SB Nation - Jaymar Johnson

The Vikings Red Zone Review, Sponsored by Comcast

Gonzo — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:48:18 -0000

about 1 month ago: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre reacts after throwing for the Vikings' final touchdown in a 38-26 win over the Green Bay Packers in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Star Tribune, Jerry Holt)

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I skipped this last week with the Vikings being on their bye and everything, but now we're back for more. And I'm not sure about anything else, but the bye week gave me an opportunity to experience just how awesome the Red Zone Channel is. Obviously, during most weeks I'm wholly and solely focused on the Vikings, but during the bye week the Red Zone channel was constantly moving me to different games all over the league. Whether it was the Bears getting destroyed by the Arizona Cardinals, the Packers losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or any of the other action around the NFL during Week 9, the Red Zone Channel made sure that I didn't miss any of the best action around the NFL. The action flows seamlessly, and you get to see all of the biggest plays from all the live action around the league. The Red Zone Channel is your season ticket for every NFL game, and the only cable company that brings it to you is Comcast.

So how did the Vikings' red zone offense look in their last game against Green Bay? Let's take a look.

Vikings Red Zone trips - 5
Vikings Red Zone scores - 4 (4 TD)
Red Zone touchdown percentage - 80%

The Vikings' first red zone appearance of the day against the Packers came on their third possession. After a bad snap from John Sullivan resulted in a fumble, the Packers took an early 3-0 lead. Then they made the mistake of kicking the ball to 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin. Harvin wasted no time in responding to the Packer score, as he torched the Packers special teams unit and took the ball all the way down to the Green Bay 14-yard line. From there, Adrian Peterson handled most of the work. After a couple of carries by #28, the drive appeared to stall after a pass from Brett Favre to Chester Taylor, but Green Bay DT Johnny Jolly inexplicably head-butted Taylor after the play, drawing a personal foul penalty, and the drive continued. Peterson hammered the Vikings down to the 1, and on 4th down he punched it in for the score to give Minnesota a 7-0 lead. The drive took 7 plays to move 14 yards and took 3:48 off of the clock.

The Vikings held the Packers to a three and out on their next possession, and a good punt return by Jaymar Johnson set the Vikings up just short of midfield. This time, Favre did most of the heavy lifting, as he hit Sidney Rice for six yards, Harvin for nine, and Bernard Berrian for 12. After Peterson carried the Vikings into the red zone at the 19-yard line, Favre found Rice again for seven yards. Then, on first down from the Green Bay 12, Favre found Visanthe Shiancoe. . .it's a verb, to Shank. . .for a 12-yard touchdown pass and a 14-3 lead for the Vikings. Minnesota's scoring drive went 51 yards in 7 plays, taking 3:37 to accomplish.

After another Packer three and out, the Vikings appeared to be on their way to scoring again, as Peterson went 33 yards on first down to put the Vikings into the red zone again at the Green Bay 16. After a couple of short runs and an incomplete pass, the Vikings had lined up to attempt a field goal, but the Packers were whistled for a neutral zone infraction that took the Vikings from fourth and six at the 12 to fourth and one at the 7-yard line. Brad Childress put his offense back on the field and, to the Packers' credit, they rose up and stopped Peterson in that short yardage situation, and the Vikings turned it over on downs. That would turn out to be the only red zone failure of the afternoon for the Minnesota offense.

The only other Viking score prior to intermission came on a 41-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell, and Minnesota went into the locker room with a 17-3 lead.

After the Vikings' lone non-red zone touchdown of the afternoon, a 51-yard bomb from Favre to Harvin, the Vikings had a 24-3 lead and appeared to be on cruise control. However, things got a bit dicey for the Purple after that, as Green Bay got a field goal and two touchdown passes to something named Spencer Havner to give them 17 unanswered points and pull the score to 24-20. Then the Packers decided to kick to Harvin again, and again #12 made them pay, ripping off another huge return (48 yards) and letting the Vikings start at the Green Bay 38-yard line. A 15-yard pass to Harvin that was sandwiched between a couple of Peterson runs (and a B.J. Raji face mask penalty) moved the Vikings inside of the Green Bay 10. After Chester Taylor toted the rock down to the 2, Favre rolled right and found Jeff Dugan at the goal line for his third touchdown pass of the evening and made the Viking lead 11 points again at 31-20. The drive went 38 yards in seven plays, taking 3:22 to accomplish.

The Packers answered on their next drive with a TD pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings, and the score went to 31-26 after a failed two-point conversion attempt. After a punt from the Vikings and a missed field goal by Mason Crosby, the Vikings set about putting the game on ice. Peterson took a ~~handoff~~ screen pass (Editor's Note: Oops.) on the first play of the drive and raced over the left side for 44 yards, moving the Vikings to the Packers' 15-yard line. After a couple of unsuccessful carries brought up third and 11, Favre dropped back and fired a quick pass to Bernard Berrian, who was subsequently tossed into the end zone by his helmet by Al Harris for a 16-yard touchdown for Minnesota. It was Favre's fourth touchdown of the day, their fourth red zone touchdown of the day, and it provided the final margin of victory by a count of 38-26.

All that means that, through the first half of the 2009 season, the Minnesota Vikings' offense has made 31 trips into the red zone, and have come away with points on 27 of those occasions. 17 of those have been touchdowns, with 10 being Ryan Longwell field goals, giving the Vikings a red zone touchdown percentage of roughly 63% on the season. The game against Green Bay was one of the poorer performances of the year for Minnesota's red zone defense, as they allowed the Packers to convert points on all five of their red zone appearances (three touchdowns, two field goals). So, for the year, Viking opponents have gotten into the red zone 22 times, and have come away with nine touchdowns and seven field goals, giving them a red zone touchdown percentage of roughly 41%. Hopefully both of these numbers will improve on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

Gonzo — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:44:23 -0000

I really meant to do one of these back during the pre-season so that we'd have something to compare it to at this point, but I forgot to. I apologize for that. But, as usual, we'll have our mid-season version. . .conveniently designed to go along with the Vikings' bye week. . .and our post-season version to compare.

I've done these for the past couple of seasons, after originally getting the idea from our friends over at Dawgs by Nature. (See the 2007 mid-season and post-season versions, as well as the 2008 mid-season and post-season versions.) These aren't official or anything, and are more designed to spark conversations/debate than anything else. Since the table that these rankings are placed in is pretty huge, I'll put it in after the jump for everyone to have a look at. Enjoy, and tell us what you think!

