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Vikings looking for a QB and (1 Viewer)

Biabreakable

Footballguy
Not really new news but would like to hear the pools thoughts on the Vikings moving forward this offseason.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is determined to find Minnesota's franchise quarterback of the future this offseason, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Monday.

With Brett Favre out of the picture, Frazier sees the Vikings' NFC North rivals set at quarterback, with Matthew Stafford in Detroit, and Jay Cutler's Chicago Bears set to host Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers in this Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out the latest from our bloggers.

» Blog Blitz: Vikings

"We've got to find a quarterback," Frazier told the newspaper. "You look at the playoff teams and none of them really have an issue at quarterback, they have their starting quarterback and most likely for years to come. We've got to find us a quarterback that we can build our franchise around, and if we do, it's going to stabilize a lot of things for our team and our organization."

Frazier sees the Bears-Packers game as indication that "we've got a lot of work ahead of us to get back to being NFC North champs. That would be two years in a row you'd have someone from the NFC North playing in the championship game."

Frazier told the Star Tribune that he has nearly finalized his coaching staff.

"We're getting close to getting some things done," he said. "I feel real good about the direction where we are and hope to have an announcement here really soon.

"We have a number of guys on our staff that are going to be with us next season that have been with us in the past, but we are going to add a few new faces at certain places. I think it'll be good for our team."

Jason La Canfora reported Sunday that former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary is expected to reach a deal to become the Vikings' linebackers coach, according to a source who says the likelihood of Singletary joining Minnesota's staff "looks good."
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81db...P_headlines2colWhat QB options are available for the Vikings in free agency or through trade? I am not really sold on the rookie QB's coming out and if one does emerge after the combine he will likely be drafted before the Vikings pick anyways. So what should the Vikings do?

I kind of like the idea of bringing in Orton if he is available. Or possibly Kolb. I don't think the Vikings need more than a game manager to compete if the running game is clicking.

I think Frazier makes a good point about how competitive the NFC North has become recently though. Especially the Lions are much improved.

I am excited to have Singletary with the team although I am surprised he would take the LB coaching job and not DC.

I hope the west coast pass to set up the run philosophy becomes a thing of the past for the Vikings.

 
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Not really new news but would like to hear the pools thoughts on the Vikings moving forward this offseason.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is determined to find Minnesota's franchise quarterback of the future this offseason, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Monday.

With Brett Favre out of the picture, Frazier sees the Vikings' NFC North rivals set at quarterback, with Matthew Stafford in Detroit, and Jay Cutler's Chicago Bears set to host Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers in this Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out the latest from our bloggers.

» Blog Blitz: Vikings

"We've got to find a quarterback," Frazier told the newspaper. "You look at the playoff teams and none of them really have an issue at quarterback, they have their starting quarterback and most likely for years to come. We've got to find us a quarterback that we can build our franchise around, and if we do, it's going to stabilize a lot of things for our team and our organization."

Frazier sees the Bears-Packers game as indication that "we've got a lot of work ahead of us to get back to being NFC North champs. That would be two years in a row you'd have someone from the NFC North playing in the championship game."

Frazier told the Star Tribune that he has nearly finalized his coaching staff.

"We're getting close to getting some things done," he said. "I feel real good about the direction where we are and hope to have an announcement here really soon.

"We have a number of guys on our staff that are going to be with us next season that have been with us in the past, but we are going to add a few new faces at certain places. I think it'll be good for our team."

Jason La Canfora reported Sunday that former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary is expected to reach a deal to become the Vikings' linebackers coach, according to a source who says the likelihood of Singletary joining Minnesota's staff "looks good."
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81db...P_headlines2colWhat QB options are available for the Vikings in free agency or through trade? I am not really sold on the rookie QB's coming out and if one does emerge after the combine he will likely be drafted before the Vikings pick anyways. So what should the Vikings do?

I kind of like the idea of bringing in Orton if he is available. Or possibly Kolb. I don't think the Vikings need more than a game manager to compete if the running game is clicking.

I think Frazier makes a good point about how competitive the NFC North has become recently though. Especially the Lions are much improved.

I am excited to have Singletary with the team although I am surprised he would take the LB coaching job and not DC.

I hope the west coast pass to set up the run philosophy becomes a thing of the past for the Vikings.
Kolb or Orton would be great for the vikes, last i heard its very doubtful the eagles give up kolb cheaply since they payed him so much last season and theyre paying him far less this year. As far as orton goes idk his situation, or how elway and the rest of the front office there is going to handle the tebow situation. You might see them (the vikes) sign someone in FA (mcnabb?) and also snag someone in the latter rounds of the draft if there is someone worthy available. I doubt webb is the answer or even in consideration.

