The 'week before the start of free agency' rumor/transaction thread

Another trade:

Tom Pelissero
@TomPelissero
·
1h
Trade! The Lions are sending RB David Montgomery to the Texans, sources tell The Insiders.

None of these guys have a clue who the Vikings are interested in. None of them.

Pat McAfee
@PatMcAfeeShow
·
35m
"The Vikings are looking to add a veteran quarterback..

Kyler Murray is an option and if the Raiders release Geno Smith he would also be an option"

@AdamSchefter
#PMSLive

MAD GAINZ wrote:


I do think from Brez and KOCs talking points after the season...  they realize how important a strong QB room is when you're trying to develop a young QB.  Look at 2024 compared to 2025...  

KOC has big input into that room and which QB we select. Added a veteran in Darnold, then OK'ed drafting JJ McCarthy.  He gets hurt in preseason and we add Daniel Jones late in the year to protect against an injury to Darnold when it was clear we were making the playoffs.

Then in 2025, I heard some rumblings that KOC wanted to bring Darnold back to give JJ McCarthy time to get back into football shape since he missed most of his rookie year.  GM and some FO folks wanted to go with the rookie QB team building strategy.  Think the backup plan was to bring back Daniel Jones (cheaper vet option than Darnold), but Kwesi bungled that.  Left us with JJM, Howell (trade), and ultimately Wentz and Brosmer.  Way different look than 2024.

Now that Kwesi is gone, I'm sure KOC will add a viable veteran to push McCarthy.  It's no coincidence JJ McCarthy was showing out when he was competing with Darnold his rookie year.  He didn't have anyone really pushing him this past off-season and I think that's a priority for the Vikings this year.

The sheer amount of rumors this offseason is epic and mostly ridiculous. As I mentioned on Monday, as the weekend approaches, my guess is the rumors on Saturday/Sunday are going to get closer to the truth and the shit-bird engagement artists will start latching onto those and we'll have a lot less shotgun speculation.

purplefaithful wrote:

Are the Vikings in or out on 2026?

I already touched on them above, but the Vikings are an interesting team this offseason. Let's start with the obvious: They do not have a general manager.

It's generally not good to approach free agency without a general manager, as the GM is the person who ... runs free agency. Of course, the Vikings can backfill the role with the collective weight of their pro scouting department, the 30-plus years of experience from interim general manager Rob Brzezinski and some helpful nudges from a coaching staff that already had a ton of personnel influence. But still ... having no general manager makes them tough to read.

The Vikings are also at a financial crossroads. 

Minnesota handed out a bunch of veteran deals over the past two seasons as it anticipated an ascension into contention behind McCarthy. In free agency, the Vikings signed Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen, Aaron Jones Sr., Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman. Internally, they extended/re-signed Justin Jefferson, Byron Murphy Jr., Christian Darrisaw, Joshua Metellus and Josh Oliver. With less than a week before the new league year, the Vikings are about $45 million over the salary cap ceiling.

Now they need to shed veteran deals. That process is already underway. ESPN reported that Jones, Hargrave and Allen will be released or traded by the opening of the league year. Those three moves should provide almost $25 million in cap space, putting the Vikings closer to $20 million over the ceiling. But what about tight end T.J. Hockenson, due for a $15.4 million base salary in 2026? Can the Vikings risk cutting him and sap their pass catcher depth further, as longtime No. 3 receiver Jalen Nailor is almost certain to depart in free agency?

With some aggressive restructuring and extending, the Vikings could kick the cap can down the road and keep some of their veteran talent in place. Give offensive tackle Brian O'Neill an extension, restructure Hockenson and Jefferson, and tack some void years on Kelly's deal. Bang, they're almost home. 

This approach would allow O'Connell to plug in a joystick quarterback of his choosing and scheme his way to 10-plus wins, much as he did with Cousins in 2022 and Darnold in 2024. And because so many quarterbacks will be released with guaranteed money left behind by their old teams (Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Cousins et al.), veteran stopgaps might be available on dirt cheap deals for this offseason only.

But it's a shortsighted approach that limits the Vikings' flexibility in 2027 and beyond. Maintaining the long-term health of the roster and the cap is the job of the general manager. While Adofo-Mensah wasn't the best at that, an empty chair makes it easier for coaches to champion bandage solutions and print immediate wins. 

Early signs are that the Vikings will endure some painful departures; they've reportedly let teams know they're listening to trades on Greenard, a still-quality veteran pass rusher. But I remain dubious that they'll sit completely quiet and take their medicine for a poorly managed cap.

ESPN

The Raiders are releasing Geno Smith, happening for sure. He can be had for the league minimum like Kyler Murray because of guaranteed salary that the Raiders are paying him. Expect to be on Viking's radar.

purplefaithful wrote:


Thats definitely a positive for the Vikings...

JimmyinSD wrote:


I think I am still on the JJM train for this year,   and I see my preferred vets as 1a: Carr  1b: Geno.

dadevike wrote:

It will be very hard for KOC to pass on Kyler if he wants to come to Minnesota for league minimum. Imagine if he has a breakout season and takes his team into the playoffs while JJM suffers more injuries and Jefferson has another wasted season. KOC will be fired. I doubt he is willing to take that risk.

MaroonBells wrote:


At this point, Murray and Geno are the only QBs worth considering IMO. Geno isn't a bad option at all.

Yeah, if Bradbury had such a great year in NE, then why did they move him? He is what he is: a very mobile but smallish center. I don't miss him in Minnesota at all.

A healthy Darrisaw - Jackson - new center - Fries - O'Neill is going to be a pretty decent line IMO. Everyone will benefit from Jackson and Fries having a year of this under their belts in Minnesota. Curious to see what they do at center.

p.s. I see it looks like RB Breece Hall is going to resign with the Jets.

I'm surprised there aren't more rumors heading into Sunday. Pretty tame.

LOS ANGELES -- The Rams and star cornerback Trent McDuffie reached agreement Sunday on a record four-year, $124 million extension that includes $100 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The new contract makes McDuffie, 25, the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

MaroonBells wrote:


So much for short armed CBs. Rams are loading up for a run, acquiring safety Kam Curl and now McDuffie. They also have two 1st round draft picks.