DAILY CLIPS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021

DAILY CLIPS

   TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 23, 2021

LOCAL NEWS: Tuesday, February 23, 2021

                                                 Purple Insider

How could the Vikings make the cap work around a big free agent?
By Matthew Coller
https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/how-could-the-vikings-make-the-cap

                                                   Skor North

A proposal from Peter King that would land Deshaun Watson with the Vikings
By Judd Zulgad
https://www.skornorth.com/a-proposal-from-peter-king-that-would-land-deshaun-watson-with-the-vikings/

NATIONAL NEWS: Tuesday, February 23, 2021

                                                  Maven Media

Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sends Deshaun Watson to Vikings, Kirk Cousins to 49ers
By Will Ragatz
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/blockbuster-trade-proposal-deshaun-watson-vikings-kirk-cousins-49ers

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Tuesday, February 23, 2021

'Getting Open': Vikings Focus on Mental Health in New Content Series
By Lindsey Young
https://www.vikings.com/news/mental-health-new-content-series

Lunchbreak: CBS Has Eye on Vikings Offensive & Defensive Lines This Offseason
By Eric Smith
https://www.vikings.com/news/offensive-defensive-lines-2021-offseason

PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 2/23/21
How could the Vikings make the cap work around a big free agent?

By Matthew Coller

Last week here at Purple Insider, we took a look at the best of the “big fish and bargain” free agents that the
Minnesota Vikings could target when free agency opens.

As you might expect, the most common response to the “big fish” options was that pouring too much cap space into
one player would be problematic with multiple holes to fill on the roster.

But is that really the case? We often hear “the cap is a myth” and it’s routinely pointed out that the Vikings have
worked around cap issues for years. Last offseason they traded for Yannick Ngakoe and made the pieces fit by
asking Riley Reiff to take a pay cut. Could they do something like that again in order to get a game-changer?

In order to get a better handle of what the front office is facing, I started toying with OverTheCap.com’s tool called the
“Cap Calculator.” It allows you to play the role of cap expert by restructuring contracts, signing free agents, trading
players and designating June 1 cuts — pretty much anything an NFL team can do to work with the salary cap is on
the table.

The tool is a little tricky if you’re not very familiar with contract structures but once you’ve done a little studying of
other contracts, you get a good feel for how the whole operation works and can start GM’ing away.

Trying to make it all work is like putting together a puzzle only you can change the shape of the pieces if they don’t
exactly fit — but there’s only a limited number of pieces that you can use the scalpel on.

Since the No. 1 player on my “big fish” list was Washington right guard Brandon Scherff, I decided to start there
(though there was a report from the Washington Post that he could stay in DC).

I fiddled around with his contract using some of the Vikings’ recent extensions and Zack Martin’s deal with the
Cowboys as an outline and eventually landed on a five-year contract with $43 million guaranteed and cap numbers of
$11.4 million, $15.4 million and $5.5 million in the first three years before getting to the whopping $17 million
numbers over the final two years .

I’m not sure Vikings Executive Vice President-Football Operations/cap expert Rob Brzezinski would be proud of the
deal but it gives us a general ballpark figure to work with. So signing Scherff to that monster contract would put the
Vikings $20 million over OTC’s projected $184 million cap.

Now what?

Fitting Scherff on the roster means cutting starting left tackle Riley Reiff to create $11.75 million and get us down to
$9 million over the cap. There really isn’t another viable way of going about it. Extending Reiff at a fair price is an
option but it doesn’t lower his cap hit enough to make a big dent in the $20 million over.

To clear enough space to sign the draft class and other bargain free agents, I gave an extension to Harrison Smith,
restructured Anthony Barr, cut Kyle Rudolph, Shamar Stephen and Dan Bailey. That brought my total to $175 million,
almost $9 million in space.

Here’s what it looked like on OverTheCap.com:

Where would this scenario leave us with filling the rest of the team’s needs?