 
I guess it depends what happens with the OC spot which is still unsettled.

I don't really want McNabb but he would certainly be an upgrade from Webb/Jackson.

Frasier seemed to indicate when talking about the OC position that he was not married to any system but whatever system the Vikings end up going with needs be one that emphasizes the running game.

 
Would they be willing to trade a ham sammich for McNabb?
He'd be fine for a year or two but is not the future of any franchise at this point of his career I don't think.
Put cheese on it and we'll throw in Haynesworth. :bs:
i don t think theyd have to trade for him, I thought he was being released???Also its not a permanent fix, but better (and maybe cheaper) than some other options out there especially if they dont have to trade and hes a FA
 
Bucs backup QB Josh Johnson was part of trade rumors last offseason. He's only 24 and might be worth trading for depending how the Vikes have the QBs in the draft rated.

 
who is the OC? i herd they were talking to Josh McDaniels. Gotta believe he would maybe want Orton
They interviewed him and then he interviewed a couple other places.For now Bevel is still the OC but I am hoping there will be a change. Not sure if any other coaches will be brought in to interview for the job or not.ETA- Reading into Fraziers comments on the OC position it does not seem like he plans to have a lot of influence here as far as play calling and his focus will be more on the defensive side of the ball. So whoever gets the job will likely have a lot of freedom/responsibility. Frazier is looking for the coach who can get the most out of Peterson.
 
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What about T-Joke? Some people thought he wa an NFl QB. Frazier starting out on the right foot, acknowledging the best thing they have is green as grass Webb.

 
If they don't trade for Orton, and without a CBA they won't be able to, then I think they draft someone in the first or 2nd round and bring Hasselbeck to start until he goes down with an injury.

This will be AP's team and the QB will be just required to "manage" the game and I think Hasselbeck can handle that.

Could easily see it being Hasselbeck, Webb, rookie as the Vikings 3 QB's going into next year.

:thumbup:

 
I think McNabb would be a short term solution, and I doubt the Vikings would want to give up much for him. But he's always a possibility. Then the Redskins would have to

look for a QB, unless they *laugh* decide to give Grossman the job.

Orton wouldn't be a bad choice. He did quite well in Denver, and was under appreciated. But the last I saw they were seeking a 2nd rounder...? If that's true, that might be

a bit high. Kolb obviously is a choice, too, and I'm sure the Eagles would like to move him. But his contract would have to be redone, and what would they want for him? Probably

too much.

Not too many other choices there...

 
With the new CBA most likely being delayed, this is a bad year to plan on getting a QB (or any position for that matter) via free agency or trade.

 
Unfortunately the names I'm seeing in this thread (McNabb, Orton, Hasselbeck) do not really address Frazier's comment "We've got to find us a quarterback that we can build our franchise around." Someone mentioned Josh Johnson, but come on, he's no sure fire prospect and certainly no 2011 solution. IMHO the problem is there is seemingly no franchise QB there in this very weak rookie QB class. Personally I'd be opposed to using a 1st with the options available this season... wasted pick and you'll still need a vet starter because no rookie seems capable of stepping into a starter role.

As much as it pains me to say it after seeing retreads like B.Johnson, Holcomb, Frerotte and others brought in to bide time for TJoke's development, I think the Vikes have little option but to bring in best available vet as a 1-year band aid for 2011, and should just forget about getting a franchise QB in this class. I hope that vet is not McNabb. McNabb strikes me as a fat cat vet who has no competitive fire, and simply is above giving 100%. He plays the victim card or some other PR game whenever his work ethic or preparation is called into question. I find it hard to believe both Reid and Shanahan would part ways with him if they thought he was giving his all, or had much to contribute. He's Brett Favre in terms of wallet size, without the competitive fire, work ethic, pain threshold or leadership. No thanks.

It will never happen, but I would not mind seeing the Vikes offer a 3rd or 4th for Henne, who has the tools but has not lived up to promise in Miami. Probably the closest they could hope for in terms of a 2011 band-aid who has futue potential.

 
It's difficult to predict who the Vikings will look at for their QB position, since we don't even know what type of offense they will run yet. I think once they hire and OC and decide how the offense is going to look we'll get a better idea of which FA and rookie QBs will fit best with the offense.

As for Singletary, I am excited about that. Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott, Ray Lewis, Pat Willis... He's coached some good LBers and he'll be great for EJ and Chad(assuming they resign him of course).

