Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast - EMERGENCY PODCAST: Harrison Phillips traded! Thielen next? (Part 2)

Episode Date: August 21, 2025

Matthew Coller talks about the Vikings trading Harrison Phillips to the Jets and Alec Lewis joins the show to grade training camp. The Purple Insider podcast is brought to you by FanDuel.

So earlier as the Harrison Phillips news was breaking, so many of you were commenting at once that my brain could not process to try to figure out what the response to this is. But I've looked through the comment section as Alex interview there with me out at TCO Performance Center was playing. and it seems like there is a lot of trying to figure out, like, what is the motivation for this? Is it just cap space? I do not think that that's the case. Is it that the younger players were so good in training camp that they felt like they could make this move and get more draft capital? I think that that's a much more plausible explanation. Is it because they're so desperate for a wide receiver that they have to do something like this? And it might be a little bit of category B and C. I do not think that it's just a cap space move because

they were not out of cap space. And every once in a while comes up with this, well, you know, they're this much over the cap for next year. I wouldn't worry too much about that because they've set up a lot of the contracts to be restructured. And they know that this is going to be what their entire team as far as a core looks like. Next year's free agency won't be exciting. But they've got their core and they've got enough contracts. that are restructurable that it's going to be fine also the cap is going to go up more than you think it's going to but if you get to a point where you feel like they have changed schematically for these two great defensive tackles that have had great training camps and they don't see as

much of a need for Harrison Phillips I mean think about the last couple of years just how much they had to lean on Harrison Phillips when you're throwing Jerry Tillery out there when you're throwing Jonathan Bullard out there and rotating in different guys that are kind of hanging on to NFL spots, you need a Harrison Phillips to be your sound and steady guy in the middle. But now, if you're talking about, hey, with these two guys with Alan and Hargrave, if they're healthy, then Harrison Phillips is going to play 450 snaps. It's better to make a move. Play Jalen Redmond, 450 snaps, play Levi Drake Rodriguez, 300 snaps, play, make a

Maybe it's Taki Tiamani, who I had kind of forgotten as part of this mix. But if they really like the way he's come along is that true nose tackle in running situations as a kind of a fire hydrant stuff the center type of guy, they can piece together the production that they were expecting to get out of Harrison Phillips. The area where I would have some concern is if you miss Javon Hargrave for five games, if you miss Jonathan Allen for five games, then. you're talking about Redmond has never been a full-time player. Rodriguez has never been a full-time player. It's younger guys behind that. Tyrian Ingram Dawkins has been very good, but also somebody who's really just starting to learn to play in the NFL. That's where I would have the concern. That's where I see some risk with this. But the risks that they have taken in the past with Brian Flores have generally tended to really work out. And we talked about this last year. Oh,

and bringing in Gilmore at the end of the training camp. It's kind of risky or Shaq Griffin, who was cut by his team. It's kind of risky. And they made it work. And even the defensive tackle position last year was like, are they really going to do this Jerry Tillery thing who had been a bust with the chargers? And they made it work.

So they have a tendency to be able to kind of figure these things out, even with, you know, someone like Ivan Pace. And then they've brought in Eric Wilson. You heard Alec mentioned that, you know, Eric Wilson could play a role in this team as well as, you know, linebacker's spot, but just finding different ways to move the pieces to the right places to make it work is something that Brian Flores does extremely well. I'm going to throw out another name of a wide receiver that was mentioned to me as I was

sitting here listening to the interview with Alec Lewis with you guys. Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts, his name was tossed out there. and I don't know if he's going to be available or not. They've had quite a wide receiver battle. Of course, the battle for quarterback position and Daniel Jones has been much more relevant there. But Pierce is kind of a guy that has been a deep threat for them and maybe never really truly became the all-around wide receiver. If there's a chance that he is on the trade block, last year he had 37 catches, average 22 yards a catch and had seven touchdowns. But if he's lost some ground, he might be.

be available via trade. So that's just another name to toss out there. But, you know, I figured I could answer some questions and I'm going to throw you out a fan duel question of the day, which is now that you know the Vikings wide receiver situation and maybe the best case scenario for them is getting Adam Thielen, how about this for a number for Justin Jefferson? Would you go over under on Fan duel 1,250.5 yards over or under for Justin Jefferson? Do you think that now with this wide receiver situation that Jefferson is just going to get pumped the football?

Or do you think that they are going to now lean on the tight ends, lead on the running game, lead on the screen game, the passing game to the running backs, and then still have the same role for Justin Jefferson. How do you feel that's going to play out over under 1,250 yards for Justin Jefferson is the Fandual question of the day? So just looking back at some of the comments, Dee Henn said stop with the Thielen talk. There will be younger receivers that get released. This is just, you know, one of the things that I have been a little perplexed by is how much people love young players and despise old players. But if you go back to Super Bowl rosters and you look through them,

you can always find veteran players who have been brought in at the last minute, always every single one of them the first one that comes to mind i'll just i'll just tear a wound open to answer this question for you the 2017 philadelphia eagles had elshan jeffrey and tory smith two guys who were in their 30s who had had better days in the NFL but could still play and they lit up the vikings in the nfc championship game now those guys were only there for a year and they were rentals and they weren't long-term prospects but i feel like Sometimes anybody who's reached 27 or 28 years old, every football fan just wants them to go away. Just get out of my face.

