***OFFICIAL*** Minnesota Vikings 2016 Season Thread (1 Viewer)

[Interseptopus]

Damn, I bet they wish they hadn't traded for Bradford. They'd have rolled out some scrub QB and probably gotten a top 5 pick. They need a ton on offense to compete with GB and the Lions in coming years.

Yes, hindsight is 20/20. At the time many thought this was a terrible trade for MIN, but what were their options? This was their year to take a shot. ADP is likely not affordable next year, so he was going to be gone. They lost their QB who they were hoping would take the next step in his development. Without a QB yes they'd have a top 5 pick but they wanted to win now. Not in 5 years. Yes now they are stuck trying to figure out if they are going to start over or try to salvage what they can... I'm not so sure what the deal is in MIN but I'm glad I'm not a fan... too many problems/holes to fill and not enough picks or cap space. Teddy is a disaster, my thoughts on his future are documented here or in his thread, Bradford is a decent steward, so you're kind of stuck with both of them next year. No RB. No Ol. Defense is solid... so I guess there are ways to fix it I just don't see it really happening. 

One thing's right, this disaster is:

For sure IMO. Terrible trade and all for the fact that they rolled into the season with a terrible backup. Both are on the GM.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

It's not very common for teams to trade a first round pick for a QB when theirs goes down, is it?  Usually teams roll with their backup.  I'm guessing they did it for 3 reasons; AP, amazing D, and how serious the injury is. 

And it's the job of the GM to plan for future years, even if the players aren't.

Teams just aren't going to punt a season just to get a higher draft pick. 

 

[Interseptopus]

Teams just aren't going to punt a season just to get a higher draft pick. 

New stadium too. Last thing you want is the embarrassment of no one filling your brand new stadium in its first season because you can't win a game. Look at Chicago and how Bear their stands were

 

[mozzy84]

Teams just aren't going to punt a season just to get a higher draft pick. 

I think his main point was it was a terrible trade at the time and in hindsight. If they could do that one over they absolutely would.

 

[Biabreakable]

I think his main point was it was a terrible trade at the time and in hindsight. If they could do that one over they absolutely would.

First of all I disagree about it being a terrible trade. Bradford played better than expected and gives the Vikings a QB for next season who is at least an average starter, maybe slightly above average.

Second no if the Vikings could take the trade back in hindsight they wouldn't. Teddy still has not recovered from his injury IF he ever does and the Vikings have enough talent on defense to try to push for the playoffs. There is nothing absolute about the conviction of the Vikings that suggests they would reverse the trade if presented with the same circumstances.

It was poor planning and foresight to not have a better back up QB option than Shaun Hill. Maybe Taylor Heinicke would have played some games in that scenario (after Hill was injured or benched for too many turnovers) but he injured his leg kicking in a window removing that option from the Vikings.

The Vikings wanted to make a push for the playoffs because of players like Terrence Newman, Chad Greenway, Brian Robison now being older and wanting to make a run at a title. It is unknown if any of these older players will be back with the team next season.

Best thing about this is that the Vikings have a 29 year old Bradford playing some of the best football of his career (for what that is worth) and should be playing at this level for the next 3 to 4 seasons. If he plays as well this season as last i expect him to be extended and be the Vikings QB for the next few years. IF Teddy can come back from his injury then he will be given the opportunity to compete for the job. Bradford is playing at a high enough level that Bridgewater will need to play very well to get his job back.

 

[Biabreakable]

Yes, hindsight is 20/20. At the time many thought this was a terrible trade for MIN, but what were their options? This was their year to take a shot. ADP is likely not affordable next year, so he was going to be gone. They lost their QB who they were hoping would take the next step in his development. Without a QB yes they'd have a top 5 pick but they wanted to win now. Not in 5 years. Yes now they are stuck trying to figure out if they are going to start over or try to salvage what they can... I'm not so sure what the deal is in MIN but I'm glad I'm not a fan... too many problems/holes to fill and not enough picks or cap space. Teddy is a disaster, my thoughts on his future are documented here or in his thread, Bradford is a decent steward, so you're kind of stuck with both of them next year. No RB. No Ol. Defense is solid... so I guess there are ways to fix it I just don't see it really happening. 

One thing's right, this disaster is:

Your opinions are not worth documentation in this thread or any of them. Your comments about Bridgewater are common knowledge and add nothing.

Thanks but no thanks for your contribution.

 

[Interseptopus]

Your opinions are not worth documentation in this thread or any of them. Your comments about Bridgewater are common knowledge and add nothing.

Thanks but no thanks for your contribution.

I've answered questions regarding his injury from a medical background, and given insight on the likelihood of his return to playing quite well. If it's common knowledge that I am really not sure why others have asked me what the outlook would be for an injury such as his. I am very sorry you don't like the opinion I hold, nor does it jive well what you hope your team has waiting for you to cheer for next year. I don't write the medical books, I just report what I know what's in them and what I have seen professionally. You can keep holding onto hope and being snarky. I'll keep being excellent to everyone in here! 

