As I was preparing this, the Wentz signing popped. This is very interesting and curious to say the least. Is it a precursor to a trade of JJ? I don\u2019t think so but I would not be surprised.<\/p>\n
Yore AI question \u2026
why does Brian Flores not utilize true run stuffing defensive tackle like a nose tackle? who was the last player he had on one of his teams that fit this description?<\/p>\n
Brian Flores generally avoids using \u201ctrue\u201d run-stuffing nose tackles (0-technique space-eaters) because his defensive philosophy prioritizes positionless versatility, explosive movement, and aggressive blitzing over static line play.<\/p>\n
Why Flores Eschews Traditional Nose Tackles<\/p>\n
One-Gap Aggression: While many 3-4 fronts use a nose tackle to \u201ctwo-gap\u201d (occupy two blockers to free up linebackers), Flores prefers a one-gap system. This allows his defensive linemen to attack downhill immediately, creating disruption in the backfield rather than just holding ground.Chaos and Disguise: Flores builds his defense on \u201cchaotic\u201d pre-snap looks. A massive, 330+ lb nose tackle is often a \u201ctell\u201d for an offense; by using lighter, more agile interior defenders (or even safeties like Harrison Smith slanting into the A-gap), he keeps the offense guessing about who is rushing and who is dropping.\u201cTite\u201d Fronts: He frequently utilizes \u201cTite\u201d fronts where defensive linemen align in 4i techniques (inside shoulder of the offensive tackle). This naturally plugs the B-gaps and forces runs outside, where his fast linebackers and safeties can make plays, reducing the need for a central \u201canchor\u201d.Personnel over Tradition: Flores has stated he does not see players by their traditional labels (e.g., \u201cD-lineman\u201d vs. \u201clinebacker\u201d) but by their ability to fill specific \u201cspots on the field\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Last Player to Fit the Description<\/p>\n
Prior to the Vikings trading him to the New York Jets in August 2025, Harrison Phillips was indeed the most recent and prominent \u201ctrue run-stuffer\u201d under Flores. Before Phillips, Davon Godchaux (Miami Dolphins, 2019\u20132020) was the primary example.<\/p>\n
Harrison Phillips: Phillips was a key starter for the Vikings, recording a massive 92 tackles in 2023 while often playing over the center as what he called the \u201cfire hydrant at the dog show\u201d. Despite his effectiveness as a run-stuffer, the Vikings traded him to the New York Jets in August 2025 to transition toward a more \u201cdisruptive\u201d interior featuring Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.<\/p>\n
Why Flores Ultimately Moved On<\/p>\n
The trade of Phillips to the Jets highlights why Flores rarely keeps this type of player long-term:<\/p>\n
Shift to \u201cPure\u201d Penetration: By 2025, the Vikings prioritized a move toward a more disruptive, \u201cpass-rush first\u201d interior with players like Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.Trade-Off for Mobility: Flores\u2019s scheme increasingly relies on \u201csimulated pressures\u201d and versatile blitzing where even safeties occasionally line up at the nose. A massive, stationary tackle like Phillips can be a \u201ctell\u201d for an offense, whereas smaller, faster linemen allow for more pre-snap disguise.Youth and Financials: Trading Phillips saved the Vikings approximately $7.5 million in 2026 cap space and allowed younger, cheaper players like Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez to step into a faster-paced rotation.<\/p>\n
The team is looking to go with the youth movement. Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake-Rodriguez, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Elijah Williams, Taki Taimani, and Jaylon Hutchings. The draft does have some interesting prospects at the top but they all have issues.<\/p>\n
Caleb Banks: Serious Medical Red Flags<\/p>\n
Recurring Injury: Banks underwent surgery on March 9, 2026, to repair a fractured fourth metatarsal in his foot. This is the same foot that limited him to just three games during his 2025 season at Florida.Combine Setback: He originally suffered the new fracture the night before his on-field testing in Indianapolis but completed several drills (recording a 9-foot-6 broad jump) before the full extent of the injury was discovered.Draft Impact: While his 6\u20196\u201d, 327-pound frame and rare athleticism are elite, the \u201crecurring\u201d nature of the injury has caused some analysts to drop his stock into Day 2.<\/p>\n
Peter Woods: Physical Limitations<\/p>\n
Arm Length: Woods officially measured with 31 \u00bc-inch arms. In NFL terms, this is considered \u201cvery poor\u201d (4th percentile) for a defensive tackle.On-Field Impact: Scouts note that these shorter arms allow offensive blockers to \u201ccrowd his frame,\u201d making it difficult for him to shed blocks or maintain an anchor against elite double-teams.Scheme Fit: Despite the length issues, he is compared to Javon Hargrave due to his explosive lower-body power and \u201cactive brawler\u201d style, which fits a one-gap, pocket-collapsing system.<\/p>\n
Kayden McDonald: Traditional \u201cStout\u201d Profile<\/p>\n
