Post by Purple Pain on Mar 30, 2023 10:15:37 GMT -6
A few sources discussing the main takeaways.
Lewis: Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, owner express confidence in QB Kirk Cousins
- 5. Wilf and O’Connell praised Adofo-Mensah and Vikings executive vice president Rob Brzezinski for how they’ve navigated the team’s salary-cap constraints in recent weeks.
- 6. It was evident in speaking to O’Connell how important a signing Murphy is. O’Connell called the deal “huge” because of Murphy’s versatile skill set.
- 7. At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, O’Connell cited a statistic: The Vikings faced more two-high safety coverage than any other team in the NFL.
- 8. Discussing the offseason moves, Wilf said he was “really excited” about the hiring of Brian Flores. The early returns are positive, as O’Connell praised Flores’ ability to teach effectively.
- 9. Wilf’s confidence in the Adofo-Mensah/O’Connell pairing is clear. He commended the two men for their impact.
Ragatz: Analyzing Kevin O'Connell's Owners Meetings Quotes on Cousins, Murphy, Osborn, More
Lewis: Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, owner express confidence in QB Kirk Cousins
Here are some takeaways:
1. A year ago, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used the phrase “competitive rebuild” to describe his team’s offseason approach. When asked about that philosophy Tuesday, Wilf explained how that phrase still fits.
“We want to be super competitive every time we step on the field — every season,” Wilf said.
He spoke proudly about the 2022 campaign. He was proud of how Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell transformed the team’s culture. And he was proud to celebrate inside locker rooms after exhilarating victories. That pride, though, did not prevent him from returning to his ultimate hope.
“What drives us every single day is the ultimate goal, and that’s winning a Super Bowl,” Wilf said. “So, we were not where we wanted to be at the end of the road.”
Wilf is aware that the NFC North is changing. That the Packers may be losing their Hall of Fame quarterback, that the Detroit Lions have revamped their secondary and that the Chicago Bears have added talent to their roster.
But none of that changes his expectations and hopes for 2023: that the Vikings build off their first playoff appearance since 2019 while also setting themselves up for sustained success .
2. Neither Wilf nor O’Connell provided detailed plans about the team’s future at quarterback. Kirk Cousins’ contract is set to void after the 2023 season, and the sides have not yet agreed to an extension.
Wilf said he was “not going to delve into the specifics of negotiations.” Yet he did reiterate his belief in the quarterback who has been one of the faces of the team since 2018 — especially because that quarterback is working with a head coach who Wilf believes will maximize Cousins’ potential.
“I think winning those close games, all of those fourth-quarter comebacks, shows the confidence and trust Kirk has in Coach,” Wilf said, “and what Coach can bring to an offense and to a quarterback.”
O’Connell’s confidence in Cousins has not waned, either. O’Connell said that he and Cousins have had a “ton of dialogue” and that recently Cousins brought up the fact that he has not had one play caller for multiple years since Sean McVay in Washington.
Minnesota may no longer have wide receiver Adam Thielen, but the offense should not miss a beat. O’Connell thinks improved efficiency when running the football, more experience as a play caller and the offseason time spent counting the ways to counter defensive attempts to shut down superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson will set Cousins up for continued success.
“My goal is that 2023 is one of the best seasons Kirk has had playing QB in the NFL,” O’Connell said. “When that happens, I think it’s going to be a really good thing for the Vikings.”
3. A national reporter asked O’Connell about quarterback contracts. About the idea of paying top dollar for a QB who resets the market and about the benefits of having a QB on a rookie deal.
O’Connell understands the advantages. He also realizes why the quarterback conversations keep coming up.
“If you’ve got a quarterback, you’re excited,” he said. “If you don’t, you’re excited to go find one. It’s not a cliché to say that position defines a lot of buildings in the NFL.”
Glancing around the ballroom, his eyes landed on the Philadelphia Eagles’ table, which symbolized both sides of the coin. They benefited from Jalen Hurts’ rookie contract but are now preparing to pony up for a top-of-the-market deal.
“The benefits of drafting a QB and having those four years of that player on that (rookie pay) scale that allows you to build a roster around those players … has been an advantage,” O’Connell said. “But at the same time, those QBs that reset the market are franchise-changing players at the most important position in sports.”
4. Dating back to the beginning of the offseason, all signs have pointed to the Vikings prioritizing an extension for Jefferson.
On Tuesday, Wilf said that Adofo-Mensah and the team’s brass are “continuing to converse with Justin and his group.” Wilf’s comments aligned with Adofo-Mensah’s from a couple of months ago — that having to talk to Jefferson about an extension is a “champagne problem.”
