues their strong and healthy play. 

Trade Targets

The NFL trade deadline is November 10. That puts teams, media, and especially fans in the middle of a trading frenzy. With a 5-0 start to the season, Minnesota Vikings fans are simply mad for potential deals. I’ve always had a skeptical view of in-season football trades. Since everything done on the field is such a practiced coordination of 11 individuals, it’s difficult to drop a new player into a new team in the middle of the season. That being said, the right player can give a team a boost. So, I’ll play along with this trade deadline frenzy. Sports Illustated’s MMQB put together a list of 15 players that could be trade targets over the days leading up to the deadline and potential team fits. The list wasn’t put together for the Vikings but I’m looking at the players with the Vikings in mind. 

15. Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Potential Fits: Packers, Giants

Vikings: Nope

14. Josh Uche, DE, Miami Dolphins

Potential Fits: Bears, 49ers

Vikings: Tempting, but no.

13. Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Potential Fits: Panthers, Cardinals

Vikings: Nope

12. Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins

Potential Fits: Lions, Cowboys

Vikings: Maybe. And Brian Flores knows him.

11. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

Potential Fits: Panthers, Seahawks

Vikings: No. The Vikings have tight end concerns but I don’t see Goedert as the answer. 

10. Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders

Potential Fits: Lions, 49ers

Vikings: Nope

9. Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Potential Fits: Jaguars, Seahawks

Vikings: Tempting, but no. The Vikings must be looking at all of the available running backs. Aaron Jones Sr. is 31, 32 in December and Jordan Mason is returning from a stay on injured reserve. I might be a fool but I’d rather see more of rookie Demond Claiborne than adding Pollard. 

8. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Potential Fits: Bills, Rams

Vikings: Nope

7. Stefon Diggs, WR, Washington Commanders

Potential Fits: Chiefs, Ravens

Vikings: Nope

6. Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals

Potential Fits: Bills, Bears

Vikings: Absolutely Maybe. It’s difficult to drop any new player into this Vikings defense but I’d listen to any trade talk for Baker.

5. Landon Dickerson, G, Philadelphia Eagles 

Potential Fits: Jaguars, Seahawks

Vikings: Nope

4. Riq Woolen, CB, Philadelphia Eagles 

Potential Fits: Bills, Panthers

Vikings: Nope

3. Josh Sweat, DE, Arizona Cardinals

Potential Fits: Bears, Lions

Vikings: Nope

2. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

Potential Fits: Chiefs, Rams

Vikings: Nope

1. Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers 

Potential Fits: 49ers, Bears

Vikings: Nope

From the 15 players the MMQB produced, I don’t see the Vikings making a deadline splash. I do believe general manager Nolan Teasley will make a deal, or two. I just don’t see the deal(s) involving the above those players. The interesting thing about the players I do see the Vikings targeting is that several play for the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings play the Colts on Sunday. Will a player, or two, be staying in Minnesota after the game?

Interesting Colts:

Jonathan Taylor, RB

Quenton Nelson, G

DeForest Buckner, DT

Camryn Bynum, S

If they do look to boost the run game, I see the Vikings making a fairly big swing. Jones and Mason are solid pair. It would take a fairly big swing to improve on them. Taylor’s age (27) and potential cost are the concerns. With left guard Donovan Jackson injured for at least the season, I wouldn’t mind Nelson as a one-year rental. Buckner would be a very intriguing addition to an emerging defensive front. As for Bynum, I wouldn’t mind a reunion. I’m skeptical of any new safety impacting the Vikings defense. Bynum has two years in the Flores defense. 

Some non-Colts

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets - if healthy

A Blocking TE

Now, I’m a little more frenzied than I was earlier. 

Looking Ahead

In an ideal NFL world, the bye week comes around the middle of a season. The undefeated Minnesota Vikings didn’t get an ideal schedule as they were handed a Week 6 bye. At least it gave some players a little extra time to get healthy. How long can the Vikings remain undefeated? Here’s a look at the remaining 12 games in front of them.

Looking Ahead:

Week 7:  vs Indianapolis Colts 

Week 8:  @ Detroit Lions

Week 9:  vs Buffalo Bills (MNF)

Week 10: @ Green Bay Packers 

Week 11: @ San Francisco 49ers - Mexico City (SNF)

Week 12: vs Atlanta Falcons

Week 13: vs Carolina Panthers

Week 14: @ New England Patriots (TNF)

Week 15: vs Detroit Lions (SNF)

Week 16: vs Washington Commanders

Week 17: @ New York Jets

Week 18: vs Chicago Bears

It’s always tough to predict what each game might hold. Before the season, it looked like the Vikings had a difficult first five games. Starting with games against division foes Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, most “experts” had the Vikings stumbling to a 0-2 start. The same experts perhaps saw a third loss at Tampa Bay before a get-right win over the Miami Dolphins. Then a 50-50 game against the up-and-coming New Orleans Saints. 2-3 might’ve been the start that many had for the Vikings. Instead, it’s 5-0 and the “experts” are explaining it away by pointing at an easy opening schedule. I guess, the five teams were considered challenging until the Vikings destroyed them. 

