Tag: Minnesota Vikings

January 1, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (90) reacts after San Francisco 49ers place kicker Robbie Gould (9) misses a field goal during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Vikings signing DT Jerry Tillery

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings are signing defensive tackle Jerry Tillery to a one-year, $3.75 million deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.

The Las Vegas Raiders released the former first-round pick with the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

Tillery, 27, tallied two sacks and 31 tackles in 17 games (six starts) for the Raiders in 2023.

He has 12.5 sacks, 41 quarterback hits and 147 tackles in 79 games (39 starts) with the Los Angeles Chargers (2019-22) and Raiders. The Chargers selected him with the 28th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison (2) looks on before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings release former starting RB Alexander Mattison

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The Minnesota Vikings on Monday released running back Alexander Mattison, who had started the first 13 games last season before losing that role to Ty Chandler in December.

Mattison, 25, signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the Vikings last spring. He was due to carry a $4.6 million cap hit in 2024.

He rushed for 700 yards on 180 carries for 3.9 yards per attempt but failed to run for a touchdown. He caught 30 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

He was a third-round draft pick by the team in 2019 out of Boise State, and after four seasons as a sidekick and occasional substitute for Dalvin Cook, Mattison was given the starting job in 2023 after Cook was released.

In 75 games (19 starts) over five seasons with the Vikings, Mattison rushed 584 times for 2,370 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added 100 catches for 718 yards and six scores.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson, DL D.J. Wonnum out for season

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with both ACL and MCL injuries.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Hockenson’s status Tuesday, as well as a season-ending injury to edge rusher D.J. Wonnum, who tore a quadriceps muscle. Both will have surgery.

Hockenson, 26, took a direct hit to his right knee in the third quarter after catching a pass in Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the Detroit Lions and did not return.

In his first full season with the Vikings, Hockenson caught 95 passes for 960 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games (11 starts).

After playing his first 3 1/2 seasons with Lions (2019-22), Hockenson has 341 career receptions for 3,547 yards and 23 TDs in 72 games (60 starts). He was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2020 and 2022 seasons.

Wonnum, 26, departed in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss. He had 62 tackles and eight sacks in 15 games (14 starts) this season. In 62 games (31 starts) over four seasons with Minnesota, he has 171 tackles and 23 sacks.

Wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) was ruled day-to-day after he was injured in the second quarter against the Lions. Addison has 63 receptions and nine touchdowns in 15 games (12 starts) of his rookie season.

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker D.J. Wonnum (98) on the sidelines in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Vikings LB D.J. Wonnum (torn quad) out for season

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Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum will miss the rest of the season with a partially torn quad, NFL Network reported Monday.

Wonnum left Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the Detroit Lions after sustaining the non-contact injury to his left leg while he was attempting to rush the passer in the fourth quarter.

The 26-year-old veteran is having his best season since the Vikings drafted him in the fourth round in 2020, posting a career high in tackles (62) in 15 games (14 starts). His eight sacks tie his career high. He returned a fumble 51 yards for a touchdown in a Week 4 win at Carolina.

Wonnum has recorded 23 sacks, 49 quarterback hits, 11 passes defensed and 171 tackles in 62 games (31 starts).

The Vikings (7-8) will have to rely on Pat Jones II and perhaps rookie Andre Carter II for their two remaining games against the visiting Green Bay Packers (Sunday) and the host Detroit Lions (Jan. 7).

–Field Level Media

Oct 8, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings open 21-day window for WR Justin Jefferson

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Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since straining his right hamstring on Oct. 8.

The Vikings designated Jefferson to return from injured reserve and opened the 21-day practice window for the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Jefferson, 24, was placed on IR on Oct. 11 and has been sidelined throughout a four-game winning streak by the Vikings (5-4), who host the New Orleans Saints (5-4) on Sunday.

Jefferson was injured during the second half of Minnesota’s 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. He has 36 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns in five games this season.

He led the NFL in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809) in 2022, making the Pro Bowl for the third time and the All-Pro first team for the first time.

If Jefferson returns this weekend, he will be rejoining a new-look offense now under the direction of quarterback Joshua Dobbs following Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury.

