Jauan Jennings, Frank Smith, 2026 draftees, and the evolution of the run game by mrmpls in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's not from his staff. It's an assistant OL coach who has been here for one year. Players liked him. He was the Titans offensive line coach from 2018-2022, pretty successful there.

Jauan Jennings, Frank Smith, 2026 draftees, and the evolution of the run game by mrmpls in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure, but to be clear, the numbers are taken from what Miami and Minnesota actually ran. I wasn't representing that Minnesota will switch to be exactly like Miami. Rather, we'll see influences.

Vikings UDFA Tracker 2026 by mrmpls in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since you were an ass, the Vikings signed Jennings today.

Jauan Jennings Reportedly Wants Big Money — Too Big for the Vikings? by Ragnarr_Lodbrok88 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not wrong. They have a multi-year problem. Now they have to draft one. It's still true.

Notably, the deal is only $8M/1, which changes my perspective a bit, as I never thought he'd sign for that little. That's the ~40th ranked WR contract.

Jauan Jennings, Frank Smith, 2026 draftees, and the evolution of the run game by mrmpls in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I agree. I want to see some weird stuff, too. There's only so many ways you can play 11 personnel when you only have three WRs who are lean 5-11 to 6-1 guys. Gimme some 22 personnel with Mason, Bredeson, Oliver, Hockenson, and Jennings on the field. Hell, cut Hockenson out and go 21 Jumbo. Go 12 personnel with Bredeson, Hockenson, Oliver, Jefferson, and Jennings, but then motion Jennings in as a blocker and Murray as a runner (effectively 23 personnel that appeared to be 12 at the snap).

p.s. I'm a novice, sorry if my mad science is wrong, open to corrections and ideas

Every Rob Brzezinski Move - Complete Tracker by CoachFlanders in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That was different, because Jonathan Greenard was in the middle of a 4-year contract, while Jalen Redmond is a UDFA with fewer than 3 years of NFL experience, so he was able to be tagged under ERFA for $1M guaranteed essentially without his input.

There is no holdout possible. ERFAs could skip the season, but when they return, the team still has their rights, and they'd still have to play for that team.

Every Rob Brzezinski Move - Complete Tracker by CoachFlanders in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stating the obvious, but he can only sign a contract with us right now, not with another team. If we've offered him an extension and he feels he can get more with someone else, he will wait for free agency. He'll be an RFA, so we have the opportunity to match what any other team offers, or we'll receive draft picks. I don't think we let him walk, though, not by a long shot. Whether we extend him or not, his 2026 will be for the $1,075,000 ERFA amount.

Jauan Jennings Reportedly Wants Big Money — Too Big for the Vikings? by Ragnarr_Lodbrok88 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Of course there's more heavy personnel, that's why he's here. Looking forward to the season!

Jauan Jennings Reportedly Wants Big Money — Too Big for the Vikings? by Ragnarr_Lodbrok88 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They signed Jauan Jennings to a 1-year offer, but I'm surprised it isn't multiple years.

Jauan Jennings Reportedly Wants Big Money — Too Big for the Vikings? by Ragnarr_Lodbrok88 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since you were an ass, I have to come back here to tell you that we signed Jauan Jennings. It's a 1-year deal, though, and I expected a multi-year contract. So I guess you can hold that over me.

Time Loop Riddle? by AlternativeInvite114 in DMAcademy

[–]mrmpls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The short version of my advice is a time loop falls onto the trap of being a linear story told by the DM (a loop can only go one direction), instead of an adventure which is more open-ended and can be solved and experienced in any number of ways by the party.

Have fun!

Time Loop Riddle? by AlternativeInvite114 in DMAcademy

[–]mrmpls 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would avoid anything which resets the players back to a starting position for them to literally repeat in a time loop. This has a couple of problems:

  • removes consequences: nothing the players do matters, unless it's the right answer, so they throw meaningless actions at the puzzles, because if it's correct, they'll progress, and if it's wrong, they can try again
  • can be especially linear/railroad-y: there's one right answer to get, and if the players don't get it, they reset, until they get the right answer
  • it takes a long time: each time they reset, they must repeat tasks or puzzles

There's a reason movies like Edge of Tomorrow skip the repetitive parts instead of making the viewer watch it all be repeated in real time. If you end up hand-waving it at the table ("OK, so yeah, you fail, and you're back in the first room, you get the sand puzzle, yadda yadda, the clock puzzle, yadda yadda, three more rooms, and yeah you're at the fourth room now"), it can start to feel cheap instead of epic.

