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Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell Addresses Turnover Issues

September 26th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings sit at 0-3 in large part due to the team’s struggles with ball security. Minnesota leads the league in turnovers, and lineup changes could be coming soon as a result.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown a pair of interceptions – including one in the end zone in the losing stages of Sunday’s loss to the the Chargers – but the more troubling early trend has been the Vikings’ league-leading seven fumbles. Head coach Kevin O’Connell admitted he altered the team’s practice routine in the build-up to Week 3, but ball security remains an issue. In the aftermath of that contest, he issued a warning that players could find themselves on the bench in the near future.

“I think that’s something we’re going to fix one way or the other,” O’Connell said of the fumbling problems, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “Either guys are going to [fix] it or we’re going to have to put other guys in the game that have ball security.”

Running back Alexander Mattison has been among the players who have lost a number of fumbles (although only one so far has resulted in a change of possession). The 25-year-old assumed lead back duties in the wake of Dalvin Cook‘s release, and he is currently averaging a career-high 13 carries per game. Mattison has recorded 155 scoreless yards on the ground, along with one touchdown in the passing game.

Minnesota’s struggles on the ground made it little surprise that the team added Cam Akers via trade. In spite of his arrival, Mattison has received a vote of confidence as the Vikings’ lead back, though Akers did not suit up in Week 3. The latter will however be involved in the team’s game plan for Week 4, Seifert notes. It will be interesting to see how the Vikings divvy up their RB snaps, particularly if ball security remains an issue.

Aside from Mattison, other skill position players could now be on notice in advance of Minnesota’s game against Carolina. That matchup of winless teams will be important in the NFC standings, but it could also play a part in dictating playing time moving forward in the Vikings’ case.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/23/23

September 23rd, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the various practice squad elevations and other minor moves from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Signed to active roster: LB Sam Eguaveon
  • Elevated: OL Chris Glaser

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Latest On Vikings’ RB Room

September 22nd, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Cam Akers‘ time in Los Angeles came to an expected end earlier this week when he was dealt to Minnesota. The move has led to questions about the Vikings’ pecking order at the running back spot, but the team’s depth chart appears set to remain the same at the top.

Alexander Mattison took over RB1 duties this offseason when the Vikings released Dalvin Cook, but that move has not yielded success on the ground to date. Minnesota has the league’s least productive run game through Week 2, having totaled just 69 rushing yards. Mattison’s inefficiency is among the causes for that figure, but he is safe in his role as starter even with Akers in the fold.

“We haven’t lost confidence in Alex Mattison,” Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I will say that. Unfortunately we’ve had a couple turnovers in the run game where we obviously need to clean that up. Everyone’s aware of that. But we still feel very strongly in Alex and [backup Ty Chandler] and those guys being able to go in and produce. We know we have to be better in the run game. A lot of that starts with us, and the players fundamentally. All those things we’ve addressed, and… I think it will improve dramatically.”

Phillips and head coach Kevin O’Connell are among the Vikings staffers with ties to Akers dating back to their shared time with the Rams. That level of familiarity should help the latter’s acclimation period with his new team, one which figures to use him in a rotational capacity early on. Expectations will be tempered considering the fact Minnesota only needed to swap future Day 3 picks to acquire Akers, but a strong showing in the coming weeks would help his free agent stock considerably ahead of the offseason.

It would also give the team another option in the run game aside from Mattison, whom Seifert notes does not expect to see his role changed with Akers now in the picture. Improvement on the ground in any capacity would be welcomed for the 0-2 Vikings, but it will be interesting to see how the backfield is managed with a former second-round pick (who started 15 of his 30 Rams contests) in place. For now, at least, Mattison is safe atop the RB depth chart.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/23

September 21st, 2023 at 4:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

The Bears released Peterman on Wednesday, but Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes the team was planning to use the roster spot to poach a player off a another team’s practice squad. Chicago’s effort did not produce a signing, however, leaving Peterman’s spot vacant. When a team makes an effort to sign a player off another club’s P-squad, the team can promote the player to its 53-man roster to keep him from being poached. The seventh-year QB, who is in his second season with the Bears, again give the team three active-roster QBs — along with Justin Fields and rookie Tyson Bagent.

