Vikings Re-Sign Jim Kleinsasser and Jayme Mitchell

by Gonzo on Feb 28, 2009 5:37 AM CST in Vikings Comment 36 comments

The first day of free agency turned out to be a relatively quiet one for the Beloved Purple, as they didn't even receive a visit from any of this year's free agent class. However, they did manage to retain a couple of their own players, as TE Jim Kleinsasser and DE Jayme Mitchell both chose to remain with the Vikings.

Kleinsasser, who has been with the Vikings since he was selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft, signed a three-year contract worth approximately $9 million. He's still one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, and I'm quite happy to see that he's staying. Reports are that Kleinsasser had as many as four different offers on the table, but he chose to stay with the team he grew up cheering for. As a fellow Nodak that's seen Kleinsasser play since high school, I'm quite happy he's staying around and will likely finish his career as a Viking.

I'm a bit shocked that the Vikings chose to retain Mitchell. Not because of his talent or ability, but because the Vikings have a bit of a logjam at the DE position, and Mitchell tore his ACL during the pre-season this past year and went on injured reserve. It will be interesting to see how he comes back from that, and to see if he can stand out amongst Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, and the returning Kenechi Udeze for significant playing time at the DE spot.

Other than that, there really isn't a whole lot of news to report on. Apparently the Vikings are the next stop for T.J. Houshmanzadeh if he doesn't sign with the Seahawks, the team he's currently visiting with. (I heard that on the NFL Network. . .unfortunately, I don't have a link to that.) So, we'll have to see how that plays out. I'll be gone for most of the day today at a funeral in Lafayette, LA, but if anything happens in Viking-land, I'm sure that there will be somewhere to talk about it right here. Until then, continue enjoying your weekend, ladies and gentlemen!

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I was disappointed to hear that there were no FA visits planned. Why we aren’t trying to bring in Jeff Garcia is beyond me, since I don’t think adding Sage Rosenfels is quite the sure thing that Childress seems to think it is. That shouldn’t be it for QB in this offseason.

Nice to see Kleinsasser resign. I couldn’t imagine him in another uniform.

Don’t know what to make of the Birk situation. On Sirius NFL Radio yesterday they said talks with the Vikings had “broken off” but I read an article yesterday in which Birk’s agent said he was testing the market but wanted to resign with the Vikings, and no doors had been closed.

I would like to think that this may mean we are actively pursuing Jason Brown in FA. If we let Birk go and don’t get Brown, I think we’ve made a major step backward on the offensive line.

Houshmandzadeh and Nate Washington supposedly are going to visit, which would be nice. We have to spend the money on someone, I just wonder who it will be.

by Bodysuit Man on Feb 28, 2009 6:42 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Somebody on here was saying Childress stated we’d have 4 QBs. Might mean they’re bringing in Garcia. I don’t know where he got it from, to be honest, I couldn’t find anything about it, but who knows.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 10:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I thought I saw Childress say something like that on the strib

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 28, 2009 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

we do

have 4 QB’s… sadly… Ferrotte… Sage… Tarvar… and Big Booty… i hope thats not it.. but i gotta feeling it will be.

by hickenizgriz on Feb 28, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Frerotte was released and hasn't been resigned to this point.

by LoveHate on Feb 28, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Brown

Signed with the Rams

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 28, 2009 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Quick Google search finds that Brown has agreed to terms with St.L

Take. Major. Step. Back!

by LoveHate on Feb 28, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

According to rotoworld

He has agreed to terms but not signed a contract yet.

by BeardedAxe on Feb 28, 2009 2:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's what I said.

by LoveHate on Feb 28, 2009 8:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

He is signed now. Crap!

by BeardedAxe on Feb 28, 2009 9:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

YES!!!!

Overjoyed to see Jimmy back with the vikes. I grew up not too far from where he did at the same time and to watch him live the dream of pro football through the years has been awesome. I can’t even fathom him going somewhere else.

I would really like to see Garcia come in and provide some proven stability to the position but it’s looking more and more like that’s not a possibility.

I would be happy with TJ or Nate….almost anything is an upgrade at this point..

by vikesincebirth on Feb 28, 2009 7:09 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

From a fan's perspective.....BORING!

This management group has got to wake up soon, or the franchise will be in trouble soon. Sage Rosenfels is not the answer and they should know that. The Vikings need to be very shrewdly aggressive in working every angle (FA, Draft and Trades) to do the right things for this team. They have, in my opinion, a 2-3 year window at best, to win a Super Bowl before rebuilding again. To do that, they must not only improve the product on the field, but reinvigorate the fan base, which is crumbling slowly since Childress took over.

