DAILY CLIPS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: Sunday, August 30, 2020

Star Tribune

Ezra Cleveland's trail to Vikings promising but still full of learning curves By Andrew Krammer https://www.startribune.com/vikings-ezra-cleveland-s-trail-to-the-nfl-promising-but-still-full-of-learning- curves/572264302/

White men in power using their influence to combat racism By Jim Souhan https://www.startribune.com/souhan-white-men-in-power-using-their-influence-to-combat-racism/572263882/

SKOR North

Zulgad: Minor tweak or major deal? ’s absence from practice remains a mystery By Judd Zulgad https://www.skornorth.com/2020/08/zulgad-minor-tweak-or-major-deal-danielle-hunters-absence-from-practice- remains-a-mystery/

Purple Insider

Drive by drive: What we learned from Vikings' scrimmage at US Bank Stadium By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/drive-by-drive-what-we-learned-from

NATIONAL NEWS: Sunday, August 30, 2020

ESPN

Jaguars agree to trade DE Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings By ESPN https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29771509/jaguars-agree-trade-de-yannick-ngakoue-vikings

CBS Sports

Jaguars agree to trade edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings for draft picks, per report By Tyler Sullivan https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jaguars-agree-to-trade-pro-bowl-edge-rusher-yannick-ngakoue-to-vikings-for- draft-picks-per-report/

NFL.com

Vikings acquire Yannick Ngakoue in trade with Jaguars By Michael Baca https://www.nfl.com/news/vikings-acquire-yannick-ngakoue-in-trade-with-jaguars

Maven Media

Vikings Make Strong Statement on Social Justice Issues By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-make-strong-statement-on-social-justice-issues

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Sunday, August 30, 2020

Highlights From Friday's Practice at U.S. Bank Stadium By VEN https://www.vikings.com/video/highlights-from-friday-s-practice-at-u-s-bank-stadium

Vikings Game Plan By KMSP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=69a35723-73e4-4edd-ab05-15b2ff348c24

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK NEWS: Sunday, August 30, 2020

Young Vikings Show Promising Signs at Camp By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/mike-hughes-jeff-gladney-holton-hill-kris-boyd-2020-training-camp

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 8/30/20

Ezra Cleveland's trail to Vikings promising but still full of learning curves

By Andrw Krammer

Old school has defined Vikings offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland from the start.

Cleveland, a second-round pick in the NFL draft in April, is named after a 1990s Supercross star, Ezra Lusk, whose speedy style relative to peers is emulated by Cleveland in football.

“I more liked the name,” said Jim Cleveland, Ezra’s father. “To me, it was different, but also old school at the same time.”

Gone, for now, are Cleveland’s own motocross days. He is focused on absorbing the NFL’s best pass rushers and not tree limbs from a dirt bike.

The Vikings need his blend of modern-day athleticism and old-school durability on the offensive line. He was drafted as the eventual replacement for veteran left tackle , but is expected to spend his rookie season as a backup at left guard.

Cleveland’s Northwest roots translate well to Minnesota. Dirt trails outside his hometown, Spanaway, Wash., calloused him to football before he ever took it seriously.

PROVIDED BY EZRA CLEVELAND The first injury was a broken collarbone when, at 5 years old, he was learning to operate the bike’s clutch while riding with Dad, and they veered into a fence.

“That was more my fault,” Jim Cleveland said.

Ezra once flew off the track and landed on his back, causing a deep bruise. His riding days ended in high school after he whacked a leg against a tree and developed a bad infection.

Still, Cleveland said, the worst pain came last fall at Boise State, where the 6-foot-6, 303-pound tackle stood on a sprained toe ligament requiring a cast inside his cleat for some games.

“That turf toe,” he said. “That was really rough, because I couldn’t push off my foot or anything.

‘‘It’s not that it, like, hurt really bad, but it was just that nagging pain of your big toe, which you use to do everything as an offensive lineman.”

Northwestern roots

With his mother, Shawna, a help desk technician for the Bethel School District in Washington, and his father, Jim, a heavy equipment operator for Boeing, Cleveland sometimes found child’s play in heavy machinery and digging up stumps in the yard.

His sports brought together the family, which includes two older half-sisters. Cleveland leaned toward baseball at a young age before Bethel High School football coach Mark Iddins persuaded the tall center fielder to get in the weight room. Jim became a junior high assistant coach because he attended practices so often.

Ezra, who has visions of one day making and selling pottery, eventually found he’s pretty good at knocking people around.

“He is a quieter guy, kind of a goofy guy,” Iddins said. “He’s one of those where you kind of have to get him to, like, ‘Hey, come on, fire up a little bit.’ It’s the lightheartedness you sometimes need as a coach. But he hates to lose.”

He’ll pick a side just to win. As a teenager, Cleveland became a 49ers fan because some relatives are die-hard fans of the rival Seahawks. Plus, he always liked the hard-nosed style of San Francisco running back Frank Gore. So when his uncles hosted a Seahawks viewing party for a game against the 49ers, Cleveland arrived in a newly purchased Gore jersey.

