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Minnesota Vikings Column
By:
Adam Boland
1/4/09
The Vikings are in the
Playoffs, what a great start to the New Year, although, at times
I had my doubts, especially when Carr hit Hixon in the end zone
for a touchdown, but they did it. They won the division and
should be very proud. I know the Vikings would still have made
the playoffs because the Bears lost, but it is a lot better to
earn your spot then it is to be given to you. The Vikings win
over the Giants was important for their mental state. If they
would have lost their last two regular season games to playoff
teams at home, I think it would have made a win in the playoff
game almost impossible.
I will save the Vikings season recap
for later, but I do want to point out that they finished 10-6,
as I had optimistically projected in November. Now it is time
for the next prognostication, and that is if the Vikings do not
turn the ball over on Sunday they will beat the Eagles. The
Vikings are a better football team then the Eagles and they will
prove it on Sunday. The way they will lose the game is if they
turn the ball over like they have at times this season. That
means Peterson, who should have been given more consideration
for the league MVP, can not fumble, not even a fumble that is
recovered by his own team. The reason why is Peterson is the
heart of the offense, he always runs hard, but it seems to me
that when he turns the ball over he is more hesitant. With the
Eagles fast defense, Peterson can not be hesitant. If he does
not fumble he will have the confidence to gash the Eagles
defense. Also, Jackson can not throw any interceptions.
Although the Vikings beat the Giants, that interception in the
end zone could have been devastating, fortunately it was not,
but this is the playoffs and red zone turnovers will kill you.
Jackson can also not fumble, please if you are being sacked do
not try to make an amazing play, just tuck the ball away. Twice
against the Giants and several times this season, while being
sacked Jackson is holding the ball out and looking to throw. It
would be safer just to put the ball down so a sack does not turn
into a nightmare.
This week all the national media has
talked about is how good the Eagles are and that they are a dark
horse for the Super Bowl. Is this the same Eagles that are
9-6-1, and 3-4-1 on the road? The Eagles beat the Cowboys, they
actually blew them out, but how good are the dysfunctional
Cowboys, might be the better question. The Eagles are not as
good as the national media makes them out to be, now that said
they might put 35 points up on the Vikings, but I do not think
so. The Eagles have a mobile quarterback which has hurt the
Vikings before, see the Tampa Bay game, but McNabb is not as
nimble as he use to be and the Vikings have the ability at home
on their turf to put a lot of pressure on McNabb. Westbrook is a
stud, no doubt about it, but if the Vikings play run defense
like they have all year and big daddy Pat Williams can play, I
think Westbrook will be limited in running and will have to rely
on his pass catching skills to make big plays. The next
question is can the Vikings cover the receivers of the Eagles.
The answer is yes. The Vikings should isolate Winfield on
Jackson, he is the Eagles biggest threat from the wide receiver
position. McCauley, Sapp, and Griffin can cover the other
receivers. That begs the question who will cover Westbrook out
of the back field. Westbrook in the passing game is the one
glaring advantage I think the Eagles have. Hopefully, the
Vikings can rotate, Williams and Greenway on him with Sharper
lurking in the background and slow Westbrook down or at least
limit his yards after the catch. If Westbrook is limited in the
passing game to less than 50 receiving yards then I believe the
Vikings will hold the Eagles to under 20 points.
I think the Vikings magic number on
offense is to score 24 points. If the Vikings offense can mount
this many points, I think they will win. The biggest problem
with the Vikings offense will be handling the Eagles exotic
blitzes and not making a bad read and giving up bad field
position or points. I normally like a wide open passing game,
but Childress should stick with what got him to the playoffs - a
lot of running sprinkled in with occasional play action. I love
Berrian going deep on people and hopefully he will have a couple
chances, but I think the Vikings want to be very conservative.
