Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (QB11) speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.
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 March 4th 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.
Here’s the first batch of the week.
While it’s exciting the Vikings are meeting with a Round 1 quarterback, the team will meet with oodles of players that it ultimately won’t draft. They do quarterback diligence every offseason, especially at the NFL Combine — even when Kirk Cousins is under contract for $35+ million per season.
SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad tweeted Thursday, “Our own Darren Wolfson reporting on SKOR North that the Vikings met with QB Anthony Richardson at the NFL Scouting Combine.”
So, the meeting is real, and Minnesota evidently has some degree of interest in the Gators quarterback. It would be a bit wild if Richardson fell to the No. 23 pick in the draft, meaning the Vikings might have to trade assets to move up the draft board if they want him. We shall see.
We’ll reiterate that a team meeting with a player shouldn’t be considered a smoking gun to anything. It’s how the process works.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero joined Paul Allen on KFAN and explained about Cook, “He’s got two million that becomes fully guaranteed next week. He’s coming off shoulder surgery. So, that money is locked in already. I would anticipate he’s absolutely on the team.”
Cook’s will-he-or-won’t-he stay with the Vikings odyssey this offseason has been topsy-turvy. It would be strange for the Vikings analytics-focused front office to retain a running back with a $14.1 million cap hit. But at the same time, Cook hit quite a few homeruns for touchdowns in 2022.
However, if Pelissero is putting out in the open space that Cook is on the way back, it likely isn’t poppycock.
Perhaps the Vikings will restructure his cap hit.
Peterson has said multiple times from last September to present that he wants to remain with the Vikings. And only a few rumors have hinted otherwise. Peterson’s cousin, Bryant McFadden, notably mentioned the defender wouldn’t mind playing for the Atlanta Falcons if Lamar Jackson swung over to the NFC.
Fast forward to this week, and the aforementioned Wolfson said on SKOR North’s Mackey and Judd show he was “led to believe” Flores and the Vikings want Peterson back in 2023. He noted the franchise “definitely wants Peterson back.”
If Flores is saying it, Minnesota will probably make it happen. Everything regarding Peterson’s free agency — his desire to stay in Minnesota, plus Flores’ request — should make it “easy” to hash out a deal.
Peterson was the NFL’s 12th-best corner in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.
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 Sal Spice. His Viking obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.