They should:
- actively work out a trade for a real QB
- get creative with trades to acquire more draft picks, unless their current picks factor into a trade
- sign TJ Houshmandzadeh
- draft the best OT available in 1st round
- let Birk go ; sorry but they can win with Sullivan and Cook at C
- draft a CB in 2nd or 3rd round
- trade Chester Taylor now rather than later – get the best package of draft picks possible and use one of them to snag a tough inside runner to pair with AD

I still am wondering if they could put together a deal for McNabb or David Carr or someone like that and would rather see the team gamble with a move like that (or Cassell) instead of Jeff Garcia or another OLD quarterback. We need someone to lure fans back and to give everyone real hope of a SB run in 2009.

I know I am just an ignorant fan, but the Rosenfels signing leaves me so flat. I’ve watched him and he is another average back-up, not a guy who will be waving a SB ring in the near future as a starter.

by misterdizz on Feb 28, 2009 8:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

You want David Carr? That’s your idea of an upgrade? Because he played well in one half of football?

I could understand trying to get McNabb, but that’d mean giving up our first round draft picks. We can’t achieve everything on your list. How are we suppoed to work out a trade for a “real” QB, AND draft the best OT in the first round, and then CBs later? What are you expecting “real” QBs cost? Certainly not lower end draft picks. We won’t HAVE that first, second, or third rounder if we trade for a bigname QB. It may not end up being worth it in the long run. Especially since the only real QB I’d want would be Tom Brady, Palmer or Peyton Manning, since all the ones you’re probably thinking of have question marks all over them.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 10:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

David Carr and answers to the rest of your rant

Yeah. David Carr is a better QB than any current Viking QB. Sorry, I am not a childish rationalizing puss. The type of QBs I was referring to would have been Cassell (who we SHOULD have acquired), or McNabb (who I feel would be worth a 2nd ++ in trade, and I feel he is considering moving on) or Byron Leftwich (who is also better than any current QB we have and probably available). I meant BEST AVAILABLE OT, obviously. Sorry I didnt spell it out for you. Now I have clarified. I also meant BETS AVAILABLE CB, and there should be some potential stars available for the crack staff to pick. You sound a lot like a homer who is not willing to admit, that without a “real QB” this team will be one-and-out at best, if they even make the playoffs. See, what some smart-ass, insulting people seem to forget is that a team can’t rely on a one-dimensional attack if they want to win big. If beloved Adrian were to go down to injury, and we have deer-in-the-headlights, beaver-face TJax in there, we are done. Finito. I just would like to have an NFL-calibre starter at QB – is that really out of line of me to expect??

by misterdizz on Feb 28, 2009 3:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, given the current QB market in the league…. Yeah. It sort of is. Unless you’re all for sacrificing the future for a couple years worth of a QB. Like I said, I could understand going for Donovan McNabb, there’d be no complaints from me about that. Cassel’s gone, I wouldn’t have minded him either.

And you completely misunderstand me, apparently. I’ll be the first to tell you we need a good QB. Nobody should be able to deny that. But the point I’m trying to get across is that the good QBs just aren’t available for trade without grossly overpaying this season. Rosenfels at least gives us a bandaid for now until one becomes available. Am I a homer? Maybe I am a little, since I can see us getting to the playoffs again with Rosenfels or Jackson, seeing how we did it with Gus Frerotte last season. And call me crazy, but Chester Taylor can still perform admirably in the offense if Peterson goes down, as we saw in his rookie season.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 3:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You make sense....

…. but there is a short window of time for any team to WIN the Super Bowl (just making the playoffs means almost nothing to long-time fans like me) and unless this team figures a way to get a better starting QB in there this season, it looks like that window is likely to close sooner than we’d like. And, if Chilly gets canned, as many suspect, that will be another setback and the window will likely to slam shut. I’m sure there is a way to get a QB in here who is better than what we currently have, which is three sub-par “projects” who are holding this team down. Just my humble opinions….. Maybe the Vikes braintrust will shock me and I can eat my words… they still have time to pull off some clever move and I think they might yet.

by misterdizz on Feb 28, 2009 5:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the Vikings need to get a truly good QB in here asap. That is the only way to find out if Chilly is a decent coach or not. I don’t like him, but there might be reasons why his play calling sucks. Could be because the QB’s are not very good. If he had a good QB, maybe the play calling would open up a little bit. Without a good QB, there is no way to tell if Childress was worth the time and investment in him. If the Vikings get a good QB and the offense still is vanilla, he NEEDS to go. no if, and, or buts about it.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 28, 2009 5:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well Childress wants to bring in an extra QB, who knows who it will be though. Definitely not any of the top 10 QBs. The Broncos were tempted to trade off Cutler, he might do pretty well here. They’ll want a QB to replace him though, and I doubt any of our’s are too enticing at the moment.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 6:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