“I even posted it on my Facebook page with the jersey on and pointing to the back,” Shawna Cleveland said. “I kind of help him a bit to agitate my brothers. It’s funny to watch.”

Running into the spotlight

Cleveland was shedding blocks as Bethel’s star defensive tackle when Scott Huff, the Boise State offensive line coach at the time, took notice on the recruiting trail. Cleveland also played offensive line, but the big Washington kid moved a lot better than his three-star label suggested when he was set loose on defense.

“Running to the ball, chasing the play,” Huff recalled. “Comes free and changes direction really quick on the line of scrimmage.”

PROVIDED BY EZRA CLEVELAND The dirt trails near his childhood home drew Ezra Cleveland to motocross, an activity that also included its share of hard hits. He even took a few handoffs as a creative injury replacement during his senior year at Bethel.

Cleveland, the running back, still holds onto the first down he gained, but remembers falling short at the goal line.

“Ankle biters the whole time,” he said. “No one ever really tried to take me head on. I was always pretty much tripping.”

About half of the interested Division I programs wanted him for the defensive line, but one visit to Boise State made for a quick recruitment. Cleveland latched onto Huff’s vision for him as a tackle capable of mirroring the most athletic pass rushers.

After starting 40 games at left tackle for the Broncos, Cleveland further separated himself during the NFL scouting combine. He was fastest at his position in change-of-direction tests — the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle — and finished third in the 40-yard dash and fifth on bench press.

That speed of a former center fielder was once a curveball to programs like Oregon, which didn’t offer him a scholarship.

“They were like, ‘Oh, first base, huh?’ and he’s like ‘no, I play center field,’ ” Jim Cleveland recalled. “He just could read the ball off the bat and have that extra step and a half, two steps that he needed, and he could move pretty good as you could see from his combine stuff.”

‘Speaking it into existence’

Vikings running back , Cleveland’s former Boise State teammate, knew he would fit the zone- blocking scheme in Minnesota before draftniks made the connection. As soon as Cleveland declared for the NFL draft last winter, Mattison was telling him a reunion was possible.

About five months later, and after trade talks fell through with ex-Washington left tackle Trent Williams, General Manager Rick Spielman worried Cleveland would be taken in the second round of the draft. Efforts to trade up failed, but the Vikings landed him with the 58th overall pick.

“I knew that he would fit in our system,” Mattison said. “We were speaking it into existence from there.”

Cleveland may be headed for a “redshirt” NFL rookie season, especially after Vikings coaches moved him to guard, for now.

They wanted him in the mix for this year’s open spot at left guard, but rookies are shortchanged this year with no preseason and an abbreviated training camp. Cleveland is predictably behind veterans and for the starting job.

“There’s still obviously some things he has to work on, but he is athletic and has some toughness and I think some smarts,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “Those are good qualities to have, but he does have to improve his technique.”

One of the team’s player comparisons for Cleveland was their own right tackle, Brian O’Neill, a former college tight end light on his feet and a bit too light on the scale when drafted.

Cleveland also needs to get stronger, but he’s yet to let some bruises hold him back.

“I’m trying to take it in stride,” Cleveland said, “and do the best that I can.” PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 8/30/20

White men in power using their influence to combat racism

By Jim Souhan

This is going to be a rough time for racist sports fans.

Let me offer thoughts and prayers.

Sports has long offered a safe space for racists. They got to cheer for minorities — at least, the ones wearing the right uniforms — without caring about them as humans. And they got to identify with the white men who ran the teams.

Amid the WNBA and NBA strikes in protest of the latest cop-on-Black man violence, this week we have seen a relatively new development in the American sports world, one that will test the allegiance of racists.

White people in power — even old, tradition-bound, flag-wavers — are rallying to the cause.

Mike Zimmer. Ron Gardenhire. John Harbaugh. White baseball and football players. And in the biggest surprise of the protest season, even white NHL players.

American racism is rooted in the notion that old white people with money, land and power must know best, even if their money, land and power was inherited or dubiously earned. Racism is the most heinous method of maintaining that status quo.

Now some notable older white people in sports are listening to Black athletes.

When they listen, they learn.

Gardenhire, the former Twins and current Tigers manager, is from Okmulgee, Okla., not far from Tulsa, where white supremacists mounted a military-style operation in 1921 to destroy what was then called Black Wall Street, a bastion of Black financial success.

White residents, many deputized by local law enforcement, bombed and machine-gunned Black Wall Street, then went through the streets killing Black people, including women and children.

Gardenhire is the proud son of an Army veteran. He always has been a traditionalist. Gardenhire’s Tigers and the Twins decided to postpone their scheduled game Thursday to support the widespread protests against the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Here’s what Gardenhire said: “Over the course of the night, there were a lot of phone conversations and text messages between our players and trying to make sense of what’s going on. … When they start thinking about what’s going on in this country and what some of our players are going through, that was the conversation today that everybody was able to get it out instead of holding it in front of everybody. It was a really good meeting, and that made the difference.

