2015 Offseason - Free Agent/Draft Tracker

[The Breeze]

Bingo. I obviously agree and since a glorious example of how investing a mid-round pick in a QB can pay off just started in back-to-back Super Bowls, it's amazing that there's ever debate about this at all.

It's the most important position in sports. It's hard to believe a wise investment in the position could ever be a poor choice.

I know we've been batting this specific topic about for months and agree that there are huge benefits to investing quality draft picks at the backup spot.
I finally looked at some of the draft histories for teams with quality starters last night and there is a trend. Certain teams like the Pats, Pack, Steelers... to name a few, draft QBs as high as the 3rd rd on a regular basis. The superbowl champs just picked a guy in the 2nd round last season and Brady still looks like he can go 3-4 more years. A team on the cusp of the superbowl used their first draft pick on a backup QB!
Conversely, teams like the Colts, Saints and Chargers have picked about a total 7 of QBs between them since they aquired their respectivefranchise QB (Manning, Brees,Rivers). That is a lot of drafts! Charlie Whitehurst might be the only guy you'd heard of if Curtis Painter didn't have to play a full season. I think the 5th rd was the highest any of them had been picked.

I only looked at those 6 teams.

If I had a playoff team and I had to choose between Chad Greenway playing the whole year at MLB and Garrapolo(as an example) as my backup QB vs a rookie 1st rounder at MLB and (insert NFL journeyman QB here)...I think I'd take the first option.
Maybe not the best analogy but the point being that having a legit scrub as your backup QB is a significant hole on the roster and deserves the same kind of attention that any other position merits, probably more, when looking at the draft.

[The Breeze]

I really don't understand why the NFL hasn't developed regional farm teams. A vikings subsidiary in Iowa or the Dakotas where Vikings fans could watch developing players would be a huge draw. They could probably charge 100 bucks for a season package and get vikings fans all over the country to cough it up.

The problem with marketing NFL europe at home in the US was that the players affiliated with NFL teams were just scattered about. If the Scottish Claymores, or whatever they were called, were all b team vikings not only would vikings fans have been interested in the Claymores, but the Scottish fans would have a natural allegiance to an NFL team. If they had done that I think the sport would be much bigger in Europe than it is today.

This makes waaaay more sense than straight up expansion....especially global expansion. It might not be as lucrative but it would still make money and make the league much better overall. It's not like they don't have the cashflow to jumpstart something like what you are suggesting.
I don't know if you could have a farm team for every franchise as players would need to make enough money playing so that's all they'd need. But imagine a farm league with 2 teams per NFL division....so, the NFC North would have two teams between them to stash and develop players.

[Cliff]

The NCAA is what really kills any chance of a real farm league, in my opinion. If players could choose a farm league rather than having to choose a school people would be more interested in the players there because it wouldn't be the 'left overs' that simply couldn't make an NFL team. Instead, there would be more players with potential and more players that break out unexpectedly. The players would actually have better shots at being drafted by an NFL team as well which makes watching them more interesting. Perhaps the NCAA would then become a 2nd tier farm team where players that couldn't get into the NFL's official farm teams would still play and be drafted from.

I think it's ridiculous how the NCAA is set up in regards to compensation for it's players and I also don't think sports should have a major role in schools like it does. Most of the highest paid faculty members in most major colleges are coaches. I have no idea how that transition would work and I'm sure most people don't agree ... but it's my mind and I can have whatever thoughts I want!

[The Breeze]

The NCAA is what really kills any chance of a real farm league, in my opinion. If players could choose a farm league rather than having to choose a school people would be more interested in the players there because it wouldn't be the 'left overs' that simply couldn't make an NFL team. Instead, there would be more players with potential and more players that break out unexpectedly. The players would actually have better shots at being drafted by an NFL team as well which makes watching them more interesting. Perhaps the NCAA would then become a 2nd tier farm team where players that couldn't get into the NFL's official farm teams would still play and be drafted from.

I think it's ridiculous how the NCAA is set up in regards to compensation for it's players and I also don't think sports should have a major role in schools like it does. Most of the highest paid faculty members in most major colleges are coaches. I have no idea how that transition would work and I'm sure most people don't agree ... but it's my mind and I can have whatever thoughts I want!

I think it's fact that the highest paid people in the public sector are college football coaches...and the N on Cornhusker stadium stands for 'Knowledge', at least that's what some hippie chick told me in Lincoln years ago.