They would still be missing a safety, defensive line help, a veteran corner, WR3 and a guard (assuming Ezra
Cleveland is moving to tackle).

This approach would require some patience in free agency — meaning waiting until right before the start of camp to
sign the remaining players that the league has passed over.

In our mock scenario, I decided to sign defensive end Alex Okafor, guard Nick Easton and safety Jaquiski Tartt for $2
million each, bring back linebacker Todd Davis for $1 million and give original-round tenders to RFAs Mike Boone
and Chad Beebe.

That leaves us with $1.2 million left. One last move to create some more space: Re-work Danielle Hunter’s deal to
give him more guaranteed money and lower his cap hit to $14 million.

That opens up just enough space to keep Ifeadi Odenigbo on his RFA deal and add receiver Breshad Perriman at $2
million. Here’s what we’re looking at:

Alright, maybe your head is spinning at this point. Mine is too. Being a cap guy is hard. So let’s get to the brass tacks
of the exercise.

Here’s what we can learn:

— Scherff is about the most expensive free agent the Vikings would ever target and there are still ways that they
could make him fit under the cap. But it takes a ton of work, including cutting a solid left tackle.

It also would mean relying quite a bit on signing veterans from the bottom of the free agent barrel and banking on the
2019, 2020 and 2021 draft classes clicking rather than having a safety net. They would have to hope Ezra Cleveland
is ready to play tackle, Jeff Gladney and Cam Dantzler take steps forward, Mike Hughes stays healthy or someone
else emerges and a young defensive lineman can make an immediate difference.

That’s a lot to ask.

— It says something about the conversations about trading Kirk Cousins. While Cousins has been a very good
quarterback overall in Minnesota, you can see how much different the conversation about landing an expensive free
agent would be if the Vikings didn’t have his cap hit.

That isn’t to imply they *should* trade Cousins, it’s only to say that’s why it’s a discussion.

— Danielle Hunter’s situation doesn’t swing the cap all that much in 2021 but it does significantly impact how much
work the Vikings need to do in order to rebuild the defense. If he signs an extension, Michael Pierce returns and
Ifeadi Odenigbo stays on an RFA deal (or extension), they appear to be only one or two players away from a vastly
better D-line. If Hunter is trade — a move that would only save the Vikings $5.2 million — it’s going to feel like they’re
worlds away from having an impact pass rush.

— Restructuring is cool for this year but it has implications down the road. Converting $4 million of Barr’s base salary
to bonus saved space in 2021 but added space in 2022. Similar to June 1 cuts, these work-arounds have
repercussions.

— The Vikings have a really interesting formula to deal with on the offensive line. Do they believe Cleveland can play
tackle? Would they move Brian O’Neill? Do they think they can find another bargain guard?

— There is an abundance of solid free agents that will land somewhere between bottom-of-the-barrel and big fish. It
might be the most likely approach that the Vikings take in free agency rather than playing with fire.

Feel free to play around with the Cap Calculator and drop the results in the comments…

PUBLICATION: Skor North DATE: 2/23/21
A proposal from Peter King that would land Deshaun Watson with
the Vikings

By Judd Zulgad

In his Football Morning in America column, Peter King proposes five potential trade options for the Houston Texans
to move quarterback Deshaun Watson. King starts by pointing out that new Texans general manager Nick Caserio
isn’t interested in listening to offers for Watson at this point, but acknowledges that could change as the offseason
progresses.

One of King’s proposals includes the Vikings in a three-team deal that would send Kirk Cousins to San Francisco and
Watson to Minnesota, assuming he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause. There is one thing worth pointing
out about the fact Watson can reject a trade he doesn’t like. If Watson really wants to get out of Houston, he’s going
to realize that he needs to go to the team that gives the Texans the offer they like the most. If Watson attempts to
control his landing spot, the Texans could just sit on his rights.

