Minnesota Vikings Offseason (2007) (1 Viewer)

[ArcticEdge]

I'm pleased with this draft, but you guys have to prepare yourselves for a long season. If we win 5 games, I will be surprised.

 

[madviking10]

I'm pleased with this draft, but you guys have to prepare yourselves for a long season. If we win 5 games, I will be surprised.

Your a Vikings fan? It's April, were gonna win the Super Bowl Baby. Maybe not but SIX wins EASY !!!

 

[ArcticEdge]

I'm pleased with this draft, but you guys have to prepare yourselves for a long season. If we win 5 games, I will be surprised.

Your a Vikings fan? It's April, were gonna win the Super Bowl Baby.

Maybe not but SIX wins EASY !!!

33 years and counting. I like your positive outlook kid, I used to be you.(smoo) It's you're (smoo)

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Checking in from my way back from Louisville, KY and all I have to say is that at least Childress can honestly call this draft "KICK ###!" More tomorrow when I get back.

 

[Donnybrook]

Info on Tyler Thigpen http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/232/story/36248.html

Turner said that possibility gives Thigpen all the opportunity he needs to not only get a shot in the league but also to become the first Coastal Carolina player to have his name called during the draft on April 28-29.

Turner said Thigpen's biggest obstacle might be that he played in the second tier of college football. At the same time, an impressive pro day (which included a 67-yard throw while standing flat-footed) and the opinions of some scouts make Turner believe his client will get the call.

"Several scouts ... told me he should have been at the combine," Turner said of the annual NFL evaluation tryouts in Indianapolis. "He's got the tools."

 

[snogger]

I'm pleased with this draft, but you guys have to prepare yourselves for a long season. If we win 5 games, I will be surprised.

Your a Vikings fan? It's April, were gonna win the Super Bowl Baby. Maybe not but SIX wins EASY !!!

Before the draft the line was 6.5 and I said take the over. Liking that a little more after this draft. Jackson should have very little pressure on him. The game plan will be the same as last year for Brad: "Just don't lose the game for us". Hopefully he does a better job at it

 

[Funkley]

Overall, I'm pretty thrilled. I understand the upside of Rice but I think I still would have preferred Jarrett. I think they stole Rufus Alexander. Robison seems like a D. Scott clone, good solid player.

But yeah, they're going to get killed this year unless that running game leads the league and produces points. And by not killed I mean 8-8. Realistically a top 10 pick again next year.

Nice move stealing a 3rd in next year's draft.

 

[zadok]

FWIW, I think Minny had one of the best drafts - maybe THE best.

The 3rd, 5th, and 6th round picks could all be huge steals.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

This draft didn't give me much increased hope for next season, but it did boost my faith that Childress, Spielman, & Associates seem to know what they're doing and have a plan.

If these guys pan out like they should, it's a great core set of players to improve the franchise with.

Can't believe they got Alexander that late.

 

[Chunky Soup]

What do you guys see as the split between AP and CT to start the season? What do you expect to see as the season continues?

Also, what is the feeling in MN about the collarbone. Are fans worried?

 

[Funkley]

What do you guys see as the split between AP and CT to start the season? What do you expect to see as the season continues? Also, what is the feeling in MN about the collarbone. Are fans worried?

I'm not worried about it if they aren't and if it ends up being an issue I'll be disappointed but not pissed. They haven't had a RB this good since Foreman so I hope they do whatever needs to be done to get him 100%. If in fact it's no big deal and he's ready to go from the 1st day of training camp then I see a 70/30 split of Peterson to Taylor.Possibly too optomistic on the split but I thinking that Peterson plays too explosively to keep on the bench.

 

[CanadianNFLJunkie]

Anyone know what street free agents we signed last night/today?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

What do you guys see as the split between AP and CT to start the season? What do you expect to see as the season continues?

I think the situation is closer to McAllister/Bush than Jones/Benson or Rhodes/Addai or even Dillon/Maroney. I think you'll see them on the field at the same time a bunch this year.

