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DAILY CLIPS

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: , July 16, 2020

Star Tribune

Vikings coaching additions Dom Capers, help Mike Zimmer evaluate talent, schemes By Sid Hartman https://www.startribune.com/hartman-capers-kubiak-help-zimmer-evaluate-talent-schemes/571782522/

Purple Insider

Anthony Harris play on franchise tag -- what does that mean short and long term? By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/anthony-harris-will-play-on-franchise

Vikings mysteries: Are the Vikings really cursed in Chicago? By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/vikings-mysteries-are-the-vikings

NATIONAL NEWS: Thursday, July 16, 2020

Maven Media

What Does 's New Contract Mean for Dalvin Cook? By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/derrick-henry-contract-dalvin-cook-holdout-extension

Vikings UDFA Profiles: Tyler Higby, David Moa By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-udfa-profiles-tyler-higby-david-moa

Anthony Harris Will Play The 2020 Season on the Franchise Tag By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/anthony-harris-vikings-2020-season-franchise-tag

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Thursday, July 16, 2020

Film Room: Does The Last Pick The Vikings Made In The 2020 Draft Have The Most Upside? By Vikings Entertainment Network https://www.vikings.com/video/film-room-does-the-last-pick-the-vikings-made-in-the-2020-draft-have-the-most-up

NFL at Home: John Randle's Looks Back on His Favorite Sacks By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/nfl-at-home-john-randle-s-looks-back-on-his-favorite-sacks

Harris to Play Under Franchise Tag By KSTP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=a0939fbf-e9a9-44a7-9209-c5f35b602056

No Contract Agreement By WCCO http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=11264b97-fa59-48d9-ba4d-1e1cb3d4cab3

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Thursday, July 16, 2020

Lunchbreak: Moss, Winfield, Culpepper Among Burleson's 'Top 5 Teammates' By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/randy-moss-antoine-winfield-daunte-culpepper-nate-burleson-top-teammates

Virtual Event Will Help Raise the Barr Deliver Real Support By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/anthony-barr-raise-the-barr-virtual-event-delivers-real-support

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 7/16/20

Vikings coaching additions Dom Capers, Gary Kubiak help Mike Zimmer evaluate talent, schemes

By Sid Hartman

One of the biggest reasons the Vikings offense went from scoring 22.5 points per game in 2018, which ranked 19th overall in the NFL, to 25.4 points per game in 2019, which ranked eighth, was the influence of veteran assistant coach Gary Kubiak.

Coach Mike Zimmer brought in Kubiak last season to be assistant head coach and help steer the offense under first- year offensive coordinator , and the results were impressive.

Now Zimmer has first-year co-defensive coordinators in Andre Patterson and Adam Zimmer for the 2020 season, and he has once again brought in a veteran coach to be a sounding board for those new coordinators in Dom Capers.

When the Vikings hired Capers, Mike Zimmer said he would fill a role similar to Kubiak’s. One big difference is that the Vikings probably won’t change their defensive scheme too much after finishing last season tied for fifth in the league in scoring defense (18.9 ppg), but they also allowed 364.2 yards per game, their highest total since 2015.

“[Capers’ and Kubiak’s roles] will be similar,” Zimmer said. “A lot of the same things. Gary had probably a little more input on terminology and things like that. We won’t change defensive terminology. … [Capers’] role will be more of kind of an overseer, an idea person, you know, maybe the corners should play this way or maybe we should play defensive line a little differently.

“It’s more of another guy like a consultant that can come in. We have been running this defense for a long, long, long time, and I just thought it would be good to get some fresh ideas.”

Great experience

Capers and Kubiak have a lot in common as well-respected NFL coordinators and head coaches before joining the Vikings. Both had two head coaching stints: Capers led the Panthers from 1995-98 and the Texans from 2002-05; Kubiak ran the Texans from 2006-13 and the Broncos from 2015-16.

Before joining the Vikings, Capers had been a senior defensive assistant for the Jaguars last season and defensive coordinator for the Packers from 2009-17.

Zimmer said Capers’ experience — he has coached in the NFL since 1986 — made all the difference in hiring him.

“Dom has been doing this for a long time, and I know he has always had really good ideas in the pressure game, defensively,” Zimmer said. “I just wanted another idea guy, really, somebody to come in and maybe have a little better way of doing things than we have done it in the past or at least be able to say, ‘Have you thought about doing it this way or that way?’ Then we all sit in a room and decide how we want to do things.

“I just thought with the experience that he has and the number of things he has done in his career, and basically he was doing a lot of the same things in Jacksonville that he’ll be doing here.”

While the Vikings are dealing with a lot of coaching turnover, including a new defensive backs coach in Daronte Jones, Zimmer said they know how to handle this kind of change.