With that being said, here is what King threw out regarding the Texans, 49ers and Vikings:

This is centered on the premise that San Francisco would not want to rip apart a team and a future, and might be
willing to take a lesser deal for a quarterback (coach Kyle) Shanahan has long admired. And also that Caserio, in the
heart of the draft room in 2014 when the Patriots made (Jimmy) Garoppolo a second-round pick, would want to try
again with Jimmy G. It’s a wing and a prayer, but fascinating to me.

King’s Proposal: The Vikings send Cousins to San Francisco. The Niners send Garoppolo to Houston, if, of course,
he would waive his no-trade. The Texans send Watson to Minnesota. In return: the 49ers send their first-round pick
in 2021 (12th overall) to Houston, and they are out. (So San Francisco would be trading Garoppolo and a one to
Houston and getting Cousins with two years left on his contract.) The Vikings would send linebacker Anthony Barr
and running back Alexander Mattison plus their first-round picks in 2021 (14th overall) and 2023, and second-round
picks in 2022 and 2023 in exchange for Watson. Houston’s haul: Garoppolo, two ones this year, a one in 2023, and
two second-round picks.

Zulgad’s Reaction: This is a lot to give up, and the return for Cousins would end up in Houston, but if we’re talking
about Watson, the Vikings should jump at this deal. Watson’s salary-cap hit is scheduled to jump from $15.9 million
in 2021 to $40.4 million in 2022. The difference between this cap hit and Cousins’ bloated cap number in 2022 (which
is $45 million) is the Vikings would be getting a top-level quarterback whose skillset fits into today’s game. Watson’s
acquisition would probably result in a coaching change after 2021 to pivot to a head coach who puts offense first. I
realize the odds of Watson being traded to the Vikings are small, and giving up two first- and second-round picks
wouldn’t be easy, but Watson’s presence in purple would finally end the team’s search for a long-term solution at the
most important position in sports.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 2/23/21
Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sends Deshaun Watson to Vikings,
Kirk Cousins to 49ers

By Will Ragatz

As of now, the Deshaun Watson situation in Houston remains at a standstill. New Texans GM Nick Caserio isn't
listening to offers for his superstar quarterback, but Watson hasn't changed his stance about not wanting to play for
an organization led by Cal McNair and Jack Easterby.

So we wait, and the speculation continues. In his latest Football Morning in America column for Pro Football Talk,
Peter King addressed Watson's future and came up with several blockbuster trade proposals involving the
disgruntled QB. King created hypothetical two-team deals that would send Watson to the Panthers, Jets, and 49ers.
But it's the last of four proposals that caught the eyes of Vikings fans.

King's final proposal, which he calls a "wing and a prayer," is a three-team QB swap that sends Watson to the
Vikings, Kirk Cousins to the 49ers, and Jimmy Garoppolo to the Texans. It's incredibly unlikely for a number of
reasons, but it's notable that someone like King –– one of the most plugged-in, respected NFL writers out there ––
would even discuss it as a possibility.

Here's the proposal from King:

This is centered on the premise that San Francisco would not want to rip apart a team and a future, and might be
willing to take a lesser deal for a quarterback Shanahan has long admired. And also that Caserio, in the heart of the
draft room in 2014 when the Patriots made Garoppolo a second-round pick, would want to try again with Jimmy G.
It’s a wing and a prayer, but fascinating to me.

Proposal: The Vikings send quarterback Kirk Cousins to San Francisco. The Niners send Garoppolo to Houston, if, of
course, he’d waive his no-trade. The Texans send Watson to Minnesota. In return: the Niners send their first-round
pick in 2021 (12th overall) to Houston, and they’re out. (So San Francisco would be trading Garoppolo and a one to
Houston and getting Cousins with two years left on his contract.) The Vikings would send linebacker Anthony Barr
and running back Alexander Mattison plus their first-round picks in 2021 (14th overall) and 2023, and second-round
picks in 2022 and 2023 in exchange for Watson. Houston’s haul: Garoppolo, two ones this year, a one in 2023, and
two second-round picks.

There's a lot to unpack here. Let's go team by team.