 
What about Joe Webb?

Their was a buzz on him last summer so I cut these articles to remind me to pick him up at the end of this season and stash him for next year.

I was hoping the Vikes would pick up an old geezer and allow Webb to develop.

He was making waves last training camp.

Joe Webb blurbs

Sid Hartman: Joe Webb is a superb QB

surprising athletic ability has left impression, moving up the roster.

Last update: June 20, 2010 - one of the biggest surprises in Vikings minicamp Joe Webb, who could be the quarterback of the future. impressed with Webb Rick Spielman, team's vp of personnel. "If you look at Joe Webb, he was a very good quarterback at the University of Alabama-Birmingham," Spielman said. "He actually threw for over 2,000 yards and rushed for over 1,500 yards. But he is such a unique athlete that everybody was looking at him as a receiver, and possibly looking at him as a Josh Cribbs-type, who plays up in Cleveland, who actually was a quarterback."

Spielman said one of thing that impressed everybody was the size of Webb's hands. "So he got into minicamp, we're working him at receiver, we saw him and he was very athletic in catching the ball," Spielman said. "His hands -- what we do, is when we measure these guys, we try to measure all of their body parts. We measure their arm length, we measure their hand length, and his hand is one of the biggest hands coming out of the draft this year.

"His hands are 11 inches long. How we measure them is from the tip of the thumb all the way out to the end of the pinky, and he, by far, has tremendous sized hands. [That's] a huge asset not only as a receiver, but what we found out is, as we were going through that rookie minicamp, he was out there working as a receiver, and coach [brad] Childress said, 'Let's just throw him and throw some 1-on-1 drills and see what kind of arm he has.' And he was very impressive that one day we put him out."

So as a result, instead of being a receiver, Webb became a quarterback.

"We decided to go ahead and move him and let's take a look at him through these OTAs and this minicamp to see if he can potentially be a quarterback, as well," Spielman said. Webb was been outstanding in all of the minicamps."So we'll see what we decide to do with him when we come back at training camp," Spielman said. "But again, you can't deny, you can't teach the athletic skills that Joe Webb has."

Based on how Webb performed at quarterback, and the fact that the Vikings didn't draft another QB, someone else at that position will have to come out of nowhere for Webb not to be at quarterback when training camp starts.

The Vikings have had other sixth-round draft choices wind up playing big roles with the team, and Webb is in that class. --

Joe Webb

Steelers oc Bruce Arians wouldn't mind having Joe Webb on his side

Published: Saturday, June 26, 2010

Joe Webb spent the past month making a strong first impression during his first batch of workouts as a member of the Minnesota Vikings

... He has shown his versatility by working on the Vikings' special teams. He even said on Saturday that he's lined up as the gunner on the punt coverage unit. But, as of now, it appears his best shot to make an impression comes at quarterback.

Bruce Arians, the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is not surprised by Webb's early reviews in Minnesota.

"As an athlete, I don’t know if I’ve seen 10 better," Arians said. "The numbers he put up at his (Pro Day) workout at UAB were astonishing. I’ve known it because I’ve watched him out here in the camp every year. He brought a hybrid player to your organization that might could play three positions in a very unique style that maybe no one has since Kordell Stewart."

Arians also wasn't surprised that Webb is making his mark at quarterback -- at least for now -- and not wide receiver.

"He was always known as a runner and a great athlete but he can throw a football," Arians said. "With enough training in the pro style, the sky is the limit for him.

Of course, he said all of this with one big regret.

" I was very anxious to get my hands on that talent but Minnesota did a great job taking him," Arians said.

 
Maybe? Truth is we really don't know much about Webb as a QB. He seems to have a cannon arm and looks to be accurate when he sets his feet and throws, but his ability to read defenses is negligible at this point. He had that one good game against the Eagles, but looked absolutely overwhelmed against Chicago and Detroit. He could be an option, but guys who aren't asked to read complex defenses in college usually struggle to do so in the NFL. The honest truth is he's very similar to where Jackson was as a rookie, so you'll find many Vikings fans skeptical.

 
The honest truth is he's very similar to where Jackson was as a rookie, so you'll find many Vikings fans skeptical.
Agreed.Joe Webb certainly has potential to become the starter. But he has a long way to go yet and I don't think he will be ready to start next year if ever.At least we don't know yet when it comes to Webb. The Vikings have seen enough of Jackson to know he isn't the answer.
 