“You know, quite honestly, we had a lot of new coaches last year, but they were on offense,” Zimmer said. “We had the same set of coaches defensively for the six years that I’ve been here, so really it’s just about talking things through, talking about technique, talking about alignments, taking on blocks, it’s really just about getting on the same page and then when we all get on the same page, we can get all the players on the same page.

“Really in the NFL, you know, or football in general, [if] you are going to have a lot of new coaches, a lot of new players, that’s the most important is everybody getting up to speed.”

Lots of new faces

This Vikings squad will have to get to know each other in a hurry, but Adam Zimmer said last month that the team is ready for big changes.

“You’re never going to have it be the exact same every year and you’re going to have to rely on some new players, some young guys, and that’s why you have to coach them up and bring them together as best you can,” he said. “I do think we do have a great core of veterans that know how we do things around here that are going to help the new guys, whether it be [safeties] Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith, [linebackers] Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, [defensive linemen] Danielle Hunter and Shamar Stephen.

“Those guys know how we do things and know the expectations around here, so they’re going to be the ones that are helping hold these guys accountable and show them what a Vikings defense looks like.”

Motzko saw Kaprizov

The Wild made their big signing this week, bringing in Russian star Kirill Kaprizov on a two-year deal. Kaprizov is the top international prospect who the Wild drafted in the fifth round in 2015.

Gophers men’s hockey coach Bob Motzko got a chance to see Kaprizov during the 2017 World Junior Championships.

Motzko was the head coach for Team USA and led the squad to the medal. The U.S. had to beat 4-3 in a shootout in the semifinals to reach the title game and Kaprizov scored one of Russia’s goals.

Also playing in that game for Team USA was Luke Kunin, the former Wisconsin Badger drafted by the Wild with their No. 1 pick in 2016, and Jordan Greenway, who the Wild selected in the 2015 draft. Greenway has eight goals and 20 assists this season and will be a big part of the Wild’s playoff push.

Kaprizov led all scorers in that 2017 World Junior Championship with nine goals and three assists and Russia won the bronze-medal game.

Kunin finished the tournament with two goals and two assists and Greenway had three goals and five assists.

Jottings

• Brian Dozier was released by the Padres after signing a minor league deal. Dozier, 33, was easily one of the most popular Twins of the past decade, and his 192 home runs since coming into the majors in 2012 are the most by any second baseman in that stretch, topping Robinson Cano, who has 180. Dozier’s 42 homers for the Twins in 2016 tied Hornsby for the second most by a second baseman in a single season, one behind Davey Johnson, who hit 43 for the Braves in 1973. PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 7/16/20

Anthony Harris will play on franchise tag -- what does that mean short and long term?

By Matthew Coller

Wednesday at 3 CT was the deadline for the Vikings and Anthony Harris to agree to a long-term contract. Since the deadline passed without an extension for the Vikings’ safety, that means he will play on the franchise tag in 2020. Let’s have a look at what it means for this year and beyond…

Short term

The most obvious short-term ramification of the Vikings keeping Harris on the tag is that they will have a very good pair of safeties.

PFF’s Twitter account provided these numbers on Harris’s 2020 season. He ranked:

Coverage grade 1st

Man-coverage grade 5th

Zone-coverage grade 1st

Coverage grade on plays w/o pressure 1st

Forced incompletion percentage 1st

Passer rating allowed 1st

With a group of young cornerbacks, the Vikings will still have a chance to force turnovers with the league’s leader in and All-Pro Harrison Smith. In a shortened offseason, it’s an advantage to have two key defensive players that have been in Mike Zimmer’s defense for a long time. It allows for some more schematic flexibility than Zimmer would have with a new safety.

On the salary cap side, Harris will cost $11.4 million and the Vikings currently have $12.2 million in space (as of ) but they have only signed one of their 15 draft picks.

That will eat up a large chunk of remaining space and severely limit the Vikings on any late free agent additions and restrict how much of a Dalvin Cook extension can be pushed onto the 2020 cap to lower his future cap hits.

Long term

Harris is set to hit free agency in 2021, which doesn’t necessarily mean that his time with the Vikings will be up. If he has another terrific season, the Vikings could still decide to sign him to a long-term contract before the start of free agency. Anthony Barr nearly signed with the Jets before the 2019 season but decided to come back to Minnesota.

If he doesn’t return to the Vikings, they have two 2020 draft picks who will be assessed during this season in Josh Metellus and Brian Cole. If neither emerges in camp, on special teams during the year and on the scout team as a potential replacement, the Vikings could have plenty of options in next year’s free agent market.

Denver also did not sign franchise-tagged safety Justin Simmons to an extension so he could be available in 2021. Players like Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix (CHI), Marcus Maye (NYJ), Budda Baker (ARZ), Rayshawn Jenkins (LAC), Shawn Williams (CIN) and Xavier Woods (DAL) are all free agents and all played over 90% of snaps for their teams last season.