NFC North

Winning the Division never used to mean a lot to me because I kinda took it for granted. But recent history has shown that it shouldn’t be assumed, and if nothing else, it’s necessary to pass the big tall glass of SHUTTHEFUKUP to the Pack and the Bears (kinda nice how the Lions brew their own glass and no one has to give them one).

by DCPurple on Mar 1, 2009 11:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

The Vikings need a QB. it is believed Cassel was traded for a 2nd rounder! a 2nd rounder! Sure it was a higher 2nd rounder than the Vikings have, but I would much rather take that 2nd and the 4th we gave up for Sage to have Cassel. Another instance of the Vikings coaches not attempting to fix the one major weakness on the Vikings squad.

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Feb 28, 2009 4:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I can’t believe Cassel was traded for less than a second rounder. Vrabel was also included in that trade. So the Chiefs got 2 players for a 2nd rounder. I wonder if the Brain Trust evey called the Pats. From the comments I have read I seriously doubt it.

Very Disappointing

by taf442001 on Feb 28, 2009 6:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

2nd Rounder

Honestly… do you believe the Vikes would have gotten that sweet a deal from Belichik? I don’t. We’d’ve gotten reamed for 2 1st round picks, some lower ones, and a fat stack of cash.

by DCPurple on Mar 1, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He might still have been bitter over G.(eneral) Mills.

by Frost on Mar 1, 2009 3:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Kleinsasser

Am so psyched at Kleinsasser’s re-signing that I signed up so I could post this “expression of joy”. Kleinsasser is a monster and I’d like to see more plays designed around his strengths. Am I wrong or did he indeed have more receptions & TDs in previous years? My impression is that under present coach he’s been underutilized. Thx for the great news & opportunity to post.

by attacksparrow on Feb 28, 2009 9:12 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

He has no official TDs, I don’t think. He got reeeeeally close against the Bears this season, but not cigar.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 10:31 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You are right attacksparrow

Jimmy is not utilized enough. Tice had a more creative way of using tightends. That said, I’m sooo glad he is coming back!!! There is not one defender in the NFC North that likes to see #40 coming at them with a full head of steam. He is a MONSTER.

by Duluth Viking on Feb 28, 2009 10:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Houshmenzada Update: He’s wrapping things up in Seattle. His asking price was probably a bit high. His next stop? Minnesota! He’s headed here. The previously mentioned fall out with the Eagles could cause him to take a dip in his asking price, but I doubt it. Either way, I think we should sign the guy. It’d be a nice present for Rosenfels.

by Frost on Feb 28, 2009 11:26 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I think he would be a good addition. I don’t think wideout is our most pressing need but I feel defenses will fear him more than they do Berrian,

by taf442001 on Feb 28, 2009 6:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree.

WR is still a definite weakness for the Vikings especially against teams whose corners play a physical style as none of the Vikes WRs have the strength and moxie to get off the jams. We need a physical slot guy who can get that 10 slant and turn it into 20 like Greg Jennings does for the Pukers. That will open up the longer routes for Berrian. Housh fits this profile perfectly with his physical style and precise route running (something he might be able to teach Sidney Rice who needs major league work in both of those departments). The only question is whether his asking price is reasonable.

Glad KIeinsasser agreed to come back for decent money in line with his value to the team in the running game. Let’s hope Birk sees it that way too as I don’t trust either Sullivan or Cook to take over at C.

by VikingBillArlingtonVA on Feb 28, 2009 9:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

WR not biggest issue....

WR is a weakness but in my opinion the priority should have been QB, OL, then WR. With a better QB I think our WRs are servicable.

I just saw on ESPN that TJ has plans to visit the eagles and Bucs and will make a decision by monday. If he leaves town then he won’t be coming back. I think we can cross him off the list.

by taf442001 on Feb 28, 2009 11:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I heard he took the Eagles off the list. Unless he put them back on there. It was Minnesota on Saturday, and then the Giants, possibly, on Sunday or back to Cinnci. I’m getting the feeling the guy’s just testing the market. Haven’t read anything about him leaving MN yet though.

by Frost on Mar 1, 2009 10:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Still a possibility of another QB?

I just read that Chilly and Spielman are hinting that they may not be done at the QB positoin. They probably have their eye on Brad Johnson since the cowboys released him.

by taf442001 on Feb 28, 2009 6:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs