What's your initial feeling on the Vikings signing Freeman?

[Mercy Percy]

I just am not sold on Freeman at all. He has double the games under his belt than Ponder, yet his stats are not that much better. Here is a comparison.

Ponder completion 59.2%
Freeman completion 58.2%

Ponder yrds game 182
Freeman yrds game 225

Ponder yrds attempt 6.3
Freeman yrds attempt 6.9

Ponder is intercepted 3.4% of the time
Freeman is intercepted 3.4% of the time

Ponder TDs per game throwing .9
Freeman TDs per game throwing 1.3

So with double the games that Ponder has, Freeman hasn't shown himself to be much better. Sure he has a cannon arm, but apparently that cannon only has netted him a 1% better completion rate than Ponder and only a .6 yards per avg advantage. It hasn't given him a better interception rate, but admittedly he does give more TDs a game.
Cassel is basically about the same as Ponder and Freeman.

Now how much of that is a result of who he plays for I don't know and is an intangible at this point. Same goes for Cassel. Cassel hasn't played for us enough to really gauge his ability with our team and we sure have no idea how Freeman will do with our talent either. We can only say that Ponder has not looked good with our talent this year. In one game Cassel looked better, but it was only one game.

At this point I don't believe Freeman is the answer this year. He may turn out to be, but forgive me if I am not excited.

Is this from this year alone or his total career stats?

[Mercy Percy]

In potential alone Freeman is >>>> than ponder, he also is the same age as Ponder. Ponder is severely limited. With Adrian Peterson and the weapons we have I see a very good Josh Freeman.

[PacificNorseWest]

Freeman is going to put up numbers in Minnesota. Mark my words.

[dead_poet]

16.3: The percentage of carries (52 of 319) in which Bucs running back Doug Martin faced eight or more defenders in the box while rushing for 1,454 yards a year ago. That, according to ProFootballFocus.com, ranked 27th in the league among backs with at least 100 carries. Peterson ranked third at 34.5 percent (120 of 348).

Yeah, but what is it this year? It's gotta be significantly higher based on what I've seen.

1.7: Martin’s average per carry in his first game without Freeman’s big arm as a balancing complement. With Freeman benched and about to be released, Martin rushed for 45 yards on 27 carries in a 13-10 loss to the Cardinals two weeks ago. Rookie quarterback Mike Glennon’s longest pass that day: A 20-yard dump to the fullback that traveled 6 yards in the air.

12: Combined catches for 40 yards or more by Bucs receivers Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams a year ago. Each had six, tying them for second in the league, one behind Cincinnati’s A.J. Green. Jackson led the league in average yards per catch (19.2) despite being only 20th in yards after the catch (398 of 1,384). The Vikings’ entire team had only three catches of at least 40 yards last season.

Some can be attributed to Freeman, but you have to consider the scheme. Tampa Bay runs a largely vertical scheme that emphasized the deep routes. The same can't be said for the Vikings. And there's a bit of a difference in receiving talent from Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams to the "deep threats" we trotted out last season. In 2/3 games with Ponder this season, Jerome Simpson averaged 20 and 24 yards per catch. If you add the third game with Ponder in there and he averaged 18 YPC.

9: Plays of 60 yards or more for the Bucs a year ago, a franchise record. Seven of them were Freeman deep balls.

Again, scheme and receiving talent play a role (as does your QB). Freeman does seem to have better deep ball accuracy.

Get the picture?

No, Freeman isn’t the savior all by himself. He’s 24-35 with no playoff appearances since the Bucs picked him 17th overall in 2009. But his strongest strength — the ability to throw the deep ball on time with zip and accuracy — matches the weakest weakness in a Vikings offense screaming out for a consistent deep ball to complement Peterson.

According to ProFootballFocus.com, a league-low 7.5 percent of Ponder’s 2012 passes were thrown at least 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Of those, a league-low 25 percent were completed.

Obviously, there were other variables besides Ponder in those numbers. But the Vikings believe Freeman’s bigger stature [6-6, 240], ability to extend plays and stronger arm will help overcome other deficiencies when it’s time to stretch the field.

Let's hope their belief comes to fruition.

Freeman’s career completion percentage is only 58.2 percent. But he completed 62.8 percent in his last year in a West Coast scheme (2011) before coach Greg Schiano arrived with an offense that put more emphasis on the deep ball.

Freeman was completing only 45.7 percent this year, but, like all quarterbacks, it wasn’t entirely his fault. He had two touchdown passes dropped by receivers, including a 38-yarder, in the 23-3 loss to the Patriots in Week 3.