Per OverTheCap, the Vikings currently are listed as having $32 million of open space for 2021 with a high likelihood that they will create $14 million more by cutting Riley Reiff and could make even more space by renegotiating deals for Smith, Barr and Danielle Hunter.

Still nobody is certain about where the salary cap will go after this season so the Vikings are allowing themselves even more flexibility by not signing Harris. PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 7/16/20

Vikings mysteries: Are the Vikings really cursed in Chicago?

By Matthew Coller

Quick story: I moved to Minnesota to cover the Vikings for 1500ESPN in late August 2016. If you recall, that was right around when Teddy Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic knee injury and the Vikings traded for Sam Bradford and then subsequently started the season with five straight wins.

They came out of the bye week and put together a miserable showing against the but then had the perfect opponent for a bounce back coming up the following week versus the lowly Chicago .

Chicago was 1-6 entering that Monday Night Football contest and had failed to score 20 points in all but one game. The previous week, the Bears had been smashed 26-10 by the in a contest in which the Pack out-gained them 406 to 189 in total yards.

I thought the Bears had no shot against the Vikings and Vegas agreed, making the Vikings 4.5 favorites on the road. Oh how little did I know about the Vikings’ at Soldier Field.

The game opened with a 69-yard by Jordan Howard and it was downhill from there. had one of his best games of the season (252 yards, one , zero interceptions) versus a Vikings defense that had slowed down , Cam Newton and Eli Manning in the early weeks of the season. And the offense was nothing short of a disaster, gaining just 258 total yards. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 20-3 Bears.

We would find out in the following days that Mike Zimmer suffered an eye injury during (or after?) the game that required a half dozen surgeries, forced him to miss a key game against the Cowboys and coach with an eye patch in Jacksonville. Not to mention that some type of disagreement on the scheme led to Norv Turner resigning.

The Bears lost 36-10 to Tampa Bay the following week and ultimately finished the year 3-13.

Of course, not every game against Chicago has turned into an all-out calamity but research done by Purple Insider intern Paul Hodowanic (yes, I have an intern) dives into the crazy recent history of the Vikings in Chicago and the unlikely nature of many of the outcomes.

Let’s start with the broad strokes of the Chicago Hex.

Since 2000, the Vikings are 4-16 on the road against the Bears despite being favored 10 times. The Bears have beaten the spread 16 of 20 times.

The Bears haven’t completely had the Vikings’ number in the last 20 years since Minnesota’s record at home versus Chicago during the same time span is 14-6 (of course, one of those losses booted the Vikings from the playoffs in 2018).

Overall the Vikings’ road winning percentage excluding the Bears from 2000-2019 is only .399 but it’s .200 against Chicago. Yet of the 17 games the two teams played that weren’t in Week 1 or 2, the Bears only faced the Vikings with winning records entering the game three total times.

And the list of Chicago who have beaten Minnesota in the last 20 years is something. It goes like this: , , Chad Hutchinson, , Jay Cutler, Mitch Trubisky, .

The win over the Vikings was one of three in Hutchinson’s career and his only victory during his time in Chicago. Likewise, Daniel has three career wins in his decade-long NFL career. Orton posted 48 points against the Vikings in 2008, a season in which he failed to clear 3,000 yards in 15 starts.

Cutler beat Brett Favre in 2009 despite being an 8.5-point underdog. Receiver Devin Aromashodu gained 150 of his total 298 yards in a 36-30 shootout win for Chicago in that game. If you’re wondering, yes, that was the contest that if the Vikings had won they would have been playing at home in the NFC Championship game in ‘09.

The sheer number of “what the…” factoids during these games is enough to make your head spin.

In 2002, Daunte Culpepper’s Vikings were leading by 10 with nine minutes remaining and Jim Miller led a furious comeback, scoring on his final two drives and finishing with 297 yards passing, 198 of which went to receiver Marty Booker. Miller finished the season 2-6 as a starter and never played another game in the NFL.

In 2003, the Culpepper-led Vikings finished sixth in scoring. But when they traveled to Soldier Field, Minnesota managed their lowest point total of the year in a 13-10 loss to Rex Grossman, who went 13-for-30 that day.

The following year, the Vikings lost despite being 7-point favorites.

The saddest of losses came in 2011 when Donovan McNabb was sacked five times in a 39-10 loss that ended up being McNabb’s last start in Minnesota. He went 1-5 as a .

Overall the Vikings won one time in Chicago between 2003 and 2014. They have been favored in four of the five games since 2014 and lost three.

Even when the outcome is good it’s somehow bad. In 2017 they won in Chicago on a late-game by Harrison Smith but in the first half Sam Bradford attempted a comeback from a Week 1 knee injury and reaggravated the issue, which caused him to miss the remainder of the season.

