DAILY CLIPS

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: Saturday, June 27, 2020

Pioneer Press

Multiple Minnesota pro sports teams coming back next month By Betsy Helfand https://www.twincities.com/2020/06/26/multiple-minnesota-pro-sports-teams-coming-back-next-month/

Purple Insider

Friday mailbag: Kramer vs. Cousins, 3-4 blitzes and the cap's future By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/friday-mailbag-kramer-vs-cousins

NATIONAL NEWS: Saturday, June 27, 2020

CBS Sports

Ranking top 10 EDGE rushers, defensive linemen in NFL: TJ Watt, Aaron Donald lead the way By Ryan Wilson https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ranking-top-10-edge-rushers-defensive-linemen-in-nfl-tj-watt-aaron-donald-lead- the-way/

NFL.com

Ten NFL players who most deserve new deals: No. 3 By Cynthia Frelund https://www.nfl.com/news/mahomes-prescott-among-those-who-most-deserve-new-contracts

Maven Media

Should the Vikings Explore a Trade for Chargers Cornerback Desmond King? By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-trade-rumors-chargers-desmond-king

79 Days Until Vikings Football: Could Be a Seventh-Round Steal By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-football-countdown-kenny-willekes-michigan-state

Kirk Cousins and Snubbed in Top-10 Rankings at Their Positions By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/kirk-cousins-adam-thielen-snubbed-top-ten-rankings

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Saturday, June 27, 2020

Mike Rob Makes His Case For Why Is Setup For Success With The Vikings In 2020 By VEN https://www.vikings.com/video/mike-rob-makes-his-case-for-why-kirk-cousins-is-setup-for-success-with-the-vikin

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Saturday, June 27, 2020

Lunchbreak: Favre, Cunningham Land on Top 10 List of Retirement Comebacks By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/brett-favre-randall-cunningham-top-10-list-of-retirement-comebacks

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 6/27/20

Multiple Minnesota pro sports teams coming back next month

By Betsy Helfand

It has been three and a half months since the sports world ground to a halt, and ready or not, every major professional sporting league now has a plan to return. Multiple Minnesota professional teams — starting with the St. Paul Saints on July 3 — will be returning to play next month, even as COVID-19 cases spike in states around the country.

When the Twins return in just under a month, they will be the only Minnesota team playing within the state’s borders. Here is a look at where every team (listed alphabetically) stands in its return-to-play plan:

LYNX Like the NBA, the WNBA is planning on heading to Florida for their season, where the expectation is a 22-game regular season will begin in late July. All teams are expected to report to training camp in early July.

Games will be held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where teams will train, play and live. The WNBA season originally was scheduled to begin in May and be 36 games.

SAINTS The Saints have begun “spring training” at CHS Field to prepare for their upcoming 60-game season in the independent American Association. After a quick ramp-up period, they will head to Sioux Falls, S.D., where they will play their home games in front of fans. The season will begin on July 3.

They do not plan on returning to Minnesota until they can host fans at CHS Field, which is currently unallowable under state guidelines. The hope is that that would be this season, executive vice president and general manager Derek Sharrer has said.

TIMBERWOLVES The Timberwolves’ season ended when the NBA announced it would invite just 22 of its 30 teams to its quarantine bubble in Orlando, Fla. Though positive COVID-19 cases in Florida have skyrocketed in recent days, the NBA has not announced any changes to its current plans.

On Friday, and National Basketball Players Association announced that 16 of 302 players tested on June 23 had tested positive. The plan right now would be to have teams starting to arrive on July 7 with games starting on July 30.

TWINS More than three and a half months after leaving spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., Twins players will report to spring training 2.0 at Target Field. Players will report by July 1 and the 60-game MLB season is expected to begin on July 23 or 24. The Twins will play 40 games against the other four American League Central teams and 20 against the five teams in the National League Central.

The Twins are among a handful of teams who already have reported players testing positive for COVID-19. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey said “a few” players have contracted the virus and are doing well in quarantine. None of those players had been training at the Twins’ stadiums in Fort Myers or Minneapolis, Falvey said.

UNITED The United, who returned to full-team training sessions last week, will return when the league launches its 26-team MLS Is Back Tournament in Orlando, Fla. next month.

The United, who leave for Florida this weekend, will play a friendly match against the Columbus Crew on July 5. They will play their first tournament match on July 12 against Sporting Kansas City. The tournament has a round- robin format that leads into a knock-out stage.

VIKINGS While the NFL has been the least-affected league by virtue of the calendar, the Hall of Fame Game, the annual exhibition opener scheduled for Aug. 6, was canceled on Thursday. The enshrinement ceremony also was postponed until 2021.

Training camps are expected to start on July 28, and the NFL has said that it is planning to push forward with beginning the regular season — set to begin Sept. 10 — on time.

WILD A small group of Wild players returned to the ice at TRIA Rink this week, skating together for the first time since March. Goalie Devan Dubnyk was among that group and described the experience as relatively normal, with the exception of everyone wearing masks indoors. He expects more teammates to trickle in next week.

The voluntary small group training is part of the NHL’s Phase 2. Phase 3, which includes the start of training camps, is targeted to begin on July 10 if the league and its players agree to a return-to-play plan and health protocols. After that, there would be a 24-team playoff tournament at two hub sites. The Twin Cities are no longer under consideration as one of those sites. PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 6/27/20

Friday mailbag: Kramer vs. Cousins, 3-4 blitzes and the cap's future

By Matthew Coller

Happy Friday everyone, let’s have a look what Vikings fans have on their minds this week…

@skolmurasaki: What is Alex Boone up to? I talked with my old show partner not too long ago and he said that he’s still working toward an NFL comeback. Honestly, I think he can do it. COVID has impacted his ability to visit teams and do workouts so maybe as things open up a bit he’ll have a chance to prove he can play again.

One thing that’s worth saying about Alex Boone is that few players have ever been more different from their public perception than him. I asked Frank Gore to come on the show and he jumped to call in. Sam Bradford and Terence Newman, who never do interviews, called in when Alex asked them. He was all-in on the show. Gave everything he had and that was awesome. One thing I discovered is that he LOVES the X’s and O’s part of football and coached his kid’s flag football team to learn NFL concepts. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into at first because he can be intimidating but he became one of my favorite people to work with.

From Mike via email: 1) For my wife and I, our first concrete football memories were watching Tommy Kramer. Can you settle a question for us, is Cousins the reincarnation of Two Minute Tommy? 2) Can you tell us a little about the business model and how it is going? I see more and more internet companies going to this subscription model. In general, I like it because I think it cuts out a lot of clickbait/hot-take garbage. 1) Here’s the thing I’ll give Tommy: People who watched him loved him. Fans from the 80s adore him. Maybe it’s because he had 54 total wins and 19 of them included game-winning drives. As much as I love old games, it’s hard to find enough quality broadcasts from Kramer’s best days to study and say for sure why how he compares because on paper there’s not a lot that would suggest he’s as good as Kirk Cousins. He’s 136th all-time in QB rating (just ahead of Bubby Brister!). Cousins is one of the top five or six highest rated QBs since becoming a starter in 2015.

