Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports activities.
The Minnesota Vikings in all probability received’t pull the set off, however NFL groups will inquire about Kevin O’Connell’s commerce availability however.
Kevin O’Connell Commerce Theories Take One other Twist
That’s the newest and biggest replace from FOX Sports activities‘ Jay Glazer, adamant that his reporting from final weekend was correct.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Pictures. The Vikings defeated the New York Jets in London, operating their 2024 start-of-season win streak to 5 video games.
Glazer claimed his reporting was “not wrong” and that Minnesota buying and selling its head coach is a longshot.
So, that is the replace: coach-needy groups would like to have O’Connell, even when the Vikings aren’t promoting. It would resemble an NBA common supervisor wanting Victor Wembanyama by way of commerce. Name and ask about his worth, hear he’s unavailable, and transfer on.
Jan 20, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tv personalities Troy Aikman (again) and Jay Glazer. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Earlier than Minnesota’s Week 18 loss in Detroit, Glazer stated on FOX Sunday that a number of groups had been focused on buying and selling for O’Connell. Coach trades are uncommon within the NFL, though the Denver Broncos acquired Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints in 2023 for a substantial haul, together with a 1st-Spherical draft choose.
“There’s one candidate out there that’s going to surprise you all, that no one knows is on lists, and he is. There are multiple teams that actually are considering trying to trade for Kevin O’Connell,” Glazer stated.
Why is O’Connell the article of commerce affection? Nicely, 2025 — subsequent 12 months, not the present season — is scheduled to be the ultimate 12 months of his contract, and a few golf equipment apparently consider he could be obtained by way of commerce. In actuality, the Vikings’ entrance workplace will doubtless prolong O’Connell within the coming weeks for a number of years, and that’ll be that. Minnesota isn’t “late” to extension talks with O’Connell by any stretch of the creativeness.
Brad Rempel-Imagn Pictures.
“Maybe the Vikings don’t let it happen. But also Kevin O’Connell kind of has the card saying, ‘Hey, listen, I’m not going to re-sign there so you might as well get something for me’. Now, I don’t know because, obviously, I don’t think Kevin knows about this right now. But there are multiple teams who have them on that board to say, ‘Let’s at least try and see if we can trade,” Glazer added.
Thereafter, reporters requested O’Connell in regards to the rumors on Monday following his crew’s loss at Detroit. He appeared conscious of the Glazer report and replied, “I’m not really interested in addressing the rumors or the speculation. What I can tell you is I love this team. I love everything about this organization. This is where I want to be. This is where I want to keep coaching and leading.”
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities.
By the way, Professional Soccer Speak’s Mike Florio quoted an nameless Vikings supply within the wake of the Glazer reporting and wrote, “We love Kevin, and there will be no trade.”
The takeaway? NFL franchises will ask about O’Connell’s commerce price ticket, however it received’t matter as a result of the Vikings aren’t buying and selling him.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his every day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options company, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple crew, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as carefully because the NFL.
All statistics supplied by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data supplied by OverTheCap.com.