 

[snogger]

You all with your 20/20 hindsight should be GM's

At the time of the trade the OL was intact and healthy, ADP was healthy and the defense was coming off one of their  best seasons in many years.

 had the Vikings had your GREAT 20/20 they probably wouldn't have made the trade.... with the fact we still don't know if Teddy will be ready opening day I think it was the correct move at the time they made it.

Then again I'm just a fan and not a GM genius like you all.

 

[snogger]

First of all I disagree about it being a terrible trade. Bradford played better than expected and gives the Vikings a QB for next season who is at least an average starter, maybe slightly above average.

Second no if the Vikings could take the trade back in hindsight they wouldn't. Teddy still has not recovered from his injury IF he ever does and the Vikings have enough talent on defense to try to push for the playoffs. There is nothing absolute about the conviction of the Vikings that suggests they would reverse the trade if presented with the same circumstances.

It was poor planning and foresight to not have a better back up QB option than Shaun Hill. Maybe Taylor Heinicke would have played some games in that scenario (after Hill was injured or benched for too many turnovers) but he injured his leg kicking in a window removing that option from the Vikings.

The Vikings wanted to make a push for the playoffs because of players like Terrence Newman, Chad Greenway, Brian Robison now being older and wanting to make a run at a title. It is unknown if any of these older players will be back with the team next season.

Best thing about this is that the Vikings have a 29 year old Bradford playing some of the best football of his career (for what that is worth) and should be playing at this level for the next 3 to 4 seasons. If he plays as well this season as last i expect him to be extended and be the Vikings QB for the next few years. IF Teddy can come back from his injury then he will be given the opportunity to compete for the job. Bradford is playing at a high enough level that Bridgewater will need to play very well to get his job back.

 

[Donnybrook]

I would argue that Spielman should have known that the oline was hot garbage even with Kalil and his over paid additions. 

Plenty of evidence that Bradford from his days with the Rams that he can't perform without good protection.  Ie not worth the draft picks.  I am shocked he made it through the season healthy. 

 I can't forgive him for wasting the salary cap on a 30 year old running back.  His draft this year was terrible.  He is getting nothing out of the back end of the draft most years.  

He is proving to be mediocre GM if you look at track record objectively.   I think we can do better.  

 

[Biabreakable]

I've answered questions regarding his injury from a medical background, and given insight on the likelihood of his return to playing quite well. If it's common knowledge that I am really not sure why others have asked me what the outlook would be for an injury such as his. I am very sorry you don't like the opinion I hold, nor does it jive well what you hope your team has waiting for you to cheer for next year. I don't write the medical books, I just report what I know what's in them and what I have seen professionally. You can keep holding onto hope and being snarky. I'll keep being excellent to everyone in here! 

Yes Vikings fans know that Teddy Bridgewater had a serious injury that he may never come back from, or if he does come back from it, he may not be the same in terms of his mobility and skills he had prior to the injury. None of us need to be doctors to know that. The odds are against Bridgewater being able to play at the same level. 

So since we know this, you with your medical background should also be aware of it.

So if Teddy Bridgewater has less than a 50% chance of returning to the same level of ability he had before the injury, clearly they need another QB in case he cannot recover well enough to play again.

You have not provided any additional insight on this issue that Vikings fans have not already been made aware of. 

So (and I am assuming you do know that Bridgewater has long odds to return to previous form following the injury) if you know that Bridgewater has the odds against him to come back and be a starter again, why in the world would you say that the Vikings wasted a 1st round pick trading for Bradford? It should be obvious that the Vikings needed a QB upgrade from Hill and no way of knowing if Teddy can come back or not, so the trade got the Vikings a starting caliber QB for a 1st round pick.

How many QB from the 2017 will be 1st round picks? Who will actually be available when the Eagles pick (with the Vikings 1st rounder).

How many of them will be better than Bradford in 2017? I don't think any of them will be. Wentz wasn't. Now Wentz may have a promising future and be a better QB than Bradford in time, but he wasn't last season and he likely won't be this season either.

Wentz is one of the better QB to come out recently.

So your position that the Vikings wasted a pick trading for Bradford is invalidated by the fact that Teddty's injury was so serious, as obviously the Vikings needed a better QB than Hill to be competitive last season and this upcoming season. The return on investment with Bradford is better than any rookie QB that will be available to the Vikings and Bradford has enough useful seasons left of his career that the Vikings can extend him and have the QB position covered for the next three to five years if they want to.

So lets just see who the Eagles take with that pick. I am confident that Bradford will be more valuable over the next 3 seasons for a team trying to win now than any rookie would be.