Some more (fun?) stats for you:

Vikings QBs playing on the road in Chicago since 2000 have 22 touchdowns, 25 interceptions and a of 74.7.

Playing anywhere except Chicago: 83.4

Somehow despite all the different QBs, the Bears’ combined QB rating since 2000 against Minnesota (at Chicago) is 89.5 with 37 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Jay Cutler had a 7-1 record vs. the Vikings (lost to Bridgewater in 2015) with a 98.5 rating.

Kirk Cousins has a 101.2 rating on the road as a Viking and 83.1 in two road games vs. the Bears.

The only Viking who didn’t mind playing the Bears at Soldier Field was Adrian Peterson, who gained 1,562 yards at 4.9 yards per carry over 14 games.

OK so we have all these batty events in the last 20 years with the Vikings in Chicago. Is there any explanation?

Not really.

Since 2000, the Bears haven’t been exceptional at home. They are 16th in overall point differential. The Vikings are 19th in road point differential in the last two decades. But each team had their mix of good and bad squads. This isn’t like the Patriots versus the Bills, where there’s an easy explanation for one team whooping the other.

The Vikings have played better in the last 20 years against the Packers at Lambeau, going 5-13-2 with a minus-123 deficit (they are minus-146 to Chicago). And the Packers had Favre/Rodgers not Hutchinson/Orton.

There can’t be a phycological element when we’re talking about teams that have had so many different players. It isn’t a long flight or time change either.

Maybe it’s just that 20 football games is a small sample size and lots of weird stuff can happen in a small same. Over the next 20 years the tables might turn. Does that give any Vikings fans more confidence about going into Chicago next year? Probably not.

(All stats via Pro-Football Reference) PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 7/16/20

What Does Derrick Henry's New Contract Mean for Dalvin Cook?

By Will Ragatz

On Wednesday, Derrick Henry became the second star running back to get a new contract this offseason. Just hours before the deadline to sign franchise tagged players to new deals, the Titans inked Henry to a four-year, $50 million contract with $25.5 million guaranteed.

The price and terms of Henry's deal are very interesting, especially as they relate to the Vikings' contract discussions with their own star running back, Dalvin Cook.

Back in April, the Panthers reset the market for elite RBs by signing Christian McCaffrey to a four-year, $64 million extension. At the time, I wrote about how that deal might affect the Cook negotiations:

Whether the Vikings like it or not, the McCaffrey extension has changed things when it comes to Cook. However, it's important to note that the two situations are far from equal. McCaffrey hasn't missed a game in his career and is a unique case because of his historic production as a receiver out of the backfield. Injuries have kept Cook out of 19 games in three seasons, and while he's a good pass-catcher, he's not on McCaffrey's level in that department. McCaffrey has over 5,400 yards from scrimmage (2,900 rushing, 2,500 receiving) and 39 touchdowns in the NFL. Cook has just over 3,000 yards (2,100/900) and 19 TDs.

Since then, it was announced that Cook would be holding out until he received what he believes to be a "reasonable" offer from the Vikings. It has been reported that Cook's camp wants roughly $13 million annually on a new deal, but the Vikings' initial proposals were in the neighborhood of $8 million. That was deemed disrespectful by Cook and led him to make the decision to stay away from all team activities until the team's offer increases.

Cook knows he's not going to get McCaffrey money, but this contract for Henry is more along the lines of what he could realistically ask for. The $12.5 million average annual value (AAV) of Henry's new deal is right in the upper range of what seems possible for Cook, and it places the Titans star – who led the NFL in rushing last year – among the top five highest-paid players at the position.

So what does Henry's deal mean for Cook and the Vikings? What makes this an interesting discussion is that, just like with McCaffrey, Henry and Cook don't have a lot of similarities in their game. While the Panthers star was a unique case due to his incredible receiving production, Henry is on the exact opposite side of that spectrum.

Last year, Henry led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,540. The 2016 second-round pick out of Alabama also scored 16 rushing touchdowns, which tied with Aaron Jones for the league lead. In the playoffs, Henry ran for over 180 yards in consecutive games in upset wins over the Patriots and Ravens. However, he offers almost nothing as a receiver out of the backfield; Henry's 18 catches last season ranked 49th among NFL running backs and his 206 yards were 39th.

Cook is somewhere in the middle of the McCaffrey-Henry spectrum. He's not as prolific of a receiver as McCaffrey, and he's not as physically dominant of a runner as Henry. But he showed last season that when he stays healthy, he can be a dynamic force in both of those areas. Cook led the league with 141.5 yards from scrimmage per game through the season's first ten weeks.

