Purple Rumor Mill: Tom Brady as a Viking, Darrisaw as Tradebait, Bo Nix
Dustin Baker
|
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 April 20th edition.
Purple Rumor Mill: Tom Brady as a Viking, Darrisaw as Tradebait, Bo Nix
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.
Rumor: Tom Brady isn’t opposed to making an NFL return, especially if a team’s QB1 succumbs to injury, and the Vikings may be that team.
Brady was asked on The Deep Cuts podcast last week if he’d return to the NFL in the event of a quarterback injury, and his reply surprised many. “I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know if they are going to let me if I become an owner of an NFL team. I’m always going to be in good shape. I’ll always be able to throw the ball. So, to come in for a little bit, like MJ [Michael Jordan] coming back, I don’t know if they would let me. But I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Brady replied.
After the Brady comments, Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd floated the Vikings as a landing spot for Brady. Cowherd said, “Let’s say the Minnesota Vikings call. Sam Darnold — slight injury — and whoever the draft at quarterback is not ready to play in that division with the Packers’ offense, the Bears with Caleb Williams, and the Vikings like their team. They’re off to a 3-1 start. Look at what they would have.”
“Seven elite players, including the head coach. Who’s more gifted in the NFL offensively?” Cowherd added about Brady in Minnesota as a reasonable option.
This is a neat idea but is severely unlikely to materialize — unless the Vikings are something like 10-1 with Sam Darnold, and he tears a tendon.
Rumor: Christian Darrisaw could be a trade piece in a deal for a rookie quarterback.
Believe it or not, this came from Rick Spielman.
“The ‘pipe dream’ for the Patriots, per Spielman, would be the Vikings trading receiver Justin Jefferson as part of a package that includes multiple first-round picks. Or maybe starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote last Sunday. Reiss covers the Patriots and cited former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman as the source for the Darrisaw theory.
Darrisaw is one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles, and if he’s included in any trade, well, Minnesota would start at square one involving one of the sport’s most important positions. Reiss added about New England’s roster needs, “Receiver and left tackle are two of the Patriots’ top needs, alongside quarterback, and the latter is why former Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik (2009-13) isn’t sure any trade — other than a blockbuster in the pipe dream category — would be worth it for New England.”
In theory, Darrisaw could be included in a trade deal, but like Brady-to-Vikings above, it’s probably not happening.
Rumor: The odds of Bo Nix joining the Vikings have climbed in the last few days.
Nix to Minnesota odds climbed from +950 to +450, a significant change.
A handful of mock drafts associated the Duck with the Vikings, but on the whole, the purple team is more likely to draft Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, or Michael Penix Jr.
In fact, we believe Nix will probably slide out of Round 1 altogether.
Vikings Make 1st Roster Move in a Month
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.