Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast - EMERGENCY POD: Vikings trade for RB Jordan Mason

Episode Date: March 16, 2025

Matthew Coller breaks down the news that the Vikings are trading for RB Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey everybody, welcome to an emergency podcast. The Minnesota Vikings have made a trade. I promised you that I wouldn't be doing anything but preparing myself for breaking news. And when I saw Adam Schefter pop up in Vikings, I went, Oh, is it? No, it is not. It is Jordan Mason. The Minnesota Vikings have made a trade acquiring the running back from the San Francisco 49ers. And I have per Adam Schefterfter the details of the trade exactly. So the Vikings are sending a two thousand twenty six sixth round draft

pick and pick number one sixty this year for Jordan Mason running back and pick number one eighty seven. So the Vikings move down by twenty seven spots and they send a twenty twenty six sixth round pick to acquire Jordan Mason. And here is the other part of the deal. The Vikings are also signing Jordan Mason because he was a restricted free agent. That's why he really wasn't on my radar so much because I assumed that the 49ers were just going to tender him an offer and sign him because when you're a restricted free agent somebody else has to come in with an offer and so the

Vikings are signing Mason to a two-year deal worth seven million dollars fully guaranteed a max value of twelve million dollars so essentially six million dollars per year this does a couple of things. Number one, it does give the Vikings a running back duo that is actually legit, not a running back duo where you're kind of hoping and dreaming that Kenny Wong Wu or Ty Chandler can be the guy behind Aaron Jones, which is what happened last year and then going out and trying to get Cam Akers in here as fast as possible and

get the offense picked back up and everything else like they had to do last year because they made a bet on young running backs that essentially hadn't played much and that bet did not come through. Well this time now they have made a bet on a player who had a very, very good season last year. Here is what Jordan Mason, the new Vikings running back did last year. He ran 153 times for 789 yards, which if you don't have your calculators out,

that is 5.2 yards per carry. He averages 5.3 yards per carry in his young career. And as far as receiving goes, he was not a big part of the receiving game He ends up with 11 catches last year for 91 yards, which is still a decent 8.3 yards per catch, but I don't see Mason as exactly the same kind of running back as Aaron Jones and now I will give you what I noticed from Jordan Mason when he played against the Vikings last

year. He's tough. He is a handful. Last year he ran 20 times for 100 yards against the Vikings. And how about this stat against a very good run defense in Minnesota and a very good tackling defense in Minnesota last year, 3.45 yards of that was after contact. So almost more than half of his five yards per carry against the Vikings was after contact.

This guy is five foot 11 listed at 223 pounds and is full of violence in his heart. And I think that the Vikings going out and getting, he is going to be 26 years old, getting a 26 year old running back to pair with Aaron Jones, who will be the disgusting old age of 30. And I think turning 31 next year, but we know that that is ancient for running backs.

And going into this off season, it was a enormous priority to improve the run game. Last year, you all saw it. They saw it. When the Los Angeles Rams were getting in the backfield on every drop back, they didn't have a counter punch to be able to run the football down somebody's throat. If they needed to blast their way in from the two yard line, they were not able to do it because they didn't have a 225 pound back that could slam through people and run violently into the end zone. And I think just overall,

the violence level of the Vikings is increasing by bringing in Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, those are two aggressive offensive linemen. Fries is really known for his play style is something they like to bring up all the time, but you can see it on tape, his aggressiveness and his willingness to finish blocks. And now you bring in a running back who breaks a lot of tackles, gets a lot of yards after contact last year, 3.35 yards after contact.

I will check with you where that ranked among running backs in the NFL. That had to be pretty high. Yeah. So Mason was the 10th highest among either starting or rotational running backs last year, 10th best in terms of yards after contact. So you are talking about a guy who can break tackles,

who can slam in from the end zone, who is going to make life more difficult on defenses if they don't put some dudes in the box. And this is what we've been talking about mostly through the context of the draft, because when I looked at the free agent list and Jordan Mason, the reason they traded for him was because he was a restricted free agent.

So when I was looking at Jordan Mason on that restricted list, I thought, well, this guy's good. This guy played really well for the 49ers. There's no chance that they let him go, but the 49ers are completely overhauling their team clearly and are letting things go just about for anything they can get for them. So they sent Debo out for a fifth. Now it's a sixth next year and a pick swap.

Not much to get a guy who can play a significant role in the backfield. But when I was looking at the free agent list, I just saw so little as far as options. I was thinking like Rico Dowdell. He ends up going to be part of a duo in Carolina or Khalil Herbert was good a couple of years ago. I did not have Jordan Mason really on my radar and the Vikings able to work something out.

And, uh, Julius with the much appreciated super chat sixth round next year. And we swap one 60 for 187, not bad. No, I agree. I mean, the price on this is very small to get a running back who is average over five yards per carry. Now, of course we have to keep in mind that that was for the 49ers and scheme and blocking,

they do play into it. The Vikings have improved the blocking without question in the run game with ryan kelly and will fries no doubt about that it will absolutely help to get christian derrisa back what are the best run blocking left tackles versus cam's just an upgrade there automatically upfront, but you still need a dude who when he is one on one with a tackler can slam forward for that first down, can shred a tackle, can get a little bit extra. And the 10th best in the league in yards after contact, that's pretty good. And if you go back and you remember that game against the Vikings, Jordan Mason may have been the best San Francisco 49er on the field. And if we look at the rest of his season, I was banged up a little bit

toward the end of the year, missed the end of the season. So that is maybe something that San Francisco factored in, but when he was as they're starting running back, he played really well. He had some good games. One game nine runs for 73 yards, 14 for 89, 24 for one 23. I mean, there's a lot of games in here where he was averaging five yards or more per carry, but it does have to go along with the scheme. If they don't up their scheme game in the backfield, it won't get as much

better as it did for Jordan Mason. But let's talk about the backfield in general, bringing back Aaron Jones. It was the one caveat to whether I liked it or didn't like it with bringing back Aaron Jones. My thought was if you put everything on Aaron Jones, like you did last year, you're probably not going to have the same level of success as they did last season because of the amount of work that they put on Aaron Jones. Now, this is kind of a little bit of a throwback

to AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones in Green Bay, except for Mason is better than AJ Dillon. So at least I think so. Maybe they liked AJ Dillon. I think that Mason is a similar type of running back though where he is more of a grinder. He is more of the type of guy that can pound and plow forward for first downs. And now if you're talking about rotating it just right now,

let's try to project it. I know we're many months out, but let's try to project it. If you had 150 carries from Jordan Mason and 150 carries from Aaron Jones. Aaron Jones plays a lot more third downs. Aaron Jones catches say 50 to 60 passes. He's more of a option in the passing game. Whereas Jordan Mason ends up with five, six, seven touchdowns because he's the guy who's running it in from the goal line.

And maybe you can just hand off for a first down on third and short or fourth and short in the middle of the field, as opposed to always having to put that on the shoulders of the quarterback, which they did last year. So the Vikings went into this off season and this is one of the, I wouldn't say final pieces, but it's one of the last things that I had circled as really need to get.

They went into this off season with major needs on the interior, the offensive and defensive line. They needed to get better. They needed to get tougher there. And then in the backfield, they just had to have a better running game. You can't finish every year. Twenty seventh and rushing expected points added and expect to just be fine as an offense. I think they read the room as far as where the NFL is going.

And also they do a good job of making people pay for playing certain defenses. Hey, you're going to put everything on Justin Jefferson. We're going to throw the Hockinson. We're going to throw to Hockinson. We're going to throw to Addison. That's great. But if you also force teams to pay attention to your running game, which they have never done since Kevin O'Connell got here.

I saw a Dolphins reporter say the other day that the Dolphins signing Alexander Madison, they've got their short term, their short yardage back. It's like, not really. and the Vikings were relying on him. The Vikings were hoping for Ty Chandler. They were relying on an older delve and cook. These were bad bets and then last year they make a good bet with Aaron Jones, but they don't give him anyone else to

work with until they brought in camakers who eventually was a pretty good contributor for them. But I think you're much more looking at a split for Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, considering what they gave up, considering the price tag of signing him to a multi-year deal. I'll go through it again for those just joining.

Welcome, we have an emergency podcast. The Vikings have their running back duo. And yes, I will get to what it means in the draft in a moment, but the full trade is the Vikings. Hold on. I just had this from Adam Schefter. All right, hold on. My phone reset.

Hold on. We've got it. All right. So the full trade was the Vikings sending a 2026, So the full trade was the Vikings sending a 20, 26th, 20, 26th, sixth round draft pick and a pick swap from number 160 to 187. And they also sign him to a two year, $12 million deal with $7 million guaranteed. So it is not very high money and it was not a lot to give up a late round pick next year and then a pick swap to move down 27 spots. That is not much for a guy who gained five plus yards per carry last season for San Francisco and Mike asking if this takes the Vikings out

of the draft. And that's exactly where I was headed with this next. Mike is, I think that it does. I like this running back draft class. This running back draft class is phenomenal. I mean, there's probably 10, 12 guys who you could see going in the first 100, 110 picks because there's so much talent in the backfield. But at the same time, if you want to even bolster that, now you could do it in the fifth round. Now at the same time, if you want to even bolster that, now you

could do it in the fifth round. Now you can take a swing at somebody who's a little more developmental or a little more rotational because you have a 26 year old running back in Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones on a two year deal. This also increases the odds of Aaron Jones making it two years on this contract. The fact that you have Jordan Mason now as part of a duo, because if they had Aaron Jones and then Cam Akers came back and that was it and it was going to be 250 carries on Aaron Jones again, I would have said, I don't see any chance that this guy ends up getting to his second year because they're just going to wear him down.