Cook reportedly wants to make top-five running back money, meaning he would need to surpass Henry's $12.5 million AAV. That seems unlikely to happen.

The biggest difference between Cook and the two running backs who have gotten huge contracts this offseason has nothing to do with their style of play on the field. It's all about health. With injuries in each of his three seasons so far, Cook has played in just 29 of a possible 48 games in his career. Compare that to McCaffrey, who has played in all 48, and Henry, who has played in 62 of a possible 64 since 2016.

Cook's camp is likely going to use this Henry deal to try to get something similar. But the injury history is almost certainly the biggest thing stopping the Vikings from giving in to Cook's demands.

One notable aspect about this contract for Henry is that only half of it is guaranteed. If the Vikings are going to give Cook $10-12 million AAV on an extension, they would probably want to have similar terms regarding guaranteed money so they're not locked into the entire deal if Cook were to get hurt again.

At the end of the day, it's important to remember that the Vikings have the vast majority of the leverage in negotiations with Cook. This new contract for Henry will factor into negotiations, but it's unlikely to change the team's stance or get the two sides any closer right away. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 7/16/20

Vikings UDFA Profiles: Tyler Higby, David Moa

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 number of the player being examined on that day. Today is July 15th, and there are 60 days until kickoff for the 2020 regular season. 60 is the only number on the roster that is currently occupied by multiple players, so let's take a quick look at both of them.

Countdown to Vikings-Packers on September 13th: 60 Days

Player Previews: Tyler Higby (No. 60, Offensive Lineman), and David Moa (No. 60, Defensive Tackle) USATSI_11906519_168388404_lowres Tyler Higby College: Michigan State Drafted: 2020 UDFA NFL experience: N/A Age: 23 (Birthday was in January) Size: 6'5", 300 USATSI_9534891_168388404_lowres David Moa College: Boise State Drafted: 2020 UDFA NFL experience: N/A Age: 24 Size: 6'3", 296 2019 stats (NCAA): 37 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 PD, 1 FR Career stats (NCAA): 93 tackles, 22.5 TFL, 11.5 sacks, 6 PD, 1 FR

With 60 days remaining until the Vikings (hopefully) open their 2020 season at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Packers, we've got our first double dose of player previews today. The Vikings currently have two players assigned to the No. 60 jersey – one on each side of the ball. Both are undrafted free agents, but both have some legitimate upside going forward.

Let's start with offensive lineman Tyler Higby from Michigan State. A three-star recruit from Houston, Higby chose the Spartans over a ton of Power 5 offers, including LSU and Miami. After redshirting during his first year in East Lansing, Higby played in 43 games over the next four years, making 30 starts. He spent most of his time at left guard, but also made seven starts at left tackle and two at center.

The thing that immediately stands out about Higby is his athleticism. He has good size and posted outstanding numbers in the bench press, the jumping drills, and the 40 at MSU's pro day. His 9.89 Relative Athletic Score is right up there with Vikings linemen Brian O'Neill (9.6), Ezra Cleveland (9.93), and Garrett Bradbury (9.96). However, Higby didn't do any of the agility drills, so it's worth taking that number with a grain of .

Higby's size and athleticism make him an intriguing practice squad candidate who could factor into the discussion at guard over the next couple years if he develops.

Moving on, the other No. 60 on the roster is former Boise State DT David Moa. The San Diego native spent six years in Boise, redshirting his first season and then being granted a sixth year of eligibility in 2019. He broke onto the scene as a redshirt sophomore in 2016, recording 8.5 sacks and batting down four passes. That's an incredibly productive season for a defensive tackle, and it resulted in Moa being named first team All-Mountain West.

However, that season would prove to be easily Moa's best. He dealt with an arrest in 2017 and also saw his production fall to 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack that year. Then, in 2018, he suffered a torn achilles that caused him to miss all but one game. After being granted a sixth year of eligibility, he posted 6.5 tackles for loss last season.

Moa's explosiveness off of the line of scrimmage gives him some upside for the Vikings as a potential three- technique. He's a good athlete – although he wasn't able to do a pro day, so it's hard to know exactly how good – and uses his hands well to shed blocks and make plays in the backfield. He also has an elite : the Moa Constrictor.

Moa's age (he's already 24) and lack of production outside of the 2016 season caused him to go undrafted. He's not the most powerful defensive tackle, which means he can often be washed out of the play by good interior offensive linemen.

The Vikings gave Moa $30,000 guaranteed to sign as a UDFA, and it'll be interesting to see how he performs at training camp. If he can show some of the potential that helped him be so successful four years ago, he could have a shot to stick around on the practice squad.

You can find every single player preview to date – plus other offseason content – in this handy spreadsheet. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 7/16/20

Anthony Harris Will Play The 2020 Season on the Franchise Tag

By Will Ragatz

Vikings safety Anthony Harris will play the 2020 season on the $11.44 million franchise tag. He and the team did not work out a long-term extension prior to the 3 p.m. central time deadline today.