Play Style: McDonald is a 326-pound \u201ctrench warrior\u201d primarily utilized as a stout run-stopper. He led the country in run-stop win rate (7.8%) last season.Pass Rush Concerns: His pass-rush repertoire is considered \u201climited\u201d or \u201cunderdeveloped,\u201d often stalling if his initial power move doesn\u2019t win immediately.Flores Conflict: While he has the \u201cbrute force\u201d to be a two-gap nose tackle, Flores has recently moved away from this profile, as seen in the trade of Harrison Phillips.<\/p>\n
I think we could be looking at a player selected later in the draft and not early at all.<\/p>\n
Minnesota Vikings News and Links<\/p>\n
Kyler aside, why have Vikings been so quiet in free agency?<\/a><\/p>\n What are the Minnesota Vikings doing?<\/p>\n Are they bargain-hunting after two years of spending wildly in free agency? Does their relatively quiet offseason represent a course correction helmed by a loyal longtime employee?<\/p>\n Or are the Vikings pushing for a playoff berth, as they have always done under the Wilf family ownership, even when an aggressive teardown might make more sense? Do they really think that quarterback Kyler Murray, signed as a free agent for $1.3 million, can elevate the team enough to get them there?<\/p>\n To all of those asymmetrical possibilities, the objective answer is \u201cyes\u201d — no matter how unsatisfying that answer might be.<\/p>\n During the first week of free agency, when almost all of the costly contracts are signed, the Vikings committed the NFL\u2019s third-lowest amount of cash, according to Over the Cap. Their biggest deal was to retain linebacker Eric Wilson, who will be paid a total of $8.25 million in 2026; three of their other five transactions were for special teams players.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve parted ways with four starters, although they have not given up hope that safety Harrison Smith will return to play for another season, and convinced another two — running back Aaron Jones Sr. and tight end T.J. Hockenson — to take pay cuts. They have also entertained the idea of trading linebacker Jonathan Greenard rather than give him a raise. \u201cWe had a plan that we devised together,\u201d Brzezinski said, \u201cand I\u2019m just really proud of the way everybody worked together, identifying some targets that we were able to reach agreements with. There\u2019s others we weren\u2019t, but I think I\u2019m really most proud of the patience. \u2026 Really grateful also for [Hockenson and Jones] reworking their contracts to find a middle ground. These were two players and two people that are really important to our football team and to [coach Kevin O\u2019Connell] in our locker room.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I feel like we\u2019ve navigated responsibly the future versus being competitive this year. And I feel like we\u2019re in a really good spot, but like we keep saying, there\u2019s a long way to go.\u201d Brzezinski said last month that he envisioned the Vikings as a franchise that looks to \u201cdraft and develop and to retain our core, and supplement in free agency.\u201d That served as a reminder that teams don\u2019t just use cap space on free agency, but also — and often more importantly — on signing their existing players to contract extensions. Right tackle Brian O\u2019Neill and receiver Jordan Addison are among the upcoming deals the Vikings have budgeted for. It\u2019s also worth noting that Brzezinski described the Vikings\u2019 2026 roster build as being \u201cbarely out of the gate here,\u201d implying there are other ways than free agency to make substantive roster improvements.<\/p>\n So it\u2019s wrong to say the Vikings are looking for ways to save the Wilfs money, but they also haven\u2019t taken every step imaginable to optimize their 2026 team. Adofo-Mensah once called that approach a \u201ccompetitive rebuild,\u201d a phrase he later regretted using but retains a level of accuracy today.<\/p>\n What are the Vikings doing? They\u2019re planning a run at the playoffs while resuscitating their financial outlook and adjusting, for at least one year, a quarterback plan that went awry.<\/p>\n Vikings Prime Candidates for $110 Million Star DT Amid Hargrave, Allen Exits<\/a><\/p>\n Among the best possible solutions is signing a free-agent deal with Christian Wilkins, whom the Las Vegas Raiders released last July for breach of contract and who sat out the 2025 season.<\/p>\n Despite the Raiders\u2019 voiding the remainder Wilkins\u2019 $110 million contract, which he signed in March 2024, and despite Wilkins appearing in just five games over the last two seasons combined, ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter recently reported that just about the entire NFL has reached out to Wilkins\u2019 representation about his availability, as the DT intends to return to action in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cFree-agent DT Christian Wilkins fully intends to play this season, but still is rehabbing his foot injury, per his agent David Mulugheta,\u201d Schefter reported on Friday, March 20. \u201cSo far 26 teams have reached out and are waiting for Wilkins to be ready, and Wilkins is expected to have a new home as soon as he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n Given the numbers Schefter reported, odds are that Minnesota was among those 26 teams to inquire about Wilkins\u2019 availability.<\/p>\n What Wilkins can command in free agency is an interesting question without a clear answer. That he hasn\u2019t played much at all in two years and that he is already on the wrong side of 30 years old and still injured hurts his market.