The thing they have in common is the fact that they usually win about half their games. From a numbers perspective, Cousins is much better even when you adjust for era. Pro-Football Reference has a stat that shows whether a player was above or below average in each category compared to the rest of the league and Kramer was only a top-half QB in Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt and QB rating three times in his career whereas Cousins is above average in those categories every season since 2015.

Bottom line: Kirk is better (and a lot healthier). Tommy may have been more fun.

2) My hope when I started Purple Insider was that enough people would be kind enough to support me continuing to write my little heart out about the Vikings and the response has been overwhelming. Right now I have about 660 paying subscribers and over 3,000 who signed up for one free article a week. I couldn’t have imagined the response.

The business side is pretty simple. Substack hosts the site and takes a small percentage to do so. All I have to do is open up the site and write.

I totally agree with the point that this medium is growing in popularity and severely reduces the feeling of GOTTA GET CLICKS that comes along with ad revenue. My hope here is that we create a little community where everyone feels welcome to ask questions, share ideas and follow the madness that is the Vikings. I know paying for stuff is annoying but there’s some pretty cool benefits for readers, the biggest being that you’re getting exactly what you wanted. It’s like buying your favorite musical artist on iTunes versus listening to the radio for hours hoping to hear a song you like. My guess is that with ad-driven companies suffering, we’ll live in an a la carte world in sports media in the future. I can’t thank you all enough for, as Ralph Wiggum would say, “choo choo choosing” to read my work.

@OleMart26434417: If the season is cancelled because of the pandemic, how should they solve the draft order in 2021? With all the other sports coming back, I’m still feeling very confident we’ll have a season. Call it the most wishful of all wishful thinking considering recent rises in some states. But the NFL has shown us time and time again they are going to push forward hard and they’ll have time to see how Major League Baseball, WNBA, NBA and NHL handle things before they have to begin.

That said, if the season had to be shut down it might depend on how it happened. If we’re eight games in, maybe they go by record after eight games. If it’s shut down before it ever started, a lottery would make more sense than just going with the same order. Maybe all the non-playoff teams from 2019 have X number of ping pong balls and the order gets picked out of a hat. That seems like the only fair way to do it. Let’s hope we don’t find out.

@Ragnarskingdom: If Vikings were going to make only one more free agent acquisition this offseason... who would you put your money on? It might feel like I’m going off the board here but I’ll say Darqueze Dennard. Former first-round pick who allowed just a 79.6 rating into his coverage last year (per PFF) and has been graded by PFF as an above average cover corner two of the last three years. Where he could have a domino effect is that he played mostly in the slot in Cincinnati. If he were to join the Vikings as a slot corner, Mike Hughes could play outside and , Holton Hill, Kris Boyd and Cam Dantzler could fight it out for the other outside spot. You’d know at least one job was solidified.

The really good version of Larry Warford would make the Vikings quite a bit better but recent history on older interior offensive linemen isn’t all that promising. Second choice would be a veteran rotational edge like Terrell Suggs or Cameron Wake.

@BIG_dannn: Vikings extend Harris &Cook and magically can sign one of these options. Which option would take the Vikings to the super bowl? A. Jason peters and Aqib Talib B. Griffen and Mike Person C. Larry Warford and Logan Ryan D. Reckless option.. Antonio Brown and Josh Kline Great question. I’ll go Jason Peters and Aqib Talib because I think they play the most valuable positions here and still can be legitimately very good. Let’s say Peters gives you 12 games. You know that 8-10 are going to be way above average and then can pick up the rest if he’s ready and Riley Reiff moves inside to guard. It’s not easy to switch spots but Reiff is more talented than anyone else we talk about playing guard. He can handle the powerful interior guys better than, say, Pat Elflein. If Talib has even enough to rotate in, that gives them more depth at a position with literally zero veterans.

At D-end, Griffen is a really hard player to replace but I’d like to see what they have in Odenigbo as the starter and Mike Person probably isn’t a big upgrade on what they have already.

The Warford-Ryan option is my second pick (and might be the better choice but passing up Peters on this team would be too tough). Ryan strikes me as the perfect prove-it deal guy for the Vikings like was in 2018 and Warford would have a good shot to be a significant upgrade in pass protection.

Antonio Brown was a super fun idea before we knew the full extent of Brown’s troubles. Anybody who signs up for his services now is taking a huge risk that he’ll play one game and then get suspended again. If Brown’s recent history wasn’t downright disturbing, I’d pick him in a heartbeat. Thielen/Brown/Jefferson/Smith/Rudolph would be one heck of a group.

@danomn: How much influence is Dom Capers going to have on the role and use of Anthony Barr? If you want the TO THE EXTREME football explanation for using multiple fronts on third down pressure packages, my pal Cody Alexander did a cool post on his website that’s insanely detailed about it.

Let me give you the short version: When you line up with three down linemen, you can send four-man pressures but the offense doesn’t know where the fourth rusher is coming from. You can design rushes with the three up front to create confusion with the offensive line/quarterback that allows free runs at the QB or has a specific game-planned goal in mind.

In the past, Mike Zimmer loved using Barr off rushes from a “Mug” front in the double-A gap blitzes. Mug front is basically putting five guys right at the line but offenses have adjusted to those so he backed off and started going with more zone blitzes in 2018. With Capers, we might see something like this. Picture Barr as the “W.”

Capers won’t fundamentally change Barr. He’s going to give Zimmer more ideas of how to get the most out of the times Barr has rushed.

Barr’s role has been questioned for years (including by him!) but for an off-ball linebacker he rushes a lot and does it very effectively. He rushed 11th most among LBs who played similar roles and had the sixth most pressures. Barr has such a unique skill set in his present role that it’s hard to see him becoming a 3-4 pass rushing OLB all of the sudden. Beating tackles every play is just so different than creating pressure off schemed blitz packages.

@stromer_kevin Matt due to the circumstances this season what are the odds they keep four quarterbacks One thing that comes to mind is: If we get to the point where teams are losing two QBs to COVID, the league will shut down. But if the league does indeed expand practice squad rosters, that opens the door to having both and make the practice squad. They would struggle to get any legit reps in practice but if they like both as guys who could eventually develop into backup QBs, it’s always a good idea to keep more quarterbacks.

@benjackson0812 Where do the Vikings rank in your mind in the NFC?? I’d probably answer this with tiers.

The top tier NFC Teams going into 2020 are: San Francisco, New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Dallas (they had a better point differential than the Vikings last year and somehow went 8-8, thanks Jason Garrett).