One game at a time, teams have to deal with whatever schedule is put in front of them. On paper, it would seem that the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders, and New York Jets are the easiest matchups among the remaining 12 games. They are the only teams on the Vikings opponents with a losing record through six weeks. Those losing records can be deceiving as each of the four could have a winning record if some breaks had gone their way. Isn’t it always that way? The difference between winning and losing is often a fine line. Every team in the league can throw a scare into any team in the league. They might even steal a win. No matter the opponent, every game is a challenge in the NFL. 

It’s a very optimistic outlook but I truly believe that this Vikings team is nowhere near the team they can be. Most of that is because the offense is still searching for themselves. An honest assessment of the season so far has the Vikings offense as poor through the first three games and trending upwards in the next two. They are 5-0 and just scratching the surface of the team they could be. With the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and San Francisco 49ers up in four of the next five games, the Vikings will have to get to where they can be in a hurry. 

I can see the Vikings winning each of the remaining 12 games. That isn’t realistic. Four of the games are against very good division foes. At worst, they split those games. That would give the Vikings a solid 4-2 record against the division. I’m hoping for at least 5-1 with the one loss being a bullshit loss to the Packers on that shit Lambeau turf. Beyond the division games, it’s the Buffalo Bills at home on Monday night and the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico that draw the most attention. Wouldn’t it be great if the Vikings and 49ers are still undefeated for that game? 

As long as they can dodge the injury issues that wrecked two of the past three seasons, I can see the Vikings navigating the rest of the season in a fashion that results in a 13-4 or 14-3 record. Hopefully, that’s good enough to secure the NFC’s #1 seed. 

Flea Flicker Week 6 Predictions

Is it really an NFL Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings aren’t playing. Week 6 is a bit early for a bye but the Vikings have a few injured players that can use a week off to get healthy. Anyway, here are some guesses at the Week 6 games.

Byes: Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins

Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Texans

A battle between AFC South foes. The Jaguars have had a real nice start to the season. The Texans have not. The matchup is also part of the NFL’s idiotic international series as the game will be played at Wembley. The Jaguars have the added benefit of having been in London for a second consecutive week. All of these international games present jacked-up logistics and that’s an added disadvantage for the Texans. So, I’m more hoping that the Texans win rather than thinking that they win. 

Chicago Bears @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Falcons

The Falcons rebound from the disappointing Sunday Night loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

Pick: Ravens

The battle between the “old” Browns vs the “new” Browns.

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Colts

The Colts should handle the winless Titans.

New York Jets @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

The Jets have caused problems for teams this season. The Patriots should handle the pesky team.

New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants

Pick: Saints

The Saints rebound from being stifled by the Vikings. The Giants move a step closer to J.J. McCarthy starting. 

Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Panthers

The Panthers handle the unpredictable Eagles.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Buccaneers

The Steelers have yet to win on the road. The Buccaneers have yet to win at home. I should pick a tie. 

Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams

Pick: Rams

The Rams have “lost” two games the past three weeks they should’ve won. This feels like a “get right” game for them.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chargers

This Chargers team simply can’t keep losing. The Chiefs probably aren’t the best opponent for a team desperate for a win. 

Buffalo Bills @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Bills

Just a couple weeks ago, the Raiders were the darlings of the league. The Bills roll. 

Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers

Pick: Packers

Rematch of the Ice Bowl. It shouldn’t be as cold this time. 

Washington Commanders @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers should become the league’s first 6-0 team. 

Minnesota Vikings All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings have Week 6 off as they rest and recover after starting the season undefeated. 5-0 is a nice place to be at this early break in the season. It’s also a fine time to look back at some of the great players in franchise history. 

Other than winning the final, big game, the Minnesota Vikings have a strong history. Once they stepped away from their initial expansion team days, they have avoided having more than two consecutive losing seasons. That’s not a real high bar but it shows that they have avoided ever being woeful. Far more often than not, they are contenders. Their winning percentage since the NFL-AFL merger is among the best in the league. They have 16 Hall of Fame busts. A handful more deserve a spot. For a team with a history of 30-40 fewer years than many of their peers, that’s a very robust number. The Vikings just need a Super Bowl, preferably several. 

The Vikings have no shortage of players to populate the 27 positions on this Minnesota Vikings All - Time Team. Other than tight end, the offensive positions are mostly taken by Hall of Famers, soon-to-be Hall of Famers, or should-be Hall of Famers. Other than the line, the defensive positions are mostly wide open. Here’s a look at some of the best players in Vikings franchise history.