NFL Network's Ian Rapaport and Tom Pelissero were the first to report that Harris wouldn't be getting a new contract.

This is unsurprising, given the lack of noise about a potential Harris extension recently. With these unique financial circumstances, teams appear to be weary about signing tagged players to long-term deals. Of the 15 players who were franchise tagged in , only two – Chiefs DT Chris Jones and Titans RB Derrick Henry – received extensions ahead of today's deadline.

This news means that Harris isn't guaranteed to be in Minnesota in 2021 or beyond. The Vikings will have to wait until after Week 17 of the upcoming season to resume talks about a potential contract extension.

Harris officially signed the franchise tender in mid-May. "During the past five years, Minnesota has become home and is where I want to continue to develop as a player having only scratched the surface," he said. "I will let my agents and the Vikings work towards long term certainty in Minnesota, but I am excited to be back for the 2020 season."

That an extension never came isn't an ideal outcome for Harris. After a breakout season in which he led the NFL in interceptions and was PFF's highest-graded safety, the 28 year-old was looking forward to a major payday in free agency. Instead, the Vikings applied the franchise tag for just the third time in franchise history. Now, Harris will have to wait another year for a long-term deal, and a potential injury in 2020 could significantly impact his future earnings.

The Vikings engaged in talks regarding Harris with multiple teams, including the Browns and Giants, but nothing ever materialized.

The Vikings might now turn their attention to getting a deal done with running back Dalvin Cook – who is currently holding out from all team activities – ahead of the upcoming season.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 7/16/20

Lunchbreak: Moss, Winfield, Culpepper Among Burleson's 'Top 5 Teammates'

By Lindsey Young

Before Nate Burleson ever became a co-host on Good Morning Football and CBS NFL Today, he put together an 11- season career as an NFL wide receiver.

The Vikings drafted Burleson 71st overall in 2003, and he spent three seasons in Minnesota. During that time, he started 33 of 44 games played and totaled 127 catches for 1,789 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Burleson went on to play four seasons apiece for Seattle and Detroit before up his cleats.

Recently, Burleson reflected on his playing career and ranked his top five teammates for NFL.com.

Included in the group were three former Vikings, with Hall of Famer Randy Moss – who overlapped in Minnesota from 2003-04 – topping his list. Burleson wrote:

I don't think there will ever be another wide receiver who pumped fear in the hearts of defensive backs the way Moss did. Seriously, I would line up next to him, look at the DBs guarding him, and they were already on their heels. Moss [had] already won, and the play hadn't even started. Hands-down the most natural and physically gifted athlete I ever played with. He had Olympic speed with the softest hands. He could run 80 percent and still fly by the other team's fastest defender, and he tracked the ball so well that instead of running for several yards with his hands up (ultimately giving the corner a chance to break up the pass), he'd throw his hands up late and make the completed reception look effortless.

Coming in second and third on Burleson's list were former Seahawks tackle Walter Jones and former Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, respectively.

Two more Vikings rounded out the ranking: cornerback Antoine Winfield, who played with Burleson in 2004 and 2005, and Daunte Culpepper, who threw passes to Burleson in Minnesota from 2003-05.

Burleson called Winfield "one of the most underrated players of all time," pointing out his physical playing style despite being just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. According to Burleson, the corner "never retreated from a hit or tackle."

To this day, Winfield made one of the best plays I have ever seen. I can't remember the game exactly, but I know he fought through a wide receiver block, chopped down a pulling guard and tackled the running back for a loss. I just remember thinking, "How does this guy play so big?" He was a technician and trusted his preparation, which allowed him to have an impressive 14-year NFL career that included three appearances.

Winfield signed a pretty big contract when he arrived in Minnesota in 2004, and I remember trying to [peek] at his check one day out of curiosity. He replied, "Fella, worry about your own money." Even after cashing in with a six-year deal, he was humble, always gave 100 percent and went about his business the right way.

Culpepper was quite the contrast to Winfield build-wise, standing at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, but Burleson said the quarterback "could run circles around defenders and heave the ball so far down the field."

One time at practice, Daunte threw the ball so hard that he broke my finger. He was fun to watch and play with, but the most important thing I learned from him was how to lead. He made me believe in myself more than any other coach or player. Culpepper had a way of complimenting you that elevated your confidence so much that you couldn't help but feel it. It's like when the Grinch's heart grew three sizes. I could literally feel my confidence inflate and that showed in my play on the field. He also was the center of every Halloween and Christmas party, making sure everyone was included. He [sowed] a seed in my spirit that was more than just football – it was how to be a teammate, friend and positively impact those around you.

