Purple Rumor Mill: Will Levis at QB2, Compensatory Picks, Jeff Okudah’s Role
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 30th edition.
Vikings Rumors: Will Levis at QB2, Compensatory Picks, Jeff Okudah’s Role
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: Will Levis is a trade option for the Vikings.
Courtesy of Bleacher Report, the Will Levis trade rumors have arrived, an idea involving a swap for the Vikings’ 5th-Round pick in next month’s draft for Levis and a 6th-Rounder.
BR’s Moe Moton wrote, “According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Minnesota Vikings aren’t interested in Aaron Rodgers. They may prefer an experienced quarterback who can push J.J. McCarthy for the starting job rather than someone who expects to start over him.”
“If so, a young signal-caller who’s played in a notable number of regular-season games would be an ideal addition.”
In theory, Minnesota would basically obtain Levis for late-round draft capital, per the BR idea.
Moton added, “According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, the Titans ‘would like to transition’ from Will Levis. If McCarthy has a setback in his recovery from two meniscus tears or a rough offseason, Levis can provide veteran insurance until the Vikings get their quarterback of the future ready to lead the huddle.”
This one is possible, but Minnesota is likelier to sign a backup quarterback with more experience than Levis.
Rumor: Minnesota hasn’t signed a QB2 yet because it is mindful of the compensatory draft pick formula.
Asked about the plan to sign a QB2 behind J.J. McCarthy, Adofo-Mensah replied, “We’re trying to improve the team but are mindful of our compensatory pick situation and different things like that. We’re really just trying to be mindful of that, and the right way to, you know, set us up to succeed, but also be mindful of all the different factors we have.”
There you have it. Minnesota probably has its eyes on a backup quarterback who cannot be signed until after the draft. Otherwise, signing that unnamed man would cancel a 2026 4th- or 5th-Round draft pick, and nobody wants that for a quarterback who likely won’t play in 2025.
Rumor: Jeff Okudah’s contract suggests he’ll be a part of the 2025 roster and not a summer cut candidate.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling tweeted this week: “Jeff Okudah got a one-year, $2.35 million deal for the Vikings, with a fully guaranteed veteran minimum salary of $1.17M and a signing bonus of $1.18M.”
Indeed, that’s a this-guy-won’t-get-cut contract, specifically designed to employ Okudah for at least one season.
Often, when mediocre or little-known players strike new deals with teams, the general manager structures them to make a summer roster cut pain-free.
PurplePTSD‘s Kyle Joudry wrote, “At the most basic level, Okudah is working on a single-season, prove-it contract with a modest cap hit in 2025: $2,350,000. There’s no funny business with void years pushing some of the cap charge into the future. Neither are there any details about incentives being able to boost the pay. What you see is what you get: a one-year contract sitting at $2.35 million.”
“Now, here’s the caveat: every penny is going to hit the cap. Or, at least, every penny is going to hit the cap if the Vikings decide to move on with a cut. So, there’s really no financial incentive to move on once the time comes for roster trimdowns. The thinking with the signing is that Mr. Okudah is going to be on the roster.”
Jot Okudah down as a CB4 or so for the 2025 Vikings. The evidence is there.
The Newest Viking … with the Most Upside
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.