Vikings Rumors: MIN’s Tier 4 QB, Friend Turned Foe in GB, and Running Back Overhaul
Since we’re officially into the portion of the year when Vikings rumors are ramping up, 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 Minnesota moving ahead with a bottom tier passer, a friend turning into a foe over in Green Bay, and the running back depth being near non-existent.
Vikings Rumors: 08.28.2024
Rumor #1 — Minnesota is Rolling with a Tier 4 Quarterback
That’s the word from The Athletic, a publication that recently released its QB ranking article before the regular season arrives.
Scroll down. Keep going. Scroll a bit more. Ah, there he is. Sam Darnold lands at 29th, a spot below Bryce Young, someone who had an atrocious rookie season. The initial thought is that spending time in San Francisco will have been productive: “One season with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco gave Darnold a slight boost with some voters. He commanded 12 votes in Tier 3, twice as many as in 2022, his most recent Tiers appearance.”
There’s a reliance on anonymous coaches and executives for their opinions to help give the rankings credence. The general thought is that Minnesota will support him well: “All would agree that the infrastructure in Minnesota is better for Darnold than the situations with the Jets and Panthers were for him.”
An executive echoes that idea: “‘Sometimes I think he’s a 3 in the right situation,’ an exec said. ‘It would not surprise me if he has a decent year with Kevin (O’Connell). I’m teetering between 3 and 5. I’ll go out on a limb and say he’s a 3 this year.'”
Seeing him below Young seems a bit harsh, but anything other than Tier 4 would seem misguided. In his career, Darnold has completed less than 60% of his passes and has almost as many interceptions as touchdowns. No one questions the physical talent, it’s the on-field poise to get the job done (a DC calls him “jittery”).
Now, that’s not to say the final chapter has been written. As the piece on The Athletic mentions, there’s a lot to like about the setup with the Vikings. Maybe everything clicks and Darnold has his best season yet. After all, he’s still only 27.
Oh, and our old friend Kirk Cousins comes in at 13th, firmly within the league’s Tier 2.
Rumor #2 — A Former Friend is Now the Foe in Green Bay
Indeed.
The Packers decided to move on from Anders Carlson, a young kicker who had been drafted back in 2023. Tom Pelissero offered the word: “Kicker change in Green Bay: The #Packers cut Anders Carlson, per source.” Doing so clears the way for Greg Joseph to take over as the Packers’ kicker.
The specialist doesn’t lack for the clutch factor. Dustin Baker wrote about that reality over on Vikings Territory: “Joseph played for Minnesota in the last three seasons, securing the kicker job longer than most amid the last decade of Vikings football. He struggled overall in 2022 and 2023 but racked up five game-winning field goals in 2022, a chief component in actionizing the Vikings’ NFL-record-setting 11-0 record in games decided by one score or less that season.”
At 30, Joseph could still have several years of productive ball ahead of him. What remains to be seen is if he’ll be able to kick consistently enough to settle in for a little while. At this stage, though, Joseph is now a foe after being a friend to Minnesota for three seasons.
Rumor #3 — The Vikings’ RB Depth Got an Overhaul
No doubt.
The news emerged yesterday that Kene Nwangwu would be joining Myles Gaskin, DeWayne McBride, and Mo Ibrahim as the cut running backs. Seeing the final three names depart isn’t a surprise, but Nwangwu was expected to stick around as a speed demon who thrives on special teams.
Again, Tom Pelissero had the word: “The #Vikings are moving on from RB/KR Kene Nwangwu, per source. He’ll be cut or traded by today’s deadline.”
Ben Goessling offered a bit more context: “Source confirms the #Vikings are moving on from kick returner Kene Nwangwu, who will be cut if he’s not traded today. He’d had a stronger camp than in the past, but hadn’t quite caught on as a running back during his time in Minnesota.”
The new kickoff rule will result in a lot more returns, but the strategy seems to involve having a pair of returners. The opposing team would simply avoid Nwangwu on each occasion, thereby nullifying the main value he brings to the team. Minnesota decided to move on.
In his career, Kene Nwangwu has 27 carries for 88 yards.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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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.