–Field Level Media

Nov 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers (31) runs with the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings place RB Cam Akers (Achilles) on IR

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The Minnesota Vikings placed running back Cam Akers on injured reserve Wednesday.

The move was expected after Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Monday that Akers sustained a ruptured Achilles during last weekend’s win against the Atlanta Falcons.

Minnesota acquired Akers from the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 20 in exchange for a swap of 2026 draft picks. The Rams gave up a conditional seventh-round pick and will acquire a conditional Vikings’ sixth-round selection.

Akers, 24, started in Week 1 for the Rams, rushing for 29 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in a win at Seattle. He had 138 yards on 38 carries in six games with the Vikings.

Akers has 398 carries for 1,581 yards and 11 touchdowns in 36 career games (15 starts) since being selected by Los Angeles in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Florida State.

Also on Wednesday, the Vikings signed quarterback Tanner Morgan to the practice squad and returned defensive lineman Sheldon Day to the practice squad.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) gets a pass away while under pressure from Green Bay Packers linebacker Kenny Clark (97) in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins (ankle) departs late vs. Packers

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins injured his ankle late in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

Cousins was injured on a non-contact play. He planted his right leg, which wobbled slightly, as he scanned the field to throw a pass.

The 35-year-old Cousins completed 23 of 31 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns before his injury. He was replaced by Jaren Hall, a rookie fifth-round pick out of BYU.

Minnesota led 24-10 in the fourth quarter when Cousins was injured.

–Field Level Media

Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs the ball as Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) grabs him by the face mask during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

49ers deal with injuries after first loss heading into Minnesota

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The San Francisco 49ers will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they visit the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night in Minneapolis.

San Francisco (5-1) is coming off a 19-17 defeat on the road to the Cleveland Browns. The 49ers had a chance for a game-winning field goal but fell short when Jake Moody’s 41-yard attempt drifted wide right.

Now, the 49ers must regroup as they deal with injuries to several key players.

Running back Christian McCaffrey is chasing history at the same time as he deals with an injury to his oblique and ribs. His status for Monday’s game is uncertain but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is optimistic that he will be able to play.

If McCaffrey cannot go, look for Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason to share the workload. Mitchell rushed for 963 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie in 2021 but has played only eight games since then. Mason has rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns in a backup role during the past two weeks.

“Elijah, when he’s healthy, has been as good of a back as there is,” Shanahan said. “I also can’t take anything away from (Mason). Every time (Mason) has gotten an opportunity, you guys have seen how he’s done. …

“Hopefully, Christian will be good to go this week, but if not, we have a good group of backs we can rely on.”

McCaffrey enters Week 7 with an NFL-high 553 rushing yards to go along with nine touchdowns (seven rushing, two receiving). He has scored at least one touchdown from scrimmage (rushing or receiving) in 15 straight games, tying him for the all-time record with Hall of Famers Lenny Moore (Baltimore Colts), O.J. Simpson (Buffalo) and John Riggins (Washington).

Other questions linger about the status of wideout Deebo Samuel (shoulder), left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) and safety George Odum (quad contusion).

Minnesota (2-4) is hoping to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season after holding on for a 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears last weekend. The Vikings lost their first three games but have won two of their past three contests.

Like the 49ers, the Vikings are dealing with injuries to multiple starters. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson remains sidelined by a hamstring injury, and this week the Vikings put outside linebacker Marcus Davenport on injured reserve with a sprained ankle.

Cornerback Akayleb Evans (oblique) and guard Ezra Cleveland (foot) also are hurting.

Both teams have enjoyed big performances from their defenses this season.

The 49ers lead the league in fewest points allowed per game (14.5) and lowest opponent passer rating (67.2). A pass rush led by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner will try to pressure Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has thrown for 14 touchdowns (tied with Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa for the league lead).

Minnesota also sees its pass rush as a potential key to the game. Defensive end Danielle Hunter is tied for the NFL lead with eight sacks, and defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum (two sacks) could play a bigger role with Davenport out injured.

Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks will try to follow up on his best performance of the year. Hicks had 10 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown last week.

