Defying Logic and Common Sense: Vikings Match Bengals' Offer Sheet to Tahi
by Christopher Gates on Mar 27, 2009 6:26 PM CDT
in Minnesota Vikings
Email
PrintWe were so close.
Today was the deadline for the Beloved Purple to match the offer sheet that the Cincinnati Bengals had given to fullback Naufahu Tahi. A week ago, the Bengals had offered a one-year, $1.4 million deal to a guy that's not a particularly good blocker, not particularly good with the ball in his hands. . .not particularly good at anything, really. As the days went past, it appeared as though the Vikings weren't going to match the deal.
And then. . .sigh. . .
Naufahu Tahi woke up this morning not knowing if he would be a member of the Cincinnati Bengals or Minnesota Vikings by the end of the day. Then his phone rang. Rick Spielman, the Vikings vice president of player personnel, informed Tahi that Minnesota had elected to match the one-year, $1.4 million offer sheet the fullback signed with Cincinnati last Friday. Today was the final day for the Vikings to make that decision.
“It seemed like months,” Tahi said of the seven-day process. “I was trying to stay busy and not worry about it and not think about it so much. But it was always in the back of my mind, no matter what I was doing.”
Tahi, the relief evident in his voice, said that while he was pleased the Vikings elected to retain him, the opportunity in Cincinnati also would have been exciting. Tahi started his career with the Bengals, having signed as an undrafted free agent out of Brigham Young in 2006, but he was signed off Cincinnati’s practice squad in November of his rookie season by the Vikings.
I just don't get it. Both of our primary running backs, from everything I've watched, run better out of a single-back set than they do with a fullback lined up in front of them. I mean, it's one thing to shift Kleinsasser or Dugan into the backfield after they've already lined up at TE. Putting Tahi out there is something different. . .if only because, as I've already mentioned, he's not as good a blocker as either of those two guys, and frankly he's not as good with the ball in his hands as they are, either.
But, Tahi is back. . .and, with that, it likely means the 1-yard swing pass on 3rd and 8 will be back in 2009, too. Argh.
The Vikings were in the running for former Seahawks' fullback Leonard Weaver, but he wound up signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, where Andy Reid will no doubt get a lot of good use out of him. I was really hoping that Weaver would land in Minnesota, but it just wasn't to be.
15 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I thought I was the only one hoping he wouldn’t be back. Somehow, knowing Childress, I guess I knew that he would make signing such a productive player a high priority. After all, we would prefer to keep undrafted players, and basically people nobody has ever heard of on our team, because they’re the only ones that buy in to Childress’ BS. Some days I hate this guy and some days not as much. I think Sharper may have said it best….he is all about a scheme etc., and not using players to their potential. STUPID!!!
Not alone brother
You weren’t the only one.
It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a Viking to raze a village.
by Luft Krigare on Mar 27, 2009 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions
I really try to not bash Childress or the coaching for the sake of morale...
Bit those clowns are complete tools. AD has said time and time again, as you pointed out Gonzo, he prefers to be a single back, AND IT SHOWS… Besides the fact that Tahi is just not that good at all. They never should have gotten rid of Richardson, never. I’m losing my patience with the player acquisition scheme this offseason, not because Vikes did not pick up 10 FA’s because we all knew it was going to be a slow FA due to lack of talent, based on what Spielman said. But for the most part they’ve re-signed players not needed, and couldn’t land players we SHOULD’VE gotten….ugh, frustration…
I've tried to give this staff the benefit of the doubt as well..
but can’t they at least resign our own teams best free agents first. Couldn’t they have taken the money they spent on Tahi, Sapp, and Gordan, and at least ATTEMPTED to talk Birk into staying. I mean they took a fairly dominant offensive line, and turned it into a line
with a pretty good left side. don’t get me wrong Hutch is great but Mckinnie still struggles with getting beat by faster ends on the corner. Where is the fix for losing Birk.
come on vikings, get off your butts and do something.
Vikes did make an offer to Birk
But by that time, Birk was fed up with Childress and the rest of the Viking’s staff and just wanted out of dodge.
by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Mar 29, 2009 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions
alright, I'll just copy and paste what I said in the fan post...