I really hope Schiano and the scheme is the cause of his regression and he can regain his 2010 form here. I'm coming around. It's a low-risk move and, really, if you don't have a "franchise QB", you gotta keep calling guys to bat until you hit a home run. Freeman is just another batter. Let's see what he does.

[mondry]

I really hope Schiano and the scheme is the cause of his regression and he can regain his 2010 form here. I'm coming around. It's a low-risk move and, really, if you don't have a "franchise QB", you gotta keep calling guys to bat until you hit a home run. Freeman is just another batter. Let's see what he does.

That pretty much sums it up for me. Well said. There is no draft in the middle of the season so outside of a block buster trade with picks or players involved, signing freeman is really the best / only move we could have made to put the next batter up.

[VikingLord]

I really hope Schiano and the scheme is the cause of his regression and he can regain his 2010 form here. I'm coming around. It's a low-risk move and, really, if you don't have a "franchise QB", you gotta keep calling guys to bat until you hit a home run. Freeman is just another batter. Let's see what he does.

I'm not coming around on the move, at least in terms of believing Josh Freeman is anywhere near the answer for this team long-term at QB. I agree it's low-risk in terms of compensation and commitment, but that is about all I can see that objectively justifies it at this point in the season. Everyone wants to focus on Freeman's stature and big arm and apparent better ability to get the ball downfield. Very little is being made of his *significant* regression in performance and apparent interest in football, not just this season so far, but also late last season, and where it is mentioned, most Vikings fans seem to want to believe the head coach in Tampa was responsible.

Let's put it this way - if it was disturbing to realize the Vikings were willing to part with the uber-talented, former 1st-round and very productive Harvin for non-football reasons, it should be equally disturbing to realize the Bucs were willing to part with Freeman, their presumptive also 1st-round franchise QB. More disturbing when they're willing to do it for zero compensation, which basically means nobody else was willing to sacrifice even a low round pick for him. Compared to purported talented problem children like Harvin and Cutler, that tells me all I need to know about how likely this is to work out for the Vikes, short or long term.

But there is one good thing to come out of this, and that is I most likely will never have to see Ponder behind center for the Vikes again. For THAT, I have to give Spielman props. I'm not sure how many more times I could watch Ponder stare down a guy or miss a wide open receiver and then come to the podium afterwards with zero emotion and talk about how "we" have to fix this or "we" have to do that better. That little schtick was getting really old.

[dead_poet]

Let's put it this way - if it was disturbing to realize the Vikings were willing to part with the uber-talented, former 1st-round and very productive Harvin for non-football reasons, it should be equally disturbing to realize the Bucs were willing to part with Freeman, their presumptive also 1st-round franchise QB.

I see a distinct difference, that being that Harvin was the cause of the problems in Minnesota and, by many accounts, Schiano is the culprit in Tampa Bay.

More disturbing when they're willing to do it for zero compensation, which basically means nobody else was willing to sacrifice even a low round pick for him.

It was all but assumed that the relationship was broken beyond repair and he was going to be released. Why give a draft pick when you can potentially get the guy for free?

Compared to purported talented problem children like Harvin and Cutler, that tells me all I need to know about how likely this is to work out for the Vikes, short or long term.

My biggest fear is that this will, in some way, cause the Vikings to pass up a franchise-caliber signal-caller in the draft. I really don't think Freeman is going to re-capture 2010 form, especially with so many factors working against him (new system, new receivers, mid-season, etc.). If he performs "well enough" that the Vikings extend him and they miss out on the next Manning or Rodgers or Brady...I'm going to flip right out.

[mondry]

I think the situation is really similar to what we had in 2005 with Culpepper and Childress.
Childress (Schiano) wanted Culpepper (Freeman) gone no matter what in favor of a guy (Glennon) that Childress could groom into his own.

Only in this case, though, Freeman didn't just snap his leg and isn't 29 years old.

That's practically a perfect take on it I think!

[Mothman]

My biggest fear is that this will, in some way, cause the Vikings to pass up a franchise-caliber signal-caller in the draft. I really don't think Freeman is going to re-capture 2010 form, especially with so many factors working against him (new system, new receivers, mid-season, etc.). If he performs "well enough" that the Vikings extend him and they miss out on the next Manning or Rodgers or Brady...I'm going to flip right out.

Don't worry about that. History suggests they'd miss out on the next Manning or Rodgers or Brady anyway.