This will be the teams’ first meeting since Nov. 28, 2021, when the 49ers won 34-26. The Vikings lead the all-time series 22-20-1.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (26) in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Jefferson ‘tired’ of talk that 0-3 Vikings should punt on season

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This is not the start the Minnesota Vikings envisioned, not after they went 13-4 a season ago (in spite of a negative point differential).

The Vikings have suffered one-score losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers to drop to 0-3 this season, but star wide receiver Justin Jefferson said Thursday he does not want to hear about next season or hypothetical trades for the future.

“At the end of the day, it’s not going to be perfect every time,” Jefferson told reporters. “There’s things that you’ve got to go through throughout the season to really tell if you’re going to be a great team or not. We’re handling adversity early in the season with the turnovers and being 0-3, but there is a whole bunch of more games to go.

Jefferson leads the NFL with 458 receiving yards, which marked a league record for the first three weeks of a season. That puts him on pace for a record-breaking 2,595 yards through 17 games.

But the Vikings, who play at the winless Carolina Panthers on Sunday, have allowed the sixth-most yards and seventh-most points in the NFL.

With 35-year-old quarterback Kirk Cousins on an expiring contract, hubbub has surfaced among media and fans suggesting that the New York Jets should acquire Cousins to make a playoff run with Aaron Rodgers sidelined by an Achilles injury.

“I’m tired of people saying that we’re looking into next season or all of the trades and stuff like that,” Jefferson said. “We’re focused still on this season. We have a lot more games to go and we have a lot more things to accomplish this season. We’re still focused in, and we still have the same goal as we had before the season. We just need to fix a few things and I feel like we’ll be back on track.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings visit Carolina with both teams looking for first win

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A pair of winless teams will try to begin the month of October on a positive note when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon in Charlotte.

Despite a difficult start, Carolina (0-3) has at least one reason for optimism heading into Week 4. The Panthers expect to welcome back rookie quarterback Bryce Young after he sat out last weekend because of an ankle injury.

“Just have to make sure there’s no major setbacks, no flare-ups,” Panthers coach Frank Reich said. “If he stays on track, then I think things are headed in the right direction.”

Young, the No. 1 overall pick this spring, has 20-plus completions and a touchdown pass in each of his first two NFL starts. His injury replacement last week was Andy Dalton, who passed for 361 yards and two touchdowns in a loss against Seattle.

Although Dalton fared well, the Panthers would prefer to showcase their top rookie.

“First thing I would say is hats off to Bryce for getting himself ready to get out there today,” Reich said after Young’s first full practice of the week. “You could see the determination in his eyes. You could feel his energy and the will to be out there.”

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is hoping to see similar determination from his squad. Minnesota (0-3) leads the NFL in turnovers, and O’Connell said his players need to correct that problem or they will be replaced.

“I think that’s something we’re going to fix one way or the other,” O’Connell said. “Either guys are going to (fix) it or we’re going to have to put other guys in the game that will have ball security.”

One position battle to watch could be at running back, where Alexander Mattison has lost a fumble and has yet to notch a rushing touchdown. The Vikings acquired fellow running back Cam Akers last week and could increase his workload at Carolina.

The Vikings’ turnovers have overshadowed an impressive statistical start for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who enters Week 4 with a league-leading 1,075 passing yards. His top target, Justin Jefferson, leads the league with 458 receiving yards.

Miles Sanders leads the Panthers’ ground game with 139 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also has 12 catches for 68 yards out of the backfield.

Carolina’s top receiver is a familiar face to the Vikings. Veteran Adam Thielen is in his first season with the Panthers after spending his first 10 seasons in Minnesota.

Thielen ranks fourth in Vikings franchise history with 6,682 receiving yards, and he ranks third in franchise history with 55 touchdowns. In his first three games with the Panthers, he has hauled in 20 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns.

This week’s game preparation has felt strange to Thielen.

“It’s already honestly a little weird watching tape,” Thielen said. “It’s just crazy to be game planning against guys that were my teammates for a long time.”

Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu (hip) and safety Xavier Woods (hamstring) were included on the team’s initial injury report for the game.

Several Vikings also did not participate in practice, including defensive end Marcus Davenport (ankle), cornerback Byron Murphy (hip) and safety Josh Metellus (shoulder).

–Field Level Media