Best of Tight End Photos in 2019 View the best photos from Vikings team photographers of the tight ends during the 2019 season.

Vikings TE group ranked NFL's 7th-best by PFF

Don't be surprised if you see the use of two-tight-end sets under Vikings Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak.

Kubiak has been known to use plenty of 12 or 22 personnel over his time in the league, and Minnesota's roster lends itself nicely to his affinity.

Analytics site Pro Football Focus on ranked all 32 tight ends units and slated the Vikings at seventh-best in the NFL. PFF's Steve Palazzolo said that Minnesota has "one of the best one-two punches" with tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith, Jr. Palazzolo wrote:

[Rudolph has had] a solid nine-year career for the Vikings. Last season, Rudolph had the No. 13 receiving grade during the regular season (76.9), though his run blocking has tapered off in recent years, given that he has graded in the 50s in this department for four consecutive seasons.

Smith brings a different skill set to the unit as more of an oversized receiver who can line up in the slot and make plays in space. He caught 39 passes for 350 yards (includes postseason stats) as a rookie to go with a solid run- blocking grade of 65.4. Then there is 2018 fifth-rounder Tyler Conklin — and his 14 career catches — who will add depth to the group.

Palazzolo said he expects "even more production out of Rudolph and another step forward from Smith" in 2020.

Ahead of the Vikings, Palazzolo ranked the following TE groups from Nos. 1-6, respectively: 49ers, Chiefs, Eagles, , Rams and Ravens.

Film Room: How Jeff Gladney Excels at Coverage With Intelligence and Toughness Gladney among 6 rookies 'most equipped to make immediate impact'

The 2020 NFL offseason has been a strange one, with teams having yet to meet in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When teams do kick off training camps, rookies will be expected to catch up quickly on-field after going through virtual offseason programs. Which first-year players will be best set up for success this season despite the modified spring and summer?

CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso named six of them, including cornerback Jeff Gladney, whom the Vikings drafted 31st overall. Trapasso wrote:

Photos: TCU CB Jeff Gladney View photos of TCU CB Jeff Gladney who was selected by the Vikings in the first round of the NFL Draft.

He's a springy, click-and-close playmaker with man-coverage chops because of his light feet and relatively loose hips. [Additionally], his film shows outstanding explosiveness and concentration when tested down the field. In the wide open, Air -happy Big 12, he had to track the deep ball often.

[…]

Landing in Minnesota with defensive back guru [Head Coach] Mike Zimmer is exquisite for Gladney, and the Vikings hybrid coverage scheme that features plenty of blitzes which lead to hurried throws should have the rookie licking his chops in his debut NFL season.

Trapasso also highlighted Giants T Andrew Thomas, Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy, Raiders CB Damon Arnette, Bills DL A.J. Epenesa and Patriots EDGE Josh Uche. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 7/16/20

Virtual Event Will Help Raise the Barr Deliver Real Support

By Lindsey Young

Catch Phrase for a cause?

Don't rule anything out when you get longtime teammates Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks together.

Kendricks joined night's virtual Raise the Barr -tasting fundraiser as a special guest. During his segment, he and Anthony played the popular party game and demonstrated they can be just as in-sync off the field as they are on it.

The virtual game between Vikings linebackers was just one aspect of an evening that raised money for an important cause. The back-and-forth between the former college roommates generated laughs for guests but didn't deter from Raise the Barr's significant mission to support single parents who are pursuing college degrees while caring for their children.

Anthony and his mom, Lori, co-founded Raise the Barr in 2016.

Lori shared with Saturday's guests that she became pregnant with Anthony at age 19. She initially dropped out of school but, with the support of family, returned to college while raising Anthony and working multiple part-time jobs.

"I did this because I had to provide for my new family while looking toward a future where I had an opportunity to build a life where we wouldn't struggle financially. Even though there were no guarantees, I did know that at least attaining a degree was a step in the right direction," Lori explained. "Raise the Barr was created to help provide other single parents the same opportunity I was afforded: to pursue and complete a postsecondary degree with an eye on a career that pays a family-sustaining wage.

"Single parents so often can barely make ends meet. They want to earn a better living but have to choose between attending school or [working to put] food on the table," Lori continued. "A person shouldn't have to choose one or the other; they should be able to do both. And that is where Raise the Barr steps in."

Anthony called Lori "an amazing role model," saying he was inspired at a young age by her dedication not only to motherhood but also to setting herself up for success.

He emphasized, however, that Lori's return to and completion of school would not have been possible without grandparents, aunts and uncles who helped care for him while she worked and attended classes.

Anthony and Lori are incredibly thankful but understand that not everyone benefits from a similar family support system.