Also, what is the feeling in MN about the collarbone. Are fans worried?

Not in the slightest.

 

[reg]

Anyone know what street free agents we signed last night/today?

spielman said they agreed to terms with 16 i think. names won't be released until they sign contracts.

 

[reg]

What do you guys see as the split between AP and CT to start the season? What do you expect to see as the season continues?

I think the situation is closer to McAllister/Bush than Jones/Benson or Rhodes/Addai or even Dillon/Maroney. I think you'll see them on the field at the same time a bunch this year.

i believe chili has already said as much.

 

[FunkyPlutos]

Anyone know what street free agents we signed last night/today?

spielman said they agreed to terms with 16 i think. names won't be released until they sign contracts.

When will that be? I saw a report that said Thursday, but that seems like quite a while before finding out. Has Darius Walker signed anywhere yet? I was hoping to get him signed since he was a west coast guy and could be a decent 3rd down back.

 

[reg]

Here are the ones that draft daddy has posted:Jeremy Burnett, DB, South Florida Dan Mozes, OC, West Virginia Chase Johnson, OT, Wyoming Brian Daniels, OL, Colorado Alex Reyes, P, Texas Techi think they will start releasing names today or tomorrow.

Spielman said the Vikings had agreed to terms with 16 players but didn’t want to name them until they have signed. That should happen later this week. That group, along with the eight players the Vikings drafted, will be at Winter Park next weekend for three days for a rookie minicamp. The Vikings also are going to have another 15 to 20 players in attendance for the purpose of giving them a tryout. Those players will simply sign waivers.

 

[BigJim®]

This draft didn't give me much increased hope for next season, but it did boost my faith that Childress, Spielman, & Associates seem to know what they're doing and have a plan. If these guys pan out like they should, it's a great core set of players to improve the franchise with.Can't believe they got Alexander that late.

Before the draft I would call this organization directionless. Even if the team struggles this season they have certainly bought some additional time in my books through this draft.

 

[snogger]

What do you guys see as the split between AP and CT to start the season? What do you expect to see as the season continues?

I think the situation is closer to McAllister/Bush than Jones/Benson or Rhodes/Addai or even Dillon/Maroney. I think you'll see them on the field at the same time a bunch this year.

Also, what is the feeling in MN about the collarbone. Are fans worried?

Not in the slightest.

on both points.If the reports on Williamson's eye issues are true and they have resolved them and the reports on Jackson spending the off season working out at winter park and studying, this could be a very fun season.

I still say over 6.5 wins is a good bet.

They went 6-10 last year...

They lost 6 of those games by less than a TD.

With as incompetent as the offense was last year, to be that close in 6 of the losses should give us some hope this season.

Drinking the kool-aid until proven otherwise

 

[Funkley]

I think the splitting carries part is just being kind to Chester. Seriously doubt it plays out that way unless Chester turns into a blocking back or AP struggles.

 

[snogger]

I think the splitting carries part is just being kind to Chester. Seriously doubt it plays out that way unless Chester turns into a blocking back or AP struggles.

My Beggining of the season Chester gets the majority of carries..Middle of the season Split carriesEnd of the season AP gets the majority of the carries.No matter how it plays out, with the state of the WR's right now, I expect both to be out there at the same time for 75%+ of the offensive plays.

 

[switz]

I think the splitting carries part is just being kind to Chester. Seriously doubt it plays out that way unless Chester turns into a blocking back or AP struggles.

They'll work it like Rhodes/Addai last year.However, as long as Taylor is there, he's going to see a good split of the carries. Remember their coach comes froma scheme where a number of backs touch the ball.

 

[Funkley]

I think the splitting carries part is just being kind to Chester. Seriously doubt it plays out that way unless Chester turns into a blocking back or AP struggles.

