Vikings Rumors: Bad News Vikings, Receiver Explosion, and the TE Metamorphosis
K. Joudry
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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 seeks to keep readers informed on what’s being whispered about in Vikings Land. In this iteration, we discuss the bad news coming out of free agency, how Minnesota’s receiver position is looking beefy, and a unique new add to the coaching staff.
The Vikings Rumors – 06.07.2023
Rumor #1 – The Vikings Received Some Bad News
Unfortunately, the dream of adding Leonard Floyd has slipped away (at least for 2023). The pass rusher will be helping Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs over in Buffalo.
Previously, I’ve spilled a pile of digital ink making the case for Mr. Floyd’s employment in The State of Hockey. The veteran has a connection to the coaching staff given that he most recently played for the Rams. He worked alongside head coach Kevin O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips in LA’s Super Bowl winning season.
Over the past 3 seasons, Floyd has put up 29 sacks, meaning the veteran has still been productive even as he gets older. The hope would have been that he’d complement Brian Flores’ defense by functioning as another pass rushing specialist to make QBs uncomfortable. A tried-and-true method of helping young, inexperienced corners is to have a truly ferocious pass rush.
By failing to sign Leonard Floyd, the Vikings will stare down an increasingly thin free agent market. In all likelihood, Minnesota won’t be making a humongous effort to revamp their pass rushing department in the coming weeks and months. Adding a proven veteran, though, does have merit, especially when we consider the Davenport and Hunter injury histories.
Rumor #2 – The Receiver Room is Unusually Large
The unlucky number 13 is the one that describes Minnesota’s receiver situation. That’s how many players are battling for what is likely a maximum of a half dozen roster spots.
Justin Jefferson will be extended before the seasons arrives. Anything less than a lengthy deal that keeps him in town for at least four or five more seasons would be a failure from Minnesota. Meanwhile, Jordan Addison is a first-round selection, K.J. Osborn is looking to prove himself, and optimism is high for Jalen Nailor.
The wild thing is the initial quartet doesn’t even represent a third of the Vikings’ receivers. Jalen Reagor and Brandon Powell are duking it out. So too are Thayer Thomas, Cephus Johnson III, Lucky Jackson, Trishton Jackson, Malik Knowles, Garett Maag, and Blake Proehl.
To get a sense of whether Minnesota is unusual, I went to the website for the Packers, Bears, and Lions to see how many WRs are on their offseason rosters. The totals: 11, 11, and 12.
So, yes, the Vikings stand out for having so many at this stage. Don’t be shocked if one gets cut before training camp arrives to make room for a free agent addition.
Rumor #3 – A Recently-Retired Viking is Now on Staff
Terrence Newman comes to mind. The long-time corner made a quick transition into the coaching ranks, at least for a short time. Ben Ellefson will be doing something similar.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the tight end announced his retirement from the NFL last week. As Josh Frey discusses on PurplePTSD, Ellefson battled various injuries in his career. Good on him for recognizing when it was time to step away from the game.
What makes the situation even more fascinating is that he’ll now be a team scout and coach. Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune shared the news: “Ben Ellefson, who retired from the Vikings last week, will stay around the team in a coaching/scouting role, Kevin O’Connell said. He’ll ramp up in the role closer to training camp.”
Kevin O’Connell has quickly developed a reputation for thinking outside the box and being open to new ideas to improve his team’s chances. Immediately handing over a scout/coach role to someone who was a player a week ago is certainly an odd move.
Nevertheless, the hope is that it’ll be a win all around.