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Comment
1	Jared Allen, DE	Greatest trade in Vikings' history? If it's not, it's certainly on the short list. In 24 games since coming to Minnesota, #69 has 25 sacks (3 of which have resulted in safeties), 5 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, and has generally just been the best 4-3 defensive end in the National Football League. He'd probably be the Defensive Player of the Year if the season ended today.
2	Brett Favre, QB	Okay, raise your hand if you thought the guy would be this good. looks around I doubt it was that many, but anyhow. . .in eight games, Favre has turned the ball over all of four times (only one of which. . .against St. Louis. . .could probably be classed as egregiously awful), has a 4:1 TD/turnover ratio, and a quarterback rating of a cool 106.0. Yes, it remains to see how he'll perform over the second half of the year, but the returns have been good so far.
3	Adrian Peterson, RB	You know the bar has been set pretty high for you when you're tied for second in the NFL in rushing yards, averaging almost 5 yards/carry, are second in the league in rushing touchdowns. . .and some folks are under the perception that you're struggling. He's on pace for 40 fewer regular season carries this year than he got last year, and as long as teams still want to defend the Vikings like they have Gus Frerotte at quarterback, his numbers will probably stay low. . .keeping him fresh for the post-season.
4	Percy Harvin, WR	Surprised to see him this high? Don't be. How much of an impact has Harvin had? With him returning kickoffs, the Vikings have the best average starting field position in the NFL. He's also been a big part of the Vikings going from having one of the worst special teams units of the last 20 years to being one of the better units in the league, according to the DVOA rankings from Football Outsiders. Oh, and he's done alright catching the ball, too. Barring an injury, we can probably just stop the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting right now and hand the award to #12. (Oh, and another big thank you to T.J. Houshmandzadeh for signing with the Seahawks. . .because if we had him, we likely wouldn't have Harvin.)
5	Kevin Williams, DT	The best all-around defensive tackle in football has been blowing up interior linemen all season long. He's on pace to have his first double-digit sack season since 2004, and he's still incredible against the run. Oh, and he's thrown in 6 defended passes, too. To borrow a phrase from Eric. . .greatest "missed draft pick" ever? Greatest "missed draft pick" ever.
6	Sidney Rice, WR	Nobody on the Vikings' roster has benefited more from the addition of Brett Favre than El Sid. It's hard to believe that the University of South Carolina produced both Rice and Troy Williamson, since Sidney is pretty much the anti-Williamson. He's on pace to have 1170 receiving yards (and hopefully more than the 2 TDs he has currently), and he has the most ridiculous set of hands this team has seen since Cris Carter left town. Yes, Randy Moss included.
7	Ryan Longwell, K	Ridiculous to put the kicker this high? Perhaps. . .but ponder this: Every time this season a ball that he's kicked has gone past the line of scrimmage, it's gone through the uprights (his only "miss" this season was the block at the end of the first half of the San Francisco game). His kickoffs have been pretty darn good, too. One can't underestimate the importance of a kicker as good as Longwell has been this season.
8	Chad Greenway, LB	The Vikings' leading tackler after the first half of the season, he's also tossed in a couple of interceptions and 4 passes defended. He's really gotten a lot better in coverage over the course of his Viking career, and has become one of the better all-around linebackers in the NFL.
9	Steve Hutchinson, G	Still the best at his position in the National Football League, despite getting called for his first holding penalty in 27 games last weekend against Green Bay. Meanwhile, Nate Burleson is still doing nothing in Seattle. Yeah, I still think the Vikings got the better of that little exchange.
10	Bryant McKinnie, T	McKinnie has been much maligned over the course of the past couple of seasons, and we would lament how he would get abused by speed rushers. However, after making the adjustment to having Brett Favre at QB early in the season (along with the rest of the O-line), McKinnie has done a hell of a job, and is finally really starting to live up to the huge payday he got a couple of years ago. He looks like the tackle the Vikings thought they were getting when they drafted him in 2002.
11	Antoine Winfield, CB	Ordinarily he would be much higher on this list, but his injuries. . .coupled with the fact that the Vikings haven't missed him nearly as much this year as anybody might have thought. . .push him down a little bit. Don't get me wrong, he's still one of the best in the league at his position, but he hasn't had quite the impact so far this season that one would think.
12	Pat Williams, DT	Phat Pat got off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, some of which could possibly be attributed to getting a late start on the pre-season festivities, but has come around over the course of the past few games, and is back to being his usual bad-ass, run-stuffing self. He's even contributed his annual sack with his takedown of Aaron Rodgers in Week 8.
13	Ray Edwards, DE	You know. . .when he's not busy jumping offsides or getting ridiculous late hit penalties, Ray Ray has actually had a pretty solid year thus far, with 26 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks. Sure, he might be the "weak link" on the defensive line, but being the weak link on a defensive line this good is sort of like being a MENSA member with an IQ of "only" 135.
14	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	Second in the NFL in touchdown catches among tight ends, he gives the Vikings yet another weapon to utilize around the goal line. One could argue that he should be getting more catches, but with the emergence of Harvin and Rice, I'm not sure where those catches would come from. (Yes, I know, "Tahi" is the obvious answer.)
15	Ben Leber, LB	Still the quietest member of the defense, but as always, you don't hear his name called very often, which means he's doing what he's asked to do. Occasionally spectacular, but always solid. Still the only good thing Fran Foley ever did for the Minnesota Vikings.
16	Phil Loadholt, OT	The massive rookie from Oklahoma grabbed hold of the starting RT slot in training camp and, like most things he gets a hold of, he hasn't shown any signs of letting go of it any time soon. He did miss a game because of injury, but overall has provided a level of play that few may have expected from him as a rookie. We'll have to keep an eye on him to see if he hits the "wall" during the course of the year.
17	E.J. Henderson, LB	I'm surprised that he's down this far, too, but really. . .who ahead of him do you move? Frankly, E.J. just hasn't looked like E.J. most of the time this season. A good portion of the Vikings' woes against tight ends can be attributed to him (though there is blame to be spread around. . .give me a bit), and he just hasn't been the beast that he was prior to the dislocated toes that caused him to miss most of 2008. He is getting better, though, and hopefully will continue to do so as the season goes on.
18	Bernard Berrian, WR	He's had some injury problems this year, and his average yards/catch is significantly lower than it was in 2008, but he's still providing a pretty steady presence on the outside. He's become pretty much automatic on slant routes thus far this season, and it's only a matter of time before corners and safeties start biting on those and opening up big gainers over the top. He's not the #1 option any more, but he's still solid.