They'll work it like Rhodes/Addai last year.However, as long as Taylor is there, he's going to see a good split of the carries. Remember their coach comes froma scheme where a number of backs touch the ball.

True but if 'explosive' is what they really want then they're going to have to give AP his minimum 15+ carries a game to get a homerun out of him. Closer to 20 I'd imagine. But it does seem like a 35-40 carry a game offense right now. Keep the ball out of Tarvaris's hands.

 

[CanadianNFLJunkie]

I think the splitting carries part is just being kind to Chester. Seriously doubt it plays out that way unless Chester turns into a blocking back or AP struggles.

My Beggining of the season Chester gets the majority of carries..Middle of the season Split carriesEnd of the season AP gets the majority of the carries.No matter how it plays out, with the state of the WR's right now, I expect both to be out there at the same time for 75%+ of the offensive plays.

This sounds about right but I think it all depends on how soon AP signs and how quickly he can understand/pick up the blocking of them pesty blitzing LB'ers.

 

[TeamDingo]

What do you guys see as the split between AP and CT to start the season? What do you expect to see as the season continues? Also, what is the feeling in MN about the collarbone. Are fans worried?

MN RB's got about 400 carries last year. I expect that to go up a little. My Guess is that AP gets 250ish carries and CT gets 150ish, or so.Worst case on the collarbone is supposed to be 6 weeks. It should not be any problem.

 

[reg]

According to the Washington (Pa.) Observer Reporter, the Vikings signed West Virginia center Dan Mozes, who won the Rimington Award, given to college football's top center, and was a two-time All-American.

He is 6 foot 2, 293 pounds.

Also, according to the school paper at Southern Illinois, the Daily Egyptian, Salukis running back Arkee Whitlock also signed with the Vikings.

Whitlock rushed for 4,242 yards and 51 touchdowns in three years with the Salukis, including 1,858 yards and 25 touchdowns on 317 attempts last season.

Jones was SIU's leading receiver last year with 32 catches for 521 yards and seven touchdowns. He said the Vikings were one of two teams he wanted to go to, along with Green Bay, but the Packers used their final draft pick on a tight end, making his choice easy.

The Southern Illinoisan said the Vikings also signed tight end Braden Jones, who led the Salukis with 32 catches for 521 yards and seven touchdowns.

 

[switz]

I think the splitting carries part is just being kind to Chester. Seriously doubt it plays out that way unless Chester turns into a blocking back or AP struggles.

They'll work it like Rhodes/Addai last year.However, as long as Taylor is there, he's going to see a good split of the carries. Remember their coach comes froma scheme where a number of backs touch the ball.

True but if 'explosive' is what they really want then they're going to have to give AP his minimum 15+ carries a game to get a homerun out of him. Closer to 20 I'd imagine. But it does seem like a 35-40 carry a game offense right now. Keep the ball out of Tarvaris's hands.

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)Just a note: Look at how many carries Westbrook has gotten over the past few years, 240 last season was his highest and he got hurt. I see Peterson kept under that number on the season.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)

That statement is false.

 

[switz]

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)

That statement is false.

Right - he had what, 24 receptions his entire collegiate career? Saying he's a good receiver doesn't make it true. I've watched the games, he's not a very good receiver.

 

[FunkyPlutos]

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)

That statement is false.

Right - he had what, 24 receptions his entire collegiate career? Saying he's a good receiver doesn't make it true. I've watched the games, he's not a very good receiver.

They never throw to their backs.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)

That statement is false.

Right - he had what, 24 receptions his entire collegiate career? Saying he's a good receiver doesn't make it true. I've watched the games, he's not a very good receiver.

They said the same thing about Maroney coming out and he caught 22 passes last year alone.Just because a guy doesn't play in a "pass to the RB" type offense doesn't mean they don't fit the role.

 

[Funkley]

There's already been some talk that he looked so good split out during work outs that they may try that at times to get him the ball 'in space' as they say.

We'll see.

