Vikings Nopedy Nopes: All the Cap Space, Andrew Van Ginkel Doomsday Theories, Defensive Forecast
A weekend publication from VikingsTerritory, we present to you: the Vikings Nopedy Nopes of the week.
Vikings Nopedy Nopes: All the Cap Space, Andrew Van Ginkel Doomsday Theories, Defensive Forecast
The nopedy nopes are weekly Minnesota Vikings-themed items that we’re not buying. It’s a spin-off of our rumor mill, and we hope you enjoy. Here is the 17th batch of Vikings nopedy nopes in the series’ history.
The Nopedy Nope: The Vikings will have over $100 million in cap space next offseason.
You heard it. VikingsTerritory heard it. We all heard it.
Vikings fans have used a slogan for the last several months, mainly after Kirk Cousins left town, that goes something like this: “Wait until 2025, when the Vikings have over $100 million in cap space.”
Minnesota, indeed, will have more financial flexibility in 2025 than in years past. However, they won’t have $100 million to spend on free agents — unless general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah weirdly begins backloading existing contracts, which seems unlikely.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Vikings are scheduled to boast about $54 million in cap space next March — or about half of the $100 million famously touted by optimistic fans. Fifty-four million is still noteworthy and cause for enthusiasm, but it isn’t $100 million.
The new slogan should be “over $50 million in cap space next year.” Not $100 million.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
The Nopedy Nope: Andrew Van Ginkel is recovering from a Lisfranc injury, so he’s basically Marcus Davenport all over again.
Van Ginkel is recovering from a Lisfranc injury, and some folks seem to believe that is a pathway to problems in 2024. The matter became front-and-center recently, courtesy of The Athletic. Alec Lewis wrote about the injury statuses of T.J. Hockenson and Van Ginkel, “Both Hockenson and Van Ginkel jogged on ancillary practice fields during mandatory minicamp at the TCO Performance Center. Hockenson is rehabbing a torn ACL and MCL, suffered in Week 16, while Van Ginkel is returning from a Lisfranc foot injury, which occurred in January.”
Lewis added, “O’Connell has been open about both players. The Vikings don’t want to rush either player back, and they’d prefer a longer span of health over a quicker return. The early portions of training camp should provide indications as to whether either player could end up on the PUP list.”
Because Dallas Turner now works for the Vikings, there should be no panic about Van Ginkel. The offseason was navigated to boost this position, unlike last year when the EDGE group was thinner.
Some have whispered that Van Ginkel is turning into “this year’s Marcus Davenport.” Not every injury ends up like Marcus Davenport in 2023. No need to panic about Van Ginkel or to dumbfoundingly liken him to Davenport. They’re two different guys and situations.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
The Nopedy Nope: The Vikings’ defense simply isn’t very good, evidenced by some awful Pro Football Focus rankings as of late.
Per Pro Football Focus, Minnesota has the NFL’s second-worst defensive line entering 2024 and sixth-worst secondary. PFF ranked the off-ball linebackers at No. 10 — a commendable mark — but the 31st ranking for the line and 27th-best secondary implies the Brian Flores-led defense won’t be very good.
Five years ago, Flores produced the league’s worst defense per EPA/Play for the Miami Dolphins, his first year as Miami’s head coach. One year after that, in 2020, the group climbed to seventh-best. There is precedent for a Flores improvement in Year No. 2 — and the Vikings’ defense wasn’t bad at all in 2023. It ranked 11th per DVOA.
Minnesota’s defense will not be lousy, as implied by PFF, in 2024. It added newcomers like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Blake Cashman, and Shaquill Griffin. A backslide would be really bizarre.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
Vikings Linked to Free Agent Defender
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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