There have been a couple of rumors floating around concerning the Vikings over the past couple of days. The primary one is that of Jeff Garcia being signed by the Vikings to be their starter for the 2007 season.
Let me make myself clear on this issue. If this team signs Jeff Garcia to be the starting QB, I will be righteously pissed off. The parallels between Brad Johnson and Jeff Garcia are just too damn great to ignore.
-Both are easily on the wrong side of the hill as far as being an NFL quarterback goes. Johnson will turn 39 this year (and currently plays like he's 59, at least), while Garcia will celebrate his 37th birthday in a few weeks.
-In 2005, Johnson came in after the starter got hurt midway through the season and "rallied" his team. And by "rallied," I mean "got backed up by a defense that finally started playing to their potential." In 2006, Garcia came in after the starter got hurt midway through the season and rallied his team.
Admittedly, Garcia played a hell of a lot better this year than Johnson played in 2005.
-In his last season as a full-time starter, neither performed particularly well:
Johnson (2006, MIN) - 61.5% completion rate, 2750 yards, 9 TD, 15 INT (14 games)
Garcia (2004, CLE) - 57.1% completion rate, 1731 yards, 10 TD, 9 INT (11 games)
And I don't want to hear "Well, the Browns didn't have any offensive talent." Did you SEE the Vikings this year?
-Garcia's been primarily a backup for the last two years. Brad Johnson SHOULD have been primarily a backup for the last two years.
And, quite frankly, neither of them should be starting for an NFL team in 2007. But Garcia WILL end up being someone's starter. . .it's just the nature of how things work in the NFL. I say let the Bears waste $4 million a year on him. Garcia's not leading anyone to a championship next year, and what better team for him NOT to lead to a championship than a division rival?
Hell. . .do you think the Dolphins would be willing to give us a mulligan on that whole Daunte Culpepper trade that happened last year? Yeah. . .neither do I, unfortunately.
The other rumor was that of the Vikes dealing the #7 overall draft pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for WR Larry Fitzgerald. The rumor was started by a blurb in Charley Walters' "Overheard" column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The following is the procedure that's generally followed for one of those columns:
- Throw a bunch of crap at the wall
- Take notes as to what sticks
- Try to pass these things off as legitimate rumors
Would I trade the #7 pick for Larry Fitzgerald? Hell yes, I would. . .without even thinking twice! Larry Fitzgerald is one of the premiere WRs in the NFL, and is only 23 years old. You'd have to be crazy NOT to make that deal. Unfortunately, there's no way in hell that the Cardinals would even listen to something so ludicrous, and there's no way they'd actually offer the Vikings something like that.
The Vikes have no choice but to revamp the entire WR corps this season, considering the only two receivers they currently have under contract are Troy "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WILL YOU CATCH THE FRIGGIN' BALL" Williamson and Billy McMullen (and Wife). But Larry Fitzgerald isn't going to be part of those plans. I guess we just have to keep our fingers crossed on the Calvin Johnson front. . .something else that I fear isn't going to happen.
That's all from here for tonight, folks. . .have a good one!