But now if you're paying Aaron Jones for 150, 160 carries, 40 to 50 receptions, and then tacking on Jordan Mason with another 150 carries, that sounds like a pretty good split that neither one of them is going to get worn down or broken down. It is a tough position. People get hurt. Mason was banged up at the end of last year. So it's always a concern when it comes to that. But I mean, just if we're projecting it out with not being able to know if

somebody hurts an ankle or something, it's a pretty good look for the Vikings backfield to have a little bit of yin and yang, a little bit of here's the finesse guy and not to call Aaron Jones finesse, but more of a receiving back more of a guy who's reliable down to down. And then the grinder type with Jordan Mason, all it says to me is they've taken it seriously. They're taking the run game seriously where I don't think they've really done that over the first three years of Kevin O'Connell's time here. Uh, Alexander with the super chat. Can we do a draft SIM tonight?

I wonder if, uh, I wonder if the PFF folks, are they working 24 seven to have the simulator updated with the pick swap? Probably that might take until tomorrow, but we can give it a shot. We could give it a shot. Or at least we can look at who would be there at 24. Let's do it. Let's take a look. Because I do think this takes them out of the running

for drafting a running back anytime early. So let's say that we don't mess around too much with trading back and we're not gonna worry about the 160 versus 187 draft pick. I guess we could make it happen. Maybe we can make it happen, but we'll just treat that 160 as 187. We won't worry too much about that, but let's do it.

Let's see who would be on the board at 24. So here's the look right now at 24 with the Vikings not needing a running back. Let's search by interior offensive line, which they could still do tackles. Cause some of them are guards corner and interior D line. Cause I still love it. How about that? So here's what's on the board and wide receiver.

Some of you are really interested in this idea about wide receiver. Where let me get me in the corner here. There I am. Some of you are really interested in this idea about wide receiver where let me get me in the corner here. There I am. Some of you are really interested in this idea of corner. So if running back is off the table now, take a look at this. How does this sound to you? This sounds like trade back to me. Luther Burden and Matt Golden are both on the list. Still on the board to potentially be picked here at the number 24 pick.

Those are the top two of the top wide receivers, Derek Harmon, Darius Alexander, Walter Nolan, gray Zable. This is a really good draft, a really good draft to be at the back end of the first and want to trade down if they are able to do it. Now I'm not seeing too many corners though, but my favorite corner in this draft Trey Amos is there Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky and Siobhan Revelle all there on the board. This is a, this is a trade back special.

I'm not going to work through all the trades right now. Cause I want to get back to talking about Jordan Mason, but just doing an emergency draft simulation with running back off the board. I would have a tough time not drafting grace able here and just going all in on the meat up front so that's what i'm gonna do grace able the tackle slash guard from north dakota state i'm taking them. Now we're in al tate rally just on the. Now we're in, Al Tate Rallidge is still on the board. Now we're in the third round and that's where I would have probably drafted a running back. So now I think you could look at wide receivers.

You could look at corners. You can look at still defensive tackles. We got Deion Walker, Jacob Parrish, Isaiah Bond, the wide receiver. This works out pretty well for the Vikings to have not needed a running back here. So let's just do this quick and go corner Jacob Parrish from Kansas State.

And then with the last two picks, one of them ends up going to San Francisco. But with the last two picks, we'll go with a, do we want to go safety? We might want to go safety for the future in the late rounds. Let's go Maybe a wide receiver. This is where this is where it gets hard to do this fast Because then I want to look up every player. Let's go safety for the future and then with the last pick That's going to San Francisco. We will go should I go Trevor ETN? This is a good spot

Let's go Trevor ETN? This is a good spot. Let's go Trevor ETN. So if the Vikings now have running back off the board as an early need and they only drafted where they're picking, that's what I just did. Gray's Abel, cornerback Jacob Parrish from Kansas state, safety Billy Bowman and Trevor ETN in the backfield. So what do we think of that everybody? an emergency drafts him per the request of Alex so thoughts feelings. Do you go? Yeah, Deion Walker. Yeah, and the third Deion Walker would make a lot of sense. That is true He probably would have but I like the idea of going Gray's able and going all in on

the offensive line and the running game and the violence. And you guys know over the last couple years, a lot of how frustrated is running game? Because I'm like San Francisco in 2023 and how they're having and I'm watching Philadelphia last year and how much seeing and running the football just take so much pressure off of your quarterback. And I am still going on the impression that JJ McCarthy is the Vikings quarterback. There was a little bit of a war of info out there today. Jeremy Fowler, I guess, said that the Vikings aren't going after Rogers. And then somebody else said they're not.

But then the athletic put out a big piece saying if KOC wants him in, well, whatever, we'll just have to wait till that plays out. But if we're assuming that JJ McCarthy is the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. It would be fantastic for him to have a reliable running back who can get you into the end zone from short yardage, a short yardage back that doesn't put all the pressure on the quarterback, a guy who can break tackles, an offensive line. I like a lot of you really like the Grey's Abel pick. I mean, how could you not?

How could you not? I mean, get this big lot of you really like the gray's able pick. I mean, how could you not? How could you not? I mean, get this big athletic violent guard to go along with your other violent guard to go along with your violent running back. Like this is what I'm talking about here. This is what I'm talking about here. So, uh, if JJ McCarthy is indeed as he absolutely should be the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, then having these things around him, having situations where you're getting five yards of carry on first down. And actually,

Aaron Jones was a good first down runner last year on first down. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry. So you, you have two guys in the backfield that are good first down runners play action off of that and defense is playing Justin Jefferson back. They're playing against the Vikings who are going to run a lot of 11 personnel. I imagine we'll see about another wide receiver. They brought in Rondale more. I kind of reacted to that yesterday, but you would imagine that the Vikings are going to face once again, a lot of deep safeties, a lot of lighter boxes. And Aaron Jones last year only faced an eight man box on 18% of his carries.

And I looked up a Naji Harris. He was like 25, 26% of his carries. Actually, I can look at what Jordan Mason was facing. I'm kind of curious about that now actually what Jordan Mason was facing for eight men boxes, because if you're playing for the Vikings, unless it's the goal line, you are just not facing a lot of extra linebackers and things like that. Oh, how about this? How about this?

Maybe this was part of the formula of all running backs in the NFL who carried the ball at least 100 times. Jordan Mason had the second highest percentage of eight man boxes in the entire league. Number one was Gus Edwards, who carried it just over a hundred times. And then Derek Henry and Najee Harris were next James Connor. These are kind of bruisers and Joe Mixon. So last year he was facing an eight-man box 33% of the time meaning nobody was really afraid of the 49ers deep passing game Which probably because of all the wide receiver stuff Brandon I you getting her Debo Samuel not feeling like he really wanted to play I

Think opposing teams probably loaded up on the 49ers and said we're gonna try to stop Jordan Mason and he averaged five yards a carry Despite facing eight man boxes on 33% of the time and I will get the exact number on Aaron Jones. Aaron Jones last year was 18% Cam Akers was 18%. How about that? Only 18% of the time because Justin Jefferson is on this football team. So you could project that doesn't mean Mason is gonna run for 50 yards a carry now, but I think as you're doing the projection and trying to think what can Jordan Mason bring along with Aaron Jones in the backfield, is it reasonable to ask for a very similar production from last year out of Mason? If

not a little better, 5.2 yards per carry, 153 carries. He was more of a zone runner, but I'll give you another stat just while I'm looking up all the numbers for Jordan Mason. Cause he's not really known. I mean, he wasn't like a high draft pick or anything, but he had last year only three fewer 10 plus yard runs than Aaron Jones. And he had a hundred less carries,

a hundred and eyeballing a hundred less carries. A hundred and eyeballing it. A hundred and fifteen less carries. Yeah. So he had a hundred and fifteen fewer carries and he ended up with the same number of 10 plus runs. I mean, that's pretty good. Uh, John, with a great question. Are you scared that Shanahan makes running backs actually better

than they are a little bit? Yes. Uh, having seen him, not as much because he runs really violently. He breaks tackles. He's getting yards after contact and, and that yards after contact stat does give me a little more confidence that Mason is actually a good player. And it wasn't just the Shanahan bump, but we do have to factor that in that Kyle Shanahan has been one of the king makers of the running back position

forever. I mean, he had good running backs in Atlanta and then he goes to San Francisco and they run out one guy after the next and they average four and a half to five yards of carry. Absolutely. Absolutely. That's something you have to think about. But when he was getting hit and averaging three and a half yards after contact, which was 10th best in the league, I am thinking that a lot of his success was based on the fact that he can run through tackles and I don't

think San Francisco was anywhere near the run blocking team. I will check this as well. Is this fun? It's got all this data we're working with. Try to figure out what they're going to do with this guy, how he's going to look. Let's no. Okay. Okay.

