All is well in Vikingland
by nmvikesfan on Apr 18, 2009 1:00 AM CDT
19 comments
We are one week away from the draft and up until now there has been some grumblings about why we haven't brought anybody in and why are sitting on our hands while every one else is improving through FA?
Well, I'm not worried about all that and here's why: the Vikings are not known for bringing in FA's over 30 and for over paying for less talent and that's what they have done this offseason. I personally wanted them to bring in some 30 somethings but the Vikings view that as getting in the way of developing younger talent and I can't argue with that. The Vikings like bringing in FA's in the 24-27 year old age range so they get them in their prime. The Vikings resigned the ones they felt they should keep and let the others go that they felt they could improve on talent wise.
They only brought in two FA's from outside of the organization so far and both are to improve the horrid ST's we had last year, with a new coach. After the draft expect a few other FA signings as teams unload vets to make room for their draft picks. The Vikes have done well in this department for years, picking up needs and quality depth. So no need to panic.
Most of all, I'm not worried because we have a solid core of players who are under contract for some years still to come and our younger players now have more experiance in the offensive and defensive systems, which they will be more comfortable in and be able to make more plays. Sometimes bringing in all kinds of FA's can actually set a team back because it takes a team time to gel and chemistry is everything (see Washington Redskins). The Vikings hit a homerun with their FA's last year now it' time to replenish through the draft.
True we have a few pieces to the puzzle missing but with the draft and roster cuts coming, we should find what we need. Our schedule looks very favorable as well and after our team got a taste of the playoffs, I am sure they are hungry for more and have some unfinished business to attend to. I am excited about this upcoming season and look forward to repeating as NFC North champs and stomping a few heads along the way! Go Vikes!!! ...any comments?
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.
0 recs |
19 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Gonna watch
Very interested to see how they go in this draft. My personal thought, O-Line/Center the biggest priorites, after that, if a decent QB, WR or defensive player is available in the later rounds, so be it. If it’s possible, would love the first 3 or 4 rounds go to the Oline. At anyrate, I’ll be visiting my sister and her family in Ohio for a week starting Wednesday. While my brother in law ans myself willl undoubtedly be keeping an eye on things, just wonder about his torment or possible coming anxiety about the draft. He and the in-laws are life long Bengals fans. hahaha
"If you're gonna shoot, shoot, don't talk"
Overall I agree. Speilman’s philosophy is similar with some of the teams that win consistently and that always seem to have good chemistry (ex. Steelers, Colts). Build from the inside, go for team-first focused guys, don’t overpay for FA, and if you are going to make a splash with a free agent, they better be a perfect fit for your system and they should preferably be young. Unfortunately, the Steelers and Colts also have solid quarterbacks. I’m not saying one of the two we have might not get there – but they ain’t there yet. And a good quarterback can compensate for personnel weaknesses elsewhere.
Sidenote: I never realized the Vikes were so popular in New Mexico. We have nmvikesfan, VikesFaninNM, and newmexvike. It’s confusing keeping all of you guys straight…
hahaha, there is a small contigency of us here, but we are here. Some like me, transplanted from the great white north, but my brother in law, a Vikings fan even before I knew him, originally from New Mexico. Think alot of folks get tired of the Broncos, Cowboys and Raider Nation fans that run amuck here. There’s even a strong contigent of Packers fans here. Couple times got a few icey stares from them, 1st time wearing a Hovan jersey when him and Farve were less then friendly and then the second time, wearing a new Sharper jersey the first game we played against them after signing him. hehehehe
"If you're gonna shoot, shoot, don't talk"
by VikesFaninNM on Apr 18, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions
Agreed...
I feel strangely optimistic myself. Though my wish for the draft is a bit different than VikesFaninNM. I toy with the idea every once in a while of a strong first round addition to our OL or defensive secondary, but I keep coming back time and again to the gorgeous idea of a Percy Harvin addition. Nobody’s mentioned it yet. But, I wonder, if we did add him in the first round, whether we might at some point see a day one trade for Chester Taylor, perhaps acquiring another second rounder.
by Anthony Carter on Apr 18, 2009 11:38 AM CDT reply actions
That would be great
I doubt the Vikings could get much more than a 3rd or 4th rounder for Chester. Even so, if the Vikings drafted Harvin in round 1 or 2, that 3rd or 4th round pick for Taylor would be more attractive than it is right now.
I think you are undervalueing
Chester Taylors value. A starting calibure running back should be worth more then a 3rd or 4 round pick. I would look for a low 1st or at least a 2nd/2nd +.
Will the Real Thor Please Stand Up ... ?
by the Real Thor on Apr 18, 2009 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Especially a dual-threat back like Taylor. The guy’s a good reciever out of the backfield, and he has that wiggle to make people miss.
I like CT
…but can you honestly think of a team that needs him right now? I doubt he could start anywhere at age 30, and it’s more practical to have a young RB as a backup who could develop in 3 years or less. Will CT be playing in the NFL at age 32? I doubt that, too.
CT is useful now, and perhaps next year, and that’s it. He’s not great or even starting material unless it’s for the Cardinals in 2009, and that trade would hurt the VIkings’ chances of competing for NFC Championship/Super Bowl.
Not undervaluing CT
I didn’t say that the Vikings shouldn’t be able to get more than a 3rd or 4th round pick for him, but that the other teams probably won’t want to give up much more than that for him. He was a 6th round pick in 2002 (when Portis, DeShaun Foster, Maurice Morris, and Ladell Betts were 2nd rounders and Brian Westbrook was a 3rd rounder) and is going to turn 30 (ANCIENT for a RB) on 9/22/2009. A 3rd or 4th round pick could give the Vikings roughly the value that CT would have for the last year of his contract before he leaves for a chance at more playing time.