 

[Funkley]

I could see Dan Mozes landing on the practice squad. Little surprised he went undrafted. Best lineman on a team that created a lot of space for Slaton/White.

 

[ScottNorwood]

Oh Adrian, you're so dreamy

 

[switz]

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)

That statement is false.

Right - he had what, 24 receptions his entire collegiate career? Saying he's a good receiver doesn't make it true. I've watched the games, he's not a very good receiver.

They never throw to their backs.

I guess they didn't in HS either. Anyway, just watch the film

 

[switz]

But if they want "explosive" they also won't wear Peterson out by over running him. I have him pegged for about 235 carries, that's almost 15 per game, slighlty less. I don't see him breaking 15 regularly. Chester Taylor is adequate enough, really, he's a decent RB, that they won't press Peterson too much. I see a 55-45 split between the two. Peterson will get more goalline carries IMO, but Taylor will see more receptions (Peterson is not really a good receiver at all)

That statement is false.

Right - he had what, 24 receptions his entire collegiate career? Saying he's a good receiver doesn't make it true. I've watched the games, he's not a very good receiver.

They said the same thing about Maroney coming out and he caught 22 passes last year alone.Just because a guy doesn't play in a "pass to the RB" type offense doesn't mean they don't fit the role.

Maroney looked better catching the ball in college.

 

[Funkley]

Oh Adrian, you're so dreamy

2000 yards and 20 tds.I can't wait. :(

 

[Vikes Fan]

I see a closer to 50-50 split if not a slight edge to Chester, actually. I think the Vikings will work Peterson in slowly and not push too hard too quick. If he were to get a lot of carries, especially early and get hurt, the team would take a big hit in the media for selecting AD (injury prone) instead of Quinn. I think they will use him a lot, but in situations which are very positive for him. They will be careful to showcase him as the team's star and still keep him healthy, so I think Taylor will see the ball more than some of you think.

Just my I still love the pick and look forward to seeing AD in purple.

 

[Funkley]

That theory makes more sense to me if it were another sport or even if he were a QB but I just don't see how you can create favorable situations for or protect a 7th overall RB. He can either carry the load or he can't. If they have to go to such extremes to make him look good then he'll be a bust. And I think the Quinn talk is dead. It's clear that the NFL just doesn't think much of his skills that early so passing on him is the fans hang up, not the teams. Any fan out there that still thinks Quinn was a worthy picked at #7 isn't paying attention.

 

[reg]

That theory makes more sense to me if it were another sport or even if he were a QB but I just don't see how you can create favorable situations for or protect a 7th overall RB. He can either carry the load or he can't. If they have to go to such extremes to make him look good then he'll be a bust. And I think the Quinn talk is dead. It's clear that the NFL just doesn't think much of his skills that early so passing on him is the fans hang up, not the teams. Any fan out there that still thinks Quinn was a worthy picked at #7 isn't paying attention.

the vikes had quinn ranked around #20 on their board.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

What is the team going to do for DT depth? Seems to me it's only Kevin & Pat Williams on the roster at that spot right now.

 

[Vikes Fan]

That theory makes more sense to me if it were another sport or even if he were a QB but I just don't see how you can create favorable situations for or protect a 7th overall RB. He can either carry the load or he can't. If they have to go to such extremes to make him look good then he'll be a bust. And I think the Quinn talk is dead. It's clear that the NFL just doesn't think much of his skills that early so passing on him is the fans hang up, not the teams. Any fan out there that still thinks Quinn was a worthy picked at #7 isn't paying attention.

Sure you can protect him some. I am not saying on every carry. I could see them keeping him out of goal-line duty at first to keep him from being banged on in a pile. I could see them taking him off the field on third and long so some linebacker doesn't blow him up on pass protection. Just little things. I just think it will be a more even split. Chester isn't exactly chopped liver. He wore down last year and would perform better with some of the workload lightened.