More running of the ball will limit Jackson’s exposure in having
to drop back and read the odd blitzes and complicated coverage
schemes. I think it is fair to say the Vikings can push the
Eagles’ front seven around. If this game is played in a phone
booth, I like the chances of our offensive line getting it done
against the Eagles.
I have a lot I want to talk about
concerning Vikings personnel and potential moves and draft
picks, but the team on the field has made it to the playoffs and
that should be celebrated. So for now, let’s sit back and enjoy
the accomplishments of this team and cheer them on Sunday.
FINAL PREDICTION:
Vikings 24 --- Eagles 17.
12/5/08
The postseason is not far away or is it?
The Vikings sit at 7-5 with an upcoming game
against the hapless Lions. Expectedly at the end of this
weekend the Vikings will be 8-5 with a commanding lead in the
division. That assumes that the Vikings, regardless of whether
they have the Williams brothers, because they can win this game
without them, come out and play well. A win in the NFL on the
road is always hard to come by, but they should escape Ford
field with a W.
The Bears play host to the Jaguars
this weekend, so we should probably chalk up a W for the Bears.
Side note: has any team in the NFL fallen farther faster than
the Jaguars, there were people picking them to be potential
Super bowl contenders this year. After the Bears beat the
Jaguars, I believe they will end the season 1-2. Although they
do not play dominating teams, they play (Packers, Texans, and
Saints) three very good passing teams. With the Bears
struggling against the pass and only scoring a limited amount of
points each game, I think there is a strong possibility they
will lose 2 of these 3 games because they cannot stop the pass.
That will leave the Bears 8-8. That means the Vikings to clinch
the NFC North have to win one of their final three games.
That could be a tough task, but I
think they will win at Arizona and then the following week at
home against Atlanta. I also think they have a good chance
against the Giants, but I will not count that as a win just
yet. Thus, the Vikings will end their season at 10-6. It looks
like my prediction last month is coming true, hopefully.
This statement may be laughed at in some circles,
but the Vikings remind me of the Giants from last year. They
are playing great defense, running the ball well, and being
opportunistic in the passing game. If the Vikings end the
season 10-6, I think they will make a strong run in the
playoffs, ultimately making it to the NFC championship game.
Last month, I discussed that the
Vikings have to work on not turning the ball over. Once again,
although they have gone 3-1 over the last four games, they still
need to emphasize not turning the ball over. The Packer game
was very close, they were actually fortunate to win it with a
last second missed field goal. In that game the Vikings
committed 3 turnovers and won by 1 point. The turnovers allowed
the Packers to stay in the game even though the Packers offense
only mustered 184 total yards. A week later the Vikings lost 19
to 13 to the Buccaneers. I do not want to take anything away
form the Bucs, who have a solid team, but the Vikings two
turnovers really limited the offense. Although the main problem
in that game was that Jeff “Crazy Legs” Garcia is such a fighter
that he would keep plays alive and prevent the Vikings defense
from getting off the field on third downs.
In the Vikings past two games, they
have only had 1 turnover in each game while they have taken the
ball away 8 times. Conveniently, the Vikings also won both of
these games easily. If the Vikings continue to limit their
turnovers they will probably beat Arizona and most likely the
Falcons in a very close game. Even if the Giants do not rest
their starters for the last game, I think the Vikings can play
with them because they play a similar type of game.
Before I talk about the biggest
story currently in the news about the Vikings, I what to mention
two things. First, although the Vikings final score against the
Bears indicated an easy win. If it were not for the defense and
that goal line stand which sparked the 99 yard pass to Berrian,
I do know if the Vikings would have won that game. If the Bears
score there, they take a 14-3 lead. Additionally, prior to the
big pass to Berrian, the Vikings offense looked stagnate. The
Bears defense was controlling the line of scrimmage and limiting
the Vikings plays and yards. If not for the spark from the goal
line stand there might have been a different outcome Sunday
night. Secondly, although the defense is playing very well, I
think it needs to be pointed out that prior to Madieu Williams
coming into the lineup the defense was about average. Since
Williams has been playing the defense has excelled. This is not
to take away from the efforts of the best defensive line in
football or Winfield and Greenway’s play to date, which doesn’t
it seem that Greenway is around every tackle or play. But ever
since Williams has started, the defense seems to be playing
better as a complete unit, rather then just individual stars
dominating a game. The Vikings brass should get a lot of
credit, the two big offseason acquisitions of Williams and
Berrian have really paid dividends.