The honest truth is he's very similar to where Jackson was as a rookie, so you'll find many Vikings fans skeptical.
Agreed.Joe Webb certainly has potential to become the starter. But he has a long way to go yet and I don't think he will be ready to start next year if ever.At least we don't know yet when it comes to Webb. The Vikings have seen enough of Jackson to know he isn't the answer.
Particularly in the Philadephia game, I thought Webb looked a lot more confident than TJackson ever did. Unfortunately, he did not look anywhere near as good in the next game vs. Detroit. Seems unfair, particularly after the Philly performance, but the last impression he left was an underwhelming 145 yard passing performance against Detroit, and that's the impression fans and front office alike are left to ponder heading into the offseason. I just can't see a new coaching staff placing its fate on Webb's shoulders. I do think the Vikes should forget trying to find a franchise QB in this draft, and should go for a 1-year veteran band aid. If they do, it may be a small indication that Webb is still a candidate for QB of the future.
 
I was just reading in the McDaniels thread that the Vikings will interview Atlanta QBs coach Bill Musgrave for the OC position on Wed.

This seems like perhaps a better fit for what Frazier wants from the offense. More run 1st and play action.

Anyone familiar with Musgrave? Would this be a good fit for the Vikings?

 
Best would be Orton. He would have a great RB for the first time in his career and the Vikings WRs fit him well. He is well worth a second round pick. First round? No. Better yet would be Vick. It is assumed he will stay with the Eagles, but they need to pay him. He is an UFA so the Vikings or anyone else could sign him just as easily as the Eagles: show him the Money.

 
this is kind of a tough one, cause this team seems like it is on the border of "win now" mode and not sure if finding a QB in the draft fits that mindset.....waiting a year or two for a rookie to get settled in might close the window so to speak...

is it realistic to think they could maybe package some picks to move up in the first and grab a Gabbert or something...

sign a McNabb on the cheap as well and have at it.......

another guy I would love to see get on the field for somebody is BIlly Volek....dude has some skills but is stuck behind Rivers......I could see him having some trade value for SD if the CBA stuff gets worked out....dude had some monster games for TEN but has done nothing but carry a clipboard for a few years now....guess he is too valuable as an insurance policy for SD....anybody know his contract status....

 
Once Vince Young gets cut by the Titans then the Vikings should take a chance on him. Low risk with possible high reward. You may or may not like Vince but he does deserve a second chance and he did win ball games in a bad situation where the coach never truly wanted him.

 
Given up on Joe Webb already? :shrug:
Not ready to state he is the starting QB for next year.. Still too green for me.That is why I'd wouldn't have minded someone like Hasselbeck.

He would last 6-8 games before his first injury. By that time the team would be anchored by AP and the Defense and Webb could come in and just "manage" the game rather than feel the need to win it. :football:

 
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Once Vince Young gets cut by the Titans then the Vikings should take a chance on him. Low risk with possible high reward. You may or may not like Vince but he does deserve a second chance and he did win ball games in a bad situation where the coach never truly wanted him.
After all the Favre drama Frazier will probably not want to bring in Young with the baggage he carries. Hasslebeck would be a safe 2 year addition if they drafted a QB. Joe Webb can bring to the team the same thing Young does for less money and way less drama.
 
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Frazier on KFAN 30 seconds ago: "We're going to have to develop a young QB, whether it be Joe Webb or whoever it is..."

 
Frazier on KFAN 30 seconds ago: "We're going to have to develop a young QB, whether it be Joe Webb or whoever it is..."
I heard that too. But bet on Vince Young if they go get a FA .... Musgrave as the OC, and now Johnson from the Titans as the QB coach. Remember, Johnson was QB coach in TN for years until he took the RBs this year when their RB coach left for USC with Kiffin. VY was making strides in '09 and collapsed ... does a new smash-mouth football environment in MN bode well for him?I full expect to see the Bears of the mid-80s model in MN. No mistakes offense that runs first and a punishing defense.Personally, I think Webb could be really good and fun to watch. A better head for the game than either TJax or VY and a similar QB with more speed than either.
 
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said re-signing impending free-agent QB Matt Hasselbeck is a top priority for the team this offseason, reports The Associated Press.
:shrug:
Good ... he's turning to a Chris "Chandalier" Chandler anyway. I still believe Webb's skills have just barely been tapped. If they go true pocket passer type, I would like to see Webb as a wildcat alternative at a minimum.But I just don't see that given the staff and system Frazier seems to be building in Musgrave and Johnson. Although Mallet is the type of Qb for that model, I'd hate to see them go QB in Round 1. Need O-line more for the run first system being built.
 