“Honestly, it was so emotional in there, I don’t know if we could’ve played baseball.”

Zimmer, like Gardenhire, is an old white guy who is considered a traditional thinker. He, like Gardenhire, listened to his Black players and coaches, including defensive coordinator Andre Patterson.

Patterson is one of the NFL’s most respected coaches.

“Andre told me he’d been pulled over three times and had guns pulled on him,” Zimmer said. “He wasn’t doing anything. He wasn’t speeding, his blinker wasn’t wrong, he wasn’t changing lanes. And they let him go each time. That’s not right.

“I haven’t been able to walk in Andre’s shoes and some of the players’. We had a player tell a story similar to what I’m talking about with Andre.”

Decades ago, we could have described racism as a form of ignorance. Not in the information age. Now racism is willful ignorance.

Gardenhire and Zimmer could have ducked the issue. Instead, they listened to Black voices. For the sports world to affect real-world change, billionaire sports owners and companies will have to follow their lead.

That’s why the are so important right now. They are a heralded franchise in America’s most popular sports league. The league that blackballed Colin Kaepernick, and that has appeared afraid of angering right- wing politicians or white fans.

The Ravens and their white owner and head coach not only canceled practice to discuss racism, they then issued a statement demanding seven actions to combat systemic racism.

If racism is willful ignorance, anti-racism is rooted in empathy.

The killing of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake are tests of white empathy. Thankfully, for once, some white sports leaders appear willing to take the test.

PUBLICATION: SKOR North DATE: 8/30/20

Zulgad: Minor tweak or major deal? Danielle Hunter’s absence from practice remains a mystery

By Judd Zulgad

As the Vikings went through a dress-rehearsal scrimmage at U.S. Bank Stadium on Friday afternoon, Danielle Hunter again did not participate. It marked the 11th consecutive practice that Hunter has missed during training camp because of what coach Mike Zimmer will only describe as a “little tweak.”

It’s Zimmer’s right to reveal as little as he wants about injuries and will remain that way until the Vikings must issue their first injury report of the season on Sept. 9, four days before they play host to the Green Bay Packers in the regular-season opener. But Zimmer knows it’s also the right of anyone with common sense to not buy what he’s selling.

A tweak might have cost Hunter a week’s worth of training camp practices, and if teams were playing preseason games, maybe he would have been held out of the majority of those. But let’s consider what the Vikings are dealing with in this pandemic-shortened camp. There was no offseason program and there are no exhibition games, so even the best players, and Hunter is an elite defensive end, need what little on-the-field time players are getting to be prepared for the season.

Calling this a “little tweak” also sells Hunter short, considering he has missed only two games since being a third- round pick in 2015 and those came in his rookie season. He has played in 64 consecutive games over the past four seasons and has made 48 consecutive regular-season starts. Those numbers grow to 68 and 52 if you include the Vikings’ playoff appearances in 2017 and 2019.

Hunter is more of an iron man than anything.

So what’s really going on here? The obvious concern is that whatever Hunter is suffering from is far more than a “little tweak” and that’s he dealing with an injury that could impact him into the season. Is Hunter going to be prepared to take his normal amount of reps when the season opens, if he remains on the sideline much longer? The Vikings were off on Saturday and return to practice Sunday, meaning Hunter could return.

Hunter has become one of the best defensive ends in the NFL and has 14.5 sacks in each of the past two years. That total tied him for fourth in the league last season and he also became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks. Hunter will become even more important to the Vikings in 2020, if that’s possible, with longtime right end Everson Griffen now in Dallas.

Let’s give the Vikings the benefit of the doubt for a moment and say this is nothing more than “a little tweak,” or less than that. Why wouldn’t Hunter be getting reps at his left end spot on the Vikings’ new-look defensive line? One possibility that was broached on the SKOR North Purple Daily podcast Friday with ESPN’s Courtney Cronin was the potential that this absence could involve Hunter’s contract.

Hunter, according to the Over The Cap website, is ranked 18th among edge rushers in the NFL when it comes to average annual salary. He is averaging $14.4 million per season on a five-year, $72 million deal he signed in June 2018 that included $40 million guaranteed and a $15 million signing bonus. Hunter’s contract probably should put him among the top five edge rushers in the league. Hunter’s contract was restructured this past March in a move that reportedly lowered his salary cap hit for 2020 from $14.5 million to $9 million.

In other words, Hunter has been a very team-friendly player even as he’s become an NFL superstar. So what if he’s decided he has been too team friendly, or what if he really does have a minor injury that he’s not going to make worse while playing on his current contract? The issue is that Hunter’s contract runs through the 2023 season and he, ultimately, did decide to sign it, no matter how the deal looks for him at this point.

