Vikings Message Board.Com

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1451 ... ree-agency

Interesting article about the best offseason moves each team should make.

As soon as wide receiver Percy Harvin got injured, the passing game in Minnesota became almost non-existent. While running back Adrian Peterson is the Vikings offense, the man needs some help.

The Vikings tried to get quarterback Christian Ponder some help last offseason by signing receiver Jerome Simpson, but that move did not pan out.

The Vikings need to make a splash by signing wide receiver Mike Wallace. The current Steeler would give Ponder a deep threat and open up the underneath routes for Harvin. With safeties having to worry about the deep pass, Peterson would have more room to run than he already does.

Texas Vike wrote:I think there are two positions that could make a huge impact for the Vikes: LB and WR.

We need LBs that can defend the dink and dunk of GB and blitz hard when needed. It is also our glaring weakness on D.

WR: I'd be happy w/ re-signing Percy and drafting a solid talent in rd 1 or 2.

However they address WR, they desperately need to significantly improve on the outside. If they don't sign a difference-maker at WR in free agency (and I'm not really expecting that to happen) I hope they draft two WRs and honestly, I wouldn't even care of they went WR in R1 and R2, although I don't think that's necessary. I'd like to them to bring in some rookie free agent receivers as well. Flood the position with new talent and sort through it in camps!

LB is clearly a big need too and I'd love to see a big effort to upgrade there as well, although when it comes to GB, they present so many matchup problems that it's hard to stop them from doing something. They can threaten so well on the outside and down the seam that even with good coverage LBs, it's hard to take away the underneath stuff at the same time. That said, it's certainly possible to do a better job against it than the Vikings did in that last game.

The lack of great (we have good enough) Wrs is not the problem the Vikes face now. Neither is the lack of LBs. Its the O. Ponder needs more time to pass. We need OLINE help. Now. Before anything else. And as the playoff game vrs the packers showed, we need some good Backup QBs, ones good enough to give Ponder a run for his money. Which shouldnt be hard, but for this organization it is. They just forget about the QB until its too late. Get the LB and WR picks late in the later rounds.

PurpleKoolaid wrote:They just forget about the QB until its too late.

I just do not understand what you are saying here. The Vikings acquired Ponder because they had to address the QB position. Of course, it should have been addressed by not acquiring Favre in 2009 and instead getting a good young QB, but is that fair to blame this current front office for the screw ups of the Childress Era TOA? Now, whether Ponder should have been drafted is an arguable point, but there it is.

Do you mean they should have addressed the backup QB situation? I can agree with that because of my feelings about Webb. I never really saw him as a viable #2. He is a good change-of-pace QB, but obviously is not a viable back-up for any length of time should Ponder get hurt. Maybe he practices well but bites it when game time comes around?

I think they addressed the starting QB position (and the jury is still out but the verdict is not looking good, IMO), but they made a mistake with the back-up QB position. I think they will make some move in the off season to address it.

I was unhappily shocked at how poorly Webb played. He had shown some fans and coaches some degree of promise and had a few highlights in some of his brief appearances.
That being said, I think that it also illustrated what poor pass protection their line afforded the QB all year long and the degree or lack there of seperation that this poor wide receiver corp provides. That is not in any way excusing the poor passing show that Webb displayed. A high school kid could have hit some of those errant passes that Webb threw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wX-I7KZjRU

BGM wrote: I just do not understand what you are saying here. The Vikings acquired Ponder because they had to address the QB position. Of course, it should have been addressed by not acquiring Favre in 2009 and instead getting a good young QB, but is that fair to blame this current front office for the screw ups of the Childress Era TOA? Now, whether Ponder should have been drafted is an arguable point, but there it is.

Do you mean they should have addressed the backup QB situation? I can agree with that because of my feelings about Webb. I never really saw him as a viable #2. He is a good change-of-pace QB, but obviously is not a viable back-up for any length of time should Ponder get hurt. Maybe he practices well but bites it when game time comes around?

I think they addressed the starting QB position (and the jury is still out but the verdict is not looking good, IMO), but they made a mistake with the back-up QB position. I think they will make some move in the off season to address it.

I mean for say, the past decade or more. Reaching for a QB, you need a backup plan. And Ponder was a reach. Many didnt have him going till the second round, and now we know why. With a rookie like Ponder, and his numbers from last year, the powers that be, should have brought in a backup vet QB. Just saying Ponder is our starting QB doesnt solve anything. If we cut Webb and MBT right now I doubt they make it on any team in the NFL as a 3rd string QB. Thats what I mean by addressing the QB situation. Since I have been watching the Vikes they really never have a QB set, and never bring up a rookie to stick with.