Now to
the main story, what will happen with the Williams brothers?
Wednesday state court Judge Gary Larson granted a temporary
restraining order allowing Pat and Kevin to play. However, the
NFL almost immediately sought removal to federal court and a
hearing has been scheduled to determine if the restraining order
will stay in place. I have two takes on this situation, as a
Vikings fan I want the Williams brothers to play because losing
them for the last four games would be extremely difficult and at
the end of the day they did not test positive for steroids, only
a potential masking agent. But I also believe that if you have
rules you have to follow them, sometimes even if there is no
harm from the conduct. At the end of the day, the judge who
makes the decision to overturn or uphold the restraining order
will be criticized one way or the other. I am just hoping that
if the restraining order is to be overturned, then please do it
now prior to the Detroit game. That way the four game
suspensions will run during the regular season and not reach the
Vikings potential first round playoff game. Losing the Williams
for the Vikings first playoff game in years would be to
detrimental to overcome. We will have to wait and see.
Regardless, if the Vikings do lose the Williams brothers for the
last four games, I think they can still make the playoffs, it
will be close, but it will make the Detroit game a must win.
11/6/08
The Vikings season seems to have been turned in
the right direction after Childress replaced Jackson with
Frerotte. Not only have the Vikings pulled to .500 (4-2 in the
last 6 games), but the offense looks formidable. The WRs are
involved in the offense which correlates to larger running lanes
for Peterson. Berrian has developed into the deep threat the
Vikings brass thought they were getting in free agency and the
passing game has been averaging around 240 yards a game, up from
154 yards a game in the first two games. Although the Vikings
seem to be playing better football, they will face a tough
second half of the season. Hopefully, a few corrections here
and there can lead to a playoff appearance.
There is a general rule I think the Vikings
should live by that will allow them to have a successful
remainder to their season. It is nothing new and has been
painfully apparent in their two recent losses and in their close
win against the Saints. The rule is do not turn the ball over
and play solid on special teams. I know this is nothing
profound, but an emphasis on these points will lead this very
talented team to a lot of victories.
A perfect example of needing to emphasize these
two points can be seen in the Titans, Bears, and Saints games.
First the Titans game, the Vikings had three turnovers on their
end of the field. A Peterson and Tahi fumble and a Frerotte
interception. All three turnovers resulted in a short field for
the Titans offense and ultimately 21 points. The Titans only
scored a total of 30 points in the whole game. Now the Titans
have a very good defense, but if the Vikings cut down on the
turnovers then they are in that game and might have a chance to
win at the end. In the Chicago game the Vikings had five
turnovers, yes FIVE turnovers. Two of the turnovers were on
special teams that resulted in Chicago touchdowns. Even with
all the turnovers, the Vikings only lost by a touchdown.
Imagine the possibilities.
Although the Bears game is a perfect example of
needing to improve on turnovers and special teams, a pure
example of bad special teams was in the Saints game. The
Vikings should have lost the Saints game. The Vikings punted
the ball to Bush in the second half and what does he do, runs it
back for a touchdown. Okay, that is fine it is a close game,
but we would not kick to him again would we. Oh yes we will,
Bush’s second punt return after his first touchdown almost also
resulted in a touchdown. Bush tripped over himself at mid
field, had he not I think he would have probably scored easily.