<\/p>\n However, that so many teams are interested should certainly work in Wilkins\u2019 favor. He makes a ton of sense for a potential contender in Minnesota, but the price has to be right, as Wilkins does not come absent significant risk.<\/p>\n Vikings Trade Idea Sends Jonathan Greenard to an Unexpected Destination<\/a><\/p>\n Greenard is looking for a pay raise from the $38 million he is owed over the next two years ($19 million in both 2026 and 2027), and the Vikings are not at the point where they are necessarily willing to offer that.<\/p>\n Minnesota are reportedly looking for compensation in the range of a day two pick in next month\u2019s draft, and given the lack of top tier edge rushers around the league, it is not impossible that they find that sort of compensation in return.<\/p>\n Sports Illustrated\u2019s Mike Kadlick projects that the team who could ultimately make the move for Greenard is one that has multiple top-level forces off the edge, the Jacksonville Jaguars.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Vikings are open to trading Jonathan Greenard this offseason. According to ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter, Minnesota would reportedly like to retain the edge rusher, but salary cap \u201cissues\u201d have caused the team to consider moving on.\u201d Kadlick writes. \u201cGreenard, 28, signed a four-year, $76 million contract with Minnesota in the spring of 2024 and after a solid debut season with the club, played in just 12 games in \u201825 while logging only three sacks. \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat said, he remains in the prime of his career, and a team like the Jaguars would benefit from bringing him in to play opposite Josh Hines-Allen on defense. Jacksonville would have to do some salary gymnastics to get a deal done, however, as they currently sit just $6.9 million over the cap.\u201d DeAndre Hopkins: \u2018If the Vikings need me, they know I\u2019ll be there\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI would always embrace that journey with him,\u201d Hopkins said. \u201cIf Kyler need me, he know I\u2019m there. If the Vikings need me, they know I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n Vikings-Bills trade pitch would send $10 million receiver from Buffalo to Minnesota<\/a><\/p>\n The Buffalo Bills should look to give wide receiver Keon Coleman a fresh start after a tumultuous 2025 season, and the Minnesota Vikings could be a possible destination.<\/p>\n FanSided\u2019s Austen Bundy predicts the Vikings will be Coleman\u2019s next team as he prepares for a make-or-break 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cColeman could get a new lease on his career and demonstrate he\u2019s still an elite prospect while Buffalo recoups value and Beane can select the guy he actually wants,\u201d Bundy said.<\/p>\n Contract Details Revealed for Carson Wentz Vikings Return<\/a><\/p>\n Compensation update: It\u2019s a one-year, $3 million deal with upside for Carson Wentz, who gets $2.645M guaranteed.<\/p>\n \u2018What Do You Think Green Bay Said?\u2019 More Reasons to Be Pumped About Kyler Murray<\/a><\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Seth Walder called the Kyler Murray signing by the Vikings an \u201cabsolute coup\u201d at the most important position in the game, labeling it his best free agent signing of the offseason.. Days after being cut by the Cardinals after seven seasons, Murray inked a one-year, $1.3 million veteran minimum deal to join the Vikings.<\/p>\n \u201cMinnesota just got a huge upgrade at quarterback for the veteran minimum,\u201d Walder wrote. \u201cWhat do you think Green Bay said when [the Vikings] signed Kyler Murray? They said two words\u2026 \u2018Oh s,\u2019\u201d said Carter. \u201cWhat do you think Chicago said? \u2018Oh s!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n When asked by co-host Shawn Meaike if teams aren\u2019t afraid of McCarthy, Carter responded, \u201cWho do you want to play twice? J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray?\u201d<\/p>\n Vikings could extend one of their key offensive linemen soon<\/a>
\u2026
After talking to sources inside and outside the organization, the best way to think of the Vikings\u2019 current approach is an aggressive right-sizing of their roster finances. The Wilfs did not order a lower cash payroll this season, multiple sources confirmed. The NFL is not structured for teams to have indefinite annual spending at the rate the Vikings have in recent years, and essentially the Vikings decided that 2026 was the time to eat their vegetables.<\/p>\n
\u2026
At the moment, the Vikings have roughly $260 million in cash commitments for 2026. Over the Cap calculates their cash-to-cap ratio at 0.85, the third lowest in the league, but projects them to be roughly $67 million under the cap in 2027.<\/p>\n
\u2026
The Jaguars could well be content with giving up one of their three third round picks (#81, #88 and #100) in the draft in exchange for a proven game-changer on the defense, buying low on a player who is coming of a down season in 2025, where he only managed 3 sacks in 12 games.<\/p>\n
\u2026
In talking about the signing on his Fully Loaded podcast, Vikings legend Cris Carter got a little bit more explicit with what Murray\u2019s addition to the Vikings means, and how the rest of the North is likely reacting to the signing.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n