After many months of speculation, the Minnesota Vikings, the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority and HKS Sports and Entertainment Group have now unveiled their plan for the new Vikings Stadium.

“The design reflects the true story of the Minnesota community with its international style driven by climatic response and energy conservation,” said Bryan Trubey, design principal, HKS Sports & Entertainment Group. “The interior volume makes it the most versatile, multi-use building in the country with the most advanced digital age technology.”

They will break ground on the $975 million stadium this October in hopes of being completed in time to start the 2016 season. Demolition of Mall of America Field will begin shortly thereafter.

“Tonight’s unveiling showcases a bold, iconic design delivered by HKS,” said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. “Not only is this facility unique to Minnesota, but the stadium will also provide Vikings fans with the best game-day experience in the NFL, which has always been our goal.”

Here is a look at the best features in the new stadium:

• 65,000-seat stadium (expandable to 73,000 seats for a Super Bowl)
• Capable of holding other events in addition to Vikings’ games (Examples: MLS soccer, NCAA basketball and baseball, high school sporting events, motocross, concerts and more )
• Largest transparent roof in the world
• Operable doors that open to downtown Minneapolis
• Sloped roof will be most efficient roof structure in the nation
• Seat configuration will put fans closer to the field than in any other NFL stadium
• Operable walls and clear roof will give fans outdoor feel without being in the element

For more on the new stadium, check out Vikings.com.

The Minnesota Vikings traded back in the first round to help bolster their offense. After trading with the New England Patriots, the Vikings selected WR Cordarrelle Patterson from Tennessee.

Vikings moved back into the first round to draft WR Cordarrelle Patterson with the No. 29 pick.

The Vikings gave up picks No. 53, 83, 102 and 229 to grab Patterson with the No. 29 pick.

“It looks like a lot given up, but in essence, to go get a player like Cordarrelle Patterson, it was well worth it,” general manager Rick Spielman said.

When the Vikings traded back into the first-round, Patterson didn’t expect it would be to draft him.

“It means a lot to me,” Patterson said. “From not expecting to be on the Vikings, it was great to see all that they gave up to get me. I feel like I can be a great player for them.”

Patterson will help Christian Ponder in the passing game, in addition to being used a kick/punt returner.

“We were very, very aggressive to go do that because I know what he can do as a receiver, but especially what he can do as a potential punt and kickoff returner,” Spielman said. “Because he is magic in that area as well.”

In his one and only season at the FBS level, Patterson caught 46 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games. The Vols also used Patterson out of the backfield, which is similar to Percy Harvin. Patterson totaled 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.

Patterson was most dangerous as a kick returner. He compiled 617 yards and a touchdown on 24 attempts. He averaged 27.6 yards combined on kickoff and punt returns, which was an SEC single-season record.

The Minnesota Vikings filled another defensive need with their second pick in the first round. With the No. 25 pick that was acquired in the Percy Harvin trade with the Seahawks, the Vikings selected CB Xavier Rhodes from Florida State.

With the No. 25 pick, the Vikings selected CB Xavier Rhodes.

After losing Antoine Winfield in the offseason, also to the Seahawks (*cough cough* Vikings west *cough cough*), the Vikings were in desperate need to strengthen their secondary.

“We feel he is going to be a great matchup with the type of receivers that we have to face in this division,” general manager Rick Spielman said. “We’ve really tried to emphasize on getting bigger corners, that was kind of our criteria…He’s as big a corner as you can get, and he can run and he has ball skills. He fits all the things that we’re looking for in this scheme.”

In his final season with FSU, Rhodes totaled 39 tackles (two for a loss), three interceptions on seven pass breakups and a forced fumble.

The Minnesota Vikings have filled one of their holes with the No. 23 pick in the NFL Draft by selecting Florida DT Sharrif Floyd.

“I couldn’t have been part of a better ball club,” Floyd said. “I’m excited to get started.”

The Vikings selected Shariff Floyd with the No. 23 pick in the NFL Draft.

Projected as Mike Mayock’s second best player in the draft, Floyd fell all the way to the Vikings.

“I went through a thousand scenarios at that 23rd and 25th pick and I can tell you honestly he was not in one of those scenarios,” general manager Rick Spielman said. “So for him to fall down to our lap, there were some conversations as he fell to potentially even move up. But as the names kept falling off the board, we had more than enough options to just sit there and let everything fall to us. And when Sharrif fell to us, it was something that was very unexpected.”

