What I'd like to see the Vikings do at DB

by Brian Kellner on Dec 6, 2011 1:39 AM CST

The next two weeks, the Vikings face Detroit and New Orleans. It's a safe bet those teams will throw the ball.

Here's what I'd like to see for starters:

Cedric Griffin - safety - After his knee operations, it doesn't look like he can play corner. But he's a guy who has worked hard and been effective when healthy. And I'd rather have him playing safety than all the other options except...

Mistral Raymond - safety - I really hope this guy succeeds on the Vikings. I didn't see him much in the Broncos game - that's probably a good thing since most of the coverage of the db's was them getting torched. When I did see him, he was flying around. Yeah, he got a penatly on special teams, but the way he was jumping around afterwards, you couldn't help but realize he cares.

Brandon Burton - corner - I mostly want to see how he works with slightly different safeties and how he handles a second game with significant playing time.

Chris Cook - corner - First, if he is found guilty of domestic charges, I think the Vikings should cut him or, at a mimimum, trade him. But as I understand it right now, no conclusion has been reached. I had high hopes for Cook, and there were times this year where I felt like he could shut down the top receiver on another team. He may not be in playing shape at this point, but I would like to see him out there for these two games.

The Vikings have a huge list of needs. They won't be able to find everything in the next draft or in free agency. If they are going to come back and be effective in the near term, it's going to have to be because they have the talent already on their team.

Worst case, the Vikings get torched on pass defense (but it seems pretty likely this is what will happen anyway).

Best case, the Vikings find a couple potential starters who are either young or winding down their career at another position. And if they do choose to part ways with Cook, they may effectively audition him for a possible trade with another team that is willing to take the risk. Personally, I hope Cook gets his life in order and becomes a shut-down corner for the Vikings. And I really, really hope Mistral Raymond has a couple great games.

As the season comes to a close, I want two things. I want entertaining games with plays that make it worth watching (Ponder, Harvin and the rest of the offense gave me that on Sunday). And I want to see things that give me hope for next year. If the Vikings try out a defensive backfield like this, I will get some opportunities to see some players who might give me hope for next year's defensive backfield.

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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I

do think we keep Cook, because at this point, this secondary is so bad that Leslie Frazier could get back out there.

by PurplePrideforLife! on Dec 6, 2011 6:13 AM CST reply actions

Was at game

Mistrall didn’t do anything bad, but didn’t do anything great either. Those WTF touchdowns Tebow tossed were direct results of a CB releasing to an invisible safety, usually Sanford’s side. That means either our CBs are in fact as bad as they seem to be, or some serious miscommunication is happening nearly every play.

by Jepp The Viking on Dec 6, 2011 9:56 AM CST reply actions

It was neither

Pagac ran Cover 2 almost the entire game. Denver saw that and exploited it by using a doubles formation and sending 2 vertical routes and 2 post routes. You cannot defend that route combination with Cover 2. Props to Denver for exploiting it. Pagac must go.

"At this point, what we got to lose, right? So we might as well throw caution to the wind and hit people in the face."
--Vikings DE Jared Allen

by NMVike on Dec 6, 2011 10:01 PM CST up reply actions

I know Griffin was graded both at corner and safety, but at this point in his career I am not sure he would be able make the switch. He has relied on his physical tools to close the distance on receivers, which is clearly not effective at this point. At safety, he would be asked to do this much more. I just don’t think he can do it.

by LoveHate on Dec 6, 2011 11:34 AM CST reply actions

I am starting to have questions about Mistral...

He always seemed to be coming to the tackle late and just kind of hopping around the pile. He rarely was in there making the tackle.

Considering I was really high on him based on his tackling ability, this concerns me. It could be he is just not comfortable yet, but it still makes me wary.

by Bjorno on Dec 6, 2011 12:54 PM CST reply actions

It was his first start

And our DC was schooled. Give Mistral the benefit of the doubt.

"At this point, what we got to lose, right? So we might as well throw caution to the wind and hit people in the face."
--Vikings DE Jared Allen

by NMVike on Dec 6, 2011 10:02 PM CST up reply actions

Here's what I think the Vikings should do with the players listed above:

Cedric Griffin: Cut him outright. He isn’t even fit to be a ball boy.
Mistral Raymond: Play him to see what he has
Brandon Burton: See Mistral Raymond
Chris Cook: If he isn’t in prison next year, keep him.

by christian220896 on Dec 6, 2011 3:40 PM CST reply actions

100% agree

if you would have asked me a week or two ago, i would have agreed 100% w/ the OP.

however, the Broncos game was the nail in the coffin as far as Ced is concerned.

Mistral + (LaRon Landry via FA…??) would certainly suffice for me. Sanford wasn’t there for four or five huge plays in the Denver game — Sanford is worth keeping around as a backup and ST, but he isn’t a starter by any means.

"Th_r_'s n_ h_p_ f_r _ssh_l_ f_ckw_ts."

Can I buy a vowel...?? +1, Kluwe.

by rj-b on Dec 6, 2011 10:29 PM CST up reply actions