Purple Rumor Mill: Aaron Rodgers Mania, Cooper Kupp, Thielen’s Good News
VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s Vikings rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the March 15th edition.
Vikings Rumors: Aaron Rodgers Mania, Cooper Kupp, Thielen’s Good News
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the purple team, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Here’s the first batch of the week. All past rumors can be read here.
Rumor: The Vikings are interested in Aaron Rodgers
The Athletic‘s Mike Silver had led the charge in suggesting Rodgers to Minnesota.
“That is really up to Kevin O’Connell and the decision-makers in the building. We believe that Aaron Rodgers’ first choice is to play for the Vikings. This is something that they are strongly considering and weighing,” he said on a podcast this week.
“They do need another quarterback, but with a team built to win now and obviously a great quarterback expert in Kevin O’Connell, the reigning coach of the year, one of the all-time great quarterbacks sitting out there is a very enticing prospect. I think the situation is [the] Vikings are trying to decide, and that could go either way. If the Vikings decide they want Rodgers, I think it’s very likely that will happen.”
We’re prepared for this one to bleed into April because of Rodgers’ thirst for the spotlight.
On the whole, we think J.J. McCarthy, not Rodgers, will lead the Vikings in 2025.
Rumor: Minnesota could’ve been in the mix for Cooper Kupp.
The Vikings were in the mix, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. She told The GoJo and Golic Show on Thursday, “There are a lot of teams interested in him. I think his price range — it’s a good number. He’s looking to get paid around $14 or $15 million.”
“I think Seattle has their eye on him. I think the Jags are watching this as well. I think the Minnesota Vikings. You also have teams that I thought were going to be interested that won’t be — the Tennessee Titans, the New England Patriots.”
The theory made sense, but the Seahawks ultimately signed Kupp for $45 million over three seasons on Friday evening.
Rumor: Adam Thielen got a pay raise in Carolina.
The Athletic’s Joe Person tweeted this week, “The Panthers plan to give him a pay bump. Thielen was set to make $6.75 million this year, including a $1.5M roster bonus that hits Saturday.”
“My understanding is Thielen’s contract will still void after this season. Revised contract is a way to reward him. This actually will add to his cap number. Thielen turns 35 in August and talked about retirement after this past season.”
It was quite unusual — and awesome — for a soon-to-be 35-year-old to get a pay raise.
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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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