So make up your mind. Was it a good trade under the circumstances? Does the trade make the Vikings a better team than it would have been without it? WIthout the trade the Vikings would be looking at using that pick at QB if one were available to them and then the long term deveopment of that young QB while the rest of the team ages and gets more expensive.

I think the answer is resoundingly yes. The only way it would be a wasted pick is if Bridgewater is able to fully recover and beat out Sam Bradford for the job in 2017. Even then it isn't a waste if the Vikings end up trading Bradford to another team and recoup some of the assets they gave up for him.

It is not excellent of you to come into a rival teams thread and troll Vikings fans. Don't act like you are doing anything else, because you are not. 

 

[Interseptopus]

Yes Vikings fans know that Teddy Bridgewater had a serious injury that he may never come back from, or if he does come back from it, he may not be the same in terms of his mobility and skills he had prior to the injury. None of us need to be doctors to know that. The odds are against Bridgewater being able to play at the same level. 

So since we know this, you with your medical background should also be aware of it.

So if Teddy Bridgewater has less than a 50% chance of returning to the same level of ability he had before the injury, clearly they need another QB in case he cannot recover well enough to play again.

You have not provided any additional insight on this issue that Vikings fans have not already been made aware of. 

So (and I am assuming you do know that Bridgewater has long odds to return to previous form following the injury) if you know that Bridgewater has the odds against him to come back and be a starter again, why in the world would you say that the Vikings wasted a 1st round pick trading for Bradford? It should be obvious that the Vikings needed a QB upgrade from Hill and no way of knowing if Teddy can come back or not, so the trade got the Vikings a starting caliber QB for a 1st round pick.

How many QB from the 2017 will be 1st round picks? Who will actually be available when the Eagles pick (with the Vikings 1st rounder).

How many of them will be better than Bradford in 2017? I don't think any of them will be. Wentz wasn't. Now Wentz may have a promising future and be a better QB than Bradford in time, but he wasn't last season and he likely won't be this season either.

Wentz is one of the better QB to come out recently.

So your position that the Vikings wasted a pick trading for Bradford is invalidated by the fact that Teddty's injury was so serious, as obviously the Vikings needed a better QB than Hill to be competitive last season and this upcoming season. The return on investment with Bradford is better than any rookie QB that will be available to the Vikings and Bradford has enough useful seasons left of his career that the Vikings can extend him and have the QB position covered for the next three to five years if they want to.

So lets just see who the Eagles take with that pick. I am confident that Bradford will be more valuable over the next 3 seasons for a team trying to win now than any rookie would be.

So make up your mind. Was it a good trade under the circumstances? Does the trade make the Vikings a better team than it would have been without it? WIthout the trade the Vikings would be looking at using that pick at QB if one were available to them and then the long term deveopment of that young QB while the rest of the team ages and gets more expensive.

I think the answer is resoundingly yes. The only way it would be a wasted pick is if Bridgewater is able to fully recover and beat out Sam Bradford for the job in 2017. Even then it isn't a waste if the Vikings end up trading Bradford to another team and recoup some of the assets they gave up for him.

It is not excellent of you to come into a rival teams thread and troll Vikings fans. Don't act like you are doing anything else, because you are not. 

tldr

I apologize if you see my posts as trolling, not my intention. I'd recommend not assuming the worst in everyone. 

Have a great day! 

 

[Biabreakable]

Vikings Hire Kennedy Polamalu As Running Backs Coach

I am not sure why Tony Sparano still has a job?

As Zimmer did his self evaluation it seems like some major changes need to occur in offensive lineman scouting and development. Based on recent picks of Clemmings and Beavers I don't think the Vikings are doing a good job of identifying players with good technique or developing that in players who need it. No organizational changes tells me they intend to stay the course and I don't see how a honest self evaluation would lead to this plan or conclusion.

 

[Biabreakable]

Grading the Graders (and Players): Vikings Offense

 

[Biabreakable]

Vikings Make a Number of Reported Coaching Changes

The Vikings also interviewed former New York Jets running backs coach Marcel Shipp and current Los Angeles Rams running backs coach Skip Peete for the opening.

I didn't know Shipp had become a coach. 

 

[Biabreakable]

Vikings LB Barr named to Pro Bowl

What is your opinion of Barr's play in 2016?

He seemed invisible most of the time to me. He isn't that good at timing his blitzes, I recall in one game he got free for a sack, but then when he tried again in similar fashion later in the game, he got stuffed as the protection was ready for him.

For the most part I thought he did fine in coverage, which is what I think he was asked to do more often than not. 

Barr still takes bad pursuit angles and misses easy tackles at times.

Maybe my expectations for Barr are too high and I am being over critical as a result? I don't Barr played badly, he just didn't make as many impact plays as I would hope for from him.