After that there’s a massive tier of teams you could see being very good or meh. Put the Packers, Vikings, I’ll be slightly bold and throw the Lions in here along with Arizona, Philly, Seattle, Atlanta (maybe?). None of those teams are decidedly better than the Vikings or way worse.

And under the way worse category is NY, Washington, Carolina and Los Angeles (I think?)

That puts the Vikings anywhere from a division winner to fighting for the No. 7 playoff seed.

@JoelDubiel: One player the Vikings should trade for And/Or one player the Vikings should trade? I wrote a column for Bring Me The News about how a trade isn’t crazy. If he isn’t going to sign for a reasonable dollar, find him another home, see what Alex Mattison and Mike Boone can do and add draft capital and cap space for 2021. Aside from him, maybe Riley Reiff? Who knows what Ezra Cleveland and have in them but it might be nice to start finding out.

Now if things went South, I wonder if the Vikings would consider moving someone like Harrison Smith or Anthony Barr at the trade deadline.

In terms of who to trade for, I’ll get a bit deep in the weeds here with DJ Hayden from Jacksonville. His cap number is $7.6 million and he’s a free agent after this year. A rental corner makes a lot of sense.

I notice Jaleel Johnson had a cryptic tweet about “DK.” Which naturally made some folks online think the Vikings are trading for Desmond King. He had a pretty rough season in 2019 but was elite in coverage per PFF in 2017 and 2018. He’d be a game-changer in the way we talk about the secondary.

There’s always the Josh Rosen route. In fact, I’ll take any first or second-round pick who’s been a bust so far.

@robbQthibault: Ok which record is broken first- Paul Krause’s 81 career INT’s or Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak and why? In this home run-crazy world, it’s really hard to see anyone getting hits in 56 straight games. If Tony Gywnn couldn’t do it, nobody can. But in comparison to 81 career , it seems pretty plausible. When Krause picked off 10 passes in 1975, the league as a whole threw 533 interceptions. Last year, the league threw 410 (and half were by Jameis Winston, am I right?)

In the past people have come close to 56. The current active leader in interceptions has 35. Nobody’s ever breaking that.

@KyleBueckert Of the 3 other NFC North quarterbacks (excluding Kirk) who would you rather have as your starter for the next 5 years? Tough choice between Rodgers and Stafford but I’ll still go Rodgers, then Stafford, then whoever starts for the Bears but I’d pick Jordan Love over either of the Bears’ quarterbacks because at least he has a chance to be good someday.

Stafford was outstanding in a very small sample size last year and has some impressive numbers but one thing that kinda bugs me is that nobody ever acts like the Lions missing the playoffs for all these years is his fault. He’s 10 games below .500 with zero playoff wins. Is that all coaching and supporting cast? The entire time?

Since 2015 he’s 14th in Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt (which factors sacks and interceptions and usually correlates to the best scoring offenses). That’s pretty meh. The top guys are Mahomes, Jackson, Wilson, Brees, Jimmy G, Watson, Brady.

That’s not to say he isn’t good, it’s just that past-prime Rodgers still finds ways to win even with a poor group of weapons (Stafford’s receiving weapons have often been great during his career).

@sachikojohnson: Would you support a trade yet for Thuney or do you have confidence we can win with what we have? The one fear I have with Patriots O-linemen is that Brady makes them all look better with his quick releases. It seems like every time an ex-Pats lineman goes somewhere he’s (see: Solder, Nate) they end up being a disappointment. A deal for Thuney would have to include an extremely lucrative extension, which the Vikings would struggle afford even before a likely new deal with Dalvin Cook.

That said, he’s probably a very large upgrade even if we drop his play down a tick because of the Brady effect. On a 1-10 scale of confidence in the current O-line, I’d go with a six that they can win with them. They won 10 games last year despite some of the issues and the interior can’t be worse than it was in 2019.

@MATPhxc: It seems like Anthony Barr takes a lot of heat. I’ve read some of the trends that he’s regressed and isn’t worth his contract yet is one of the top players in terms of pressures. Could AB evolve the same way Clay Matthews did from LB to pass rusher? Maybe Dom Capers will be able to find the same kind of success with Barr that he did with Matthews. I don’t think Barr has regressed yet. His grade by PFF was a bit lower in 2019 than 2018 but linebackers will have variations like that pretty regularly, often times depending on how effectively opposing offensive coordinators attacked them. He’s still a few years away from seeing his physical skills diminish.

Barr is likely destined someday for that type of situational rusher role. My guess is that won’t be in Minnesota. Think of it like Xavier Rhodes. He could end up playing a few more years as a safety but that was never going to happen here because of his contract. Barr’s deal has him clearing $15 million in 2021 and 2022 and over $18 million in 2023. No chance he ever gets to those 2022 and 2023 numbers.

Maybe we could see an affable relationship and switch in role at a decreased price if Barr wants to be a Viking for life but these things usually have feelings involved. Plus he would have to be good at it like B-Rob was late in his career. Matthews was not.

AT King: Do teams give up on QBs too quickly or not quickly enough? No matter how obvious it is that every QB would benefit from sitting their first year, teams still throw them into the fire. Maybe long term it hasn’t mattered for some but there are a number of quarterbacks in the past who might have had a much better chance at success if they weren’t completely out of their depth early on.

If the two most gifted QBs of the last 15 years both sat their first year, then maybe Mitch Trubisky or Josh Rosen should have too.

I think Blake Bortles could be the last of the QBs that a team held onto too long. There are more human beings who are good at quarterback than ever before in history so when one guy proves he can’t play there will be opportunity to sign another guy who can. The Vikings lost Teddy to injury and found three other guys who could win with a good setup. The Bucs’ first overall pick stunk, so they got the GOAT. Cam Newton is a darn free agent. We’re likely to see teams bailing after that first contract like the Bears did in not picking up Trubisky’s fifth-year option.

McGraw25: If the salary cap - as expected goes down - will the Vikings retain most of their draft picks (younger, cheaper) and continue the youth movement next year (10 or more picks) or look to cap-casualty bargains on the open market? They will hope that the 2019 and 2020 classes become what the 2013-2015 classes once were. Draft, develop, pay. The 2015-17 seasons were spent with a lot of guys who hadn’t gotten paid yet like Diggs/Hunter/Kendricks/Barr/Rhodes. And when they proved themselves to be very good, they all got big deals. The dream scenario for the Vikings is that players like , Kris Boyd, Cam Dantzler, Ezra Cleveland etc. end up being home run draft picks and fill starting roles on rookie deals in 2021. Then they can avoid having to spend on free agents and pay them later when the league goes to a 17-game season.

If they don’t find hidden gems and and don’t turn out, the reality is that the Vikings will become the Cincinnati Bengals, who nailed a ton of draft picks in the 2010-2015 range and then went bust on almost every pick after that and fell off the face of the earth.

Still there’s going to be some cap flexibility with the Vikings since they can move on from players like Reiff and Kyle Rudolph to make space. I don’t think the cap will drastically drop as much as has been suggested.