“He’s a tremendous player, a great teammate and a great person,” Wilf said. “Like Kwesi said, it’s a good problem to have that we have such a special talent on our roster.”
O’Connell also went out of his way to highlight Jefferson’s importance.
“He’ll always be our No. 1,” O’Connell said. “He’ll always be our guy we’re trying to build a pass game around with complementary players who are major focal points of our offense.”
1. A year ago, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used the phrase “competitive rebuild” to describe his team’s offseason approach. When asked about that philosophy Tuesday, Wilf explained how that phrase still fits.
“We want to be super competitive every time we step on the field — every season,” Wilf said.
He spoke proudly about the 2022 campaign. He was proud of how Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell transformed the team’s culture. And he was proud to celebrate inside locker rooms after exhilarating victories. That pride, though, did not prevent him from returning to his ultimate hope.
“What drives us every single day is the ultimate goal, and that’s winning a Super Bowl,” Wilf said. “So, we were not where we wanted to be at the end of the road.”
Wilf is aware that the NFC North is changing. That the Packers may be losing their Hall of Fame quarterback, that the Detroit Lions have revamped their secondary and that the Chicago Bears have added talent to their roster.
But none of that changes his expectations and hopes for 2023: that the Vikings build off their first playoff appearance since 2019 while also setting themselves up for sustained success .
2. Neither Wilf nor O’Connell provided detailed plans about the team’s future at quarterback. Kirk Cousins’ contract is set to void after the 2023 season, and the sides have not yet agreed to an extension.
Wilf said he was “not going to delve into the specifics of negotiations.” Yet he did reiterate his belief in the quarterback who has been one of the faces of the team since 2018 — especially because that quarterback is working with a head coach who Wilf believes will maximize Cousins’ potential.
“I think winning those close games, all of those fourth-quarter comebacks, shows the confidence and trust Kirk has in Coach,” Wilf said, “and what Coach can bring to an offense and to a quarterback.”
O’Connell’s confidence in Cousins has not waned, either. O’Connell said that he and Cousins have had a “ton of dialogue” and that recently Cousins brought up the fact that he has not had one play caller for multiple years since Sean McVay in Washington.
Minnesota may no longer have wide receiver Adam Thielen, but the offense should not miss a beat. O’Connell thinks improved efficiency when running the football, more experience as a play caller and the offseason time spent counting the ways to counter defensive attempts to shut down superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson will set Cousins up for continued success.
“My goal is that 2023 is one of the best seasons Kirk has had playing QB in the NFL,” O’Connell said. “When that happens, I think it’s going to be a really good thing for the Vikings.”
3. A national reporter asked O’Connell about quarterback contracts. About the idea of paying top dollar for a QB who resets the market and about the benefits of having a QB on a rookie deal.
O’Connell understands the advantages. He also realizes why the quarterback conversations keep coming up.
“If you’ve got a quarterback, you’re excited,” he said. “If you don’t, you’re excited to go find one. It’s not a cliché to say that position defines a lot of buildings in the NFL.”
Glancing around the ballroom, his eyes landed on the Philadelphia Eagles’ table, which symbolized both sides of the coin. They benefited from Jalen Hurts’ rookie contract but are now preparing to pony up for a top-of-the-market deal.
“The benefits of drafting a QB and having those four years of that player on that (rookie pay) scale that allows you to build a roster around those players … has been an advantage,” O’Connell said. “But at the same time, those QBs that reset the market are franchise-changing players at the most important position in sports.”
4. Dating back to the beginning of the offseason, all signs have pointed to the Vikings prioritizing an extension for Jefferson.
On Tuesday, Wilf said that Adofo-Mensah and the team’s brass are “continuing to converse with Justin and his group.” Wilf’s comments aligned with Adofo-Mensah’s from a couple of months ago — that having to talk to Jefferson about an extension is a “champagne problem.”
“He’s a tremendous player, a great teammate and a great person,” Wilf said. “Like Kwesi said, it’s a good problem to have that we have such a special talent on our roster.”
O’Connell also went out of his way to highlight Jefferson’s importance.
“He’ll always be our No. 1,” O’Connell said. “He’ll always be our guy we’re trying to build a pass game around with complementary players who are major focal points of our offense.”
- 5. Wilf and O’Connell praised Adofo-Mensah and Vikings executive vice president Rob Brzezinski for how they’ve navigated the team’s salary-cap constraints in recent weeks.
- 6. It was evident in speaking to O’Connell how important a signing Murphy is. O’Connell called the deal “huge” because of Murphy’s versatile skill set.
- 7. At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, O’Connell cited a statistic: The Vikings faced more two-high safety coverage than any other team in the NFL.