19	Cedric Griffin, CB	This is just my personal opinion, but there isn't a more frustrating player on the Vikings' roster to watch than Cedric Griffin. The guy has a ton of talent, and we know he has the capability to be really good (see the second half of last year), but there are too many times when he forgets how to tackle and gets beaten in coverage. Sadly, he's not even the most disappointing member of the secondary this season.
20	Anthony Herrera, G	Another guy we haven't heard a whole lot from this season, which is a positive. For the most part, he seems to be doing a relatively solid job at the right guard spot.
21	John Sullivan, C	For a guy starting at center for the first time in the NFL to be the pivot on an offense this good says a lot about Sullivan's ability. Has he been great all the time? No. . .but he hasn't been a tremendous drop-off from Matt Birk's play last year, either, and he's still been pretty good, despite a couple of mental errors (like the mis-timed snap in Green Bay).
22	Chris Kluwe, P	Yeah, he had a crappy ~~game~~ half against Pittsburgh, and Joshua Cribbs got a punt return TD against the Vikings in Week 1. . .he does that to a lot of teams. . .but Kluwe has made a lot of strides over last season, in my opinion. The willingness of the Guitar Hero to (finally) sacrifice some distance for hang time has been another part of the Vikings' special teams turnaround.
23	Jimmy Kennedy, DT	If Jimmy Kennedy isn't a testament to the amazing abilities of Vikings' defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, I'm really not sure what is. Kennedy has served the Vikings very well as a rotation player to this point of the season, and may be putting himself in line to be a replacement for Pat Williams in the near future. Yeah, "solid rotation" player isn't necessarily what you want from a guy that was once drafted #11 overall. . .but it's a hell of a lot more than St. Louis, Jacksonville, or Chicago got out of him.
24	Madieu Williams, S	One of the bigger disappointments on the team this year, in my opinion. There have been a few occasions where Williams has just looked completely lost this season, and for a veteran guy like him, that shouldn't happen. He really, really needs to step up his level of play in the second half of the season in order to bring the Vikings' pass defense up to where it needs to be.
25	Tyrell Johnson, S	The other biggest disappointment for the Vikings this year. I know this is his first year as the full-time starter, but he just hasn't been all that good. Nobody questions Johnson's physical ability, to be sure, but he needs to show more of why the Vikings took him in the second round in 2008.
26	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	We just keep putting Kleinsasser out there as a blocker every year, and he just keeps destroying everything in his path. I'm not sure how many years the guy can keep doing this, but he certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.
27	Cullen Loeffler, LS	I'll put the same thing I put next to his entry every year. . .when's the last time you remember the Vikings' special teams units being victimized by a bad snap? Loeffler is solid.
28	Heath Farwell, LB	The Vikings had a lot of turnover in their special teams coverage units between 2008 and 2009, but the return of Heath Farwell has been huge. He's always around the ball on special teams, whether it's kick returns or punt returns, and his tackling is as sure as ever.
29	Jeff Dugan, FB/TE	Remember when most of us thought the only reason the Vikings drafted Jeff Dugan was because he went to Maryland like Mike Tice did? Yeah, that was five seasons ago, and Dugan is still here. He's a solid blocker, and has even gotten a couple of passes this year. One of the more underrated Vikings. . .probably underrated on this list, too.
30	Chester Taylor, RB	This may seem way too low for Chester, but his yards/carry average is way down this year, and I really think we're seeing his last season in Minnesota, as he's in the final year of his contract. With the expansion of Adrian Peterson's role as a receiver and the improvement in his pass blocking, #29 just isn't as vital as he's been in years past.
31	Naufahu Tahi, FB	Good enough blocker, but again, I'll go with something I say every year. . .STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL. (Although he did have a 30+ yard catch-and-run against St. Louis, which means there are probably more plays in the playbook for him than ever.)
32	Brian Robison, DE	It's not that Robison is bad or anything, because he's clearly not. He just doesn't get a whole lot of opportunities with the guy he has in front of him taking all the snaps. Oh, and Brian. . .the next time a kickoff bounces into your hands, just fall down. . .please?
33	Jaymar Johnson, WR	Another guy that could probably be a few spots higher, he's stepped into the punt return role quite nicely after the injury to Darius Reynaud. Wouldn't mind seeing him get a few more shots as a receiver, but who's he going to displace, barring injury?
34	Kenny Onatolu, LB	I was really rooting for this guy to make the squad after his pre-season performance, and he hasn't disappointed, adding more solid play to the Vikings' special teams units.
35	Greg Lewis, WR	IT'S GREG LEWIS! TOUCHDOWN! OH MY GOODNESS! GREG LEWIS! WELCOME TO MINNESOTA! OH MY HEAVENS!
36	Fred Evans, DT	Twenty-nine taser-free months and counting for Evans. Way to go, #90!
37	Benny Sapp, CB	Could make an argument that he could be higher, I suppose. He's had his moments but, like many parts of the Vikings' secondary this season, he's made a few highlight reels for the wrong reasons, too.
38	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	Hasn't been a disruption, and has actually taken his demotion quite well. Has seen a bit of time in mop-up duty as well. I hope we don't have to see him this year, but if we do, I have confidence that he could do the job for a little while, at least.
39	Letroy Guion, DT	Has bounced back and forth between the active roster and the inactive list, but has done a solid enough job in the time he's gotten.
40	Artis Hicks, OL	Filled in for Phil Loadholt when the big guy was out with an injury, and played pretty well. Still a solid backup at numerous positions.
41	Asher Allen, CB	Has spent most of the year on the inactive list, but has been up for the last two games and has asserted himself pretty well. Easy to see the potential the Vikings seem to think he has.
42	Jasper Brinkley, LB	Hasn't seen much time as a LB, but has been a very good special teamer thus far.
43	Karl Paymah, CB	After watching him get thoroughly abused against Baltimore, it became clear why he was brought in as a special teamer and not a cornerback. He recovered nicely against Pittsburgh, though. . .and, hopefully, will be finding his way back to a strictly special teams role here soon.
44	Darius Reynaud, WR	Was doing an outstanding job as a punt returner before his injury, and now might not get his punt returner spot back thanks to Jaymar Johnson's performance.
45	Eric Frampton, S	Hasn't gotten the opportunity to come alive on defense. . .yes, I continue to murder that joke. . .but has been a good special teamer.
46	Husain Abdullah, S	See above, but without the reference to Peter Frampton.
47	Jamarca Sanford, S	Hasn't been up for all the games, but again has been a solid special teamer in the games that he has been.
48	Ryan Cook, OT	No Ryan Cook on the field makes Gonzo a happy blogger and Vikings quarterbacks much healthier than they may normally be.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	Sage Rosenfels, QB	The best-compensated #3 quarterback in the league. Nice work, if you can get it.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	Still pretty talented, but there just isn't room for him in Minnesota's defensive line rotation. Damn shame, too.
NA	Erin Henderson, LB	Heck, I'm not sure if Henderson the Younger is even still on the team.
NA	Jon Cooper, C	Was signed, then released, then signed again, and I don't think he's seen the field this year.
NA	Albert Young, RB	Hasn't seen the field this year, either.

