Vikings Added Whopping 24 Players in Last Few Days
If you’re a Minnesota Vikings fan who embraces change, the last 6-7 weeks have worked out wonderfully.
Vikings Added Whopping 24 Players in Last Few Days
Minnesota said goodbye to franchise cornerstones in quarterback Kirk Cousins and outside linebacker Danielle Hunter in March, paving the way for youngsters and would-be staples in J.J. McCarthy (quarterback, Michigan) and Dallas Turner (outside linebacker, Alabama)
The new era is here.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulled off two trades on Thursday night for McCarthy and Turner and then oddly went radio silent via trade on Friday and Saturday. Perhaps his future draft capital disallowed further wheeling and dealing. In the end, Adofo-Mensah drafted these seven rookies:
- R1: J.J. McCarthy (QB, Michigan)
- R1: Dallas Turner (EDGE, Alabama)
- R4: Khyree Jackson (CB, Oregon)
- R6: Walter Rouse (OT, Oklahoma)
- R6: Will Reichard (K, Alabama)
- R7: Michael Jurgens (C, Wake Forest)
- R7: Levi Drake Rodriguez (DT, Texas A&M University-Commerce)
Obviously headlined by McCarthy and Turner, folks will also monitor Jackson as a potential starter, especially because the Oregon Duck will turn 25 this summer. He should be relatively game-ready. Jackson is also tall, and the Vikings lacked tall corners until Saturday afternoon.
The others — Rouse, Jurgens, and Rodriguez — should be perceived as depth pieces, hoping to make the 53-man roster in four months. The Athletic profiled Rodriguez — the player whose photo headlined this article — in a special piece about a “Project X,” and fans quickly became intrigued by that analysis and his Hollywood looks.
Meanwhile, sandwiched in the middle of the draft, Reichard, a kicker, became a Viking and will be featured in a battle this summer with XFL standout John Parker Romo. When Minnesota signed Romo in March, many viewed him as the kicking solution. In all likelihood, Reichard will win the battle, and that’ll be that.
Regarding undrafted free agency, Adofo-Mensah was busy — that’s his jam — onboarding 17 newcomers. These are those men:
- Matt Cindric (OL)
- K.J. Cloyd (LB)
- Jeremy Flax (OL)
- Dallas Gant (LB)
- Devron Harper (WR)
- Ty James (WR)
- Jeshaun Jones (WR)
- Trey Knox (TE)
- Tyler Manoa (DL)
- Donovan Manuel (LB)
- Dwight McGlothern (CB)
- Gabriel Murphy (OLB)
- Doug Nester (OL)
- Owen Porter (OLB)
- Bo Richter (OLB)
- Spencer Rolland (OL)
- Taki Taimani (DL)
The haul dragged Minnesota’s roster near the 90-man summer limit, and per usual with Adofo-Mensah, the class was applauded. Two men particularly turned heads: Gabriel Murphy (OLB) and Dwight McGlothern (CB).
Draft heads considered Murphy a Top 10 EDGE rusher in this year’s overall draft class, but like Ivan Pace Jr. one year ago, he was not drafted because of his strength and size. In fact, the parallel to Pace Jr. is eerily similar. Both men were tyrants on the field in college, but no general managers took the plunge from Thursday to Saturday.
McGlothern is a bit too physical and prone to penalties for some general managers’ liking, but he’s about 6’3″ and will vie for a roster or practice squad spot in the next few months inside a suddenly deep cornerback room. The other 15 men are wait-and-see.
The next step in Minnesota’s offseason is the schedule release in May.
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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