[fiestavike]

The NCAA is what really kills any chance of a real farm league, in my opinion. If players could choose a farm league rather than having to choose a school people would be more interested in the players there because it wouldn't be the 'left overs' that simply couldn't make an NFL team. Instead, there would be more players with potential and more players that break out unexpectedly. The players would actually have better shots at being drafted by an NFL team as well which makes watching them more interesting. Perhaps the NCAA would then become a 2nd tier farm team where players that couldn't get into the NFL's official farm teams would still play and be drafted from.

I think it's ridiculous how the NCAA is set up in regards to compensation for it's players and I also don't think sports should have a major role in schools like it does. Most of the highest paid faculty members in most major colleges are coaches. I have no idea how that transition would work and I'm sure most people don't agree ... but it's my mind and I can have whatever thoughts I want!

I think it wouldn't be any big problem to just keep the rules of eligibility as they already have them. After round 7 of the draft the affiliate teams draft begins with 10 more rounds of picks. Make it a glorified practice squad so its easier to move players up and down with a waiver system. Its also a great place for guys like Babatunde to learn and improve.

The CFL and the Arena league are the organizations that would really be crippled by this idea...which one might think would make it all the more appealing to the NFL.

[Mothman]

The NCAA is what really kills any chance of a real farm league, in my opinion. If players could choose a farm league rather than having to choose a school people would be more interested in the players there because it wouldn't be the 'left overs' that simply couldn't make an NFL team. Instead, there would be more players with potential and more players that break out unexpectedly. The players would actually have better shots at being drafted by an NFL team as well which makes watching them more interesting. Perhaps the NCAA would then become a 2nd tier farm team where players that couldn't get into the NFL's official farm teams would still play and be drafted from.

I think it's ridiculous how the NCAA is set up in regards to compensation for it's players and I also don't think sports should have a major role in schools like it does. Most of the highest paid faculty members in most major colleges are coaches. I have no idea how that transition would work and I'm sure most people don't agree ... but it's my mind and I can have whatever thoughts I want!

[jackal]

The NCAA is so double sided when it comes to these players. They starve them, when it comes to players and yet let the schools
rake in tens of millions each year. If its about the education, then make sure the players can read after graduating...

The school should be able to let the players have a little expense money; hell even in prison, inmates can have canteen money

[Purple bruise]

The NCAA is so double sided when it comes to these players. They starve them, when it comes to players and yet let the schools
rake in tens of millions each year. If its about the education, then make sure the players can read after graduating...

The school should be able to let the players have a little expense money; hell even in prison, inmates can have canteen money

Most college athletes do get "jobs" along with their scholarships resulting in a small stipend of money each month for "spending". And I would agree that they should be able to "share" some of the dollars brought in by the football program.

[dead_poet]

@FieldYates Source: the Vikings have signed C John Sullivan to 1-year extension through 2017. New base salaries over next 3 years: $7M, $5.5M, $5.5M.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Bingo. I obviously agree and since a glorious example of how investing a mid-round pick in a QB can pay off just started in back-to-back Super Bowls, it's amazing that there's ever debate about this at all.

It's the most important position in sports. It's hard to believe a wise investment in the position could ever be a poor choice.

I agree 100%.

Who would have thought this thread would turn into Cassel versus Hill.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Miss State EDGE/DL Preston Smith is visiting the Vikings on Wednesday, according to Tony Pauline.
You know this section leads the Preston Smith fan club, so we are obviously in favor of Smith landing with Mike Zimmer. Dating back to his time with the Bengals, Zimmer focused on "bigger" edge players with some possessing the skills to move inside in sub-packagae situations. Smith checks each of these boxes and is also a plus athlete. He sits at No. 13 on Josh Norris' board.
Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

Virginia S Anthony Harris is visiting the Vikings on Wednesday, according to Matt Vensel.
Harris missed the Senior Bowl due to injury and was held out of his pro day for the same reason. He only completed the forty at the Combine, recording it in 4.56 seconds. Because of the quiet pre-draft process, it would be a surprise if Harris is selected in the second or third round.
Source: Matt Vensel on Twitter

[Pondering Her Percy]

Louisville WR DeVante Parker is visiting the Vikings on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport.
Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

[The Breeze]

I know there are a lot of peeps on here looking at WR and RB.....but I really am starting to get excited about what Zimmer can achieve on the other side of the ball by adding 2-3 more dynamic defenders.

Obviously, it doesn't need to happen in 1 offseason...but this prospect(dominating d-line) is the most exciting thing about this team for me.

[halfgiz]

I see Erin Henderson got signed by the Jets.

[Norv Zimmer]

I see Erin Henderson got signed by the Jets.

Good riddance as far as I am concerned.