Here is my prediction/ evaluation for the 2011 Vikes offense.  I have always thought myself to be fairly objective, although it does get hard to do so when talking about my favorite team.  With that said, here goes nothing...

QB  (B-)

McNabb: I like that we brought him in.  McNabb to MN has been rumored for years, and I'm glad we got him.  I think after that year in WA, he has something to prove.  Look for him to have a great year.  I'm thinking 3,500 yards - 25 TD's - 12 INT's.

Ponder:  I really like this guy.  We picked him too high, but then again, it was simply due to the market.  QB's were at a premium this year.  Ponder is very smart, has good accuracy, decent power, and can scramble when needed.  I am looking forward to a year or two down the road when we can see what he can do.

Webb: Webb is an athlete.  Plain and simple.  Can he throw the ball?  Yep.  Can he run the ball?  Yep.  Can he catch the ball?  Yep.  Can he play safety?  Yep I wouldn't doubt it.  Basically, I like this guy on the field, but I don't see him as a field general.  Now that the NFL has changed the rule so the 3rd QB can be active on gameday, I expect Webb to be used in a variety of ways.  Awesome.

RB (A+)

Peterson:  Best RB in the league.  Only 1 fumble last year.  I'm thinking 1800 yards, plus 700 yards receiving, 19 TD's (total), 3 fumbles (1 lost) 

Gerhart:  Decent back up.  Nothing special/fancy, but he'll get you yards in small consistent chunks.  Can catch.

Booker/ Tristan Davis:  Could go either way.  Whoever can contribute the most on special teams will get this spot.

FB (who cares)

Tahi: Is he gone yet?

D'Imperio:  Let's see if he can stay out of AD's way.

WR (B)

Harvin: Love this guy.  He is another athlete like Webb, just smaller and faster.  He can run the ball.  He can catch.  He can return kicks.  A nightmare for opposing coaches.  All he needs is another WR or two to pull coverage away...  1300 total yards (not including special teams) 12 TD's (all inclusive)

Berrian:  Apparently, McNabb's first throw in practice was to Berrian for a 60 yard TD.  Let's hope that continues, and he finally takes a step towards reaching his potential.

Jenkins:  I don't know much about this guy, except he's a tall body, a former 1st round pick (take that for what it's worth), and our offensive coordinator liked him from ATL so he brought him here.  I'm hoping he does well, and can be a Sidney Rice type target for McNabb/Ponder

Camarillo/ Jaymar Johnson/ Arceneaux/ Burton/ Ricky Iglesias/ whoever else:  I see some potential here.  Hopefully one or two of them will step up and become a starter

TE (A-)

Shank:  He is a physical freak.  He can stretch the field, block, catch.  Definitely a solid starter.  I see him being top 10 in the league this year.  A new QB's best friend is the TE, right?  750 yards, 8 TD's

Kyle Rudolph:  He was a first round talent that slipped to us in the 2nd.  I think he will fit in nicely on this team.  He seems like a good guy, hard worker, and talented athlete. 

Kleinsasser:  I love this guy.  Every team needs players like him.

OLine (D+) and I think that's being generous

McKinnie:  Thank god he's gone.  But seriously, we couldn't even get a 7th rounder out of him?  He was another example of a gifted person not taking advantage of the gifts god gave them. 

Loadholt:  I hear he has slimmed down some, which is good.  He has the tenacity you want in a lineman, but his enormous size limited his mobility, making him a speed rusher's delight.  Can he take over the LT spot?  I've got my fingers crossed.

Johnson: The Colts released him.  And they have as bad of a line as we do.  What does that tell you?  I think he doesn't have the skill needed to play tackle, but that he could slide to RG and fill in nicely.  But then we would only have Loadholt as a tackle, thus Johnson will be forced to play RT and be horribly mediocre.

Hutch:  I hope I'm wrong, but he seems to be declining faster than the stock market.  (Insert sad face here)

Sullivan/ Cook/ Herrera/ whoever else:  I haven't seen much to get excited about.  Out OLine has been horrible for years, and I fear it is worse now than it ever has been.  I hope I'm wrong.