Minnesota Vikings All-Time Team

Offense

Quarterback 

Fran Tarkenton

Running Back

Adrian Peterson

Fullback

Chuck Foreman

Typically, I think of Bill Brown as the Vikings best fullback. Chuck Foreman lined up as a fullback his first couple years in the league. He had a career worthy of the Hall of Fame. At his peak, he was arguably the best back in the league. He was definitely the most versatile back in the league. It’s fun to think of Adrian Peterson and Chuck Foreman in the same backfield. Peterson will receive his Hall of Fame bust next summer. 

Wide Receivers

Cris Carter

Randy Moss

Justin Jefferson

Due to the supreme talent available, I must go with three receivers. The Vikings second-team would be the first-team for many franchises. 

Tight End

Steve Jordan

Steve Jordan vs Kyle Rudolph. Both had excellent Vikings careers. If T.J. Hockenson extends his contract with the Vikings and has several seasons like his first season-plus with the Vikings, he will join the Vikings All-Time tight end argument. That’s a few “ifs.” We’ll see if it happens. 

Tackles

Gary Zimmerman

Ron Yary

Guards

Randall McDaniel

Steve Hutchinson

In doing these teams, I try to keep the players in the position that they played on the field. Randall McDaniel and Steve Hutchinson are the two best guards in Vikings franchise history. Both played left guard. I can’t leave either off this team. I just can’t. On this team, Hutchinson flips to the right side. The best right guard in Vikings franchise history? That would be Ed White. 

Center

Mick Tingelhoff

Defense

Defensive Ends

Carl Eller

Chris Doleman

Jared Allen

Just picking the team’s Hall of Famers is lazy. If I had to go with only two? Today, the choice is probably Carl Eller and Jared Allen.

Defensive Tackles

Alan Page

John Randle

Alan Page and John Randle are the best defensive tackles in franchise history. Kevin Williams was damn great as well. They all played essentially the same position. If I were to put a run-stuffing nose tackle-type player on this team, then there’s a difficult debate. Henry Thomas, Pat Williams, and Linval Joseph. I’d probably have them in that order. When Joseph was on a roll, he’s an easy choice. He had the highest ceiling. Unfortunately, injuries often kept him from sustaining that ceiling level of play. 

Linebackers

Matt Blair

Eric Kendricks

Anthony Barr

It’s tough to leave out Chad Greenway, Jeff Siemon, and any of the Vikings first great trio of Wally Hilgenberg, Lonnie Warwick and Roy Winston. 

Cornerbacks

Antoine Winfield

Bobby Bryant 

Antoine Winfield is easy. The second corner spot comes down to Bobby Bryant, Carl Lee, and Xavier Rhodes. Maybe Nate Wright as well. Today, the choice is Bobby Bryant. His long, underrated career finally earned him a spiffy purple jacket and a spot in the team’s Ring of Honor. If Rhodes had played his entire career like he played for his 2-3 peak years, he’d be the easy choice to line up opposite Winfield. 

Safeties

Paul Krause

Harrison Smith

Not having Joey Browner on this team is a crime. In terms of skill/ability/talent, Harrison Smith and Browner are probably the best safeties in franchise history. Paul Krause intercepted an NFL record 81 passes. On a list of league records least likely to be broken, that’s at the top. He has to be on this team. So does Smith. 

Special Teams

Kicker

Ryan Longwell

Punter

Chris Kluwe

Kick Returner

Cordarrelle Patterson

Punt Returner

Marcus Sherels

Special Teams

Joey Browner

Joey Browner first made his mark on special teams. At least, it gets him on this team. He’s one of the greatest players in franchise history. 

Minnesota Vikings Coaches

The Minnesota Vikings are enjoying their Week 6 bye. While it’s a little early for a bye, the Vikings do have some injured players that could use the time to get healthy for the run through the rest of the season. An NFL bye week is a fine time to look at a team’s roster. If one were to look at the Vikings coaches, they’d find that there’s been a change since the group was finalized early in the offseason. 

Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell

Assistant Head Coach: Frank Smith

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips

Defensive Coordinator: Brian Flores

Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels

Offense:

QBs/Pass Game Coordinator: Josh McCown

Assistant QB/Pass Game Specialist: Jordan Traylor

Assistant Offensive Coordinator: Chris O’Hara

RBs/Run Game Coordinator: Curtis Modkins

Receivers: Keenan McCardell

Assistant Receivers: Derron Montgomery

TEs/Pass Game Management Coordinator: Ryan Cordell

Offensive Line: Keith Carter

Assistant Offensive Line: Derek Warehime

Offensive Quality Control: Kyle Caskey

Offensive Assistant: Ben Ellefson

Assistant to the Head Coach: Henry Schneider IV

Defense:

DL/Run Game Coordinator: Ryan Nielsen

Assistant Defensive Line: Patrick Hill

Outside LBs: Thad Bogardus

Inside LBs/Senior Defensive Assistant: Mike Siravo 

Assistant LBs: Dalmin Gibson

DBs/Pass Game Coordinator: Gerald Alexander

Assistant DBs: Chenzo Funari

Defensive Assistant: Charlie Frye

Defensive Assistant: Will Johnson

Defensive Assistant: Bobby McCain

Special Teams:

Assistant Special Teams: Chili Davis

***

My peculiar Vikings curiosity forces me to regularly check the coaches page on the team’s website through the season. Often it’s a quick look while I’m already on the site checking the player roster. During one of those recent checks, I discovered that Bobby McCain is listed among the Vikings coaches. The former defensive back last played for the Vikings in 2024. He hasn’t played since. After a 10-year NFL career, he’s apparently not done with the game. Along with former receiver Trishton Jackson, McCain joined the Vikings coaches during this past training camp as participants in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program. Kevin O’Connell has often expressed a passion for helping players transition from playing to after-playing. It appears the Vikings liked what they saw in the coaching potential of McCain. I’m not sure why McCain joining the Vikings coaches came without an announcement of some sort. Maybe, I just missed it. This reminds me of the coaching evolution of former tight end Ben Ellefson. He was a player in 2022 and a coach in 2023 with no mention of the move. The transition was actually somewhat mysterious. For months, maybe even a year, Ellefson had no picture on the website’s coaching roster. These player-to-coach transitions happen often but the lack of attention is a little surprising. These days, everything seems to get attention. I guess an NFL team’s new offensive or defensive assistant somehow isn’t attention-worthy. Anyway, welcome, again, to the Vikings, Bobby McCain. 

Minnesota Vikings Pre - Bye Week Superlatives

The Undefeated Minnesota Vikings are sitting out the NFL’s Week 6 games as they are on bye. A break after five games is early but the Vikings do have several players that could use the time to get healthy. With that in mind perhaps a Week 6 bye isn’t such a bad thing. Five games in and the Vikings are 5-0. Record-wise, they couldn’t be better. Here are some of the players that were crucial to the terrific start to the season.

Minnesota Vikings Pre - Bye Week Superlatives

Offensive Player of the First Five Games

Aaron Jones Sr., RB

It’d be nice if quarterback Kyler Murray was an easy choice here. That would mean that the Vikings offense was off to a nice start and contributed significantly to the 5-0 start. Unfortunately, Murray didn’t start the season well and the offense has mostly been carried by the defense and special teams. Fortunately, Murray’s play and the offense, in general, was trending upwards the last two games. A significant reason for the Vikings early-season offensive issues was Kyler Murray being knocked out by a couple Green Bay Packers headhunters early in Week 1. He essentially missed two games with a concussion. That had to stall his growth in a new offense. Receiver Justin Jefferson also missed two games with an ankle injury. Murray and Jefferson didn’t play a full game together until Week 5. Is it any surprise that the offense finally found some rhythm in Week 5? 

All of that is to say that the Vikings offense has mostly struggled while the team started the season 5-0. Through those offensive struggles, Aaron Jones Sr. has been a warrior. The Vikings run game was supposed to be a combo deal with Jones and Jordan Mason. Unfortunately, Mason came out of the Week 1 game against the Packers with a thumb injury that required surgery. It landed him on injured reserve. Fortunately, he’s expected back when the Vikings return from their bye week. Mason’s injury resulted in the offense leaning on Jones for four games. For most of those four games, Jones carried the offense. 

Week 1 - Packers:

12 carries 

40 yards 

1 TD

Week 2 - Bears

23 carries

105 yards

Week 3 - Buccaneers

17 carries

58 yards

5 catches 

34 yards

Week 4 - Dolphins

20 carries

94 yards

4 catches 

34 yards

Week 5 - Saints

25 carries

113 yards

1 TD

3 catches

4 yards

Totals:

97 carries

410 yards

2 TDs

12 catches

70 yards

I don’t think the plan was for Jones to ever have 20 carries in a game. Through the first five games, he’s had three games with at least 20 carries. Jones has been the Vikings most consistent offensive threat through the first five games of the season. But he needs his backfield partner over the next 15 games.

Defensive Players of the First Five Games

All of Them. 

Other than the first half of the Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings defense has been brilliant. I still don’t understand what was going on in that first half against the Packers. It was as if the defense collectively missed their wake-up call and didn’t show up until the second half. The thing about the Vikings defense is that it’s very much a team defense. Dallas Turner, Jalen Redmond, Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, Andrew Van Ginkel, or Byron Murphy Jr., etc. Players have simply taken turns wrecking opposing offense. Take your pick. The Vikings have a collection of impact players. Every starter and most of the backups have made impact plays in the five wins. The scary thing for the rest of the league is that the Vikings defense is just getting started. 

