Kevin O’Connell

Vikings, Kevin O’Connell Agree To Extension

January 21st, 2025 at 3:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings have not waited long after the end of their season to work out an extension with Kevin O’Connell. Minnesota’s head coach has a new deal in place, the team announced on Tuesday.

“Kevin is exactly who we believed him to be when we named him as our head coach – an innovative play caller, an excellent communicator and a strong leader who motivates and connects with his players,” a statement from owner Mark Wilf reads. “He has helped establish a culture that positions us for sustained success, and he will continue to set the standard we need as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.”

O’Connell was previously set to enter the final year of his pact in 2025, but it became clear immediately after the team’s wild-card loss that the team would engage in extension talks. Those efforts carried the potential of an agreement being worked out in short order, and that has proven to be the case. No specifics are known with respect to term, but this new contract has been announced as a multi-year accord.

Hired in 2022, the 39-year-old had experience as an offensive coordinator prior to his arrival in Minnesota but none as a head coach. O’Connell made an immediate impact, though, leading the team to a 13-4 record in his debut season at the helm. Expectations were high last year as a result, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles midway through the campaign, however, and the team wound up 7-10 and out of the playoff picture.

Cousins’ free agency was a central offseason storyline for the Vikings last spring, and the team ultimately watched him depart on the open market by signing with the Falcons. J.J. McCarthy was selected as a long-term replacement under center, but (especially with the Michigan product being sidelined for the year with a meniscus tear) it was veteran free agent pickup Sam Darnold who handled QB1 duties in 2024.

Darnold delivered by far the most productive season of his career during his first campaign working with O’Connell. The latter’s reputation as one of the league’s top offensive minds has increased as a result, although it remains to be seen if Darnold will remain in Minnesota or take a lucrative deal with another team on the open market. In any case, Year 2 with the former top-three pick or a fresh start with McCarthy atop the depth chart will result in high expectations following a 14-3 campaign.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is in the same situation as O’Connell with respect to his current deal being set to expire after the 2025 season. It would come as little surprise if he too were to land an extension, though. Indeed, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes talks on a new deal for Adofo-Mensah are underway.

Ensuring the top organizational decision-makers remain in place for the foreseeable future is a logical goal for the Vikings. O’Connell’s situation has now been taken care of, while Adofo-Mensah is on track to be extended as well. That pairing has led Minnesota to a 34-17 record, and continued success in a highly competitive NFC North will remain the target for 2025 and beyond.

Vikings To Discuss Extensions With Kevin O’Connell, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

January 16th, 2025 at 1:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 16: O’Connell confirmed he engaged in discussions with Vikings ownership this week, via The Athletic’s Alec Lewis. Exiting his third season at the helm, the Minnesota HC confirmed he is seeking a second contract. A leaguewide expectation points to an O’Connell extension coming this offseason, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds. Adofo-Mensah confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert) he also has met with ownership.

JANUARY 15: The Vikings’ season ended on a sour note regarding the final week of the regular season as well as the wild-card round. Losses in both of those contests have left the 14-win team out of Super Bowl contention, but expectations will likely be raised next season.

The defining storyline of Minnesota’s offseason will of course be the status of quarterback Sam Darnold. He far exceeded the value of his one-year, $10MM pact in 2024 but poor outings to close out the campaign could hinder his earning power. Regardless of whether the franchise tag is used, a multi-year contract is worked out or if the Vikings move on to J.J. McCarthy under center, continuity should be expected on the sidelines and in the front office.

Owner and president Mark Wilf plans to discuss contract extensions with head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune writes. Talks could begin as early as this week as the team prepares for a number of looming offseason decisions. O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah are both in their first stints in their current positions, and their success has been notable.

The Vikings went 13-4 in 2022, the first season both were in place for Minnesota. That was followed last year by a 7-10 campaign punctuated by quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. Minnesota ultimately decided not to match the Falcons’ commitment to Cousins in free agency, electing to invest in McCarthy in the first round of the draft in addition to the Darnold signing. The latter’s career year has helped his market value considerably, and it has enhanced O’Connell’s reputation around the league as one of the NFL’s top offensive minds.

It was reported in December an extension for O’Connell was expected, although at that point no discussions had taken place. He and Adofo-Mensah are under contract through 2025, but their respective performances to date have certainly helped their leverage in securing a new commitment from ownership. A trade for O’Connell was raised as a possibility being entertained by other teams earlier this month; to no surprise, that has since been emphatically shut down.

