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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2020 LOCAL NEWS: Sunday, February 23, 2020

Star Tribune

Former Viking makes eloquent case for Jim Marshall being in NFL Hall of Fame By Mark Craig http://www.startribune.com/former-viking-alan-page-makes-eloquent-case-for-jim-marshall-being-in-nfl-hall-of- fame/568112122/

Vikings owners invest more than $1 billion into state of Minnesota By Sid Hartman http://www.startribune.com/vikings-owners-invest-more-than-1-billion-into-state-of-minnesota/568112912/

Everson Griffen is first domino to fall for Vikings in salary-cap crunch By Jim Souhan http://www.startribune.com/everson-griffen-is-first-domino-to-fall-for-vikings-in-salary-cap-crunch/568112112/

SKOR North

Should the Vikings re-sign ? By Matthew Coller https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2020/02/should-the-vikings-re-sign-everson-griffen/

NATIONAL NEWS: Sunday, February 23, 2020

Maven Media

Will Mackensie Alexander Return to the Vikings in Free Agency? By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/mackensie-alexander-return-vikings-free-agency

New Vikings Assistant Coaches Have Connections to Several NFL Draft Prospects By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-assistant-coaches-connections-nfl-draft-prospects

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 2/23/20

Former Viking Alan Page makes eloquent case for Jim Marshall being in NFL Hall of Fame

By Mark Craig

You’re standing in the Vikings Museum. Alan Page, the greatest Viking of all, knows you’re one of 48 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He asks if he can make a case against the unjust treatment of an old friend named Jim Marshall.

Your first instinct as a child of the ’70s is to look over your shoulder because there’s no way in heck that Alan 1971- NFL-MVP Page — distinguished winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and former justice for over two decades — is actually asking your permission to begin opening statements.

Instead, you attempt a scholarly nod and say, “You may proceed, Mr. Page.”

“Jim was the absolute heartbeat of our entire team for 19 seasons,” Page said Tuesday before speaking to local high school students as part of a discussion panel honoring Black History Month.

“Nineteen years, Jim was the leader of our team.”

A team that went to four Super Bowls in eight seasons from 1969 to ’76. A team whose defense posted one of the most dominant three-year stretches in league history, giving up 9.5, 10.2 and 9.9 points per game with seven shutouts from 1969-71. A team that sent Page, defensive end , center , , offensive tackle , safety , coach and General Manager to the Hall of Fame.

A team that won’t rest as long as Marshall, their co-captain and extroverted leader, remains outside the walls of the shrine in Canton, Ohio.

When Marshall retired in 1979 after 20 NFL seasons, he had played in every game, every week, for one-third of the league’s 60-year existence. Marshall’s record 270 consecutive starts stood until broke it 30 years later while playing for the Vikings.

As the NFL turns toward its second century, Marshall’s 282 consecutive games played ranks third behind punter Jeff Feagles (352) and Favre (299).

“Jim not only had the excellence deserving of the Hall of Fame, he also had longevity that’s never been seen by anyone else in 100 years,” Page said. “No offense to kickers and , but Jim hit someone or was hit by someone on every play for 20 years.

“You can’t do that without, A, being available every single day; B, being good enough; and, C, playing at such a high level that a team would want to keep you around that long.”

Although sacks didn’t become an official statistic until three years after Marshall retired, the Vikings rank Marshall second in career sacks with 127, just three behind Eller. Marshall also had 29 opponent recoveries, an NFL record he shares with Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.

Marshall went to only two Pro Bowls and never made first-team All-Pro or an All-Decade team. And, unfortunately for his case, those are the key reasons he was overlooked for 25 years as a modern-era candidate and then buried in the backlog of senior committee candidates since 2004.

There was hope when the Hall announced plans for a 20-member Centennial class for 2020. But Marshall wasn’t among the 10 senior candidates chosen by the Hall’s one-time “Blue Ribbon” committee.

Marshall is 82. He’ll stay in the queue of senior candidates with a long shot of one day becoming a senior nominee.

“It’s the biggest shame,” Page said.

Later, Page shared a story that illustrated Marshall’s well-rounded game as leader the , that famous front four that terrorized quarterbacks.

“We’re on the goal line,” Page said. “It was during our lighter days. I was maybe 212 pounds. Jim was, I think, 210.

“The ball is snapped. Jim stands the big tackle up, bends him over backward and tackles the running back short of the goal line. That’s strength, leverage, understanding the game.

“No matter what happens, nothing changes. Jim Marshall had a great career that never will be forgotten.”