You can't play. And yet every Super Bowl team always has veteran players who kind of latch on at the last minute or our free agent edition who try to kind of ring chase a little bit. The Adam feeling type of move would be very typical of teams that are ready to win where you do trade future late rounds. by the way, draft capital to get someone who is proven because you know that you're a good team and you need that to help you compete. And as far as, you know, stopping with it, if it was not real, I would stop with it, but it's real. It is a very real discussion that's going on. Very real things are happening with the conversation between the Vikings and the Panthers about

Adam Thielen. And even though Tom Pellasero didn't put a name on it this morning when he tweeted, that the Vikings are making calls about wide receiver. I mean, you could, you could hear the, uh, the wink in the nod through the tweet or see the wink in the nod in the tweet. Um, it does pertain to him, but that's not the only option. It is not the only one and only option is Adam Thielen, but it's definitely real. And if they go out and they get, think about this, you want them to pick up a younger player. Okay, well, that would be great.

You know who would be great is Tederoa and McMillian. and they should get hit oh wait if teams have good young wide receivers they don't give them up they keep them so what kind of wide receivers can you get you could get young wide receivers that have problems you can get a wide receiver who is older and who has been passed by or the team has different plans but as proven i mean that which one makes more sense to you it makes more sense for this scenario to get the older wide receiver who knows what he's doing than it does to get some young flawed receive you know the Vikings have a bunch of young flawed wide receivers do you think other teams if they have a 24 year old great wide receiver they're being like yeah

let's just cut them let's just get no that's the reason the panthers are making feeling available is because they have young wide receivers that they don't want to get rid of so uh in an ideal world that would be absolutely wonderful but i don't think that that's realistic i like brandon Powell coming back as a punt returner, but I also feel like he was a decent enough receiver and is an underneath guy. I think they're going to do a lot more underneath than they did last year. I'm more for him as a receiver. In some ways, I would just like to see Silas Bolden punt return because Powell didn't make much of an impact, but at very least, it's going to catch it and he's got a ton of experience doing it. So that helps. But as a wide receiver, he was capable of stepping

into the game. If that's the free agent they're going to look at, the other one is Amari Cooper, but I haven't seen or heard a thing about Amari Cooper and his status. Is he interested in playing? Is he done? Is he waiting for somebody to get hurt? They made it official, I think, today with Keenan Allen and the Chargers. That was one where I was kind of waiting to see if anything weird happened there. But the options and the reason why the Thielen thing is so interesting. wait a minute. Are you serious? Did Kay Adams tweet that? Is that true about Thielen to Minnesota?

Is that true? Or is that something that she is just, is she is just guessing? I am not. See, stop talking about Powell. He sucks. I don't, I don't think that that, I mean, I don't think, look what we're talking about.

Look what situation we're in here with, with Powell. Did Kay Adams tweet that? Is that right? Are you guys messing with me? Because this has seemed like, it was yeah you guys are messing with me no I just called up her Twitter you guys are messing with me don't do that don't be playing games like that if we get real news then we get real

news uh Tyler boyd you know Tyler boyd is another one that oh uh it was joke oh joking with KOC in her interview about Adam Dillon okay all right I got you I gotcha in a recent inter okay okay thank you thank you thank you for correcting that because I was hey I mean you know you never know who's going to break news. If you guys go back to the early, do you remember the early, early, early days of social media where Randy Moss coming back to the Vikings, Bill Simmons was trying to message it to Adam Schefter. And instead, he just tweeted it out like Moss to Minnesota. And then it was like, wait, on this random social media site that we didn't understand social media yet, all the news hadn't been funneled to this one website. And we're like, is that,

is that, what's it? Was that a? joke is that really happening is randy like no one could figure out what was going on that was kind of crazy so you know uh but you know the the adam theeland idea is kind of the best that you can get at and i don't look i think that brandon powell as someone who can fill in a role and knows the offense is is serviceable at this time of year you just kind of have to have a standard that you're not likely to get terry mccloren i saw that you guys were mentioning McClureen. I, Joanne Jennings, I don't know if he is available or if he's injured or what that situation is. Now you guys are Chris Walsh, Sammy White. Yeah, if only, right? That's the

point. That is the point about Brandon Powell is that we're doing all of this when it comes to the standard for what you can get this time of year. What you can get this time of year is somebody who hasn't been picked up yet that has problems, right? That that is not the best wide receiver in the world, but at least would know how to play in this offense and could give them a hand to the punt return game. You're only looking for people who aren't going to completely blow it. That's what you're really looking for.

I mean, because when you watch Miles Price punt return in the last preseason game, you're like, wow, this kid's got some jolt. And then you watch them drop it in practice and you go, call Brandon Powell, right? and maybe Bolden's got a big chance to win a job here. And then you see, you know, something happened like today where, you know, Ty Felton gets a little bit banged up and we're still really unclear about where Naylor's at.

That could be very influential as well. For how badly do they need another wide receiver, how much are they willing to pick up? They've been very kind of suss when it got to use maybe some Gen Z language there, a very not-sum. super open about Jalen Naylor and his injury, but when O'Connell said evaluating the options, that makes you think, okay, is he going to have to have surgery and then be out for multiple weeks? And then you are left with Lucky Jackson as wide receiver two and Thayer Thomas

is wide receiver three. That moves the needle up quite a bit for the desperation to go get Thielen or another wide receiver. Yes, it would be really, really great if they could get Terry McClure, but I don't think that is an option or Tyreek Hill or any big swing. I just don't really want, you know, Odell Beckham. I think that comes along with certain things. And I don't think that he's the player. He used to be Leo Lewis is a great pull, very good pull. Did the Vikings not draft a wide receiver?