And there you have it. I'm pretty sure that I haven't missed anybody. . .if I have, let me know, and I'll work them into the rankings at the appropriate place.

Statistically Speaking, Vikings Look Solid

Anthony21 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:20:00 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

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I'm not a big stats guy, but even a fella like me can look at the statistical leaderboards after five weeks and see that the Vikings are excelling in multiple facets of the game. A quick glance at the numbers:

Among quarterbacks, Brett Favre is third in the league in completion percentage (69.1%) with just Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning in front of him. His 104.1 quarterback rating places him at fourth in the league. Our pal across the border, Aaron Rodgers? Well, at least he's leading the league in something (sacks). If you thought Favre's protection was a little lacking, consider that Rodgers has been sacked nearly twice as much as Favre has (20 vs. 11). And that's with Green Bay taking last weekend off. I greatly enjoy the fact that the Mullet is single-handedly responsible for nearly 25% of those sacks.
We've talked about Adrian Peterson's quiet games against the Packers and Rams, but AD is still second in the league in rushing yards. His 481 yards put him six yards behind the pace-setter, Cedric Benson. AD leads all running backs with seven rushing touchdowns.
On the defensive side, E.J. Henderson's 41 tackles put him in 10th place in the league. Jared Allen is in second place on the sack leaderboard, trailing Antwan Odom and Elvis Dumervil (who have eight sacks each) with 6.5 sacks. Allen and Chad Greenway are also among 11 players who have recovered two or more fumbles this season, and the Mullet has forced three fumbles. The numbers justify the early MVP talk.
The Steal Of The Draft (Percy Harvin) has proven himself to be a lethal kickoff returner, and the stats back that up. His 31.2 yards-per-return average puts him in second place in the league. Darius Reynaud, who has missed the last two games, is averaging 17.3 per punt return -- also good enough for second in the NFL. The guy he was replaced with, Jaymar Johnson? Three returns, averaging 18.0 yards apiece.
Points per game? The Vikings are third in the league with an average of 31.2. If you would have told me this time last season that the Vikes would be one of the highest-scoring offenses in 2009 -- after the first five weeks, at least -- there's absolutely no way I would have believed you. Just as important as the points-per-game average is the turnover differential (+8). Your Vikings lead the league in that category.

Anything I missed? Give me a shout in the comments.

Vikings Complete Cuts; Final 53-Man Roster Announced

Gonzo — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:09:15 -0000

We'll get cut together
So now it's farewell
And maybe we'll come back
To the league, who can tell?
The coach wants to see me he said
"Bring your playbook"
Well I'll still get paid I hope because. . .

IT'S THE FINAL CUTDOWN!!
DUH NUH NUH NUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. . .DUH NUH NUH UH UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Stupid Youtube making me put this below the video rather than right next to it. Took me half an hour to realize that you apparently can't do that like you used to.

Anyway, let's hit the jump here and we'll compare the Vikings' roster to what I had envisioned them doing.

Quarterback

Gonzo's Prediction (3): Brett Favre, Sage Rosenfels, John David Booty
Actual Roster (3): Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Rosenfels

I didn't think they'd cut Booty, but I'm guessing they'll try to get him to the practice squad. Whether that actually happens or not is another matter. However, based on what we've seen from him the last two pre-seasons, I don't think I'll be terribly disappointed if he slips through our grasp.

By the way, the order in the "actual roster" list there reflects how I think the depth chart should look. Jackson clearly outplayed Rosenfels for most of the post-season, which means we spent a fourth-round pick and gave a three-year extension to a guy that should be inactive most Sundays. Peachy.

Running Back

Gonzo's Prediction (4): Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young, Naufahu Tahi
Actual Roster (4): Peterson, Taylor, Young, Tahi

No real suspense here. The coaching staff has liked Albert Young since last year, and Ian Johnson just couldn't overcome that. I honestly don't think that he'll get through to the practice squad, which is a real shame.

Wide Receiver

Gonzo's Prediction (6): Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, Bobby Wade, Jaymar Johnson, Darius Reynaud
Actual Roster (6): Berrian, Rice, Harvin, Wade, Johnson, Reynaud

Kevin Seifert said in his "Three and Out" about the Vikings that they "suddenly have the deepest group of receivers in the NFC North." That became obvious today when, for the first time in the Brad Childress era, the team chose to keep six wide receivers instead of five. With this group of receivers and Brett Favre behind center, I can't help but think that this might be the year that the "Kick Ass Offense" finally starts. . .you know. . .kicking ass.

Tight End

Gonzo's Prediction (3): Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan
Actual Roster (3): Shiancoe, Kleinsasser, Dugan

Dugan is technically listed as a fullback. Meh. Garrett Mills has, indeed, been released, so he's now free to be injured and take up an inactive roster spot for one of the other 31 NFL teams.

Offensive Line

Gonzo's Prediction (8): Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Anthony Herrera, Phil Loadholt, Drew Radovich, Artis Hicks, Ryan Cook
Actual Roster (8): McKinnie, Hutchinson, Sullivan, Herrera, Loadholt, Hicks, Cook, Jon Cooper

Cooper over Radovich is a small surprise, since Cooper is strictly a one-position backup at this point (as Mike Mayock pointed out last night). I'm not sure how much versatility Radovich had, but he didn't look spectacular last night by any means. No other surprises along the rest of this unit, although I'm sure that some people will still be surprised that the Vikings only kept eight offensive lineman rather than nine.

Defensive Line

Gonzo's Prediction (9): Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, Fred Evans, Letroy Guion, Jimmy Kennedy, Jayme Mitchell
Actual Roster (9): Allen, Williams, Williams, Edwards, Robison, Evans, Guion, Kennedy, Mitchell

Again, no surprises here. The team will no doubt try to slide Martail Burnett back to the practice squad, and it remains to be seen whether he gets that far. That's a disadvantage that teams like the Vikings have. . .they have to cut some really talented guys, and as a result their potential practice squadders tend to get "poached" more frequently than those from some other teams.

Linebacker

Gonzo's Prediction (7): Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway, Heath Farwell, Erin Henderson, Jasper Brinkley, Kenny Onatolu
Actual Roster (7): Leber, Henderson the Elder, Greenway, Farwell, Henderson the Younger, Brinkley, Onatolu

I guess Erin Henderson's injury isn't all that serious. Sorry, David Herron. . .if Bill Belichick wants to "steal" you back again, he can have at it. I'm actually really excited to see this group in action, particularly with the return of the man beast wearing #56 in the middle again.

Defensive Back

Gonzo's Prediction (10): Antoine Winfield, Cedric Griffin, Madieu Williams, Tyrell Johnson, Asher Allen, Karl Paymah, Benny Sapp, Jamarca Sanford, Husain Abdullah, Eric Frampton
Actual Roster (10): Winfield, Griffin, Williams, Johnson, Allen, Payman, Sapp, Sanford, Abdullah, Frampton

They. . .and by "they," I mean "some of you guys". . .thought I was crazy to suggest the Vikings would keep ten defensive backs. Well, lo and behold, there they are. There was just too darn much talent there to cut guys from this portion of the team. . .which is a nice problem to have, considering that the Vikings are going to have a lot of leads this year and opposing teams are going to have to throw a lot.