Special Teams Players of the First Five Games

Will Reichard, K

Myles Price, Returner

Like the defense, the Vikings special teams have been outstanding through the first five games. Over those five games, three Vikings players have been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Isaiah Rodgers

Myles Price 

Will Reichard

Isaiah Rodgers’ field goal block against the Chicago Bears in Week 2 was the play of that game. That was a season-defining play but the Vikings great special teams performance has been highlighted by Will Reichard and Myles Price. 

Myles Price showed kick and punt return potential as an undrafted rookie last season. This season, he’s shown far more than just potential. He’s been explosive. He’s been dangerous. In Week 3, he returned a punt for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His 68-yard kick return against the Green Bay Packers triggered the great comeback in that game. He’s averaging 29.8 yards/kick return with a long of 68 yards. He’s averaging a ridiculous 21.6 yards/punt return with that 86-yard touchdown. He’s returning kicks and punts with such confidence. The Vikings have a recent history of impact returners. Percy Harvin, Cordarrelle Patterson, Marcus Sherels, and Kene Nwangwu. Price looks like he’s on a path to join them.

Will Reichard is a beast. He might be as good at his job as any player on the roster. And the Vikings have Justin Jefferson on the roster. He’s gone nearly a year without missing a kick. He’s never missed an extra point. Not only does he not miss, nearly all of his kicks are through the middle of the uprights. 

Minnesota Vikings Bye Week Roster

The Minnesota Vikings are idle this week as they have a Week 6 bye. Week 6 is usually a bit early for a bye but this year it comes at a good time. The Vikings have a few players that could use an extra week to get healthy. 

Christian Darrisaw

Jordan Mason 

Jordan Addison

T.J. Hockenson

Justin Jefferson played in the Week 5 win over the New Orleans Saints. He was returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the previous two games. He could use a week of rest before he rips up the league for the remainder of the season. 

Oh, the Vikings are also undefeated while they rest up during this break. 5-0 is a nice start. Some have argued that the Vikings have merely raced through the “easy” portion of their schedule. Perhaps but that take would reflect poorly on media darlings and preseason contenders Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. The Vikings started their five-game run with wins over their division foes. I’ve never understood why the Vikings are always tasked with defending the worthiness of a nice run of games. They can only play the teams the league puts in front of them. After the bye, maybe the Vikings will finally win a game that the “experts” find worthy. 

The bye week is a fine time to look at the roster. With the trade deadline a few weeks away, it’s a fine time to see if additions are needed. Fans always like a midseason blockbuster deal. Sitting 5-0, I’m not sure the Vikings need to do anything so bold. Season-ending injuries to tight end Josh Oliver and left guard Donovan Jackson would seem to highlight those positions. I’m not sure there’s a tight end in the league that could adequately replace what Oliver brings to the offense. I like Joe Huber as the current replacement for Jackson. So, I’m not sure if those are the positions that the Vikings must address through a trade. Adding depth at running back and safety are moves that might be considered. I don’t see any trade being of the blockbuster sort. But, I’m often wrong about things like this. Here’s a look at the Vikings current roster. 

Players on the roster now that weren’t on the initial 53-man roster are in bold. 

Minnesota Vikings Bye Week Roster

Offense (24)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

DeeJay Dallas

Demond Claiborne

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (5)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Tight End (3)

T.J. Hockenson

Gavin Bartholomew

Ben Yurosek

Offensive Line (9)

Christian Darrisaw

Joe Huber

Blake Brandel

Will Fries

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Caleb Tiernan

Michael Jurgens

Trevor Keegan

Defense (26)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker (5)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Kyle Van Noy

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Linebacker (4)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback (5)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Chuck Demmings

Zemaiah Vaughn

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jacob Thomas

Jakobe Thomas

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

***

There are only five players on the current 53-man roster that weren’t on the initial one. Quarterback Max Brosmer was promoted from the practice squad after J.J. McCarthy was traded to the New York Giants. Tight end Ben Yurosek and center Michael Jurgens were activated from injured reserve last week. Running back DeeJay Dallas and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy are the only players added to roster that arrived from outside the organization. I suppose it’s the constant player churn on the practice squad that makes it feel like more new players have populated the roster. When a player like Odell Beckham Jr. is sitting on the practice squad there’s always roster intrigue. It would be fun to Justin Jefferson and Beckham on the field together. 

5-0 and resting up on the bye week is a real nice place to be. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 5 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints on Sunday 23-13. It really wasn’t that close. The Vikings are undefeated at 5-0 as they enter their Week 6 bye. Here are some of the players that made the big win over the Saints possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Kyler Murray, QB

The Vikings quarterback finally gets “player of the game” recognition. It’s a very welcome development. Kyler Murray finally looked comfortable and played in rhythm. 