"That's where we come in," Anthony said. "To bridge that gap and be that support system for single parents. We want to continue to do this good work and hopefully continue to impact more and more lives." barr-2560 Since its launch in 2016, Raise the Barr has awarded more than $325,000 in support to single mothers, 70 percent of whom have been women of color. The average income of 2019 applicants was $16,632.

During the 2019-20 school year, the foundation awarded more than $135,000 in tuition, childcare and emergency grants to single-parent scholars in Anthony's home state of California as well as Minnesota.

Saturday night's program featured a number of touching testimonials from Raise the Barr scholarship recipients and their children who expressed sincere gratitude to the foundation as well as donors.

A silent auction featured items such as Anthony's custom-painted cleats from the 2019 My Cause My Cleats game and Vikings memorabilia signed by Anthony, Dalvin Cook and Kirk Cousins. Altogether the event raised more than $52,000, surpassing its original target of $50,000.

Raise the Barr will use those donations to continue pursuing three main goals:

1. Elevate the voices of student parents.

2. Over the next two years, double the number of students supported annually through tuition and emergency grants (currently 20 students).

3. Create a residential program in Los Angeles, similar to the Jeremiah Program model in the Twin Cities, by 2025.

"I was just truly thankful and humbled," Anthony told Vikings.com. "During a time like this, it's so hard to ask people for anything, let alone money, so I couldn't be more appreciative. And I know I speak on behalf of the mothers who will be receiving the scholarship when I say, 'Thank you all so much for the generosity.' "

In addition to Kendricks' guest appearance, Vikings safety Harrison Smith also joined for a segment.

Viewers could email questions for the teammates, which ranged from Anthony's favorite post-game meal (The Freehouse, especially for late-night stops), to Smith's nomination for messiest teammate (we'll keep that one under wraps), to Kendricks' hair regimen, which includes "lots of conditioner." barr-2-2560 Anthony said it means a lot to have his teammates back the endeavor.

"I appreciated their time, first of all, and then just their level of engagement and how real and raw their responses are," he said. "They're just genuine guys who I can count on both on and off the field. That's family."

Trivia questions were also posed during the live broadcast, and winners who guessed Anthony's favorite childhood sport – basketball – and favorite Disney movie – Robin Hood – received a Vikings football autographed by the linebacker.

Over the course of the evening, guests were guided virtually through a tasting by ONEHOPE Wine's CEO Jake Kloberdanz. Proceeds of wine purchased in advance of the event directly benefited the Raise the Barr foundation.

Music throughout the evening was performed by musician and KFAN host Chris Hawkey, and the program was emceed by NFL Network's Steve Wyche, who called it a "no-brainer" to participate.

Wyche explained that Raise the Barr's mission is close to his heart. After his parents divorced when he was young, Wyche's mother raised three children essentially as a single parent.

"She went through a lot," Wyche said.

He also appreciates Anthony's heart for the Twin Cities community. Wyche was born and raised in North Minneapolis, where he lived three blocks from Hall of Famer Carl Eller and recalls often wearing purple in support of the Vikings. Although he and his family moved to Missouri when Wyche was 10, he cares deeply for Minnesota.

Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the wake of George Floyd's senseless death while in police custody, Wyche said that the off-field efforts of Anthony and his teammates are important "now, probably more than ever." barr-foundation-2560 Anthony concurs.

The 2020 offseason has been a strange one, to say the least. But while coronavirus has created uncertainty and kept teams thus far from meeting in-person, Anthony doesn't plan on taking his foot off the gas in regards to community impact.

"There were people who needed help before this crazy year began, and there are so many more that need help now as the year has gone on," he said. "So to positively impact one life, especially now, means more than I think I even realize. The work couldn't be farther from over, so I've gotta keep going."

Whether Anthony's support for single mothers or other charitable work championed by members of the Vikings organization, Wyche emphasized that it's all significant.

"Anthony's cause is fantastic. I know Kyle Rudolph and Kirk Cousins and so many other people in that organization are involved, and players throughout the NFL," he said. "It's nothing new, but now because of what's happened this summer, it really seems to be a hyper-focus of these players."

The father of three sons aged 24, 26 and 27, Wyche is especially impressed by young players, their understanding of their platform and their level of engagement, regardless of pushback they may receive.

"No matter how much good somebody tries to do with whatever cause they choose, somebody's going to say, 'Stick to sports,' " Wyche said. "The fact that so many players who are used to being applauded all the time and rewarded all the time are willing to have thick skins to do what's right, to me it's just a watershed moment.

"And the Vikings are truly one of the leaders … in the NFL," Wyche added. "They've done it for years, but [especially now in these circumstances], it's important and it's special."

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To watch the program in its entirety or to purchase ONEHOPE wine products,click here. Through July 31, 20 percent of purchases will be donated to Raise the Barr.

Direct donations can be made by visitingRaiseTheBarr.org or by texting 566-51._