San Francisco was the number two graded run blocking team in the NFL last year by PFF. So this is an important point. I think it was John that asked the question. This is an important point. I think it was John that asked the question. This is important point John They can't just say hey, we got this guy. He's pretty good so just go do all the stuff that running backs do and and the Vikings improving their offensive line and the violence on the line and that's why we mock-drafted Grey's able because continue to go in on this, but it does

matter with the scheme and if you go back to the combine, I interviewed a guy, Bobby Peters, who wrote a book on the Viking scheme and he charted every play as a football coach and his big takeaway other than a lot of nice things to say about the passing scheme was that the run scheme was pretty simplistic and they need to make improvements in the run game. They need to throw a little more eye candy at teams. They need to be a little less predictable when it comes to the formations and the down in distance. I mean, they were running basically all the time on first down and Never on second down the splits for Aaron Jones

I'll pull this up to why well we're at it the splits for Aaron Jones first down running in second down running We're pretty crazy I'll pull that up right now Because he basically ran all the time on first down and almost never ran on second down. You really can't be that predictable. So it was 164 carries on first down and 79 on second down. Third down was only 12 because they didn't use a short yardage back, but twice as often. And I know running on second down is not always smart, but you got to do it sometimes. You can't be as predictable as they were. So to your point, nobody's going to be Kyle Shanahan

with the run game. That man is a genius when it comes to the run. His dad was a genius. Gary Kubiak who worked with him as a genius, that they are standard setters, but can you get to above average with your scheme? Can you play it off of your passing game better next year i think you are going to have to do that to get the most out of this trade but i think at least what we know is that jordan mason did the most with what he had averaging over five yards a carry and three and a half of that was after contact. that was after contact.

Blind Shadow Vortex with a super chat. Thank you so much. Really appreciate that. We have a great but old defensive line. I'd like to bring in a stud DT in the first round and be a rotational piece in year one. Huge opportunity to trade back. Oh, huge opportunity to trade back. Yeah, totally agree.

So if they draft, if they draft Derek Harmon instead of gray's able there and they sign another left guard or even I was going through Blake Brandel's numbers. And one thing that stuck out to me was Blake. Brandel was essentially the same pass blocker when he was next to Cam Robinson, but he was a way different run blocker. And I think when run blocking, you're talking about guys kind of having to be in lockstep and work together. And Darasaw and Brandel had the entire off season to work together and build up

their chemistry and they were really good on that left side. And when Darasaw went out, it wasn't as effective. I'm not really advocating for Brandel to be the starting left guard, but I also think if he's part of a competition with somebody else that's okay and if he's there and he's the weak link. And when there is always there he was an average left guard and he is a big dude and he does have some violence to his game that's okay i still think you look for an improvement i'd like them to draft grace, but your argument for drafting a DT is a good one. And also if Trey Amos is on the board or Hairston, the corners are on the board. That's a pretty good case to go with one of those guys as well because they have black men. They have Byron Murphy.

But aside from that, picking up Isaiah Rogers, he could be helpful. He's 27. They still don't have one of those first round talent type guys. And that is a little bit of a weakness that they don't have more flexibility in the secondary. So I, what it means is there's a ton of options in the draft now for the first round, the third round for trading down because I think running back early is off the table and you could take one later in the fifth for somebody that can be a contributor or someone who could take

over after Aaron Jones is done. Adam says do you think Walter Rouse gets a real shot at left guard? I think they will make Walter Rouse into a guard and maybe he's part of a competition there. I know that they like him a lot. They, they like his, uh, past protection. Um, Joel asking for a drafts. And I just, I did one Joel, if you go back like 15 minutes in the video, I did an emergency drafts. And so, uh, all of you just joining welcome, welcome. The Vikings have made a pretty significant trade here that now takes almost all of the major needs in the draft off of the table.

I mean, bringing back, uh, bringing back Byron Murphy Jr. That means that you're going to have corner fairly set with starters. So you're not panicking getting the veteran defensive tackles, not panicking, getting Will fries and Ryan Kelly, not panicking to draft alignment either because even if it's Blake Brando, you're still looking pretty darn good on the offensive line after fries and Kelly come in and now not having to panic and draft a running back and hope that that guy knows how to play versus somebody who does know how to play that allows them to just pick whatever they want.

And then all of a sudden we get a little bit more into the idea of a wide receiver if Luther Burton is on the board because now you can draft whatever you want. And I've always been of this mind that Maybe I should do another one. Yeah, uh jared saying emergency draft sim is true degenerate behavior Maybe we might have to do another one because so many more people want more draft sims uh, but Where was I just thinking just thinking about uh, the dynamics of the draft and how this impacts it suddenly the

Vikings do not need to draft anything To be good right away to fill a spot that they have filled up pretty much anything And if the best player they have on the board ends up being a wide receiver. Maybe it's Matthew Golden. Then you take him and you feel great about it. You just take the best that you can get for a prospect at that point, or you trade down and you take the best players because you're not sitting in the draft room going, oh man, well, you know, we want to take this guy, but really it's

that guy. And even if it is a safety because harrison smith is probably in his last year you can do that and you can have everybody say oh why did they take that position well it's because they weren't desperate to take one that they needed and they could just fill a spot so this continues. To be a tremendous start to the off season for the Minnesota Vikings in terms of filling needs. In fact, I didn't think by what are we in now three, four days into free agency that they would have everything taken care of right

down to the backup linebacker. I mean, there's probably some other things and we'll get more into left guard and different stuff like that as we go along and what they'll do with the draft. But as far as real serious needs, they had an average season out of Blake Brandle and probably was doing well before Darasaw got hurt. So other than that though, I mean, when you're looking at the rest of the roster, what do you desperately need on this roster and it's depth for sure. It's depth.

They even got a special team or though, but it's depth and they lost cam bind them. So Jay Ward might have to step up or you could get another safety or something, but they have filled this thing out as far as the roster goes as well as any team in the NFL, there are fan bases, reporters that I follow who are saying, are we going to do anything in free agency by the way? And the Vikings have already filled all their spots. Clark says a veteran wide receiver would be nice. What would Kenan Allen cost? I don't know, but it can't be that much if he wants to continue to play. If he wants to continue to get open and make plays then.

I mean he's probably a look at cooper cup and say hey what about that but he's not gonna get what cooper cups gonna get because of the amount of competition. If it was a keen nail and deal for two years and twenty million dollars and most of it's in the front. Is that a bad idea he is slow but he's still open all the time. I don't know what Kenan Allen's numbers were last year because, and it's a little bit hard because, uh, his quarterback was getting sacked all the time. You're assuming that JJ McCarthy's not going to get sacked all the time. As was the case in college for him, 70 catches still for Keenan Allen last year, 70 catches.

And I mean, if they can get that, absolutely. Wrigley is a big NDSU fan, but rather get Walter Nolan, Kenneth Grant, then trade down for Zable. He's great. Don't know how much guard experience he has. Yeah, that's, he's going to have to move, but they know that and he's been working on

that. So this isn't something like last minute. It's a sixth rounder, which is what's happened before where it's, oh, you've been developing as a sixth rounder. Why don't you just play guard now? It's not necessarily like that. Uh, because I think Gray's able knows that he has, uh, been pegged in the NFL for being a guard. But he's a great athlete at that position, could be a difference maker. And the Vikings just haven't had a difference maker on the interior.

As much as I think that Will Fries is a good player, from what I see on tape, is he a, you go into the game and go, man, we got a factor for that guy. Like, probably not. So, I like that idea, but on your side, if it's Walter Nolan, who's got this great motor, Kenneth Grant is an enormous dude. I mean, I think Derek Harmon is going to be a favorite of mine that I bring up a hundred times, but when you have veteran defensive tackles, you could slowly bring along somebody rotate their Carmen in and then after a year of Javon Hargrave or a year

or two of Jonathan Allen, then that guy is more taking over the role. The other thing is to with certain positions. I look at them as if you hit on a guy, he's a seven eight year player a lot of times if you really hit because certain positions just don't hit the market. That's wide receiver. That's defensive tackle. It's probably corner that certain spot tackle offensive tackle. If you draft Christian Derrissa, Oh yeah, he's a Viking for as long as you can keep him. I think defensive tackle is the same way. Uh, Rob likes Matthew golden at 24. I mean, the guy ran like a

four, three, two or something crazy, right? So Yeah, I mean that all of a sudden it opens up everything else. John says he thinks Derek Harmon is gonna be special I think so too. I think that he's got a ton of talent. I like when I see explosiveness Flexibility all that sort of stuff and this also lets the Vikings getting Jordan Mason. It also lets the Vikings look at some of the running backs that slipped through the cracks maybe. So in my draft sim earlier that you can go back and rewind and watch the emergency quick draft sim.

I mean, Trevor ETN is a heck of a talent and played for Georgia and was very explosive at the combine. He ends up going in the fifth round because there's so much talent here. So the Vikings can still do that later on in the draft. Um, I thought on Rondell Moore is that he fits the bill for what I'd like to see the Vikings get at that position. So they already have Jalen Naylor who had a good season last year. And you can see how well Jalen Naylor does at stretching the field.

He made plays down the field, explosives, made some high level catches for them. But he was not the type of guy where you just run a little quick screen and he gets you 20 yards, or you could bring him around for an end around and what I think is and no they have not signed Rondale Moore yet he was just in for a visit I'm really guessing that medical was a big part of that so my thought on Rondale Moore and and Jordan Mason too the way I think of it is, the more you can do, the more people that you have that can make plays,

the better you're going to be as an offense and the better your quarterback is going to be. So think about like, just Jalen Hurts. Let's not try too hard. Let's think of Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts, the last two guys to go to the Superbowl in the NFC. Jalen Hurts last year had how many good receivers, a good tight end, a great running back.

