The Minnesota Vikings recently got organized team activities underway and even hired a new general mananger this week — Nolan Teasley from the Seattle Seahawks. With those events in the rearview, it’s time to glance at the weekend rumor mill.
The franchise will get training camp in motion at the end of July, and the regular season is about three months away.
Minnesota’s Rumor Mill Gets a Summer Jolt
Rumor: Theo Jackson is the Vikings’ main trade asset before the start of the regular season.
Bleacher Report‘s Moe Moton decided this week that Jackson was the Vikings’ most logical trade candidate this summer, noting, “Theo Jackson made our list of potential cut candidates after the Minnesota Vikings selected safety Jakobe Thomas in the third round of this year’s draft. Jackson is among the Vikings’ trade candidates for the same reason.”
“Moreover, he could garner interest from the Washington Commanders, who hired Minnesota’s former defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, Daronte Jones. Working directly under Jones, Jackson made strides as a downhill defender, logging 47 tackles (three for loss) and two sacks in 14 contests.”
Most fans consider Jackson on the roster bubble as of early June.
“However, Jackson gave up too much ground in coverage, allowing a 131.5 passer rating and a 71.4 percent completion rate. Regardless of Thomas’ progress through his first offseason in the pros, Minnesota may attempt to trade Jackson because of his limitations on passing downs,” Moton added.
If the Vikings’ front office agrees with Moton, it would likely fetch a late-round pick from a safety-needy team for Jackson’s services.
Rumor: Kevin O’Connell was unfazed by J.J. McCarthy’s comments last week about his role in the QB1 roster battle.
McCarthy’s comments about his role in the QB1 battle turned heads last week, and reporters were quick to ask O’Connell about his take on Thursday.
He replied, “The interpretation of those comments will be what they are. I would just say, in the room, day to day, the dialogue between those guys, the interactions, have been very professional. And more than that, it’s been a positive room. I think Carson has a lot to do with that, as the veteran in the room.”
“And I would never discount Josh McCown’s extensive career as a player in those quarterback rooms and how he manages the room and everybody in there. So I didn’t make a lot out of it. I know there was some reaction to it. That’s probably not the first time there’s gonna be a reaction to those guys answering questions about the situation.”
The skipper also said that he expects fierce competition and does not require his players to smile during camp battles.
He continued, “That’s what the competition is all about. There’s no hiding anything. It’s going to be displayed on the field, and their teammates and coaching staff and the guys in this building have to feel a conviction about the direction we go, and you do that by your daily habits, and just improving.”
O’Connell added about McCarthy, “I think he’s handling it really well. He’s been great in the meeting rooms. As a captain and a guy that helps lead our team, he’s been phenomenal.”
Rumor: The Vikings won’t face Micah Parsons in Week 1 when the Packers roll into town.
Parsons is officially a no-go for Vikings-Packers on September 13th. ESPN’s
Rob Demovsky wrote Wednesday, “Micah Parsons’ initial hope that he could return within the first month of the season was never realistic, and the Green Bay Packers’ star edge rusher has come to terms with that. Parsons said Wednesday that he’s just past the five-month mark from his ACL surgery, which he revealed also included a procedure on his meniscus, and that he won’t be cleared to be back on the football field — even for practice — until the nine-month mark.”
“That would put his earliest possible return to practice in late September, and the Packers likely would not allow him to play in a game until after several weeks of practice. Parsons is likely to open the season on the physically unable to perform list, which means he would automatically miss at least four games.”
Rookie Danny Dennis-Sutton could get the nod in Parsons’s place.
Parsons isn’t the only star Packers fans should monitor. Tight end Tucker Kraft is recovering from a torn ACL sustained in November, making his Week 1 availability uncertain. Running back Josh Jacobs is also facing domestic violence accusations, a situation expected to create heavy offseason drama for the team.
Too, tackle Zach Tom injured his knee last year, though the coaching staff is optimistic about his speedy return. Therefore, it’s conceivable the Vikings could face the Packers without Parsons, Kraft, and Jacobs. Stay tuned.
