Purple Rumor Mill: Stefon Diggs’ Bizarre Vikings Take, Out of Nowhere Roster Battle, Seth Vernon
VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s Vikings rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the June 16th edition.
Purple Rumor Mill: Stefon Diggs’ Bizarre Vikings Take, Out of Nowhere Roster Battle, Seth Vernon
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the purple team, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Here’s the first batch of the week.
Rumor: The Vikings wronged Stefon Diggs by shipping him to Buffalo four years ago.
Via SI.com this week, Diggs opened up about his departure from Minnesota in 2020, and according to him, the Vikings had questionable intent with the transaction. “Because at that point when I left Minnesota, I was a good player, but I [wanted] more for myself, I felt like I was better than that, that I could be better than that,” Diggs opined.
That portion of his synopsis contained decent logic, but the following theory confounded some. Diggs said, “And up to a point I was like, ‘Shoot, I’m gonna bet on myself.’ And they sent me to Buffalo. I don’t know if they sent me to Buffalo with the kindest intent, but all’s well that ends well. When I got to Buffalo, Josh was my guy. People really understand what it’s like to be out there. He really embraced me, kind of had that Southern hospitality.”
It is unclear how Minnesota lacked the kindest intent inside the Diggs trade to Buffalo. At the time, he very vividly wanted to leave the Vikings organization, requested a trade during the 2019 regular season, and the Bills were one of the hottest up-and-coming franchises in the league.
In fact, per roster construction in 2020 and the club’s trajectory, Buffalo was one of the very best spots a wide receiver could land.
This one was bizarre.
Rumor: Ed Ingram may have to fight for his starter’s job at training camp.
According to head coach Kevin O’Connell, a fresh roster battle can be tossed into the mix, one not necessarily foreseen when the offseason began. That’s offensive guard, on the whole, and Ed Ingram is evidently in a spot to fight for his right guard gig.
Before this week, many believed any Vikings’ OG battle would involve Dalton Risner versus Blake Brandel. While the Risner v. Brandel showdown may still occur, Ingram is in the fold, too. O’Connell said on the Rich Eisen Show this week, “We bring back Dalton Risner, who’s gonna compete like crazy at the guard spot with both Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel.”
And there’s not much ambiguity from O’Connell’s mouth on the topic. Any Risner-Brandel discussions must be retired in favor of threeway thinking involving Ingram. The starting left guard, at least in June, is not a binary choice between Risner and Brandel — the matter is effectively a “the best two out of the three will start at right guard and left guard.” One man will be the odd man out and the next man up when the regular season kicks off in September.
Rumor: Don’t look now, but the Vikings have a punter battle on tap for summer.
Minnesota signed veteran punter Seth Vernon right after the 2024 NFL Draft, a challenger to incumbent specialist Ryan Wright. And according to dribblings out of minicamp, which wrapped up on Thursday, Vernon may actually push Wright to the limit or steal his job.
Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer said this week on Access Vikings, “Matt Daniels is talking about how there was a big sophomore slump for Ryan Wright. That’s why they bring in this new punter. And that new punter, he’s got a boot.”
Minnesota unearthed Wright via undrafted free agency in 2022, and he’s served as the punter ever since. During his first season, Wright wowed fans with his massive leg and seemed on track to hold down punting duties in Minnesota for the long haul.
Krammer added about Vernon, “He has been nailing it. And Ryan Wright hasn’t looked good in some of the open practices. So punter news.”
With little left to interpretation, Wright vs. Vernon will be a thing at training camp and in the preseason.
A Sweet “Extra” RB Could Soon Be Available to Vikings
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 MIN 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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