They even had multiple guys in the backfield. They could do just about anything. And then Brock Purdy in 2023, I got to look at that roster because Brock pretty, and I think San Francisco is really the model that the Vikings are trying to build. I don't think they're trying to be Philly with this running quarterback. I think they're really trying to be San Francisco with Brock Purdy, except Brock Purdy with a stronger arm is what they're trying to be is let's make this as easy as it can ever be for the quarterback.

And then the quarterback has to make five plays a game. And Brock Purdy did that and went to the Super Bowl with it. But that's what they're trying to do with J.J. McCarthy. Or at least we assume that it's J.J. McCarthy. I'll assume it's McCarthy until it's not. Let me look at this offense just out of curiosity. So in terms of running backs in while they had McCaffrey, of course, but they still, they still mixed in some other guys in terms of running the

ball, they still mixed in Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell running the ball. And they gave the ball to Debo Samuel out of the backfield. That was another thing. That's a Rondale more thing that potentially he could be a guy who gets the ball in the backfield. Then this is 2023 San Francisco. I think that they're the model for the Vikings. They had 3000 yard receivers.

Their running back went for 700 yards receiving and Joann Jennings went for 376 yards receiving. The more dudes you can have who can make plays the better you're going to be So if you're telling me hey, it's kind of crazy. They drafted a wide receiver in the first round Okay, I'm good with that the more dudes you have that can make plays they traded for a running back great They drafted another running back in the fifth do Do it. The more guys who can make plays, the better you're going to be as an offense. And I really like where Jordan Mason fits in. But I mentioned that Elijah Mitchell had 81 carries for the 49ers. And I don't mind the idea of the Vikings waiting and getting another running back to even just have somebody else running backs get hurt a lot. Somebody that could step into that mix and be effective for them.

So this is, let's talk big picture. Let's talk big picture right now. Because, um, this is very exciting news for the Vikings to get something that they needed so much and somebody that I think is going to be a major contributor for them and can be a major contributor over multiple years, a running back duo, adding some violence, adding somebody who can run through people. All this is good. And yes, they still do need a backup quarterback.

Any day now is fine. So we can just move on with our lives. Yeah. Uh, Hop says he needed Percy Harvin. Everybody needs Percy Harvin. That's true. That's true. Uh, I don't think you're going to get him in free agency, but maybe if they

drafted a playmaking wide receiver, that's yeah, that's the thing. Right. But so big picture though, what the Vikings have done here, I think is a really strong assessment of what they had as a roster last year and what they needed to get to the second level. And that second level is you're in the playoffs and the other team's beating your office of guards and their pressures working and you have to have an answer for them. And they went into this offseason saying, how can we find an answer if we're getting beat up front and our quarterback is getting pressured?

And the answer was clearly to go out and get an improvement at right guard in the run game, hands down an improvement at center just overall, but I think he's better at everything than Garrett Bradbury if he's healthy and a major improvement in the backfield to go along with Aaron Jones. So they have this counter punch with now Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones back there. I think they could still go farther with that, now Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones back there. I think they could still go farther with that, but setting up your quarterback now to have an improved running game more than he can rely on

better past protection. And maybe, maybe a guy who you could throw screens to a playmaker, a quick game type of guy, maybe that they will have that as well if they sign Rondale more, but just the fact that they were looking at Rondale more tells me that they want that position filled as well. And on the defensive side with Harrison Smith coming back with two defensive tackles signed with the cornerback signed and even a backup linebacker, they really have a full starting defense and then even a backup linebacker, they really have a full starting defense. And then even a little bit more, and we're looking at a team that when we go

roster for roster with the other teams in the NFC, the other teams in the NFC North, I always like to think that your team is as strong as its weaknesses. And the weakness might be so many guys that have some injuries last year. That might be the weakness, but let's just say that we can't really project injuries for next year in March right now. I always have tough time with that. Like, what am I supposed to say? Like the guy had a torn peck. I don't know. I think it healed. Like, I mean, it's hard to say, right?

Age is a little bit of a weakness on the team It's mostly complimentary players who are older and the pillar players are in their primes the Grenard the Jefferson Christian Derrissa, but that's a little bit of a weakness But when you go through most of the players are projectable based on what they did in the past. There's not many most of the players are projectable based on what they did in the past. There's not many players that are going to be on this starting lineup for the Vikings where you go. Well, you know, I mean, if this guy who's never played before is great over 17 games, then you'll be fine. And that's pretty refreshing, isn't it?

Because how many years have we gone into the start of training camp? And even last year is one of them. And we've just said, well, you know, if Holton Hill can just make it work, if cam Danzler can just do it, if a Caleb Evans can just, there's very few of those players. I mean, maybe Mackay Blackman, but he's already got almost 500 snaps in the NFL. That's not the case at almost any spot, except for maybe Blake Brandle right now, uh, would be on this team as it stands, that type of guy. And maybe when it comes to that other wide receiver position,

and maybe you need TJ Hawkinson to bounce back a little bit better than he did and Dallas Turner to take a big step forward, which I have been told the Vikings were happy with what they got from Turner last year, considering the development that they asked from him throughout that season. But still those are the only real guys that you're saying, well, what is he, what, what is he going to do? All of them are proven Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Ben Ginkle,

Granard. And now if we go across the league, how many teams in the NFL have a better roster than the Minnesota Vikings in terms of total strength, weaknesses, high points. I'm going to think about it. It's not that many. I'm curious of your answer. Uh, Dalton Reiser. Look, if they want Dalton Reiser back to play a similar role as last year where he competed and he was ready to go when they needed him, I'm all for it. I'm all for it. He's not a great run blocker. We know that, but he is one of the best pass blocking guards in the NFL over the last couple of years.

Dalton Reister. Matt just got to the Jordan Mason highlights. I mean, that's the thing, right? Like Jordan Mason was freaking great against the Vikings last year. We forgot that game. Mostly because it was so exciting in the 97 yard touchdown and the throw to Jalen Naylor from Sam Darnold to close that thing out. I mean that was just all fantastic, but you it's easy to forget the Vikings were an elite run defense. They were one of the best run defenses in the entire league and this guy ran for a hundred on 20 carries. Adam says, Matthew, how much stock do you put in Paul Allen's Twitter remarks saying he doesn't think the Vikings will sign Rogers? Is that inside info he has or pure opinion? That would be something you have to ask him about the inside info or pure opinion. What I would say about that is we have ourselves a war of information that is going on with Aaron

Rogers where the folks at the athletic Mike Silver, Diana Rossini have doubled, tripled, quadrupled down on the interest from the Vikings being mutual with Rogers. Nobody else has. And Paul Allen being a guy who is well connected with the Vikings, of course, as their play by play broadcaster, I would tend to put stock in what he says and coming out and saying it pretty definitively. There's been some other reports that have also said pretty definitively. Rogers is not coming here.

I'm sure it's stressed a lot of you guys out. It certainly has stressed me out. Normally. I mean, I've covered so much stuff with this team through the years that I mean, nor it takes a lot to get me worked up because I've covered playoff games that have been moved and we've covered, you know, coaches missing games because of eyeballs popping out and all sorts of stuff know, all sorts of stuff through the years.

So you get to be pretty used to all that, but Aaron Rogers, I've been losing sleep just like you guys have over that idea because that is so much more than just covering a quarterback. Uh, but to the point at this moment, there's so much more on the side of him not coming here in terms of noise than there is people saying that it's going to happen. And yet, as I pointed out last night, and we've gone another spin of the clock here without it happening, the Vikings have not said a peep. There's been no free agents that have talked with the media. There has been no KOC to be found. No quasi-adaphal-mensa to be found.

And until those guys say something, no interviews with JJ McCarthy on the Dan Patrick show or something, until somebody says something, we will continue to live in the dark and wonder is this actually a real thing or not? And with so much information on both sides, what can any of us do? I'm in the same seat as you guys just along for the ride here.

This might happen or might not. I'm leaning toward it. Doesn't, but, and of course I think it's a horrendous idea if they were going to do it versus JJ McCarthy and think about what they're giving JJ McCarthy has a young quarterback outside of Brock Purdy had a better situation in the second year or in his first year taking over than this the best wide receiver in the NFL another top-notch receiver now an improved running game and improved offensive line.

Uh, the only thing that would change the tides a little bit would be his recovery. And that was something that Kevin O'Connell seemed adamant was going well when he talked to the combine, but maybe that's not the case. I don't know. It just leaves us. It leaves us all kind of dumbfounded and frustrated of is this thing happening or not? I probably got 40 text messages today from friends of mine, other reporters. Are you guys doing the Rogers thing? Like, I don't know. Ask, ask them. They are kind of nowhere to be found lately. So, uh, I'll look forward just like you guys to when we hear from them. Uh, let me get away from the Rogers thing cause it makes me. Unhappy to talk about or anxious to talk about just like you guys, uh, and get

back to some other questions here. Uh, Jake says on paper, how does the roster is it's currently constructed stack up to the 2017 team? It's a good question. Uh, think that while Lin-Val Joseph was in his prime and was one of the most is it's currently constructed stack up to the 2017 team. It's a good question. Think that while Lin-Val Joseph was in his prime and was one of the most dominant performances in 17, that I can remember from a defensive tackle

because it was pressure on the quarterback. It was completely shutting down the run game. Remember when the Saints tried to run on third down and won and kicked a field goal in the Minneapolis miracle game instead of just winning it right there. Lin-Val Joseph, everybody. I don't know that this group is going to be as dominant as Lin-Val Joseph on the interior was when paired with Tom Johnson.

