Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings News and Links, 7 May 2024
The Kirk Cousins latest story about him not wanting the Vikings to draft a QB being the reason he did not re-sign, if true, is amusing. I do not really buy it to be honest. I think the 100M guaranteed is what really did the trick.
I am more inclined to want to see JJ McCarthy sit the bench for the entire season just like Mahomes had to do. The concern is with Sam Darnold. Can he stay healthy and will he play well enough to remain starting? Also, and probably a silly thing to wonder, could the team go with Jaren Hall first if they decide to replace Darnold? That would be fantastic for the debates (er., arguments) that could rage here. I would love it!
I am hoping and praying that the Vikings have found their QBOTF. I am not buying all the folks who produce great stats, etc. trying to convince others that he is really good and just did not have the chance. I do think he is good but have to see more of it to believe it. I will get my chance.
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2024 NFL Free Agency Tracker: Best Remaining Free Agents
Players I like …
WR Tyler Boyd
WR Zay Jones
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
OG/OT Andrus Peat
OC/OG Connor Williams
CB Steven Nelson
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
News and Links
The Vikings’ 2024 schedule release will probably start early
We now know why Kirk Cousins chose not to re-sign in Minnesota
When Will JJ McCarthy Start?
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Ranking Minnesota Vikings biggest needs post NFL Draft
The Minnesota Vikings Mailed in the Guard Position Again – Minnesota Football Party
Why haven’t the Vikings re-signed Dalton Risner?
Being that Risner is viewed by many in the same bucket as Cleveland, that would mean getting around $9.5 million per season. That is too much for what the Vikings are willing to pay and Risner being a free agent exemplifies that.
Now, is that the right call? Well, you could argue that they should pony up the money because Blake Brandel is set to be your starting left guard. Now, Brandel is a quality player but not someone you want to trust as a long-term starting left guard. Something to watch for with Risner is the potential of signing late like he did in 2023.
Vikings’ Shaq Griffin Signing, Which Could Cost Them a Comp Pick, Still Baffles
Over a month later, the Vikings’ decision to sign veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year, $4.55 million deal in late March remains baffling.
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The Vikings were projected to receive a pair of third-round comp picks (which are in the late 90s overall) for losing Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter in free agency this year.
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And the Vikings’ decision to sign Griffin looks even more bizarre after a draft where they traded up multiple times in the first round, surrendering several of next year’s picks in the process.
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A 29-year-old cornerback on a one-year deal is, objectively, not nearly as valuable of an asset as a pick in the 98-100 range that comes with a four-year rookie contract.
Matthew Coller: Dallas Turner pick is about calculating the reward
Turner is set to make around $16 million over the four years that he’s on his rookie deal. Brian Burns makes $28 million per year. If Turner becomes a top-notch player, which his background and consensus board ranking would suggest is possible, the gap in cap savings between Turner and the top edge rushers is enormous. It’s not exactly the same level cap hack as a rookie QB contract but it’s getting closer as edge rusher prices go up. That has to matter in the equation.
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Minnesota
Minnesota investigators say child care centers captured in viral video were operating as expected
Minnesota
Game Recap: Kings 5, Wild 4 (S/O) | Minnesota Wild
Matt Boldy scored late in the third to tie it and ultimately send the game to overtime, helping the Wild (25-10-8) extend their point streak to six games (3-0-3). Brock Faber had a goal and an assist, Jake Middleton and Joel Eriksson Ek also scored, and Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves.
It was the second game of a back-to-back for Minnesota, which is coming off a 5-2 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The Wild and Kings will play again in Los Angeles on Monday.
“It was far from perfect of a game from us,” Faber said. “I thought we could have played better. With that quick turnaround, we’ll take the point. Now we need two in the next.”
Kempe put the Kings up 1-0 at 6:08 of the first period, scoring on a wrist shot from close range off Anze Kopitar’s cross-slot pass from below the goal line.
Middleton tied it up 1-1 at 8:28, getting his first goal of the season in 36 games on a snap shot from the left circle set up by Mats Zuccarello.
“I think he thought I was Kirill (Kaprizov) in the slot there, so it was nice to get one,” Middleton joked. “I normally have a few goals before I take 35 games off from scoring, so this one was getting a little stressful but we got it out of the way.”
Perry gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead at 16:57 of the second period when Byfield’s shot struck him in the wrist and redirected in for the power-play goal.
Eriksson Ek tied it 2-2 at 18:23 on the power play, taking Quinn Hughes’ stretch pass at the offensive blue line for a short breakaway, fending off defenseman Joel Edmundson and scoring on a wrist shot from the left circle.
Byfield put Los Angeles back in front 3-2 at 4:54 of the third period. He shot the puck caroming off the boards back into the crease, where Wallstedt lost it in his skates and it was eventually knocked in by a Wild stick during the ensuing scramble in front.
“Shouldn’t be, that was terrible,” Byfield joked when asked if he knew it was his goal. “No, it’s good. I think it’s two now that were liked that, so I’ll take them how they come.”
Minnesota
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the defensive as fraud allegations mount after viral video uncovered Somali aid scheme
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pushed back against the ever-growing fraud allegations levied against him in the disastrous aftermath of a viral video where an independent journalist cracked open a crucial part of the alleged Somali aid scheme.
A spokesperson for Walz, a Democrat who frequently provokes President Trump’s ire, addressed a bombshell video posted by conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley.
“The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action. He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed,” the spokesperson told Fox News.
The spokesperson added that Walz has “hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.”
In the 43-minute video published on Friday, Shirley and a Minnesotan named David travel around Minneapolis and visit multiple childcare and learning centers allegedly owned by Somali immigrants.
Many were either shuttered entirely, despite signage indicating they were open, or helmed by staff who refused to participate in the video.
One of the buildings they visited displayed a misspelled sign reading “Quality Learing Center.” The ‘learning’ center is supposed to account for at least 99 children and funneled roughly $4 million in state funds, according to the video.
Shirley appeared on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday evening and boasted about his findings. He joked that the alleged scheme was “so obvious” that a “kindergartener could figure out there is fraud going on.”
“Fraud is fraud, and we work too hard simply just to be paying taxes and enabling fraud to be happening,” Shirley said.
“There better be change. People are demanding it. The investigation have been launched just from that video alone. So there better be change, like I said we work way too hard to be paying taxes and not knowing where our money’s going,” he added.
Many officials have echoed Shirley’s calls for change, with FBI Director Kash Patel even announcing that the agency surged extra personnel to investigate the resources doled out to Minnesota. He said this is one of the first steps in a wide-reaching effort to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”
Federal investigators say half of the $18 billion granted to Minnesota since 2018 could have been stolen by fraudulent schemes — amounting to up to $9 billion in theft.
As of Saturday evening, 86 people have been charged in relation to these fraud scams, with 59 convicted so far.
Most of those accused of fraud come from Minnesota’s Somali community.
Shirley’s mega-viral video cracked 100 million views Sunday night.
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