Silas Bobendrier

Minneapolis

Writer at Zone Coverage

Featured in: Favicon

zonecoverage.com Favicon

substack.com Favicon

audacy.com

Articles

Jordan Mason Might Be the Running Back of Kevin O’Connell’s Dreams

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Chris Schad |Wyatt Wade |Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier

Imagine, if you will:It was a tough night for Kevin O’Connell to sleep. A decision on Aaron Rodgers was pending. The Minnesota Vikings upgraded their roster significantly during the first week of free agency. A 14-3 team has raised expectations significantly, and the security of a contract extension could help him get some rest. Eventually, his eyes got heavy, and he dozed off. Suddenly, he was at Ford Field. Fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line. The NFC Championship is on the line.
Hitman's Return Highlights Minnesota's Sense Of Urgency

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Wyatt Wade |Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier |Chris Schad

Harrison Smith is extending his playing career into a 14th season. The Hitman signed a one-year, $10 million contract to stay with Kevin O’Connell, Brian Flores, and the Minnesota Vikings. Considering the reworked deal, Smith’s loyalty to the team he has played for his entire career, and how active Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Minnesota’s front office have been, it feels like they’re gearing up for a playoff push in 2025.
What Are the Vikings Evaluating In Kwesi’s Draft Process?

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier |Chris Schad |Tony Abbott

To Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, drafting a quarterback is ultimately about love. “Since we got here, Kevin [O’Connnell has] really been adamant about, when you select a quarterback, it’s a marriage,” he said in April 2024 before the Minnesota Vikings selected J.J. McCarthy. “It’s that serious, and that level of commitment and work that should go into it.”A reporter asked if Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell could fall in love with multiple quarterbacks. “I believe [so],” Adofo-Mensah said before pausing.
Benjamin Morrison Is the Young Corner Minnesota Needs

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Silas Bobendrier |Chris Schad |Tony Abbott |Joshua Badroos

One of the Minnesota Vikings’ priorities this offseason will be retooling a cornerback room that has lacked consistent high-end play for nearly half a decade. Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr. is returning on a multi-year deal, and Mekhi Blackmon is prepping for a return from an ACL tear suffered in the preseason, but they need more help.
Kirk Cousins Is the Veteran QB Option Nobody Is Talking About

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Chris Schad |Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier |Tony Abbott

Imagine, if you will:Somewhere in a room at TCO Performance Center, the Wilfs, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and Kevin O’Connell are having a serious conversation. They need a quarterback to back up J.J. McCarthy, and a veteran is available who could buy time for the former top-10 pick to develop. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Adofo-Mensah asked O’Connell. “Relax, did you see what I did with Sam Darnold?” O’Connell responded. “But what about our culture?” the Wilfs chimed back.
Five Reasons the Vikings Chose Not To Franchise Tag Sam Darnold

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Matt Fries |Chris Schad |Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier

The franchise tag window has passed, and the Minnesota Vikings chose not to tag quarterback Sam Darnold, who experts widely consider the best QB available this spring. That was the logical conclusion to the choice the Vikings had this offseason, assuming they didn’t want Darnold to become the long-term solution for the team at the QB.
Minnesota’s Spending Spree Feels More Like A Tax Than A Luxury

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Chris Schad |Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier

The Minnesota Vikings’ plan for this offseason is this close to happening. The first step was peeling away the layers of highly paid veterans who were past their prime. Next was finding their quarterback of the future in the 2024 draft. And the final step was designed to happen this offseason when the Vikings would use their newfound cap space to fill in the remaining holes and build a contender. But when Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell concocted this plan, it may have had a different look.
The Vikings Have An Opportunity To Upstage the Packers At the Draft

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Tom Schreier |Silas Bobendrier |Chris Schad |Nelson Thielen

People notice when a 313 lb. man runs a sub-5.00 40-yard dash. At the NFL Combine this week, Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon took off at a speed that should be physically impossible for a man his size. Scouts got out their stopwatches and murmured something to their general managers. Defensive coaches got a glint in their eyes. Harmon would be a perfect fit for the Green Bay Packers, who have the 23rd pick this year.
Minnesota Should Seize the Opportunity If Malaki Starks Slides In the Draft

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Silas Bobendrier |Chris Schad |Nelson Thielen |Cole Smith

The Minnesota Vikings should continue their defensive rebuild this offseason, and the upcoming draft offers a surplus of potential impact players at multiple positions of need. While the Vikings have positioned themselves to address their needs with the most effective cap space the franchise has had in years, they must attain secure impact talents with limited draft capital. Malaki Starks is one such talent.
T.J. Hockenson Has Found That the Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Apr 18, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Tom Schreier |Carter Rees Cox |Matt Fries |Silas Bobendrier

T.J. Hockenson doesn’t think Kerby Joseph is a dirty player. He’s just upset that the knee injury he sustained on Joseph’s low hit has forced him to rehabilitate all summer and may keep him out for the first half of the season. “I got nothing against him,” said Hockenson. “I played with him in Detroit, and I understand that’s kind of what they expect you to do in the league.