Uh, but as pass rush goes, they could be better than that, but he was probably hard to match for that position and what he did. And cornerback Xavier Rhodes had one of the best seasons you're ever going to find as a shutdown corner. He took on Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans left and right, best wide receivers in the league. And he was islanding those guys, which we don't see in a Brian Flores defense very much. They don't have that. I like that Byron Murphy is back and I like that the contract isn't what it looked like

when it was first announced. So as far as a move, I would give them thumbs up on getting Byron Murphy back at that price tag, but he's not Xavier Rhodes 2017. Everson Griffin was also on a totally different level that year. Eric Hendricks the way he played, but you know, Eric Kendricks and Blake Cashman pretty comparable what Jonathan Grenard did last year

for them fairly comparable to Everson. I don't think it's that far off. I mean, they had a top five defense. What is going to be tough is their schedule and the quarterbacks that they're going to play on their schedule are going to make it a little tougher on the defense. But it's not crazy to make that comparison of that number one defense and go, there's really no point of this defense where you look at it and say, well, okay, they're not going to be able to make up for this, that, or the other thing. The one difference though, is Harrison Smith is still really good.

And last year actually graded out higher by PFF than can buy them did after getting that big contract. 2017 Harrison Smith probably should have won defensive MVP. He was that good. That's going to be hard to repeat too, but I still, I mean, it's a top five defense. It is a top five defense. That's even better than it was last year. Skull Vikings.

What does Matt see as remaining needs or weaknesses secondary remaining needs would be to me addressing the left guard position is still at the top of the list as much as I can say. I didn't despise what Blake Brando was doing at the end of the day. He still ended up among the top in terms of pressures allowed Blake Brando did last year. And when he didn't have Darasaw, he wasn't as much of an impact player. So left guard is still on the list and you mentioned secondary if they were to draft a safety I don't think that that would get very high marks from people But knowing that you can develop the player for a year and knowing the way that Brian Flores rotates those guys in

How much importance that is to Brian Flores? I wouldn't be against that either another addition to the secondary and corner for sure. I would look to at least one more corner and the wide receiver three spot. But now we are getting to the point where the foundation is completely built. The interior of the house has been decorated and it's well lit.

It's like love it or listed that housing show where they walk in. Oh, whoa. Okay. Like imagine you didn't pay any attention to the off season and then you just arrived or you were, I don't know, out of the country or in a coma or whatever. And you get your phone and you're like, all right, well, I want to look up what the Vikings did here and what their roster looks like in comparison to the last year.

You'd be like, whoa, already? I mean, they've got they've put up the nice curtains. They got an island in the kitchen. They've done a lot there. Now it's really about tidying up. It's about getting that extra wide receiver. It's about getting one more corner. It's about addressing the guard position and getting depth.

Uh, but I mean, aside from that, this is a pretty complete roster. Oh yeah. I was going to compare rosters. I forgot about that. Uh, Scott, what's your outlook or prediction for the season? If the unthinkable does happen for Rogers eight and nine, as great as the roster is, I just don't think he's a good quarterback anymore. He went five and 12 last year with a good team, got a coach fired.

I think you are a fringe playoff team the same way that Aaron Rogers was with the Packers in 2022. It's a really good Packers team. The next year that Packers team won. How many games went to the was one drive away from the NFC championship, the same Packers team in 2023 with Jordan Love. That was a good team, good coaching. They missed the playoffs. I don't think it's going to work if they do it. I really don't.

I think if JJ McCarthy is your quarterback, you're competing for the NFC North. If he just plays at a median level of what I think JJ McCarthy could be. I was on. for the NFC North if he just plays at a median level of what I think JJ McCarthy can be. I was on, I made internet waves yesterday by one of those clips that only shows some of what you said in the tweet, you know? So I was on a show and they asked me about McCarthy's ceiling. And I was telling the host a story about how McCarthy had come so far during training camp that I thought he had already shown a better ceiling than he was ever projected in the

draft time. And I made the kind of hyperbolic joke like, Hey, they told us we were getting Matt Hasselback, but the guy looks like Elway. And of course that's no, he's not going to be John Elway. He's never thrown a pass. Like I get it. What I mean is that what JJ McCarthy showed last year in training camp was so impressive that if he's even that, what I saw of a developing quarterback with a lot higher ceiling or more talent than he was said to have had when he came out,

talent than he was said to have had when he came out, then that is a type of quarterback who could take you into the playoffs and then where it goes from there. We'll see. Uh, as far as being high on JJ McCarthy, it's really just, see, for me, it's just what I've seen and what they've said. So the way I operate is I go out there to every single training camp practice, every OTA, every mini camp, and I talked to people and I'm talking to, you know, at the press conferences and everything else, and it's gathering of information and it's watching the development of McCarthy. It's watching for his skillset, how he reacts to certain situations.

It's listening to him at the podium and how he acts and how he carries himself and how other people talk about him. And so when we look at the accumulation of the evidence, and then when he got out there for a preseason game, when we look at the accumulation of the evidence of JJ McCarthy, plus how he acted behind the scenes and what I've heard about that, everything gathered together to me says, this is the type of quarterback who if you give him what he is going to need as a chance to be one of those guys that you can win a lot of games with.

And there are of course, always going to be certain people who fall in love with somebody and say that they are the next John Elway. And there's always going to be people who are skeptical and say, no, that quarterback is actually terrible. That happens all the time where it's like Brock Purdy two years ago. No, no, no. Don't believe him having an MVP season. He's actually terrible.

Okay, great. Who cares? Who cares about that? He's actually terrible. Okay, great. Who cares? Who cares about that? But with McCarthy, think about the quarterbacks in the NFC who have taken their team to Super bowls.

Jared Goff did it in 2018 and had what great coaching, great wide receivers, great offensive system, great offensive line. Think about what just happened. Jalen hurts. I don't look at quarterback like, oh, if he's ranked as the 13th ranked as the whatever, like I don't do that. I think quarterback rankings are wasted time. It's can this guy on this team with this roster and this coaching

staff legitimately compete for a Super Bowl with his talent and with JJ McCarthy, I don't know if that's this year or not because this year is going to be his first year starting and until he actually plays football games. But you know, I've seen a lot of people in training camp practices. I've seen Kellan Mond. I've seen Trey Lance, somebody the other day on internet said to me, internet, uh, I forget what social media sites said, you know, I don't know. He could be like Trey Lance. I mean, he's not like Trey Lance.

I've seen Trey Lance practice. It was a terrible, I saw him practice against the Vikings. It was horrendous and in games. It was horrendous. So I've seen a lot of training camp practices and I think we can make a reasonable projection about what McCarthy's upside could be within the context of this team.

And the fact that Lorenzo reminds you of Trent Dillfer, he's definitely a more talented quarterback. Although Dillfer was a first round pick, so there's that. Now he's not a Trent Dillfer, no.'s that. Now he's not a Trent Dilfer. No, I don't think he's a Trent Dilfer. I think the best comparison would just be the fact that like you look at his size, his athleticism, that's higher than somebody like Brock Purdy, but you want to have the same

scenario and situation for him. And he's got that playmaking type of skill. So he's not quite as big as a Herbert and he's not quite as, uh, I mean, the processing for Brock Purdy is ridiculous and the anticipation throwing is ridiculous, so maybe he's not quite on that level and accuracy, the touch on the passes downfield, it's still going to be a work in progress, but can you get to the point where you have surrounded him so much Jared golf with wheels is and like maybe more playmaking, but that's a lot to ask too,

because Jared cough is a elite quarterback in terms of what they produce for an offense. When you produce a top five offense, you're an elite quarterback running an elite offense, right? So McCarthy does have a really great arm. He's gonna have to refine it. There are going to be learning type of moments along the way for JJ McCarthy.

What's impressed me more, his physical tools or mental? Well, the way that he handles himself is impressive, but I think that the way that he handles himself is impressive, but I think that his, the way that he carries himself and his leadership and all of that is personality. I think that it, it wows people to the point and his stats were not mind blowing at Michigan, that you don't look as much at some of the raw physical tools. Now he's not six foot six and he's not going to run a four or three or something. So he will not be this running back slash quarterback like you have with Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen or those guys. But

he does have better physical tools than was painted. And maybe a reason for that is because he was so young when he was playing at 20 and then 21 years old. I guess it would have been maybe started in 19 at Michigan and then 20 that he was not fully formed. And as we saw him come into form with NFL caliber workout and also work with KOC, work with Josh McCown on throwing the football, really saw the arm talent come out and how hard he could throw the football.

I mean, my first reaction to seeing him at rookie mini camp was, Whoa, okay, there is some speed behind that football and is not disrespectful to Kirk cousins because Kirk was an incredible accuracy thrower and anticipation thrower. But I had not seen velocity like that in many years. It really had been since Sam Bradford that somebody was able to throw the football with the amount of speed that he was and Sam Darnold too. So the thing is that McCarthy has all of the tools there to be a quarterback that takes you deep into the playoffs and the rest is up to the football gods,

who you get hurt, who you're matched up with. I mean, think about last year, if the Vikings are matched up with Tampa Bay, they probably win. And then it's different. Kenny Tush pushes funny. I don't want any Tush pushing for JJ McCarthy. Let's just not be doing that. But he really does have really good physical tools. And Shadow Wolf brings it up that only Joe Milton and his crazy circus arm through the ball with greater velocity. That has not always been a perfect predictor if you look at the historical miles per hour, but with him, it shows you how much torque he can create. And the other thing he's good at is throwing on the run,

scrambling, throwing on the move. He's a kid that played other sports, hockey, baseball. You could tell that he did because he can throw on the move really effectively. All those tools are there. There's no guarantees how good he's going to be, but when you give him all this, and this is why this Jordan Mason, just to tie it all back into what we're talking about here, the reason why Jordan Mason, I think has drawn so much excitement on a otherwise boring Saturday night. I was watching Carl Anthony Towns dunk on Draymond Green.

