The team could use help at cornerback and defensive tackle.
You got to love the Cam Robinson trade. There are some fans who would rather have that 2026 4th round pick then try to continue to compete for the whole enchilada this year. Very weird and reveals a lot about those fans. KAM did the right thing and added a valuable experienced left tackle to the team to continue this season’s journey. Once you read below what he has to pay then you really should be impressed although I suspect that some will still be upset. Go figure.
Always remember …
The real question I have is KAM done making moves? I’d like to see a major splash at cornerback if possible. It is doubtul they can make a major splash at defensive tackle and the free agent class next year is mediocre at best. That means they have to hang onto the first round pick next year is possible.
What additional moves would you like to see?
NFL Week 9 Trade Block Big Board Before 2024 Trade Deadline
4. Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints
However, the 2-6 Saints are reeling and are facing a dire cap situation in 2025. Next offseason, New Orleans is slated to be $72.6 million over the salary cap. Trading Lattimore now would save $10.8 million in 2025 cap space while netting the Saints some valuable draft capital.
Lattimore is dealing with a hamstring injury but has allowed an opposing passer rating of only 68.5 in coverage this season. He’s a premium player at a critical position and should bring a premium return.
3. Jonathan Jones, CB, New England Patriots
While Lattimore should be the top target for cornerback-needy teams, New England’s Jonathan Jones should be more readily available. The Patriots have already admitted that they’re in selling mode, and Jones will be a free agent in the spring.
Jones hasn’t been great for the Patriots this season—he’s allowed an opposing passer rating of 114.4 in coverage—but he’s still an experienced starter and a defensive leader.
The 31-year-old told WEEI that he addressed his teammates following their 32-16 loss to the Jaguars in London.
“We’re in the middle of adversity. So I was just challenging guys to look themselves in the mirror and continue to move forward,” Jones said (h/t Karen Guregian of MassLive).
10 names to watch ahead of the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Jaguars ate $7 million to facilitate Cam Robinson trade with Vikings
The Jacksonville Jaguars are absorbing a little over $7 million of Cam Robinson’s contract to facilitate the trade with the Vikings, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
What that means is Robinson’s cap hit with Minnesota is less than $2.6 million for the rest of this season. They’ll pay $2 million of the roughly $9 million he’s still owed in base salary this year, plus just under $59K for each game he’s active. If that’s all ten games, it’ll be a $588K roster bonus.
This move by GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah means the Vikings can absord Robinson’s contract onto their books without having to move anything around. They would’ve been up against the salary cap if they hadn’t gotten the Jaguars to eat any of Robinson’s salary as dead money. To get Robinson at this cost, contract-wise, while only giving up a 2026 fourth-round pick (which will be a fifth-round pick if playing time conditions aren’t met) feels like good business from Adofo-Mensah and his staff.
5 Things to Know About Vikings New Tackle Cam Robinson
1. Off to a strong start
Robinson has played well over seven games this season and has especially garnered attention over the past few outings.
Anthony DiBona, NFL analyst for Pro Football Network, noted Robinson “was playing like one of the best left tackles in the NFL in recent weeks,” allowing just two total pressures in 117 pass-blocking snaps.
According to PFF, Robinson has given up four sacks, three hits and eight hurries on 239 pass block snaps in 2024.
Did the Vikings Fleece the Jaguars in Recent Trade?
The Jacksonville Jaguars front office has come to terms with the fact that at 2-6, this is likely a lost season. The Jaguars’ front office has made a significant move with their future clearly in mind, as they traded starting offensive tackle Cam Robinson to the Minnesota Vikings.
In addition to Robinson, Minnesota also receives a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick be removed based on playing time. Jacksonville receives a conditional 2026 fifth-round selection which can become a fourth-round pick depending on Robinson’s playing time in Minnesota.
“Robinson, who was franchised twice by Jacksonville before getting a moderate extension, is scheduled to be a free agent in 2025, so the prospect of getting a fourth-rounder back for a half-season rental is a pretty good ROI for the front office.”
Vikings film room: Explaining why Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gambled on Cam Robinson
Now, it should be noted that Robinson isn’t as good as Darrisaw nor should he be expected to play at that level. What he does give you is a large, athletic tackle who can do a little bit of everything at a high level, even if it’s not the most consistent.
Vikings’ KOC gives updates on Hockenson, Cashman, Risner ahead of Colts game
“I think T.J.’s ready to play,” O’Connell said. “He’s as good as he’s really looked since we’ve gotten him here, and that’s saying something considering the impact he made right away in ‘22 and then the season he was having last year at the time when he got hurt. I know he’s excited. Everybody’s excited to have him back out there. Huge part of our system and offense and organization.”
“Blake will do basically a full allotment of work on the side field today, just to make sure he feels ready to roll moving into the week of practice,” O’Connell said. “If, for whatever reason, it might be smart to hold him for this week — I think we can have some pretty good understanding after today about where Blake’s at. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. I’m still really hopeful we’ll have him Sunday night.”
“Dalton’s healthy, he’s ready to roll,” O’Connell said. “Dalton’s very much a part of the conversation. … I anticipate trying to get him up to speed and ready to roll. I think we’re gonna see Dalton in a uniform sooner rather than later.”
Matthew Coller: Behind T.J. Hockenson’s rehab was data, reading and patience
For Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, coming back from an ACL tear that he suffered late last season has been a long journey from surgery to recovery to ramping back up in order to contribute on a highly-competitive team.
It takes a village to help a player back from a severe injury. Hockenson had his surgery in Los Angeles with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache and then spent his recovery working with physical therapists at his home in Nashville. Vikings trainer Tyler Williams communicated with Dr. ElAttrache and associate head trainer Matt Duhamel visited him in the summer as he started getting on a field and working on his route running again. He got check-ins from the Vikings’ brass and owners along the way.
“When you’re going through an injury like that you really find out who’s on your side and the Vikings were there every single step of the way you know from the beginning,” Hockenson said.
“They put trackers on me every single step of the way and they’ve had speeds from when I played last year and I was healthy,” Hockenson explained. “Being able to come out here and run straight lines, run my routes, track that data in our stuff, and being able to see how many yards you’re getting, see how many explosive yards you’re getting, how many [decelarations] you’re getting. All that kind of stuff has been incredible to see, and it really keeps you on track. It pushes you every single day.”
The Vikings staff didn’t want to just tell him what to do throughout the process, they also wanted him to have his own involvement in the drills. They asked him: What would make him feel more confident? He laid out previous things that he had done in the past that helped him improve his explosiveness.
“Stuff that I’ve done in the past that has helped me get explosion in and out of route, get speed off the line, that kind of stuff that not everybody would do,” Hockenson said. “Not everybody has the ego to [let him his his own drills]. These guys have been incredible with that giving me some power to to be able to push what I need.”
“It’s been fun to go back and really learn about yourself and have a little time to just reflect on what you’ve done and where you want to go,” Hockenson said. “I’ve been reading ‘Pound the Rock,’… that’s something that we read actually at Iowa….been reading ‘Can’t Hurt Me,’ ..going back to Iowa… that was a book that talked about every day, trying to do everything that you can. Anything you do is everything you do. And just kind of learning from that and kind of going back to the baseline of where things started for me.”
NFL analyst wants to see Vikings trade for Raiders defensive tackle
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