Special Teams

Gonzo's Prediction (3): Chris Kluwe, Ryan Longwell, Cullen Loeffler
Actual Roster (3): Kluwe, Longwell, Loeffler

Duh.

Okay. . .so, I went 51 for 53, which is a pretty decent percentage, I think. Just missed on a backup offensive lineman and how the QB battle would shake out. I don't see any huge surprises in the final 53 man roster. How's about everybody else? Any major heartburns or problems with what Rick Spielman, Brad Childress and company have done here? Have at it!

Gonzo's Fearless 53-Man Roster Projection for the 2009 Minnesota Vikings, Part II

Gonzo — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:32:37 -0000

by Paul Battaglia - AP

Will Vikings' seventh-round choice Jamarca Sanford (#33) be a member of Minnesota's 53-man roster? We'll know for sure by 5 PM Central time Saturday.(AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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So on Wednesday, I took a look at who I thought would stay on the Vikings' roster for Opening Day on the offensive side of the ball. If you'll recall, I had 27 of the 53 spots on the roster reserved.

QB (3) - Brett Favre, Sage Rosenfels, John David Booty
RB (4) - Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young, Naufahu Tahi
WR (6) - Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, Bobby Wade, Jaymar Johnson, Darius Reynaud
TE (3) - Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan
OL (8) - Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Anthony Herrera, Phil Loadholt, Ryan Cook, Drew Radovich, Artis Hicks
Special Teams (3) - Ryan Longwell, Chris Kluwe, Cullen Loeffler

So we need 26 more names in order to fill out the roster, and unlike the offense, there's a chance that this could potentially change due to injuries, since DE Brian Robison and LB Erin Henderson were both carted off of the Metrodome field this evening. But, assuming their injuries aren't that serious, here's who I'd go with if I were in charge of things at Winter Park. Believe me. . .I do not envy Rick Spielman right now.

Defensive Line

Starters: Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards
Backups: Fred Evans, Letroy Guion, Jimmy Kennedy, Brian Robison, Jayme Mitchell
Cut: Otis Grigsby, Antoine Holmes, Tremain Johnson, Martail Burnett

Kennedy is pretty much here for insurance as far as the whole StarCaps saga is concerned. If it were to come out between now and 5 PM Central tomorrow that the trial of the Williams' brothers wouldn't affect their availability for the 2009 season, you can scratch Kennedy off the list. He just hasn't done enough this pre-season, in my opinion, to warrant keeping him around in the event that #93 and #94 are going to be around all season. I originally had Martail Burnett on the big roster, but he unfortunately got caught up in a bit of a numbers game. The Vikings might be able to sneak him back onto the practice squad again, though.

Mitchell has made pretty good progress coming back from a torn ACL that ended his 2008 campaign in the pre-season, and Evans and Guion have shown themselves to be serviceable in the middle of the defensive line. Ten defensive linemen may seem like a lot, but with the way this team likes to rotate players around, particularly at defensive tackle, it might not be such a bad idea.

Linebackers

Starters: Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway
Backups: Heath Farwell, Jasper Brinkley, Erin Henderson, Kenny Onatolu
Cut: David Herron

If Erin Henderson's injury is serious enough to put him on IR, then Herron makes the team. I think he'd be a bit of a downgrade from Erin Henderson, but hey. . .injuries happen.

If you're of the mindset that the Vikings' special teams will be much improved in 2009. . .and I am. . .then this unit is probably going to be at the heart of that transformation, and that's what you're looking for when you're deciding the back half of the roster. We know that Henderson, Leber, and Greenway are outstanding, and I don't need to drum it into your heads any further. But we saw what losing Heath Farwell did to this team in 2008, and his presence will definitely be felt in 2009. Jasper Brinkley has been regarded as one of the bigger steals of the draft, and his combination of size and speed make him a good candidate to be a special teams demon as well. Henderson the Younger played on special teams last year as well, and should only get better with another season.

The guy that intrigues the heck out of me, however, is Kenny Onatolu. Having played his college ball at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, he went undrafted by the NFL and spent two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League and was signed by the Vikings after the 2008 season. If you saw the final pre-season game, you saw #55 flying all over the place and hitting everything in sight. He might be a little raw, but I think the guy could be great on special teams for the time being and eventually develop into a pretty good outside linebacker as well.

Defensive Backs

Starters: Antoine Winfield, Cedric Griffin, Tyrell Johnson, Madieu Williams
Backups: Asher Allen, Benny Sapp, Karl Paymah, Eric Frampton, Husain Abdullah, Jamarca Sanford
Cuts: Marcus McCauley, Marcus Walker, Colt Anderson, De'Von Hall

I know that keeping ten defensive backs might be a bit excessive, too, but there's also a lot of special teams impact to be had here as well. Frampton was one of the team's leading special teams tacklers last year, and Abdullah is also a capable special teamer. Paymah was brought in, at least in part, because of his special teams prowess as well, and Jamarca Sanford has too much speed and heart (in my opinion) to warrant cutting him. Now, if the team has to flip a coin as to whether to keep an extra DB or keep a d-lineman line Martail Burnett on the roster, I think they'll probably lean towards keeping the extra lineman. In that case, I think either Abdullah or Sanford is most likely to find themselves on the chopping block.

This also closes out the fairly disappointing Marcus McCauley era in Minnesota. After looking promising as a rookie in 2007, the third-round pick out of Fresno State couldn't even get on the field in 2008, and has spent most of this season playing too soft in zone coverage and getting beaten on a fairly regular basis by backup wide receivers on opposing teams. He's officially a disappointment, and it's time for the Vikings to cut their losses with him and move on, in my opinion. Asher Allen has looked really good, and looks to be taking after current Vikings' CB Antoine Winfield when it comes to sticking his nose into the running game and mixing things up. He could certainly have a worse role model, that's for sure.

There you have it. . .my 53-man Vikings' roster prediction for the 2009 season. Obviously there are some unanswered questions after tonight's pre-season finale, and we'll look over those tomorrow before the final cuts come down. Also, we're still awaiting word on the injuries to Erin Henderson and Brian Robison, and we'll pass that info along as soon as we've got it.

Gonzo's Fearless 53-Man Roster Projection for the 2009 Minnesota Vikings, Part I

Gonzo — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:55:23 -0000

More photos » by Dave Einsel - AP

Will we be seeing this in Minnesota at any point in 2009? We should know by this Saturday. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

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Well, folks, final cutdown day for the Beloved Purple, as well as the rest of the National Football League, is this Saturday, and the Vikings have a few interesting decisions to make. What are they going to do with the quarterback situation? Who's going to be the nickel back? What about the offensive line backups?