Why can't they just play him? Well, when it comes to Ty Felton, they did draft a receiver, but you're talking about the last pick of the third round and someone that they want to develop who has not been in this offense anywhere near as long as Lucky Jackson or Thayer Thomas. Like those guys, I mean, those are, those are to most fans just a concept, like, like just a guy who you've heard their name a bunch of times, but can never think of, you know, couldn't think of too many plays they were actually involved in because they haven't been in games and neither one of them has had a huge preseason game that you remember and go, oh yeah,

the Thayer Thomas game or something like that. But when you see them operate the offense with McCarthy, at very least, they know what they're doing because they've been in the offense long enough. I think Felton just needs more work. And he's gotten a couple of first team reps. It's not like he's done nothing. He's caught some passes in preseason. But if you're asking him to go out there and be a top wide receiver right away,

I mean, you know, that's a lot to ask for somebody like Ty Felton. I mean, I'd like to see him in the mix. I'd like to see him in the game plan and have a handful of snaps and get the football on his hands and make some plays. But I don't think that he was a guy that anyone thought, oh, he's just going to be ready to go. And this is why you get veterans and then continue to develop somebody like that over the years. See, when you guys are bringing out, how about Cadrell Hodge as a veteran wide receiver? I mean, I do know who that is.

but, I mean, that's, is that different than somebody like, you know, Brandon Powell, probably not. What would it take to get Rashad Bateman back? Probably a very high draft pick. And I don't think the Ravens would do something like that. So any news on Felton's injury? As far as how serious, like they don't have to tell us this time of year. There's no injury report.

So COC doesn't like run over to us and say he hurt his thumb. but I can say that he stayed out there for the rest of the practice. He didn't participate, but he stayed out there. Usually a pretty good sign if there's something serious would be if they ran him back into the training room. So if he ripped his arm off, they would have escorted him back into the training room and gotten him off the field. But he just took the rest of practice off, which would make me think that is not super

serious, but that was also the case with Jalen Naylor and Justin Jefferson. And those guys have been out quite a while. I mean, the main part of this that makes you think about going out and getting somebody and spending and, you know, even if it is an Alec Pierce or whoever else, they probably would have had a chance at Skymore. He ends up going to the 49ers, very 49ers-y type receiver. The injuries are really what pushes me over the top. I think at the beginning of the Adam Thielen buzz, I was much more of, hey, like, it's fine. They survived a couple of games last year, and Nailer will be okay, and they'll throw it to Oliver, and they'll throw it to the running backs, and it'll be okay, guys. But once you see Nailer go down, and then, you know, you're already without Rondale Moore, you know, now you're talking about the potential of having guys who have done nothing be your number two wide receiver.

That's not something that I really love the idea of that happening. As far as Lucky Jackson, underwhelming and preseason games, pretty good in the first. one. Second one was a huge issue and I think scared them. Today, he had a great catch in the back of the end zone on, I thought one of the best throws from J.J. McCarthy, a little bit of a bounce back, but it's not the same. You're right. I mean, get out there in a game and make those plays. That, I'm sure, scared them a little bit too, because they had been high on Lucky Jackson. He had taken a ton of first team reps, but that was his wide receiver three. That's in, I mean, maybe you're going to play 20 plays in a game. If your wide receiver.

3 and mostly is a bit of a decoy trying to get the ball to Justin Jefferson as we saw how many games was jela nailer just a decoy last year as the wide receiver 3 most of them honestly so that wouldn't concern you but if he's got to be wide receiver 2 that's not a decoy like that guy's got to make plays as wide receiver 2 you'd be much more comfortable with somebody else popping in who was able to do that before so uh never forget anthony carter returning oh yeah Anthony Carter, and he was a great punt returner. KJ. Osborne's name gets thrown out every night. I just don't know where he's at.

John Gilliam, you guys are going back. The Amari Cooper thing is just, I just don't know where Amad Rashad, another great one. I just don't know where, like, it's been out there at all that Amari Cooper wants to come back. I mean, if he does, then, like, I guess so. Then maybe sign him. every other comment is, you know, Thelan's washed and stuff. I really don't think that the Thelan has washed people. Just, just throw this out.

If you, look, if you're going to tell me Adam Thelan is washed, you have that right. It's America. But here's what I want from you in the comment section if you say this. Give me the number of Carolina Panthers games you've watched the last two years. Just give me the number. What is it? Is it one? Could it, could it be one?

It's zero. it's you haven't watched any Carolina Panthers football what you're going off of is the last time you thought you saw Adam Thielen which he was okay but it was not the Adam Thielen from 2017 but when we look at his actual performance by the data we have at our little fingertips here he actually is graded higher for Carolina the last two years than he did for the Vikings and in 2022 when he was quote washed and and to me I just think not the like what we always have to do the that, right? You have to be a very insulting. You can't just sort of like quantify it correctly. You just got to trash somebody. But 70 catches for 716 yards in 2022. Like that's still a very reasonable contribution. If Adam Thielen came back and even did what he did last year, which was played 10 games, 48 catches, 13 yards a catch, five touchdowns, 78% receiving percentage. I mean, and Bryce Young's quarterback rating and, and Dalton last year was 108.7 when throwing to Adam Thielen, only two drops, seven out of

10 on contested catches. I mean, if that's what a trade gets you, then that is a very, very good contribution from a veteran wide receiver who doesn't have the same speed as he used to, but still has a lot of the other fundamentals of being a good wide receiver in the NFL. So I think, I think that it's just very lazy to me to just be like washed like well let's quantify it let's let's talk about it what he could really bring to this team if they make this move rather than just the trashing him to i don't know what what that accomplishes uh but i think if it was anybody else that you'd be talking about i mean heck how many of fans let's let's just really nail this point into the ground how many fans wanted larry fitzgerald when he was like 36 look

look yourselves in the mirror if you're hammering the Adam Thielan idea. How many of you wanted Larry Fitzgerald when he was 36? Gabe Davis still out there. It's still out there. Adam is very expensive. Not really. No, he's not. You have to look up these things before we say them.