Okay, we dodged a bullet, note taken, we kick it out of bounds
from now on right. Oh no, they kicked to Bush a third time and
he runs it in for his second touchdown. Watching this at home,
I was more upset at the coaches then the players, but the
players still have to make a tackle. The Vikings were very
fortunate they did not lose the game. Hopefully, this is
another lesson learned: do not give the other team’s best player
multiple chances to beat you when he has already proven he
can.
The bye week came at a good time. Coming off the
very disappointing Chicago loss the Vikings could have had an
emotional hangover, but the bye allowed them to get away and
refocus. They played very well against the Texans. Most people
think the Texans are not very good, and at times they are not.
But they had won their previous three games, they have a young
and athletic defense and their offense is potent. There is no
denying that Andre Johnson is flat out one of the best, if not
the best, WR in football. Add in a few complimentary parts and
a consistent running back in Slaton and you have a pretty good
offense. That said, the Vikings defense controlled the Texans
most of the game. They gave up some yardage, but played the
kind of defense that has been expected. The defense has flashed
brilliance all year at times, but if they could put their
flashes of greatness into a whole game they would be very hard
to beat. The defensive line put consistent pressure on the
Texans quarterbacks and still filled the running lanes. They
only game up 14 points (one touchdown was on an interception
return). The offense looked equally good, Berrian has really
being playing well and the running game has been steady all
year. With this kind of consistent performance they should be
able to win most games. They just have to avoid turnovers and
special team failures.
Six of the Vikings last eight games are against
teams with a .500 record or better. They kick off this tough
stretch with the Packers this weekend. Four of the last eight
games are at home, fortunately those four homes games are
against the tougher teams (Packers, Bears, Falcons, and
Giants). They also have to go on the road and play Tampa Bay,
but they are not facing an overly dynamic offense and will have
a good chance to win that game. The status of Allen’s injury
and potential league action against the Williams brothers will
have a big effect on the upcoming stretch of games. Vikings
fans just have to hope for the best. With all that said, I am
going to go out on a limb and say if the Vikings win against
Green Bay this weekend they will make the playoffs with a 10-6
record.
Go Vikings Go.
9/20/08
What a start to the season. I
thought there would be a lot of national media coverage on the
Vikings early in the season. I was right, but the talk is not
about a 2-0 start and a dominating team, instead the talk is
about a 0-2 start and an unexpected quarterback change after
week 2. As a die hard Vikings fan I am very disappointed in
their start to the season. However, there is still a lot of
football to play and there is plenty of time for the Vikings to
turn it around. The main issue confronting the Vikings is what
is going on at the quarterback position. The question I have
is, is the change at quarterback the best thing for the
Vikings. Honestly, I do not know and only the next fifteen
weeks will tell.
Did Tavaris deserve the
demotion? Maybe he did. Tavaris did play poorly at times over
the first two games, but at times he also played average, as
would be expected of a second year starter. He showed a lot of
progress in the preseason when the offense focused on improving
the passing game. Unfortunately, his preseason injury really
set him back. The injury caused him to lose valuable
experience, timing, and maybe his starting job.
Tavaris played poorly in the first half of
the Packers game; however, he seemed to really pick it up in the
second half. In the Colts games he was average, but on several
occasions missed the targeted receiver by sizeable margins. He
could also not get the offense into the end zone, but neither
did Adrian. Tavaris was also not the one who dropped a
relatively easy touchdown; he put the ball right in the bread
basket of his TE. That said, this team is too good not to win;
if the change to Gus leads to wins that is what matters.
The change to Gus might have been unavoidable
this season, but all the support that Childress showed for
Tavaris this offseason disappeared pretty quickly. Gus will
hopefully be able to throw the ball down the field and be more
efficient in the red zone. The Vikings have too much talent at
the WR position for them not to be involved in the offense. If
Gus does not get it done, then it is going to be very hard on
the club and I would strongly doubt they would be playoff
contenders. Alternatively, only time will tell how this move
affects Tavaris’ confidence and his future with this team.