I woke to texts that Young's agent is asking for permission to talk to Vikes. That is just step 1 and NOT meaning a deal is done, imminent(CBA) or anything

 
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said re-signing impending free-agent QB Matt Hasselbeck is a top priority for the team this offseason, reports The Associated Press.
:rant:
Good ... he's turning to a Chris "Chandalier" Chandler anyway. I still believe Webb's skills have just barely been tapped. If they go true pocket passer type, I would like to see Webb as a wildcat alternative at a minimum.

But I just don't see that given the staff and system Frazier seems to be building in Musgrave and Johnson. Although Mallet is the type of Qb for that model, I'd hate to see them go QB in Round 1. Need O-line more for the run first system being built.
I agree with the bold part but felt if we could start the season with Hasselbeck as the #1, Webb as #2 and a rookie as #3, that would give Webb a little more time to learn and then when Hasselbeck went down after game 4 or so Webb could step in and manage the game.
 
I woke to texts that Young's agent is asking for permission to talk to Vikes. That is just step 1 and NOT meaning a deal is done, imminent(CBA) or anything
No, not imminent. Just saying that the coaching staff being established supports the idea of VY being a target for the Vikes.
 
I woke to texts that Young's agent is asking for permission to talk to Vikes. That is just step 1 and NOT meaning a deal is done, imminent(CBA) or anything
No, not imminent. Just saying that the coaching staff being established supports the idea of VY being a target for the Vikes.
Maybe, but IMHO there's equal likelihood they'd recommend against Young, given his eratic behavior. From PFT today:
Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com reports that former Titans running backs coach Craig Johnson will be the new quarterbacks coach in Minnesota. Johnson has coached the quarterbacks in Tennessee, including Vince Young, through 2009. Johnson was shifted to running backs coach when Kennedy Pola abruptly left the team last year to take a job at USC.It’s also possible that Johnson will recommend to Frazier that Young should not be pursued, given Young’s periodic antics and at times inconsistent performances in Tennessee. Still, Young is better than any quarterback the Vikings currently have under contract.
I agree Young is better than anything the Vikings have (which is a pointless statement, given that they only have Webb currently). As a Young dynasty owner I wouldn't mind him winding up in Minnesota, or anywhere at this point. However, as a Viking fan do I want a QB who pouts in the first half of a season opener when things are getting a little difficult, and there is booing from the crowd? Do I want a guy who texts apologies to a head coach after a tirade and then publicizes it? A guy who has accepted no blame whatsoever for his one backer (Bud Adams) giving up on him? Heck no. I doubt a steady eddie like Frazier is going to pick a leader who is an emotional roller coaster. To me the biggest gauge of a quarterback is ability to lead through adversity, and I don't think Young is mentally capable of it. Is that the kind of guy Webb can learn from? If the Vikes do pursue Young, I sure hope they don't trade for him but instead wait for him to be released when there is no trade market for him.
 
Johnson likes Young and is one of the coaches Young listened to. Young was whiney when Johnson became RB coach.

 
who is the OC? i herd they were talking to Josh McDaniels. Gotta believe he would maybe want Orton
They interviewed him and then he interviewed a couple other places.For now Bevel is still the OC but I am hoping there will be a change. Not sure if any other coaches will be brought in to interview for the job or not.ETA- Reading into Fraziers comments on the OC position it does not seem like he plans to have a lot of influence here as far as play calling and his focus will be more on the defensive side of the ball. So whoever gets the job will likely have a lot of freedom/responsibility. Frazier is looking for the coach who can get the most out of Peterson.
Look for Bevel to become Seattle's OC really really soon. From what I hear from a source close to that situation ( no there is no link) it is a done deal.
 
Get Kolb. If you see a chance to land a potential franchise QB, do what it takes to get him. It's worth it.

Signed,

The Bears

 
SOB :thumbup:

Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks Craig Johnson said he would speak positively about Tennessee Titans QB Vince Young if the Vikings ask about him this offseason, reports Jim Wyatt, of The Tennessean. 'I know it is going to be discussed, and I'll put my two cents worth on him because obviously I have more of a relationship with him that most. And then whatever decision is going to be made will be made. Obviously I have a good working relationship with Vince, and he produced pretty well under me,' Johnson said.
The guy is the definition of a "8-5 QB" He doesn't make any effort to do more than what is written in his contract. Voluntary camps?? not needed he is THAT good.. Voluntary work outs and meetings?? He doesn't need them.. he is THAT good.do we really need another "diva" QB that doesn't have the talent to be considered a Diva??
 