He's really not. Carolina would be, I think, on the hook for some of that money that is already guaranteed to him. And I've seen a couple different numbers, but it's not the full cap hit that would come to the Vikings. they just made a bunch of cap space for Harrison Phillips. They already had cap space. Like we don't have to do stuff like that.

Like we don't we don't have to say things that are just not really accurate. So Stephen isn't feeling a solid blocking receiver. Yeah, he's always been good at that. He's always been good at that. I'm interested in Gabe Davis. Yep. I would be interested in Gabe Davis if he's like he is still out there for for a reason, though. Is it an injury?

He went to Pittsburgh and had a tryout and they didn't sign him. that was kind of odd too uh slade hunt chances that erin jones plays the slot for three weeks uh zero he's not you're not going to play a running back at wide receiver they need him to play running back um erin jones is amazing and could be a slot receiver if you needed him to but i they're not going to do that you can't just ask you're running back to just go play slot now on video games you absolutely can and i absolutely would but not in this case So, John, get through game one, so you don't have to guarantee his salary. We just don't have to do this, John.

Like, they are in a good enough salary cap position where they don't have to use every trick in the book to try to get every last dollar worked out of this. They're not in that spot. Like, they can do this from a salary cap perspective. Chris Carter, Chris Carter should come back and don't think Larry Fitzgerald is technically retired. That's a good point. Bring Larry home.

Bring Larry home. That is a good point. Yeah, I still see Chris Carter every once in a while out at Vikings. And you know how you'll hear those people say like, you know, that guy looks like he could still play. And then he's like hobbling, you know, whatever. Chris Carter, though, I bet if you threw him the football, he would catch it. I don't know if he could get open, but he would definitely catch it.

Let's see, Conrad. Tim Jones has looked better than Lucky Jackson. And well, you know, Tim, Tim Jones has gotten some first team reps throughout the week, but today was really the real simulation of if they were playing a game today, who would be in and he didn't get many. It was Thayer Thomas, who I think in practice, Thayer Thomas and J.J. McCarthy have been on the same page quite a bit.

It's just that Thayer is, I've compared him to B.C. Johnson. He's an underneath type receiver. He's a guy who's going to average eight or nine yards to catch. It's not going to have big playability. that's somebody that you would just be kind of hoping could go out and survive a couple of weeks. But Tim Jones at least has played in the league before. Tim Jones has caught passes before. The special teams penalties are concerning.

And I looked it up. He had like five penalties last year, too. So maybe this is a Chris Boyd situation where the guy can't stop getting penalties. But, you know, I would probably trust Jones a little bit more. But you're still talking about. guys who are kind of barely hanging on. David Palmer, Chad B, B, B, Cadre Ismail. I interviewed Cadre once. Great guy. Randy Moss has a kid that's a wide receiver, right? He was in rookie minicamp. That's funny. Mike says, hate losing beloved players have a lot of respect for

Harrison Phillips. Me too. Me too. You know, and in all of the kerfuffle of the trade, you know, just Harrison Phillips has been a pleasure to cover to tell you the truth. Like what you guys think of him in his interviews and what you see has been my exact experience. And he, he's just insightful, thoughtful, big personality. Like anybody who walks up to Harrison Phillips and wants to know something about football, he gets excited to talk about it. And I remember earlier in training camp, this is why I feel a little bit bad for him because it's going to a team that's going

to win six games. Earlier in this training camp, he was talking to so excitedly, At one point, I just said to him in the press conference, you seem pretty jacked up, man. Like, he seemed really excited for this season back in OTAs. And, like, that's life sometimes in the NFL where, you know, it just doesn't work out. But as far as guys to cover in the locker room, we have so many that we could give the Stringer award to for the best media guy. We gave it to Mattelis last year, Kirk the year before that. but Harrison Phillips, he's been right on those ballots every single year because he has always

been very easy to talk with in the locker room. And, you know, the other day, just the other day, he's got his Harrison's heroes, I think, is the name of it, his foundation that he works with. And I walked by the other day in TCO Stadium. And Harrison was down there with a bunch of people. I don't know exactly all the details of the foundation, but he had Drake May down there and they're playing with with people out and he's doing his thing, holding an event. And it's just, you know, things like that, they mean a lot to a community. You know, we're a hardcore football show and we don't talk about every single thing that every guy does off the field and stuff like that. But he was a real plus to the community. So he will be missed in the locker room. Reporters will miss him. I'm sure teammates will

miss him. And it just has to, you know, go under the category of things that they felt like they needed to do because of the depth that they have and the need for a draft pick and maybe the need for a little bit of the cap space. Damn ad says any moves on cornerback or safety during training camp. Well, a lot of guys have gotten opportunities to play safety. That's for sure. I mean, they have had every opportunity to evaluate Kalef Halasi, I think, has been the guy who's really stepped up the most, where I went from thinking, like, okay, whatever, you know, some random guy to like, okay, he's out there with the first team today. This guy might make the roster.

Jay Ward has made some plays during training camp. He had an interception in the joint practices. I think they wanted to evaluate Halasi today because I didn't see a lot of Jay Ward. If Jay Ward is playing in the game, then I guess it's always possibly got beat out. Harrison Smith's just been missing for a while with this illness and I don't know how long the illness is going to take for him to come back or if there's something else going on. I was told that there's nothing else going on, but, you know, I guess we'll see. We have had a surprise retirement once before.

That was Terrence Newman. So you never really know. I mean, look, I walked into the house today thinking, oh, camp's over, can't wait for this live stream, like, we'll just see what happens and whatever. And then bam, you get hit with. the trade that you never saw coming. We sit here and talk every night about a thousand different ideas and they did something we didn't see coming because, gosh, that's what makes the football offseason great, doesn't it?

