Report: Vikings Ink 4 Players to Deals
Minnesota Vikings’ minicamp kicks off Friday in Eagan, another step in an offseason that most fans have fully approved.
Report: Vikings Ink 4 Players to Deals
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah welcomed about 25 rookies to the franchise via the NFL draft and undrafted free agency two weeks ago, and now’s the time for those men to arrive on the scene.
And to make operations a little easier, Adofo-Mensah reportedly signed four of those newcomers this week, with the expectation that 1st-Round rookie guard Donovan Jackson from Ohio State will soon follow suit.
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling tweeted Thursday, one day before rookie minicamp: “Per source, the Vikings have signed four of their five draft picks: Tai Felton, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Kobe King and Gavin Bartholomew, per source. Only first-rounder Donovan Jackson remains unsigned.”
Here’s a bit of info on those rookies to get you ready for minicamp.
Tai Felton (WR)
Round 3
All four men would’ve received standard rookie contracts, assuming Goessling’s intel is correct. Minnesota pulled Felton from Maryland out of Round 3 on April 25th, onboarding the speedy wideout for eventual WR3 duties.
Felton is not a humongous receiver — 6’1″ and 185 pounds — and won’t blow fans away with his contested catch methods, but his speed is undeniable, and he’ll instantly serve as a deep threat for 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Minnesota hadn’t drafted a receiver in Round 3 since Nate Burleson — 22 years ago — so rolling with Felton from the mid-rounds felt like a new ball of wax for the purple team.
Of course, the Vikings have a rich, rich history of making wideout superstars, and fans will intently monitor Felton to determine if he’s the latest example.
Realistically, he’ll play WR4 in Minnesota as a rookie.
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (DL)
Round 5
Scouted by most draft experts as an EDGE rusher leading up to April’s draft, Ingram-Dawkins of Georgia profiles as a defensive tackle in Brian Flores’ defense. Well, Minnesota will probably list him as a “defensive end,” but in Flores’ scheme, that translates to a traditional DT role.
NFL.com‘s Lance Zierlein on Ingram-Dawkins: “He’s ready to do it, with the tools to do it, but is still learning how to do it. Ingram-Dawkins’ relative lack of experience shows up with inconsistent instincts in the run game and a lack of development as a rusher. However, he possesses an impressive blend of size and suddenness that allows him to attack blocks or shoot gaps. He’s a bender with excellent range and change of direction.”
“He offers more flash than finish as a pass rusher, but has all of the tools to get after pockets when his hands and approach get trained up. He’s also scheme- and position-versatile with loads of upside, but he’s still developing and has a wider gap between his ceiling and floor relative to his fellow D-line prospects.”
That can work.
Kobe King (ILB)
Round 6
King fell to Round 6 because his pass coverage at Penn State didn’t set the world on fire. In fact, it was rather poor.
But the working theory suggests Flores must’ve seen something special in the youngster, and with linebacker Brian Asamoah’s contract expiring after the 2025 campaign, Minnesota might’ve found a new backup linebacker in King.
King has good size at 6’1″ and 240 and can play all facets of special teams, which will likely be his primary role in 2025.
Gavin Bartholomew (TE)
Round 6
Finally, a new tight end.
Heading into the draft, the Vikings strangely had just two tight ends in the chamber, T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver. In an ordinary offseason, they have four (at least).
So, the franchise scooped Bartholomew from Pittsburgh to battle for TE3 duties behind Hockenson and Oliver. He profiles as a tried-and-true TE3 and probably not a late-round gem that blossoms into Pro Bowl TE1 stardom out of nowhere.
Thankfully, NFL teams need TE3s. Former Viking Johnny Mundt can attest.
The Draft Network‘s Ryan Fowler on Bartholomew: “Gavin Bartholomew projects as a depth piece in an NFL passing game with an immediate path to snaps due to his ability as an in-line blocker. He was a captain for the program and its top weapon at the TE position for multiple seasons.”
“Teams that desire a Y-TE to provide pop as a blocker in the ground game will prioritize Bartholomew over his ability in space at this point in time. As a blocker, Bartholomew does an excellent job of squaring up his opponents and engaging with force and technique. Consistently has shown the ability to engage and drive opponents away from gaps. Can relocate smaller or less nuanced run edge defenders and has no issue sticking his face in the mud against larger opponents as a puller or as the wham.”
Vikings faithful will also keep tabs on the team’s UDFA class, as one or two men from the group typically emerge for 53-man roster placement.
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