The good news so far is
that the defense has lived up to expectations. They allowed 24
points in the Packers game. There were a lot of points, but the
three touchdowns came off of three big plays – Rodgers’ bomb,
Grant’s long run, and the punt return for a TD. In the Colts
game the defense was lights out for two and a half quarters.
The pressure on Manning and the run defense were excellent. The
Colts ended up coming back and winning, but the Colts offense is
too good to be held down for very long. I think before the game
if you tell Childress his defense is only going to give up 18
points he would take it and think they were going to win. Side
note: Addai did not get into the end zone on his alleged
touchdown run. He was caught at the line and big Pat Williams
pushed him back. The only reason the touchdown was upheld was
because the ref made the wrong call on the field and there was
not sufficient video evidence to overturn it. The Colts game
was a game the Vikings should have won, but you have to give
credit to the Colts and Manning because he made some great
throws under tremendous pressure.
This week will be a big test.
The Panthers’ defense is solid, but if the Vikings’ offense can
throw the ball with more efficiency and continue to run the ball
like in the Colts game, they will probably get their first win
of the year. I expect the Vikings defense to play very well
against the Panthers offense, control their running game and put
a lot of pressure on Delhomme. One win at a time.
7/16/08
Not much
is taking place in Viking world prior to the start of training
camp. Everyone appears to be getting away and taking some time
off prior to the long season. Training camp is slated to begin
on July 25th and last until August 14th in
Mankato.
Although the Vikings are keeping
quiet, the rumor mill is in full rotation around them. Everyone
is speculating that Minnesota is one, if not the best spot, for
Brett Favre. The initial problem I have with this speculation
is that Green Bay will never let Favre go to the Vikings. They
will most certainly not release him; I think they would rather
fight Brett Favre and the fans through the media rather then on
the field. If the Vikings want to get Favre they will have to
trade for him, I think the price to acquire him would be too
much, but it never hurts to ask.
The next question is do the Vikings
even want Brett Favre, if you listen to the players or the
coaches the answer is no. But really, come on, I like T-Jack as
much as the next guy, but he is not a top 5 quarterback. T-Jack
will be solid this year and I think develop very well, but he is
not Brett Favre. Saying you want Favre to be a Viking is not an
indictment of T-Jack’s abilities, but just a realization that we
are talking about a quarterback that last year had a rating of
95.7, had a 66.5% completion percentage, threw for over 4100
yards, and 28 touchdowns. This is not a broken down quarterback
trying to make a last second comeback, this is one of the top
quarterbacks in the league. With T-Jack at the helm the
playoffs and the NFC Championship are a realistic expectation,
but with Favre the sky is the limit. That said, I do not see
anyway the Vikings land Brett Favre, not because Favre will not
want to player for a contender, which Minnesota is, but because
there is no way the Packers brass let him anywhere near the NFC
North.
Last month, I told you that I thought
the Vikings most valuable rookie this year was a player they
picked up following the draft. Before I discuss that player,
let’s review who the Vikings did get:
1.
Husain Abdullah – S – Washington
State
2.
Martail Burnett – DE – Utah
3.
Leger Douzable – DT – Central
Florida
4.
Marcus Griffin – S –
Texas Already released
5.
Steven Hauschka – K – NC State
6.
Erin Henderson – LB – Maryland
7.
Nate Jones – WR – Texas
8.
Travis Key – CB – Michigan State
Already released
9.
Jeremy “J” Leman – LB- Illinois
10.
Tim Mattran – C – Stanford
11.
Drew Radovich – T – USC
12.
Darius Reynaud – WR – West Virginia
13.
Brandon Sumrall – CB – Mississippi
14.
Marcus Walker – CB – Oklahoma
15.
Kyle Wright – QB-
Miami Already released
16.
Albert Young – RB – Iowa
The Chicago tribune ranked this as the best
undrafted free agent class in the NFL. There are a few players
on this list that have a shot at making the final roster. This
is how I view their chances. Either Radovich or Mattran have a
chance because they can add depth to the right side of the OL.