That, like, sometimes you're just surprised and then we get to talk about it. So I might, you know, there might be some things that happen in the secondary or cut down day that still surprise us. Todd says, remember when Thielen was yelling at cousins on the sideline, I'd welcome him back for that act alone. that's very funny, Todd. That's very funny. And yes, yes, I do. I was, uh, staring down at that in the press box thinking what in the world has happened to this season. That was the most surprise season result, I think. And I had concerns in training camp in 18, but for them to not even make the playoffs. My gosh. My gosh. Um, anyway, so we're, we're at a point now where

there could be more things that are on the way, could be more surprises. and we'll just have to see what happens there. But the secondary is a place where I wouldn't be surprised if they're also looking. And Jeff Okuda getting a little banged up today. And this is the hard part here. And maybe we'll get, because we're going to meet with KOC and KC next week. They're going to do their annual, like right before the season press conference. So I think we'll get some updates on some injuries, Jalen Naylor, Jeff Okuda,

getting banged up today. Van Ginkle's been out a while. Cashman hasn't practiced the last couple days. how much of this is guys are just, you know, getting back to 100% and they don't want them practicing at the end for no reason and how much could be serious. And when, when Okuda goes limping off the field today, you go, that secondary depth man, Zama Yvonne, who's had a really great camp, I think, and is going to make this team. But he's, is he one play away? Or is it, you know, black men who struggled or, you know, I don't know. So I would not be super shocked if

there was a move at corner or safety. Dayton says is Hargrave going to play nose than when we have three down linemen? I would think that the nose would either be, depending on the situation, if they're going to play a three, four. I mean, right now it looks like there is no three four. It looks like it's just going to be a four or three and there's going to be two, three technique defensive linemen, kind of the way it was with, because Shamar Stephan never really played a nose. he was they were it was more of a four three and look both of these guys have played four three before they haven't been three four and that could have played into this as well i i think that's maybe an underrated part of this is that they have been a three four base under brian flores but

i mean when you get guys like this you might just switch that up so now you're thinking more in four three terms because that works for them and just yesterday flores was talking about still learning over this camp of what they do well, what they, what they like, where they like to be and may have come to the conclusion. Like these guys need to be three techs. They're not really line up over the tackle type guys as you would expect for three four defensive linemen. But if they're going to do a three man D line, I would guess that the nose tackle would either be if they keep Taki Taimani, who I hadn't had on previous rosters, but I think I would have now. I've loved what I've seen from Elijah Williams, but that's a guy you usually can get to the practice

squad. So even though I've really, really liked him, Taki Taimani now seems valuable to have on the 53. So he would be the nose or it might be Levi Drake Rodriguez because he's played a lot in the middle as that position. They might have been so impressed with him throughout this year that they said like, let's just let's just have him handle that role. So I think it's going to be one of those two guys probably depending on the situation it's a great question though i can't wait to find out because i don't know either uh how much does the money how much money i think shafter reported that it was going to save them i think they were holding on to 3.7 of the 7.6 so you could do the math there is that 3.9 so about 4 million i guess uh shot you 99 do you think the trade

happened out of desperation or just because they could um i don't i don't see something to be desperate for um i mean maybe i mean would they be that desperate for a sixth round pick to get a trade done for a receiver i don't i don't think so to me it's all about the backups it's all about the young guys who have just risen to this challenge i mean it they've just been you heard alec lewis talking about it too i mean i my grade for the defensive line was a how many pluses is available that i could put next to a i mean it's been an an ideal situation to would be an understatement for what the D-Line has done. First team and second team have been dominant during this camp.

So I think it's much more about Levi Drake Rodriguez and Jalen Redmond, who were great. They played against the first team offense a lot, and they were great. I think it's more about them. And then it's an opportunity to get draft capital and cap savings. But I think it's more about them than being desperate for a sixth. Now, if it was like a three or something and they needed to swing that to somebody else, then maybe, maybe there would be some desperation. Antonio Brown, Cadarius, Tony.

You guys, Jalen Rager will be back. Thielen is, William says, $6.25 million base. Yeah, I was trying to figure out just how much they would get in that trade, how much money they would have to take on. 6.2 million is not too much. Dayton says, Alec Pierce is the most interesting guy that you've named, a lot of speed to run clear outs right he would fit you know that's along with the Gabe davis

type of thing like he they would fit uh as more of deep threats but alec pierce is extremely fast troy williamson yes Troy williamson definitely definitely Troy williamson uh I'm just I got to throw it out there because I've seen enough of it that I don't want to see it anymore this is not a show that's going to talk about cheerleaders okay guys if you mention that in the comments. I mean, it's an, it's an easy block. So just, just to, just to throw that out there, if that's, if that's something you want to talk about, you can go find somebody else to talk with that about, because that ain't going to be me. So anyway, talk about football here, my friends. Okay, let's see. Rach says Carolina's had receiver injuries last week or so. I continue to not

really see a reason that they'd make the trade. Well, I could tell you, just from my information, like they are considering it, that this is something that has been a conversation between the two teams. So I know that to be the case. And when it comes to why they would do it, it's really because they have four wide receivers that they feel really good about. Teteroa McMillan, they feel great about. And then Xavier, Xavier, Leggett, they want to figure out what they have there. He was a draft pick for them. They really like Coker. He kind of was an undrafted free agent that stepped up. And then I think they like Hunter Renfro too. Hunter Renfro had some sort of illness or something like that that kept him out of the league last year. Because remember, we were talking

about this, hey, should they sign Hunter Renfro and just to take a shot at him? But he's back healthy. So I think that there is a good chance that, you know, he ends up making that team and ends up, you know, being a part of their offense. So if they feel that way, then, like, why would you keep Adam Thieland if they want to see the other receivers and then see if they have something in Hunter Renfro, which I guess in practice it sounds like from what I've read from, I always read Mike Kay there on Carolina. I follow like different beat reporters from every team and, you know, follow their work. And Mike Kay who's been talking about Renfro, I think, all offseason.