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From Thursdays press conference-

Vikings Quotes - Frazier - January 20

Posted Jan 20, 2011

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011

Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier

Good morning. It’s good to see everybody here this morning. I think for all Vikings fans, this is a good day. We’ve gone through a thorough process in trying to make the right decision regarding our coaching staff and are very thankful that today we can talk a little bit about some people that are going to help us in achieving our goal as an organization, which is to bring a world championship to Minnesota. That’s what I’ve been implored to help make sure happens and I think with this process that we’ve gone through we’ve done some of the right things and taken some of the right steps to insure that that’s going to happen. We’re really excited about the people that we’ve added to our staff.

I’d also like to thank the people behind the scenes who helped to orchestrate and really get the logistics done regarding acquiring the right people for our staff. Our front office did a terrific job. It helps to have the support of ownership; very fortunate that the Wilf family has been so supportive throughout this process. Rick Spielman, Kevin Warren, Rob Brzezinski did a terrific job behind the scenes just making sure that things were in place and then being patient. I was asked the question by a few people along the way, ‘Is there a time frame in getting this done?’ I maintained throughout that the most important thing for us was to get it right and not to feel pressure to make a move that would not be in the best interest of our football team in the long term and that’s how we approached this process throughout. It was more important that we were thorough and doing a good job to ascertain who was going to give us the best chance to reach our goal as an organization.

One of the most important hires for me was the offensive coordinator position. After much thought and deliberation and going through a process and making sure that we were doing the right things, I think the gentleman that we settled on in Bill Musgrave will do a great job for us. With my background being more so on defense, it was important to me to make sure that we get that position right and I think we have. Bill has had success in our league, most recently with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s done a great job of developing a young quarterback in Matt Ryan and we’re in a position where we’re going to have to do something similar, at least we expect to. We’re going to need to develop a young quarterback, whether it be Joe Webb or whoever it is, over the course of this next season. Bill has proven that he’s more than capable of helping to get that done but also being able to bring in some new ideas from an offense that has been very successful in Atlanta. He’s been around some very influential and successful coaches, whether it be Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, going all the way back to Joe Gibbs as well. He’s been around some very successful coaches and because of that I think he gives us a great opportunity to be successful on offense as well and get us to the place that we need to be.

We were fortunate to acquire Jeff Davidson as our offensive line coach. He’s a gentleman who was most recently the offensive coordinator with Carolina. They did a terrific job in the run game, which has been his forte going back to his time as a player, as an offensive lineman in our league and then coaching with New England as well as Cleveland before he got to Carolina. One of the things I really liked about Jeff is that they were able to find a way with DeAngelo Williams along with Jonathan Stewart, to have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same backfield. As you know, we have two outstanding backs in our minds with Adrian being the premier back in the National Football League and then Toby Gerhart, who’s a guy we have high hopes for. To be able to find a guy who understands and knows how to incorporate two very good backs in the run game was something that really kind of got my interest and I think it’s going to be a plus for us, the success they had running the football down in Carolina.

One of the other additions will be Craig Johnson, who’s done a very good job developing quarterbacks with the Tennessee Titans. Most recently he worked with the running backs there but prior to that he had been their quarterbacks coach. He’s done a good job over the course of his career and I’m looking forward to him being a great addition to our staff.

One of the other guys that I’m extremely excited about is someone that I’ve worked with for the last four years in Minnesota, being able to move Fred Pagac up to the defensive coordinator position. I have a lot of respect for Fred, what he’s meant to me in that room when I was the coordinator. I really enjoyed watching his maturation over that six-week span while I was the interim coach and some of the things that he was able to get done and just the energy he brought to our defensive side of the room. I look forward to watching him continue to help our defense evolve and get us to the point where we are a championship group throughout our football team, particularly on the defensive side.

Of course, adding our Special Assistant to the Head Coach Mike Singletary is a great coup for our organization. Mike and I have a long history together, going back to our playing days. We’ve always stayed in touch, even when he wasn’t coaching. Going back to my early college coaching career I can remember Mike and I doing football camps together, the Leslie Frazier and Mike Singletary Football Camp, and I remember telling him a number of times, I’d say when we were at the camp and he was working with the kids, ‘If you wanted to go into coaching you’d be a good football coach.’ At the time that really wasn’t on his heart and I’m looking forward to getting the chance to work with him. I have a guy now who has head coaching experience that I can use as a sounding board as I’m making decisions regarding our team and our personnel. It should be a great addition to our football team. Of course a great player in his own right, but his experience should really help me as a coach as well.