Putting all the chips ona QB like Ponder this year hurt us. Even with Sage, we may have had a chance vrs GB. But They didnt look that far ahead.

PurpleKoolaid wrote: I mean for say, the past decade or more. Reaching for a QB, you need a backup plan. And Ponder was a reach. Many didnt have him going till the second round, and now we know why. With a rookie like Ponder, and his numbers from last year, the powers that be, should have brought in a backup vet QB. Just saying Ponder is our starting QB doesnt solve anything. If we cut Webb and MBT right now I doubt they make it on any team in the NFL as a 3rd string QB. Thats what I mean by addressing the QB situation. Since I have been watching the Vikes they really never have a QB set, and never bring up a rookie to stick with.

Putting all the chips ona QB like Ponder this year hurt us. Even with Sage, we may have had a chance vrs GB. But They didnt look that far ahead.

who would you have picked over Ponder?

Purple bruise wrote: I think that if the Vikes lose Henderson their replacement is already on the roster. That guy is Audi Cole. Hes being groomed and has the size and speed to make a difference http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss ... on-defense

I really like what we saw from Audie Cole in the preseason. It would be great if they could develop a good MLB from inside the organization.

BGM wrote: I really like what we saw from Audie Cole in the preseason. It would be great if they could develop a good MLB from inside the organization.

Even if Audie Cole could start, the Vikings need better depth at LB. Henderson and Brinkley are both head and shoulders above dreck like Larry Dean and Tyrone McKenzie. I see them drafting a LB, probably in the first three rounds, but unless they also plan on signing a couple of free agents, they're not likely to be any better at the position by having Dean and McKenzie as backups.

PurpleKoolaid wrote:

Putting all the chips ona QB like Ponder this year hurt us. Even with Sage, we may have had a chance vrs GB. But They didnt look that far ahead.

See, that's the thing, though. You have to commit to someone in order to address the position. And they did. It might end up being a swing and a miss, but they did address it. It would have concerned me far more if they had manufactured a QB controversy. So, I guess even though they hitched their wagon to a guy who may not end up being the answer, at least they hitched their wagon, which is a nice change from the past.

Truthfully, I am getting tired of the Vikings not having a franchise QB. Maybe, by some act of the football gods, they find that guy in the next season or two.

Eli wrote:
Even if Audie Cole could start, the Vikings need better depth at LB. Henderson and Brinkley are both head and shoulders above dreck like Larry Dean and Tyrone McKenzie. I see them drafting a LB, probably in the first three rounds, but unless they also plan on signing a couple of free agents, they're not likely to be any better at the position by having Dean and McKenzie as backups.

That's true. Well, makes for another interesting discussion for the off season!

BGM wrote: See, that's the thing, though. You have to commit to someone in order to address the position. And they did. It might end up being a swing and a miss, but they did address it. It would have concerned me far more if they had manufactured a QB controversy. So, I guess even though they hitched their wagon to a guy who may not end up being the answer, at least they hitched their wagon, which is a nice change from the past.

Truthfully, I am getting tired of the Vikings not having a franchise QB. Maybe, by some act of the football gods, they find that guy in the next season or two.

Hah, you just said what I had bee trying to say. I want a franchise so QB. I dont think the powers that be really thought that was Ponder after a year, yet they didnt have a backup plan. Certainly not Webb or MBT. I just hate being in this situation since i started watching the Vikes. You would have thought the failed TJoke experiement would have taught them something.

Eli wrote: Even if Audie Cole could start, the Vikings need better depth at LB. Henderson and Brinkley are both head and shoulders above dreck like Larry Dean and Tyrone McKenzie. I see them drafting a LB, probably in the first three rounds, but unless they also plan on signing a couple of free agents, they're not likely to be any better at the position by having Dean and McKenzie as backups.

I agree. But we address the guards first. Cole has shown to at least the fans, he can fight for the starting job.

I would prefer if the Vikes didnt sign any FA WR. I see the team needing upgrades or depth at every position. In the draft, WR should be down on the list. I would like to see the Vikes draft heavily on defense.

CbusVikesFan wrote:I would prefer if the Vikes didnt sign any FA WR. I see the team needing upgrades or depth at every position. In the draft, WR should be down on the list. I would like to see the Vikes draft heavily on defense.

Every position needs upgraded and more depth:?: Running back, fullback, place kicker,punter, center, offensive tackle, strong safety, defensive ends. I sure do not see the need in those positions do you know something I don't know?