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Jameel McClain - LB - Free Agent

Free agent ILB Jameel McClain will visit the Vikings.

McClain has already visited the Giants and Bills, and is believed to be at the Medowlands on Thursday. He'd help man the middle in Minnesota.
Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Free agent ILB Jameel McClain will visit the Vikings.

I'm guessing he has respect for what Zimmer has done in recent years. Maybe he'd like to play for him. We shall see!

Ravens fans speak highly of him. That's a positive.

PFF list of top-75 free agents
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... ee-agents/

Michael Johnson - DL - Bengals

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports free agent DE Michael Johnson will be a "top target" for the Vikings.

The Johnson-Vikings connection isn't a new one, but this is the first time we've really seen it in writing that the Vikings will actually pursue the pass rusher. At this stage of their respective careers, Johnson would qualify as a monster upgrade on free agent RE Jared Allen. Johnson is going to have plenty of suitors. With Greg Hardy off the market, Johnson's our top available 4-3 end.
Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

dead_poet wrote:Michael Johnson - DL - Bengals

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports free agent DE Michael Johnson will be a "top target" for the Vikings.

The Johnson-Vikings connection isn't a new one, but this is the first time we've really seen it in writing that the Vikings will actually pursue the pass rusher. At this stage of their respective careers, Johnson would qualify as a monster upgrade on free agent RE Jared Allen. Johnson is going to have plenty of suitors. With Greg Hardy off the market, Johnson's our top available 4-3 end.
Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

Very nice.

Jason La Canfora's take on where the free agent QBs will end up:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jas ... ks-ends-up

He has Vick being signed by the Jets, Cassel signing with Houston, freeman in Oakland, Schaub in Cleveland, Sanchez in Buffalo, Flynn staying in GB, Hill going to SF and for the Vikings...

Josh McCown, Minnesota: McCown was outstanding in Chicago last season and he has plenty of suitors after the Bears paid (I'd say grossly overpaid) to keep Jay Cutler. Going from one quarterback whisperer -- Marc Trestman -- to another (Norv Turner) makes a ton of sense, and the Vikings have some emerging talent on offense and McCown already knows the division quite well. The Vikings saw the best of him up close last season, and he is looking for a place to play quickly. With Matt Cassel opting out of his deal and very likely to explore other options in free agency, and Christian Ponder just a guy at this point, this would be a great spot for McCown. He is accustomed to playing in the cold. He will be willing to be very patient to find the best spot to advance his career. I like this fit. (Is there a spot for long-time Turner-guy Charlie Whitehurst in Minnesota as well?). McCown knows new Tampa Bay coach Lovie Smith some from their time together in Chicago as well, and that's also a natural landing spot for him, though I'm going to follow my gut and slot him to the Vikings.

Mothman wrote:Jason La Canfora's take on where the free agent QBs will end up:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jas ... ks-ends-up

He has Vick being signed by the Jets, Cassel signing with Houston, freeman in Oakland, Schaub in Cleveland, Sanchez in Buffalo, Flynn staying in GB, Hill going to SF and for the Vikings...

Not on board. I don't see McCown as any upgrade on Ponder, no matter what he did last season. And as good of an offensive coordinator as Turner is, his last few seasons with Rivers were boarderline terrible. You can't just plug McCown into Turner's system and expect the same type of results. La Canfora says Ponder is just a guy, which is exactly what McCown is and would likely be outside of Trestman's system. And a big fat no to Whitehurst. I suppose I don't mind McCown as a guy competing for #2 duties behind a (hopefully impressive) rookie, knocking Ponder down to #3. But I really don't want him starting.

80 PurplePride 84 wrote:With McCown maybe we can get ballls caught 3 feet out of bounds to count as touchdowns.

Eww

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dead_poet wrote:Not on board. I don't see McCown as any upgrade on Ponder, no matter what he did last season. And as good of an offensive coordinator as Turner is, his last few seasons with Rivers were boarderline terrible. You can't just plug McCown into Turner's system and expect the same type of results. La Canfora says Ponder is just a guy, which is exactly what McCown is and would likely be outside of Trestman's system. And a big fat no to Whitehurst. I suppose I don't mind McCown as a guy competing for #2 duties behind a (hopefully impressive) rookie, knocking Ponder down to #3. But I really don't want him starting.

I don't just see McCown as a product of Trestman's system last year. He made great decisions and threw the ball very well. I think he benefitted from working with Trestman but if the latter had the ability to coax a 13/1 TD/INT ratio out of just anybody he would have done it with Cutler as well. McCown played smart, mature football last year.

I don't want Whitehurst either but regarding your last comment: I don't really want any of these free agent QBs, or Ponder, starting. The Vikings future at QB will be tied to whoever they draft so whoever they sign is, at most, a stopgap to play while that heir apparent is prepped for take-off. The Vikings aren't exactly giving off the impression that they want Ponder to start so I see McCown as one of the best options of the slim pickings available. If he could come close to playing like he did last season, he'd be an upgrade over Cassel or Ponder. If not, they're probably right back where they'd be with the other two.

I guess what I'm saying is that as long as they don't sign Vick, who I don't know if I could even stand to watch, I'm indifferent to which of these free agents they sign. They could draw one out of a hat for all I care because I don't believe any of them are going to be the difference between a losing season and a deep playoff run. My main concern is which QB they draft and what they do with the rest of the roster. I think the best we can hope for in 2014 is probably a 2012-like season with erratic QB play but a good enough performance from the team to put together a winning season.

I may have missed the threads, and I didn't really watch what happened last season in Houston, but whats going on with Matt Schaub. Is he washed up? he just have a bad year? Year before last, saw him chewing teams up, then last year, he is benched, Foster is injured, whole team fell apart. Seemed alot like what happened with the Colts the year Peyton couldn't play.