@PalpatinesRobes Does Mike Zimmer have to make the playoffs in order to earn an extension? It seems like every year Zim has some crazy unforeseeable event happen, from Peterson to Teddy to Covid-19. It's just Vikings karma We might end up with a situation where Zimmer just leaves if he doesn’t get an extension even if he makes the playoffs. It’s very clear that he’s frustrated by all the chatter about his job status and the lack of commitment from ownership thus far. I tend to be on the side of defending Zimmer because of exactly what you said: It’s been a crazy time and the worst season aside from 2014 has been eight wins. When things are a disaster, it’s eight wins. When things fall the right way, it’s 13 wins. Most coaches who do that keep their gigs like or Andy Reid.

But I’ve been inside that building when things are going wrong and there was so much tension in ‘16, ‘18 and even last year despite making the playoffs. I wonder if that plays into it along with the team continuing to push toward an analytics-based approach.

Still, find a coach who will go five straight years with a top-10 defense. It gives you a shot to be there every year. PUBLICATION: CBS Sports DATE: 6/27/20

Ranking top 10 EDGE rushers, defensive linemen in NFL: TJ Watt, Aaron Donald lead the way

By Ryan Wilson

After quarterback, edge rushers are arguably the most important position on the field. We certainly saw it with the 2019 draft class. And while this year's class wasn't quite as deep at the position, No. 2 overall pick Chase Young has a chance to be special.

But the ability to get after the quarterback isn't just the job of players lining up on the end of the formation; interior defensive linemen -- especially those who excel against the run and the pass -- are also valuable, and two-time defensive player of the year Aaron Donald is evidence of just that.

Our CBS Sports colleagues have already covered quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive backs and linebackers. And below are our rankings for both EDGE rushers and interior defensive linemen based on their ability to rush the passer, starting with those players who just missed the cut.

Honorable mention: Robert Quinn, Justin Houston, Von Miller, Trey Flowers, DeMarcus Lawrence

10. Nick Bosa Bosa was the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, three years after his brother Joey was the third-overall pick. Both are among the best pass rushers in the NFL; Nick had nine sacks as a rookie and there's every reason to expect he'll only get better in 2020 where he'll play on one of the most dominant D-lines in the league.

9. Khalil Mack Year 2 in Chicago wasn't as successful as the 2018 campaign, where Mack had 12.5 sacks for the NFL's No. 1 defense and played a large role in taking Chicago to the top of the NFC North. Last season, Mack managed just eight sacks but he remains one of the most explosive defensive players in the league. At 29, his best days remain in front of him.

8. Za'Darius Smith The Packers made a point last offseason to bolster their defense and signing Smith was an integral part of the plan. After four years in Baltimore where he never had more than 8.5 sacks, Smith started 16 games for Green Bay in 2019 and finished with career bests in sacks (13.5), tackles for loss (17) and quarterback hits (37).

7. The Vikings signed Hunter to a five-year, $72 million deal after the 2017 season and it was money well spent. He logged a career-best 14.5 sacks in '18, a total he equaled last season. Just 25 years old, Hunter has yet to hit his prime.

6. Shaquil Barrett Undrafted out of Colorado State in 2014, Barrett showed glimpses of potential during his first five years in the league. But it wasn't until he landed in Tampa Bay last season that he emerged as one of the best pass rushers in the league. In 16 starts he totaled 19.5 sacks, nine of which game in the first four games. The 27-year-old played on a one-year, $4 million deal in '19 and while he's on another one-year deal, this time it's the franchise tag, which is worth $15.8 million.

5. Joey Bosa Bosa was the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and when he's healthy he's just about unblockable. He had 10.5 sacks as a rookie, 12.5 in Year 2, but only had 5.5 sacks in 2018 because he missed nine games with an injury. Bosa started all 16 games last season and totaled 11.5 sacks, with a career-best 18 tackles for loss and 31 quarterback hits.

4. Cam Jordan Jordan, who turns 31 on July 10, was the 24th pick in a 2011 draft class that was stocked with defensive linemen and pass rushers. That group began with Von Miller at No. 2 and included Aldon Smith (No. 7), J.J. Watt (No. 11), Ryan Kerrigan (No. 16), Adrian Clayborn (No. 20), Jordan, Muhammad Wilkerson (30) and Cam Heyward (31). In nine NFL seasons, Jordan has started 143 of 144 games and in 2019 he registered a career-best 15.5 sacks -- the fifth time he logged double-digit sack totals.

3. Chandler Jones Jones turned 30 this offseason but he's more dominant now than ever. Since arriving in Arizona in 2016, he has has 60 sacks, including a career-best 19 last season, to go along with eight forced . All eyes will be on Kyler Murray and the Cardinals offense in 2020 but the defense could be the difference between winning six or seven games or making a playoff run.

2. Myles Garrett The first-overall pick in the 2017 draft class, Garrett had seven sacks in 11 games as a rookie, exploded for 13.5 sacks in 2018, and was averaging a sack a game last season until he swung a helmet at the head of Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and was suspended for the final six games. Garrett has been cleared to play in 2020 and he'll be a focal point in a young, fast and physical Browns defense.

1. TJ Watt TJ Watt may have surpassed brother J.J. as the best NFL player in the family. The 30th overall pick in 2017, Watt has gotten better each season, improving his sack totals from 7.0 to 13.0 to 14.5 last season, when he also forced a career-best eight fumbles. Just 25 years old, Watt is arguably the Steelers' top defender on a unit that also includes and Cam Heyward.

Defensive linemen Honorable mention: Deatrich Wise, Vita Vea, Maliek Collins, Stephon Tuitt, Matt Ioannidis, DJ Reader

10. Javon Hargrave Hargrave flew under the radar coming out of South Carolina State, and he did the same during his four seasons with the Steelers, mostly because he was playing alongside the likes of Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and T.J. Watt. But there's a reason the Eagles gave Hargrave a three-year, $39 million deal this offseason. His low center of gravity coupled with an explosive first step makes him incredibly difficult to block and he has 10.5 sacks the last two seasons. Those numbers could improve playing alongside Fletcher Cox and Malik Jackson in Philly.

9. J.J. Watt Watt, another member of the 2011 class, has battled injuries in recent years. His 2016, 2017 and 2019 seasons were cut short as a result, though his '18 campaign was vintage Watt: 16 sacks in 16 games and looked like his old self. Now 31 and healthy, Watt, who had just four sacks in eight games a season ago, is looking to recapture the form that made him one of the most formidable defensive players in the league.

8. Calais Campbell Campbell, 33, is entering his 13th NFL season. He spent the first nine years in Arizona and anchored the defensive line in Jacksonville from 2017-19. In those three years, he had 31.5 sacks, though only 6.5 came in 2019. Now in Baltimore, Campbell -- like just about every other player that joins Wink Martindale's defense -- is primed for a breakout season.