I hope that's still happening. Uh, but why it draws so much excitement to get a Jordan Mason is because now when you look at JJ McCarthy and what he's going to be placed into and what's around him, the coaching that he's going to get, a coach that just took Sam Darnold to 14 wins last year, the offensive line with the two tackles that are two of the best in the league and now an improved interior. The thing that was really missing is how can you make JJ McCarthy's life simpler? And if the Vikings, I don't think they'll do this, but if the Vikings play a little bit more like Jim Harbaugh, if they play a little bit more to run the football with these two running backs,

plow a little bit more, have longer drives. Last year, one of my critiques of the offense was that it needed explosive plays or it wasn't happening. It needed a 30 yard throw on a drive or you just probably weren't scoring and there were too many three and outs. There were too many. Oh, the other team just had a 18 play field goal drive and the Vikings got the ball back, went three and out. Didn't hit on a big play. First down, run didn't go anywhere.

Second down incomplete. You're punting. There was too much of that or too much reliance on Sam Darnold. Go make a big play on third down all the time. Sam Darnold. Go make a play at the goal line all the time. Sustain drives. That's it.

Yeah. Randy, that's a good way to put it. Sustain drives were something that I felt they needed more of. And when you have now two running backs, we've had a lot of success. Jones catching the ball at the backfield cannot be overlooked. I think his 408 yards was in the top 10 last year and receiving for running backs more of that. And that's with a quarterback that never looks short. I think, and oh, I'm sorry, someone you were asking about mentally for McCarthy. What I

see mentally is I think his brain works fast. I think it works fast to deconstruct what defenses are doing because look who he was going against last year in practice, Brian Flores who does not hold up in practice and he was taking a lot of reps against the first team defense last year. And I just saw somebody who was quick at figuring out where that football was supposed to go. And then you saw how he could see the middle of the field

in the preseason game. And once again, yeah, it's not always a good indicator, preseason football, especially in the second half of the games. But you could still pick up on some things. Kellen Mond is a good example. Kellen Mond, no matter what scenario was, the guy couldn't see the field,

couldn't figure out where the football was supposed to go. And it just never worked out even though he was a really good physical talent. But you see from McCarthy, the processing happening, the decision making happening. So everything is there for him to step in and take a team with so much around him and now a running game, I think we could say they have a running game. Is it, is it an amazing running game? Is it an average running game? We'll see that might depend on the scheme, but it's definitely better with Jordan Mason and it's definitely better with Will Fries

So now you give him a running game a little better pass pro. Maybe one more weapon Maybe Grey's able or Tyler Booker or somebody is the faithful says are the Vikings making the Super Bowl in 2025 a Super Bowl push? Well once you get to the point where you win 14 games, everything is a Super Bowl push. Once you get to the moment that JJ McCarthy takes over and your rookie quarterback takes over everything is is a push for the Super Bowl. Oh yeah, a few of you have asked about the salary cap situation.

Let me pull that up. You know, I won't have this move in there in the system yet, but we can still get a basic idea cap space. So right now over the cap.com will fries contract is in there now has them at $32 million in cap space. So this will take that down a little bit, but still plenty of cap space. And as far as their future cap situation goes, it's, it's always going to look a little worse right now until we get the actual jump in the cap for next year.

But there is a moment down the road where you do run into a Jefferson contract until we get the actual jump in the cap for next year. But there is a moment down the road where you do run into a Jefferson contract, a Darasaw contract, some other guys become more expensive, but Quasidav Omenta has said in the past that they look at it through the lens of like couple year windows. If you're trying to look five years out, I mean, good luck. You're not going to be able to project where you're going to be, who you're going to hit on with draft picks and stuff like this. But two years. Now, if we look

at two years, who's going to be on the roster for the next two years? Well, certainly JJ McCarthy, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockinson, Darasaw, probably O'Neal, I would assume so, Will Fries, Ryan Kelly is possible if he plays well. Both running backs should be, if Aaron Jones doesn't really fall off, but definitely still Mason. Bernard VanGinkle, Cashman,

Jonathan Allen is supposed to be, Jevon Hargrave is supposed to be probably Harrison Phillips. I mean, who are they leaving? Who are they losing? Byron Murphy just signed the extension. McKay Blackman is still young Dwight. McClothern's on his way. I mean, they're not really losing. Anybody over the next two years, and this is where you just go all in all the

time. This is what they plan for. This is what they plan for, is to be able to go out and trade for a guy like Jordan Mason and pay him some money and not go, oh, now we can't get a starting whatever in the last minute before the training camp starts. A Tom Compton, just for example, Nick Easton got hurt in 18 and they had to just throw Tom

Compton in there. The guy had never started before and not for a full season and he's got to face Aaron Donald and the biggest game of the year. And it's like, what are you doing here? That's not where they are now because of JJ McCarthy and his contract. Uh, Chris says, nothing frustrates me more than JJ to pondir comps. Well, anytime you have a single bust in your history, people are always going to go back to it. That's for sure. We know that that's my thing about if they were to draft a safety, I wouldn't

be against it, but I'm sure there will be, Oh, is this the next Lewis scene? Like it's always going to happen. Christian pondir was a long time ago. That was my rant this time last year. I kept saying you gotta get over it. You gotta move on. There's not really a lot that similar about them. I guess maybe they neither one had huge stats in college. But you know the thing with Ponder is I would still defend a draft pick of someone like Christian Ponder. I know on draft night, Mike Mayock said they reached and everyone will tell me they reach they read.

Okay, I get it. They didn't reach on JJ McCarthy. Some people hadn't projected his top five, but that might be a little bit different, but drafting a quarterback at that point who had good athleticism, good leadership qualities on paper, you just got to take swings and sometimes they won't work out. But I do think what JJ McCarthy has in spades over someone like Christian Ponder is confidence. You just see confidence from JJ McCarthy.

That was always a problem with Christian Ponder. Okay, so Harrison Smith, his contracts not in there yet. Garrett Bradbury is either going to be released or traded. It's kind of give or take. Right. So it's it says 32. It might be 25. You know. It's they have cap space.

But they don't have crazy cap space but they don't have crazy cap space. They don't have insane cap space, but they've got. They've they've got a good amount that they can still spend if they want to. And there's good players on the free agent market that they can go out and get as depth players, and they can look for some of those solid, like third wave free agency type of signings as a few players are still coming off of the board here on free agency.

So there's still more that they could do. I got to fix the banners on the back wall. What are they? Are they peeling? I think they look okay. I'm not perfect with arts and crafts, but I do love my banners. Mama says, do you think a year later teams would still draft Caleb Williams over Jaden Daniels?

I do not. I think if they had another shot at it, Chicago, they would take Jaden Daniels. And that's not just because he got to the NFC Championship. Look at the way the guy handled himself. What a beast. What a beast. I just totally not shaken at all by the environment, even when they lost in the NFC Championship game, because they couldn't stop a thing. But he played well and he wasn't shaken by Philadelphia and their defense. His speed is throwing ability.

Yeah, they would definitely take Jaden Daniels. Number one over Caleb Williams. I know he's older, but that's already. Oh, you're so the microphone is in front of. Yeah. How about that? The microphone is in front of the, does that change the volume of the mic? The mic is, it has been in front of the Vikings one.

Sorry, I didn't notice that. Okay, you guys are saying they look good. I thought so. They are just taped on there because I don't know how to do anything. So I didn't know if they were like peeling or something. I haven't looked back there. Some of you want Joe Flacco as a backup.

That's fine with me. Cooper Rush is my guy for that because I think I think Cooper Rush was much better than Flacco last year when he played. I thought he was actually pretty good when he played. Cooper Rush has the funniest like nine and five record as a starter, mostly for really good teams, but this is a really good team. Do I think they could still get a San de Samuel Jr. It sounds like there is concern about a San de Samuel jr. And the injuries but if you're talking about a flyer this is flyer season now that the Vikings have filled so many of these positions I think it is flyer type of season where you go and you take a guy who's 26 years

old, you give him a two year contract, you take a shot at it. If it doesn't work, oh well. Uh, yeah. Tevin Jenkins. I do wonder about Tevin Jenkins. He is still available and they could do that, but are they worried about his injury history? He has never played a thousand snaps in a season and for a guard, that's not great. And there's talk of a back injury like that's not that's not

good. But if they got Tevin Jenkins, that would really solidify this offensive line. Brian wants more Eric Wilson talk. Yeah, I did talk a lot about him yesterday when they made the signing, but my thing for Eric Wilson is he's one of those signings that, you know, who gets excited about it's not going to lead sports center. It's not going to be on the NFL network scroll all day Viking sign, Eric Wilson,

but you might get to the middle of the season and somebody's goes down or they just use him as a rotational piece. The more dynamic they can be, the better. He played over 500 snaps for the Packers last year was really good. I like Eric Wilson a lot. I wrote about him when he was here, about how dynamic he was and what a good piece to the puzzle. So bringing him in and I looked at some of the other choices At that backup linebacker spot there. There's not a lot. It's hard to play linebacker in the NFL

So getting Wilson with a starting experience. He has the potential for a rotational player and a really good fill in for Five games if you need him if played Blake Cashman gets hurt, good signing. And that's where when we talk about how good is this roster for the first time since when? 2019 maybe when is the last time that we looked at this Vikings roster and said, well, they're actually kind of deep at that position or they got somebody who can really fill in there

and play. And that has been the case at times throughout Zimmer's era with his defense. But how many times was that really the case recently because they were dealing with the cap issues. Will Hernandez someday someday will Hernandez and Brandon, someday they'll play on this team. No matter how much we have mentioned them, they will just they'll hear our cries for them on the offensive line. And Mware at 24. I mean, you look at that guy.