Overall grade for the offense?  B     I think they have the potential to be very good, but it all hinges on the play of the OLine

I just read Christopher Gates's post about BSPN, and I completely agree with everything that was said.

Here is one more thought about the situation:

Watching NFLive today, I heard the word 'desperate' 3 times in one sentence.  It reminded me of a particular analogy that is very popular around the DN.  Apparently, Brett Favre is the 'hot chick' that the Vikings woo'd last season, and now, 1 year later, she needs a little space.  So if Favre is the 'hot chick', the Vikings are being made to look like the 'desperate' guy who cant live without her, and is standing outside Favre's window with a banjo and some hand written lyrics.  That's some bulls**t. I don't buy it for a second.

To me, the Vikings are a team that does not 'need' Favre, but would take him back in a second.  We have a QB who led us to the playoffs 2 years ago and has had the opportunity to sit behind a legend for a season.  We have the best RB in the league.  A top 10 WR.  Offensive Rookie of the Year.  A DE who leads the league in sacks since he came into the league.  We have a DT combo that is second to none. And another DE who seemed to come alive last season, and needs to continue that trend.  A MLB who hopefully will be back to full health soon, and if so, will be dominant.  We have a OLB who is young and could be a pro bowler this year.  A pro bowl CB, yound talented guys behind him, and tremendous depth everywhere besides Safety and O Line.

The 3 Vikings players who went to Louisiana weren't on bended knee for Favre.  They just needed a decision, so they could move on.  Either way.  So F you BSPN.  And F you Tedy Bruschi. (who names their kid Tedy anyways? Hahaha)

Hi to all.  I haven't been on here in some time, so forgive this post if its already been discussed 19 million times.  But here goes:

Brett Favre signed a 2 year contract last year, right?  So that means there is still 1 year left on his contract, right?  Maybe I missed it, but I don't ever remember Favre retiring (again). So if he still has a year left on his contract, and he never said he wasn't coming back... why is everyone speculating?  I think thats why Chilly and Co haven't been stressing about anything.  They all know he's coming back.  He never said he wasn't!  Comments?

This is what I would do if I ran the Vikings...

Today I looked up the player salaries for the 2009 season.  There were 2 players who immediately jumped out at me as grossly overpaid.  The first is Bernard Berrian.  Berrian is the 4th highest paid Vikings.  $6,328,333 to be exact.  The second player is Madieu Williams.  Williams is the 8th highest paid player.  $5,350,208.  These 2 players earned  $11,678,541 in 2009 (9% of the total salary cap). That money could be spend better.

The first thing I would be doing is putting out calls to Cleveland, Oakland, and Kansas City and start gauging interest in Berrian and Williams.  I would trade our 2nd and 3rd round picks, a 3rd next year, and Berrian and or Williams for a top 5 pick this year, and draft Eric Berry.  He would shore up our secondary, and he is a ball hawk, something this D really lacks.   We would be left with our 1st round pick to get a QB, most mocks have Colt McCoy dropping to our range.  With the rest of our picks (we're sure to get compensation picks due to losing Birk and Sharper last year.  I'm thinking a 3rd and a 4th/5th?  Pick up a RB to replace Taylor with our 3rd round pick.  Add to the depth with the rest of the picks (LB, CB, DT).

What do you all think?

I am a Vikings fan.  I feel like I have to start this post off with that, because what I am about to say may seem absurd.

I am afraid of the Lions this week.

For some reason, I am scared that the Vikings are going to do what they did last year, and play down to the Lions' level.  Everyone knows the Vikings are a far superior team than the Lions.  The same was true last year, and the Vikings haven't changed a whole lot from last year (besides Favre and Harvin), while the Lions have gotten a total make over. 

All I can think about is how the Lions closest games last season came against the Vikings. 

I do not think the Lions are going to win.  But I am still scared that the Vikings are going to win by the skin of their teeth, when in reality this team should blow the Lions out of the water. 

Am I the only one who feels this way?  Or do the rest of you secretly feel something along the same lines?

The Packers are the worst team in the division!