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 2/23/20

Vikings owners invest more than $1 billion into state of Minnesota

By Sid Hartman

One of the biggest stories around the Legislature is that revenue from electronic pulltabs, which were instituted to help pay for the public funding of U.S. Bank Stadium, is growing so quickly and making so much money that several groups, including the Vikings, are making a case for how the excess money should be spent.

A story in the Star Tribune noted that the revenue could be upward of $250 million by 2023, and the Vikings believe that the surplus should be used to pay down the $498 million in bonds that were taken out by the state to pay for the stadium.

If the surplus was used that way, U.S. Bank Stadium could potentially be paid off 10 years earlier than planned, much like the current situation at Target Field with the Twins.

There’s no doubt that pulltabs have done better than anyone expected, and the legislation has been a huge win for the state, the Vikings and everyone who believed that there was a smart way to pay for publicly funded stadiums.

Vikings Executive Vice President Lester Bagley told me that the Wilf family, which owns the team, continues to believe it is doing the right thing by putting its own money into the community, both at U.S. Bank Stadium and in Eagan at the TCO Performance Center.

“I think the Wilf family has taken an investment approach to our state, our community and certainly to the Vikings,” Bagley said of a family headed by Vikings Chairman Zygi Wilf, President Mark Wilf and Vice Chairman Leonard Wilf. “The significant investment of over $600 million to U.S. Bank Stadium from the team and private side, we’re upward of $400 to $500 million out here [in Eagan] for this [practice] facility and the hotel and the medical office building and we have some residential coming.

“I mean the Wilfs have invested in facilities, and you know in excess of $1 billion in Minnesota. That is not counting in what they’re investing in the football team.”

More than just football

U.S. Bank Stadium continues to bring more to the state than just 10 Vikings home games a year.

Bagley said several groups around the state are using venues such as the stadium to try and increase tourism and bring major events to Minnesota.

“There is a group in Minneapolis that the Vikings are very active with called Sports Minneapolis, and they’re working on bringing the Playoff national championship game to U.S. Bank Stadium. They’re working on bringing USA Swimming Olympic trials to U.S. Bank Stadium,” Bagley said.

“We have expressed our interest and formally submitted our expression of interest to the NFL for the NFL draft, which is a three-day event in April. It’s down the road four or five years that we’ve thrown our hat in the ring.

“But there’s a host of events, some of them in Eagan, some in Minneapolis, some in St. Paul, some in Bloomington, but a regional approach to bringing major sporting events to our market. The Vikings are part of it, just as the Twins and the Wild, Wolves and United are all part of a sports team-driven effort to bring these major events to our market.”

Over the next few months, U.S. Bank Stadium will hold the NCAA wrestling championships March 19-21; a Kenny Chesney concert May 2; and maybe the venue’s biggest concert yet when the Rolling Stones play May 16.

“The NCAA had a great experience at the Final Four [in 2019] and we have shown what we can do with the and our hospitality and our great community and facilities. So we have NCAA wrestling, we have a Kenny Chesney concert, a couple other things coming at U.S. Bank Stadium,” Bagley said.

“That continues to be the best stadium in the NFL and in the country, a great fan experience that they continue to work for other events outside Vikings football.”

A community space in Eagan

When it comes to the TCO Performance Center, Bagley noted that the Vikings are continuing to try and use that space to promote local high school sporting events and to have the Eagan facility be community-focused.

“We have worked hard to bring events and particularly , but events to this region in Eagan,” he said. “Training camp we had 60,000 people here, we had three high school football games this year that were well attended.

“We want to continue to support high school football, build on our success and you know showcase some great rivalry games in these facilities. We have priced all of the concessions, family-friendly pricing and it’s the same cost to go to a high school football game no matter if it’s at the high school or at TCO Stadium. But it has been very successful and looking forward to building on the future.”

The Wilfs continue to be model owners in this state, and there’s no question that the smart move would be to use that excess revenue to help pay off U.S. Bank Stadium early so the state can pay off the debt sooner than expected.

JOTTINGS

• This weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the United States men’s hockey team defeating the Soviet Union in the “Miracle on Ice” at the Olympics. After the Americans beat Finland for the gold medal on Feb. 24, 1980, Lou Nanne told me, “The victory of the United States was a great tribute to Herbie [then-Gophers coach and Team USA coach Herb Brooks]. He did a fantastic job preparing these guys from the day they started practice last fall until the big victory over Finland.”

• Eden Prairie has been a football power for decades, but is this new: The Eagles’ 78-64 victory over Minnehaha Academy on Tuesday makes them the best boys’ basketball teams in Minnesota, too. Eden Prairie’s top player is point guard Drake Dobbs, who is headed to Liberty, passing up offers from North Dakota State and Wisconsin- Milwaukee.

