dead_poet wrote:Star Tribune's Mark Craig:
I have to confess, as the draft draws closer, the mentality Mark Craig expressed there is driving me nuts. After 3 years of near constant complaining and criticism of Ponder from many fans and members of the media, and with QB generally acknowledged as the Vikings biggest need, there's an oddly casual, almost complacent attitude being expressed toward the position going into this draft, as if the "sin" of reaching for a QB in the first round was the real problem and not the miss and the fact that the problem remains unsolved. I'm not suggesting the Vikings can't find a QB of the future in the second round, just that, despite 3 years of urgent cries to get a better QB, the sense of urgency seems to be all but gone now that the opportunity is at hand.
I hope that makes sense. I'm not quite sure I've expressed it well. Basically, I'm somewhat amazed at the "they can wait and get a guy" attitude over the need to get the best possible QB they can get if they're going to bother to get one at all. I suppose that stems from the idea that the best possible QB they can get may actually be available to them in R2 but after the past 3 years it still seems odd. It really does feel like people are more concerned with the possibility of a reach and a miss than with the actually solving the QB problem!
Maybe my issue is with the idea that drafting one of the QBs in this draft at #8 would be a reach in the first place? I don't know, but the idea that they should step away from the potential pitfall of "reaching" for a QB and missing seems fearful to me. If the player is a serious reach, don't draft him but if they think he can do the job, take a stab at solving a problem the team has faced for the better part of 3 decades and
draft the best QB available. The only thing worse than failing is not trying.
Sorry, in my effort to articulate this, I'm babbling...
A year ago, the Vikings blew five leads in the final minute of regulation. Five! Why? Primarily because the only corner who could cover anyone was Xavier Rhodes. And often he was hurt. If last year’s team had more reliable corners, it could have won 10 games. Gilbert is a great playmaker with exceptional hands, instincts and timing. He’s everything Chris Cook wasn’t and more. Somewhere in Tampa, Leslie Frazier is shaking his head at the possibility of the Vikings putting Rhodes, Captain Munnerlyn and Gilbert on the field at the same time.
Having said all of the above in my little rant, I'll admit that drafting defense makes plenty of sense too. I'm certainly not opposed to it. I just don't like the idea of passing on a QB in R1 because they don't want another miss like Ponder, or the idea that somehow waiting until round 2 and then missing would be much better.
I'm eager to see what happens.