24 completions

30 attempts

229 yards

1 TD

10 carries

51 yards

He converted first downs with his arm and with his legs. There’s a lot of room for improvement but Murray’s play against the Saints is close to the hope that many had when the Vikings signed him in March.

Honorable Mention:

Aaron Jones Sr., RB

Aaron Jones Sr.’s game must be mentioned.

25 carries 

113 yards 

1 TD

Through the first five games, Jones has been the Vikings offensive MVP. With the Week 1 injury to Jordan Mason, the Vikings have leaned on Jones in the run game. And he’s done it while dealing with a knee injury. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Byron Murphy Jr., CB

Once again, the Vikings defensive player of the game can be any of several players. Jalen Redmond, Blake Cashman, Dallas Turner, Eric Wilson. Take your pick. This really is a team defense. Despite all of that, Byron Murphy Jr. is an easy choice. He intercepted two of Tyler Shough’s passes. 

Special Teams Players of the Game

Jake Golday

Jeshaun Jones

Through four games, one of Myles Price and Will Reichard, and often both, were easy special teams choices each week. After ending the first half with a field goal, the Vikings special teams opened the second half with one of the plays of the game. On the second half’s opening kick return, Jake Golday forced a fumble and Jeshaun Jones recovered the football. Just like that, the Vikings had a scoring opportunity on the Saints 37-yard line. Six plays later, Justin Jefferson had a touchdown and the Vikings had a 13-7 lead. 

Vikings - Saints

The Minnesota Vikings dodged any possibility of a “trap” game by handling the New Orleans Saints by a score of 23-10. The game felt a bit more one-sided than a 10-point margin. The Vikings defense completely shut down the Saints offense. The Vikings offense finally showed some life. It was a welcome sight. The win bumps the record to 5-0 as the Vikings enter their Week 6 bye.

The Vikings defense and special teams were the main reason for the first four wins. The offensive support was so limited that the only points scored in two of those wins came from field goals. That changed yesterday against the Saints as Kyler Murray showed some comfort in the Vikings offense. He finally played with some rhythm. 

Murray’s game:

24 completions

30 attempts

229 yards

1 TD

10 carries

51 yards

It’s easier to get comfortable and play with rhythm in an offense when Justin Jefferson is a part of it. Due to injuries this was Murray’s first full game with Jefferson. If this is Murray’s baseline play moving forward, the Vikings should be a tough out each week. 

The Vikings defense continues to stifle offenses. 

Some stats against the Saints:

9 first downs

43 total plays

142 total yards

2 interceptions

Last week, the Dolphins ran 37 plays against the Vikings defense. This week, the Saints ran 43 plays. That’s a pretty light load. So light that it’s as if the Vikings played about one full game over the past two weeks. 

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough entered this game averaging about 300 passing yards. Yesterday, against the Vikings defense, Shough threw for 97 yards and two interceptions. The Saints had eight drives. Five went three-and-out. 

Despite being completely shut down for much of the game, the Saints did manage two touchdowns. Each originated from Vikings fumbles in the red zone. After kicking a field goal on their first possession of the game, the Vikings looked like they were driving for another score on their second possession. On third-and-one from the Saints 10-yard line, Aaron Jones Sr. gained enough to move the chains. Unfortunately, he fumbled the ball before he hit the ground. Saints defensive end Chase Young recovered the ball and returned it 27 yards to the Saints 34-yard line. The big play briefly flipped the momentum. For the only time the entire game, the Saints offense played with a spark and some purpose. 66 yards and a two-yard Kendre Miller touchdown. The next fumble was even more sudden. Late in the third quarter, receiver Myles Price fumbled as the Vikings were driving for another score. Saints safety Jonas Sanker recovered the football and returned it 87 yards for a touchdown. On each occasion, the Vikings were on the verge of putting some scoreboard distance between them and the Saints. Each time, the Vikings generously put the ball on the ground. Credit the Saints for taking advantage of that generosity. If the Vikings were more secure with the football, the score of this game is probably 33-0 rather than 23-13. 

While it was considerably improved, the Vikings offense still has a lot of room for growth. With Kyler Murray’s growing comfort in the offense, that growth appears within reach. If they can get some players healthy, the growth feels nearly certain. Receiver Jordan Addison, running back Jordan Mason, and offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw should be back after the Week 6 bye. Tight end T.J. Hockenson left yesterday’s game after only two plays with a concussion. He should also be back. That’s a lot of offensive talent returning the next time the Vikings takes the field. 

The Vikings enter their bye week undefeated. 5-0 with a two game lead over their three division foes. It’s a nice place to be. Two of the five wins were against two of those division foes (Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears). Undefeated and two weeks to get some players healthy. It’s going to be a nice and welcome week off. 

Flea Flicker Week 5 Predictions

It’s Already October. It’s already Week 5 of the NFL season. Here are some guesses at the games. 