• DeLaSalle’s Jalen Travis is going to Prince­ton to play basketball. His brother Reid started at Stanford before transferring to Kentucky and brother Jonah played at Harvard.

• ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper had Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. being selected No. 25 overall by the Vikings in his latest mock draft. “Safety might not appear to be a priority position for the Vikings, but they have salary- cap issues and could lose Anthony Harris to a big offer in free agency,” he wrote.

• The Wolves were 25-29 through 54 games last season. This season they are 16-38.

• Two of the best surprises for the Wolves have been point guard Jordan McLaughlin and center Naz Reid, who both spent a lot of time with the Iowa Wolves. “[Player development coach] John Lucas [III] and [Iowa coach] Sam [Newman-Beck] deserve a ton of credit because they’re running a great program there, and they’re making our players better,” Wolves President Gersson Rosas said. PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 2/23/20

Everson Griffen is first domino to fall for Vikings in salary-cap crunch

By Jim Souhan

Everson Griffen might be the quintessential Viking.

He was an explosive athlete who slipped in the draft because of character concerns.

He grew into a star under the tutelage of excellent defensive coaches, in this case defensive line coach Andre Patterson and head coach/de facto defensive coordinator .

He has become a free agent because the Vikings, in their annual efforts to win a Super Bowl, spent so much on other players that they couldn’t afford him even if they wanted him to stay.

Draft find. Overachiever. Salary cap casualty. Everson Griffen might not have his number retired, but his might be the face of the Spielman era.

While other organizations in town occasionally embrace tanking or long-term rebuilding, the Vikings have been trying to win a championship with many of the same key players since 2015.

The price of constant competitiveness is often referred to as salary cap Hades, but it’s really more like purgatory. The Vikings will enter 2020 with a quality roster, key personnel losses and a tight budget.

The likely loss of Griffen is the first piece removed in this game of pigskin Jenga. Here are the players who will force the Vikings to make difficult decisions in the coming months:

• Running back Dalvin Cook: He has one year remaining on his contract. If he’s willing to play under those terms, the Vikings will be off the hook.

If he demands a contract extension to play in 2020 — and his agent should be fired for malpractice if he doesn’t — Cook will constitute the Vikings’ biggest problem.

Should they A) pay a running back because he is vital to their offense, or B) heed conventional wisdom that says running backs have short shelf lives and can be easily replaced?

Smart teams choose B.

• Quarterback Kirk Cousins: The urge to win now will prompt the Vikings to consider giving Cousins an extension that will reduce his 2020 salary-cap figure, but doing so ties the Vikings to Cousins beyond this year.

The easy and logical thing to do is to extend Cousins. I wouldn’t. I’d let him play for a new contract this year, knowing that if 2020 is a failure the Vikings might be forced to rebuild, and might as well do so with a young starter.

• Receiver Stefon Diggs: His attitude last season and his recent social media indicators have prompted speculation that he wants to be traded. But trading him would cost the Vikings money they can’t afford, and one of their best (and best young) players. You don’t go for it by getting rid of one of your best players while damaging your finances — unless Diggs promises to be such a pain that the team is better off without him. Diggs will have to reprise Antonio Brown’s bad behaviors to prompt a trade.

• Safety Anthony Harris: The Vikings need to keep him. He’s not only an outstanding player, but he’s the kind of player organizations need to reward. He worked his way through the ranks to become a starter, excelled in his first full year as a starter and is as classy as anyone in the locker room.

• Cornerbacks , and Mackensie Alexander: Alexander had the best season. Waynes had the better season of the two starters. Rhodes performed horribly.

But Alexander is expected to leave, and Waynes’ contract is up. As counterintuitive as this may sound, the Vikings’ best bet might be to talk Rhodes into a pay cut and restructured contract and hope he bounces back. The alternative is paying Waynes well more than he’s worth or starting over at the cornerback position.

• Defensive tackle : He was an excellent free-agent signing but has reached the point in his career where he needs to take a pay cut or be replaced.

• Offensive tackle Riley Reiff: He needs to move to guard and take a pay cut.

If that sounds cold, please understand that the conversation will be that simple.

The Vikings will tell Reiff’s agent: “Move to guard and agree to a new deal, or we’ll cut you.’’

Maybe the NFLPA, while agreeing to a deal that will make the owners much more money, should insist on NFL teams upholding the terms of the contracts they sign. PUBLICATION: SKOR North DATE: 2/23/20

Should the Vikings re-sign Everson Griffen?