They can provide this depth off the practice squad if none of
the veteran OL are cut. Maybe one of the CBs will also have a
chance for a special team role, but the secondary is already
pretty full. I was impressed with Albert Young in college at
Iowa, but he faces an uphill battle because this team is already
two deep at RB. Any touches Peterson and Taylor do not get will
probably go to Tapeh because of his versatility at the FB
position. I also like the LBs Henderson and Leman, but once
again there is maybe only one spot here, and Henderson has the
inside track. Having an older potential All-Pro brother already
on the squad helps your chances, but Erin Henderson still has
tons of talent to go around. Leman was solid in college, but
does not have the flash needed to make the Vikings roster.
Especially, when you add in the return of Alexander from last
year, who I thought was a steal in the 2007 draft. That said, I
like Leman’s lunch pail mentality and we could always use a few
more hard nosed players on the team.
The two players I love are WRs. Nate
Jones is a solid pass catching possession receiver. I watched
him a lot at Texas; he always made the hard plays and catches.
He did not dazzle people with his speed or athleticism, but
worked hard and always made plays. He reminds me of a bigger
Nate Burleson. But the player that I predict to make the team
and be the main contributor to the 2008-2009 Vikings from this
rookie class is Darius Reynaud. I do not know what it is
about this guy, but I think he is special and will give the
Vikings offense a real shot in the arm. He will add more speed
to the crossing and option routes. With Rice and Berrian
working the outsides, Reynaud will roam the middle and can
separate from LBs and Safeties. At West Virginia he always
seemed to make the big play and flashed big time talent. He is
fast and scary with the ball in his hands. I know people will
laugh, but I think he has Steve Smith skills. Hopefully, he
will make the roster or practice squad so my prediction is not
that off.
Last month I also commented on the
improving health of Erasmus James. He was subsequently traded
to Washington for a conditional seventh round pick. James had a
lot of talent coming out of Wisconsin, but could never overcome
the injury bug. Looking back on the 2005 draft, the Vikings
drafted Troy Williamson at the number 7 spot and Erasmus James
at the number 18 spot. Two first round draft picks - two
busts. With all the talent the Vikings have now, one good pick
in that draft might have put this team in the NFC elite for
years to come. Just a few names the Vikings passed on were:
DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Heath Miller, and Logan Mankins.
But hey, the Bears drafted Cedric Benson at the number 4 spot
and the Lions picked Mike Williams at the number 10 spot. So I
feel better.
5/24/08
In the last column, I
expressed my support for the Vikings to get the Jared Allen
trade done. Although the final trade was pricier then
anticipated, giving up to third round picks and the first round
pick, I am extremely excited that Allen is now a Viking. This
move tells me two things about this year’s team: (1) the Vikings
organization is happy with the current roster and feels that a
few key players can move them into the NFC elite; and, (2) the
Vikings organization is willing to do what they need to,
including spending money, to win. This improves not only the
roster, but the Vikings fan base now knows that the organization
will do what they need to do to win.
The Jared Allen trade
was a great deal for the Vikings. Allen is young and driven.
He will be a long-term pass rushing machine and a perennial pro
bowl defensive end. The Vikings have not had this kind of pass
rusher since John Randle was barking and scaring opposing
offensive lineman. My bold predictions for the Vikings defense
next year are:
1. The Vikings will have a top ten
defense unit,
2. The Vikings will have 5 Pro Bowl
defensive players,
3. The Vikings secondary will rank
in the top 18 for passing yards allowed, and
4. Jared Allen will record 12 plus
sacks.
Now let’s talk about the rest of the
draft.