The Vikings will be hard-pressed to duplicate this season’s success given the strength of the NFC North, but the team could be well positioned to contend moving forward by ensuring the current HC/GM combination remains intact beyond next year. It will be interesting to see how extension talks progress once they get underway.

Vikings Not Planning Kevin O’Connell Trade

January 5th, 2025 at 6:52pm CST by Rory Parks

6:52pm: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has been informed by a source inside the Vikings’ building plainly stating an O’Connell trade will not take place. That update may not dissuade interest from potential suitors, but it points further in the expected direction of a long-term Minnesota tenure being on tap for O’Connell.

12:33pm: The consensus seems to be that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel are the top two candidates in this year’s HC cycle. But if he were available, Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell would be at the top of many wishlists, and Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that multiple teams are considering trying to trade for the Coach of the Year candidate (video link).

O’Connell’s contract with Minnesota expires at the end of the 2025 season. While a report last month indicated that the team is expected to discuss an extension with him, those talks had not commenced as of the time of the report, and Glazer says nothing has changed in that regard over the last 30 days. Because the 39-year-old is entering a theoretical lame duck campaign, rival clubs apparently feel it is at least worth making an overture to the Vikes to gauge trade interest.

Needless to say, it would be borderline shocking if Minnesota did not retain O’Connell. Over his first three seasons as the Vikes’ HC, O’Connell has posted a 34-16 record, including a 14-2 mark this season (and, if the team wins today’s regular season finale against the Lions, it will have captured the NFC’s No. 1 seed). He has also been lauded for the proficiency of his offensive system, which has coaxed quality performances out of Kirk Cousins and an out-of-the-blue Pro Bowl showing from Sam Darnold – who was signed merely as a bridge option last offseason – in 2024.

Indeed, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com says ownership is thrilled with O’Connell’s performance, and while the third-year coach is due for a hefty raise, the only way he is not with the Vikings in 2025 is if he for some reason wants to leave (and there is no indication that’s the case). Likewise, despite the lack of urgency to get a deal done before now, Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports that ownership has every intention of talking contract with O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah whenever the team’s season draws to a close.

Perhaps, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com posits, Glazer’s report stemmed from O’Connell’s camp as a way to increase the coach’s leverage in impending negotiations. Regardless, barring a major turn of events, it seems that teams in need of a new HC will need to turn their attention elsewhere.

Vikings Expected To Offer Extension To Kevin O’Connell; No Talks Ongoing

December 8th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kevin O’Connell‘s third season at the helm of the Vikings has gone well to date, in no small part due to his work guiding Sam Darnold to a productive showing so far. A new commitment from the front office could soon be coming as a result.

The matter of extensions for O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (also in place since 2022) came up this offseason. Owner and president Mark Wilf noted no thought had been given at that point to new deals, but strong start to 2024 has no doubt boosted O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah’s stock. The Coach of the Year candidate is expected to receive an extension offer, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

O’Connell – like Adofo-Mensah – is under contract through 2025. As a result, the Vikings do not need to act with much urgency especially in the immediate aftermath of the current season. Still, it would come as no surprise if that tandem were to remain in place on new accords given the track record currently in place. Minnesota went 13-4 in 2022 before injuries to Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson contributed to a 7-10 campaign which left the team out of the playoffs. Moving on from Cousins opened to door to Darnold’s one-year free agent pact, which put the latter in position to rebuild his value this year.

With J.J. McCarthy out for the year, Darnold has not faced competition for the QB1 spot and has generally thrived atop the depth chart in 2024. The former No. 3 pick is in position to land a lucrative free agent deal this spring, one which will will likely send him out of Minnesota. Regardless of how the Vikings proceed in that event, O’Connell’s success in leading Darnold to a strong outing this year has boosted his stock in terms of being considered one of the league’s top offensive minds. As Russini notes, though, no extension talks are ongoing at this time.

O’Connell, 39, helped lead the Vikings to a 42-21 win over Cousins and the Falcons on Sunday; as a result, Minnesota sits at 11-2 on the year and remains in contention for the top seed in the NFC. O’Connell could boost his stock even further by landing the No. 1 spot, but in any case the regular season can be considered a success. The team’s defense entered Week 14 at No. 5 in scoring, a testament to the job done by Brian Flores (hired as defensive coordinator by O’Connell in 2023).

Of course, success in the playoffs could be a key factor in determining how Minnesota operates on the O’Connell front. The Vikings were upset at home in the wild-card round in his only postseason contest to date, but 2024 is on track to provide him with the opportunity to go on a run. O’Connell’s standing in the organization will be an interesting storyline to follow over the coming weeks.