By Matthew Coller

Everson Griffen is a free agent after electing to void his current contract, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.

His deal included specific marks that needed to be cleared (like 6.5 sacks) in order to have the option to hit the market for the first time in his career. Despite a lack of cap space, the may still be interested in his services. Should they look into bringing him back or let Griffen find a home elsewhere? Let’s have a look…

The case for re-signing Griffen

At 32 years old, Griffen is still one of the top players at his position. Pro Football Focus graded him 21st of 63 edge rushers who played at least 50% of snaps in 2019. He created the 14th most pressures (66) and tied for ninth in most QB hits (nine). The Vikings’ Pro Bowler also stayed healthy, playing the 17th most snaps among edge rushers.

With an incredible work ethic and remarkable durability, there haven’t been any signs of a steep decline. Defensive end is a position that has seen a number of its stars successfully keep sacking QBs into their 30s. Since 2000 there have been 31 players to register at least 15 sacks past age 32 and eight players who compiled 30-plus sacks in their twilight years. Julius Peppers managed 59.5 sacks after age 32.

It isn’t easy to replace an every-down defensive end who can create consistent pressure. It is even tougher to replace one who draws as much attention as Griffen. Opponents find it impossible to gameplan for both Griffen and left defensive end Danielle Hunter. They routinely chip him with running backs and double team him with tight end help, yet find him in the backfield over and over again. Per PFF data, opponents only double teamed Hunter on 20% of snaps when both players were on the field.

The price tag for this type of player is generally outrageously high but his age and history with the franchise could allow for a more reasonable deal that would carry a manageable cap hit in 2020.

The case for letting him hit the market

At some point the Vikings have to move onto the next chapter of their defense under Mike Zimmer. Players like Griffen, Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes were at the center of a No. 1 defense that led the Vikings to the NFC Championship in 2017 but the outlook for over-30s isn’t always rosy.

While players like Peppers and Cameron Wake continued to steamroll quarterbacks, many defensive ends have gone out quietly as their bodies eventually betrayed them. Griffen’s second half of 2019 was not as impressive as the blazing hot start to his season. After Week 10 he managed just one game that PFF graded above 70 (his overall grade for the season was 76.0).

The argument against keeping Griffen also isn’t just about Griffen. It’s about where the Vikings need to spend their cap space. Last year they ranked in the bottom five in pass blocking and on the defensive side they have two cornerbacks and a star safety set to hit the market too. If they spend even $5 million on Griffen, that’s $5 million that can’t go toward keeping Anthony Harris or signing an upgrade at left guard.

The Vikings have been drafting players and developing for this scenario for several years. Ifeadi Odenigbo had seven sacks and 26 pressures on 299 pass rush snaps last season. Add him to the mix with a cheaper free agent — possibly — and the Vikings should be able to patchwork the right side while relying on Hunter to continue his superstar trajectory.

Conclusion(s)

Few players have meant as much to the Vikings as Griffen over the last decade but the Vikings have put themselves in a position with the salary cap in which it carries a high degree of risk to spend big on an older player. If there is an older player who is worth it, however, it’s Griffen. If he wants to return at a reasonable price, it is worthwhile to have him. If he’s looking to maximize his dollars, 2019 might have been the final year of his Vikings tenure. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 2/23/20

Will Mackensie Alexander Return to the Vikings in Free Agency?

By Will Ragatz

Although Anthony Harris and Trae Waynes are the Vikings' highest-profile free agents, the most interesting free agent situation on the roster belongs to another : slot corner Mackensie Alexander.

A second-round pick out of Clemson in 2016, Alexander developed slowly while playing a reserve role behind veteran in his first two seasons. When Newman retired before the 2018 season, Alexander seized the starting nickel opportunity and ran with it. He played 54 percent of the Vikings' defensive snaps, recording ten passes defended and finishing tied for first among NFL defensive backs with four sacks. He added three tackles for loss and received an outstanding 78.1 grade from PFF for the season.

Read: Four free agents the Vikings should re-sign this offseason and four they shouldn't

Alexander followed up his breakout third season with another solid year in 2019, though he dealt with injuries and a slight dropoff in production. He dislocated his elbow in the Week 1 win over the Falcons, missing two-plus games as a result. But Alexander came back strong, showing off his impressive man coverage ability on his second career in Week 6 against the Eagles.

