Vikings Nopedy Nopes: Vikings’ Energy Wrestle, the J.J. McCarthy Portal, Tag & Commerce

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities.

A weekend publication from VikingsTerritory, we current to you: the Vikings Nopedy Nopes of the week.

Vikings Nopedy Nopes: Vikings’ Energy Wrestle, the J.J. McCarthy Portal, Tag & Commerce

The nopedy nopes are weekly Minnesota Vikings-themed objects that we’re not shopping for. It’s a spin-off of our rumor mill, and we hope you get pleasure from. Right here is the 51st batch of Vikings nopedy nopes within the sequence’ historical past.

The Nopedy Nope: Kevin O’Connell could also be usurping Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s decision-making energy.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs.

Professional Soccer Speak‘s Mike claims nobody knows who’s operating the present for the purple group, calling into query normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s job description.

“There is a sense from people who are dealing with the Vikings that they don’t know who’s in charge. They don’t know who’s calling the shots. Maybe that’s deliberate, maybe it’s part of the strategy, maybe it’s part of the negotiation. I don’t know,” Florio instructed KFAN this week.

Florio added, “But there’s a real sense of confusion as to who’s got the final say on this. Who wants Darnold, who wants McCarthy, who’s making these decisions?”

“It’s created this sense, you’ve seen from reports that it’s very fluid, one reason why it’s fluid is because nobody’s got a clear picture of who, at the end of the day, is making the call between Darnold and McCarthy.”

Most Florio-fueled rumors — a Justin Jefferson commerce in 2024, Minnesota presumably swapping a 1st-Spherical choose on account of Kirk Cousins + Atlanta Falcons tampering final offesason, and stress with the Vikings + Kevin O’Connell — become fully improper.

Verdict: Nopedy nope.

The Nopedy Nope: J.J. McCarthy might enter an “NFL transfer portal.”

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Photographs.

One other Florio particular — a Darnold extension, in concept, might immediate the Vikings’ different quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, to go for the NFL’s switch portal, which is a elaborate manner of claiming a commerce request.

“First-round rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a preseason knee injury, and the Vikings shut him down for the entire season. Darnold became the unquestioned, wire-to-wire starter, with no reason to glance over his shoulder after a bad decision or a poorly-aimed throw,” PFT’s Mike Florio defined.

“This year, it will be different. McCarthy will be ready. If Darnold struggles at all, they’ll start clamoring for J.J. And the yips that didn’t show up until Week 18 could arrive a lot sooner.”

Then, he delivered the switch portal tidbit: “Of course, this assumes McCarthy is still there. If the Vikings sign Darnold to a contract that amounts to a two-year commitment, McCarthy might try to enter the NFL’s version of the transfer portal.”

Hypothetically, sure, Minnesota might prolong Darnold to a contract within the neighborhood of three years and $110 million, inflicting a McCarthy commerce request.

It’s simply that it’s the almighty worst-case situation that’s unlikely to materialize. Minnesota, too, might signal Aaron Rodgers this offseason, however no severe individual expects that to unfold.

McCarthy won’t request a commerce as a result of it would seemingly grow to be clear in just a few days that he’s on deck for QB1 obligation in 2025.

Verdict: Nopedy nope.

The Nopedy Nope: Minnesota was silly to not franchise tag-and-trade Sam Darnold.

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports activities.

For starters, SKOR North’s Phil Mackey expressed complete befuddlement in regards to the Vikings opting to not tag Darnold and chided the group alongside the way in which: “If Sam Darnold signs a 3-year, $120 million deal with, say, the Raiders… the Vikings massively misgauged his tag and trade value. If he signs for far less, you all can clown me for how wrong I’ve been.”

NFL participant agent, Blake Baratz, who has tangible expertise with participant contracts, in contrast to Mackey, discovered the tweet and defined: “That isn’t true. When you tag him, the entire $41M counts against the cap. You cannot use that to sign other players. In addition, he controls the cards of where he goes.”

“In addition, every team knows they have zero intention or desire to have him play on the tag, so you actually lose trade value. The comp pick next year can very well exceed the trade value. We are talking about maybe 2-3 trade partners. It is actually a substantial risk.”

Right here’s what occurred: some Vikings followers, podcasters, and aggregators wildly inflated Darnold’s commerce worth, hoping and praying Minnesota might get a draft choose for him.

However Darnold principally had a no-trade clause, and his market wasn’t as booming as many believed.

The Vikings didn’t mismanage Darnold’s tag-and-trade saga. The market simply wasn’t there.

Verdict: Nopedy nope.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his each day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options visitors, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple group, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN 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 intently because the NFL. 

All statistics offered by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data offered by OverTheCap.com.