 

[Biabreakable]

Key dates for 2017 Vikings offseason

March 9: If the Vikings want to pick up the 2017 option for running back Adrian Peterson, they must inform him in writing before 3 p.m. CT. The Vikings are not expected to pick up his option or pay him his $6 million roster bonus later in the week. But they are open to bringing him back next season for much less than the $18 million he is slated to earn.

 

[-arcK-]

Vikings LB Barr named to Pro Bowl

What is your opinion of Barr's play in 2016?

He seemed invisible most of the time to me. He isn't that good at timing his blitzes, I recall in one game he got free for a sack, but then when he tried again in similar fashion later in the game, he got stuffed as the protection was ready for him.

For the most part I thought he did fine in coverage, which is what I think he was asked to do more often than not. 

Barr still takes bad pursuit angles and misses easy tackles at times.

Maybe my expectations for Barr are too high and I am being over critical as a result? I don't Barr played badly, he just didn't make as many impact plays as I would hope for from him.

I thought he was awful in the run game. He rarely got off blocks, and when he did he was often late filling the hole and missed a lot of tackles.

 

[Biabreakable]

How big of a step forward did Trae Waynes make in his second NFL season?

 

[Biabreakable]

Adam Thielen’s status could throw a wrench in Vikings’ free agency plans

What if any drawbacks would there be to tender Theilen at the highest level and pay him $3.8 million?

 

[mr roboto]

So, Seahawks sign Walsh?  Is Carroll just trolling us?

 

[encaitar]

So, Seahawks sign Walsh?  Is Carroll just trolling us?

No.  Not really.  Walsh was clearly struggling with his confidence on the shorter kicks, but there's not too many guys in the league with a better leg.  His touchback rate was one of the highest in the league too.  

Really had hoped that he would figure out those yips, but maybe he'll do better with another team.

 

[mozzy84]

So, Seahawks sign Walsh?  Is Carroll just trolling us?

as a Vikings fan I can already see Walsh knocking us out of the playoffs next January, again.

 

[Biabreakable]

The Vikings cut Brandon Fusco and Mike Harris yesterday.

It is kind of a relief as I wasn't sure they wouldn't just try to start Fusco who has not been playing well again this season. Now if they would just cut Clemmings so I can stop worrying about every other starter being injured and forcing him to start again by default because he is still on the roster I could really move on. Just watch Clemmings start again some point in the 2017 season even if we bury him behind free agents and draft picks.

It is pretty meh but bringing back Kalil may be one of the Vikings best options. Then he can get hurt and Clemmings can start again. Just not that much available at tackle in free agency (which should surprise no one). There are better free agent guards than tackles. The Bears seemed to improve with their guards and be able to do some things, even though they didn't have good tackles.

 

[RandyDB]

as a Vikings fan I can already see Walsh knocking us out of the playoffs next January, again.

And then kicking the game winning FG in SB LII at US Bank stadium.

 

[CanadianNFLJunkie]

Source: Baltimore Sun  - The Ravens are expected to prioritize re-signing NT Brandon Williams over fellow free agent RT Rick Wagner.  Per the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec, "there seems to be a confidence level among team officials" that they'll find a "serviceable and cheaper replacement" for Wagner. Wagner, 27, enjoyed a bounce-back 2016 campaign following a rough 2015, particularly excelling in pass protection. Wagner figures to command a contract in the same range as Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz, who landed a five-year, $33 million deal last offseason.

Source: ESPN Dallas  - Free agent LG Ronald Leary is expected to command $8 million annually. The Cowboys aren't going to re-sign Leary, but he's one of the top interior linemen available. Leary had solid pass protection ratings at PFF and is a road-grader in the run game. He should draw heavy interest from teams in zone schemes. The Cowboys are moving forward with La’El Collins at left guard. Feb 3 - 6:31 PM

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Not sure how much we'd be willing to spend on someone like these two guys.  I tend to think whomever lands these two will over-spend.  I tend to agree we might have to offer Kalil a deal but who's to say he won't get overpaid to go somewhere else?

Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette - According to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, free agent Eddie Lacy will likely have to settle for a one-year deal in the $2 million range. Dougherty came to this conclusion after speaking with an agent who has studied the running back market. Lacy burst onto the scene by earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2013, but has watched his production dip while battling injuries and weight issues. The Packers cut James Starks, and ex-WR Ty Montgomery is unlikely to develop into an every-down back. Given the alternatives, bringing Lacy back on a cheap one-year deal might be the Packers' best option.

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IF we let AP go, why not go after someone like Lacy and use a 3rd or 4th round pick on some rookie RB then?


 

 

[Andy Dufresne]

So these billboards around town that are advertising a countdown to the Super Bowl - am I supposed to do something personally to prepare for this? I feel like I'm already behind on my Super Bowl responsibilities.