Questions Answered: Vikings-49ers Prediction, What to Do with New Cap Space, Jeshaun Jones
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the September 10th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Vikings-49ers Prediction, What to Do with New Cap Space, Jeshaun Jones
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: What is your prediction for Vikings-49ers this Sunday?
Answer: Regrettably, we predict a 49ers victory 27-20.
San Francisco looks like the league’s best team — even without Christian McCaffrey playing on Monday Night Football — which has been the case for the last few years, though Kyle Shanahan and Co. always find a way to bungle the big one.
Perhaps we could buy into the upset if Minnesota had not defeated San Francisco less than a year ago at U.S. Bank Stadium. But not this time. The loss is fresh in San Francisco’s memory. The 49ers will win by a touchdown or so. It also won’t be the end of the world for the purple team. Nobody expects it to contend for a Super Bowl this season.
Put plainly, the 49ers are a superior football team.
Q: After restructuring T.J. Hockenson’s contract, what do you expect the Vikings to do with the cap space?
Answer: Sit on it for a rainy day — also known as breathing room for when injuries emerge.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was down to nubbins for cap space one week ago, showcasing less than a million bucks after signing cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Injuries will arise in the next 17 weeks, and if the Vikings must sign a quasi-impact player, now Adofo-Mensah has the cash flow.
While defensive tackle or cornerback could always use a little help per the current depth chart, most big-name free agents are off the market.
The cap space maneuver involving Hockenson was about flexibility and contingency.
Q: With Jeshuan Jones back on the practice squad, do you expect him to be elevated to the gameday roster on Sunday?
A: No.
Well, it’s possible, but a wide receiver like Trishton Jackson, for example, would likely get the nod if Jordan Addison can’t play Sunday.
Jones rejoined the Vikings for depth purposes and will live on the practice squad accordingly. He had a really productive career at Maryland, however. Some fans picked him as a summer deep sleeper to make the regular season roster.
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 MIN 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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