The Vikings get Watson for the price of the No. 14 overall pick this year, their 2023 first, second-rounders in 2022
and 2023, Cousins, Barr, and Mattison. Is that a big price to pay? Definitely. Is it worth it to land Watson? In my
opinion, it absolutely is. Two firsts, two seconds, Cousins, an overpaid (albeit important) linebacker and a backup
running back for a young top-five quarterback? When you consider the added bonuses of clearing the Cousins and
Barr contracts off of the books, it's a deal that works out in the Vikings' favor. Minnesota hasn't made any calls about
trading Cousins, but they would have to at least strongly consider this idea.

But, of course, that's not the biggest issue. The No. 1 roadblock is that there's been no indication Watson would
waive his no-trade clause to come to Minnesota and play in a run-first offense. Even if Watson would approve, the
49ers and Texans would also have to be on board...and I'm skeptical of that.

The 49ers get Cousins for Garoppolo and the No. 12 overall pick this year in this proposal. Even if there's truth to the
idea that Kyle Shanahan and SF would be interested in adding Cousins, would they really give up the 12th pick in
what amounts to a Garoppolo-Cousins swap? I'm not sure the Niners do that (and I'm positive that their fanbase
would be upset if they did, not that that matters).

The Texans lose Watson and get a return haul of Garoppolo, the No. 12 and 14 picks this year (which could
potentially be packaged to move up for a QB), two players (Barr and Mattison), and three other picks from
Minnesota: two seconds and a 2023 first. The Caserio-Garoppolo angle is an interesting one; Jimmy G's contract is a

big one for a bridge QB, so maybe this is contingent on the Texans legitimately believing in Garoppolo. Three first-
rounders and two seconds is a strong haul of picks.

In the end, there are many reasons why this is a major longshot. The Vikings aren't looking to move Cousins, and
even if they're interested in Watson, he would also have to be interested in them. The 49ers may not want to give up
the No. 12 pick for Cousins, and the Texans may not have any interest in the contracts of Garoppolo and Barr.

But hey, it's sure fun to talk about. With big names like King and Michael Lombardi continuing to mention the
Cousins-49ers connection, that's something that must at least be taken seriously. And if the Vikings could land
Watson in the process, they'd have to immediately be viewed as Super Bowl contenders in 2021 and beyond.

PUBLICATION: VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK DATE: 2/23/21
'Getting Open': Vikings Focus on Mental Health in New Content
Series

By Lindsey Young
EAGAN, Minn. – Let's normalize the conversation.

Over the next several weeks, the Vikings will be getting real about mental health and the stigma surrounding invisible
disabilities.

The "Getting Open" series will kick off Tuesday, introducing the first of multiple features. From players sharing
personal experiences, to professional insight, organizational initiatives and foundation work, these stories – along
with full-length audio interviews – will provide an intimate perspective on this tremendously important, yet often
overlooked, topic.

"You never know when you're going to have a time where you're at your low, and it's going to happen to everybody.
But just having the people that you can connect to when times are bad, and you know you can talk through things
and kind of devise a plan with somebody, I think it's important," Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks said. "We don't
have the answers to all the questions. We don't have the answers to all the problems. But we can learn, and we can
discuss them, to have a better understanding."

Added Vikings team clinician Brownell Mack, PsyD, LP:

"The things that we don't want to talk about are often the very things that we should be talking about."

Keep an eye on Vikings.com, the Vikings app and the team's social channels for updates on this series and new
features as they roll out.

PUBLICATION: VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK DATE: 2/23/21
Lunchbreak: CBS Has Eye on Vikings Offensive & Defensive Lines
This Offseason

By Eric Smith
The wheels of the NFL calendar are slowly starting to churn, as the start of the new league year (and free agency) is
a little over three weeks away.

Teams will begin to tweak their rosters in the coming weeks, whether it's adding some names in free agency or
letting others go to fit under a salary cap that is expected to be lower than the 2020 mark.

Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports recently took a look at the areas of need for each NFC North team, and noted he
expects the Vikings to address the trenches on both sides of the ball.

Dajani opined that Minnesota's top concern should be a defensive line that struggled to both stop the run and get to
the quarterback in 2020.

Best Offensive Line Photos of 2020
View the best offensive line photos of the 2020 season from Vikings photographers.

He wrote:

The Vikings have plenty of holes to fill this offseason, but my focus immediately goes to the defense. Minnesota had
a ridiculous amount of adversity to deal with on the defensive line this past season … Danielle Hunter went down
with a season-ending injury, and Michael Pierce took advantage of the COVID-19 opt out. Jaleel Johnson, who was
more of a reserve player heading into 2020, started in all 16 games and recorded 44 tackles, 1.5 sacks and is now a
free agent. Additionally, Shamar Stephen could be a cap casualty, so the Vikings have some work to do on the
defensive line when it comes to their starters, reserves and rotation.

A few defensive linemen potentially looking for new homes are Ryan Kerrigan, Solomon Thomas and then Kawann
Short, who was just released by the Carolina Panthers. As for the cornerbacks, I do like the young duo of Cameron
Dantzler and Jeff Gladney. They just need more time to develop, but adding to this position group wouldn't be a bad
idea either.

But Dajani also noted that the Vikings shouldn't forget about their offensive line, too, as some tweaks there could
take the unit to another level.

Best Defensive Line Photos of 2020
View the best defensive line photos of the 2020 season from Vikings photographers.

Dajani wrote that questions remain on how Minnesota's line will look in 2021.

It's interesting that the Vikings offense was still able to find success with a lesser line, but that doesn't mean the front
office should just ignore the offensive front this offseason. This unit was hard to watch at times this past year. What
happens with Riley Reiff? Does Ezra Cleveland move to permanent tackle? The Vikings also have to sign a
legitimate starter that can hold down the interior at guard.

The Vikings also currently hold the 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Josh Edwards and Chris Trapasso, Dajani's colleagues at CBS Sports, both have the Vikings taking Michigan edge
rusher Kwity Paye with that pick.

Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has Minnesota taking Alijah Vera-Tucker of Southern California. He played both guard
and tackle for the Trojans.

Graff outlines Vikings reasons for 2021 optimism

The start of the 2021 NFL season is still six-plus months away, but fans are always clamoring for insight on how
people think things will play out.

Chad Graff of The Athletic recently fielded questions on his reasons for optimism going forward, beginning with a fan
question how the Vikings can be competitive with the current leadership in place.

Graff responded that he believes Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer and quarterback Kirk Cousins can help the team
get back on track in 2021.

He wrote:

Zimmer is for sure a top-10 defensive coach in the NFL, and I'd argue he's in the top five. While defensive success
doesn't translate year after year the way offensive success does, Zimmer has a track record of producing top-five
defenses. It's certainly possible for the Vikings to get back to that level in the next three years.

Now you need to match that with offensive success, which, based on recent Super Bowl participants, is more
important than defensive greatness. But by most measures, Cousins actually played like a top-10 quarterback last
season, somewhere in the No. 8-10 range. He did that despite a brutal start. If he can improve that just a bit, that
would go a long way. He already has elite weapons around him with Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin
Cook. Then you need good play calling, which is very much up in the air since the Vikings have a new offensive
coordinator who has never called plays, and you need an improved offensive line, which isn't out of the realm of
possibility as we enter free agency and the draft.

So is it possible they can combine to make a winner? Sure. You just need a better offensive line, good play calling,
small improvements from Cousins and the return of a dominant defense.

Zimmer is 64-47-1 in seven seasons in Minnesota, and has won a pair of NFC North titles in his tenure.

Cousins finished eighth among all quarterbacks with a passer rating of 105.0, which was the second-highest of his
career, and ranked eighth overall with 4,265 passing yards.

He also orchestrated a trio of game-winning drives in 2020, which was the most of his career, and tied for the fourth-
most among all NFL quarterbacks this past season.