The Daily Norseman Mailbag, April 8th, 2021

Good Morning!

This is probably the future of the mailbag going forward with my new schedule, article on the front page asking for questions on Monday, with the follow up post on Wednesday or Thorsday depending on what’s going on in my life.

Two Twitter question this week!

For salary cap questions I’ll continue using overthecap.com so I’m consistent with the numbers I throw out there.

Any trades involving draft picks I’m using the updated NFL Trade Value Chart developed by Rich Hill available at https://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value-Chart-Rich-Hill.asp

For evaluating or looking up draft prospects my go to is thedraftnetwork.com

If I can’t come up with what I think is a legitimate answer, I’ll ask someone who I think can provide one.

Enough from me, let’s see what was on everyone’s mind.

Via Twitter @eastern0414 pondered:

Do you think the Vikings could sign one of the remaining FA OT’s?

Top available 2021 free-agent offensive line players remaining:
(from profootballnetwork)

1) Russell Okung, Carolina Panthers
2) Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh Steelers
3) Eric Fisher, Kansas City Chiefs
4) Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City Chiefs
5) Dennis Kelly, Tennessee Titans
6) D.J. Fluker, Baltimore Ravens

Could the Vikings sign a veteran guy to a one year deal? Sure, but looking through the list above all of those guys are on the wrong side of 30 and/or coming off an injury; clearly their best days are behind them although league average along the offensive line is something we get excited about here. If the Vikings were going to go with an older veteran they should have kept Reiff, but instead of signing one of the above players I’d rather the team find a long term solution via the draft to play LT or sign Orlando Brown Jr.

Also via Twitter, some guy named “Ted” @purplebuckeye (probably not his real name) said:

Instead of DailyNorsemanmail, why don’t you use FedEx or Amazon? The turnaround would seem to be much faster tbh.

Too expensive, I maxed out the DN credit cards last month.

Via email Edgecrusher71 pondered:

Here is a question for you and I am going to do the PG version. Kiss/Marry/Kill. You have to choose one to kiss, one to marry and only one to kill. Coral, The Packers, and I couldn’t decide between the Herschel Walker Trade, Red McCombs, or Fyre Ryck’s (in)ability to put together an OL. Whichever one you hate more, use that one for the last one. I want to see how much you truly hate Coral lol.

I had to ask the google to see if Red was still alive, he’s 93 and worth 1.6B...you’ll get an evite to our Zoom wedding. The Packers and their back to back run of HoF QB’s since Favre can kiss my backside, so we’re left with Coral....I dislike it as much as everyone else but that’s the platform we’ve been given so I’ll try and make it work.

Hefnergoat asked:

With the stipulation that both NFL positions are important to have strength at....Considering our current roster, if you only had 1 option, which position would you spend capital on to improve. WR3 or CB3?

WR3 is my answer. I haven’t checked the Vikings roster recently but it seems like there are 15 guys who can play CB at least moderately well, after Jefferson and Thielen it doesn’t seem like the Vikings have had a legit WR3 since the heydays of Jarius Wright.

Mn-Fan-OutWest pondered:

With what seems to be a big hit on the Live Draft. Do you think it will become a annual DN tradition for the future?

That was a lot of fun because everyone participated (at least the rounds I was involved with). Between myself, GA Skol and MarkSP18 I’m sure we can do something like that every year. Ideally start Round one on a Friday and roll into the weekend?

VeerRightonTwoReadyBreak asked:

What player must we take if he falls? Someone that could fall at least.

@Justin Fields@ I’m only partially kidding, I’ve seen some national writers projecting him to drop within trade up distance of the Vikings. Drafting him this year won’t help the team but will in a few years. Honorable mention to Jaycee Horn and Rashawn Slater.

bbadger222 pondered:

With Gladney’s arrest, does this mean we are doomed to picking a CB at 14 ? Tongue slightly in cheek.

I don’t think so. If the Vikings drafted Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain with the 14th pick either of those two would probably be a good long term fit but with free agency essentially over and the defense getting a makeover via free agency, it’s probably best to start addressing the offense in this draft.

adementor asked:

Last year the Vikings traded for Yannick Ngakoue and Vikings nation thought, “Wow, what a pairing with Danielle!” only to find out later that the Hunter was out for the season, and the trade was more a replacement than a complement. This year, the Vikings brought in Dalvin Tomlinson, a big, beefy, run stopping 3T/NT to “complement” Michael Pierce, who opted out of 2020. What are the chances that the Vikings know more about Pierce than we do, and we find ourselves in a similar situation to last year where the “complement” is really more of a replacement? Obviously, 3T would remain a gaping hole on the roster, although, if Tomlinson can really play both positions, we could solve it with either a NT or 3T. Thanks!

I think the difference between the Ngakoue and Pierce signings were timing, Ngakoue was a reflexive (or knee jerk response if you prefer) to the talent level at Edge with Pierce a priority free agent to replace Joseph. Pierce does have an injury history but with opting out last year he had time to let his body heal, hopefully that translates well to his on the field production this year and going forward.

pirateflip77 asked:

Who is the most likely trade down partner in the 1nd round?

Depends on who’s on the board when the Vikings pick comes up, no matter who their potential trade partner is, I’d have to think the team won’t want to drop much farther than the early 20’s, so let’s say Colts or Dolphins in the AFC, maybe WFT as a potential NFC trade partner.

Norsecoder pondered:

What’s the over under on the number of 7th round picks Rick is going to have made this year?

Six, I’d rather Rick used those to move up into the preceding rounds though.

Rickap asked:

‘Bull’ Dozier, why?

I know we all groaned when this signing was announced, I just looked at his contract details at overthecap.com he received a 45k signing bonus along with a 1.075M contract, none of which is guaranteed. The Vikings need guys to fill out the 90 man roster for camp and preseason and he’s familiar with the offense. I think all of our concerns are that he’ll see significant playing time during the season are hopefully unfounded.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to pose questions either via email or in the mailbag post. I’ll solicit for questions for the next mailbag on Monday the 19th of April and post the mailbag on Wednesday the 21st for your excellent questions and my mediocre answers.

Skol!