Week 5 brings the first byes:

Byes: Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers

Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings must go into their Week 6 bye at 5-0.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Jaguars

Another idiotic international game. London is a second home for the Jaguars so the ridiculous logistics often work to their advantage. Plus, it looks like the Eagles are going through some things. 

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers

Pick: Bears

It feels like the media and fans have finally stopped wrongly calling this the league’s oldest rivalry. For the record, it’s the third oldest after Bears-Cardinals and Packers-Cardinals. Anyway, the Packers are a mess.

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Texans

The preseason Super Bowl contender finally gets their first win. 

Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Bengals

The plucky Dolphins remain winless.

Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

After a surprising 3-0 start, the Raiders take another step back to reality. 

Cleveland Browns @ New York Jets

Pick: Browns

The Browns continue their surprising run.

Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Colts

The clown show with Aaron Rodgers continues.

New York Giants @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Commanders

The Giants are a couple losses away from J.J. McCarthy starting. 

Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

Sean Payton’s playcalling won’t help. The Chargers finally get their first win. 

Detroit Lions @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Lions

Lions roll.

San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: 49ers

49ers roll.

Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Falcons 

With Lamar Jackson, this could’ve been a real fun game. Without Lamar Jackson, who knows? 

Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams

Pick: Bills

Some have circled this as a Super Bowl preview. Both teams have only occasionally looked the part. Its still so early but the Bills have shown a bit more fight than the Rams. 

New Orleans Saints All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings play the Saints in New Orleans tomorrow. The Saints entered the league as an expansion team in 1967. They were terrible for most of their first twenty years. Fans even covered their heads with paper bags due to the team’s ineptitude. It was bad. It was so bad that Archie Manning barely survived the 1970s. Under the guidance of former Vikings architect Jim Finks, the Saints got better in the late 1980s. They made the playoffs for the first time after the strike-impacted 1987 season. The Vikings quickly dispatched them from those playoffs. It was in the 2000s that the Saints truly started to rise. Head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees led them to consistency and success. The Saints got some degree of revenge when they robbed the Vikings of a Super Bowl appearance in the 2009 NFC Championship game. The Saints went on to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. Since the conference championship robbery, the Vikings and Saints have developed something of a rivalry. On the eve of the big game, here’s a look at some of the best players in New Orleans Saints franchise history. 

New Orleans Saints All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback

Drew Brees

Running Back

Alvin Kamara

Fullback

Chuck Muncie

Wide Receivers

Marques Colston

Joe Horn

Tight End

Jimmy Graham

Offensive Tackles

Willie Roaf

Stan Brock

Offensive Guards

Carl Nicks

Jahri Evans

Center

Joel Hilgenberg

Defense

Defensive Ends

Cameron Jordan

Wayne Martin

Defensive Tackles

La’Roi Glover

Derland Moore

Linebackers

Rickey Jackson

Sam Mills

Pat Swilling

Cornerbacks

Marshon Lattimore

Dave Waymer

Safeties

Tom Myers

Roman Harper

Special Teams

Kicker 

Morten Anderson

Punter

Thomas Morstead

Returner

Tyrone Hughes

Minnesota Vikings 2027 Draft Picks

With trades often involving future draft picks, it can be difficult to keep track of which picks a team has in an upcoming NFL Draft. After the trade of quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick, I was wondering what picks the Minnesota Vikings currently held in the next draft. Fortunately, the team’s website had the answer. 

Minnesota Vikings 2027 Draft Picks

First Round

Second Round

Third Round

Third Round (from Philadelphia Eagles in the Jonathan Greenard trade)

Fifth Round

Fifth Round (from Carolina Panthers in the Adam Thielen trade)

Fifth Round (from the New York Giants in the J.J. McCarthy trade)

Sixth Round (from the New England Patriots in the Walter Rouse trade)

Sixth Round (from the New York Jets in the Harrison Phillips trade)

***

The Vikings currently hold nine picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. It could bump to 10 draft picks if the Vikings receive a compensatory pick for the loss of receiver Jalen Nailor in free agency. 

The Vikings currently don’t hold picks in the fourth and seventh round. It’s nice to have two picks in the third and three picks in the fifth but it isn’t nice to sit out the first round of Day 3. 

That trade for Adam Thielen before the start of the 2025 season sure was expensive. It felt expensive at the time. It feels even more expensive with the loss of that fourth-round pick on the horizon. Having an extra fifth from that trade does offset a little bit of the pain of not having a fourth. It was nice to have Thielen back in Minnesota but he didn’t do much and was eventually sent on to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The sixth-round pick from the New England Patriots for Walter Rouse originally belonged to the Vikings. That pick was sent to the Patriots during the 2026 NFL Draft in the trade that put the Vikings in position to select Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne. Last summer’s trade of Rouse returned the pick to where it belongs. 

Now, back to thinking about the 2026 season. 

