Vikings Nopedy Nopes: Matthew Stafford in Purple, T.J. Hockenson’s Return, Sam Darnold’s Hopes
A weekend publication from VikingsTerritory, we present to you: the Vikings Nopedy Nopes of the week.
Vikings Nopedy Nopes: Matthew Stafford in Purple, T.J. Hockenson’s Return, Sam Darnold’s Hopes
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 32nd batch of Vikings nopedy nopes in the series’ history.
The Nopedy Nope: The Vikings could trade for Matthew Stafford this season.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio insinuated last weekend that Minnesota could or should swing a trade with the Los Angeles Rams for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
He explained: “If, for example, the Jets provided a blueprint for making Sam Darnold look mortal, the Vikings would be wise (if they lose to the Lions and then to Stafford’s Rams) to at least entertain the possibility of an upgrade. (Coincidentally, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and Stafford worked together for a year in L.A. And they both won a Super Bowl ring for their efforts.)”
Florio mentioned an injury angle, too, “It’s more likely that the destination will be driven by injury. We’ve got four more weekends of football before the window closes. One season-ending injury is all it takes for Stafford to have a new home. And for the Rams to get a nice return,” he wrote. “In 2011, the Bengals and quarterback Carson Palmer were at impasse. Two days before the trade deadline, Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell suffered a broken collarbone. That sparked a Palmer trade to Oakland.”
The only way — at all — Minnesota would trade for Stafford is if Darnold encounters a season-ending injury. Otherwise, it just won’t happen. The coaching staff and players love Darnold.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
The Nopedy Nope: T.J. Hockenson will return this weekend to play the Lions.
A source told VikingsTerritory earlier this week that Hockenson will not play this Sunday, when the NFC North is up for grabs, and that Hockenson is probably in line to return four days later at Los Angeles for a date with the Rams. The source claims the Vikings are proceeding “ultra-cautiously” with Hockenson, and if the decision were solely up to him, he would’ve played by now.
There’s a small chance that Hockenson is ready to go this Sunday, but Week 8 or 9 is much more likely. We say nopedy nope on Hockenson versus the Lions.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
The Nopedy Nope: Sam Darnold is a frontrunner to win Comeback Player of the Year.
Until a recent clarification, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was firmly in the mix to contend for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. He and Aaron Rodgers were neck and neck for CPOTY, but that’s basically moot heading into Week 7.
In short, the league wants the award to land in the lap of a player valiantly recovering from injury — not a comeback story involving a former draft bust. Regrettably for Darnold’s sake — though he probably doesn’t care — he falls in the reclamation-bust category.
Senior AP writer Rob Maaddi clarified the CPOTY stakes last week.
“Vikings QB Sam Darnold probably would’ve been a candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award before the AP issued guidance to voters before the season, instructing them that ‘the spirit of the award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season.’ If he keeps playing at this level, Darnold could end up with another award: Most Valuable Player,” Maaddi explained on the website formerly known as Twitter.
Voters must not consider past poor performance, instead rewarding courageous injury recoveries, for example.
So, Darnold is basically disqualified.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
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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. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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