 

[Funkley]

That theory makes more sense to me if it were another sport or even if he were a QB but I just don't see how you can create favorable situations for or protect a 7th overall RB. He can either carry the load or he can't. If they have to go to such extremes to make him look good then he'll be a bust. And I think the Quinn talk is dead. It's clear that the NFL just doesn't think much of his skills that early so passing on him is the fans hang up, not the teams. Any fan out there that still thinks Quinn was a worthy picked at #7 isn't paying attention.

Sure you can protect him some. I am not saying on every carry. I could see them keeping him out of goal-line duty at first to keep him from being banged on in a pile. I could see them taking him off the field on third and long so some linebacker doesn't blow him up on pass protection. Just little things. I just think it will be a more even split. Chester isn't exactly chopped liver. He wore down last year and would perform better with some of the workload lightened.

Gotcha, that makes sense. But I do think Chester is pretty close to chopped liver and had a very over-rated season. About the only thing he did to impress me was stay healthy enough to get 300 carries. What he did with those 300 carries was pretty underwhelming but I'm not a fan of his.

 

[FunkyPlutos]

What is the team going to do for DT depth? Seems to me it's only Kevin & Pat Williams on the roster at that spot right now.

Didn't Spencer Johnson sign his tender? Also, it sounds like Darrion Scott will sign his one year tender, and I think they will move him inside more this year.

 

[shamrock84]

A few draft grades from the innernets...

Sporting News – A: RB Adrian Peterson is an elite player, and WR Sidney Rice, WR Aundrae Allison and OLB Rufus Alexander should become very good starters eventually. The sleeper of the group is CB Marcus McCauley.

Yahoo! – B: Adrian Peterson is a risky pick at No. 7 overall, but it could pay off huge. You just wonder if passing on Brady Quinn will come back to haunt the Vikings. Wideout Sidney Rice is another risk. He's big and strong with some speed, but he's also inexperienced (redshirted '04 season; declared for the draft as a sophomore) and has an attitude. Some scouts have compared his mental makeup to that of Brandon Lloyd and Antonio Bryant. Not exactly what you want in Minnesota after the past few years of fiascos. Cornerback Marcus McCauley and defensive end Brian Robison could develop into solid starters from the middle rounds.

USA Today – 3 of 5 stars: Despite durability questions, explosive RB Adrian Peterson is a good fit with Minnesota, where he has a top offensive line on the left side and can split carries with Chester Taylor. WR Sidney Rice adds zip to an offense that lacks big-play punch. CB Marcus McCauley gives some secondary depth.

FoxSports – B-: Well, the Vikings passed on Brady Quinn and that means they totally love second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. Instead, they grabbed Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson with the first pick and don't seem to have any concerns about his broken collar bone. Peterson was considered a top three pick with Russell and Johnson despite the injury factor, so Minnesota got value. The only odd statement about selecting Peterson is that RB Chester Taylor was their best player last season, totaling 1,867 yards from scrimmage while scoring one-third of their touchdowns. South Carolina WR Sidney Rice is a physical receiver who is coming a 1,000-yard season. Fresno State CB Marcus McCauley was considered a first-round talent in September, but a disappointing season dropped to the third round. East Carolina receiver Aundrae Allison could develop into an unbelievable playmaker, but he has major character issues but worth a fifth-round pick. Texas DE Brian Robinson is a little undersized for a fourth-round pick. Oklahoma LB Rufus Alexander, a classic tweener, was a tackling machine and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was good value in the sixth round.

 

[CanadianNFLJunkie]

What is the team going to do for DT depth? Seems to me it's only Kevin & Pat Williams on the roster at that spot right now.

Spencer Johnson recently signed for one year but that's about it. I'd guess we'll grab someone who's an UFA to battle for PT.