The Vikings have spent much of the offseason, and training camp, dealing with the contract situation of running back , who is entering the final season of his rookie deal. Those talks broke off a few weeks ago and it appears as if Cook is set to play for $1.3 million this season. That’s a bargain for the Vikings.

The Vikings also are getting a bargain when it comes to Hunter. Of course, it’s only a bargain if he is on the field. If Hunter isn’t playing left end on Sept. 13, no matter what the reason, a minor tweak will have become a major deal. PUBLICATION: Purple Insider 8/30/20

Drive by drive: What we learned from Vikings' scrimmage at US Bank Stadium

By Matthew Coller

The held a scrimmage at US Bank Stadium on Friday afternoon. They played two quarters of full speed, physical play (without full tackling). In total, they had 11 drives. Let’s have a look at each one and what we learned…

Drive 1 — The first team

Rookie KJ Osborn took the opening kickoff — as he would take them all day.

Kirk Cousins missed his opening two throws before an 11-yard screen to Dalvin Cook helped him find a rhythm. On third down, the Vikings’ No. 1 defense saw , Hercules Mata’afa and Eddie Yarbrough come in as situational pass rushers. Yarbrough particularly has had a strong camp, earning him a chance at the role.

Cousins was sacked by Jaleel Johnson, who created numerous pressures, particularly when going against Pat Elflein. It would be hard to project major improvements in pass blocking from Elflein after what we saw Friday.

When the Vikings went to four wide receivers, they used , , and . It’s pretty unclear whether Beebe will be on the team with Alexander Hollins emerging (more on that later) and Tajae Sharpe having a fairly strong camp.

Cousins hit Thielen for a 33-yard pass in which he rose up over Holton Hill for a highlight-reel reception. Few other receivers in the league make the catch. Hill had solid coverage. Confirmed: Adam Thielen is still good. It would be surprising if he struggled to take over the true No. 1 role.

Cameron Dantzler played at the other outside corner spot in nickel with Mike Hughes in the slot and outside corner in the base defense.

Danielle Hunter was still out. played with the first team in the base package but not as a nickel rusher.

The drive wrapped up with a field goal after Cousins was sacked again (a theme of the day). He went 5-for-7 with 60 yards on the drive.

Side note: The team kept yardage on the scoreboard so that’s how stats were kept.

Drive 2 - Second team

With Sean Mannion at QB, Jefferson and Sharpe were the starting receivers with the second team. On third down Beebe got more run in the slot. The second drive was a quick three—and-out with a drop by . The Vikings punted, Chad Beebe returned.

Drive 3 — First team

After a long drive to open the scrimmage, the first-team offense went three-and-out, this time with a sack by Eric Wilson blowing up the drive. Cousins completed a third down pass to Kyle Rudolph (who played nearly every snap) for 10 yards.

Jeff Gladney played on the second drive as a nickel corner.

Drive 4 — Second team

Jake Browning was the QB for the second team’s second drive and Alexander Hollins came in alongside Tajae Sharpe. Browning hit Sharpe on his first pass but was sacked by Armon Watts to end the drive.

The second team safeties were and Myles Dorn, which gives us the indication that they will be the backups to Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris.

The punt was returned by KJ Osborn. The fact that the former Miami star returner got lots of looks Friday points to him making the team in the Marcus Sherels role.

Drive 5 — First team

Cousins completed a 17-yard pass to Adam Thielen but he missed Thielen on a deep pass and the Vikings punted again.

One thing that always helps the defense in late camp practices is that they’ve seen everything their offense is working on. There were times the defense seemed to anticipate plays like screens and bootlegs more than a defense might.

Drive 6 — Second team

Mannion was back at quarterback and the offense continued to struggle. They took a holding penalty and threw a screen pass to Mike Boone for zero yards.

James Lynch got an opportunity with the second team in a pass rushing role. We haven’t seen much of that in practice.

Also somewhere along the way , who was playing with the second team, got hurt and was seen on crutches after the game. We won’t know exactly how serious that could be until next week.

Drive 7 — First team

Cousins hit on a 15-yard pass to Thielen on third down to get a drive rolling. He completed a 7-yard throw to Bisi Johnson and then overthrew Johnson in the end zone. Justin Jefferson made his second catch of the day for nine yards and they elected to kick a field goal (which probably thrilled any of the analytics department that was watching). Up to that point Cousins was 10-for-18 with 118 yards.

Dan Bailey was on the money all day, hitting every kick.

Drive 8 — Second team

After a pass breakup by , Sean Mannion went deep down the sideline to Hollins and he made a terrific over-the-shoulder catch. Hollins has made deep catches on a daily basis, giving himself a fighting chance for a roster spot. They liked him enough to have him on the field during a playoff game last year and he has improved since then.

Hollins beat Kris Boyd deep and drew a pass interference for 33 yards. Mannion closed the drive with a 2-yard to Sharpe.

While Browning has had a solid camp and deserved some No. 2 reps. Mannion is still the clear No. 2 QB.