He can play. He's a freak. I just. Yeah, I mean, I don't see safety is on the table now because they've done so much in free agency, including filling out this running back position. R.A. says, JJ just has to manage the game, do what he did in college. That's what you're looking for. You're looking for because manage the game becomes some sort of insult,

which is stupid to me. Manage the game is what every quarterback is supposed to be doing. Every quarterback has a different track. So if you like video games, if you like adventure games, think of every season for a quarterback is a different difficulty level on an adventure game. If you are Super Mario level one,

and it's the easiest one that anybody could do your Brock Purdy in 2023 Now you still got to get there and you still got to do a lot. You still got a dodge stuff You still got to jump over stuff. It's not some easy track for anybody but if you are Sam Darnal with the Jets you're on the last level where The enemies are impossible and there's fireballs shooting, you all that, right? So what they've created for JJ McCarthy is a situation where it's the easiest level on the video game. If they have an improved running game, which now they're taking seriously.

And if they improve the past protection, which they've taken seriously and could still go even farther than that. I think that they've created a situation where he does not have to do everything, but you're still going to have to have greatness from your quarterback to really win. I mean, we saw Jalen hurts in the Super Bowl. Fantastic. He would have won that game even if their defense didn't dominate. He was terrific in that Super Bowl you do need that you do need your quarterback to be great at big times.

You can't just sort of game manager way to a Super Bowl McCarthy does have the playmaking he did that to win the championship in college but how it projects to the NFL we we don't know. And that's, that is the risk that the Vikings take turning it over to a young quarterback. It's just that they don't have zero sample on him and I don't have zero sample. I have the sample of what we saw in training camp and so do they, they have even more than that from behind the scenes. Okay. The it's the, it's the symmetry symmetry. There, the flags are definitely not perfectly straight. Okay, it's the it's the symmetry symmetry there the

Flags are definitely not perfectly straight. That's certainly not My when I was growing up if we had an arts and crafts project, my mom's probably watching So she'll appreciate me saying this if there was a arts and crafts project that we had to do for school Mom was doing it. So I'm proud of this Able to set this up to actually look halfway nice by myself Maybe when they cut maybe when my parents come and visit my mom can straighten them out Anthony says the sixth is the one that we got for Ingram Ingram finally helped out the run game. Okay, see that's funny That's funny right there

Anthony I didn't think of that but that is extremely funny that Ed Ingram finally helped finally helped in the run game uh Bradley do you think Cousins is the hold up for a trade with another team with the payout oh probably I, knowing Kirk and his savvy for the business side of football, I would guess he was ready to exercise the no trade until he got that bonus. And then now he's probably more interested in open for a trade. There was some talk of, well, see, he's going to be the backup. And I don't think that's how it works. I think they can very much trade him if he is willing to do it.

Think about this. This just this hit me today. This is crazy. If I'm adding it up correctly, Kirk is earned like 350 million dollars in his career because the whole hundred million from the Falcons is guaranteed. So there's nothing they could do about it. They have to give Kirk is hundred million dollars guaranteed 350 million dollars one playoff win

How insane is that? how insane is that and Even if it's 250, I thought it was 350 looking at his over the cap page But even if it's 250 that what? is over the cap page, but even if it's 250, what? One playoff win for that much money. Crazy. Seven wins for the Falcons. The Falcons got seven wins in 14 starts from Kirk Cousins. 500 record, huh? Interesting. So they got seven wins for 100 million dollars.

Good luck, Michael Penex with that franchise yikes Yeah, well done by Anthony I did not think of that that's funny Michael says unfortunately, I think we released Ty Chandler. It's too bad with Ty Chandler The guy has explosiveness like crazy It just just couldn't earn the trust of the coaches and if you can't Earn the trust of the coaches. You're not gonna play G mood wants an upgrade a wide receiver three and they're set mostly. Yeah, Keenan Allen a lot of talk about him Maybe you get another

Tight end or something to block Yeah, Bradley, I could get I got a D plus in art. My art teacher told me one time. So I took art is as a senior and my art teacher was a really nice guy and I made some painting and it was very bad. And he said, you know, I'll give you a B plus. And I was like, let's, let's be honest here. There's no way that's a B plus because we had this girl from France

who was an artist and she came in and just demolished all of us, made us all look foolish. She was our foreign exchange student, just great artists. We were like, what? She's not my class for how many to a B plus when she's over there painting the Mona Lisa or whatever. And he said, look, I know you gave it a shot. So I'll give you a B plus.

So participation trophy. I got one of those just for trying. And my mom is watching and she said that she's proud of my creative background. So there you go. Oh, anyway, Kirk fleece the league. He most certainly did. $14 million per win.

Absolutely wild. Yeah, the tight Chandler thing is disappointing. I saw the Jets brought back Kenny Wong Wu. You guys know, Kenny Wong Wu averaged 52 yards per kick return last year. He had three of them, but one was a touchdown. Move Bradbury to blocking tight end. He did have that one catch. Ty Conklin, hey, bring bring some of these guys back.

Bring some of these guys back. They're already bringing back Eric Wilson. Why not Ty Conklin? Every night, someone wants Adam Thielen back, even though he signed with Carolina already. OK, you guys are being very nice about the background. I appreciate that. Uh, skull Vikings. Why hasn't quasi been extended yet?

I mean, you could ask me why they did anything and I can't give you an answer from them because no one's talked. That's a great question. That's a great question. And, uh, a question that I think we were prepared to ask at the combine, but things were done a little differently this year. Delvin cooks a free agent. Now we're not doing that. Nope. They're good. They're good. So that question was not asked then and they have not strolled out anyone in front of the media so far. So it hasn't been asked yet, but you know what? Someday.

So far, so it hasn't been asked yet, but you know what? Someday there's the owners meetings in a couple weeks. We're guaranteed to get somebody then. That's the best I could do. They've also been very busy when it comes to quasi and his contract. And this is where this is one heck of an off season for them. Even if it's a little curious and even if some of this all the stuff is a little curious the fact that they've had this off season and are set up with one of the best rosters in the NFL I don't think it's quite Detroit I

don't it's it's closer it's closer I don't think it's quite Philly it's closer it was a much bigger gap last year, even though the wind total was not. We ultimately saw that, but I would go Philly, Detroit and Minnesota for the top three rosters in the NFC. Washington is trying to catch them. The Laramie Tunsel deal was great and their quarterback. So you have to put Washington there because of their quarterback. They may have the best quarterback in the NFC by next year. Jayden Daniels.

I don't think any of that was fake. I think that was very real. And the fact that they went and got a franchise left tackle for him, pretty good work there. So if you normalize it for the quarterback, those four teams have the best rosters in the NFC, I think. Christopher, thank you for the super chat. You're the man, Chris.

If you go by Chris. 90% chance we move back at least seven picks with number 24 I mean when I look at it every time I do a draft sim and I look at the board when the Vikings get to 24 I go there's at least three defensive tackles I like there's at least two corners I like now that running back is off the table, at least in the top round, there's a couple of linemen that I like for the Vikings as good fits.

I mean, yeah, moving back makes the most sense. The only thing about moving back is that someone has to do it with you. Someone has to be your friend. And in 2022, Qu quasi pressed on that. I think he was so dead set. It seemed to trade back and get more picks that he made a not great trade back. Now, if Lewis seen it turned out to be a great player, we would have looked

at it differently, but moving back from 12 to 32 was a lot without getting a future first. You don't see that very often. to was a lot without getting a future first. You don't see that very often. You have to be a little bit. Diligent about it or what's the right word, discerning about it, where, OK, your plan is to move back. But if the only offer you're getting,

somebody wants you to move back to pick 45. Well, that's just going to be too much. So. back to pick 45. Well, that's just going to be too much. So, everybody likes Conklin. Conklin is good. Aaron Rogers will know how to throw to him. Stop it.

Do I think they keep CJ Ham? Yes, I do think they keep CJ Ham. Elite special teamer, elite leader, captain on the team, pass blocker when they need him. I didn't look at what Jordan Mason did for pass blocking We're this deep into the show and you didn't look at what Jordan Mason did for pass blocking What are you doing out there? Well, PFF's already got him as a Viking. They're quick. Oh No, he was not a pass. Nope. Not a pass protector. Did not grade well at that at all.

No, that's probably something he's not going to do a lot for the Vikings. Yep. Blake, I agree with you on Gray's able, but Jonathan also wants defensive tackle and you both convinced me. I mean, the thing about this draft now, because they could draft whoever they want and don't have to do it out of desperation. It's you. You could talk me into somebody set a safety and I'm like, well, Melky Starks or Nick and Amore sounds good.

