Vikings Rumors: A Spielman Sighting, Kwesi Starts Cooking, & Kirk’s Kindergarten Concern
K. Joudry
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Since we’re officially into the portion of the year when Vikings rumors are abundant, we’ll 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 Rick Spielman getting back into the NFL (sort of), Kwesi Adofo-Mensah already getting several players to put pen to paper, and Kirk Cousins considering kindergarten with his next contract.
Vikings Rumors: 01.09.2024
Rumor #1 — The NFL Officially Has a Spielman Sighting
Not too long ago, PurplePTSD speculated about whether Rick Spielman would get back into the NFL in some capacity.
Admittedly, the direction of that article was about him possibly becoming a GM again. Take a look at one of the concluding thoughts: “A smorgasbord of talented people will toss their names into the [GM searches], but few will have the resume that Rick Spielman does. Some teams will look at the history as a negative, preferring to go with someone who is younger. Others, though, will welcome the kind of insight and wisdom that can only result from experience.”
In the end, the thought about insight, wisdom, and experience helps to explain what led to Spielman’s next opportunity.
Instead of being a GM, Spielman has been hired to consult the Washington Commanders. Adam Schefter brought the news to the NFL world: “In a sweeping overhaul, Commanders owner Josh Harris has hired two prominent executives – former Warriors GM Bob Myers and former Vikings GM Rick Spielman – to assist his group in searches for a new head of football operations and coach.” NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski helped with the report.
So, Spielman’s experience is being put to good use. He’ll consult the Commanders on how to proceed, leveraging the wisdom he has accrued over a ton of years in football to help Washington turn the corner.
Rumor #2 — Kwesi Has Already Started Cooking by Signing Several Players
The life of a GM can get busy in a hurry.
Of course, what appears sudden from outside of TCO Performance Center isn’t sudden at all. Kwesi and his staff have been hard at work preparing for the various stages of the offseason. Agreeing to bring back ten players is simply one of the initial hurdles for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to climb over.
PurplePTSD‘s Josh Frey relays the word about the specific players while offering these thoughts: “Each of these 10 players were on the Vikings’ practice squad when the regular season concluded, and as such, they would have gone to free agency in March if Minnesota didn’t sign them to these contracts.”
- WR Trishton Jackson
- WR N’Keal Harry
- RB DeWayne McBride
- CB Joejuan Williams
- CB Jaylin Williams
- LB Abraham Beauplan
- OT Coy Cronk
- IOL Henry Byrd
- IOL Tyrese Robinson
- WR Thayer Thomas
- RB Myles Gaskin
Of note, as Frey suggests, is who wasn’t brought back: DL Junior Aho, OLB Austin Bryant, TE Troy Fumagalli, and OLB Quincy Roche. Gaskin wasn’t originally brought back with the first ten signings, but he has since agreed to a deal.
The ten deals, though notable, are just the tip of the iceberg. Plenty of work lies ahead.
Rumor #3 — Kirk Cousins is Considering All Factors in His Upcoming Contract Decision … Including Kindergarten
More important than being an NFL football player is being a dad. Kirk Cousins would surely agree.
Since 2018, Cousins has made Minnesota home. In that timeframe, his young family has grown and (by all accounts) has settled into Minnesota nicely. Cousins spoke to the media about his upcoming contract decision, discussing how a variety of factors — the desire to win, what the money represents, seeking God’s peace — impact his decision.
What was a bit more surprising was his mention of kindergarten being a part of the equation.
“Well, there’s many factors, there’s many factors,” Cousins notes, “including that my kids love their kindergarten. So there’s all kinds of factors.” He goes on: “You also have to remind yourself, if it comes to it, I’ll have to find a good kindergarten somewhere else. There’s many, many variables, that’s the only reason why I bring that up.”
Not too long afterwards, he describes the importance of seeking a feeling of peace with his decision, an idea he brings back to his faith in Christ.
The safest bet appears to be that Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings will continue their relationship into 2024 (and likely beyond). All sides seem to value the partnership, but it’s worth noting that the decision for Cousins combines factors from football, finances, faith, and family.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.