Drive 9 — First team

Cousins passed up a deep crossing route in Justin Jefferson’s direction for a checkdown to CJ Ham. It was the only time we saw Jefferson as the No. 2 receiver. , whose job is in question, played on third down. It was his only first-team rep. The first team offense punted away again.

Drive 10 — Second team

Browning again was at quarterback and he put together an excellent start to the drive, hitting a 21-yard pass over the middle to Beebe. But the offense took a delay of game — and the pumped-in crowd noise was not to blame.

Browning bounced back with throws to KJ Osborn and backup fullback for gains of 14 and 9 yards. He finished the drive with a touchdown to Mike Boone.

Drive 11 — Third team

The only drive of the day for the third team was quarterbacked by . It was most notable because it was the only work for second-round pick Ezra Cleveland. We saw Dakota Dozier play the entire game with the first team, Aviante Collins with the second and Cleveland third at left guard. was out for the day and filled in rather than Cleveland so they appear committed to playing the rookie at guard this year.

Stanley hit two long passes to Dillon Mitchell, including a touchdown pass (that looked like Stanley was actually sacked.

Overall takeaways

The 53-man roster from the other day already needs a few adjustments, especially finding a way to get KJ Osborn on the team as a return specialist. But it’s still not entirely clear whether they will keep Chad Beebe, Tajae Sharpe and Alexander Hollins or two of the three or only one of them. Each got a chance see a lot of snaps on Friday.

If the offensive line plays the way it did Friday against the Packers in Week 1, they are in for a long day.

We might see a rotation with Jeff Gladney and Cam Dantzler early in the season rather than one of them being locked into the job right off the bat.

You have to wonder how the Vikings will handle the backup guard spots with Ezra Cleveland falling to third team. Will they keep Aviante Collins, , Brett Jones and Cleveland as the backup interior linemen? Will they use a new veteran practice squad spot on Collins or Jones?

The defense’s situational rushing situation will be very interesting to watch. Players like Yarbrough, Mata’afa and Watts are all unproven but talented. They could swing the team’s ability to rush the passer. PUBLICATION: ESPN 8/30/20

Jaguars agree to trade DE Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings

By ESPN

The have agreed to trade franchise defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 second- and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick that could go as high a third-round pick, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Ngakoue still has to sign his franchise tender, but the trade is in now place and Ngakoue is expected to join the Vikings.

Sources said the fifth-round pick becomes a fourth-round pick if Ngakoue goes to the Pro Bowl this season and a third-round pick if Ngakoue is a Pro Bowler and the Vikings win the Super Bowl.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Projected 2021 NFL draft order: Jacksonville, Washington are favorites for top pick Ngakoue, 25, and the Jaguars will have to coordinate when he is going to sign his tag Sunday so he can be traded to the Vikings. Because Ngakoue did not sign the tender before the July 15 deadline, he must play this season under the tag, valued at $17.8 million, before he can sign a long-term deal.

Sources said Ngakoue will restructure his one-year deal with the Vikings to create more cap space.

Ngakoue -- whom the Jaguars drafted in the third round in 2016 -- has been unhappy with the team since July 2019, when then-executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin abruptly broke off negotiations with Ngakoue's camp. The Jaguars reportedly offered Ngakoue a deal that would pay him $19 million annually, but the pass-rusher turned it down and he played the 2019 season -- after an 11-day training camp holdout -- for $2.025 million, a considerable bargain for a player who had racked up 29.5 sacks in his first three seasons.

He suffered an early hamstring injury that limited his production but still finished with eight sacks in 2019 and ranks second in Jaguars history with 37.5 after only four seasons. In addition, his 14 forced are more than all but three players from 2016 to 2019: Chandler Jones (17), Khalil Mack (17) and T.J. Watt (15).

Ngakoue also was directly responsible for five of the 12 defensive the Jaguars have scored since 2016: a pick-six, a return and three forced fumbles on sacks that other players recovered for TDs. Another forced fumble resulted in a touchdown in the 2017 playoffs.

He had been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the Jaguars, especially on social media, and his desire to play elsewhere. He announced in March via Twitter that he told the team he wasn't going to sign a long-term deal and in April went on a Twitter tirade against Tony Khan, the son of owner Shad Khan and the team's senior vice president of football administration and technology.

The Jaguars are loaded for the 2021 draft in which many expect Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to be the No. 1 pick. The Jaguars are now scheduled to have eight picks in the first five rounds -- two first-round picks, a second, a third, two fourths and two fifths -- with the chance that one of those fifths could go higher. PUBLICATION: CBS Sports 8/30/20

Jaguars agree to trade Pro Bowl edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings for draft picks, per report

By Tyler Sullivan

The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to trade Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for multiple draft picks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Specifically, Minnesota will be sending a second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick to Jacksonville. That conditional pick can turn into a fourth-round selection if Ngakoue goes to the Pro Bowl and can go as high as a third-rounder if Ngakoue is a Pro Bowler and the Vikings win the Super Bowl.