What team would pass up the chance to select the rookie version of the next Portis, Tiki Barber, Matt Forte, Thurman Thomas…or MoJo in the 2nd round…or Westbrook, Frank Gore, Curtis Martin…or Ahman Green in the 3rd round…or even Stephen Davis, Rudi Johnson, Marion Barber III, Brandon Jacobs, Leon Washington or even Onterrio Smith or Mewelde Moore…in the 4th round for a 30yo Chester Taylor? (This list is not at all exhaustive, and there are plenty of other useful backs who were on an NFL roster for 3+ years, and CT probably won’t be playing when he’s 32 or 33.)
What I don’t like about trading Chester off, is AD tends to get hurt every season (last season not as bad), Chester has been able to step in and immediately make an impact. He is a fantastic receiver and a game breaker in his own right. Trading him off would leave us with no real running game, making us one-dimensional (or less with our current QB situation).
I hear you...
on what CT brings, and was convinced last year that his contribution adds to, and doesn’t just support, our offense. I wonder, though, how much if his contribution as a second back doesn’t decrease after a Harvin addition to the point that we would be able to get more out of him as a trade offer.
by Anthony Carter on Apr 18, 2009 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Ad tends to get hurt every season?
Lets see… he’s been in the league 2 years. Last year he was healthy the entire year. The year before, he missed 2 games(if I remember correctly). how does that translate to “AD tends to get hurt every season?”
I understand what you are saying though. In today’s NFL, you need 2 solid running backs. CT is probably the best 2nd RB in the NFL. It is my opinion that he will not re-sign with the Vikings after his contract is up after this season, opting to try free agency to land somewhere he can be the feature back. If the Vikings grab Harvin, he could be a dual threat both out of the backfield and lined up as a WR. It would make sense to trade CT and get some value for him. Plus, Vikings brass doesn’t seem to like re-signing 30 year old players.
by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Apr 18, 2009 5:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, AD was hurt both years. He missed 3 games his rookie year, or would have won the title that year as well. This year he was banged up a few times and missed a few quarters. That will happen when he runs the ball 25-30 times every game, as hard as he does. Opposing teams try to hit him as hard as they can in order to knock him out. They go for his legs alot too. The only times they don’t seem to do that is when they are trying to strip the ball, since he has shown a tendency to pop the ball out easier with his stand-up style of running.
No-Dimensional
Last year, if it weren’t for AP, the Vikings had no offense worth mentioning. The passing game ranked 25th in the NFL, you take away AP and what’s left? A defensive team that scores more points than the offense.
Mostly in agreement
I would be even more inclined to agree with you had the team been able to win a playoff game and if we knew that the Williams Wall will be there for 16 games in 2009.
When a team is in win now mode, it’s OK to go after older FAs if they best fill those last few needs. The Patriots are one of those teams that typically develop their own, but they signed Randy Moss at age 30 after he had appeared to have lost his speed in Oakland and fallen out of favor with 2 organizations which had really valued him at one time. Moss even stayed healthy enough to start 16 games for the first time in 4 years (and again last year). Other 30-something Patriot signees have included Rodney Harrison, Deltha O’Neal, Junior Seau, and Adalius Thomas. (Plus Sammy Morris and Kyle Brady. Although neither were necessarily signed as starters, Morris ended up being their leading rusher in 2008 while Brady started 9 games in 2007.)
It would be different were the Vikings in the Dolphins’ situation with a great QB, plenty of youth everywhere, improving by 10 games in the regular season to win what was arguably the most competitive division in the NFL. A team like that has time to backslide a bit and still make a run for it all. The Vikings need to put theirs together now, though, and it shouldn’t matter how they go about it as long as the needs are filled adequately.
Not so fast...
I don’t like how we go after Houshmanzadah and throw money at the guy, but we don’t even flinch with Braylon Edwards or Anquan Boldin (and even though Holt is past his prime, he still has great hands and an excellent possesion receiver, but no movement there either). Both Cleveland and Cards need RB’s which I wouldn’t mind trading Chester and a draft pick for either of these guys and then we draft a Knowshon Moreno. Not very many Vikes fans are happy with our over 30 FA pickup in Rosencopter to put a band-aid on our QB situation either. Either Cassel or Cutler would have been an upgrade for us, but we couldn’t get it done. I’m hoping our inept KAO coach doesn’t screw up the draft with another “project.”
in the last 3 years, im sorry to say, chillys moves have been the best
greenway, AP. HUTCH. berrian panned out. shiancoe came around… griffin was a good pick. letting PEP go seemed to be the right move. ahem, jared allen was a great move. name another team besides the PATS getting MOSS who have had as nice of a run, gong from a true 6-10 team to what we are now.
as far as QB well there are 20 other teams that wish they had a better QB as well. THE idea that CHILLY is tied to his draft of T JACK is all myth.. look at coaches who spend over all number ones on a guy and let him go, there are TONS of QB busts that were frist rounders.. when t jack played bad he got replaced.
It’s about the TEAM, not an ego. CHILLY doesnt have an ego, he’s not a fool. i dont even know where that all started like CHILLY isn’t gonna cut T JACK if he stinks it up this year? ofcourse he will.
in a heart beat!
sill too early to tell if we or anyone else is going for braylon or boldin.. we will see though. fingers crossed
cromscorner.blogspot.com
Mythbusting
25th ranked passing game in the NFL is no myth, Crom. Seems to me that there were maybe 6 or 7 teams that wished they had T-Jack and Berrian and Wade and Rice, not 20. Childress’s commitment to T-Jack is based on his repeated support of T-Jack, when T-Jack was clearly not yet ready to be a starting QB in the NFL. Maybe he is now, this year, in his 4th year…. but previously? No. T-Jack only got replaced when the fans outrage got loud enough to impact ticket sales.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 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.