Is Schaub on option for us as a bridge QB? Would we even want him?

KSViking wrote:I may have missed the threads, and I didn't really watch what happened last season in Houston, but whats going on with Matt Schaub. Is he washed up? he just have a bad year? Year before last, saw him chewing teams up, then last year, he is benched, Foster is injured, whole team fell apart. Seemed alot like what happened with the Colts the year Peyton couldn't play.

Is Schaub on option for us as a bridge QB? Would we even want him?

He's certainly an option but I have no idea if he's a good one. It's impossible to say if he's washed up but after a strong start in the first few games last year, he became a turnover machine, even throwing a "pick 6" in 4 consecutive games. He was injured before mid-season and barely played the rest of the year, even when healthy.

Mothman wrote: He's certainly an option but I have no idea if he's a good one. It's impossible to say if he's washed up but after a strong start in the first few games last year, he became a turnover machine, even throwing a "pick 6" in 4 consecutive games. He was injured before mid-season and barely played the rest of the year, even when healthy.

I would rather we sign Schaub than Cassel or McCown, personally.

Mothman wrote:I don't just see McCown as a product of Trestman's system last year. He made great decisions and threw the ball very well. I think he benefitted from working with Trestman

I do. To this point, he's been below average even from a backup quarterback perspective. Now he was in the starter conversation. At 35 I refuse to believe the light just finally switched on.

if the latter had the ability to coax a 13/1 TD/INT ratio out of just anybody he would have done it with Cutler as well.

Injuries aside, Cutler posted five-year highs in passer rating (89.2), yards per game (238.3) and completion percentage (63.1).

McCown played smart, mature football last year.

That's true. But that's not been the case for the majority of his career.

I don't want Whitehurst either but regarding your last comment: I don't really want any of these free agent QBs, or Ponder, starting. The Vikings future at QB will be tied to whoever they draft so whoever they sign is, at most, a stopgap to play while that heir apparent is prepped for take-off. The Vikings aren't exactly giving off the impression that they want Ponder to start so I see McCown as one of the best options of the slim pickings available. If he could come close to playing like he did last season, he'd be an upgrade over Cassel or Ponder. If not, they're probably right back where they'd be with the other two.

Color me skeptical that McCown will come close to his performance away from Chicago. But it doesn't matter. No matter who they sign won't be the starter in 2015 or 2016 (at least they'd better not, save for an unlikely remarkable performance).

I guess what I'm saying is that as long as they don't sign Vick, who I don't know if I could even stand to watch, I'm indifferent to which of these free agents they sign. They could draw one out of a hat for all I care because I don't believe any of them are going to be the difference between a losing season and a deep playoff run. My main concern is which QB they draft and what they do with the rest of the roster. I think the best we can hope for in 2014 is probably a 2012-like season with erratic QB play but a good enough performance from the team to put together a winning season.

I'm indifferent too. Anybody they sign in free agency will likely be a bottom-10 starting NFL quarterback. Frankly, I'm sick of that.

dead_poet wrote:I do. To this point, he's been below average even from a backup quarterback perspective. Now he was in the starter conversation. At 35 I refuse to believe the light just finally switched on.

As I said, I think he benefitted from working with Trestman (and from throwing to the Bears excellent receivers). I wouldn't expect him to continue performing at the level he did last year (even if he stayed with the Bears). All I'm trying to say is that even in a beneficial system, he still had to make the decisions, the throws, etc. He was still the one playing the game and he excelled by executing what he was supposed to do. If McCown could do that in Trestman's offense, I see no reason why he couldn't do it in Turner's, at least well enough to serve a role as caretaker.

Injuries aside, Cutler posted five-year highs in passer rating (89.2), yards per game (238.3) and completion percentage (63.1).

I'm aware of that but my point was about TD/INT ratio. Cutler's was 19/12, a far cry from the 13/1 McCown had. I'm not saying Trestman's offense isn't beneficial to the QBs playing in it (it is), I'm simply saying McCown deserves credit for his performance.

That's true. But that's not been the case for the majority of his career.

That's true.

Color me skeptical that McCown will come close to his performance away from Chicago. But it doesn't matter. No matter who they sign won't be the starter in 2015 or 2016 (at least they'd better not, save for an unlikely remarkable performance).

Exactly! I'm just as skeptical that Cassel would be able to perform at the level he did last year if he returned (and I didn't think he was all that good most of the time last year).

I'm indifferent too. Anybody they sign in free agency will likely be a bottom-10 starting NFL quarterback. Frankly, I'm sick of that.

I am too. It's probably against the odds but I'm hoping whoever they draft shows enough in the summer to get the starting job and keep it.

I would probably take Mccown out of the bunch, it's true he probably needs trestmans system more than it needs him but he seems like the best of a bad bunch. And even though he'd be leaving that system, who's to say what he learned from it and what not would suddenly vanish? Maybe he takes away some positive things from his experience there and can incorporate them into his next gig?

As for Schaub, I think he's the unfortunate loser in this meta-game of teams desperately trying to get a pass rush good enough to get to the Brady's, Mannings, Rodger's and Bree's of the NFL but also contain the Wilson, Kaepernicks, and Vicks. He's incredibly immobile and non athletic with a slower release than that first group of guys mentioned so he just happens to be on the wrong side of the NFL evolving and making his weaknesses a huge liability.

We saw how easy it was to shut down the Texans offense and get after Schaub first hand 2 years ago when we rattled off our 4 wins to get to the playoffs. I believe we held them to like 6 points. If you can give Schaub an insane amount of pass protection it might work but I don't think pass protection has ever been our strength, especially with the Loadholts and what not on our line.