Round 2, Pick 12 (43): Tyrell
Johnson 6’0” – 207 – Arkansas State
Johnson is the eventual
replacement to Sharper and was allegedly ranked No. 17 on the
Vikings draft board. Interesting that the No. 17 pick was what
was given up for Allen. Johnson, in workouts, showed the
prototypical speed needed in the NFL and impressed a lot of
teams with his aggressiveness. Johnson played very physical
around the line of scrimmage at Arkansas State and could add
some tenacity to the ball hawks who currently reside in the
secondary. He was listed on several teams’ draft boards as the
top safety in the draft and was a solid pick for the Vikings in
the second round. Johnson could be a starter for years to come
at safety for the Vikings.
Round 5, Pick 2 (137): John David
Booty 6’3” – 213 – USC
Booty is an interesting
pick. Booty played in a pro style offense with big time talent
at USC and did very well. He lacks some arm strength, but makes
up for it with very accurate passing. In the West Coast Offense
he could be a very solid quarterback. This is still Jackson’s
team, but if Jackson struggles this year Booty could possibly
compete for the starting job in 2009. Booty should have this
year to transition to the NFL and learn the Vikings offense.
This pick could have the biggest long-term upside.
Round 5, Pick 17 (152): Letroy
Guion 6’4” – 303 – FSU
I think this was a best
player available pick to add depth. Guion did not have an elite
college career, but was productive from the DT position by
producing 12.5 sacks. He probably came out a year early, but
apparently needed to for family reasons. Guion’s size will
allow him to rotate in at DT and give the Williams brothers a
break. Guion could develop into a solid pro. He will not be
called on to be real productive this year, but can add depth and
a spark to the interior pass rush.
Round 6, Pick 21 (187): John
Sullivan 6’4” – 301 – Notre Dame
The national media has
tabbed Sullivan as Birk’s eventual replacement. I hope not, not
because of Sullivan, but because of my admiration for Birk and
the person he is. Sullivan is a smart player who was the leader
of Notre Dame’s offensive line this last year. He also had good
size and can potentially play guard. With Birk missing the OTAs,
the Vikings will learn quickly if Sullivan can fill in for Birk.
Round 6, Pick 27 (193): Jaymar
Johnson 6’0” – 176 – Jackson State
Johnson is a long-term
project. He has no jaw dropping statistics, but was a
productive college player who will get a good opportunity to
contribute.
Overall Draft Conclusion
The Vikings added depth
in this draft at several key positions. Although no player will
probably come in this year and start, each of the top four picks
will add depth with Tyrell Johnson probably seeing the most
playing time. Sullivan and Guion will provide support to the
interior offensive and defensive lines, out of the two only
Guion will probably see substantive playing time. If he can
develop he could be a good pick up. Johnson, Sullivan, and
Guion will all potentially be starting for the Vikings in the
next three years. The pick that is the most interesting is
Booty. He will probably see no time this year, but in the
coming years he could be a solid quarterback in the NFL. If he
develops, then this is a very solid draft for the Vikings. But
ultimately, how the Vikings did in this draft rests squarely on
the shoulders of Allen. As a Vikings fan, I think he will live
up to expectations and even exceed them. This was a great
pickup and based on the move to get Allen, I give this Vikings
draft an A.
Non-Draft Related
Also good news on the
defensive end front, Erasmus James has reported that his knee
feels better then it has in a long time and that he is certain
he will make a contribution this year. If he can get past his
injuries, James will be a very good DE in this league.
Next month we will
discuss the Vikings undrafted free agents. This is a good
group, of which two or three players may make the final roster.
There is one player in particular I think could have the biggest
impact of any Vikings rookie in 2008.
4/23/08
The
Vikings have had a very solid off-season to date. The signings
of Madieu Williams and Bernard Berrian improve two areas of
need. In addition, the second phase of free agent signings has
added depth across the defensive line and on special teams. My
only complaints are the lack of the Vikings willingness to
resolve Matt Birk’s contract and the Bryant McKinnie situation.