NFC North Notes: O’Connell, Vikings, Adofo-Mensah, Packers, Clark, Jones, Bears, Lions

August 7th, 2024 at 10:46am CST by Sam Robinson

Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s first year produced a surprising 13-4 record and an NFC North crown. The Vikings took a step back in the power brokers’ second season, with Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear and Justin Jefferson‘s hamstring trouble playing central roles in the team’s 2023 struggles. Though, the Vikings held their own in a rare season that featured four starting QBs. Still, no extensions are being planned for the HC-GM combo just yet.

“I think that’s fair. I think right now we’re just focusing on the season and putting those things aside for now,” Vikings owner/president Mark Wilf said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) of the prospect of tabling extension talks with O’Connell and/or Adofo-Mensah to 2025. “It’s not something we’re talking about at this point.”

Considering the pair has only been in place since 2022, the Vikings exploring early extensions would have surprised. No coach or GM hired in 2022 has been extended, and only one tandem hired in 2021 (Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes) has been re-upped. O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah signed four-year contracts, which will make 2024’s direction — as the Vikings transition to Sam Darnold and eventually J.J. McCarthy — pivotal for the leaders’ futures. The Lions gave their bigwigs extensions despite authorizing six-year contracts in 2021, though they have accomplished more thus far.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

Velus Jones did not become a regular option at wide receiver for the Bears since the team chose him in the 2022 third round, and the additions of Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze this offseason obviously did not help Jones’ prospects. As a result, the Bears are trying the third-year performer at running back. Matt Eberflus (via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley) confirmed the move. Primarily used as a kick returner over his first two seasons, Jones has just 17 receptions as a pro. The Bears’ RB situation is not quite as strong as their WR setup, but the team did add D’Andre Swift to a position group already housing Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert.
Kenny Clark‘s three-year, $64MM Packers extension includes $17.5MM guaranteed at signing — all in the form of a signing bonus — and, per OverTheCap, the veteran defensive lineman will receive a $7.5MM roster bonus if on Green Bay’s roster by Day 3 of the 2025 league year. This ups the practical guarantee to $25MM. On Day 3 of the 2026 league year, Clark will be due an $11MM roster bonus. Considering it would cost the Packers $17MM in dead money to cut Clark in 2026, the ninth-year defender has a decent chance to collect the second roster bonus as well. The extension lowered Clark’s 2024 cap hit by just $1.1MM, per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky.
Going into the final season of his rookie contract, Royce Newman accepted what amounts to a pay cut. The Packers dropped the former fourth-round pick’s base salary from $3.12MM to $1.25MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Newman had seen his base salary increase due to the NFL’s proven performance escalator program. Newman has started 24 games along Green Bay’s O-line. The team included up to $1MM in per-game roster bonuses for the contract-year blocker.
Taylor Decker‘s three-year, $60MM Lions extension includes $31.83MM guaranteed at signing, with the longtime Detroit LT’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries ($1.2MM, $14.8MM) locked in, per OverTheCap. The contract’s remaining guarantees come via a signing bonus. Decker will be due $1.5MM roster bonuses on Day 3 of the 2026 and ’27 league years. His 2026 and ’27 base salaries are nonguaranteed, though two void years included to spread out the former first-rounder’s cap hits. Still, 2026 looms as a potential out here, as the Lions would only take on $9.4MM in dead money in 2026 — as opposed to $31.4MM in 2025 — by moving on.
The Vikings will pay Khyree Jackson‘s $827K signing bonus to the deceased cornerback’s estate, Seifert tweets. Jackson died tragically in a car accident in early July. The NFLPA is also expected to support Jackson’s estate.

Vikings Wanted Kirk Cousins To Stay As Bridge; Veteran Viewed Minnesota First-Round QB Pick As Unlikely

July 31st, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two long-term contracts came during Rick Spielman‘s final years as Vikings GM, Kirk Cousins received bridge treatment under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The new Falcons QB had sought a team more committed to him, though he has since said the Vikings were more likely than not to put off their long-term need for another year had he stayed.

Minnesota did not go near Atlanta’s four-year, $180MM offer ($100MM in practical guarantees), and Cousins said during an appearance on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel had he agreed to stay it would have been through one-year contracts while the team aimed to determine his successor (subscription required).

Cousins said Kevin O’Connell told him if he were to re-sign it would be unlikely the Vikings would draft his heir apparent this year. While Cousins stopped short of confirming O’Connell slammed the door on such a move, it is rather interesting he still ended up in a situation where a successor arrived in Round 1. The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick stands to put a clock on Cousins’ Atlanta stay, while the Vikings have Sam Darnold in place as the bridge to J.J. McCarthy, chosen two picks after Penix.

“I don’t think they were ready to go there yet in March,” Cousins said on the Vikings’ interest in drafting a first-round QB. “I think the reality is just that they wanted to give themselves that flexibility. And I remember Kevin’s words, which I’m not going to hold them to, were, ‘Hey, if we sign you back, I would think it’s very unlikely that we would draft somebody.’ It was something to that effect. But I also know in the league things change.”

Cousins’ comments contradict a recent report from ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, who indicates O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah and ownership wanted the soon-to-be 36-year-old passer to stay — but as a bridge to a rookie who would be drafted in 2024. Neither Adofo-Mensah nor O’Connell wanted the to-be-determined rookie to play immediately, Seifert adds, though convincing Cousins — given the value he carried as a free agent — to stay on a short-term arrangement would have been quite difficult. The Falcons bringing big money to the table made it nearly impossible, as the sides battled over guarantees during the 2023 offseason.

The 13th-year veteran said he would have been more open to a bridge plan in Minnesota if that were his only option; the Falcons ensured that would not be the case. The Vikings did memorably join the Patriots in checking in on Justin Herbert, being quickly turned down by the Chargers’ new regime. The team zeroed in on a rookie soon after, obtaining a second first-round pick from the Texans; though, that became used to trade up for Dallas Turner at No. 17. O’Connell, per Seifert, informed Cousins the team would explore this deep QB class with an aim to use its highest draft slot in a decade (11th) to find its next starter.

Adofo-Mensah said before the draft the team would be comfortable with multiple options in this year’s class, but McCarthy — viewed as a Minnesota target pre-draft — impressed O’Connell at the Michigan product’s private workout. Although it seemed like the Vikings traded up from No. 11 to No. 10 to prevent the Broncos from doing the same, Seifert adds Minnesota was confident Denver would draft Bo Nix.

As for who will end up starting in Week 1, Seifert indicates the Vikings informed Darnold before the draft he would likely get the call. It should be expected McCarthy will take the reins at some point this season, but O’Connell was also in Washington when the team rushed Dwayne Haskins

“Those things [O’Connell] talked about are the reason why I have so much faith in him,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Seifert. “To take a mold-and-play like [McCarthy] with talent and traits that are as high-end as anybody, and mold him into that player we want him to be. A lot of times when we go back over history and we say, ‘These quarterbacks have missed.’ There’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard, and we’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give him the best opportunity he can to be the best player he can be in this offense.”

Darnold will receive the bulk of the first-team reps during training camp, O’Connell said, though McCarthy will also receive select reps with the starters. The seventh-year vet is still the more likely Week 1 QB, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. As could be expected, O’Connell does not have a range for when McCarthy will replace Darnold — assuming the veteran is indeed the Week 1 starter. The Vikings do have a Week 6 bye, however, representing a potential transition point. Though, Darnold impressing with Minnesota’s talented skill-position corps could lead to a more extended McCarthy apprenticeship.

Vikings Place T.J. Hockenson On PUP List; TE Ahead Of Schedule In Rehab

July 22nd, 2024 at 2:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

T.J. Hockenson saw his first full Vikings season cut short by ACL and MCL tears. The Pro Bowl tight end will begin training camp on the active/PUP list as he continues to rehab, the team announced on Monday.

That move comes as little surprise. The injury occurred in December, and more than one month elapsed before Hockenson’s surgery took place. Players placed on the active/PUP list can be activated at any time, but Minnesota will no doubt proceed with caution regarding his recovery. Hockenson’s rehab process has been positive to date, though.

“T.J. will begin training camp on the PUP list,” head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed when speaking to the media on Monday (video link). “He’s well ahead of schedule from a standpoint of some of the benchmarks on his rehab. T.J., looking back at the offseason program, did not miss really a day outside going to see his surgeon in Los Angeles. He was here every single day and that continued through the summer.

“The significant injury that it was, we want to make sure to follow our plan to when T.J. gets on the field and continues to do more and more throughout training camp, and hopefully at some point when he’s ready to go we want to make sure everything is done the right way for T.J., because he’s such a significant part of our organization.”