Our special teams’ coordinator is Mike Priefer, a guy that I’ve had a lot of respect for over the years as I’ve watched his special teams. Of course, his dad was a long-time special teams coach in our league and had a ton of success and Mike is from that background where he understands the importance of attacking and being aggressive and having a desire to score on special teams. We really believe that our special teams are not any less that our offense or defense. They’re just as important and Mike understands that and I really look forward to working with him. He knows exactly what we want to get done, just like all our other coaches do. I think every guy knows and understands what our role and what our purpose is, and that’s to work towards bringing a championship to Minnesota; pure and simple. That’s the way that we’re going to approach it and we want to be able to do whatever we can to make our fans proud. I think today our fans can be at rest knowing that we put together a very good staff that will have a tremendous impact on our football team and get us in the position that we need to be in to get back to being NFC North champs. I’m excited about our group; very excited.

Q: What did Bill Musgrave present to you schematically in terms of what he’d like to do with the offense?

A: The fact that Bill has been in a variety of systems, although I think some of his best success as a player was in the West Coast system with Shanahan, to be able to combine the things that he learned in the West Coast system along with the things he picked up with Joe Gibbs and some of the other coaches he’s been around. When we sit and talk, and we’ve talked for a number of years about the potential of being able to work together, the fact that he wasn’t just tied to one system, that he could see globally, that was important to me because we have a multitude of weapons on our offense. Sometimes you can get so tied up in a system that you don’t see the forest from the trees and it was important to me that he understood the importance of utilizing the strengths of our players on our offense. He was able to exemplify that in our conversation. I’ve seen him do it in Atlanta with Mike Mularkey so I knew that he had an idea of how it could happen and once we sat down and talked about it I was convinced that he was the right man for the job.

Q: What did you see from him that makes you think he’s better equipped to have success as an offensive coordinator after his two previous stints with Carolina and Jacksonville?

A: One of the things that was really impressive when I talked with Bill was the fact that he was able to look at the past and do the things that were necessary to continue to improve in our profession. If you look around our league there have been a number of successful coaches that along the way had some bumps in the road. In some ways he’s no different in that regard, but the fact that he’s learned from each experience and he’s gotten better and better as a football coach to the point where he was the assistant head coach in Atlanta, he was the next guy in waiting there for their offensive coordinator position, just his history during his time in Atlanta has convinced me that Bill is going to do a great job for us as an offensive coordinator.

Q: How important was it that he has the track record of developing young quarterbacks?

A: That was extremely important. The success that he’s had in doing that, whether it be working with Matt Schaub (at the University of Virginia) or most recently with Matt Ryan (in Atlanta). That was important knowing our situation and knowing how important this draft is going to be in our being able to hopefully develop a young quarterback, because our goal is to secure that position and find a guy that hopefully we can build our organization around. That being the case, why not go after the guy who has a proven track record in having success and doing that? It played a major factor.

Q: How important is it that he can bring some similar West Coast schemes to the offense since there is a possibility that you won’t have much time to work with the team due to a potential lockout?

A: There are so many unknowns regarding the lockout. But the fact that he can integrate some of the things and some of the principles of the West Coast system definitely made a difference so we don’t have to completely overhaul our offense. Those things mattered as well.

Q: Why’d you move away from Darrell Bevell? What was it that he lacked?

A: I really like a lot of things that Darrell did for our football team and for our offense in particular. I don’t know if there was any one specific thing. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and as a person. We talked this morning and he’s going to do a great job in the next position that he’s in and I fully expect him to have success. There wasn’t any one thing that I could look at and say, ‘This is why we’re going in this direction.’

Q: Can you give some clarity to the situation with both Darrell and Brian Murphy, as they seemed to be kind of in coaching limbo?

A: In reality, both Darrell and Brian, when we began this process I mentioned to the both of them that if they had an opportunity during this time, I would not stand in their way from talking to people. But I felt like coming in as the head coach I had to treat it as if I were a new coach coming in and starting anew. I didn’t want to assume anything; therefore I wanted to make sure at the coordinators’ positions that we did everything necessary to put in place the things I thought were going to be necessary for us to win a championship. The choice could have been, ‘You guys are out the door and I’m going to just start this process anew and if you find something you find something.’ I didn’t want to take that approach, and they didn’t want me to. They would have rather been in the role that there were in, knowing that if someone called I wasn’t going to stop someone from talking to them. Things have worked out for the both of them and I think we’ve tried to do the right things for our team.

Q: Did they have the option to stay, perhaps in a reduced role, if they didn’t find something else?