7. Cam Heyward Heyward was part of that stacked 2011 draft class and he's consistently been one of the best 3-4 defensive ends during his eight seasons. He's logged 29 sacks the last three seasons, including nine in '19.

6. DeForest Buckner The 49ers have used a first-round pick on a defensive linemen in five of the last six drafts. Javon Kinlaw was the most recent example but in 2016, the team selected Buckner seventh overall and it proved to be a smart decision. Buckner had 19.5 sacks the last two seasons, including 7.5 in '19, and he anchored a D-line that made it to the Super Bowl in February. The team traded him in the spring to the Colts for the 13th overall pick and the expectation is that Buckner will be just as unstoppable in Indy.

5. Fletcher Cox Cox's best season came in 2018 when he had a career-high 10.5 sacks. The 29-year-old had just 3.5 sacks last season but he was still the No. 5-ranked pass-rushing interior lineman, according to PFF.

4. Grady Jarrett Jarrett signed a four-year, $68 million deal before the 2019 season and there's no doubt he was worth it. He ranked fourth (up one spot from a year ago) among all interior defensive linemen, according to PFF's grades.

3. Kenny Clark The 2016 first-round pick has lived up to the billing; he's had six sacks in each of the last two seasons and was the third-best pass rusher among all defensive interior linemen, via PFF's grades.

2. Chris Jones Jones, who turns 26 on July 3, had nine last season and 15.5 the season before that. For the second straight year he was the NFL's No. 2 interior pass rusher, according to PFF. He's currently playing on the $16.1 million franchise tag but a lucrative long-term deal is in his future.

1. Aaron Donald This might be the least-shocking thing you read all week. Not only is Donald the best defensive lineman on the planet, he's one of the best football players too. The advanced metrics agree and the conventional stats confirm as much; Donald managed just 12.5 sacks in 2019, a year after he had 20.5 (!!). In six seasons, he has 72.0 sacks ... as a defensive tackle.

PUBLICATION: NFL.com DATE: 6/27/20

Ten NFL players who most deserve new deals: Dak Prescott No. 3

By Cynthia Frelund

There are a lot of factors that come into play when signing long-term, big-money contracts. A variety of market dynamics facing individual players -- like positional scarcity, teams' cap situations, years left on the contract and the player's relationship to the organization -- can carry weight. And, of course, this offseason, there is uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic to contend with, as well. However, performance and production as they relate to wins is almost always the main measuring stick that drives the value of a deal.

As it stands right now, a number of high-profile, high-value players are in line to earn a hefty new contract, with some players potentially even resetting the market at their positions. Which begs the question: Taking into account all of the on-the-field clues contextualized data can provide, who deserves a new deal the most?

Using my win-share model results and forward-looking projections to estimate future win impact, I've ranked 10 high- profile players in line for potential new deals according to the urgency with which their teams should approach negotiations, with the universal caveat that adjustments made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic could throw a monkey wrench into the proceedings. You can see all 10 players ranked below, listed along with 2020 win-share projections and my model's deal priority ratings (these are presented on a scale from 1, or least urgent, to 10, or most urgent):

Rank T-1 Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs · QB 2020 win-share projection: 5.0 (first among QBs). Deal priority rating: 10.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP is my model's top-rated QB next season, narrowly edging out the current highest-paid QB (). Next Gen Stats shows that Mahomes threw 25 touchdowns on deep passes over the past two seasons, the most in the NFL, and he also had the second-highest yards-per-attempt mark targeting receivers aligned in the slot last season (10.5). So while the 10th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft does have two years remaining on his deal, it would behoove the Chiefs to get something done as soon as possible, both to reward the player who helped drive their championship run -- and to lock him in now before his price rises even higher.

Rank T-1 Deshaun Watson Houston Texans · QB 2020 win-share projection: 4.82 (QB 4). Deal priority rating: 10.

Remember, my models rate win-win situations higher than distributive ones. Meaning, I would be pushing for a deal to be signed now whether I was working for Watson -- who can be retained for two more years on his rookie deal -- OR the Texans. Houston made some big moves this offseason, trading away receiver DeAndre Hopkins and signing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to an extension, and the best historical references show that securing Watson now correlates to more wins in the long term. My models rate getting Watson's deal done this season as almost exactly the same value as the Chiefs extending Patrick Mahomes. When I sort the surrounding offensive casts of the top seven QBs in terms of win-share in my model (including Watson, Mahomes, , Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Tom Brady), Watson's current surrounding cast on offense ranks the lowest ... by far.

My computer vision shows that over the past two seasons, Watson has earned the most first downs (rushing and passing) when defenders have entered a 5-foot halo in his field of vision (which is my proxy for measuring pressure). Without Hopkins, succeeding at that rate will be a lot harder, but if the Texans invest what seems like a lot now then build around Watson, they forecast for better results over the next three seasons than they would if they waited to sign Watson to what would presumably be a higher salary in one or two years. That is, they should be better positioned to acquire higher-value surrounding cast members if they extend Watson now.

Rank 3 Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys · QB 2020 win-share projection: 4.5 (QB 11). Deal priority rating: 8.

Prescott, who signed his $31.4 million exclusive franchise tag this week, has until July 15 to sign a long-term extension with the Cowboys. His ranking here is interesting, because Dallas' non-QB offensive players have a higher collective win-share total than the supporting casts of all but two teams. In other words, the Cowboys' offensive line, running backs and pass-catchers add a lot more win-share value than most quarterbacks work with around the league. And yet, Prescott is crucial to the Cowboys' success. Consider that Next Gen Stats show Prescott ranked third in the NFL in passing yards per attempt on passes of 10-plus air yards (13.0) in 2019; he also threw 18 touchdowns on such passes (third-best). And for all the value the receivers add, Dak's pass-catchers dropped the most passes in the NFL (43), per Pro Football Focus. If he ends up playing on the tag, Dak will be the seventh- highest paid QB in the NFL on an average annual basis, per Over the Cap.

Rank T-4 Dalvin Cook · RB 2020 win-share projection: 0.83 (RB 5). Deal priority rating: 7.

Let's set aside for now the question of Cook's reported intention to hold out heading into his contract year, as well as the observation made by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that the new collective bargaining agreement would make a holdout "virtually prohibitive." Yards after contact and yards after the catch are two categories in which Cook really drove his value, and he projects to continue driving even more value there going forward. His ability to earn chunk yardage showed up in the fact that he logged 73 rushes of at least 15 miles per hour, the most among RBs in 2019 -- only Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had more. Reaching these speeds often means having and/or finding open lanes and forcing missed tackles. Last season, Cook earned 10 touchdowns on rushes outside the tackles, tying Derrick Henry for the most in the NFL, per NGS.

Rank T-4 George Kittle · TE 2020 win-share projection: 0.73 (TE 2). Deal priority rating: 7.