Have no fear, for it's now the time to make those projections for the Vikings' roster for the 2009 season. From 75 down to 53, here's what I think I would do if I were in charge. And, heck, I'm going to give myself an easy one to get things started.

Special Teams

Starters: Ryan Longwell (K), Chris Kluwe (P), Cullen Loeffler (LS)

Let's see. . .Longwell is the only kicker on the current roster, Kluwe is the only punter, and Loeffler is the only long-snapper. Therefore, I'll go out on a limb and guess that they're all going to make the team. Damn, this GM thing is easy!

Okay, with those three spots filled, the rest of the roster projection comes after the jump.

Quarterback

Starter: Brett Favre
Backups: Sage Rosenfels, John David Booty
Likely to be traded: Tarvaris Jackson

There's an outside chance that the Vikings will keep four quarterbacks, but I really don't think that's going to happen. Favre obviously didn't come here to hold a clipboard, and the Vikings didn't deal a fourth-round pick for Rosenfels and give him a contract extension to turn around and trade him five months later. That leaves the third QB spot to be decided between Jackson and Booty.

The Vikings could attempt to slip Booty onto the practice squad. . .and it's been determined that he is eligible for the practice squad. . .but Minnesota may still have a bad taste in their mouths over the Tyler Thigpen situation and might not want to allow that to happen again. Jackson, bolstered largely by his performance against Kansas City in the second game of the pre-season, has seen an increase in his potential trade value, and I can't shake the feeling that the Vikings will deal him to somewhere with a need at quarterback for a fifth-round choice. Teams like Jacksonville, Buffalo, and San Francisco are teams that I would expect to be associated with a potential Tarvaris Jackson trade.

Running Back

Starters: Adrian Peterson, Naufahu Tahi (FB)
Backups: Chester Taylor, Albert Young
Practice Squad Candidate: Ian Johnson
Cut: Nehemiah Broughton

The most interesting battle here has been for the #3 spot between Young and Johnson. While Johnson is the sentimental favorite in many eyes, the reason that the Vikings didn't draft a running back in 2009 is because the coaching staff likes Albert Young a lot. To Young's credit, he has outperformed Johnson this pre-season, and I'm not sure that Johnson has made a significant enough impact on special teams to merit a roster spot at this point. I'd love to see him spend a year on the practice squad, though.

As far as the fullbacks are concerned, Brad Childress has a really weird love affair with Tahi, and the versatility of a couple of players that will be mentioned later negates the need for another "pure" fullback. Nehemiah's pink slip should be Broughten to him sometime on Saturday.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice
Backups: Percy Harvin, Bobby Wade, Jaymar Johnson, Darius Reynaud
Cuts: Nick Moore, Vinny Perretta, Bobby Williams

Yes, I have the feeling that the Vikings will be forced to keep six receivers this time around. Contrary to a few years ago when the Vikings had basically zero talent at the WR position, now they have a decent little group. The guy that's on the bubble here is Reynaud. The Vikings appear to have given Percy Harvin the kick returner's job, and Jaymar Johnson is establishing himself as a decent punt return guy, so I'm not sure if they'll find a role for Reynaud or not. Granted, the Vikings do have a couple of guys in Harvin and Rice that have a propensity for getting banged up, but is that enough of a reason to spend a sixth roster spot on a wide receiver? I have a strange feeling that it will be.

Tight End

Starter: Visanthe Shiancoe
Backups: Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan
Practice Squad Candidate: Jake Nordin
Cut: Garrett Mills

Remember when we all thought that the Vikings "stole" Garrett Mills from the Patriots a few years back? Well, yeah. . .that was before we knew that the guy couldn't stay healthy for five consecutive minutes. He's been injured for the better part of this pre-season as well, and the time has probably come to just cut ties with him all together.

Nordin could be an intriguing practice squad candidate. He's a local kid with pretty decent blocking ability and good size. Plus, with the kind of offense the Vikings have run under Brad Childress, it probably wouldn't hurt them to have a spare TE stashed away somewhere. As far as the mainstays, Shiancoe looks to have a big year in 2009, and the ability of both Kleinsasser and Dugan to line up at fullback as well as TE is the reason I mentioned earlier that the Vikings don't need to keep two fullbacks around.

Offensive Line

Starters: Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Anthony Herrera, Phil Loadholt
Backups: Artis Hicks, Ryan Cook, Drew Radovich
Practice Squad Candidates: Jon Cooper, Andy Kemp
Cuts: Juan Garcia, Brian Daniels, Chris Clark

Versatility is going to be the key to how this part of the roster is affected. Artis Hicks played capably at a number of offensive line positions in 2008, and Ryan Cook can ~~suck~~ back-up at center, right guard, or right tackle. We haven't heard a lot of noise about Drew Radovich this year after hearing quite a bit about him prior to his injury in 2008, but when you're an offensive lineman, that's generally a pretty good thing. It's entirely possible that the Vikings will carry nine offensive linemen, too, but I'm not sure which of the guys I have getting cut is the most likely candidate to latch on if that becomes the case.

Cooper and Kemp strike me as good practice squad types for this year. Kemp is a mauler out of Wisconsin that the Vikings grabbed as an undrafted free agent, and Cooper. . .the Big 12 Conference's offensive lineman of the year as a senior. . .is an undersized, finesse center that would appear to fit quite well into the Vikings' zone-blocking scheme.

So, with that, we've filled 27 spots on the 53-man roster. That means the other 26 spots need to be filled with defenders, and that's exactly what we'll do in the second half of the preview. Look for that sometime tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, ladies and gentlemen!

Welcome to The Daily Schism

Gonzo — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:58:30 -0000

More photos » by Tom Olmscheid - AP

When asked about his team's current schism, Brad Childress responded by saying, "Schism? I don't even know 'im!" (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

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Adam Schefter, in his rush to throw out any ol' negative piece of crap about the Vikings he can muster, has decided to report that the Vikings' acquisition of Brett Favre has caused a "schism" in the Minnesota locker room. As Anthony has rightly pointed out, such accusations are pretty much a big, steaming pile of crap. . .but, as Anthony has also pointed out, it's also pretty much given us our catch word for the next few weeks, and I'm going to make every effort to work the word "schism" into things here as much as possible as a result. Also, since this is the English language and words can be manipulated pretty much any way we see fit, the word "schism" will be taking on many different forms.

For example. . .

-Judd Zulgad over at Access Vikings has reported that Bernard Berrian has resumed jogging at Vikings practice today. Berrian, the Vikings' leading receiver in 2008, suffered a schism in his hamstring during the pre-season opener against Indianapolis, and missed the Vikings' second pre-season game against Kansas City as a result. With speed being a huge part of Berrian's game, he has to be careful not to let that schism get any worse, and as a result coaches are unsure whether or not he'll be available for Monday night's pre-season game against Houston.