I disagree with you guys. I think people often get frusturated with Tahi just because of the fact that he gets thrown to on those little dump passes for two yards every once in a while. I actually think he is a pretty decent blocking fullback. I was watching highlights of Peterson’s run on the Giants last night and Tahi really showed what he’s capable of on that play. Seriously, watch him blow up Antonio Pierce. Also Gonzo, that play was out the I-form.
Think about it, you bring back a guy who is already familiar with the system and with blocking for Peterson. I personally think this is a smart move. In an offense that runs the ball as much as we do, we need someone who can lead block.
Ta'shi
Gonzo,
Can you please make a video of the countless times Ta’shi either ran into the back of a fellow blocker, ran through the line & blocked AIR, stumbled untouched to the terf or just plain old got in A. Peterson’s way! This guy obviously isn’t seeing the same tape as us. Ta’shi is a horrendous fullback, he would’ve made a good Bungle. I can’t believe how inept this guy is! This signing make me wonder if BC’s head is getting too much UV rays, friggin Ta’shi.
SKOL! Dawgs
by WarriorViking on Mar 28, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions
Negative Couch Potatoes
Im pretty sick of all the negative Couch Potatoes who think they know everything…if you know so much, why don’t you dust off your resume and go get a Head Coaching job?
Ta'shi
Gonzo,
Can you please make a video of the countless times Ta’shi either ran into the back of a fellow blocker, ran through the line & blocked AIR, stumbled untouched to the terf or just plain old got in A. Peterson’s way! This guy obviously isn’t seeing the same tape as us. Ta’shi is a horrendous fullback, he would’ve made a good Bungle. I can’t believe how inept this guy is! This signing make me wonder if BC’s head is getting too much UV rays, friggin Ta’shi.
SKOL! Dawgs
by WarriorViking on Mar 28, 2009 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Isn't second-guessing what football fans do best?
Let’s go visit other team’s fan sites and revel in the positivity and coach-love they all engage in, shall we?
Some of this stuff is just logic. For instance, since Adrian Peterson lit the college football world on fire without a fullback in front of him, you could assume that he doesn’t need one now either. And since Tahi isn’t a quick or elusive player, you could logically assume that he would be the last player you would throw a pass to. But the ultra-elusive Peterson caught only 5 more passes than the slow footed Tahi did. Does this make sense?
I won’t go into the logic of not upgrading the most important position on the field since it’s been done to death.
Is he the worst coach ever? No. Could we do better? Of course. Can we win a Super Bowl with him? Ehhhhh. Highly doubtful. Of course, you don’t have to be a brilliant football mind to win a Super Bowl. You just need good players and good coaches. See Mike Tomlin.
by Bodysuit Man on Mar 28, 2009 6:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Are you really saying Tomlin is a bad coach?
by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Mar 29, 2009 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Not bad per se, maybe just unnecessary
Did you notice during the Super Bowl that when Roethlisberger came to the sidelines for a confab, Tomlin wasn’t in on the conversation? Shouldn’t he at least have stepped over and listened, even if he didn’t have anything creative to add?
His coaching staff was in place when he came on and the important players were already there. I do give him credit for not screwing everything up—which is easy for some new coaches to do—but does anyone think Pittsburgh was incapable of winning another Super Bowl without him?
by Bodysuit Man on Mar 29, 2009 10:21 PM CDT up reply actions
All I'm sayin
is that the Steelers are an excellent franchise. Coaches go there for life basically. SO they do not take the hiring of coaches lightly. I think it speaks volumes about Tomlin that he was hired after only being a D coordinator for 1 year. While the players might have been in place, it takes a special coach to win a ring. Look at the Vikings for example. The pieces are there minus the QB. There is talent on both sides of the ball, plenty of talent to win it all. The biggest difference is coaching. And the Viking’s QB woes can be attributed to Childress.
by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Mar 30, 2009 1:58 AM CDT up reply actions
I think Childress is turned on by any fullback that gains 1 yard per carry
I could see him using Jeff Dugan and Tahi the entire game for every play.
66 plays for 66 yards.
I’ve seen enough of the Vikings to make the claim that Tahi is a HORRIBLE fullback. He is like the 6th grade bully that would run into things during football practice and hope something happens.
I was stunned when I saw this headline on ESPN.
SSR's NFL Fun Fact: Andy Reid is the only coach in the league who uses the pass to set up the pass.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Daily Norseman
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
