Purple Rumor Mill: A New Speed Goblin, Mike Zimmer and Colorado, Dantzler
Dustin Baker
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Purple Rumor Mill: A New Speed Goblin, Mike Zimmer and Colorado, Dantzler
VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the December 17th edition.
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the Vikings, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Purple Rumor Mill: A New Speed Goblin, Mike Zimmer and Colorado, Dantzler
Rumor: Mike Zimmer was on track to become the Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator.
This one became a crazy back-and-forth of reporting from Buffaloes-themed sources. But as of December 16th, Zimmer has not joined Colorado as the university’s defensive coordinator. The job was taken by a man named Charles Kelly, who came from Alabama. So, the rumor mill for Zimmer and Colorado has died down to nothingness.
We hope Zimmer eventually latches on with Deion Sanders out in the mountains in some capacity, as Zimmer would be a tremendous collegiate fit, perhaps even making the Buffaloes a national powerhouse. And Colorado needs it — its defense was wretched this season.
Zimmer is 66 years old and probably has one last hurrah in him — somewhere.
Rumor: The Vikings signed one of the fastest players in NFL history.
Indeed, the Vikings signed Kalon Barnes this week, who ran the fastest forty-yard dash time at the combine of any defensive player since 2003. He truly is one of the fastest players ever to grace the NFL. The Carolina Panthers drafted Barnes back in April, but he didn’t make the team.
Instead, Barnes lived on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, where Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah found him. It’s worth noting that Barnes didn’t get plopped on Minnesota’s practice squad. He’s on the active roster and could play as soon as Saturday versus the Indianapolis Colts.
Barnes is still raw as a cover corner and could be a special-teams-only kind of personality as his Vikings career begins. We shall see.
However, he’s faster than Tyreek Hill, at least per forty timing. That’s quite wild, especially if the Vikings find ways to use Barnes’ speed.
Rumor: Cameron Dantzler is unlikely to play against the Colts.
Well, you must read the room on this one.
Dantzler has been on the injury report this week with an “illness” and is officially questionable before Saturday’s Colts showdown. Plus, the Vikings have the aforementioned Barnes on the gameday roster — and they elevated Parry Nickerson from the practice squad.
We’d speculate that Dantzler will not play, mainly because of those other roster clues. And yes, this would mean that redzone legend Duke Shelley is on tap for more action. The Vikings will take anything they can get, as the defense ranks 32nd in passing yards allowed — and overall yards allowed.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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