And then I was like, no, we need a guard. Gray's able. I'm like, okay, well, that sounds pretty good, too. Like, there's just going to be a lot of options there. I'm actually excited to do next week's draft show with Chris. Tripasso blind shadow vortex. Do you think do you have a take on Ohio State defensive tackle excited to do next week's draft show with Chris Trapasso. Blind Shadow Vortex, do you think do you have a take on Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleak Williams? I think he is a monster.

He is a huge human being. Maybe now that they have some pass rushers, they would consider someone like that. He reminds me a little more of the. Uh, like that, I shouldn't say exactly Vita Vaya because he's kind of a fire hydrant and I think Williams is taller, but the Vita Vaya type that just takes away the middle, takes up a bunch of gaps. If I'm going first round, I'm looking a little bit more at

I want this guy to get eight sacks. Don't sleep on the Rams. I yep, The Devante Adams, Pukka Nakua, great defensive line Rams should be up there. And the fact that they blasted the Vikings in the playoffs, they should be up there. Top five probably. I don't think Chicago is there. I don't think the Packers are. I mean, the Packers just, what have they done? The Packers are. I mean, the Packers just, what have they done? The Packers seem dead set.

I saw a good tweet from Marcus Whitman. If you guys don't follow Marcus's YouTube channel, we did a show together for a while and then we both ran out of time to do it, but he's a friend, does a great YouTube channel. And he said something like the Packers are dead set on only getting wide receivers in a certain way and those ways don't work anymore, which is developing one from the middle rounds,

not paying for one and weird how they don't work anymore when you don't have like the best quarterback in the world anymore and your quarterback actually needs help now. So I think the Packers are a notch below where the Vikings are and where the Lions are. But I think they've they've closed the gap with the Lions and the Lions. They were talked about as could they get Max Crosby? Oh, could the Lions go out and get Miles Garrett? And the fact that they haven't done anything outside of DJ Reed and DJ Reed is good. Oh, his channel is that franchise guy.

Yeah. Thank you, Seth. Marcus Whitman. Really, really good football analysts great dude. So Minnesotan who likes the Packers beware, but you know, he's really good at it. So he does the whole league Anyway, uh, what was I talking about? Sorry lost the train of thought there. Oh the time about the roster strengths maybe Sorry, lost the train of thought there. Oh the uh, was I talking about the roster strengths? Maybe. Hour and a half in and I now have lost uh, lost my train of thought.

Anyway, was I talking about the draft? I don't even remember now, but uh, you're right, Jay Boon, they can go for a best player available now as opposed to having to force a running back in there, and this does kind of remove the conversation of should they take a running back at 24, which I did enjoy that conversation because I was becoming more convinced that that was something that they could actually do. Reconnected. They could use some depth at linebacker. Yeah. I mean, Eric Wilson helps, but if Brian awesome was not going to be part of it, Yeah, I mean, Eric Wilson helps, but if Brian awesome was not going to be part of it, then they, you're right. They could probably use one more.

It's just, you know, they have. So many players that they have brought in to build out this roster that it feels so different than the past. That's where I'm standing right now. When I look at the whole roster was I talking about the Lions. Oh, yeah, the Lions. Yeah, they were supposed to get everybody. The Lions were supposed to go get everybody in the and then they haven't really added a lot and they lost a Darius Smith.

They brought back on was Zerky who I liked, but DJ Reed is their big acquisition, but that was replacing Carlton Davis who was already good. So they're, they're good though. I mean, the lions are good. Uh, and they're, they had a lot of injuries last year. They're going to be a good team. Aiden Hutchinson is as good as it gets. I'm not going to put the Vikings ahead of the lions in total roster strength, but this is the first time. Thank you, Jared. Yeah. Thank you guys for reminding me what I was talking about and got distracted.

But yeah, this is going to be the first time that we look at the Vikings roster at the beginning of training camp and say, that is a good roster with a lot of proven players. Not that's a roster with some, some talent and still has a bunch of holes that you're hoping and dreaming about. And that comes from a long-term plan. This is why, you know, you guys talking about quasi and everything. Like, I don't know what the deal is with the contract and look, it's March. The season doesn't start until September.

So we'll see what happens there. But if we just put that aside and assume that that's still going to work out fine, and maybe they've been busy with all this stuff. And let's just assume that there's nothing going on really for real with Aaron Rogers. How good is this? How well done is this? I was talking with the wife the other day about like the Roger stuff

and I was like the thing that would maybe annoy me the most about the Rogers thing is that collectively all Vikings fans who are dialed in smart fans over the last few years recognized over the last few years recognized that this was the right plan and the right path and It's like this was everybody's plan when quasi da flamenca and Kevin O'Connell took over I think the sharpest Vikings fans all said Here's what you do You get a succession plan from Kirk Cousins if the ownership wants you to win then you got to try to win But you set it up so your salary cap situation is great and you draft a quarterback and then you fill every need out in free agency and you're gonna

really seriously compete over several seasons for a Super Bowl. Who knows if you'll do it, but you're gonna give yourself a real chance the way that some other teams that have made the Super Bowl, that's how they did it. This is how the Rams did it. Remember the Rams brought in Andrew Whitworth and Sammy Watkins and all these other players in free agency around a young Jared Goff. And in 17, they had the best offense in the league. And in 18, they were in the Superbowl. So this is how other teams have done it. Jalen hurts was in his third year. I think they brought in a bunch of players.

They traded for AJ Brown. That's how they got to the Super Bowl. There's just there's just been a lot of these teams that have done it this way. So the sharpest fans, this was your plan that everybody had agreed on and then quasi and Kevin O'Connell and the Wilfs. They're all doing it. We're like, wow, this is the plan. This is the one we talked about.

And then picking McCarthy was I compared it to Cody Rhodes, complete completing the story. Right. And then you get to this point. And this is the true completion of the competitive rebuild, even though they won 14. But this is the this is the moment we all talked about. And if they go Rogers, it's so far off of that as a wait a minute. This was the plan not to then go bring in some 40 year old quarterback

who's not good anymore. And that's why I tend to think that it will go the way we expect. It will go. And if it does and it is McCarthy, then you made it. And now we play football, but they you made it From point a to point B You went through the Shaw shank and not that 14 wins with Shaw shank But you know what? I mean you went through so much with this roster to get to this point

Wow, you're actually there and you have a chance and then we see how it plays out Jude I can't believe the number of people who've asked me about a trade, someone made up on the internet about sauce Gardner, the jets, why would the jets trade sauce Gardner? They just hired a former cornerback as their head coach. That would be insane. I mean, that's if you're Aaron Glenn, that's like why you're taking the job. Uh, Chris says, uh, 20 2026 running back free agency is stacked.

Reese Hall tops the list. Chris, let me just say this. The fact that you are aware of the 2026 free agency running back group. Much respect, much respect. That's all I have to say. You're you're a sick man, and I love it If they do need another free agent running back down the road what I'd like to see them do is Draft one in the late rounds because it's so deep So now what are we talking? Yeah expectations is an interesting things to talk about

Can JJ stay on the field? Yeah. I mean, the, the, the knee thing was a freak thing. I don't know that it happens. I mean, anybody could get hurt, but I'm always going of the assumption that people will stay healthy and then whatever, like it's hard to predict. That's why when we talk about, well, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, they were banged up. It's like, yeah, but I mean the guy had a shoulder injury.

I don't know. Like we'll see. And with McCarthy, he's going to be 22. So just going to go on the assumption that that's going to be okay, and he's going to play and so forth. I would set the expectation with the moves that they've made. Manny picked the schedule the other night as a fun episode. He went with 10 wins based on the schedule

and the team actually being a little stronger. And I would say 10, 11 in that range. And you're fighting for the NFC North because I think all the teams are gonna drop back a little bit. And then you go into the playoffs and you take your first shot. And that's what you're looking for this year is for that to happen.

And they've got the roster strength to do it. And this is one of the, I wouldn't call it the last moves, but it's one of those nice last pieces as I was making the housing comparison earlier. It's like getting that that that nice couch or something where, yeah, the foundation was built, the walls are up, the lights are on. But now you got a nice couch. It holds the room together. That was a rug.

So anyway, well, this has been really fun. You guys, what what an audience for a Saturday night breaking news. Really appreciate that. Really appreciate all you guys jumping in here. And there will be much more to come, uh, for, uh, conversations. A few of you were asking about Courtney Cronin. I do have Courtney scheduled on the show for next week from ESPN bears reporter to talk about the comparisons of these two off seasons.

Also Sam Monson scheduled to come on the show early in the week. Maybe I could even convince Jeremiah Searles to come back again after some more moves and everything else. So it's going to be another exciting week of discussion about the Vikings and we'll see what this second wave and if we get anything else in terms of Vikings, people talking about stuff maybe, or definitive answer on the quarterback situation. We'll see.

We'll all follow it together as we have through this long competitive rebuild to get to the point where this roster feels pretty darn strong. So great stuff from all of you. Thanks so much for jumping into the chat questions, comments, everything else. I really appreciate it. And I'm glad all of you are sickos enough to be watching and talking off season football this late on a Saturday night.

So I appreciate you all and we'll talk very soon. I don't know when, I made a promise though that when stuff happens, I'm gonna be here. I'm gonna be ready with the emergency pod. And here I was five minutes after the trade. So you can count on that going forward. Thanks again, everybody. And we will talk to y'all very soon.

Football.