Birk is a fan favorite for the way he plays the game on the
field and for his exceptional off-field contribution to the
community. Hopefully, Birk’s contract is a short term
distraction.
The Vikings
are currently at a cross roads prior to the draft. With a team
that is ready to win now, do they push to get a deal done for
Chiefs DE Jared Allen or do they keep their picks and fill
glaring needs and add depth?
In my opinion
if the Vikings can get Jared Allen then they need to get the
deal done. Allen is a premier defensive end. He is a high
energy, high effort, pass rushing machine. He would make the
front four one of the premiere units in the league and give the
Vikings a top ten defensive unit. If the deal can get done for
a first and third round pick this year, or a first round pick
this year and a second next year, the deal should get done.
There is no player in this year’s draft, especially since the
premier DEs will most likely be gone by the 17th
pick, which would make an impact over at least the next two to
three years that Allen will for the Vikings.
But the NFL is
a business and if the Allen deal can not be completed, the
Vikings still have several avenues they can pursue in the
draft. I am not going to prepare a mock draft because this
year’s draft, after the top five to six players, could go in any
direction. The Vikings need to be prepared to not have the
players they want available, but still be confident in taking
the best player available. What I am going to discuss is a wish
list of players I would love the Vikings to pick up. The
following four players could probably be taken with the Vikings
first, second, and two third round picks. I think the Vikings
should attempt to trade down out of the 17th pick if
DE Harvey is not available. If they could trade down in the
first and move up in the second they could target two players,
DE Quentin Groves and WR Malcolm Kelly. Both players draft
status has recently slipped, but these two players will help the
Vikings the most.
The Vikings
need a pass rushing DE, Harvey would be the best all around
player but he will most likely be gone. I am also not sold on
Merling and Campbell, both players are good, but the Vikings
currently have players who can fill the run stuffing big DE
role. The Vikings need a pure speed rusher, somewhat like a
Trent Cole or Derrick Burgess. Groves out of Auburn offers that
more so then any other DE in this draft. Groves has played in a
top notch program and would add speed on the edge. Groves could
be selected, but for value sake, the Vikings will probably need
to trade down in the first round. With the trade down, the
Vikings could move up in the second round and target Malcolm
Kelly. Kelly was a big-time playmaker at Oklahoma who could
take over games. Kelly paired with Sidney Rice could make up
the best young wide receiving core in the NFL.
With the two
third round picks the Vikings should look for DT Frank Okam out
of Texas and TE Brad Cottam out of Tennessee. Okam’s draft
status has dropped, but he could add depth at DT and give the
Williams brothers a rest over the long season. Okam has the
ability to dominate in the NFL. Cottam reminds me of Jason
Witten. Not a lot of publicity out of College, but a big
physical target. Jackson could use the help over the middle;
this will pull down the safeties and allow Berrian more
opportunities to run by people.
For the rest
of the draft, the Vikings should look to add the best players
available at the offensive line and linebacker position. A
tweener CB/S would also be helpful, like a Reggie Smith. CB is
full at this point with Winfield, McCauley and Griffin, but
competition is always good. A player who could play safety
would also provide depth in the event Williams or Sharper are
hurt. I do not think that OB is a position to look for at this
time. Yes, I am a Jackson fan. He has only started one year
(8-4 as a starter) and been in the league two years. He needs
time to develop just like any other young QB. If he struggles
this year then it will be time to do something else or add more
competition.
Lastly, there
are two running backs in this draft, not including McFadden who
will be a star in the right situation, that I think will be very
good pros. One is Mendenhall, I hope the Bears do not draft
him. He has a good combination of size, power and speed. I
also really like Kevin Smith. I watched him several times in
College, he has speed, size and is very elusive. If he is
available in the fourth round the Vikings should take him.
Good luck to
the Vikings this weekend.
In a
non-football related note, good luck to Kenechi Udeze and his
family. Hopefully, he will receive more great news in the
coming months in his fight against cancer.
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