Rams Trade RB Cam Akers To Vikings

September 21st, 2023 at 12:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 21: For the conditions to be met, Akers must combine for 500 yards from scrimmage with the Vikings, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. In Akers’ two healthy seasons, he has hit 748 and 903 scrimmage yards, respectively.

SEPTEMBER 20: The off-and-on Rams-Cam Akers drama will come to an end Wednesday. The Rams found a taker for Akers, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who reports the Vikings will acquire the fourth-year running back.

Minnesota and Los Angeles will swap late-round 2026 draft choices, Pelissero adds. Given Akers’ inconsistent history, it was always unlikely the Rams would obtain much for him. But the Vikings will take a flier on the former second-round pick.

The Vikings will send Los Angeles a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026. In exchange, the Rams will send Minnesota Akers and a 2026 conditional seventh-rounder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Terms on the conditions of each pick have not yet been released, but with nearly three full seasons in between now and then, there are a vast number of possibilities for what might alter these picks.

For an in-season trade, this presents the opportunity for a smooth Akers transition. Kevin O’Connell served as the Rams’ offensive coordinator during Akers’ first two NFL seasons, and Vikings OC Wes Phillips was also in L.A. during that span. Akers will join a Vikings backfield transitioning from Dalvin Cook‘s six-year tenure, leaving the Rams with their now-Kyren Williams-fronted setup behind Matthew Stafford.

The tumultuous Rams-Akers relationship reached the point of no return Sunday, when the team deactivated the former starter for its Week 2 game. Akers, 24, expressed confusion at the move, but he and Sean McVay had not seen eye to eye for periods over the past year. McVay indicated a trade was likely.

Despite opening each of the past two Rams seasons as the starting running back, Akers found himself a healthy scratch each year. Los Angeles scratched Akers for Week 6 last season, as trade rumors swirled. While the team held onto Akers after negotiating with teams ahead of last year’s trade deadline, the Vikings are now responsible for the last year of his rookie deal.

It does not appear the Rams would have settled for his level of trade compensation last year, when they rejected trade offers, but the minimal return points to the Rams being prepared to accept just about anything to end this relationship. The Browns, Buccaneers, Raiders and Ravens were mentioned as interested parties. The Browns took themselves out of the running Wednesday morning, when they reunited with Kareem Hunt. Although McVay disciples are in HC posts elsewhere — Matt LaFleur, Brandon Staley, Zac Taylor — the Vikings make the most sense from a familiarity standpoint due to O’Connell having coached Akers as OC.

While 2026 late-round draft choices effectively indicate how little trade value Akers brought, he has produced promising stretches during an inconsistent career. The Rams turned to the Florida State product late in the 2020 season, and the then-rookie ripped off a 171-yard showing against the Patriots. Akers then amassed 131 rushing yards to help the Rams upset the Seahawks in the 2020 wild-card round. After last year’s spate of hiccups, Akers regrouped to close the season with three straight 100-yard performances. While seldom used as a receiver, Akers has enjoyed productive periods as a ball-carrier.

Of course, Akers also suffered an Achilles tear in July 2021. This prompted the Rams to trade for Sony Michel. While Akers made a surprising return in time for Week 18 and suited up for the Rams in the playoffs, he did not regain his previous form. As the Rams’ O-line deteriorated last season, Akers struggled, leading to the disagreement with McVay. He opened this year with a wildly ineffective 22-carry, 29-yard showing in Seattle, ceding the key backfield touches to Williams, a 2022 fifth-round pick who has seized command for the retooling Rams.

The Vikings turned to longtime Cook backup Alexander Mattison this offseason, opting not to bring in another veteran to supplement the career-long RB2. Mattison, 25, is off to a slow start. The fifth-year back is averaging 3.3 yards per carry; in Week 2, he lost a fumble in what turned out to be a one-score loss to the Eagles. Overall, Minnesota has gained an NFL-low 69 rushing yards. Mattison should still be expected to lead the way in Minnesota, but Akers represents competition. The Vikes roster 2022 fifth-rounder Ty Chandler and late-summer pickup Myles Gaskin behind Mattison.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/19/23

September 19th, 2023 at 6:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans

Michael Dogbe, a former seventh-round pick, got into 40 games for the Cardinals through the first four seasons of his career. This included 2021 and 2022 campaigns where he appeared in 29 games, collecting 55 tackles and one sack. He caught on with the Texans last week and proceeded to appear in about 25 percent of the team’s defensive snaps this past weekend.