Only Philadelphia's Zach Ertz has a higher win-share projection for 2020 at the tight end position -- and that is driven by questions around the Eagles' running game and receiving corps. Kittle, a fifth-round pick in 2017 who is entering the final season of his rookie deal, is on a team that enjoys more certainty at the ball-carrying and pass-catching positions. Last season, NGS shows Kittle averaged 3.3 receiving yards per route run in 2019, the most in the NFL among those with a minimum of 100 routes. Kittle should have no problem re-setting the tight end market, considering the top salary at that position currently averages $10.6 million (per Over the Cap), but he might have a hard time convincing the team to give him receiver-type money, if that's what he's looking for. Only time will tell what a "George Kittle deal" -- which is what his agent told NFL Network's Michael Silver he's seeking, as opposed to the standard tight end valuation -- will look like.

Collinsworth: How Kittle could revolutionize deals for hybrid players Rank T-6 Chris Jones Kansas City Chiefs · DT 2020 win-share projection: 1.8 (DI 3). Deal priority rating: 6.

The deal priority rating here reflects that the Chiefs used the franchise tag on Jones (set to pay him $16.1 million), which draws some parameters on the deal terms for securing his services but also leaves the opportunity for Jones to earn more money next season on an average annual basis than he would this season (Jones' trajectory is increasing). A second-round pick in 2016, Jones has ascended to be my model's third-best projected interior defender, a ranking he achieved over the past two seasons, as well. Jones' efficiency on passing downs (as with his 24.5 sacks over the past two seasons) is easy to see on film. Jones' help against the run last season in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's defense drove even more value for the Chiefs, as he ranked sixth in my computer vision defensive run-stopping metric among interior defenders. This means when a back ran into the space near Jones, he helped stop their ability to earn first downs and touchdowns at the sixth-highest rate at his position.

Rank T-6 Alvin Kamara New Orleans Saints · RB 2020 win-share projection: 0.82 (RB 6). Deal priority rating: 6.

Broken tackles mean extra yards, and Kamara's impact rushing and catching passes is characterized by his ability to gain extra ground by eluding defenders. My model ranks his impact after the ball is in his hand (whether he's attempting a rush or catching a pass) as the third-highest in the NFL over the past two seasons. NGS adds that his 5.1 yards-per-rush mark outside the tackles ranks as the third-highest in the NFL since 2017 (among those with a minimum of 250 outside rushes; Nick Chubb ranks first and Derrick Henry ranks second). The 2017 third-round pick is entering the final season of his rookie deal. I know many "analytics" people say not to pay a running back, but I would amend that to say no position should be overpaid -- and no players should be devalued just by virtue of the position they play.

Rank 8 Allen Robinson Chicago Bears · WR 2020 win-share projection: 0.69 (WR 16). Deal priority rating: 5.

Robinson is the only player I'm looking at for this article who is seeking a third contract, as he's entering the final year of a three-season deal with the Bears. His average of $14 million dollars over each of the past three seasons ranks 14th at the position, per Over The Cap, which is a higher ranking than my projection -- but even so, he's likely undervalued. How? Only 64.9 percent of Robinson's career targets have been catchable, the fifth-lowest rate among the 82 receivers with 250-plus targets since 2014, per PFF. In other words, QB play has been a limiting factor for a receiver who's spent his career catching passes from Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky.

Rank 9 Jamal Adams New York Jets · S 2020 win-share projection (if he plays out the season with the Jets): 0.77 (S 3). Deal priority rating: 4.

Adams' place on my Analytics All-Star team for 2019 was very much driven by his ability to generate pressure; his 17 quarterback pressures in 2019 ranked highest among defensive backs. He's no doubt a valuable asset. His ranking at the bottom of this list has more to do with the fact that, as the No. 6 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, he could technically be kept on his rookie deal for up to two more seasons, including the fifth-year option. Now, one complicating factor, of course, is his demand for a trade and a new deal. And the Jets should consider the potential ramifications of Adams being unhappy or potentially holding out -- if he refuses to play, they should trade him. But the bottom line is, the team currently has enough leverage to let this situation play out a little bit. And unlike Mahomes, his position simply doesn't carry the same impact as a quarterback.

Rank 10 Myles Garrett · DE 2020 win-share projection: 0.86 (EDGE 9). Deal priority rating: 3.

As with Adams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft can be kept on his rookie deal for up to two more years, thanks to his fifth-year option. His data from 2018 to '19 shows excellent pass-stopping ability but less-exceptional run-stopping ability. NGS shows that Garrett pressured opposing quarterbacks on 17.1 percent of dropbacks in 2019 (the second-highest rate of any player in a season since 2016). Without Garrett on the field, the Browns' front pressured QBs on 21.5 percent of dropbacks; with him on the field, that number was 23.9 percent, per NGS. His value to the team is clear, and Cleveland might decide the best move is to lock him in now, but the team does have time on the clock to decide what to do, which is why he falls at the bottom of this list.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 6/27/20

Should the Vikings Explore a Trade for Chargers Cornerback Desmond King?

By Will Ragatz

I wouldn't give it official "rumor" status at this point, but there's certainly a little bit of buzz building up about the possibility of the Vikings trading for Chargers cornerback Desmond King II. At the very least, it's something fun to speculate about in the quietest portion of the NFL offseason.

On Thursday, ESPN's Field Yates posted an article containing five potential trades that make sense for both sides. One of those was the Vikings trading left tackle Riley Reiff (and agreeing to pay $3.8 million of his base salary) to the Chargers for King.

For the Vikings, this would free up salary cap space by moving Reiff and his $13.2 million cap hit, which is the second-highest on the team for 2020. It would also give Mike Zimmer another talented cornerback to work with. At 25 years old, King would become the elder statesmen of the Vikings' renovated CB room.

The Chargers have a weakness at left tackle and might value the veteran presence of Reiff to protect the blindside of either Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert. While King is talented, he has come up in trade rumors this offseason for a number of reasons. The Chargers acquired elite slot corner Chris Harris Jr., making King potentially expendable. He is also coming off of a down season (one that included a one-game suspension for violating team rules) and is entering a contract year.

Perhaps reacting to the ESPN article, Vikings defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson tweeted "DK?" with several emojis. King liked the tweet. The two were teammates at Iowa from 2013 to 2016 and are good friends.

This isn't the first time King and the Vikings have been speculated as a good match. Back before the draft, ESPN's Bill Barnwell proposed a hypothetical three-team blockbuster where the Vikings landed Trent Williams and King for Anthony Harris, Reiff, a first-round pick, and a fourth. Reiff would've gone to Washington in that scenario, with Harris going to the Chargers.

Given the Vikings' youth at the cornerback position and the Chargers' uncertainty at left tackle – Sam Tevi and Trey Pipkins are their current options – this hypothetical trade makes sense on paper. But when you dig deep, I'm not sure it's actually a logical move for the Vikings.