Let's see, life is about the odds. So as Williams and Dawkins change the D-line rotation, they have been explored. and our ascending players that couldn't be stashed was definitely ingram dawkins because he's a draft pick we're going to see about williams this might also be about taki tiamani he was off my radar taiamani the entire training camp until recently when i thought he's played really well and in the preseason game he was making plays and that might be a part of it too is just feeling like he can step in but do they keep williams do they keep taiamani a williams has made a huge impression. Do they think that they can, you know, get him into the, uh, practice squad?

I guess, you know, we'll see on that. So, you know, DJ, uh, DJ Shark has been mentioned a bunch of times to me, like people DMing me and stuff. When was the last, I'm going to look this up. When was the last time, like I feel like DJ Chark had a moment for the Jaguars where he was really good and then has just done nothing since. Let's take a look here. Yeah, he caught 73 passes for a thousand yards in 2019. Holy cow. He was considered a rising young star receiver as a former second round draft pick and then just off the face of the earth. In 2003, he had 35 receptions for Carolina and four catches last year for the Chargers. I mean, you know, for a handful of people who have said, you know, hey, uh, I don't want

Brandon Powell. You're like, okay, well, you know, but you want DJ. I mean, I'm not saying you're saying that, but I mean, this is a guy who had seven catches last year and people are telling me that Thielen's washed with 48 receptions last year. He had four. Did I say seven? He had four for 31 yards, DJ Shark. I mean, that's just, look, if you got to do it, you got to do it because they're in a position where they might have to do it. But not, not really ideal. So Jared says, wanted to say that Steve have checked the mic. earlier this year said that Redmond was one of the most underrated players of the league. Yeah, it's interesting. I wonder where Steve Palazzolo may have gotten a little of that information on Jalen Redmond. We talk. We talk sometimes. Also, he had really good PFF grades.

And we know that Steve works for PFF. But I confirmed for him that those grades were legit on Jalen Redmond. So I've been very much on the same page when it comes to Jalen Redmond and being a rising player and we've talked about it a lot during camp yeah brady you're right about charke you had that one season that's so weird when that happens right when a guy just has this huge breakout thousand yard season and then is kind of never heard from again quentin johnston think he has the issues with receiving the football uh frank lequan treadwell you almost kind of had me there for a second because Treadwell is still out there.

Chase is Powell that much better than Lucky Jackson because of the drops. Well, I mean, Powell has played before. Is he that? I mean, how much are we talking about that much better? Two years ago, he stepped in in 2023 and played pretty well. And last year, the receivers were healthy and they were on the field a lot. And Naylor kind of emerged and to push Brandon Powell down. He came in and played okay in the San Francisco.

Houston games. He had a couple of catches there, but it was really, you know, 2023, where he showed that he at least can play wide receiver at 29 catches, 324 yards, and had a couple of memorable receptions, was really good in the San Francisco game in 23, if I'm remembering correctly. Let me pull that up. Yeah, you had four catches for 64 yards. I mean, it's, it's a guy that at least you know what he brings to the table. That's where, what I would say about Brandon Powell. he's not somebody that makes you overwhelmed with his incredible prowess for playmaking or something, but he's going to get to the right spots. He's going to catch the football a little.

He's going to give you everything he can. And look, when you need a tush push, just kidding, just kidding. Skywalking McCarthy, do you think Quasi, do you think Quasi trades those two sixth rounders, always looking for a second move? Yeah, I do. I mean, I do. I think that there is another move coming. I'll just continue to say.

I think the Thielen speculation is not just for funzies. It's not just for like some sort of Minnesota festival or whatever. Hey, the state fair is coming up and I'm feeling very Minnesotan. Bring back Thielen. Like that's not why. That's not why. It's because the options aren't great. And when the options aren't good and he's the best possible, you know,

just forget about the history and everything else. It's just probably the best thing that they could do. let's see, Heisen, Buck, the Vikings O-Line, was bad in 18. It was bad a lot of times. That is correct. And that was really why in 2018, we thought that there could be something that wasn't really right. And it's also, 2018 also made me believe in my instincts for training camps.

And you heard Alec Lewis earlier talk about how he said that he's learned to be against the idea of. trusting his instincts. I've felt the opposite way over the years. Because in 18, I thought, no, they're just too good, right? They're just too good. And every national writer would come and be like, is it Super Bowl or bust for you guys?

And we were watching practice going, this doesn't look right. Something's off here. The injuries to the line, Tony Sparano passing away was a really traumatic thing for the entire organization, but especially the line. The John D. Philippo, Mike Zimmer relationship was weird from the start. and you're like, the vibes are bad.

That is not how I've felt this year. And I think everyone is looking at J.J. McCarthy being like, if you can, then we can. But the vibes have been intense, I think. I think it's a team that really feels like it can do it. It feels like it's a step away. It feels like it's headed there. And a lot of guys performed like it during this camp.

And, you know, every team in the league thinks they don't have enough depth. But I look around and go, there's a there's a there's a lot of good players on this team there's good players in the backfield multiples of them there's good tight ends there's you know even the backup offensive lineman blake brandle i would trust if they had to play him 10 games which is something i could have never said about a guard before that a backup guard i would have trusted them uh eric wilson the linebackers the d line we're talking about there's still questions about the secondary but it's a deep and talented football team that you are ready to make these

types of moves because the vibes have been so good. So you are willing to be a little bit bold here when it comes to something like this. Romeo Dobbs, what is Romeo Dobbs situation? Was he, was it him last year who was not happy with his role? What is the Romeo Dobbs deal? 46 catches last year, 601 yards, four touchdowns, had 59 the year before. Seems like he's been a decent receiver for the Packers. Is he just the odd man out?