Another Vikings Roster Move

The Minnesota Vikings made several roster moves on Tuesday. None of the moves garnered much attention across the league. That changed on Wednesday. The Vikings signed a couple receivers to the practice squad. 

Jeshaun Jones 

Odell Beckham Jr. 

Jeshaun Jones spent the first three weeks of the season on the league’s suspended list. He joined the 53-man roster last week after his suspension ended and was released from the roster on Tuesday. Now, he’s back on the practice squad. 

Jeshaun Jones joining the practice squad wasn’t the move that received league-wide attention. That was the signing of Odell Beckham Jr. to the practice squad. At 33, and a few years removed from impacting games, Beckham still gets attention. I guess it’s an indication of the star that he once was and personality that he still is. The New York Giants selected Beckham 12th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. He ripped up the league immediately with postseason honors each of his first three seasons. After five years in New York, Beckham bounced to Cleveland for 2.5 years. He joined the Los Angeles Rams during the 2021 season. There, he met and played for then Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Beckham quickly established a role with that stacked Rams team. It was a role that contributed to the team rolling to Super Bowl LVI. Just as it looked like Beckham was going to contend for MVP of the big game, he tore his ACL. It’s an injury that ended his Super Bowl and took away his 2022 season. It was the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 and the Miami Dolphins in 2024. No team in 2025. He returned to the New York Giants for the 2026 season. The reunion lasted three games. The last time Beckham played near a Beckham-level with the Ravens in 2023. At 33, his days are behind him. Perhaps he can still flash the freaky talent that he once had. Perhaps playing with long-time Louisiana and LSU pal Justin Jefferson will rekindle some of the magic that he once had. Perhaps his familiarity with O’Connell will ease the transition to a new team. 

The Vikings signing Odell Beckham Jr. to the practice squad is no great commitment. It’s probably more like a prolonged job interview. His veteran presence can be a benefit. He’s a playful individual and his long-time friendship with Justin Jefferson could be fun. I think that he’s too far removed from his impact days for his sometimes problematic personality to be a problem. Some have speculated that Beckham’s signing might be an indication that Jefferson’s ankle injury is more serious than reported. Why does there always have to be a negative reason for a move? I believe that Beckham’s signing is more an opportunity to see if a player still has some magic left. The Vikings offense could use a boost. I think it’s far more likely that Jauan Jennings finally makes an impact as a third receiver than Beckham seeing the field as the fourth or fifth. While it’d be fun to see two Louisiana and LSU legends on the field together, I believe that signing Beckham to the practice squad is simply an opportunity to see if he has anything left. I believe that expectations have been set low. 

Vikings Roster Moves

A 4-0 start to the season doesn’t keep an NFL team from roster moves during the week. As they look toward Week 5, the Minnesota Vikings made several tweaks to the roster on Monday and Tuesday.

The Moves:

Placed G Donovan Jackson on Injured Reserve

Waived:

WR Jeshaun Jones

Released from Practice Squad:

P Johnny Hekker

RB Devin Neal

CB Natrone Brooks

Signed to Practice Squad:

OT Tristan Leigh

Waived from Injured Reserve:

CB Tyreek Chappell

Of course, the most significant of the roster moves is the loss of guard Donovan Jackson with a torn meniscus. He will have surgery and is expected to miss the season. Those that lean optimistic might hope to see him return for a long playoff run. While the Vikings offense has mostly struggled through the first four games, Jackson has been a solid and consistent presence on the offensive line. Paired with Christian Darrisaw, the Vikings have one of the best left sides in the league. Jackson’s loss is significant. Formerly undrafted and in his second season, Joe Huber is first up at left guard. He played well as a rookie least season against a talented Cleveland Browns defensive front. He held up when forced on the field Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Whether he can handle the job full-time for the rest of the season remains to be seen. He’s the top internal option. Perhaps, the Vikings will look around the league for an additional option.

As for the other roster moves, I was glad that Johnny Hekker was available when rookie punter Brett Thorson came out of the Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears with a hamstring injury. Hekker punted in Week 3 and Week 4. He started both games well but didn’t finish them well. It’ll be good to see Thorson back on the field. When Devin Neal was signed to the practice squad last week, I had some hope for him. I really like him coming out of Kansas when he was in the 2025 NFL Draft. With Jordan Mason on short-term injured reserve, the Vikings needed some running back depth. I thought that Neal could provide it. Apparently not. The Vikings signed offensive tackle Tristan Leigh as a priority undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft. Through offseason workouts and training camp and bringing several desirable tackle traits, he projected as a roster long-shot. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster but was immediately signed to the practice squad. He was released from the practice squad the next day. A month later, he’s back. Maybe he can play guard. 

The roster moves this week leave the Vikings with two open spots on the 53-man roster and two open spots on the practice squad. More roster moves are expected.