VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle every week. All of the week’s rumors are lassoed and plopped in two places – Saturday and Sunday articles – for review. Today is the June 25 edition.
Remember – rumors are rumours. What you read this weekend in these pieces is what the world is talking about regarding the Vikings, not necessarily items that will come true.
Purple Rumor Mill: Trey Lance, Dalvin and the Cowboys, Purple Purgatory
Here is the second batch of the week. Yesterday’s can be read here.
Rumor: Despite reports in March and April, the Vikings never pursued Trey Lance.
About a week before the 2023 NFL Draft, Pro Football Talk reported“At this year’s Scouting Combine, there were rumors of a potential Kirk Cousins trade from Minnesota to San Francisco. Those rumors may have stemmed from the reality that the 49ers and Vikings were having discussions about another quarterback. According to a league source, the two teams spoke about Trey Lance.”
The Vikings may need a QB1 for life after Kirk Cousins in 2024, and some people nominated Lance as a possible successor.
Fast forward to June and there was no real trade interest expressed in Lance this offseason. ESPN’s Adam Schefter appeared The Pat McAfee Show this week and explained“There has never been much interest in Trey Lance.”
“For what they gave up and what they would get back, which isn’t very much at all, it doesn’t make sense to trade him. There was no trade market and Kyle Shanahan has said they had no trade talks with teams. He’s not going anywhere right now,” Schefter added The Pat McAfee Show.
Someone has their wires crossed about Lance-to-Vikings.
Rumor: Dalvin Cook could join the Dallas Cowboys when the dust settles on his free agency.
Dan Orlovsky, an expert for ESPN and former NFL quarterback, said this week on the network’s First Take program“Dallas, don’t tell me you’re legit about wanting to do everything you can to win a Super Bowl if you don’t sign Dalvin Cook.”
Like the Vikings, the Cowboys said goodbye to their bellwether RB1 this offseason, Ezekiel Elliott. And Elliott has received almost no attention on the free agent market.
Orlovsky added: “You start at tailback. Tony Pollard broke his leg five months ago. Do you want to play more football with the guy who just broke his leg five months ago?”
Cook-to-Dallas makes sense, especially because Jerry Jones and Co. is used to a certain lifestyle at RB. The Cowboys are also a contender in 2023, a team trait Cook likely sought.
Don’t rule Dallas out of the Cook Sweepstakes.
Rumor: The Vikings are dragging their feet on Justin Jefferson’s contract extension, hinting at a ‘Purple Purgatory’.
On Thursday, Pro Football Talks Mike Florio began rhetorically asking why the Vikings are waiting so long to complete the Jefferson expansion. He wrote: “Lots of teams drag their feet though. Because they can. If the player doesn’t take a stand, the player doesn’t get his money. And Jefferson has made it clear he won’t take a stand. There’s plenty of noise out there like the Vikings will wait to extend Jefferson.”
Jefferson is expected to get a gigantic contract extension this offseason – it’s just a matter of if when according to the Vikings front office, head coach and Jefferson personally.
“They have a rare talent in Jefferson. They should treat him that way. There’s no reason not to. And if/when they wake up one day with another Randy Moss or Percy Harvin or Stefon Diggs who ends up being sent elsewhere for one or more draft picks, the Vikings will only have themselves to blame. And if that’s what happens, Vikings fans will just shrug and say, ‘It’s just another day in Purple Purgatory.’ , Florio concluded.
Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes was drafted in 2017. His contract extension began in the spring and summer of 2020 — so, right now on the same timeline of Jefferson. The Chiefs completed the deal with Mahomes on July 6, 2020. If the Chiefs waited until July with Mahomes, the Vikings can certainly wait until July with Jefferson. With two full seasons before Jefferson’s contract expires, lamenting days and weeks without an extension isn’t worth the trouble.
An agreement will be made. It’s a no-brainer.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube channel, VikesNu. He is hosting a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Krydderi. His Viking obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.