Nick Olson @NickOlsonNFL Mackensie Alexander has always been very sticky in coverage. Runs this route for Goedert, and Wentz's throw goes straight to him for the interception to ice the game:

Embedded video 241 2:33 PM - Oct 17, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 17 people are talking about this That was one of five passes defended in 13 games for Alexander, who is rarely out of position and uses his footwork and physicality to succeed in coverage. However, Alexander's most impressive trait might be his tackling ability. According to PFF, he was the only defensive back in the league to play 500-plus snaps and have zero missed tackles in 2019.

What makes Alexander's free agency more interesting than that of Harris or Waynes is that he might have a motive to seek a fresh start outside of Minnesota. Alexander popped up on the injury report with a knee injury on the Friday prior to the Vikings' meaningless Week 17 game against the Bears, yet he was one of just a few starters to play in the game. After playing 50 snaps, his fourth-most in 2019, Alexander aggravated the injury. He wound up needing surgery for a minor meniscus tear, which forced him to miss both playoff games. Multiple reports this offseason have suggested that Alexander was displeased with the decision to play him through an injury in that game. Here's what the Star Tribune's Ben Goessling wrote:

Sources have said Alexander is looking forward to testing the open market, and his knee injury at the end of the season — the cornerback tore his meniscus after playing in a meaningless Week 17 game when he was already hurt — doesn’t figure to whet his appetite to return.

The Athletic has also reported the same sentiment from Alexander's camp. It seems quite possible that Alexander, feeling disrespected, would be willing to take slightly less money to begin a new chapter of his career with another franchise. Of course, the salary cap-troubled Vikings may not be able to make him a strong offer either way.

Still, Alexander could also return to the Vikings next year. Nickel corners can be difficult to replace, so it might make sense for the Vikings to prioritize re-signing Alexander over Waynes if it came down to a choice between the two. A strong class of free agents that can play in the slot – featuring the likes of Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby, and Kendall Fuller – could deflate Alexander's market slightly, though he will likely command upwards of $8 million annually. If Alexander is able to air his grievances with the Vikings, he could seek continuity and sign a second contract with the team.

Darren Wolfson ✔ @DWolfsonKSTP Good news for soon-to-be UFA CB Mackensie Alexander: After knee surgery in January, he’s been cleared to run and do lateral work. Will be 100% no later than start of OTAs. #Vikings

60 8:09 AM - Feb 20, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy See Darren Wolfson's other Tweets We may know more about Alexander's future after Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman speak at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday. It should be a very interesting situation to follow going forward, given that Alexander's decision may come down to more than just money. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 2/23/20

New Vikings Assistant Coaches Have Connections to Several NFL Draft Prospects

By Will Ragatz

The Vikings rounded out a busy offseason of changes to their coaching staff last week with the hires of defensive assistants Imarjaye Albury and Roy Anderson. The two join Dom Capers, Daronte Jones, and Phil Rauscher as new additions to the staff, while Gary Kubiak, Andre Patterson, Adam Zimmer, and Andrew Janocko have all seen their roles change heading into 2020.

Albury joins the Vikings as the assistant defensive line coach, taking over for Robert Rodriguez, who was hired by Arizona State recently. Albury spent the last two seasons working with the defensive line at the University of Arkansas as a graduate assistant. While at Arkansas, he worked closely with , a sixth-round pick of the Vikings in 2019 who has a chance to see an expanded role next season.

Anderson, the Vikings' new assistant defensive backs coach, is a veteran NFL DBs coach who has spent time with the Bears, Colts, and Ravens. He spent the 2019 season away from the NFL, serving as the lead defensive analyst for LSU's national championship team.

One interesting thing to note about these two new coaches is their connections to a number of NFL Draft prospects that could be fits for the Vikings at positions of need. One of the players Anderson coached last year under Ed Orgeron and Dave Aranda was cornerback Kristian Fulton, who could be under consideration for the corner-needy Vikings with the No. 25 pick in the draft if he falls that far. Fulton is a versatile, incredibly skilled cover corner with sky-high upside. Many mock drafts have him going in the first half of the first round, though some also have him falling into the second round. Fulton's most notable weakness as a prospect is his tackling.

If the Vikings don't re-sign Anthony Harris and look to select a safety early in the draft, LSU's Grant Delpit is another player who Anderson worked with last season. Delpit is one of the top safeties in the draft and could be a Vikings target in the first or second round.

One of the Vikings' biggest needs is defensive tackle, where both Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen could be cut for cap relief this offseason. Watts will be among several returning players competing for playing time, but the Vikings would also presumably look to add talent to that room via the draft. LSU's Rashard Lawrence and Arkansas' McTelvin Agim (who had 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons while working with Arbury) could be options in the middle rounds of the draft.