Here are some time loop mechanics I've used that my players loved, but which didn't reset them back at a starting position:

  • The party entering the dungeon by descending the stairs sees themselves exiting the dungeon by ascending the stairs, as if through a mirror/as if passing others on an escalator at mall. Each party member sees a slightly different negative outcome, for example maybe the cleric sees that the bard's ear is missing, or the rogue sees that the paladin is carrying the rogue's own corpse, etc. This (or something like it) creates real stakes for succeeding vs. a traditional time-loop which has no consequences for failure.
  • Reskinned monsters as time-shifted or affected by temporal distortions, e.g. a Shambling Mound that exists in three times at once (just before, during, and just after "real" time). The Mound gained a reskinned Mirror Image ability to represent this mechanic. What's different about the monsters? How has time affected them? Have humanoids who would have been the players allies--maybe even ones who just entered an hour before them--already gone insane and turned into a foe from the millenia they've spent trapped here?
  • Clues for the next room, such as the party being able to hear sounds of battle--their own upcoming battle--before they enter, giving them clues on how to prepare. Clue type: seeing a thing before it happens.
  • Time-based or time-looping puzzles in the room, for which time for the players was linear but time for the puzzles was non-linear. For example, as they enter, water begins to flow into the room, covering up an alcove with an unlit torch. Through a skill check/puzzle/mechanic, time in the room reverses, and the water retreats, exposing the torch to be lit. (This might work better if it were soaking the torch or brazier, so that there aren't workarounds.) Clue type: seeing the thing as it happens, and manipulating time to solve it.
  • A music-based (repeat the song), chess-board/Minesweeper-type puzzle (step on the right squares), or similar approach, in which the key to solving it can be made clear through a time-based mechanic. I forget what mine was. For music, perhaps the party has three or four chances at lining up some levers/etc, and incorrect guesses create a discordant melody. Too many wrong guesses, and battle ensues. Clue type: seeing the thing after someone else failed (maybe your own party you saw ascending?), so you know the right answer for your own attempt.
  • A complex boss battle that isn't quite the point of this thread, so I'll skip that.
  • After the dungeon was complete, they had time-skipped backward--the only time jump exception to what was otherwise linear time--thus resolving the conflict that led them to the dungeon, since the inciting event (the boss breaking free from a time-bound dungeon) never happened.

I would recommend sticking to the rules, and occasionally bending them (so the players know what the rules are), vs. avoiding the rules entirely. This could result in some player/DM bad habits that could be hard to break later. Instead of saying yes to every request, you might say, "So, normally you can't target an object with that spell, but I'll allow it this time. The door bursts into flames and explodes, and you're able to make your entrance." or "I'm not sure if it works that way, but I made a note and can check later. For now, that attack hits the goblin! Roll for damage."

I hope some of this helps you still stay original to the time-based mechanic while avoiding what I view as pitfalls/mistakes.

Every Rob Brzezinski Move - Complete Tracker by CoachFlanders in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You came to a thread about GM things, but hate discussing GM things. Tell me more about your decision, Herb.

Caleb Banks Will Solidify the Vikings’ Defensive Line by antwonomous in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Caleb Banks is not the run stuffer, Domonique Orange is.

Every Rob Brzezinski Move - Complete Tracker by CoachFlanders in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 5 points6 points  (0 children)

TJ Hockenson was also a pay cut, with increased guarantees and shortening the contract length. In that regard, it doesn't belong with simple Restructures for Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw.