There's no doubt that King is talented and would upgrade the Vikings' secondary in 2020. Here's what I wrote about him when assessing Barnwell's trade idea back in April:

The 2017 fifth-round pick from Iowa is an excellent slot cornerback and punt returner who could fill the shoes of and Marcus Sherels in those two roles. King received elite grades from PFF in 2017 and 2018. After the 2018 season, he was named a first team All-Pro at both defensive back and punt returner. In just three seasons, King has four interceptions, 6.5 sacks, and four touchdowns (two INT returns, two punt returns).

The issue is that trading for King doesn't make as much sense now as it did prior to the draft. The Vikings took two corners among their first four picks and then added a punt returner in K.J. Osborn in the fifth round. King is 5-foot-10 and has played slot corner during his three NFL seasons; the Vikings already have two 5-foot-10 corners who could play in the nickel in Mike Hughes and first-round pick Jeff Gladney.

Also, I'm not sure the Vikings will want to trade Reiff this summer, even though his contract isn't great. Given the unusual circumstances of this offseason, it would be a lot to ask of second-round pick Ezra Cleveland to throw him into the fire at left tackle right away. Reiff is at least a solid, experienced option there, and he could move to guard at some point if the Vikings deem Cleveland to be ready.

The counter-argument is that King's talent outweighs any concerns about fit. He has proven to be an excellent NFL cornerback, which can't be said about Hughes, Gladney, , or Holton Hill. He played outside corner at Iowa and was named the best defensive back in the country in 2015, and also has the skillset to potentially move to safety down the line. King has also proven himself as an elite punt returner, and Osborn isn't a guarantee to pan out in that role. Getting Reiff's contract off the books sooner rather than later would give the Vikings some additional flexibility going forward, and they could turn to briefly if Cleveland isn't ready to start right away.

It's definitely an interesting discussion. There's nothing that suggests that this is anything more than speculation at this point, but King's name is one to remember going forward.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 6/27/20

79 Days Until Vikings Football: Kenny Willekes Could Be a Seventh- Round Steal

By Will Ragatz

As we count down the days until the Vikings' opener against the Packers on September 13th, InsideTheVikings will be previewing every single player on the roster. The amount of days remaining corresponds with the jersey number of the player being examined on that day. Today is June 26th, and there are 79 days until kickoff for the 2020 regular season. That means its time to take a look at a seventh-round pick who could become the latest Rick Spielman discovery in that round.

Countdown to Vikings-Packers on September 13th: 79 Days

Player Preview: Kenny Willekes (No. 79, Defensive End) College: Michigan State Drafted: 2020 seventh round (225th overall) NFL experience: N/A Age: 22 (Turns 23 on July 22nd) Size: 6'3", 264 2019 PFF Grade: N/A Notable 2019 stats (NCAA): 10.0 sacks, 5.5 non-sack TFL, 78 tackles, 1 FF Notable career stats (NCAA): 23.5 sacks, 25.5 non-sack TFL, 228 tackles, 7 passes defended, 2 FF, 1 INT, 4 FR

Here are a few of the players Rick Spielman and the Vikings have selected in the seventh round of the draft in recent years: Shamar Stephen, , Jayron Kearse, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Kris Boyd, and . Notice that five of those six names are defensive players, and three of them are defensive linemen. That alone should be enough to provide some optimism when it comes to the outlook for Kenny Willekes, who was one of four seventh- round picks made by the Vikings in this year's draft.

Take a long look at Willekes as a prospect and that optimism should only grow. Although he's lacking ideal length for the defensive end position, the former Michigan State star was an elite college player who has the athleticism, strength, and work ethic to develop into an NFL-caliber edge rusher over time.

Willekes had to have an elite work ethic to get to this point. Coming out of high school in Grand Rapids, MI, he had zero D-I scholarship offers, with his main interest coming from area D-II schools like Wayne State and Grand Valley State. Willekes was thinking bigger, so he headed to MSU and walked on to Mark Dantonio's team. He redshirted in his first year and appeared in one game as a redshirt freshman.

In 2017, Willekes broke through. He became a full-time starter for the Spartans, and recorded 72 tackles, including 5.5 sacks and 8.5 non-sack tackles for loss. He was named third team All-Big Ten for his efforts. Willekes then took his game to another level in 2018, putting up 20.5 tackles for loss with eight sacks and four pass breakups. He was named first team All-Big Ten and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference in TFLs. As a redshirt senior, he set a career-high with ten sacks and was once again named first team all-conference. Willekes also won the 2019 , given annually to the best former walk-on in .

The primary knocks on Willekes as a NFL prospect are his lack of length and elite athleticism, with play strength and technique also coming up as concerns in scouting reports. His 31.25-inch arms rank in the 3rd percentile for defensive linemen, and his 9.5-inch hands are in the 22nd percentile. Willekes has room to grow from a technical standpoint; adding more variety in his pass-rushing moves and counter-moves would do a lot for his upside.

Willekes posted solid testing numbers at the combine with a 4.87 40, a 119-inch broad jump, and 32 bench press reps. The latter two are in the 84th percentile or above for defensive linemen. He's a strong run defender who has enough burst to get around the edge and apply pressure. The No. 1 reason to bet on Willekes carving out a role in the NFL, though? His effort. He has a motor that simply never quits, and it's a guarantee that he'll come in and put in endless work in the weight room and on the practice field to improve.

Projected by many as a fourth or fifth-round pick, Willekes slipped to the seventh round, likely due to the concerns about length and athleticism. He could be a steal for the Vikings at that spot. Willekes may not have the upside of someone like D.J. Wonnum, who the Vikings took in the fourth round, but he has a high floor because of his work ethic and all-around game. Oh, and don't tell Willekes he's not athletic...

In 2020, Willekes will be fighting with players like Anthony Zettel, Wonnum, Eddie Yarbrough, and Stacy Keely for a roster spot at defensive end. Out of those five players, three will likely make the 53-man roster. I think Willekes makes the team or at worst, sticks around the practice squad. He may not contribute much as a rookie, but just like he did at Michigan State, he'll work hard every day until his name is called.

Other DE player previews:

No. 99: Danielle Hunter No. 95: Ifeadi Odenigbo No. 92: Anthony Zettel No. 90: Stacy Keely You can find every single player preview to date – plus other offseason content – in this handy spreadsheet.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 6/27/20

Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielen Snubbed in Top-10 Rankings at Their Positions

By Will Ragatz

Based on production and talent, I think it's pretty clear that Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielen are top-ten players at their respective positions.

The good people at CBS Sports would disagree with me. They recently came out with top-ten rankings for every position in the NFL, and neither Cousins nor Thielen made the cut at QB and WR.