In an interview with NFL Network after the selection, Floyd noted he enters the NFL with a “chip on his shoulder” after falling in the draft.

One negative with Floyd that may have caused him to fall is his less than elite statistics. In his two seasons with the Gators, Floyd tallied 26 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks.

Draft day has finally arrived. All of the anticipation and rumors come to a close tonight as the first round kicks off at Radio City Music Hall.

The Vikings have two picks in the first round (No. 23 and No. 25, which was acquired in the Percy Harvin trade with the Seahawks.) With two picks on Thursday night, and 11 overall, the Vikings have many needs to fill. Tops needs that need to be filled include wide receiver, defensive line, line backers and cornerback.

Breakdown of the Vikings picks, via Vikings.com:

• First round (2): 23rd overall and 25th overall
• Second round (1): 22nd choice, 52nd overall
• Third round (1):  21st choice, 83rd overall
• Fourth round (2): 5th choice, 102nd overall and 23rd choice, 120th overall
• Fifth round (1): 22nd choice, 155th overall
• Sixth round (1): 21st choice, 189th overall
• Seventh round (3): 7th choice, 213th overall; 8th choice, 214th overall; 23rd choice, 229th overall

Below are some final mock drafts for the first round from around the internet for an idea on who the Vikings may take with their two picks in the first round: » Continue reading “Vikings News Bulletin: Draft Preview And First Round Mock Drafts”

After knowing their opponents for awhile, the Minnesota Vikings learned when they would be playing their opponents on Thursday night.

After a playoff run in 2012, the Minnesota Vikings will play three prime-time games this upcoming season.

The Vikings will open their season in Detroit on Sept. 8, in addition to closing out their season in their final home game at the Metrodome against the Lion.

Below you can see the entire Vikings schedule:

Sept. 8 – at Detroit (noon on Fox)

Sept. 15 – at Chicago (noon on Fox)

Sept. 22 – vs. Cleveland (noon on CBS)

Sept. 29 – vs. Pittsburgh with game played in London (noon on CBS)

Oct. 6 – BYE WEEK

Oct. 13 – vs. Carolina (noon on Fox)

Oct. 21 – at New York Giants (7:40 p.m. on ESPN)

Oct. 27 – vs. Green Bay (7:30 p.m. on NBC)

Nov. 3 – at Dallas (noon on Fox)

Nov. 7 – vs. Washington (7:25 p.m. on NFL Network)

Nov. 17 – at Seattle (3:25 p.m. on Fox)

Nov. 24 – at Green Bay (noon on Fox)

Dec. 1 – vs. Chicago (noon on Fox)

Dec. 8 – at Baltimore (noon on Fox)

Dec. 15 – vs. Philadelphia (noon on Fox)

Dec. 22 – at Cincinnati (noon on Fox)

Dec. 29 – vs. Detroit (noon on Fox)

The Minnesota Vikings have found a new target for Christian Ponder to throw to.

Greg Jennings was introduced as the newest Viking on Friday.

On Friday, the Vikings signed former Packers WR Greg Jennings to a five-year, $47.5 million deal with $18 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.

“We’re really excited about the fact that he brings high character,” said head coach Leslie Frazier. “He’s a tremendous athlete. We all know that. But what he’ll bring to our locker room, the energy that he’ll bring to what we do at practice along with his leadership, those were all qualities we were looking for when we talked with Greg.”

Once Percy Harvin went down last season, Christian Ponder didn’t have many options to pass too. Jennings hopes to fill that role of making life easier for Ponder.

“You can just get a sense that he needed a little more around him to give him some help,” Jennings said. “Hopefully I can help him a little bit.”

Jennings will had a second-dimension to the Vikings offense that was super dependent on Adrian Peterson last season.

“You see a guy like `All Day’ sitting in that backfield and you see the cluster of guys that are gathered in that box for him, it’s going to be some special things taking place,” Jennings said.

Jennings had three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2008 to 2010 but has battled injuries the past two seasons.

Despite turning 30 this season, Jennings isn’t worried about what the naysayers are saying.

“I can definitely still do it,” said Jennings. “I can definitely still make plays and be as exciting as I was in my earlier years.”

In eight games last season, Jennings had 36 receptions for 366 yards (10 ypc) and four touchdowns.

Day three of free agency kicked off with the Vikings coming to terms with Matt Cassel, and ended with them trying to woo Greg Jennings.

Vikings ink Cassel

“Oh hey Minnesota!” – Matt Cassel

The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with QB Matt Cassel on Thursday, according to Jay Glazer. Cassel is coming to Minnesota on a two-year contract that is worth up to $4 million per season.

Cassel comes to Minnesota as the veteran presence as backup quarterback behind Christian Ponder, which the Vikings sorely lacked last season.

Cassel spent the past four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. In eight starts last year, Cassel passed for 1,796 yards, six touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Vikings wooing Greg Jennings
Greg Jennings began his visit with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday with dinner at Manny’s. Those in attendance at dinner included Rick Spielman, Leslie Frazier and Jared Allen.

According to 1500ESPN, Jennings will then visit Winter Park tomorrow.

Jennings battled injuries last season with the Packers and only played in eight games. He had 36 receptions for 366 yards and four touchdowns.

Free agency started at 3 p.m. today, but the Minnesota Vikings were off and running with team changes.

Vikings agreed to a multi-year extension with Phil Loadholt to kick of free agency.

Their biggest move so far is the trade of WR Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks. Harvin, who had arguably one of his best seasons despite only playing less than nine games, had been rumored to have asked for a trade. Many off-the-field rumors led to the Harvin trade, in which the Vikings received three draft picks – a 1st-rounder and 7th-rounder in 2013 and a 3rd-rounder in 2014.

Another big move the Vikings have made is the re-signing of right tackle Phil Loadholt. The Vikings selected Loadholt in the second round in 2009, and after four solid seasons blocking for Adrian Peterson, the Vikings decided they’d like to see him in purple for the next phase of his career.

The Vikings also re-signed Joe Berger for depth on the offensive line.

Slightly more shocking free agency news came today when the Vikings made the decision to release veteran CB Antoine Winfield. Winfield was due $7.25 million in 2013, and unwilling to take a pay cut, the Vikings made the tough decision to let the veteran go. Winfield, who had arguably one of the best seasons of his career in 2012, was given the option to return to the Vikings lineup upon taking a pay cut.

“Antoine is a great football player for us. He’s another one that’s a tremendous leader and great what he does in this community,” GM Rick Spielman said. “We definitely want to keep the door open on his possible return, but at this time we had to release him in order to get him out in free agency.”

The Vikings have a few shortcomings when it comes to the wide receiver position if they don’t plan on signing any big name free agents. The Vikings did re-sign WR Jerome Simpson to a one-year deal today. Simpson, who had a less-than-spectacular 2012, will be given another shot in 2013.

Also on Tuesday, the Vikings re-signed fullback Jerome Felton, who played a key role in Adrian Peterson’s 2,000 yard season.

The Percy Harvin saga in Minnesota seems to becoming to an end with the Vikings trading him to Seattle, according to multiple reports.

See ya later Harvin!

In exchange, Jay Glazer reports, the Vikings will receive Seattle’s first-round (No. 25 overall), seventh-round pick this season and a third-round pick in 2014.

The Seahawks will reward Harvin with a new contract, and Jason La Canfora reports he’ll make more than $12 million a season.

Harvin will join former Vikings WR Sidney Rice in Seattle, and sent him a direct message telling him “Let’s finish what u started this time,” which references to the Vikings losing in the NFC Championship game to the Saints in 2009.

Percy Harvin was unhappy in Minnesota, and Sid Hartman reported over the weekend that Harvin had requested a trade from the Vikings.

In his four seasons in purple, Harvin was a headache to other teams on the field, but off the field, he caused many headaches within the organization.

The trade supposedly brought mixed reaction from players, but with a majority of them being sad to see Percy leave.

“The best all around player I ever seen or you’ll ever see! Goes to Seattle! I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach. Several times,” tweeted Adrian Peterson. “I wish my boy Percy nothing but success! God bless you homie.”

“Sad to see Percy go,” tweeted Chris Kluwe. “Seattle’s getting a great player.”

Although the Vikings are losing one of their best players, not all players seemed down about the move that bring in three draft picks.

One veteran player told 1500ESPN.com on Monday the trade ” is genius.” Another said he’s happy for Harvin but Spielman did “a great job” getting so much value for a player much of the league thought the Vikings were desperate to dump.

Harvin only played in nine games last season before being put on season-ending injured reserve with an ankle injury and abruptly left the team.

With only four wide receivers under contract, the Vikings are sure to target one available in free agency or the draft.

The trade will not become official until the new league year begins on Tuesday.