https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/page/314/?d=4WordPress Posts: WordPress Postsenhttps://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/elephant-in-the-room-the-twins-need-two-more-starting-pitchers/We're converging on the end of the 2019 calendar year, but that shouldn't be confused with the end of the MLB offseason. And while there are precious few intriguing starting pitching options left in free agency, the trade market has yet to really heat up.   And maybe it will, maybe it won't. But...7556Mon, 30 Dec 2019 17:39:52 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/minnesota-vikings-playoff-picture-faqs-week-17/Sam Ekstrom takes his final look at the NFC playoff picture before the Vikings' regular season finale. CAN THE VIKINGS MOVE UP IN SEED? Nope. That ship sailed when the Vikings lost to the Packers, locking them into the 6-seed. Even if Minnesota tied with Seattle in the Wild Card spots, the Seah...7553Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/vikings-eye-opening-loss-revives-2018-opinions-about-kirk-cousins/It might not be a very Merry Christmas for Mike Zimmer, Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings.   Their run for the previous 10 weeks, where they went 8-2 and earned a playoff berth, has been largely about shattering narratives. Namely, that the offensive is more resilient than last year's, Kirk...7550Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/instant-reaction-packers-seal-the-nfc-north-with-23-10-win-over-vikings/Get Sam Ekstrom's first reaction to the Vikings-Packers Monday night showdown. BIG PICTURE This game was as much a litmus test between two good teams than it was a battle for playoff seeding. A Vikings win would have done little to assure them of the NFC North crown, while the Packers felt good...7549Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/vikings-starting-to-see-contributions-from-two-late-round-rookies/With seven Minnesota Vikings players counting for eight-figure salary cap hits in 2019 -- and theoretically 11 players scheduled to make that much in 2020 -- the pressure has been turned up on the team's front office and coaching staff to develop cheap talent from the coffers of the NFL Draft.  ...7546Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/twins-announce-deals-with-relievers-romo-and-clippard/Multiple reports surfaced earlier this week that the Minnesota Twins had re-signed reliever Sergio Romo. MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez was first to report the sides moving toward a deal, and the team confirmed it on Friday morning.     MLB Network insider Jon Heyman followed up with the details:...7545Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/packers-shut-down-vikings-play-action-in-week-2-but-can-they-do-it-again/Empowered by an early 21-0 lead, the Green Bay Packers invited the Minnesota Vikings to run the ball back in the Packers' Week 2 victory at Lambeau Field. As a tradeoff, Green Bay committed to stopping Kirk Cousins' play-action.   It was that commitment that ultimately foiled the Vikings. Despite...7543Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/mike-boones-emergence-shouldnt-be-a-surprise/Luke Inman contributed video to this story.   There's never been a doubt that Mike Boone could run the football.   Signed by the Vikings in undrafted free agency in 2018 following a marvelous pre-draft process where he posted a 42-inch vertical, 139-inch broad jump and 4.45 40-yard dash, the Cin...7538Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/the-timberwolves-holiday-shopping-spree-for-kids-matters-i-know-because-i-was-once-one-of-those-kids/Attending the annual shopping spree event that the Minnesota Timberwolves host each holiday season is always a weird experience for me -- now that I'm on the "adult side."   Driving out to the event on Tuesday night, my adult brain started kicking in. I found myself thinking about how the Wolves...7537Wed, 18 Dec 2019 00:14:01 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/vikings-offensive-line-hitting-its-pass-blocking-stride/Stats via Pro Football Focus.   Things were so bad on the Vikings offensive line in 2016, Mike Zimmer likened the unit's collapse to the sinking of the Titanic.   Starting tackles Andre Smith and Matt Kalil suffered season-ending injuries in the first quarter of the season. They called in reinfo...7534Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/minnesota-vikings-playoff-picture-faqs-week-16/The Vikings' are a near lock to make the playoffs based on Sunday's results. But their seed could still change. Sam Ekstrom lays out the scenarios. HOW CAN THE VIKINGS CLINCH A PLAYOFF SPOT? Magic numbers aren't discussed as much in football like they are in baseball, but we'll use them anyway....7532Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/court-storm-gophers-upset-no-3-ohio-state/The whole storming-the-playing-surface thing is getting to be a regular occurrence at the University of Minnesota lately.   