This deal has been a long time coming for Ngakoue, who has been banging the drum for a trade out of Jacksonville. He was vocal about that request on social media and has been holding out of training camp to press the club to ship him out of town. Things initially fell apart between the Jags and Ngakoue when former executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin broke off contract negotiations with the defensive end's camp back in July 2019. From there, the discontent seemingly grew.

Now, Ngakoue is getting his wish, but the Jaguars are sending him away for less than they reportedly wanted to receive. ESPN reported in April that Jacksonville was seeking a first-round pick "and then some" for Ngakoue. While a second-rounder and a likely Day 3 pick is a solid return, it falls well short of that asking price.

PAID CONTENT BY VERIZON WIRELESS 5G built right The fastest 5G in the world, from the network more people rely on. The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on the 25-year-old Ngakoue earlier this offseason, though he has yet to sign it, which he will do in order to complete the deal. Because he did not sign the tender prior to the July 15 deadline, Ngakoue must play the 2020 season under the tag, which will pay him $17.8 million for 2020. Schefter has reported, however, that Ngakoue will restructure his one-year deal with the Vikings to create more cap space.

Ngakoue first arrived in Jacksonville when the club selected him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Maryland. From there, the 6-foot-2, 246-pounder has evolved into one of the better pass rushers the league has to offer. Even after being limited in 2019 due to a hamstring injury, Ngakoue was able to total 41 tackles last season (13 for a loss), eight sacks and four forced fumbles.

He is now paired with fellow Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, forming quite the pass-rushing duo in Minnesota. The Jaguars, meanwhile, now have eight picks in the first five rounds of the 2021 draft. PUBLICATION: NFL.com DATE: 8/30/20

Vikings acquire Yannick Ngakoue in trade with Jaguars

By Michael Baca

After an uncertain future in Jacksonville, Yannick Ngakoue now has a new home.

The Minnesota Vikings have acquired Ngakoue from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2022, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

ESPN first reported the story.

Ngakoue's dissatisfaction in Jacksonville has been widely publicized since being the only player not to sign his franchise tag tender this offseason. With the deadline to reach a long-term deal passed -- which is what Ngakoue has been after amid a hold out -- the Vikings are finalizing a restructured one-year tender to complete the trade, sources tell Pelissero.

Along with the 2021 second-round pick, Pelissero reports that the conditional fifth-rounder in 2022 can become a fourth-round pick should Ngakoue be a first-ballot Pro Bowl selection, or a third-round pick if Ngakoue is a first-ballot Pro Bowler and the Vikings win the Super Bowl.

Ngakoue has started all but one game in his four-year career and has earned the reputation as one of the league's premier pass rushers. The 25-year-old has 37.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, and two in 63 games during his time in Jacksonville.

Ngakoue will be a welcomed addition to a Minnesota defense that now has a stellar pair of pass rushers opposite Danielle Hunter, who recently became the quickest to 50 sacks in NFL history this past season. While Hunter hasn't practiced in two weeks for precautionary reasons, Pelissero added that he isn't expected to miss extended time.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 8/30/20

Vikings Make Strong Statement on Social Justice Issues

By Will Ragatz

Following their scrimmage at U.S. Bank Stadium on Friday, the Vikings weren't interested in talking about football. They wanted the conversation to continue to be about more important topics, namely the systemic racism and social justice issues that are plaguing this country.

So the team invited members of the media covering the scrimmage to gather in the stands behind the east end zone, and set up a microphone to deliver a message. A large percentage of the 80-man roster – including both African- American and white players – gathered behind the mic in a show of solidarity. First, head coach Mike Zimmer spoke about how proud he was of his players for how seriously they are taking these matters. The Vikings held a two-hour meeting on Thursday in which many different players voiced their opinions and discussed ideas for how the team can take real action to help facilitate change.

Then Ameer Abdullah, one of the leaders of the Vikings' social justice committee, stepped up to the mic.

"I know I speak for a lot of the men behind me right now when I say, we’re sick to our stomachs," Abdullah said. "We’re disgusted by the things that we’re seeing, the lack of empathy that’s been shown, the hijacking of narratives. The list goes on and on, and sometimes it can feel hopeless. We can feel hopeless as athletes sometimes, in this place that we are right now as a country, where you have police brutality raging on at a rate that’s just unbelievable. What happened to Jacob Blake in front of his children should never happen. No children should ever witness their father being shot seven times in the back, regardless of the circumstance."

Abdullah continued by expressing the main purpose of his speech, which was to call for a "proper (prosecution)" of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on George Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.

"I think right now, as a team, we want to take this opportunity to really narrow our focus, really make our demands clear, because like I said, the narrative gets hijacked all the time. As a team, what we want, starting here in the city of Minneapolis — which has been the epicenter of a lot of (this) ... we want proper prosecution of Derek Chauvin, the police officer that kneeled on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes, along with the other officers. That’s all we want, just to start there."