Let's start with Cousins. He was listed as "just missed the cut" along with Aaron Rodgers, Kyler Murray, Matt Ryan, and . Here was the top-ten list from CBS's Sean Wagner-McGough:

Patrick Mahomes Lamar Jackson Russell Wilson Drew Brees Dak Prescott Deshaun Watson Matthew Stafford Tom Brady In my opinion, there's a very clear top five at the quarterback position right now: Mahomes, Jackson, Wilson, Brees, and Watson. Then there's a jumble of players in contention for the 6-10 spots, which includes Prescott, Wentz, Rodgers, Ryan, Brady, Cousins, and Stafford.

Given their age and recent numbers, I don't think Brady or Roethlisberger belong in the top ten at this point. And I think Cousins secures his spot by being notably more productive than the entire aforementioned group over the past two seasons.

Since joining the Vikings in 2018, Cousins leads Rodgers, Ryan, Prescott, Wentz, and Stafford in passer rating and completion percentage. He's second to Ryan in touchdowns and second to Prescott in adjusted net yards per attempt. Across the board, he has the best efficiency numbers. Period.

Cousins isn't perfect, as he struggles with making plays outside of the pocket. But his decision-making and accuracy, especially on deep passes, puts him firmly in the top ten.

NFC North QB Rankings: Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford at No. 1?

On to Thielen. Not only did he not make the top ten, but he wasn't even one of six receivers mentioned in the "final cuts" section of Jared Dubin's WR rankings for CBS Sports. That means that Dubin doesn't think Thielen is a top-16 receiver in the NFL, which is patently absurd.

I understand that Thielen missed half of last season with a hamstring injury, but that doesn't take away from his talent. Focus on 2017 and 2018 and you'll find that over that time span, Thielen was fourth in the NFL in receptions and sixth in receiving yards, though he was only 14 yards away from being fourth in yards as well.

Thielen established himself as a truly elite player at the position during those two seasons. Because of his combination of size, route-running, and contested-catch ability, he was virtually impossible to cover for even the best cornerbacks in the game. That hasn't changed just because he got hurt last season. Yes, he'll be 30 this year, but that's not likely to slow him down. Julio Jones, Larry Fitzgerald, and Antonio Brown are just a few example of players who hit 30 and kept producing at extremely high levels.

Some of the other players in Dubin's top ten or "final cuts" were Amari Cooper, Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Lockett, Allen Robinson, and Robert Woods. I would take Thielen over every single one of those players. I completely expect him to remind people of how good he is this season, even with Stefon Diggs no longer around. The former MSU Mankato star is a top-ten receiver in the NFL and I don't think that's even up for debate.

Ranking the NFC North Wide Receiver Rooms For 2020 PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 6/27/20

Lunchbreak: Favre, Cunningham Land on Top 10 List of Retirement Comebacks

By Eric Smith

Playing careers end for everyone at some point, but the pull of the game sometimes causes players to return to action after stepping away from the league.

The Vikings have had a pair of quarterbacks arrive in town after initially hanging up their cleats, only to produce perhaps the best seasons of their respective careers.

Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports recently ranked the top 10 best NFL comebacks out of retirement, and included two signal callers who suited up in Purple — Brett Favre and Randall Cunningham — on his list.

Favre, a Hall of Famer who played for the Vikings in 2009 and 2010, joined Minnesota after a retirement that followed one season (2008) with the Jets. Favre had already retired after the 2007 season with the Packers.

Kerr had Favre at No. 3 on his list. Kerr wrote that Favre might have been at his best when playing for the team he played against 32 times, including the postseason.

Photos: The Best of Brett Favre As A Viking View some of the best images from Brett Favre's days as a Viking on the heels of him being named a 2016 Pro Football HOF finalist.

Shortly after the Jets season ended, Favre retired again, only to come back and quarterback the Minnesota Vikings in August of 2009. He had arguably the best season of his career at age 40, completing 68.4% of his passes while throwing for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions (107.2 passer rating).

The Vikings reached the NFC Championship Game as Favre took the eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints to overtime. Favre played one more season in Minnesota before retiring for good at age 41. He started 321 straight games at quarterback (regular season and postseason) and did not miss a game until his final season.

Cunningham, meanwhile, missed the 1996 season due to retirement. He landed in Minnesota for the 1997 season, where he played in six games with three starts, and helped lead the Vikings to a thrilling 23-22 road Wild Card playoff win over the Giants.

NFL 100 Greatest Game Changes: Randall Cunningham Kerr, who ranked Cunningham sixth on his list, said the quarterback was simply on fire the following season in 1998.

The 1998 season was Cunningham's best in the NFL, as he threw for 3,704 yards and 34 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions to lead the Vikings to a 15-1 record. Cunningham threw four touchdown passes in four separate games and led the NFL with a 106.0 passer rating, earning First-Team All-Pro honors at the age of 35. He threw for 505 yards and five touchdowns in two playoff games, but the Vikings were shocked in overtime by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game.

Cunningham never recaptured that 1998 magic and lost his starting job in 1999, but played three more years as a backup quarterback. He signed a one-day contract to retire with the Eagles in 2002. Cunningham threw for 7,102 yards and 57 touchdowns to 29 interceptions following his return.

Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham topped Kerr's list. Graham retired after leading the Browns to the 1954 NFL championship, only to come back for the 1955 season and win yet another title.

Hartman: Vikings in good hands with Gary Kubiak

Gary Kubiak will be the fifth different person to call the Vikings offensive plays since the start of the 2016 season, but there's no doubt he's been the most successful of that bunch.

Kubiak served as the team's assistant head coach/offensive advisor in 2019 while Kevin Stefanski was the offensive coordinator. But with Stefanski now the Browns head coach, Kubiak is back in a familiar role.

Kubiak on Cook's Value and Importance, Vision For Jefferson's Role, Year Two For Smith Jr., and More Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman recently noted that Kubiak, who is entering his 25th NFL season as 13th overall as a coordinator, isn't short on experience in the league.

Hartman wrote:

There was no doubt when Kubiak was brought in as an assistant head coach last season that he was going to play a big part in the offensive game plan with Stefanski in his first season as an offensive coordinator.

And Kubiak said that as he looks back to last season — when the Vikings finished eighth in points per game, their highest mark since 2009 — he thinks the way the team brought in some of his concepts will be a big help this year after the difficult offseason.

Vikings 2020 Coaching Staff

"I was very impressed with how the group picked up a new scheme, basically," Kubiak said. "I know there was some overlap from that standpoint with what they had done in the past. But Kevin did a tremendous job of meshing with what I have done for years and what they wanted to hold on to, and I think we made up some ground really, really quickly. There is always things that you can do better, but I think the good thing is we have been able to go back and evaluate every play probably 10 times over from last year and decide where we want to continue to grow and what we maybe want to take out."

Kubiak has won four Super Bowls in his career. He won one as the Broncos head coach, captured two more as Denver's offensive coordinator and earned another as the quarterbacks coach with the 49ers.