Upon trading for Hockenson midway through the 2022 season, Minnesota has seen the expected return from a production standpoint. The 27-year-old signed an extension last August averaging $16.5MM per season, and he posted a 95-960-5 statline in 15 games prior to the injury. Hockenson is under contract through 2027, so his long-term health is an obvious priority for team and player in his case. As things stand, though, he could find himself back on the field earlier than expected.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 4th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell Addresses 2022 Roster Approach

May 29th, 2023 at 7:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

2022 marked a new era for the Vikings, since the team had a rookie head coach (Kevin O’Connell) and general manager (Kwesi Adofo-Mensah) in place. Several key players were holdovers from the previous regime, though, which led some to expect a clearing of house during the offseason.

Instead, the team decided against such action, choosing to maintain a core which helped deliver a 13-4 record and an NFC North title. When speaking on the subject, O’Connell noted the value of keeping veterans around in lieu of opening up financial flexibility right away, something which would have allowed for a quicker re-shaping of the roster with players of his choosing.

“Those guys had earned respect for a reason,” O’Connell said, via SI’s Albert Breer. “As a young first-time head coach, I wanted to not only engage with them; I wanted to learn from them. I wanted to allow them to have their fingerprints on our team, based upon their experiences and how we put together something we could be really proud of, and do it in Year 1. And in my mind, there really wasn’t a real necessity to say goodbye to a lot of those guys immediately.”

Indeed, it was not until the 2023 offseason that the likes of linebacker Eric Kendricks and receiver Adam Thielen were released in cost-cutting moves. Those decisions came as little surprise given the cap constraints the team found itself in, despite the production the pair demonstrated they are still capable of. Still, Minnesota will be dealing with more than $30MM in dead money this year as a result of those cuts, along with their contract handling of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and the terms of their trade involving edge rusher Za’Darius Smith.

Further questions have been raised regarding the future of quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Dalvin Cook. The former’s deal was restructured but not extended, leaving him set for free agency in 2024. The latter, meanwhile, has been the subject of trade speculation and would yield considerable cap savings if released, particularly after June 1.

For now, though, Cousins is in place as the Vikings’ starter at the helm of what was one of the league’s top offenses last year in terms of scoring and yardage. Much of their success, of course, came though phenom wideout Justin Jefferson, who is now eligible for what will no doubt be an enormous extension. As the franchise transitions to a new core centered around Jefferson, O’Connell is confident the now ex-Vikings who contributed last year will reflect on the 2022 season and the team’s handling of the roster fondly.

“It was hopefully as much to their benefit as it was to ours, that they get to have another great year, experience some success, continue to grow in their own right… and get to look back at that year and feel like they had a real hand in it,” he said. “Because they really did.”

Latest On Vikings, Justin Jefferson

May 15th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

With much of the roster-building portion of the offseason done with, many teams are shifting attention to extensions with their top in-house players. In the Vikings’ case, that means a new deal for wideout Justin Jefferson is an obvious priority.

The reigning Offensive Player of the Year has put up the most productive three-year start to a career in NFL history, meaning a second contract will no doubt be a lucrative one. Jefferson could easily command a deal placing him amongst the highest-paid receivers in the league, something which would be particularly noteworthy given the recent surge in the positions’ market.

14 wideouts average $20MM or more per season on their current contracts, while Miami’s Tyreek Hill became the league’s first ever $30MMM-per-year player at the position in 2022. Talks between the Vikings and Jefferson will likely be centered around where he fits in he receiver pecking order given not only his statistical achievements, but also his age (23) relative to the league’s other highly-paid WRs.

“I don’t know if I’d put a timeline on it,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said of a Jefferson extension, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I just know that, you know, we very much are looking forward to having Justin play here for a really long time… I look forward to when we get that done and we can move forward knowing that Justin’s going to be here for the long term and we will get that done. Justin knows, his representation knows exactly how we feel about him.”

Those comments echo ones made by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah earlier this offseason on the topic of getting a new deal done with Jefferson this offseason, the first in which one can be signed. The LSU alum has one year remaining on his rookie contract, and Minnesota made the obvious decision of picking up his fifth-year option (worth $19.74MM) for 2024.

While that will keep Jefferson on the books for the short-term future, a mega-deal being finalized in the coming weeks or months would come as little surprise. The Vikings currently find themselves in worse cap shape than all but the Buccaneers at the moment, but clarity could emerge next offseason when quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ deal expires. By that point, Jefferson could very well find himself as the league’s highest-paid receiver.

Load More Posts