Purple Rumor Mill: Eric Ebron as TE Option, Trae Waynes Mad, Luiji Vilain

VikingsTerritory‘s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the June 26th edition.

Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the Vikings, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.

Rumor: Eric Ebron is a viable TE2 candidate for the Vikings in free agency.

This was borne from a Bleacher Report article this week written by Ian Wharton.

Wharton considers Ebron a “Top Remaining Free Agent under 30,” nominated as a FA candidate to join the Vikings.

If something happens to Irv Smith Jr. this year, especially this summer, Ebron — like Kyle Rudolph — makes all the sense in the world. The Vikings would currently shift to Johnny Mundt at TE2 in case of emergency, so the free-agent additions of Ebron or Rudolph add up.

Otherwise, Minnesota will just hope and pray Smith Jr. stays healthy, unlike last year.

Rumor: Trae Waynes was mad the Vikings drafted him in 2015.

This rumor is accurate and came from Waynes personally. But it needs context.

This week, he told the Geary and Stein Show that he was “pissed off” at the Vikings on draft night in 2015 because of double-speak. First, most draft brains forecasted Waynes to the Vikings during the lead-up to the event. Then, evidently, Waynes’ agent told him that Minnesota would not be drafting the man.

After that, Rick Spielman made the call and indeed drafted Waynes. So, the topsy-turvy design of the night irked Waynes.

Waynes affirmed retirement plans this week on the same show.

Rumor: Luiji Vilain got more guaranteed money than most UFDAs and is therefore cut-proof.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gave Vilain $227,000 guaranteed, a whopping figure for an undrafted free agent.

While that aids his case to make the team or practice squad, the $227,000 does not mandate “cut-proof.” He has a slightly better chance than normal UFDAs of being a part of the 2022 plans.

Between all these promising-but-unknown pass rushers — Esezi Otomewo, Jaylen Twyman, Andre Mitze, and Vilain — not all can make the team. Vilain is a coinflip.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).