-Glenn Holt's bank account suffered a major schism today, as the Vikings cut the fourth-year wide receiver loose. Holt had been signed in the off-season to compete for punt return duties for the Beloved Purple, but the schism between himself and other candidates such as Percy Harvin and Jaymar Johnson had just become too wide after the first couple of pre-season games.

-I wonder if the Vikings' radio play-by-play team can work the word "schism" into a few plays this year. . .I can see it now. . .

PA: First and ten, Vikings, from the thirty-two, single back formation, two receivers left, one right along with Shiancoe. . .here's the snap, toss right to Peterson, setting up his blocks, darts through a schism to the thirty-five. . .AND HE'S LOOSE!! Adrian Peterson is streaking down the right sideline. . .twenty. . .ten. . .TOUCHDOWN, VIKINGS!!

Bercich: Man, PA, I'll tell you what. . .with a schism that wide, I could have gotten sixty-eight yards on that play. You could have darn near driven an eighteen-wheeler through that schism!

-I know that schism is a real word and everything, but it just seems like something out of a Snoop Dogg song, doesn't it? "All them other suckas, you won't even miss 'em, ya gotta know that Snoop Doggy Dogg is the schism. . ."

Yes, I just rapped. The apocalypse is nigh.

Seriously, any reports of a "schism" in the Vikings' locker room appear to be nothing short of completely and thoroughly ridiculous. The Vikings have strong enough veteran leadership in their locker room to ensure nothing like that happens, and by all accounts Brett Favre has been a great locker room guy to this point.

Defensive end Jared Allen told reporters he’s not taking any "schism questions because it’s a bunch of [expletive]."

Safety Madieu Williams said Favre has "fit in great."

"He’s one of the guys," Williams said. "Everybody has welcomed him with open arms. He’s been a great locker room guy."

Asked if players laugh about the schism report, Williams said: "We don’t pay attention to it because it’s all speculation. We know what goes on in our locker room."

Linebacker Chad Greenway, walking off the field, said: "Schism. You guys are making up words now."

Maybe folks like Schefter should spend more time looking for actual news stories and less time simply making crap up and seeing if anybody buys it.

Four Passes, Two Drives, One Big Night for Favre and Vikings

Anthony21 — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:17:38 -0000

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It was a surreal image: Brett Favre running out of the Vikings locker room, through the huge inflatable ship, and over to the Vikings' side of the field -- all while wearing a #4 purple jersey. Even before he played a single down, one couldn't help but be struck by the image of Favre warming up with his new teammates.

When he hit the field for his first drive of the game, the results were anticlimactic. The first play was a handoff to Peterson. Then Favre was under pressure, misfiring on a pass intended for Tahi but avoiding the sack. He came back on third down and completed a pass to Harvin -- which was just short of the first down marker. Chilly opted to go for it on fourth and short, but Peterson was stuffed. The Chiefs took over on downs.

While the initial plans for the evening indicated that Favre would only play a single drive, Chilly deviated from the script and sent Favre out to the field for the Vikings' second offensive drive of the game. Favre fired two more incompletions on that drive, missing on a throw to Jaymar Johnson that was the result of a quarterback and receiver who aren't quite used to each other yet. He took a big hit on third and long right after releasing the ball.

And that was that. T-Jack took over, and Favre's first game as a Viking had reached a conclusion.

Bottom line: He was rusty. You could tell he hasn't been with an NFL team for these last several months. You could also tell that he's new to this team and isn't acclimated with the receiving corps yet. But he made the veteran moves this team wants him to make. He attempted to draw the Chiefs offsides. He made a couple of tough throws and took a couple of tough hits on plays that a less-experienced quarterback might have taken a sack on.

Ultimately, the results were less than spectacular. He went 1-4 for four yards. One yard per pass attempt. But none of that matters at this point. Games like this are all about getting Favre back into the swing of an NFL season, getting him accustomed to his receivers, and getting him ready to run this offense. I could not care less about the stat line coming out of this game -- I want him to stay healthy and prepare for games that count.

Although he took some hits -- more hits than Chilly would have liked -- he stayed healthy. And although he misfired on three of his four passes, this is all part of the important process of getting a feel for his receivers.

Sure, Vikings fans would have preferred a highlight reel bomb to Percy Harvin. Or a strike to Sidney Rice in the endzone. But simply seeing Favre under center for the Vikings was more than enough to make this a memorable evening for the organization and its fans. We'll save the highlight reel bombs and endzone strikes for September.

Special Teams Look Solid in Debut

Anthony21 — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:38:57 -0000

Something that shouldn't be overlooked from Friday: The Vikings were clicking on special teams from start to finish. After a horrible 2008 season that featured the Vikes giving up 14.9 yards per punt return (good enough for 32nd place in the NFL) while allowing seven total touchdowns on special teams (good enough for an NFL record), things looked quite a bit better on Friday night.

The kickoff coverage was tremendous, as not a single Indy kickoff return went for beyond 18 yards. And although a decent punt return was given up late in the game, it was coming off a 58 yard Chris Kluwe punt.

Meanwhile, Jaymar Johnson was competent but unspectacular in his role as punt returner. He never displayed an ability to make the first defenders miss, and as a result finished the game with an 8.3 yard average on five returns. But more than anything, I want someone dependable back there fielding punts. Someone who won't turn the ball over. He might not break the big play, but Johnson at least seems to be a reliable returner.

The big question is how Percy Harvin fits into the punt and kickoff return games. He's been shaky in Mankato when fielding punts, but he has shown improvement and was also taking many kickoff returns during camp.

But going back to Friday's game, it didn't take long to establish the two key players on the kickoff and punt coverage units: Eric Frampton and Heath Farwell. All three of Frampton's tackles came on special teams ~~(oh, by the way, he also nabbed the Vikings' lone interception of the game)~~. And with Farwell back on the field, the difference between Friday and last season was like night and day. Not only do both Frampton and Farwell give the Vikings an excellent shot of not being lousy on special teams again -- they give the special teams a shot of actually being good.

Vikings' Training Camp Battles: Wide Receiver

Gonzo — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:25:59 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

4 months ago: Wide receiver Percy Harvin, a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings, smiles after arriving for his first workout during NFL football training camp Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009, in Mankato, Minn., after it was announced he had signed a contract. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

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When it comes to Minnesota Vikings' Training Camp, all eyes are pretty well focused on the battle at the quarterback position, as well they should be. We've done quite a bit of looking at the QB battle ourselves, and will continue to do so as the next couple of weeks go by. However, there are some other interesting depth chart fights taking place out there as well, and after the Summer of That One Guy, we need to take a closer look at a couple of them.