I mean, when you draft two, is he just the odd man out? Oh, Mark, I did not realize that Keena McCartle was DJ Sharks coach when he was in Jacksonville. It just was so long ago. I mean, that's reaching pretty far back into history. 35 catches two years ago is not too bad. Skywalking McCarthy wants Thieland and Osborne. All right. I mean, I have no issue with that.

As long as Osborne is not the punt returner. did not go very well. Are they freeing up cap space for a reason? I think that that was just part of it. I think it's all just maybe part of it. The cap space, the draft capital could help them a little bit. I think the main reason is that the backups have just been that good. And they felt, and schematically also, I think, plays a big role.

And maybe they just looked at, maybe they were trying to figure out and eventually we'll get some answers on this. I think, but maybe they were just looking at the scheme and saying, where does he fit? That, you know, there's just better fits right now with the way that things have changed with those two other defensive tackles. Let's see. What day do they have to cut down? That would be Tuesday. And you'll never believe it. There will be a live podcast right after the cut down day. I will be here for you the minute that the Vikings final roster is announced. Maybe Gerius Wright is out there. two to at well didn't he sign somewhere else is he going to get cut uh yahoo sport says they might cut dobs and i'm sure they wouldn't trade someone to the viking so maybe uh thielin was a part-time punt returner yeah yeah uh it wasn't great though right didn't you have the fumble against the cowboys i don't think that's something you really want to do

oh he was benched because he wasn't target enough okay it was benched because he wasn't target enough Okay, it was benched because of that, or did he, like, bench himself or, or what? Romeo Dobbs. I mean, these are the guys we're looking at, though. I don't think that they would trade him to the Vikings, but if they get a spot where they've got to cut him, then. Yeah, Travis Hunter would be helpful playing the two positions the Vikings need. That is true. Yep, that is true.

Valdez Scantling? Uh, yeah, he's, he fits the mold. And he's been in big games before. He's had big games against the Vikings before. He has a little bit of the drops sometimes, but I mean, these are the types of receivers. You guys are really going deep on this. Stacey Coley, that's a good one. How about, who was it?

Rodney Adams was the other one. Dobbs is a headcase. Yeah, I don't know. Dobbs had a lot of drops. Did he have a lot of drops? Let me see. Yeah, I don't know about that. I don't know about that one.

Yeah, five drops. Yeah, that's a pretty high almost 9%. That's a pretty high drop percent. for him. Chark returns punts. I just don't, like, where is he at? If he had four catches last year for the Chargers, a team that did not have a whole heck of a lot of wide receivers.

I mean, I like this Alec Pierce idea, though. I want to trademark the Alec Pierce idea if they do that. Jarius Wright was very clutch. Totally agree. Jake Reed. Oh, Jake Reed would be wonderful for this. Bobby Wade, you guys are doing great. No one has answered the Fandul question of the day of over under 15.

or 12, 1,250.5 yards for Jefferson. If they're short on receivers like this, then is he going to go over 1,250.5? That was the Fandul question of the day. Quentin Johnston, I just, I don't know if you want another guy who's going to drop the ball. Bernard Barion, Hassan Jones. Yeah, you guys are, you guys are going deep into the mix.

so going with the over there okay that's good jean washington okay now you're going way back who is the most random wide receiver for the vikings in the last five years to catch a pass that's a that's a can i make that the fandal question of the day chriselave i don't think that they're trading him right uh can't read the name there uh but think tiamani's the starting nose i think tiamani's really made a push in these last just these last couple of weeks. Greg Lewis, Chris Walsh. Chris Walsh was a great player.

I enjoyed Chris Walsh. Christian Kirk, I think he's going to make the team in Houston. B.C. John, yeah, B.C. Johnson could be. Chark was injured last year. I only played seven games. I know that's part of the evaluation, though. I mean, if he was injured and he's only made a handful of catches, I mean, I don't hate it.

It's just, it's not really ideal when the, previous two the previous three years i mean he had seven catches one year for jacksonville then 30 for detroit did have some plays in there 35 for carolina talking about it i mean he's almost 30 years old he's getting cut by his own team is i mean it's not that compelling bc johnson's got does tyler conklin count as a weird receiver maybe corin robinson gregg childs dwayne bates oh man you are going deep into the back who would be the I mean Josh Doxon taking one snap I think for the Vikings I would go I think my answer would be probably Michael Floyd as the most random why because Floyd was really good and we made

so much of his signing and then it just turned into nothing sterling shepherd or trey Palmer I mean we're we're just sort of naming that's why like I'm looking at guys like you guys are throwing in the chat like David Palmer, Cadre Ismail, Sammy White, Percy Harvin, Chad Bibi. Chad Bibi is a great answer for most random receiver. And in some ways, I can't tell which are ideas for the Vikings and which are just random people you guys are throwing out there. Like when you say Van Jefferson, like is Van Jefferson available? I mean, I think that it's Aldrich Robinson is a good answer. I think that the more names that you guys mention of random wide receivers, the more clear it is.

of why we're having the Thielen discussion because, you know, Jake Bobo, Brandon Cooks, Dan Chasena, I don't think Dan Chasana caught a pass. Did he? I don't think so. Maybe he did. Did Dan Chesna catch a pass? Brandon Zilstra is a great name.