Abdullah repeated Chauvin's name several more times over the next few minutes. He spoke about how the Vikings' social justice committee is looking to build "sustainable programs" to help with issues like economic inequality and a lack of mental health resources for low-income families in the Twin Cities community.

"We’re doing everything that we can, but now it’s on the bureaucratic system to meet our intensity, to meet our level of what we’re demanding because it only goes so far. It’s a two-way street. We can do what we can do, with [our] finances and resources we have, but we need the politicians, the bureaucratic officials to stand up and be leaders. It’s time for the bureaucratic system to hold up its end and supply a fair trial and fair juries – all the processes we’ve known that’s failed us before. We’re sick of the process and the system failing us. We’re standing up right now as the Minnesota Vikings and saying we want a proper jury and proper prosecution of Derek Chauvin."

It was a powerful, impassioned speech from Abdullah. Following him, Kyle Rudolph and Anthony Harris also spoke briefly. Rudolph talked about the importance of being at the forefront of change, and Harris asked others to join the fight in helping fix these issues.

Following the speeches, the Vikings released a statement from owners Mark and Zygi Wilf in support of the players' message. The statement included three areas where the team is looking to focus its action:

The Wilfs previously committed $5 million to social justice causes.

Friday was just the latest proof that the Vikings organization – from the owners down to the coaches and players – are seriously committed to not just saying the right things, but pushing for actual change. That's pretty cool to see. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 8/30/20

Young Vikings Cornerbacks Show Promising Signs at Camp

By Eric Smith

EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings don't have a single on their roster over 23 years old, which helps explain why the position group has made just nine combined NFL starts.

Yet even though that position is among the youngest on the team, Minnesota's cornerbacks group has been a bright spot throughout Verizon Vikings Training Camp.

With the Vikings now through two weeks of padded practices, plenty of players have stood out to impress coaches and teammates.

Among them? Vikings starting quarterback .

"The entire defensive backfield, I think, has played really well. I think it's been tight coverage," Cousins said. "We've tried different route depths, we've tried double moves, and I think they've just had good discipline and been really sticky in covering our receivers and our tight ends, so that's certainly encouraging to see for the long haul during the season."

The cornerbacks group underwent the most turnover of any position on the roster in the offseason, but the opportunity is there for young players to step up.

Training Camp Practice: August 28 View photos of Vikings players from Verizon Vikings Training Camp practice at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Here is a closer look at the position a little more than two weeks out from the start of the 2020 season:

Mike Hughes

Hughes has been bitten by the injury bug during his first two seasons, whether it was a torn ACL as a rookie in 2018, or a neck injury that caused him to miss the postseason last January.

But the 2018 first-round pick is healthy now, and ready to take his game up a notch.

"That's what I want to reach this year – tap into some new levels I feel like I couldn't get to because of injuries holding me back a little bit," he said. "I'm coming into this year 100-percent confident in my body and how I feel and the work I've put into this offseason."

Hughes offers perhaps the most versatility of any Vikings cornerback, as he can play both outside and in the slot in nickel situations.

But no matter where Hughes lines up in 2020, Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer has big expectations for the 23- year-old.

2019 Season in Photos: Vikings CB Mike Hughes View the top photos of Vikings CB Mike Hughes from the 2019 season.

"Mike is a very talented kid," Zimmer said. "He needs to continue to have more confidence in himself. He needs to have more belief that when he goes out there, he can cover anybody.

"I think that's the biggest thing with Mike," Zimmer added. "If Mike will just say, 'Hey, I got this guy, it's me – let's go, you and me.' I think that part will help him mature faster and be a better player quicker."

Hughes has two career interceptions — one of which was returned for a score — in 20 career games, five of which have been starts. He has also tallied three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 12 passes defensed and a pair of tackles for loss.

Holton Hill

Like Hughes, Hill also joined the Vikings in the spring of 2018, but the former University of Texas standout was an undrafted free agent.

He has appeared in 24 career games — the most of any Vikings cornerback — but also missed half of the 2019 season due to a pair of four-game suspensions.

With clear playing time and starting spots up for grabs, however, Hill has been locked in during camp and has made plays on a routine basis.

Zimmer has noticed Hill's maturity level go up, too.

Hill: I Came Into Camp With A Different Mentality This Year Knowing I Could Fight For A Starting Job "He's done a good job. He's come back, seems to be a lot more mature this year. A lot more business-like," Zimmer said. "I told him the other day, his deal is that he has to prove he can be the same guy every day. So come out there, I don't have to correct you on this and then next day correct you on that again. Once we get it corrected, let's move on so we can correct the next thing. He's done a pretty good job of that so far.

"Holton has great size, really good athleticism. He can run, has long arms and is a physical kid," Zimmer added. "He has all the attributes you need at corner. Hopefully he'll continue to progress each and every day."

Hill has one career and eight passes defensed, along with a fumble recovery.

"Going into year three, my confidence is pretty high, just from all of the work that I put in in the offseason, the preparation that I was putting in and am continuing to put in," Hill said. "I'm just trying to keep doing it each day and just get better each and every day."

