The Vikings RB situation

by vikingfuture8816 on Feb 26, 2009 7:08 PM CST Comment 25 comments

I know this isn't the highest of priorities, but just about every other subject has been talked up on more than one occasion/post. The RB situation sometimes reminds me of how you can put things off like going to the doctor. "Oh its just headaches, I can take it", "Its an old injury that keeps bugging me, no big deal.", "Its just a rash, it will go away.", etc. Then, everything keeps piling up and you can only hope the doctor can find out whats wrong and do something about it before its too late.

Chester Taylor is more valuable to the Vikings then they would ever get in a trade. He is an intagral part of how the offense runs. He is a great 3rd down back, but has the talent to carry the load if AP can't play. But in a trade what would the Vikings really get for him on the market? Very fews teams have a one back system anymore so it is doubtful that you could get anything better than a 3rd round draft pick in exchange and he is worth more to the team then that.

According to this USA TODAY chart, Taylor is a $3,750,360 cap liability (RBs with similar cap #s - Westbrook $3,783,813 and Micheal Turner $3,753,840). I don't know how bonuses affect the cap number so lets try to keep this easy by just sticking with the cap number. Current esitimates of the Vikings cap room are around $17mil (with the $3/yr projection for Sage). Taylors $3.7mil is already a part of the salary, so only the increase in pay of resigning him would count toward the est. $17mil. Since he is already making starting money to play a back up role, I don't think it would take much more to keep him around. If the Vikings gave him a pay increase to $4.5 mil (just a ahead of current highest paid NFC North RB, Ryan Grant) and only increase the cap # by less than $1mil ($749,640) which would leave plenty of money for free agents and resigning Peterson in the near future.

Peterson is currently $2,426,320 cap number and if the Vikings want to sign him before any possible uncapped season they would probably have to give him something close to LT money ($7,817,386. A $5,391,066 difference). I realize all these cap numbers are an over simplification, but the Vikings could potentially resign both backs (Peterson to an LT type deal and a pay increase for Taylor) this off season to new deals to lock them up for years to come without to harsh a cap hit. Using the numbers above it would total $6,140,706 against the cap leaving around $10mil for resigning other vets, FAs, and this years draft class.

Or, they can not deal with either situation and get nothing from Taylor if he leaves in FA next year and Peterson leaves when his contract comes up in an uncapped season and is bought up by another team.

So here is everyones favorite part: What do the Vikings do?

Poll

What should the Vikings do about their RBs?

Resign them this offseason to new deals

66 votes

Trade Taylor, resign Peterson

40 votes

Let Taylor leave, resign Peterson

7 votes

Let them both go. Once we get the franchise QB who needs them?

5 votes

118 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.

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Where's the option to trade Peterson?

Just kidding. Re-sign both, and we’ll be good for a decade. Or at least as long as Taylor can hold up.

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by Andersklasen on Feb 26, 2009 7:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Peterson is not going anywhere

The vikings could franchise him for the rest of his career if they don’t agree on a contract. I think they should pay him before he hits his contract year, he has done so much for the team and given Vikings fans their first real star since Moss.

I would like to keep chester taylor but he is not worth 4 1/2 Mil. I think he is better than Ward but he is probably seen as a pretty comparable RB and Ward isn’t expected to make more than 4 mil a year when he gets signed.

I wouldn’t mind paying Taylor mid range starting money (3 mil or so) to stay in MN but it is silly to pay him more than the #2 back (turner) in the league.

by BeardedAxe on Feb 26, 2009 7:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Actually

The Vikings paid Chester $6.1 million dollars this year. His cap number is $3.7mil. I didn’t know how the bonuses played into the cap number which is the only important number because that is what affects the salary cap. I am sure there is simply a % of the bonuses applied to the cap number, but I dodn’t what to have to number crunch a bunch of contracts to find the number.

by vikingfuture8816 on Feb 27, 2009 9:34 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Chester Taylor has to want more than the 100 carries per year he is seeing behind Peterson. The Vikings would have to ridiculously overpay him for him to resign in this role. His window to be “the Guy” is closing and I have to assume he wants to have a crack at it.

by LoveHate on Feb 26, 2009 8:04 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yup

Well said. Gotta love chester, he could start for a lot of teams, but the draft is littered with good RBs. Trade him if you can, if not let him walk.

by Spartan99 on Feb 27, 2009 12:21 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The need to be a starting RB..