- 8. Discussing the offseason moves, Wilf said he was “really excited” about the hiring of Brian Flores. The early returns are positive, as O’Connell praised Flores’ ability to teach effectively.
- 9. Wilf’s confidence in the Adofo-Mensah/O’Connell pairing is clear. He commended the two men for their impact.
Ragatz: Analyzing Kevin O'Connell's Owners Meetings Quotes on Cousins, Murphy, Osborn, More
1. On Kirk Cousins:
"Kirk and I have had a ton of dialogue throughout the offseason, just really in anticipation and excitement of his year two in our offense. He actually brought this up to me, the last time he had the same voice calling plays in the same system in his ear was Sean McVay, 2015 to 2016. This'll be really cool for him to be in the same system, call the same formations, the same plays. I'm just excited to see him in year two and my goal is that 2023 is one of the best seasons Kirk Cousins has had playing quarterback in the NFL."
For all of the talk about the Vikings' future at the quarterback position with Cousins heading into the final year of his contract, this is still the veteran QB's offense in 2023, barring something unexpected. And O'Connell brings up a notable point by reminding people that this will be the first time in Cousins' Vikings tenure in which he has the same coach in his ear for a second consecutive season.
Cousins' statistics were down a bit from their usual range last season, but that may have had a lot to do with the difficulty of adjusting to a brand new offense — and he more than made up for it by leading the NFL in fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. If he can take a big step in mastering O'Connell's offense this year and bring his efficiency numbers back to his career norms, that could go a long way for Minnesota's offense (and Cousins' future, wherever that may be).
2. On new cornerback Byron Murphy:
"Adding a guy like Byron Murphy was huge because it allowed us to have a player truly with that inside-out flex. Base defense, he can be an outside corner. Nickel defense, he can go inside. And it's great to have the skill set to do it, but (also) the mentality to do that, because they're really two different worlds when you're playing those positions. I've seen some players do it in the past at a really successful clip, Jalen Ramsey used to do it for us in LA. I think Byron's going to be (someone) where he's so instinctive, he's got great ball skills ... he's played a lot of football, 25 years old, and so much great football ahead of him."
With no disrespect to Marcus Davenport, Josh Oliver, or Dean Lowry, Murphy is clearly the Vikings' marquee addition of free agency this year. A former second-round pick who has 48 starts under his belt at age 25, he was one of the top cornerbacks on the market this offseason. And as O'Connell notes, one of the big things Murphy brings to the table is versatility. Regardless of who else the Vikings add to their cornerback room, Murphy should play plenty at both outside corner and in the slot moving forward. The ability to do both at a high level is a difficult trait to find, and one that will be a big benefit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
3. On the cornerback room at large
"At the same time, we know we need to add, either through the draft or potentially some other veterans, we need to add some more numbers in that room. Also, the offseasons that Akayleb (Evans) and Andrew Booth are having, those guys are in the building every day, they're pushing each other, they're doing all the things that we're asking of them right now in what is really a voluntary — they're just in there working out on their own, choosing to be in our building, and I think there's going to be some real positive things that come with that. That room will be a very competitive situation throughout the spring and training camp."
This was right after O'Connell's quote about Murphy. It's no secret that the Vikings can't be done adding to their cornerback room, which lost Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley in free agency. Murphy is a capable No. 1, but both Booth and Evans missed time due to injury in their rookie seasons. It would be great if one or both stayed healthy and emerged as a major contributor in year two, but that's not something the Vikings can count on happening. Ideally, they add another serviceable veteran at some point and then draft a corner, potentially in the first round. It's good to hear Booth and Evans are working hard this offseason, but they need to be looked at as potential luxury depth, not locked-in starters.
4. On the quarterback position and their contracts
I think it's one of those things that if you are building a roster around one of those (elite) quarterbacks that's kind of resetting the market, you're probably in a good position. If you've got a quarterback, you're excited; if you don't, you're excited to go find him. It's clear the benefits of drafting one and having those four years of that player on the scale that allows you to build a roster around those players has been an advantage. It's not a cliche to say that that position really defines a lot of buildings in the NFL."
Interesting. Very interesting. O'Connell recognizes an obvious truth, which is that the best quarterback situation to be in is to have one of the elite players at the position — and the second-best place to be is to have a quarterback on a rookie contract, because of the financial flexibility that creates. The Vikings, since signing Cousins five years ago, have been in neither of those camps. Cousins is clearly among the better quarterbacks in the non-elite veteran tier, but there's a reason why the team is rumored to be exploring their options for 2024 and beyond.
At some point, whether it's this year or next, you get the sense that O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah would love the opportunity to select their guy in the draft and build around them while they're on that rookie contract. The tricky thing is that they have the 23rd pick in this year's draft and will likely be at least in the mid-teens next year, too, if not in the 20s again. You can always move assets to trade up, but that's a risky game.
"Kirk and I have had a ton of dialogue throughout the offseason, just really in anticipation and excitement of his year two in our offense. He actually brought this up to me, the last time he had the same voice calling plays in the same system in his ear was Sean McVay, 2015 to 2016. This'll be really cool for him to be in the same system, call the same formations, the same plays. I'm just excited to see him in year two and my goal is that 2023 is one of the best seasons Kirk Cousins has had playing quarterback in the NFL."
For all of the talk about the Vikings' future at the quarterback position with Cousins heading into the final year of his contract, this is still the veteran QB's offense in 2023, barring something unexpected. And O'Connell brings up a notable point by reminding people that this will be the first time in Cousins' Vikings tenure in which he has the same coach in his ear for a second consecutive season.
Cousins' statistics were down a bit from their usual range last season, but that may have had a lot to do with the difficulty of adjusting to a brand new offense — and he more than made up for it by leading the NFL in fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. If he can take a big step in mastering O'Connell's offense this year and bring his efficiency numbers back to his career norms, that could go a long way for Minnesota's offense (and Cousins' future, wherever that may be).
2. On new cornerback Byron Murphy:
"Adding a guy like Byron Murphy was huge because it allowed us to have a player truly with that inside-out flex. Base defense, he can be an outside corner. Nickel defense, he can go inside. And it's great to have the skill set to do it, but (also) the mentality to do that, because they're really two different worlds when you're playing those positions. I've seen some players do it in the past at a really successful clip, Jalen Ramsey used to do it for us in LA. I think Byron's going to be (someone) where he's so instinctive, he's got great ball skills ... he's played a lot of football, 25 years old, and so much great football ahead of him."
With no disrespect to Marcus Davenport, Josh Oliver, or Dean Lowry, Murphy is clearly the Vikings' marquee addition of free agency this year. A former second-round pick who has 48 starts under his belt at age 25, he was one of the top cornerbacks on the market this offseason. And as O'Connell notes, one of the big things Murphy brings to the table is versatility. Regardless of who else the Vikings add to their cornerback room, Murphy should play plenty at both outside corner and in the slot moving forward. The ability to do both at a high level is a difficult trait to find, and one that will be a big benefit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
3. On the cornerback room at large
"At the same time, we know we need to add, either through the draft or potentially some other veterans, we need to add some more numbers in that room. Also, the offseasons that Akayleb (Evans) and Andrew Booth are having, those guys are in the building every day, they're pushing each other, they're doing all the things that we're asking of them right now in what is really a voluntary — they're just in there working out on their own, choosing to be in our building, and I think there's going to be some real positive things that come with that. That room will be a very competitive situation throughout the spring and training camp."
This was right after O'Connell's quote about Murphy. It's no secret that the Vikings can't be done adding to their cornerback room, which lost Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley in free agency. Murphy is a capable No. 1, but both Booth and Evans missed time due to injury in their rookie seasons. It would be great if one or both stayed healthy and emerged as a major contributor in year two, but that's not something the Vikings can count on happening. Ideally, they add another serviceable veteran at some point and then draft a corner, potentially in the first round. It's good to hear Booth and Evans are working hard this offseason, but they need to be looked at as potential luxury depth, not locked-in starters.
4. On the quarterback position and their contracts
I think it's one of those things that if you are building a roster around one of those (elite) quarterbacks that's kind of resetting the market, you're probably in a good position. If you've got a quarterback, you're excited; if you don't, you're excited to go find him. It's clear the benefits of drafting one and having those four years of that player on the scale that allows you to build a roster around those players has been an advantage. It's not a cliche to say that that position really defines a lot of buildings in the NFL."
Interesting. Very interesting. O'Connell recognizes an obvious truth, which is that the best quarterback situation to be in is to have one of the elite players at the position — and the second-best place to be is to have a quarterback on a rookie contract, because of the financial flexibility that creates. The Vikings, since signing Cousins five years ago, have been in neither of those camps. Cousins is clearly among the better quarterbacks in the non-elite veteran tier, but there's a reason why the team is rumored to be exploring their options for 2024 and beyond.
At some point, whether it's this year or next, you get the sense that O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah would love the opportunity to select their guy in the draft and build around them while they're on that rookie contract. The tricky thing is that they have the 23rd pick in this year's draft and will likely be at least in the mid-teens next year, too, if not in the 20s again. You can always move assets to trade up, but that's a risky game.
... and neither is this Chris guy.