Hill will have the chance to be a major contributor in 2020 if he continues to play like he has in the first two weeks of camp.

Kris Boyd

Boyd was a special teams standout in his rookie season, as he led Minnesota in tackles in the third phase of the game.

Boyd played 96 total defensive snaps in 2019, 32 of which came in Weeks 1 and 3 when the Vikings earned big wins over the Falcons and Raiders, respectively.

But like a lot of young faces on the roster, Boyd played extensively (49 defensive snaps) in Week 17 against the Bears.

Boyd is likely to be a strong contributor once again on special teams, but could also carve out a role for himself as a depth cornerback on the roster.

Boyd on His Success on Special Teams Last Season, Opportunity To Play More On Defense In 2020 He explained earlier in camp about how he's focused on earning more playing time on that side of the ball in 2020.

"It's a great opportunity, and right now, I'm just going out there, getting better day by day and taking advantage of everything that's given to me," Boyd said. "Everybody's out there competing. I love seeing everybody out there going at it and getting better and paying attention to the details.

"I would say handling your business. When I say handling your business, that means within yourself, your technique and the things you have to do and apply every day. If you're not sharpening your technique or tools you need to go out there, then you won't have the confidence you need," Boyd later added. "But if you're studying, knowing the plays, knowing you're working on your technique and knowing the fundamentals you're going to have to do, then the confidence will be there. It's just how you apply it."

Vikings Co-Defensive Coordinator Adam Zimmer said Boyd is among the team's most willing participants to play anywhere on the field, especially on special teams.

And with camp well underway, Adam Zimmer noted that Boyd has put the work in to help out on defense this season.

"I like Kris a lot. I think he has a good mental attitude toward it. He works really hard at it," Adam Zimmer said. "You can give him one thing to do, and he'll work on it nonstop. He did that at the end of the year. He played great on special teams for us, and he's just going to hone in on the little details of the position and keep improving his technique.

"But I like his mental makeup, I think he's a competitor, and I think he wants to be great," he continued. "He's going to do everything he can to be in the mix for us."

Jeff Gladney

The Vikings had a pair of first-round picks, and used their second one on cornerback Jeff Gladney.

The former TCU standout offers similar versatility that Hughes does in that he can play both outside and inside, but he is also a rookie trying to learn Mike Zimmer's complex defense.

Gladney recently offered up his take on how his first few weeks on the practice field went.

"It's been great, just getting back in the swing of things, getting in the playbook. It's going really well," Gladney said. "I've been working both [outside and in the slot], but I'll leave that up to Coach Zim'. He's going to put the right pieces where he wants them."

Gladney on Working Both Outside and In The Slot, How His Knee Feels After Offseason Surgery, More Gladney has received plenty of quality reps in camp, but the Vikings have been careful with his workload since he underwent meniscus surgery this spring. He missed one non-padded practice in the early stages of camp.

"It just flared up on him a little bit. He probably took too many reps the first day, so we just have to try to ease him back him a little bit as we go," Mike Zimmer said. "Sometimes when those guys have surgery in the offseason in a situation like this, their rehab wasn't as good as it could be. He's going to be fine, though. There's no real issues there."

Gladney's role in 2020 could range from starter to rotational player, and he'll prepare equally for whatever role.

Cameron Dantzler

The second of three total cornerbacks drafted by Minnesota in the 2020 NFL Draft — along with Gladney and — Dantzler has been the standout among all rookies in camp.

He made splash plays on back-to-back days the first week of camp, deflecting away a deep pass to Adam Thielen before getting an interception on Kirk Cousins the following day.

As camp evolves, the 6-foot-2 Dantzler is working with coaches to focus on consistency day-in and day-out.

"That's exciting," [Vikings Co-Defensive Coordinator Andre] Patterson said of Dantzler's early showings in camp. "Now the key is, 'Can you keep doing it? Can you be consistent?' All of those young corners are working hard and they've all got talent.

"The key now is, 'Can they do it play after play after play?' That's the key in the NFL, to have consistency," Patterson added. "That's what we're working on now, to make sure they're consistent and can do that kind of thing rep after rep."

Dantzler Describes His Daily Battles With Thielen, His Early Success During Training Camp, More Dantzler starred at Mississippi State and was a third-round pick. He likely would have gone higher if not for a poor time in the 40-yard dash at the combine, but the Vikings like his blend of coverage, smarts and athleticism so far in camp.

He could earn a starting job over the final week of camp, but will likely play a key role in the 2020 season as Minnesota undergoes a wholesale transformation at cornerback.

"I absolutely feel comfortable," Dantzler said in advance of his rookie season because of the quality of work he's getting against Vikings receivers and Cousins.

"I'm looking forward to facing these quarterbacks [on the docket … I really haven't looked at the schedule since it's been out," Dantzler added. "I've been focusing on my craft and just doing what I need to do to help the team out."