Purple Rumor Mill: Brian Flores Whispers, Carson Wentz to Vikings, Walter Rouse
VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the March 9th edition.
Vikings Rumors: Brian Flores Whispers, Carson Wentz to Vikings, Walter Rouse
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 second batch of the week. Yesterday’s can be read here.
Rumor: Brian Flores should have a contract extension on the way this spring.
Flores might have a sweet new contract extension soon, according to Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. “My understanding is they want to get new deals done for both of those guys this spring,” Goessling said last week about Flores and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips on a podcast.
“I think one of the reasons O’Connell wanted the deal, and one of the stipulations was, ‘I want to take care of my staff.’ I think special teams coordinator Matt Daniels will probably end up in these contract discussions as well, but that is the next thing on the list from a coaching perspective.”
Flores turned the Vikings’ defense around rather quickly, and in fact, his group ranked second in the NFL last season per EPA/Play.
And it sounds like he’ll be rewarded accordingly.
Rumor: Carson Wentz could be a QB2 option for Minnesota if Daniel Jones doesn’t want the job.
Zack Rosenblatt from The Athletic wrote Tuesday about Wentz + Minnesota, “If Jones doesn’t get a starting shot elsewhere I think he’ll return to the Vikings as a potential stopgap until McCarthy is ready. But if not him, I still anticipate the Vikings adding a playable veteran at the position — I considered both Wentz and Jimmy Garoppolo here. I went with Wentz because, to me, he fits the Darnold mold of a former highly drafted quarterback seeking redemption.”
Most Vikings fans expect Daniel Jones to earn the QB2 title in 2025, with Sam Darnold likely finding a new team via free agency and J.J. McCarthy ascending to QB1 accordingly.
“Wentz was an MVP frontrunner in 2017 before tearing his ACL. He had moments in both Indianapolis and Washington, but stints with both teams ended poorly,” Rosenblatt added.
“He’s been humbled as a backup the past two seasons, learning behind Matthew Stafford and Patrick Mahomes and from both Sean McVay and Andy Reid. If there’s a coach who can get something out of Wentz, it’s Kevin O’Connell.”
Nearly every backup quarterback with some upside gets linked to the Vikings and O’Connell these days, primarily because of the coach’s work with men like Darnold, Joshua Dobbs, and Nick Mullens. Over the last three years, O’Connell has gained a “quarterback whisperer” reputation, with Minnesota as a spot that can rekindle a fledgling passer’s career.
Maybe Wentz will be next.
Rumor: Walter Rouse could play offensive guard for the purple team in 2025.
Vikings Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson spoke about Rouse, an offensive tackle, last week and hinted the young trenchman could audition at guard.
Grigson claimed that “Rouse is a very big man” who is a “high-level worker” and “smart” during a conversation with KFAN’s Paul Allen. He also lauded Rouse’s intelligence, work ethic, and general traits needed to blossom into an NFL starter eventually.
“Rouse has got some reps at guard. With him being so big, he kind of fits the mold of someone that could body someone and get into their pads and be able to move them off the ball because he is physically strong, he’s got good quickness,” Grigson continued.
If the Vikings did nothing this offseason via iOL improvement, the team would again feature center Garrett Bradbury, with Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram at his sides as guards. Most fans assume the club will replace at least one interior lineman in the next couple of months, and perhaps two.
Rouse as a guard is certainly an option, but most fans hope the Vikings sign … an actual guard.
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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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