[lyzarde]

I think the situation is really similar to what we had in 2005 with Culpepper and Childress.
Childress (Schiano) wanted Culpepper (Freeman) gone no matter what in favor of a guy (Glennon) that Childress could groom into his own.

Only in this case, though, Freeman didn't just snap his leg and isn't 29 years old.

Quite honestly, down here in Tampa, nobody likes Schiano. That includes the players. The Bucs fans think he's a scumbag and a #### coach. Word is most of the players don't want to play for him. This is the guy who the minute he stepped through the door and opened his mouth, Kellen Winslow requested a trade out of town. He was brought in because the Glazers wanted the complete opposite of Raheem Morris (too lax, players took advantage and had no discipline), Bill Belichick is friends with the Glazers, and told them to hire him (I mean, look how well other Belichick coaching disciples have worked out). Schiano's style is to be a hardass and treat everyone like they're some dumb freshman. He's basically alienating his entire team. I don't blame Freeman one bit for losing his drive and desire to play for this team (Bucs), especially with a new coach who from the very start was blatant in his dislike for him.

We're all hoping he gets fired this season, along with the OC.

[mondry]

Quite honestly, down here in Tampa, nobody likes Schiano. That includes the players. The Bucs fans think he's a scumbag and a #### coach. Word is most of the players don't want to play for him. This is the guy who the minute he stepped through the door and opened his mouth, Kellen Winslow requested a trade out of town. He was brought in because the Glazers wanted the complete opposite of Raheem Morris (too lax, players took advantage and had no discipline), Bill Belichick is friends with the Glazers, and told them to hire him (I mean, look how well other Belichick coaching disciples have worked out). Schiano's style is to be a hardass and treat everyone like they're some dumb freshman. He's basically alienating his entire team. I don't blame Freeman one bit for losing his drive and desire to play for this team (Bucs), especially with a new coach who from the very start was blatant in his dislike for him.

We're all hoping he gets fired this season, along with the OC.

Yeah, that's the picture I'm getting from every bucs fan I've talked to as well. He's basically a firery hot mess where his good attributes become a downside (passion, energy, etc) because he applies them to aggressively and recklessly. As you can tell from the Freeman interviews / conference calls / etc, you can tell he's a bit laid back and schiano couldn't stand that about him. I guess he wanted a Philip Rivers type that would start throwing a tantrum when guys mess up or whatever.

I've also read his "style" is pretty old school that a lot of players don't like. The whole "We're just going to hit them in the mouth" and out work everyone. Lyzarde, would you say this guy is basically childress 2.0?

[Purple bruise]

I am very excited to see what Freeman can do. I would remind people that he had a much better receiving corp there than he will in Minny.
Vincent Jackson is a man amoung boys and he can make a QB look a whole lot better than he actually might be. That being said, Freeman has a strong arm, excellent size and pretty good mobility. There arn't many reasons why he could not be their QB for the next several years. Great signing

[King James]

I wouldn't be surprised if Freeman starts as soon as this Sunday. It seems like they are trying to get him as familiar with the system as they can. If they had no intentions on playing him this week, then im sure Cassel would be starting already. Seems they are trying to wait it out and see how it goes.

I personally don't think the Vikings would be in bad shape if they started Freeman soon. I mean our passing game was already non existent with a QB who has been with this team for 3 seasons. We really cant do any worse if Freeman gets to start. Part of me is actually pretty anxious to see if Freeman has what it takes to be this "star" the team thinks he has the potential to be.

[yezzir]

Freeman will play this year, but it won't be this week...unless Cassel falls on his face.

[yezzir]

I wouldn't be surprised if Freeman starts as soon as this Sunday. It seems like they are trying to get him as familiar with the system as they can. If they had no intentions on playing him this week, then im sure Cassel would be starting already. Seems they are trying to wait it out and see how it goes.

I personally don't think the Vikings would be in bad shape if they started Freeman soon. I mean our passing game was already non existent with a QB who has been with this team for 3 seasons. We really cant do any worse if Freeman gets to start. Part of me is actually pretty anxious to see if Freeman has what it takes to be this "star" the team thinks he has the potential to be.

You make a good point. An average,veteran QB could come in and practice for a week and at least make decent slant/screen passes -- which for the most part has been our "successful" passing game with Ponder.

It'll be interesting to see what Frazier/Spielman do if Cassel wins the next couple games. You don't sign Freeman for 3 mill and 1 year w/ hopes of him being a franchise QB without playing him at least 5 games ths year.