Vikings to See 4 Old Friends in Single Game Next Season
The Minnesota Vikings schedule will be released in about one month, and no matter what, the purple team will play the Houston Texans.
Vikings to See 4 Old Friends in Single Game Next Season
The contest will either shake down in Minneapolis or London; it’s a home game for Minnesota.
And when the teams square off, Minnesota will see four old friends, pending summer roster cuts.
1. Danielle Hunter (OLB)
Hunter joined the Texans slightly over three weeks ago on a two-year, $49 million deal, departing Minnesota after nine terrific seasons. The veteran defender will play in front of his hometown crowd in 2024 and form a daunting pass-rushing duo with young EDGE Will Anderson.
Conversely, the Vikings onboarded a handful of ex-Texans defenders this offseason: Jonathan Greenard (OLB), Blake Cashman (ILB), and Shaquill Griffin (CB). Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also did trade business with Hunter’s new team three weeks ago, grabbing an additional 1st-Round pick from the Texans while offloading two 2nd-Rounders in the deal, plus a late-round pick swap.
2. Stefon Diggs (WR)
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted Wednesday morning, “Blockbuster: Bills are finalizing a trade to send four-time Pro-Bowl WR Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans for draft-pick compensation, sources tell ESPN.”
The co-architect of The Minneapolis Miracle — with the fourth man on this list — there’s a decent chance Diggs returns to U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time since his 2019 exit. Along with Nico Collins and Tank Dell, Diggs became a Texan on Wednesday and instantly created the NFL’s top WR corps.
Houston acquired Diggs, a 2024 6th-Round pick, and a 2025 5th-Rounder for the Texans’ 2024 2nd-Rounder.
3. Kris Boyd (CB)
Boyd played for the Texans last year and was re-signed this offseason, though he’s a depth cornerback on the roster. He’ll first have to make the 53-man roster later this summer, but if he does, he will face his old team like Hunter and Diggs above.
The former Viking played out his entire rookie contract in Minnesota, a member of the club from 2019 to 2022. Then, last season, he tried on the Arizona Cardinals for size before a roster cut and subsequent path to Houston.
4. Case Keenum (QB)
On deck as a QB2 or QB3, Keenum is the contingency plan for Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud. Many Keeniacs still reside in the Twin Cities — folks who didn’t want the purple team to sign Kirk Cousins six years ago and instead preferred to let it ride with Keenum after his role in the aforementioned Minneapolis Miracle — so he’s still remembered fondly.
Keenum probably won’t play against the Vikings in 2024, barring a Stroud injury, but all signs point to his assignment as Houston’s QB2 or QB3 this season.
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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 Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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