I am not so sure that Chester needs to be “the Guy”. If he is being paid as a starter, but carrying 1/3 of the load, that means his career gets extended, as his body won’t wear down as fast, and his chance of career-ending injury goes down. If something happens to AP (remembering that he has been injured both last year and this one), there isnt much drop off by going to Chester. Chester also offers up some great receiving touchdowns (a couple that almost single-handedly won two games this year). Personally, I think Chester is quite happy with his situation….I would be in his place, since its a bit late to make the HoF for him.

by Lofoten on Feb 28, 2009 7:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You don't play pro football

Every pro football player wants to be the guy. That’s why CT came here in the first place. If he can get a shot at becoming the guy on another team, he will leap at the chance.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 28, 2009 11:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Quiet RB

As good as CT is, he’s been really quiet, and that makes me wonder if maybe he’s really good with where he is. I don’t know that every pro football player is an ego-maniac, and there really are a lot of upsides to where CT is with the Vikes.

Sure, he could go to another team where he might be the premier RB.. but in a lot of those cases, it’d be a team with less chance to go all the way, than the Vikes. Certainly the Vikes aren’t going to want to trade them to someone who’s going to be an immediate rival. If CT was forced to take a back seat to anyone but an AP, naturally he’d be pissed. But even as it is, he and AP cover different primary duties and each has his chance to shine. CT is appreciated by just about everyone. And a good shot at going to the Big Game has to be powerful incentive.

Maybe CT is more professional than folks realize.

by DCPurple on Mar 1, 2009 12:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

could be, and I hope thats true

Only problem is that we would have to re-sign CT to a deal more appropriate for a back-up RB. He’s making starter money.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Mar 1, 2009 5:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Money

There’s a lot of starting RBs in the NFL who have less ability and make less impact for their teams, than CT does for the Vikings. And having a pair of starting RBs is hardly a unique circumstance in the NFL.

I think that if he wants to stay, the Vikes should try to meet him half-way.

by DCPurple on Mar 2, 2009 9:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

half way would be alright

3 million a year would be fine with me. My gut is telling me though that CT will want a chance to hit free agency, and hopefully go to a team where he is the man.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Mar 2, 2009 5:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

RB Depth

The Vikes don’t have it… without CT on the roster, all it takes is a minor injury to AP and the Vikes don’t have a credible run option.

by DCPurple on Mar 3, 2009 8:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

CT and AP = The Minnesota Vikings

Theres no I in ‘Team,’ but there is a CT & AP in ‘The Only way we are going to win is with CT & AP.’ lol

Skol Vikes 4 Life!

by Macdaddy4508 on Feb 26, 2009 8:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Why the hell would we give Chester Taylor a raise and lock him up longterm???

Especially since he’s nearing 30 years old and is a backup, and as you state, making the same money as 2 of the best RBs in the league in Westbrook and Turner.

I’m glad you’re not our GM.

by roundhouse on Feb 26, 2009 9:52 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Did you read it?

He isn’t making the same money as Westbrook ($5.6mil) and Turner ($16mil), they just have similar cap numbers this year. My point was that it would cost much pay him to stick around.

Glad you read it and made a informed decision before commenting.

by vikingfuture8816 on Feb 27, 2009 9:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well i would vote

for keeping taylor for another season and letting him go. for a couple of reasons.