First, it was a football win over Penn State last month. Then it was the Gophers’ men’s basketball team’s turn Sunday night after it upset No. 3-ranked and previously undefe...7531Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/instant-reaction-vikings-destroy-chargers-for-10th-win-of-the-season/Sam Ekstrom delivers his observations from Minnesota's 39-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. BIG PICTURE Surrounded by their own fans in the Chargers' stadium, the Vikings virtually cemented their playoff status with a victory over the Chargers, coupled with a Los Angeles Rams loss in Dallas...7529Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/trae-waynes-melvin-gordon-bonded-over-silencing-the-doubters/After forging a friendship in middle school in Kenosha, Wisc., Trae Waynes and Melvin Gordon have been on the same career trajectory.   Both played college ball in the Big Ten.   Both were drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.   Both are playing out their fifth professional seasons...7527Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/austin-ekeler-may-be-the-chargers-biggest-offensive-threat/It's become commonplace in the NFL over the last several years: starting running back gets hurt or holds out, backup steps in, backup is really good.   Last year in Pittsburgh, James Conner overshadowed the absence of Leveon Bell, Seattle's Chris Carson outplayed first-round pick Rashaad Penny, P...7524Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/its-time-for-another-dangelo-russell-to-the-minnesota-timberwolves-conversation/December 15th was always going to re-open the D'Angelo Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves conversation. Prior to the 15th, as was the case for every player who inked a new contract this past summer, there was a restriction on Russell's new contract that prevented him from being traded. This mea...7521Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/alexander-mattison-is-putting-his-hurdling-background-to-good-use/Luke Inman contributed video to this story.   Running back Mike Boone leaned his head back and set his brain in motion, trying to remember the first time he saw Alexander Mattison hurdle a tackler. Most backs, after all, don't have such a large selection from which to choose.   After some though...7519Wed, 11 Dec 2019 16:19:34 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/minnesota-vikings-playoff-picture-faqs-week-15/With three weeks remaining, the NFC playoff picture is just as muddled as ever. Sam Ekstrom answers your likeliest questions as the football calendar turns to Week 15.  WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE NFC NORTH RACE? With the Vikings and Packers both hosting three-win teams on Sunday, there was littl...7514Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/daniel-hunter-continues-to-hit-milestones-doing-so-quietly/Danielle Hunter finished off David Blough and went into his patented sack celebration, which climaxed with a flying karate kick.   It's the most animated the normally-stoic Hunter gets, whether he's conducting a press conference or terrorizing opposing passers. It's the one time he steps out of c...7512Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/how-the-other-timberwolves-fit-around-karl-anthony-towns/Against a starting frontline of JaVale McGee, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Sunday evening's matchup in Los Angeles was the Minnesota Timberwolves' biggest test of their new, small-ball offensive and defensive systems installed this season.   It was a test they failed almost immediately. In jus...7511Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/locker-room-video-vikings-react-to-victory-over-detroit-lions/See how the Minnesota Vikings reacted to their 20-7 win over the Detroit Lions. MIKE ZIMMER  KIRK COUSINS DANIELLE HUNTER DALVIN COOK7510Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/instant-reaction-vikings-handle-lions-to-get-back-on-winning-track/Sam Ekstrom gives his first take on the Vikings' 20-7 victory over the Detroit Lions. BIG PICTURE With a huge game dropped to Seattle last Monday and a huge game looming versus Green Bay in two weeks, the Vikings simply needed to hold serve in the next two games against inferior competition. Th...7509Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/report-twins-land-second-catcher-avila-on-one-year-deal/The Minnesota Twins have reportedly landed their second catcher, as Jeff Passan of ESPN reported early Friday morning that the team had agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.25 million with Alex Avila. The Twins have not yet confirmed the move, or for that matter, the Michael Pineda signing reported...7508Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:50:16 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/reports-twins-pineda-agree-on-two-year-deal/News broke late Thursday evening that the Minnesota Twins and Michael Pineda had agreed to a two-year deal worth $20 million. Fox 9 Sports reporter Pierre Noujaim was the first to say the deal was happening, and followed up shortly with the terms:     The deal was confirmed by Dan Hayes of ...7505Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000https://wolvesdaily.com/news-rumors/front-page/look-ahead-vikings-set-to-face-david-blough-another-opposing-quarterback-with-minimal-track-record/Luke Inman contributed to this story.   The Minnesota Vikings keep running into quarterbacks with limited experience. Sunday, they'll face another wild card in Detroit's David Blough, the undrafted rookie from Purdue who made his career debut on Thanksgiving.   "I thought he threw the ball well,...7504Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000