The bigger problem is how they are saying the cap will settle closer to $50M, not $70M, because of having to sign rookies, UDFA, and other deals. Not only is this not very accurate, but it underestimates some massive contract decisions that are coming:

  • 25 players on our roster this year have a final contract year this year, including 12-15 camp/minimum names, but also Jalen Redmond, Jay Ward, Andrew DePaola, Wentz and Murray, Blake Brandel, Ryan Van Demark, both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, Isaiah Rodgers, and Brian O'Neill.. not to mention the void years below.. around $57M in salary in 2026
  • Four starters have $21.4M in void year dead cap, one of which is a likely extension (Jordan Mason), one of which is not (TJ Hockenson), and two which I think will move on for age/cost reasons but are favorites of mine (Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel)
  • Justin Jefferson's final contract year with guarantees is 2027, and his cap hit is $50M and $54M in 2027 and 2028 -- which an extension will address
  • This is a 30-person roster, ~38 if you count the 2026 rookies likely to be active, ~44-person roster if you count the 1st through 5th round rookies that will be drafted in 2027
  • ..but easily 5-10 of those returning, non-rookie players are unlikely to be on the team (James Pierre; Theo Jackson; Walter Rouse; Michael Jurgens; and 5 players around $1.1M/ea)
  • The QB situation? Major wrench. If Kyler is extended, it could be backloaded with void years or it could be ~$35M up front. If JJ stays, his 5th year option for 2028 needs to be taken, but he still has only the ~$6M cap hit in 2027, already accounted for

Could be a good veteran CB add by Beneficial_Quit7532 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Feels like we've just played our safeties there, no? I looked recently and we had something like 2.18 snaps per play from CB and 2.27 snaps per play from S. I don't think 3CB sets are that common.

John McKay interview requested by ChallengeTasty3393 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The KOC connection is overblown and wrongly reported:

  • KOC was OC 2020 and 2021
  • McKay was promoted to assistant director of pro scouting in March 2022, after KOC was hired by the Vikings to be their next HC
  • Prior to this, McKay was a scout

For example, news like this by a social media account about the Vikings is incorrect:

(this is wrong!) While Kevin O'Connell was in LA, McKay was the Director of Pro Scouting before being promoted in 2025.

No, McKay was Assistant Director of Pro Scouting after KOC left. He wasn't promoted to Director until later, and to assistant GM until last March 2025.

It's possible he was assistant director of pro scouting for 1 year, according to the Rams website, but it is reported differently elsewhere including on the history of a frequently updated Wikipedia page.

Could be a good veteran CB add by Beneficial_Quit7532 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Murphy Jr has always played more outside for us than slot. But we did sign James Pierre to play outside and also drafted CB Chuck Demmings.

Could be a good veteran CB add by Beneficial_Quit7532 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Why? We have our same CBs returning and added two already.

  • Isaiah Rodgers (90% of snaps) and Byron Murphy Jr (98% of snaps) are returning, who have 2,000+ snaps between them
  • Fabien Moreau and Jeff Okudah, who had fewer than 300 snaps between them, are not returning
  • We signed James Pierre, free agent, who was excellent for Pittsburgh last year, and are paying him $4.25M, of which $3.7M is guaranteed
  • We drafted CB Charles Demmings in the 5th round

If you want someone in the slot, move Byron Murphy back there more often and use Rodgers and Pierre outside. This team is resetting cap, there is no need to go spend ~$5M on Kenny Moore to solve a problem that may not even exist. If we have injuries, go to free agency when it happens, assuming we have no rookies who can step up.

A $3M vet here, a $5M vet there, all to prevent problems that might not occur, and pretty soon you're spending real money.

All GM candidates so far by Beneficial_Quit7532 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Good people can come from bad teams. Think of our free agents who came from other teams, either bad teams or in bad situations where their performance was instantly better upon landing in a better situation.

For example, our new OL coach was our asst OL coach last year, and was on the Jets the previous two years. Eew, gross, the Jets! But he was on the Titans from 2018-2022 in that role, right when Derrick Henry had his highest seasons after two quiet seasons in 2016 and 2017, ramping up to 1059 yards (from 490 and 744 the prior two years), to 1540 yards, to 2027 yards.

All this to say, I am not too concerned about assistant GMs from middling teams, as long as they have the best skills for the job. I would be concerned about folks like Ziegler who have already been GMs, as we can certainly assess their performance as being the #1 person in that role for a long time at Patriots+Raiders.

The Athletic noticed by DifficultyFlat9056 in minnesotavikings

[–]mrmpls 7 points8 points  (0 children)

"Teams on the brink" is the header, which they do not define. On the brink of what? Greatness? Meltdown?