Here's my break down:

Lions:  Had the #1 offense in the preseason!  Yes, that's right.  THE LIONS HAD THE #1 OFFENSE IN THE PRESEASON!!!  Ok, now that I got that out of the way, let's focus.  They finished 2nd in the league in rushing yards, and 10th in passing yards.  Not only did the Lions finish first in offense, they also finished 9th in total defense!  That amounts to 9th in passing D and 17th in run D.  According to preseason stats, the Lions should be one of the best teams in the NFL this year!  (Of course, they also were the only team to go 4-0 last preseason, so take all this with a grain of salt)

Packers:  Even after everyone is singing Green Bay's praise this preseason because of their offense, they still only finished 12th in the league in total offense.  Now don't get me wrong, I think GB's offense has the potential to be top 5 this year.  But they obviously have ZERO depth.  How else could they be so dominant with their starters in, and yet finish 12th overall?  The answer: lack of depth.  They finished 20th in passing yards.  But they did finish 6th in rushing yards, which was what was missing from their offense last year.  A lot of Packer fans like to point to the fact that their D had a lot of injuries last year, which is true.  They say that all the starters are back, so their D should be just fine.  I say, your D still sucks, since is finished 28th in preseason.  28th!!!!!!  That amounts to 15th in rushing D, and 30th in passing D.  (don't people say their secondary is one of the best in the league?  Ha!)

Bears:  This offseason, the Bears made arguably the biggest splash, trading for disgruntled (to say the least) QB Jay Cutler.  How has that move worked out for them so far?  They finished 13th in the league in total offense (which was last in the NFC North).  They did finish 13th in passing yards, but they were only 21st in rushing yards. Now on to their "dominant" defense...  Their defense finished 11th in total yards given up.  They did finish 10th in passing D, but an average 16th in rushing D.  Those stats just aren't good enough to win the NFC North this year. 

Vikings:  Now on to the grand finale!  Your Minnesota Vikings!  The Vikings had the 6th best offense this preseason.  6th!!  The Vikings were 16th in passing yards, which isn't great by any means, but it's an improvement over last season.  And the Vikings don't need to have a top 10 passing game when they have the best RB in the game.  (Vikings finished 3rd in rushing yards this preseason)  What really impresses me the most was the Vikings D this preseason.  We finished 2nd in total yards given up!  The 2nd biggest question mark coming in to this season was our passing D.  The Vikings finished 5th in passing yards given up, which is huge!  Couple that with the 3rd best run D this preseason, and the 6th best offense, and the Vikings have arguably the best team coming in to the season. 

Bottom line is this.  Preseason stats don't mean squat.  But they can be used as indicators, and what these stats tell me is that the Vikings should have an excellent season, and they should be one of the most complete teams in the NFL.  I am excited!  SKOL Vikings!

The starting positions are as follows: 1 Qb, 1 RB, 1 WR, 2 RB/WR, 1WR/TE, 1 TE, 1 Def, 1 K.

Here are my players:

QB - A Rodgers, C, Palmer

RB - A Peterson, B Westbrook, J Norwood, E James

WR - B Berrian, G Jennings, C Ochocinco, S Holmes, L Moore

TE - A Gates, J Carlson

Def - Steelers, Chargers

K - John Kasay

I think my team is pretty darn good.  What do you think?

This is an 8 team league with 2 starting QBs, 3 WRs, 2 RBs, TE, W/T, W/R.

QBs - Brady. McNabb, Eli Manning, TJack

WRs - Moss, Marshall, Edwards, L. Coles, Hester, Sidney Rice, J. Maclin

RBs - Westbrook, Jacobs, T. Jones, McFadden, J. Lewis, McCoy (Westbrook handcuff)

TEs - Shiancoe, Shockey

K - Longwell

Def - Pittsburgh and Baltimore

How is that not 75 words?  Damn!  First time that's happened to me.  I think my team is pretty stacked!  I really like the Brady/Moss combo and the McNabb/Westbrook combo.  Championship here I come!

As Gonzo pointed out in the Sunday Viking Vegur, Vikes Geek has an interesting idea about what to spend their cap space on, since they obviously wont be spending it on Brett Favre this season. It is a very good article, and I suggest reading it if you haven't already.

But to sum it up, they say that the Vikings should look into re-signing Chester Taylor.  Personally, I think this would be a good move.  But there are some pros and cons, as well as one HUGE question.

Continue reading this post »

With the 32nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select....

So this question was brought up on a different thread, and I decided to do a fanpost / poll for it.

What position do you think the Vikings will pursue in next year's draft?

One could argue QB, because if BF comes, it will only be for a year or two max.  After he leaves, the VIkings are right back at square one (AKA Sage/ Jackson)

One could argue DT, since Pat Williams is going to be 37 this season.  The Viking's run D has been their calling card ever since Pat joined the team.  Do we need to find a dominant replacement, or do the Vikings already have his replacement in waiting?

One could argue DE, considering the play of Ray Edwards last season.

One could consider OLB, since Leber is getting up there in age and he is only average to begin with IMO.

What would you do?

So this isn't football related.  At least not really.  I just signed up for a twitter account, and I am looking to add some people.  I don't really care to follow my friends.  I just want to follow celebrities and such.  Seems like that's the only redeeming quality of twitter is that everybody is on it.  So does anyone know of any vikings players that are on twitter.  I added Jaymar Johnson.  Anyone else use twitter?

I have been coming to this site for quite a while now, and this is the worst I have ever seen it.  Entire threads with 200+ comments just to dis on someone?  That stayed up WAYYY too long as it was.  And now there is a post about soldiers.  While I respect the hell out of them and what they are doing, this is a football site and there is no need for that here.  It is going to turn political real quick unless you do something about it Gonzo.

I say we need a moderator.  Gonzo is a great blogger, but with his hectic schedule he can not moderate this site like it should be.  I am not nominating myself.  Rather I am simply raising awareness.  Are there any volunteers?  Any nominations?  Do you feel that we even need a moderator here at the Daily Norseman? 

If the majority of the people want a moderator, and we have a few volunteers/ nominations, I will do another post with a poll so we can all vote on who the moderator will be.

Enjoy your weekend everybody.

Let me start this post by stating that JimmyK is one of my favorite players in the National Football League.  He is one of the hardest workers in the NFL.  He knows his roll on the team, and has never once complained about a lack of playing time or touches.  He is one of the best blockers in the NFL, lineman or not.  He is not very fast or extremely athletic by any means, but he is the definition of a workhorse.  Show me 53 guys just like him and I'll show you a Superbowl winning team.

I am very happy that the Vikings resigned him. 

I am not very happy with how the Vikings use him in the offense. 

Why is he not a fullback?  He can catch.  He can run the ball.  He can block any player who might be so unfortunate to get in his way.  Imagine him blocking for AD all game?

3rd and 3.  Who do you want on the field... Jimmy K or Tahi/ any other FB on the roster? 

This is how I look at it.  Move JimmyK to FB.  Release Tahi and Broughten and whoever else is competing for the spot.  This will move Mills to the 2 TE position, allowing us to actually see what he can bring to the table.  This will put Kleinsasser on the field more.  This will also clear up a roster spot or two, allowing us to keep Booty and another DT for the chance that the Williams wall is out for 4 games.  It is seriously a win win win win situation.  I just can't see why the coaching staff hasn't figured that out yet.  Any ideas?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KHaKOjX_Hs

So a few days ago, I asked you what you thought the Vikings record would be with Tarvaris or Sage leading the team.  Most of you chose 11 wins (38%).  More accurately, after 138 votes, the average win prediction came out to be 10.74. 

A couple days after I asked the first question, I proposed another question to you all.  What would the Vikings record be with Brett Favre at the helm?  44% of you chose 12 wins, with the average coming out to be 11.97 wins (132 votes).

It really wasn't a shocker to learn that most of you thought Brett Favre would increase the Vikings win percentage for next season.  I was really trying to find out what you thought the increase would be.  Based off the winning number from each poll, most of you think Brett Favre would equal one more win for the purple and gold.  Based off the percentages, it's actually more of a 1.23 victory improvement. 

Just today, ESPN (or BSPN as it is now known) teamed up with Accuscore to do basically the same thing.  Except Accuscore ran computer simulations 10,000 times using hundreds of variables.  Here is the link.  Check it out for yourself.  If you don't want to read it all, basically it says that without Favre, Minnesota, Chicago and Green Bay all tie for the division lead with 9 wins.  With Brett Favre, the Vikings win the division with 10 wins. 

Here is my question for you all.  Assuming that we are all correct, and that Brett Favre gets us 1 more win.....  is that enough of a reason to bring him in for 1 year?  Could he break down towards the end of the season?  Who knows.  Could he win us a Superbowl?  Who knows.  Will he hurt or help the progression of Tarvaris Jackson?  Who knows.  Just based off the fact that he will get us 1 more win, and possibly help us secure the division again, is it worth bringing him in?  You have all the facts.  Now it's your turn to play GM.

A day ago, I posted a poll asking what you thought the Vikings 2009 record will be with either Tarvaris or Sage running the show.  After 100 votes, 44% of you thought that 11-5 was the probable outcome.  Last year the Vikings were 10-6 with Gus and Tarvaris.  With basically the same team, except a better TJack and an upgraded version of Gus, Vikings fans expect to achieve one more win.  One win is not a lot.  But considering the Vikings won the division last year, improving on that record will only ensure the Vikings remain poised atop the NFC North.

Here is my question to you today.  What do you think the Vikings record will be if Brett Favre is the quarterback?

As of today, Brett Favre is not a member of the Minnesota Vikings.  In all likelihood, he will be wearing purple and gold entering training camp.  But that is a month and a half away.  There is no telling what will happen between now and then. 

Right now, the Vikings have two QBs battling for the top spot.  The first is Tarvaris Jackson, who was drafted by Childress 4 years ago now, and has gotten better each year.  The other QB is Sage Rosenfels, who was traded for in the off season to compete for the starting position.  Sage is, at the very least, a better version of Gus Frerotte.

Both of them bring something different to the table.  Both of them are competing to lead a team that is capable of making it to the superbowl.  Both are under a lot of pressure.  Two of them will compete.  One will win. 

Here is my question to you:  What will the Vikings record be in 2009 with either Sage or Tarvaris as the starting QB?  Tarvaris/Gus Frerotte took the team to a 10-6 record and a division title last year.  There is no doubt in my mind that this years version of TJack will be better then last years, and Sage is better than Gus.  Add to that this year's easier schedule, and the Vikings should be in good shape.  What do you think?

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Lawyers for the NFL say the league won’t try to enforce its four-game suspension of Minnesota Vikings Kevin Williams(notes) and Pat Williams(notes) for their use of a banned substance for the moment.

Attorneys for the Williamses and the NFL appeared Tuesday before Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson as the star defensive tackles fight their four-game suspensions.

The Williamses tested positive last year for a banned diuretic that can mask the presence of steroids. A federal judge last week dismissed most of the Williamses’ lawsuit but sent the case back to state court to resolve two remaining claims.

Larson told both sides to file briefs later this month addressing whether his temporary restraining order against the suspensions remains in place, and whether he has jurisdiction.

The League won't try to enforce it's 4 game suspension?

Best news I've heard all off season!

This is something that has been on my mind for a while now, and I would love to get some feed back and input from the rest of my fellow Daily Norsemen (and women:)

Can somebody please tell me why the Vikings did not make a move on Jason Taylor?  This guy was defensive player of the year a couple seasons back.  He is a great player with a high motor.  He is a veteran, and IMO can still play at a fairly high level for at least 2 more years.  Not to mention he would be a great locker room presence and mentor to Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, and Kenechi Udeze (when he comes back.)

The dolphins signed him to a 2 year, 1.5 million dollar contract.  A steal for a pro bowl DE.  I know the Vikings would not have gotten him for that cheap, but even a 2 year, 4 million dollar contract would be cheap and wouldn't put the Vikings in salary cap trouble. 

Just imagine a DL with Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, and Jason Taylor.  Who would the OL double?  Last year, Ray Edwards had one on one match ups all season long, and only produced 5 sacks.  Jason Taylor averages 10 sacks per season, and .65 sacks per game.  (Edwards averages 4 sacks per season and .31 sacks per game)

Jason Taylor may be getting a little older, but there is no doubt in my mind he would've been a major upgrade over Ray Edwards.  I just don't see why the Vikings didn't look into him.

Brett Favre!  Just wanted to start off a post with that before GeauxBears has a chance to say it in the comment section!  Haha. 

OK, now on to my post...

There has been a lot of talk (obviously) about a certain QB who may or may not be coming to Minnesota.  There have been hundreds of comments about him.  Some are in favor of him playing in Purple and Gold next season.  Some people do not see him as an upgrade, and would love nothing more than for him to stay retired and continue mowing his grass and playing catch at the local high school. 

For those of you who do not feel BF is an upgrade, there is a question of who will win the starting job between Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson.  There are many good points to justify both sides of that argument. 

So I decided to do a poll!  I want to know what the general consensus is around here.

This is something that has been on my mind for a while now, and I want to know what the opinions are of my fellow norsemen! 

As we all know, Chester Taylor is turning 30, and is in the last year of his contract.  The Vikings seem reluctant to sign older players, and usually draft their replacements the year before (Sharper = Tyrell Johnson.  Birk = John Sullivan).  So with CT in the last year of his contract, do you think the Vikings have drafted his replacement in Percy Harvin? 

Now don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying that the Vikings are going to use PH as a RB.  But if you look at what Chester brings to this team (3rd down back, used for catching out of the backfield mostly), I see some of the same abilitites in Percy Harvin.  Harvin can line up in the backfield, in the slot, or wide out.  Maybe the Vikings want to give AD another year to develop his pass blocking technique.  Then next year, they will release CT to free agency.  I'm not saying I want that to happen.  I'm not saying it's gonna happen.  I'm just sayin....

What do you all think?

So I want to know what the general consensus is here at the DN.  I know this is a Viking's blog, but I'd like to take a second out of my day to share my thoughts on the Lions.  I know they are the enemy, but after last year, I can't help but feel sorry for them.  I actually don't think they are that bad of a team.  With better coaching and a few better players, they could be decent.  Here are my thoughts on what the Lions should do with their draft picks.

#1 - I think the Lions should take Jason Smith with the first overall pick.  Most people have them taking Stafford, but I have a few issues with that pick.  First of all, the Lions have Culpepper, who as we all know can be a pretty good QB when healthy and with good receivers (Calvin Johnson AKA Megatron).  I think Culpepper will be servicable for a few years, reducing their need for a QB.  My second problem with them picking Stafford is that I don't think either Stafford or Sanchez are top 5 material.  They are good, but not that good.  If the Lions take Jason Smith, they would get a dominant LT to build their line around. 

#20 - I think the Lions should take a stud defensive player.  I really like Maualuga or Laurinaitis.  I think both of them would be able to be a stud in their linebacking core and be a leader on that D in a couple years.  And they traded for Julian Peterson from Seattle. Adding one of these MLBs would make them respectable.

#33 - I think best case scenario here is if Josh Freeman slips out of the first round.  If the Lions could pick him up here, that would be a great thing for Freeman.  He could come in and sit behind Daunte for a couple years and learn the game from a QB of a similar mold. 

Thoughts?

As far as the Vikings go, there is a mock from CBS Sports that has 5 different writers doing the same mock.  3 out of the 5 have Brian Cushing available at 22.  As many of you know, I am a big fan of Brian Cushing.  I think he is the type of blue collar player the Vikings love.  He can come in and take over for Leber.  Leber would provide depth at a position where the Vikings sorely need it.  He could fill in for any of our linebackers if one of them happens to go out, and it seems like every year one of our starters get hurt.  And he could play special teams.  Seems like a win win.  Upgrade for our defense and out special teams.  Personally, I think he is worth the 22nd pick.  I just don't think that about Harvin or Nicks or Britton, 3 names commonly associated with the Vikes.

Thoughts?

According to ESPN, Viking's DE Brian Robison is trying to make the 2012 olympics in London.  In what you ask?  Shot put!  Robison has always enjoyed shot put, and from what I have read, he is very good at it.  I wish him the best of luck.  I just hope this doesn't take away some of his determination for football.  Personally, I really like Robison.  I think he could do a better job than Ray Edwards at RE.  I think Vikings need to give him a shot at winning that starting position.  What do you all think?

It's been a while since I've done a poll, so I figured it was time for me to do another one. 

As we all know, there are 3 players currently on the trading block.  Anquan Boldin, Braylon Edwards, and Brady Quinn.  There have been many fan posts dedicated to these players and why the Vikings should bring them in.  So I have decided to create a poll to see what the general concensus is around the Daily Norseman.

In the poll, I have listed the players and what it would probably take to get them.  If you feel that the Vikings should go after one of the players, but think the Vikings should offer a different trade, vote for that player but comment on what you think it would take to get that player.

First off, I don't think the Lions will or should take Stafford with the 1st pick in the draft.  I think they need a stud LT, and go from there.  If I were the Lions, I would draft Jason Smith #1, a defensive stud like Cushing #20, and if Freeman was still there, take him with the 33rd pick.  The Lion's have Culpepper, and he will be fine for a couple years.  If they could get Freeman, he would be great if he could sit behind Culpepper for a year or two.  Here is the link.

With this scenario on ESPN, they have the Vikings taking Britton with the 22nd pick.  I like Britton.  He might be a little bit of a reach at 22, but he would shore up the right side of the line for years to come. 

With the Viking's second round pick, they have us taking Pat White (as a WR).  This is the truly interesting pick IMO.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  Pat White has only done drills this offseason as a QB.  And he has actually looked pretty damn good.  Would the Vikings draft White?  If they did, would he come in as a WR or a QB? 

ESPN doesn't have a 3rd round mock.  But they do have a list of the best players still available:

One guy I really like in the remaining group is Jairus Byrd.  He would be an excellent CB, and great value in the 3rd for the Vikings.  Also, if the Vikings were to draft Pat White as a QB, there is Juaquin Iglesias still available. 

Interesting stuff, and I am looking forward to all of your comments!

Pro Football Talk has Mathew Stafford slipping past the first half of the draft in their newest mock draft.  Here is the link.  I don't think Detroit will pick Stafford with the first pick in the draft, but I don't see him slipping past the 49ers.  For some reason, PFT has Sanchez and Freeman being taken before Stafford.  If this happens, it raises a couple important questions.

1) Do the Vikings trade up to about the 17th pick and get Stafford?

2) Do the Vikings make a trade with Denver, allowing Cutler to come here and them to get Stafford?  I can see the Vikings sending their 1st, 5th, and maybe next years 4th to the Jets for the #17 pick, then trading that pick to Denver for Cutler.  This would allow the McDaniels to select his own QB, and give the Vikings their franchise QB.

All of us Vikaholics have an opinion on Childress.  Some people don't like him.  Some people think he is a good coach who has the team going in the right direction.  Well Viking fans, we have had 3+ years of watching Childress.  More than enough time to form some sort of opinion on him.  So lets vote!  ( I know how much you all like polls!)

If you think Childress is not a good coach, please comment on who you think the next coach should be.

P.S. - We all know Childress is the Head Coach the next year.  Some people like him, some people don't.  But either way, I know we will all support the Vikings 100 percent!  This poll is just for gits and shiggles.

With most of the good free agents gone, we now have an idea what the Vikings team will look like in 2009.  Uh Oh, this team looks eerily similar to the Vikings last season.  Gus is gone, Sage is in.  Jimmy K is back.  Sharper is gone, Tyrell Johnson is in.  Birk will probably be back.  Sure, there are a few more pieces to add, like draft picks, but the core of the team is gonna be the same.  So that makes me wonder if the Vikings are going to be a 10-6 team again this season, and go one and done in the post-season.  I just don't see anything that is going to improve this team. 

The biggest key to going further into the playoffs was a better QB, and the Vikings again failed to get one.  Who knows if the Vikings had a shot at Cassel.  I'd like to think that if they had offered their first, Cassel would be in purple and gold next year.  But maybe there was already a deal in place with Pioli and the Patriots.  Who knows.  What we do know, is that Garcia is still available, as well as Warner and Leftwich.  I would take either one of them over Sage Rosencopter. 

So here's my question to you all: How will the Vikings do next season?  And do you think the Vikings are going to make any other moves (either trades or free agent signings?)

There has been a lot of talk this off season about quarterbacks.  Some think the Vikings should get a veteran QB like Garcia who could come in and play for a year or two, and manage the games.  Some think the Vikings should get a QB who can come in and be the starter for years to come, like a Matt Cassel.  My opinion tends to lean towards the latter.  Most of us can agree that the Vikings are in a prime position to be a superbowl caliber team with the right player taking the snaps on game day.  However, some people tend to have the assumption that the Vikings players are getting old, and that if there isn't a superbowl in the next couple of years, the time will have run out.  I disagree.

The Vikings have 13 players over the age of 30 on the roster as of today.  10, if you count on Birk, Sharper, and Kleinsasser being cut.  Of those 10 remaining players, 5 of them are current starters.

Ben Leber is 30 years old.  He still has 3-4 good years left in him, and will be easy to replace when his time is up.

Steve Hutchinson is 31.  He too has 3-4 good years left in him.  He wont be easy to replace, but it is possible.

Antoine Winfield is 31 as well.  He is a corner, so he only has 2-3 years of solid starting play left in him.  He is an excellent corner, but Cedric Griffin is starting to emerge, and there are always plenty of corners coming out in the draft.

Ryan Longwell is 34.  Since he is a kicker, he can theoretically play til he is 40.  Take a look at John Carney.  He is 44, and made the pro bowl this year.

Pat Williams is 36.  He is going to need to be replaced, and I'm sure the Vikings are already looking into his successor.  Because he is so old, he comes off the field too much as it is.  He is great, and quite possibly the most important factor in the Vikings run D.

The rest of the players over 30 are: Kendrick Allen, Artis Hicks, Maurice Hicks, Jimmy Kennedy, and Gus Frerotte.  All of them are back ups at best, and easily replacable.

Basically, my point is that the Vikings are a relatively young team.  Most of the "core" players are still young and have plenty left in the tank.  Of the 5 players who over 30 and still on the current roster, I only see two who are truly irreplaceable (Hutch and Phat Pat.)  I don't see why people are saying the window of opportunity the Vikings have is getting smaller.  With free agency the way it is today, teams are always changing.  The Vikings have a good core of young talent that will be around for years to come.  The Vikings need to get a QB in who is young, and still has plenty of years left.

The other day my friend and I were talking about the Vikings and the need to get a quarterback.  The topic got brought up about the Vikings not making a push to get Drew Brees back in 2006.  While I would love to have Brees in Minnesota, me and my friend both agreed that if Brees was in Minnesota, the Vikings would not have gotten Adrian Peterson in the draft, because they probably would not hae been picking 7th overall.  So I want to know what you all think about this.  Would you rather have Drew Brees or Adrian Peterson.  Both sides have a good argument.  With Brees, the Vikings would have their franchise QB.  But Adrian Peterson is the best back in the NFL and if he stays healthy, he has the chance to be the best back to ever have played the game.  I'm not sure which player I'd rather have. 

There has been talk of Atlanta trying to trade Vick.  The team being brought up most often in trade talks has been Minnesota.  I don't know how I feel about him.  He is one of the best athletes in NFL.  He is a gamechanger.  He has been in prison for a while now.  There is no telling how he has held up in there.  Would he still be a force in the league?  Can he still play QB?  Would he be better as a WR or return specialist?

On a personal note, I think what Vick did was wrong.  But he served his time, took his punishment like a man, and I think he should get a second chance in the NFL.  I don't think Childress would know what to do with him though!  Chilly can't even use AD and CT together properly.  What would he do with Vick?  (Probably try to turn him into a pocket passer!)