 

[reg]

from the strib blog:

The Vikings aren’t releasing the list of 16 college free agents they have signed, but we’re working on accumulating the list. Thanks to Irish Vike for pointing out three more.We here at the Star Tribune strongly encourge citizen journalism and we will welcome any tips from readers to add to our list. Let’s see if we can get all 16 before the Vikings announce them. Send the names to me (kseifert@startribune.com) or Judd (jzulgad@startribune.com), or post them in the comments below, and we’ll check them out. When we verify them, we’ll add them to the list.Keep in mind these names could change during the week. Players don’t have to honor their commitments until they sign the physical contract, which won’t come until Friday. Also, some of these players could end up as commitment-free “tryout” players during this weekend’s rookie mini-camp.So far, here is what we haveT Joe Anoai, Georgia TechS Jeremy Burnett, South Florida OL Brian Daniels, ColoradoOL Josh Day, Colorado StateCB Sergio Gilliam, Clemson MLB George Hall, Purdue OL Chase Johnson, WyomingTE Braden Jones, Southern IllinoisC Dan Mozes, West VirginiaP Alex Reyes, Texas TechRB Arkee Whitlock, Southern Illinois

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Tony Dungy comments on the Vikings draft:

vikings got dungy's guyPioneer PressThe Vikings didn't make the playoffs last season, but last weekend they were able to one-up the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. Sort of. Brian Robison, the defensive end from Texas the Vikings chose with their fourth-round draft pick, also was sought by Colts coach Tony Dungy. "The Vikings beat us to the punch on one guy I really liked, Robison," Dungy said Monday. "I was teasing (new Vikings defensive coordinator) Leslie Frazier about that. I told him Robison is the kind of guy we look for. I think he's going to be a real, real good player for them." ......Dungy has two former Gophers playing for him: tight end Ben Utecht and defensive end Darrell Reid. "Both have played well for us," he said. Dungy liked another former Gopher, tight end Matt Spaeth, who went to Pittsburgh in the third round. "We liked Matt Spaeth a lot," he said. "But we have three pretty good tight ends on our roster, so it wasn't a real high priority position." Indianapolis used three of its draft picks on Ohio State players, including wideout Anthony Gonzalez in the first round. "We're pretty pumped up about the draft; we got some people who should bring the right kind of spirit that we need," Dungy said. Dungy said the Vikings got a "great player" when they chose running back Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma in the first round. "I know Leslie (Frazier) was hoping to maybe get a defensive player at that spot," Dungy said. "But when Peterson got to them, he's a can't-miss guy that you had to take."

 

[TommyKramer]

That theory makes more sense to me if it were another sport or even if he were a QB but I just don't see how you can create favorable situations for or protect a 7th overall RB. He can either carry the load or he can't. If they have to go to such extremes to make him look good then he'll be a bust. And I think the Quinn talk is dead. It's clear that the NFL just doesn't think much of his skills that early so passing on him is the fans hang up, not the teams. Any fan out there that still thinks Quinn was a worthy picked at #7 isn't paying attention.

the vikes had quinn ranked around #20 on their board.

That's interesting. Where did you read/hear that?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

No surgery for AP.From PFT...

VIKES WON'T OPERATE ON PETERSONAdam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Minnesota Vikings have decided that running back Adrian Peterson, the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, will not need surgery on the fractured collarbone that he re-injured during the Fiesta Bowl. Per Schefter, the situation will be monitored and re-evaluated soon.Last week, agent Ben Dogra said that the decision as to whether surgery will be needed would be made by the team that picks Peterson.It's still unclear whether Peterson will be available for offseason workouts without surgery.Meanwhile, a reader has pointed out to us that the Vikings' official web site lists seventh-round quarterback Tyler Thigpen of Coastal Carolina as a wide receiver. If the team moves him to wideout, it means that four of the Vikings' eight draft picks were used to address this position.Given that Peterson spent much of his Pro Day workout catching passes from a receiver position in the slot and split wide, the Vikes have picked up five players in the draft who could help address the most glaring weakness on a team that not all that long ago had the best pass-catching tandem in the league.