One Viking Almost Signed with the Eagles
Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is cooking through 11 weeks.
One Viking Almost Signed with the Eagles
And as it turns out, he almost joined the Philadelphia Eagles, according to SI.com.
Van Ginkel became a Viking last March, a steal of a deal at two years and $20 million. He’s far outplayed the contract so far, and in fact, has rapidly morphed into a fan favorite. Van Ginkel and his teammate, Jonathan Greenard, have somehow made Vikings football an operation that doesn’t miss Danielle Hunter, who vamoosed to the Houston Texans around the time Van Ginkel became a Viking.
SI.com’s Albert Breer wrote about Van Ginkel’s almost-relationship with the Eagles this week: “I love the Andrew Van Ginkel signing by the Minnesota Vikings — he had another two sacks Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. And maybe this only interests me, but I heard last week prepping for the TNF game that Philly liked him and Zack Baun in free agency, and Van Ginkel wound up being a touch too expensive.”
It’s worth noting that Philadelphia is cruising right now, a winner of six straight and positioned atop the NFC East.
“Baun’s been excellent for the Eagles, Van Ginkel’s reunion with Brian Flores is going great and Philly’s pro scouting department looks pretty good,” Breer added.
Van Ginkel out of the Eagles’ price range at $10 million per year is a little odd, mainly because, based on his current performance, he should earn double his salary. Ask any Vikings fan, however, about the Eagles what-if, and she will count her lucky stars that Van Ginkel chose the purple team.
The 29-year-old played like a tyrant on Sunday in the Vikings’ 23-13 win over the Tennessee Titans, logging 8 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. And yes, this was the same EDGE defender who already returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season. The guy is unreal.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah found Van Ginkel on the free-agent market eight months ago, a castaway from the Miami Dolphins, who just so happened to grow up as a Vikings fan, is a Midwesterner, and attended college at Wisconsin. Combine those biographical details with his real-life Viking look — he looks like the logo at the middle of U.S. Bank Stadium — and Van Ginkel is suddenly treasured by the purple masses.
Earlier this season, Van Ginkel became the first player in NFL history to record at least 3 sacks and multiple interception returns for touchdowns in a season’s first five games.
NFL.com added about Van Ginkel’s blossoming stardom that he “is the third player in NFL history with 8 or more sacks and multiple pick-sixes in the same season.”
Van Ginkel and the Vikings next play the Chicago Bears on the road this Sunday. They’re favored to prevail by 3.5 points.
There’s also a decent chance that Minnesota and Philadelphia meet in the postseason. The Van Ginkel Free Agency Game.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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