We're going to do that today, starting with the wide receiver position. Even though the Vikings' receivers aren't elite or anything, it's pretty impressive to see how far they've evolved in terms of talent during the Childress era. The receiver corps for Childress' first season in 2006 consisted of

-Troy Williamson
-Marcus Robinson
-Travis Taylor
-Billy McMullen
-Bethel Johnson

Man. . .compared to that group, our current receiver corps looks like Moss, Carter, and Reed, doesn't it?

In the three years Childress has been in Minnesota, he's only kept five receivers on the roster. If that's the case this year, and there hasn't been any indication given to think that it won't be, then it's going to make for some interesting decisions when the final cuts are made. Cutting Aundrae Allison a few days ago may have helped a little bit, but there's still going to be a log jam.

The way I see it, there are three receivers in camp right now that are absolute, 100% locks to be on the roster on 13 September in Cleveland. I don't think anybody questions whether or not Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, or Sidney Rice are going to make the team. Honestly, those will probably be the top 3 guys on the depth chart, provided that Rice can stay healthy for more than five consecutive minutes. The Vikings currently have ten receivers in camp, which means. . .in theory. . .that those remaining seven guys are competing for two roster spots. In reality, however, I think there are only three or four guys that are competing for those spots, while the rest are just camp bodies.

The Kid With All the Buzz

Since the off-season workouts began, the raves have come from all corners about second-year man Jaymar Johnson. Former Viking great Cris Carter worked out with Johnson (among others) at his receiving camp, and had nothing but good things to say about the 6', 185-pound speedster from Jackson State.

"You could tell that he went to a school that didn't have a sophisticated passing attack," Carter said of Johnson, a sixth-round draft pick out of Jackson (Miss.) State last year. "But he has phenomenal quickness and speed. Phenomenal. And his hands are better than you would think, from a guy that fast."
"He could start for the Vikings," said Carter, now an ESPN analyst.

Coach Childress also said that Johnson might be the hardest working guy on the team, based on the progress he's made since being the Vikings' sixth-round selection in 2008 and spending the year on the practice squad.

The scouting report on Johnson tells us that he's got outstanding speed and quickness, as Carter noted, has pretty decent hands, and runs pretty good routes. The big knock on him was his size, but he's added almost 20 pounds since last season, so it doesn't appear that's going to be an issue any more. It will be interesting to see how the Vikings use him in 2008, because I have a feeling we're going to be hearing his name a lot.

The Guy Whose Job Might Not Be As Secure As I Originally Thought

I'll be honest with you. . .I think that a lot of fans have given Bobby Wade a raw deal since the Vikings signed him as a free agent before the 2007 season. The guy has led the team in receptions both years he's been a Viking, and while he's not super spectacular or anything, the guy has been a fairly steady, level-headed presence for this Vikings team. Should Bobby Wade be a starting wide receiver in the National Football League? No, probably not. Is he as bad as a lot of people would have you believe he is? Certainly not.

The problem that Wade is going to run into this season is attempting to figure out where, exactly, he fits into the roster. His ideal spot is as a slot receiver, but Percy Harvin will almost certainly take a big part of that role away, and he has to watch his back for another guy on this list that I'll get to momentarily. He could also possibly fit in as a punt returner, but the Vikings appear to be grooming both Harvin and Jaymar Johnson to take on those responsibilities. He's simply not big enough to line up full-time on the outside, and even if he was, Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice have those spots locked down.

Before the off-season started, I was certain that Wade was going to be a lock to make the team again. Now, with the off-season having gone the way it has. . .I think he's about a 50/50 proposition to be here on Opening Weekend.

The Wild Card

Having come to the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia, Darius Reynaud didn't see a whole lot of action in 2008, but showed some promise in the limited playing time he did get. He averaged 25.1 yards on 8 kickoff returns, including a big 49-yarder against the Bears in Week 13. Reynaud has pretty good speed and quickness, and while not being real tall. . .he's listed at 5'9", and that might be a bit generous. . .he's got some pretty good bulk for a guy that height, weighing in at right around 200 pounds.

Word has been coming out of Mankato that Reynaud has been taking some snaps in the ~~Loki~~ Wildcat formation for the Vikings, which adds a little bit to his versatility. He got to the team last year in Week 12, and he appears to be over the injuries that limited him to three appearances in 2008. If he can stay healthy, he's could very easily find himself on the team as a kick return specialist, at the very least.

The "Return Guy"

Glenn Holt joined the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky in 2006 He spent last year returning kickoffs and punts for the Bengals and signed with the Vikings during the off-season. He hasn't shown much as a receiver at the NFL level. . .Holt has just 20 catches in three years, and 16 of those 20 came in 2007. . .but he has shown a little bit of spark on special teams, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 2007. However, since it appears that his place in the NFL is strictly on special teams, I'm not sure if he's going to be able to latch on to the roster, particularly when the Vikings have some younger and more versatile options at their disposal.

(Oh, and I put "return guy" in quotes up there because, quite frankly, I think Glenn Holt has "Maurice Hicks" written all over him. No, that's not a positive.)

The Rest

The other three receivers currently in the Vikings' employ are Vinny Perretta, Bobby Williams, and Nick Moore.

Perretta's claim to fame, at this point, is throwing the TD pass in overtime of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl that set up the "Statue of Liberty" play that current Viking Ian Johnson ran into the end zone for a Boise State victory, allowing Johnson to propose to his cheerleader girlfriend in the end zone after the upset.

(Man, if my old high school English teacher was dead, that sentence would have him spinning in his grave.)

Perretta's father, Ralph, was an NFL lineman for six years with the San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately for Perretta, I have a feeling that that's all the closer he's going to get to being in the NFL this year. He might be worth a practice squad flier, but I just don't see him being able to make the climb onto the big club, barring something strange happening.

Nick Moore, out of Toledo, is the younger brother of New Orleans Saints wide receiver Lance Moore. Like Perretta, I just think there are too many obstacles in his way to making the squad this year.

Bobby Williams is a 6'3", 195-pound receiver out of North Alabama. And, with that, you now know every bit as much about Bobby Williams as I do. He doesn't even have a picture on the Vikings' official website. Something tells me that they won't have to do a lot of looking around for one.

Gonzo's Projection

As I've already stated, Berrian, Rice, and Harvin are in. I think that Jaymar Johnson makes the squad as well. . .after all, if Cris Carter tells you that the kid can play, the kid can play.

The fifth (and possibly final) spot? Man. . .I don't know. At this point, I think you'd almost have to flip a coin between Wade and Reynaud. Or maybe Childress will be compelled to keep six wide receivers this year, although I'm not sure which position he'd sacrifice at in order to make that happen. In any case, the battle for those last two receiver spots should be a very interesting one, and definitely something non-QB related to talk about through the course of camp.