Vikings Rumors: Dalvin’s Flirtations, 6th-Best Skill, & The Fringes of the Vikings Roster
Though we’re now into the portion of the year when Vikings rumors aren’t as abundant, we’ll still be highlighting some of the purple rumblings.
The “Vikings Rumor Wrangle” is a series that keeps readers informed on what’s being whispered about in Vikings Land. In this iteration, we discuss the Dalvin Cook flirtations in free agency, the Vikings’ highly-regarded skill on offense, and then some of the competition that exists for a spot on the 53-man roster.
The Vikings Rumors – 06.28.2023
Rumor #1 – Dalvin Cook Has Been Flirting with Several NFL Teams
Yes, when he hasn’t been part of a certain author’s hypothetical fantasy football team, Dalvin Cook has indeed been exploring the possibility of ongoing NFL employment.
Recently, Tyler Conklin was a guest on Good Morning Football. While there, the former Vikings TE expressed his enthusiasm about the potential of bringing Cook to New York.
Dalvin, as you’ll see up top, expresses some enthusiasm about joining forces with Conklin through his emojis. What a world.
For some Vikings fans, seeing Cook join Robert Saleh’s team would be a tough pill to swallow. Long-time nemesis Aaron Rodgers is now the man under center, so a partnership between the two isn’t something Vikings fans would cherish. At least it isn’t occurring in Green Bay, folks. Now that would be a disappointing scenario.
Cook doesn’t seem to be in a rush to sign. And, frankly, why should he be? He’s a well-established veteran who knows how to take care of his body. He can slow play things before signing on as training camp gets closer.
Rumor #2 – The Vikings’ Skill Players are a Top 10 Group in the NFL
Well, they’re coming in at 6th if we want to be specific. At least that’s the word from Bill Barnwell from ESPN.
Per Barnwell, the Vikings receive a lot of help from Mr. Justin Jefferson: “He just turned 24, and there’s a chance we haven’t even seen his best, which would be a terrifying sight for opposing cornerbacks.”
He goes on to address the talent outside of #18. In Barnwell’s mind, the Vikings “upgraded their biggest weakness” by flipping Jordan Addison into Adam Thielen’s spot. He explains: “Even allowing for the wide range of outcomes we see from first-round picks in their debut seasons, Thielen had grown long in the tooth. He ranked 83rd among 97 wideouts in yards per route run last season, just one spot ahead of teammate K.J. Osborn.”
So, optimism even though the analyst goes on to rein in enthusiasm for T.J. Hockenson and Alexander Mattison.
The rest of the NFC North? Things don’t look as hopeful. Green Bay stands at 28th (how the mighty have fallen), Chicago snags the 17th spot (D.J. Moore is excellent), and Detroit comes in at 16th (Amon-Ra St. Brown is also excellent).
Rumor #3 – The Fringes of the Vikings’ 53-Man Roster Will Feature Intense Competition
Most certainly. In fact, something very wrong has happened if there isn’t a closely-contested battle for the final spots on Minnesota’s team.
Recently, PurplePTSD‘s own Josh Frey has been exploring some of these players, considering Jalen Nailor, Cephus Johnson, Ty Chandler, and Tay Gowan (some of whom make the cut in a recent roster prediction).
Take a peak at what Mr. Frey has to say about Nailor: “Overall, Nailor seemed to really begin catching his stride late in the 2022 season. He may not be as versatile a player in terms of ability to play either in the slot or on the outside (appeared out wide on 49 of his 57 offensive snaps in 2022), but his ability to make plays down the field should really be a useful weapon in Kevin O’Connell’s offense this season. Expect to see more of the wide receiver in his second season.”
I, for one, expect the sophomore to do good things with the Vikings in 2023.
Another player to keep in mind? Luiji Vilain. The Canadian pass rusher is facing some tough competition but was highly-regarded as an UDFA last year. I’ll be keeping an eye on him as training camp and the preseason unfold.