1. Runningbacks are too easy to find. Especially ones to compliment Adrian Peterson. When peterson leaves the field defenses take a couple snaps off. We can find a back up that may not be what Chester is, but is servicable and doesnt cost close to 5 mil. Take a guy like Derrick Ward, Leon Washington, Garry Russell, Sammy morris and the list could go on. Running backs are one of the easiest positions to fill, especially when you have a guy like Peterson in front of them.
2. One thing that I think hurt our offense is that when Chester came in the game most the time we were passing. I believe that made our offense even more predictable than before. If our offense is going to work Adrian must be used in the passing game more so defenses have to stay on their toes
3. That is just way to much money to spend on backs. 10 mil for the rest of the wholes one our team. That could be used on offensive lineman, a reciever or depth at any position.

I also think that Peterson doesnt need to be resigned. Look at the chargers and how they are second guessing there LT contract. We should let him play out his contract or atleast closer to the end and make a decision on what his health is at that time.

This is a pass happy league and 13 mil on Running backs is just too much

by mattscards77 on Feb 26, 2009 9:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Just need some guy to run the screen/draws and catch the ball out of the back field. Granted Chester Taylor is great at knowing where the sticks are and picking up the 1st, but the marginal cost does not equal the marginal benefit.

by Spartan99 on Feb 27, 2009 12:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Where's the "other" category to vote on?

I believe RB’s are easy to replace. I would rather trade CT this off season, so that way the Vikings at least get something for him. I don’t think he will resign next year no matter how much money the Vikings throw at him. He wants to start. No player makes it to the NFL without a fire burning inside them to be the best. Taylor wants to prove he is one of the best backs in the league. That’s what he was brought here to be. And he was the first year he started. But then AD fell to the Vikes at 7, and it was a no-brainer. So trade CT this year. Probably worth a 3rd round pick.

AD needs to be the face of the Vikings franchise. He is making way less money than he should. The Vikings are getting a bargain for him right now. Why change that? When he has a year left on his contract, then sign him to that huge deal that he is worth. That way he is locked up for a good long time.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 26, 2009 10:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Isn't AD already the face of the Franchise?

Maybe that would make a good poll question because I guess there could be a couple others (JA jumps to mind), but I have always thought of Peterson in that role. The reason I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sign him up now is because he would be gone if there isn’t a cap (that one year left would be the first year without a cap I believe) and the Vikings would have to outbid teams with lots of extra money for him and most likely wouldn’t be able to match what he would get on an open, non-capped FA market.

I see what you are saying about Taylor demeanor (wanting to be the man), but he hasn’t exactly been a malcontent since taking on a smaller role. I am sure he would want to be “the man”, but where would that be? Just about anywhere he would go he would have to compete to be the starter and even then, still share carries. He has a great situation here in Minnesota where he is already paid like a starter and gets to extend his career. I am also in the camp that he is way under utilized and would like to see him on the field more often.

by vikingfuture8816 on Feb 27, 2009 5:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

sorry

meant to say AD was the face of the franchise.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 28, 2009 12:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Taylor won’t sign after this season. The man wants to start. We teased him a bit. Gave him the starting job in ‘06, then let him continue to start for 6 games into ’07 before swapping him out for Peterson. The guy was a success for us, he can certainly be a successful starter elsewhere, and he knows that. Here’s hoping some team is in need of a RB around week 6 and we jump on the opportunity to get something for Taylor.

by Frost on Feb 26, 2009 10:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Sign or Trade

I love having Chester in the backfield, and knowing that if AP gets hurt, our #2 is as good as most other teams #1. Peace of mind, that’s what that is.

I would go with…. offer CT a new, 3 year contract now, with a smaller increase in pay, and if he declines, put him on the docket to sweeten the pot when the Vikes go to trade for that #1 QB.

by DCPurple on Feb 27, 2009 7:49 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I’m so tired of the lack of consistency in the Vikings backfield since Smith retired, seems they never resign any of the back ups.

by BacksThePack on Feb 27, 2009 12:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Chester might be the difference. I’m sure they’ll at least make him an offer. It’s all up to him to take it or leave it. If not, I wouldn’t mind seeing us pick up a young RB for the future that can pick up where AD left off, once he’s done with the game.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 10:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs