SB Nation - Asher Allen

Will Warner and Winfield Play Tonight?

Gonzo — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:36:57 -0000

Upon inspection of the injury reports for both teams going into tonight's duel in the desert, each team has one very significant name listed, and the status of each of those players is up in the air at this point in time.

For the Vikings, that player is obviously cornerback Antoine Winfield, who has been absent from the Vikings' lineup since the second quarter of the Baltimore game. We had heard that #26 would be back for the game against the Seattle Seahawks, but found out that he had been deactivated prior to the start of the game. Winfield himself had said that he expected to be back for Minnesota's game against Chicago, but he was inactive last week, too. With the Vikings having to face the best trio of receivers they'll see this year, and perhaps in the entire National Football League in Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, the Vikings could certainly use the services of Winfield this evening.

Of course, the Vikings' pass defense has been doing okay without Winfield, and have gotten some playing time for some of the guys that are lower on the depth chart, such as Karl Paymah and rookie Asher Allen. That experience will only help this team as the post-season draws closer.

Winfield has told the Star-Tribune that he will be a game-time decision for tonight. I hope that he's out there, but I think the Vikings can still win without him.

Speaking of the Cardinals' passing game, their main concern lies with the man responsible for pulling the trigger on that attack, quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner suffered a concussion against the St. Louis Rams a couple of weeks ago, and missed the second half of that game, along with the Cardinals' loss to Tennessee last weekend. Warner's agent has said that he would be "surprised" if Warner didn't start for the Cardinals tonight, but there hasn't been any truly definitive word as to how clear Warner is at this point. Obviously, the Arizona offense becomes much less frightening if Matt Leinart starts at quarterback, but the Vikings' defensive line will definitely need to get after whichever player starts this evening. Minnesota leads the NFL in sacks, but the Cardinals have only allowed 18 sacks in 2009, fifth-fewest in the NFL.

These two players could potentially be difference makers in tonight's matchup of two on the NFL's best teams. It will be interesting to see if either or both of them take the field for their teams.

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.

And On the Ninth Week, They Rested.

ericj69 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:56:19 -0000

It appears only one NFC team stands in the Vikings' way at the halfway point of the season. Here are their cheerleaders.

View full size photo »

If you gave every NFL team the option of when they wanted their bye week, I'm guessing most teams would pick Week 9 because it is the precise median of the 17-week NFL season. Thankfully, the Vikings get that perfect weekend off to kick back and enjoy their perch atop the NFC North. Of course I don't know any of the players personally, but here's how I envision some of them spending their free time this week:

Jared Allen: Hunting at least four species of wild animal using a variety of weapons: bow, shotgun, rifle, his bare hands, and his mullet. The nice thing for Jared is that he doesn't have to change his wardrobe at all when he goes hunting. (Speaking of hunting, I'm heading up to Warroad for my annual deer hunting trip in a few hours, which is why my weekly picks are coming out a day early. Didja see da turdy pointer?)

Brad Childress: Working the drive-thru at McDonald's. (What, you didn't think Mickey D's was just going to give him that headset did you? He has to work it off!) Childress also plans to watch his favorite DVD, "Awesome Beards in History, narrated by Chuck Norris" about five or six more times.

Adrian Peterson: Destroying brick walls and large construction equipment by simply lowering his shoulder into them. You know, just to stay sharp.

Percy Harvin: Making room in his trophy case for the 2009 NFL Rookie of the Year Award. And thinking up more mysterious illnesses to get out of practice during the week.

Asher Allen: Hopefully throwing away his "How to Tackle, by Deion Sanders" book.

Antoine Winfield: Miraculously healing his sprained foot in time for next week's game. (Please?!)

Chris Kluwe: Finally beating "Through the Fire and Flames" on Expert in Guitar Hero III and upgrading his Dark Elf Mage to Level 50 on World of Warcraft.

Brett Favre: Finally choosing that TV at Sears.

Tarvaris Jackson: Watching game film from last year's Arizona game alone in his house and quietly sobbing. "I had FOUR TOUCHDOWNS! FOUR! I CAN DO IT TOO!"

Sage Rosenfels: Finish writing his novel titled "The Easiest Money I Ever Made: My Time with Brett and the 2009 Vikings."

Pat Williams: Eating. A lot. Duh.

Bryant McKinnie: I actually know this one. He went through the "ESPN Car Wash" yesterday, appearing on roughly 42 ESPN radio and TV segments. This is a much better alternative to his original plan of ~~fighting in parking lots~~ clubbing in Miami.

(More bye week thoughts and my Week 9 picks after the jump.)

Obviously, the Vikings are in great shape halfway through the 2009 season. They're 7-1, they already have 5 road games out of the way, they pick up after the bye with three home games, and if that wasn't enough, the first one is against the Lions!

But as The Wolf uttered one of my favorite lines of all time in Pulp Fiction, "Let's not start sucking each other's d---- just yet."

We all remember the team that our quarterback was on last year, right? The Jets started 8-3, then Favre got hurt and the wheels fell off. Yes, I know, this team is different, and undoubtedly better overall. I'm just sayin', OK? Of any fan base, we Vikings fans should know that a season can turn at any time without warning. We have a looong way to go before we start seriously talking about that February game in Miami, especially with that team in New Orleans putting up 40 points a game at will. But so far, so good, right?

Let's just hope that the Vikings take this most opportune time to rest, recharge, and be ready to make the second half of the season even better than the first.

Now for my Week 9 NFL picks (home team in CAPS):

FALCONS over Redskins: My Eliminator pick this week (still going at 8-0). I have always loved Clinton Portis' wild characters and costumes he thinks up during press conferences. This year, he's even wearing them on the field! Although I'm not sure "Washed-up NFL Malcontent Running Back" is quite as funny as "Dolla Bill."

BEARS over Cardinals: I wouldn't bet your money on this game. Have two teams ever looked so good and bad on a week-to-week basis? I'm taking the Bears here, but I wouldn't be surprised by a 40-point blowout either way in this one.

Ravens over BENGALS: Big-time revenge game here; Baltimore had their first meeting locked up until they went all penalty-happy. Fun drinking game if you're watching this one: drink every time the announcers mention "leader", "motivator", or "intensity" when referring to Ray Lewis. You should be bombed halfway through the second quarter.

COLTS over Texans: It only took Houston seven and a half years to get two games over .500! Congratulations! I'm a little worried about Indy's rushing attack, but the Colts are in the "not picking against them until they lose" category with New Orleans.

JAGUARS over Chiefs: If I was Maurice Jones-Drew and my team fell behind early to Kansas City on Sunday, I would strip the ball from David Garrard and run it myself every time a pass play was called.

PATRIOTS over Dolphins: Like I'm going to pick against Bellichick at home when he's had two weeks to prepare for a gimmick offense.

Packers over BUCCANEERS: Give the Packers credit--they have looked AMAZING against awful teams this year. Good work Pack! You're 4-1 against teams not named the Vikings!

SAINTS over Panthers: It looks like John Fox is finally figuring out that his rush offense is approximately 48 times more efficient than his pass offense...but it's hard to run the ball a lot when the Saints are putting up Arena League scores.

SEAHAWKS over Lions: Hey, T.J. Houshmandzadeh: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! How's choosing Seattle over Minnesota working out for you?

GIANTS over Chargers: The Chargers are 0-3 against teams with winning records. Believe it or not, the Giants still have a winning record.

49ERS over Titans: Although the Niners seem to have mastered the art of "How to Look Good and Still Lose", I think they'll get a big enough lead in this game to not have to worry about their new skill.

EAGLES over Cowboys: I'm rooting for only one thing in this game: lots and lots of injuries. Worst two fan bases in football? Worst two fan bases in football.

Steelers over BRONCOS: Like Christina Hendricks and Lindsay Lohan, these two teams seem like they're heading in opposite directions.

Last week: 8-5

Season so far: 83-33

Fake Mailbag Friday!

ericj69 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:52:59 -0000

She's the Antoine Winfield of Hollywood. Amy Winehouse is more like the Carl Paymah of Hollywood. Need I say more?

View full size photo »

If you've read my articles with any frequency, it should be of no surprise that I'm a bit of a Bill Simmons fan. When I first started reading his Sports Guy articles back in 2001, my first thought was "Holy crap, that's exactly how I would write about sports! You know, if I could actually write and stuff." Eight years later, here we are--I still can't write, but I still try to ~~blatantly rip him off~~ model my style of writing after his. Now I have an online following about 0.0000001% the size of Simmons' audience. But I get to write about my favorite team, which is awesome even if I make just slightly less money than Bill for doing it.

So to pay tribute to the Sports Guy for inspiring me (and also because I couldn't think of a good theme for this week's article), I'm shamelessly stealing one of his most popular column gimmicks--the mailbag!

Unfortunately, barely anybody actually emails me about the Vikings. Probably because I'm just another dude on a blog and nobody cares what I think? Oh well. At least I still have my imagination. So without further ado, I present to you my first-ever Fake Mailbag! Let's get to the fake questions I totally made up:

Now that I have approved a new stadium approved for Los Angeles Cal-i-for-nee-ah, are you sceeahed that we will Terminator your team and give them a Total Recall to Jingle All The Way to L.A.? Or do you think just because you have The Last Action Hero (Brett Favre) and The Running Man (Adrian Peterson) that you will avoid The Predator and stay in Minnesota with your Twins?

--Ahhnold S., California

As Anthony pointed out yesterday, Ahhnold has approved the legislature for a new stadium in L.A. Bottom line: this means that sooner or later, an NFL team is moving to Los Angeles. The stadium construction won't be started until a team is actually moving there, but I'm guessing that the league wants a team in the second biggest TV market in the country. Just a hunch. There won't be expansion, because 32 teams is almost utopian for scheduling.

While this isn't exactly thrilling news for Vikings fans, I'm finding it hard to believe that we'd be the team to move. We actually sell out our games (especially after the arrival of The Last Action Hero) and the local fans actually give a crap. Sure, we probably need a new stadium in a few years, but won't Jacksonville already be in LA by then? (Sorry to all fourteen Jags fans, but that city just doesn't care enough about their team.)

(By the way, let's see Simmons cram seven Schwarzenegger movie references into two sentences. Also, if you're looking to kill a few minutes, there's no better way to do so than with the Arnold soundboard. I'M A COP YOU IDIOT!)

How terrified are you that I'm going to almost certain to get lots of playing time on Sunday?

--Karl Paymah, Eden Prairie, MN

Let's just say that your jersey would be the scariest Halloween costume to every Viking fan on the planet.

With all of the talent on the Vikings' roster, Antoine Winfield is probably the one player we can't afford to lose for any length of time. He's incredibly crucial against the run and he can mute the effect of the opponent's best receiver. Paymah was brought in to be a special teams ace, and he's fit the bill admirably. But going from Winfield to Paymah at corner is like going from Megan Fox to Amy Winehouse. Hopefully rookie Asher Allen can step up in his first major action of the year, but we certainly can't expect that. Paymah, Cedric Griffin, and Benny Sapp are going to need to play out of their minds on Sunday to keep up with the top-tier aerial attack of the Steelers. (Yes, it felt just as weird typing that about the Steelers as it was reading it.)

How can I explain to the jury that my erection is due to how excited I am to face a depleted Vikings secondary and not because of the hotel employee in the courtroom?

--Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh, PA

That's a tough one Ben. Did you ask her "Hey, want to see why they call me 'Big Ben'?" Because if I were you, I'd say that about 300 times a day. If you had only learned from Kobe...but I digress. I understand how thrilled you must be to face a Winfield-less Vikings team that gave up roughly 2,538 yards in the 4th quarter to the Ravens last week.

Big Ben is having one of the sneakiest great statistical years that I can remember. He leads the league in passing yards and has more fantasy points than Drew Brees. Yet nobody is really talking about him; which is doubly weird because of that whole "incident." If the Vikings can't get #7 to the ground early and often, it's going to be a long day for our Beloved Purple.

(I was going to go with the "Vikings need to get all over Roethlisberger like he works at Harrah's Lake Tahoe" joke there, but I thought it was a little tasteless. More mailbag and my Week 7 picks after the jump.)

Are you guys excited to see me back on the field? And how great are my Head & Shoulders commercials?

--Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

To answer your first question: absolutely not. The Steelers defense is nowhere near as dominant when you were sidelined with your injury...much like I think the Vikings will be without Winfield this week. As for your commercials: they're classic. I've never seen no-brainer marketing and humor mixed in so seamlessly with quasi-homoeroticism. "You asked with your eyes Trent. You asked with your eyes."

Um...what happened? Why am I here?

--Willie Parker, The Turf After 1.8 yards

Sorry Willie, but we're going to have to revoke your "Fast" nickname. Yeah, just put it back in the bin next to LaDanian's old nickname. He had to give "LT" back. We shouldn't have given it to him in the first place since it was already taken, but he was embarrassing it to the point where we were forced to take it back.

Is there anything more inexplicable/fascinating in the sports world than the sudden cliff a running back falls off in productivity? One minute a guy can't be tackled be a wrecking ball; the next minute it looks like toddlers can arm tackle him. I think that Willie Parker may have hit that cliff. Unfortunately for Vikings fans, it looks like Rashard Mendenhall is going to pick up the slack fairly well.

It sounds like you don't have much confidence in my team this week. How come? Is it because we're undefeated? Is it because I'm the leading rusher in the NFL? Is it because we have the third highest rated passer in the NFL right now? Maybe it's because only the Saints score more points than us? Or were you scared how the Steelers went down to the wire with teams like the Lions and Titans?

--The Purple Jesus, You Know Damn Well Where I Am

Although you present excellent arguments, I'm playing the role of Purple Judas this week. If Winfield was healthy, I'd pick the Vikes here. But I think his absence will really have a huge negative impact for the Vikings defense against the Steelers. Pittsburgh can and will spread us out with multiple dangerous wide receivers (start Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward, fantasy players), and I don't see our secondary keeping up. Throw in the fact that we're historically bad on the road outdoors and on grass along with how we've more or less got lucky in two of our wins, and I think we're due for the first L of 2009 on Sunday.

Prediction: Steelers 31, Vikings 27

(But after my picks last week, you should feel good about the Vikings' chances.)

What the hell went wrong with your picks last week? You're cruising along all year, then you barely break .500 in Week 6? I lost money because of you!

--A figment of my imagination (because nobody would ever gamble based on who I pick)

You know what? You're right. Time to get back on track. My Week 7 picks (home team in CAPS):

Packers over BROWNS: Wow, Detroit and Cleveland in back-to-back weeks? Rough schedule there Green Bay. Oh wait...

TEXANS over 49ers: I went back and forth on this game at least a dozen times. There are so many reasons to pick for and against each team...so I just said eff it and went with the home team.

Chargers over CHIEFS: When you pour Gatorade on your coach to celebrate going 1-5, chances are I'm not going to pick your team very often.

Colts over RAMS: Can we update the NFL rules to include a running clock for the second half of this game? This is my Eliminator pick of the week, but I already feel terrible for how bad the Rams are going to get their asses handed to them.

Patriots over Buccaneers (In London): Oh bloody 'ell Bucs fans!! Not only does your team get rogered out of a home game, but you're going to get knackered by New England...in Jolly Old England! Right-o chaps!

PANTHERS over Bills: Last week the Bills proved that if you throw six interceptions, they can beat you in overtime. I see only 4, maybe 5 picks from Delhomme this week, tops. That's why I'm picking Carolina.

Jets over RAIDERS: Good news for both teams: Tom Cable won't have to go to jail, and Mark Sanchez doesn't have to play in the New York weather this week. Bad news for both teams: Cable still coaches the Raiders, and Sanchez still plays for New York.

Falcons over COWBOYS: I originally had Dallas here, but I honestly couldn't come up with any reasons why they'd win. Maybe if Atlanta got lost on their way to the field...after arriving at the stadium. I'm fairly certain that could happen.

Saints over DOLPHINS; The Dolphins could control the clock with their Wildcat-happy offense for 55 minutes of this game, and I still think the ridiculous Saints offense could win by a field goal. I'll take the Saints in a game that might be closer than people think.

Bears over BENGALS: The Cedric Benson Bowl! How ironic is it that Benson is performing exponentially better than Matt Forte this season? If this game happened next week, I'd choose the Bengals. No way the Official Team of Halloween gets beat on Halloween weekend at home. But alas, we're a week too early, and I think the Bears have a better team overall.

GIANTS over Cardinals: The Cardinals looked great last week in a win over the Seahawks. Of course, that means the Cardinals will look terrible this week and get blown out by the Giants. That's how they work.

Eagles over REDSKINS: Imagine you're the President of the United States. However, you can't sign any bills or veto anything and you have to do every speech naked. I think that's what Jim Zorn feels like right now. A pointless, embarrassed figurehead.

Last week: 8-6

Season so far: 66-24

Vikings Kick Tires on Cornerbacks

Gonzo — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:24:27 -0000

With Antoine Winfield's status for this Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers up in the air at this point, the Vikings have brought in some cornerbacks to potentially sign. It's not a replacement for Winfield, mind you, but more than likely for a spot on the practice squad, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The three players that the Vikings brought in today were DeAndre Wright, who was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2009 draft, Trae Williams, a 2008 fifth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles that spent last season on the Jaguars' practice squad, and Mark Parson, who spend the pre-season with the Houston Texans after going undrafted out of Ohio University.

According to Sean Jensen, the Vikings are expected to sign Wright to the practice squad in the very near future.

If Winfield is out this Sunday, it's likely that third-round pick Asher Allen would see his first NFL action for the Beloved Purple at the House that Ketchup Built this weekend. Or, at least, one would hope so. . .because if I see Karl Paymah out there playing anything but special teams on Sunday, I'm going to be significantly disappointed.

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)

View full size photo »

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.

One "Loose End" Resolved, Others Remain

Anthony21 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:28:14 -0000

Well, how about some big news this week that doesn't involve Brett Favre? NFL.com reports that Antoine Winfield and his agent met with team officials today to finalize a contract extension. According to Steve Wyche, there are no "deal-breakers" lurking between where the sides currently stand and the finalization of a multiyear deal.

With that offseason "loose end" seemingly resolved -- or damn close to being resolved, at least -- it looks like things just became a little more solidified for the Vikings as training camp approaches. However...

Three draft picks still need to be signed. Seventh-round pick Jamarca Sanford inked a deal in late June and fifth-round pick Jasper Brinkley signed about a week later. But Asher Allen, Phil Loadholt and Percy Harvin have yet to sign, even though about half of the few hundred draft picks in this year's class have inked deals.
And then there's the continuing legal struggles of Pat and Kevin Williams. We'll know by August 7th whether the state court case will wait to proceed until a three-judge panel in federal appeals court hears oral arguments (which will take place on August 18th). The Williamses obviously want the state case heard before the season starts, as they're pushing for some closure by the opening week of the season.
Oh yeah, there's also that one guy in Hattiesburg who is supposedly going to decide this week on his plans for this season. If he's interested in making that decision before training camp, he only has a matter of days remaining. Once he decides, we can scratch this one off the list of offseason "loose ends."

Where do we go from here? Assuming things continue going smoothly for Winfield and the two sides hammer out an agreement soon, I see those bullet points as being the "big three" things that we'll need to see some progress on. For now, though, it's great to see that Winfield will (apparently) remain a Minnesota Viking for the forseeable future.

Two Down, Three to Go

Anthony21 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:50:40 -0000

Seventh-round pick Jamarca Sanford inked a deal with the Vikings last week, becoming the first player in the team's 2009 draft class to sign -- and now, we have another player to add to that list. The team announced today that fifth-round pick Jasper Brinkley, a linebacker, has reached a contract agreement:

The Vikings thought enough of Brinkley that they traded a fifth- and seventh-round pick to Washington in order to move up in the fifth round and grab him. The Vikings project Brinkley as the backup to E.J. Henderson at middle linebacker, a position they had to scramble to fill last season after Henderson was lost early in the season because of injury. Brinkley also should play a significant role on special teams this season.

If he can contribute on special teams this season, it'd be fair to call the selection of Brinkley a good one in my book. As you may recall, he went down with a devastating knee injury in 2007 -- he returned to the field in 2008 but wasn't quite up to par with his pre-injury level of performance. Here's hoping his rebound from the injury continues this season, because if it does, Brinkley could turn out to be an excellent value from the fifth round.

Based on the pattern so far -- starting with the seventh-round pick and working backwards -- Asher Allen would logically be the next member of the draft class to sign. We'll have to wait and see if that ends up being the case.

Did The Draft Help The Vikings?

Brandon — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

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Minnesota improved from 8-8 in 2007 to 10-6 in 2008 by using the 2008 draft to fix a big hole on their team; their pass defense. In 2009, their defense doesn't need much help, but they had to do something to address the pass offense. Unfortunately with an improved record comes a lower draft position, and they would have to wait until the No. 22 selection overall to fix it. This April's draft was lean on impact quarterbacks or receivers, so they went and took a big chance.

When Minnesota finished 8-8 in 2007, they had two glaring problems on their team. First, the pass offense was mediocre, and it might have been plain awful if teams hadn't started stacking 8 guys in the box to stop RB Adrian Peterson. Second, the pass defense was terrible. They did a good job in free agency, signing WR Bernard Berrian to help the pass offense and FS Madieu Williams to help the pass defense. But the best move they made was basically trading their 2008 draft to Kansas City for DE Jared Allen. His 14.5 sacks transformed the pass defense.

Despite the outstanding run and pass defense now in Minnesota, all it brought them was a 10-6 record, a playoff birth, and a one-and-done result. And this defense is built for today; it's not loaded with young players. Allen, DT Pat Williams and DT Kevin Williams, and CB Antoine Winfield (to name four) are all great players, but they aren't going to get any better. The window of opportunity for their defense is now.

Unfortunately their offense took a step back in 2008. Peterson's yards per carry slipped from 5.6 to 4.8, and he led the league by a large margin with 9 fumbles. It was worse for RB Chester Taylor. His yards per carry fell from 5.4 to 4.0. Still solid, but not what it was in 2007. Although Berrian had a solid season to provide the pass offense a boost, the QB carousel continues moving from QB Tarvaris Jackson to QB Gus Frerotte to QB Sage Rosenfels to QB Brett Favre?.

With the top 3 QBs off the board by the time Minnesota selected at No. 22 overall, there wasn't a QB with a 1st round grade still available. They would have to do something else to help the passing game, and here's what they did:

1st round - WR Percy Harvin. The Vikings have been worried about their public perception for a few years now, trying to avoid anything like the Love Boat Party Scandal or the Whizzinator. Then they draft a guy who flunked his marijuana test. Before the draft, Gonzo at Daily Norseman was sure they wouldn't draft Harvin, but now believes Harvin will "add another dimension to the offense." From an onfield POV alone, this pick doesn't help the Vikings. At 5'11" and 184 lbs., he's one of the smaller guys in the NFL and he's already shown some durability concerns. With his smaller frame, he'll have trouble separating from cornerbacks in coverage.
2nd round - RT Phil Loadholt. There is no concern Loadholt is too small to play in the NFL. At 6'8" and 332 lbs., mammoth is often used to describe him. But he had trouble with speed rushers in college, Washington's 1st round pick, DE Brian Orakpo, dominated Loadholt in college with his speed move, which is why he fell into the 2nd round. He only projects at right tackle. But the incumbent starting RT Ryan Cook is a poor fit, so Loadholt fills an immediate need at right tackle.
3rd round - CB Asher Allen. At first glance, he's not an impressive pick. At 5'10" with a 4.64 time in the 40, he's not big or fast. The Vikings need him to provide depth and challenge for the job as nickel back.

There were two other players drafted in the 5th and 7th round to provide depth at linebacker and in the secondary. It might come back to haunt the Vikings that they've drafted so few players in 2008 and 2009.

Loadholt seems like a good player, although he'll need help with speed rushers on passing downs from a back or tight end. So that won't help the passing game as it should mean one less receiver will be running a route. And I don't like undersized players like Harvin and Asher. If Harvin and Loadholt become solid starters, then it could be a solid draft. But this draft will certainly not provide much depth and it has bust potential.

Poll

What draft grade do you give to Minnesota's 2009 class?

A

62 votes

B

236 votes

C

187 votes

D

67 votes

F

44 votes

596 votes | Poll has closed