Report Says Mallett "Enjoyed Visit With Vikings"

by KJSegall on Apr 11, 2011 3:36 PM CDT in 2011 NFL Draft

Per a report from NFPost (and written by a Bears beat writer... be warned!), it seems Ryan Mallett got some good ju-ju vibes from his recent meeting with the Minnesota Vikings. Now keep in mind, this is coming from Mallett, not anyone in the Vikings FO. He made reference to being voted twice in as a team captain at Arkansas (something that has been brought up and disputed here a few times in posts regarding Mallett) as well as his belief that he can overcome the rampant character concerns by face-to-face meetings.

The report also does not say who he met with in Winter Park, although I'm guessing Frazier and Spielman were at least involved, if not also new OC Bill Musgrave and new QB coach Craig Johnson.

Now, most here who have read my comments regarding Mallett know I'm not a big fan, and therefore don't take the following comments as me stumping for him. If, however, the character concerns are allayed, and in particular the drug abuse rumors proved to be false (at least, in particular, the cocaine allegations), then Mallett would be the best QB in this draft, IMO. While he may not be mobile, I still also point to Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and Peyton Manning as examples of ‘so what?'. However, while he does have one heckuva arm, there's the whole ‘folding under pressure' problem, and I'm not sure that's one you're going to be able to accurately assess in a single face-to-face meeting; really, you're probably not going to figure it out in ten face-to-face meetings. So there is still that.

But, again, if perhaps the Vikes FO has taken a good hard look and determined that the whole ‘character concern' issue is a non-point, he may be our guy. But let's keep one very big thing in mind here: as I originally mentioned, these are comments from Mallett, not Fraizer, Spielman, Musgrave, Wilf, Johnson... or anyone else who is in charge. And for a guy who supposedly has an ego to rival Cam Newton's, that could make a ton of difference.

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was he photographed kissing babies too?

in the future there will be no war...there will only be rollerball.

by jethrophet on Apr 11, 2011 5:58 PM CDT reply actions

wow

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by LeeleeX on Apr 11, 2011 6:01 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

stupid phone go button!

Was going to say, that is sure alot of hate you got there.
Ego to rival Newton’s that’s hilarious.

**Rupert for ProBowl 2012!**

by LeeleeX on Apr 11, 2011 6:03 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I am all for Mallett (in the second round tho)…I think you can fix character flaws with maturity (i.e., percy, moss, etc) but its much harder to fix the intangibles. The biggest issue for me is his lack of mobility, but we got AP, Harvin, Webb to take care of that stuff. I would rather have a sure arm than an “athlete” QB which we have drafted more recently

by Jermaine_Wiggins_Love on Apr 11, 2011 7:16 PM CDT reply actions

Well...

OK, I’ll give you Harvin… but are you really using Moss as an example of someone who’s character flaws were fixed with maturity?? Not to mention, if I recall, Harvin’s ‘maturity issues’ revolved around smokin’ the mar-y-ju-wana because it kept the migraines at bay. Honestly, that’s not a huge deal to me. (I’ve said before if Mallett’s drug rumors were confined to weed, I really wouldn’t pay that much attention. It’s the cocaine rumors that make me nervous. It’s a helluva drug… or so I hear…)

Ah, the failed attempt at returning Moss home. It was like '98 and '09 were about to make sweet, sweet love and give us a glorious '10 child.
www.dailynorseman.com- THE place for true Viking fanatics.

by KJSegall on Apr 12, 2011 12:42 AM CDT up reply actions

I kinda had to giggle at the Moss one myself…

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by LeeleeX on Apr 12, 2011 7:33 AM CDT up reply actions

Let's hope that the Vikings

’didn’t enjoy their visit with Mallett’.

Just sayin’…

With the 12th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select...

The Daily Norseman
Off Tackle Empire
SB Nation Minnesota

by Ted Glover on Apr 11, 2011 11:52 PM CDT reply actions

Just read

that it was Musgrave and Frazier who met with Mallett. Seeing as how neither have said a peep… ah, who am I kidding. We wouldn’t hear the truth either way right now.

by KJSegall on Apr 12, 2011 12:39 AM CDT up reply actions

Rumors....

Thats all they are. There is zero anything to substatiate them past someone said to someone else.
Cocaine, as you said, is not a small thing….it is also not something you can get past a test, like cold medicine or the likes :)

It really drives me crazy that these drug rumors have had about as much strength as a dead bird until they needed someone to throw under the bus to make Newton look good.
Rumors are rumors, thats how they should be.
There is an arrest, there isnt a picture, there isnt anything past bad PR.
The kid has leadershiip skill and an arm that kills.
I really dont see how people are suddenly down on him and up on someone like Locker who has accuracy issues….really.
Accuracy, thats proved bad, is better than a rumor thats proven nothing…
I love pre draft gripes :)

As ive said before, some guys have better PR firms already working for them…..
I think its hilarious that Mallet has now become the bad boy on the QB pick list, with all the faults, proven faults, other the others, and a rumor makes this kid bad, awesome lol

spelling >me sorry

**Rupert for ProBowl 2012!**

by LeeleeX on Apr 12, 2011 7:17 AM CDT reply actions

now grammer?

Ya i cant make grammer work either go me…
There ISNT an arrest is what i was trying to say BTW :)
And after the Matt Jones thing in Ark, the policy in Faye dont play pretty princess with the football players.

**Rupert for ProBowl 2012!**

by LeeleeX on Apr 12, 2011 7:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Are you on drugs?

Just checking. Oh and it’s not drug abuse if no one is getting hurt is it?

It's a lot easier to love the Vikings when they win...

by Grime on Apr 14, 2011 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Leggo Mallet's Massive Eggo

"The key is to just be forthright, and hopefully they can understand who I am as a person," Mallett told Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “When I’m questioned about my leadership or character, I ask them to look at my experience at Arkansas, where I had the chance to be a two-time captain. That was voted on by my teammates, and I believe they looked at me as a leader. I believe in myself as a football player and leader.”

Egotistic? Hmmm…. Maybe ‘naive’ is more accurate. He thinks that if he’s honest and up front with folks, they’ll see that he’s really a decent guy. He forgets that people have agendas and tend to push them.

“I was really impressed by the organization, and the talks we had were positive,” Mallett said. “I enjoyed talking football with them and showing them what I know and what I can do as a quarterback. I feel that’s a place where I could thrive.”

Egotistic? More like sucking up. But I guess it’s all how you choose to look at it.

I don’t know about you guys, but I want a QB who’s going to step out on the field like he owns the place, who looks over the opposition not with fear but with a calculating eye that assesses strengths, weaknesses, and a mind that figures out how to deploy his men to take advantage of both. That sort of thing requires confidence, and self-control. It requires a QB steeped in the game and who carries himself like he knows he’s got 12" of swinging death between his legs.

That sort of confidence, or dare I call it, arrogance, may offend some folks. But my QB wouldn’t be fazed by that either.

It remains to be seen if Mallet is my sort of QB or not, but I wouldn’t knock on him for his ego. Any QB who’s effective and knows it, is going to have a certain amount of ‘ego’.

Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!

by DCPurple on Apr 13, 2011 11:03 AM CDT reply actions