Kyle Peko will bring 31 games of experience to the Titans defensive line. The veteran has already been promoted by the Titans twice this season and started both of his appearances, collecting four tackles. He’ll be taking the spot of Jayden Peevy, who got into two games across two seasons with the organization.

Vikings, G Dalton Risner Agree To Deal

September 18th, 2023 at 4:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top free agents still on the open market has found a home. Guard Dalton Risner has agreed to a deal with the Vikings, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 9News’ Mike Klis adds the one-year pact includes $2.5MM guaranteed and can reach a value of up to $4MM.

Risner was one of the best O-linemen in the 2023 free agent class, particularly amongst interior blockers. The 28-year-old saw a number of other guards ink lucrative deals at the onset of free agency – including Ben Powers, who is in place as Denver’s new left guard starter. Risner himself remained unsigned through the summer, and it was not until July that he reportedly picked up interest regarding a deal.

That included a visit with the Vikings, but no deal came about as a result. Minnesota has run into injury troubles up front to begin the campaign, however, and they have now circled back to the former second-rounder as an in-season addition. Risner’s preference was to join the Vikings, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes, and he will now have the opportunity to resume his career and boost his 2024 free agent stock.

The Kansas State alum logged 62 starts across his four Broncos campaigns, proving to be durable along the way. Risner drew consistent PFF evaluations during that span, with his pass protection receiving encouraging marks. He will look to maintain his level of play on a Vikings O-line which has seen Oli Udoh go down for the season while also dealing with injuries to left tackle Christian Darrisaw and center Garrett Bradbury. 

Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram are in place as the Vikings’ guard starters. It will be interesting to see if Risner unseats either of them for a first-team role or serves in a depth capacity along the interior. In any event, Minnesota has acquired a reinforcement up front while allowing Risner to land a new gig following his lengthy free agent stay.

Vikings OL Oli Udoh Out For Season

September 15th, 2023 at 4:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Late in Thursday night’s game, the Vikings needed to turn to their third-string left tackle. With Christian Darrisaw on the sidelines, Oli Udoh had stepped in. But what turned out to be a serious quad injury led him off the field as well.

David Quessenberry finished the narrow loss to the Eagles at left tackle. The veteran looks likely to be bumped up a spot on the Vikings’ depth chart soon. Udoh suffered what turned out to be a torn quad tendon, Kevin O’Connell said Friday (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling). The backup blocker is out for the season.

The Vikings re-signed Udoh in March, giving the former guard starter a one-year, $2.58MM deal. The team fully guaranteed the pact at that point. While Udoh collected a bit of cash to stay in Minnesota, his career will pause for an extended period.

Udoh started 16 games at right guard for the Vikings in 2021, but the team drafted Ed Ingram in the 2022 second round to replace him. Once Ingram won that job, Udoh shifted to a role as a swing tackle. He replaced Brian O’Neill on the right side to close last season, after the veteran starter suffered a major injury, and started in place of Darrisaw against the Eagles. Minnesota played without both Darrisaw and center Garrett Bradbury against Philadelphia.

The Vikings added Quessenberry shortly after the Bills released him on roster-cutdown day. Quessenberry, 33, has made 26 starts in his career; 17 of those came with the Titans in 2021. He served as the Bills’ swing tackle last season but saw rookie UDFA Ryan Van Demark beat him out for the job this year. The Vikings gave the seventh-year veteran an opportunity, however, and may need to rely on him as the top backup to Darrisaw and O’Neill going forward. O’Connell is optimistic Darrisaw returns for Week 3, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com notes.

Vikings’ Danielle Hunter Addresses 2018 Contract, Offseason Trade Talk

September 15th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

For much of the offseason, it appeared as though Danielle Hunter‘s time with the Vikings would be coming to an end. Instead, team and player reached a compromise for the 2023 campaign, something the veteran edge rusher recently addressed.

Hunter skipped OTAs and minicamp, then staged a hold-in during training camp in the hopes of leveraging a raise from the $5.5MM he was originally due in 2023. That effort came amidst reports that a trade sending him out of Minnesota was being considered. Such a move would have been in line with much of the team’s offseason, one which was dominated by the departure of several veteran players. The Vikings were indeed active in the trade market amongst pass rushers before working out a new Hunter agreement.

That pact – which includes $17MM in guaranteed money and a no-tag clause – will keep the three-time Pro Bowler in place for at least one more season. It also allowed him to move up the financial pecking order amongst edge defenders, something made necessary by the position’s upward market in the years following his $14.4MM-per-year contract being signed in 2018. When speaking about his second Vikings deal, Hunter expressed no regret about the long-term commitment.

“I signed that deal when I was 23 years old,” he said, via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I mean, look at this picture: Most of the guys who come into this league are 23 when they sign their rookie deals. I came into this league at 20 years old, so I don’t regret anything. I’m here now, Year 9, still with my team. I love everybody. I play for my teammates. And I’m still only 28 years old.”

Despite frequently being mentioned in trade talks through the offseason, Hunter added that he never asked to be moved. His 2022 performance (10.5 sacks, 34 pressures) helped confirm his return to form after missing all of the 2020 season and much of 2021. His production thus would have made him a prime extension candidate for an acquiring team, but instead he will play out at least one more year with the only only franchise he has been with in the NFL.

“This is a great organization, and they love me here,” he said. “If anything were to have happened, it was out of my control. I love the Vikings. This is the only thing I know.”

OL Notes: Vikings, Bengals, Pats, Nijman

September 14th, 2023 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Garrett Bradbury suffered a back injury last season, and the Vikings center saw his absence extended after he aggravated the malady in a car accident. Bradbury missed the Vikings’ final five regular-season games but returned for the team’s wild-card loss. The Vikings circled back to the former first-round pick in March, re-signing him to a three-year, $15.75MM deal. That contract becomes a pay-as-you go accord after 2023, and Bradbury has run into familiar trouble. The Vikings ruled out the fifth-year center for their Thursday-night game in Philadelphia due to a back injury.

“We felt positive about him, and he’s done everything and had no issues whatsoever through a pretty physical training camp for us to feel really good about it,” Kevin O’Connell said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) of Bradbury’s back issue. “It’s just how this game goes sometimes, and he’s a tough guy, big part of the interior of our offensive line and we’ll hope to get him back as soon as we can.”

Austin Schlottmann, who returned last week after a broken leg ended his 2022 season, is set to start at center against the Eagles. Here is the latest from the O-line landscape:

  • The Bengals completed an unexpected transaction this week, releasing La’el Collins from the reserve/PUP list. The team had given Collins a three-year, $21MM deal to step in at right tackle, which he did for 15 games. But ACL and MCL tears ended his 2022 season in Week 16 and prevented him from starting this season on time. The Bengals have Jonah Williams at right tackle opposite big-ticket UFA addition Orlando Brown Jr., but Jackson Carman — who replaced Williams at LT in the playoffs last season — is not the top backup any longer. D’Ante Smith, a 2021 fourth-round pick, is positioned as Cincinnati’s swing tackle now, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Carman has started two playoff games but lost three position battles in his three training camps. Viewed as a project coming out of East Carolina, Smith has played 56 career offensive snaps.
  • Reliability questions surrounded the Patriots‘ offensive line, and the team responded accordingly when setting its 53-man roster. Before Riley Reiff ended up on IR, the Patriots submitted an initial 53 with 11 O-linemen. No other team’s first 53 included that many, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com observes. Only seven teams kept 10 blockers, though that is where New England’s contingent stands after the Reiff move. The Pats needed to use this depth early. Calvin Anderson, who came off the Pats’ reserve/non-football illness list late in the preseason, started at right tackle in Week 1. Guards Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu were out, moving fourth- and fifth-round rookies — Sidy Sow, Atonio Mafi — into the lineup. Onwenu and Strange have each logged two limited practices this week, though both Sow and left tackle Trent Brown suffered concussions in the opener, leaving their Week 2 statuses in doubt.
  • The Commanders, Packers and Vikings each restructured an O-line deal recently. Washington created $6MM in cap space by moving $7.5MM of Charles Leno‘s base salary into a signing bonus and adding three void years, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. Green Bay topped that by adding four void years to Yosh Nijman‘s deal, creating $2.54MM in cap space, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. This proves interesting due to Nijman being on a second-round RFA tender; he is due to be a 2024 free agent. Minnesota added $9.99MM in space by restructuring Brian O’Neill‘s contract, per Yates.
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