He was on the team. Dan Chisena was probably the most. No, he did not catch a pass for the Vikings. He did catch three for Carolina last year, and I think he got hurt this year. it's a great name though he was the most shocking guy blake prole did brandon zilstra caught passes for this team didn't he i remember him kick returning if brandon zilstra caught passes for the vikings then he wins the award yes yes how about this tell your friends tomorrow that you were watching a two and a half hour live stream

reacting to a trade and brandon zilstra's one NFL reception for the minnesota vikings came up a 23 yard catch in 2018. I do not remember what game, Brandon Zilstra. Even I feel like I remember most games, but I don't remember Dede Westbrook. That's a good one. Which game he would have caught passes it. I want to see something. I'm just going to, I'm just going to Google Amari Cooper to see if there's anything that he

has said recently that, like I see a lot of articles that the Vikings should sign Amari Cooper. If they're looking for a receiver, they should go get Amari Cooper. And I'm not against that. I mean, even if he's just, even if he's one fifth of what he used to be, that's still useful. I just haven't seen anything. There's a lot of articles of this team should get him. The Steelers should get him.

The Jets should get him. Is he actually going to sign? Is he going to play this year? That I can't find anywhere. Greg Camarillo. I talked to Greg once. Really nice guy. Eric Gulliford is a great answer.

That means that you really know ball from the 90s. Number 84, Eric Gulliford, because I wrote a story once about all the guys who had worn 84 in Vikings history and why I thought that they shouldn't retire it, even with Moss going to the Hall of Fame, because it's got this great history. And Eric Gulliford, the catch against Green Bay came up. If they want someone familiar, KJ. Osborne, I just, I don't know what his situation is. Let's take a look. Is there any, is there any KJ. Osborne reporting on the internet? This is true live streaming where you just Google stuff. once again it's kind okay right here that's from june in june it says three three commanders in

that could get cut but i'm not seeing an update recently from commanders reporters i will text i will text i know a commander's reporter i will text him to see if kj osborne is available and i'll see if he writes back Okay. I texted Ben Standig, who covers the commanders. We'll see if he thinks he's coming back. Since nobody in D.C. is covering the biggest story, which is K.J. Osborne's training camp. I haven't seen what's going on there. He's listed as wide receiver six on their depth chart, only making two million. Okay. Bring back Percy Harvard. There was. a story a couple years ago. I want to say in 2017 or 18 that Percy Harvin wanted to come

back. Greg Jennings. Joe Webb counts. Joe Webb absolutely counts. Get Anthony Richardson and turn him into a receiver. That's called Jumping the Shark. Amir Smith-Marcette for the most random guy. No, I think I've got it. I think I've got. I think I can win this game. It just came into my mind. I have to make sure this guy actually caught a pass. He may not have actually caught a pass because then i zilstra is the the leader right now yes this guy caught a pass i win this game with alexander hollins i win this game with alexander hollins as the most random guy when did he i'm going to say that he caught these passes and the last week of the season in 2019 against who would they have played chicago okay that's my guess let me see here

Hollins, Chicago, Week 17, they didn't play the starters. Alexander Hollins had two catches. And then when the Vikings cut Hollins, people went crazy. Yeah, we've kind of jumped the shark a little bit here, which means it's probably time to call it a night and then wait for the Adam Thielen trade. But I will say that if there is an Adam Thielen trade, I know, like, yeah, so get Adam Thielan now, Corderole Patterson, I just don't know if he could play the guy who dropped the

pass in the New Orleans game. Yeah, they threw him a ball, right? Garrett Bradb. Yeah. Okay. Oh, all right. You win. You win. The most random person to catch a pass is Garrett Bradbury. Well done. Who said that? Chase. Well done. Yep. That's the most random. That's more random than Alexander Hollins. Great stuff. That is a great way to. Did Kirk throw himself a pass? He might have, but that's not as random as a center going for like 15 yards. That was crazy. So great stuff, guys. Hey, man, we love when there is breaking news and if there is again. So my plan was to take the dog for a walk here and we'll go from there. And if there is late night, look, I'm going to be up.

I don't have plans tomorrow. I got a podcast I'm going to do with Tyler Dunn. I'm going on his show. But aside from that, tomorrow was supposed to be the day where I try to clean the house, spend the day, you know, with the dog and just wait for the final preseason game. But I'll just be waiting. I'll just be waiting for news tomorrow. And if it happens, then I will be ready to go.

Yep. Buddy the dog has really learned over the last couple of weeks that he just should chill right over here. And every once in a while, he comes and sniffs me to make sure I'm doing all right. But he's figured this out. He knows we're live streaming. He's a very smart dog. So anyway, well, if there is breaking news at any time, just like tonight, then I will be, did you just jump the DJ Chark?

Good one. Okay, that means it's really time. Bradbury should have been tight end three. You guys have, you guys have a lot of great names here. Well done. Well done in the chat. You had some bad moments tonight in the chat, but you really recovered here at the end. So I will catch you guys later.

I just don't know exactly when I was planning on so tomorrow night just to throw this out there I was planning on the fantasy roundtable that I recorded today of oh now buddies

now buddy's really asking me to go out usually we haven't gone two hours and 40 minutes but so many of you been watching so I was planning on the fantasy round table for tomorrow night and of course like Q&A with you guys that's still going to be the plan for right now

I'll have something for you at the beginning of the show tomorrow night and then we'll have a conversation and you'll hear the fantasy roundtable which was really, really fun with Ian Hartett's of Fantasy Life. Unless there is breaking news, then I will be back in this seat with Buddy the Greyhound right next to me. So thanks everybody for, again, a really fun stream. Really enjoyed the conversation and it's, I think these next few days are going to be very, very interesting. So I won't be straying too far from the, from the streaming machine here. So thanks again everybody and we'll catch you sometime soon i guess we'll see when football it's

almost here folks football