A: I won’t get into the specifics of that, but both of them know that there were opportunities in Minnesota. I think things have worked out for all included.

Q: Do you anticipate any major changes schematically on the defensive side?

A: I don’t think there will be anything dramatic, not at all. There are going to be some things that schematically we’ll take a look at but it’s going to be important that we improve in certain areas, without question. There won’t be a dramatic overhaul by any means.

Q: The defense’s most successful game last season was in Philadelphia where you ran a lot of slot blitzes. Could you move away some from the Cover-2 or will that still be your base defense?

A: Some of what we do on defense, similar to offense, your personnel dictates what you can do; how aggressive you can be, whether or not you need to play a little bit more zone. Some of the things we do this offseason with personnel will determine how aggressive we can be or whether or not we need to be able to do some things we’ve done in the past, and that’s rushing four and have success. A lot of that will depend on our personnel.

Q: Safe to say you’re going to stick with a 4-3 front?

A: Very safe to say it will be a 4-3. You’ll see Jared Allen coming off the edge.

Q: Did Singletary even have to interview, knowing how close you are?

A: I called him up and interviewed him on the phone. I said, ‘Hey man, you want to come out here and help me out, help us win a championship?’ Mike Singletary, that was his interview.

Q: How close were things with Josh McDaniels?

A: The most important thing for our football team and our organization, and it’s almost the same thing I talked to our players about when I took over the role as interim head coach, you really don’t look back at things that you don’t have a lot of control over. Regarding our coaching hires, the most important thing for us are the guys that are here. Those are the guys that you want to talk about. I’m excited about the guys that have said, ‘I want to help the Minnesota Vikings win a championship.’ That’s what gets me excited. It’s hard to look back at games or people and think about ‘What if?’ or what could have been. The most important thing for us is the fact that the guys that are a part of the Vikings staff today have chosen to be Minnesota Vikings coaches for one reason: they want to make the fans in Minnesota proud of the Minnesota Vikings and bring them a championship. That gets me excited.

Q: With Jeff Davidson coming in to coach the offensive line and his past experience, will he have more duties in the run game while Musgrave handles the passing game?

A: No, it’s Bill’s baby. It’s his offense. He’s going to run our offense and he’s going to determine what we’re going to do in the run game. Obviously he’ll get input from his coaches, whether it be George Stewart at wide receivers, or in Jeff’s case with the run game. He’ll get input regarding the passing game and the run game from his assistant coaches, but he’s going to orchestrate our offense and put together the game plan with the assistance of our offensive coaches.

Q: Will you continue to go with a zone-heavy blocking scheme in the run game?

A: There’s a very good chance of that, without tipping too much off six months ahead of time. When you’ve got Adrian Peterson, you’re going to do what Adrian Peterson does best, and that’s no secret.

Q: How involved are you going to be on the offensive side?

A: One of the things I talked to Bill about, and Fred as well and Mike, as a philosophy regarding our team and our offense and defense and special teams, that those guys are clear on what I’m hoping to see happen and what I expect to see happen. My involvement will be to support him, just like I’ll support Fred, just like I’ll support Mike Priefer, and trying to give them everything they need to be successful. My involvement won’t inhibit what he has to get done, but I will be involved with our defense, with our special teams, with our offense, but not to the point where I’m micromanaging our staff. Those guys are highly qualified to be successful. I’ll only be there to assist them and give them direction.

Q: Do you feel like you need to go after a veteran quarterback?

A: Now that we have assembled our staff, we’ll get together and begin to talk about what steps need to be taken regarding the quarterback position. Is it a veteran guy to bridge the gap as you’re developing a young guy? Or do you get a young guy and say take it and run with it? We’ve got to go through that and talk about it. As a matter of fact, our scouts are at the East-West Shrine game taking a look at players. We’ve got to make that determination and we’ll get that done.

Q: Was this difficult for you to be the one hiring and firing these positions?

A: It’s a difficult process, especially in this case where you’ve worked with guys for a number of years like I have. Now you’re making decisions that are going to affect people’s lives. It’s a part of our profession; I’ve been on the other side of it. I know what’s required and I know that my purpose in being here is to bring a championship to Minnesota. Anything less than that, we’ll be parting ways down the road; that’s the way this business is. It’s hard. You have feelings. These are friends. It’s a tough deal. It’s the business we’ve chosen.

Q: How far back does your relationship with Musgrave go back?

A: I remember him as a player and the success that he had in our league. Probably about 10 years ago when I was working in Philadelphia we got a chance to converse and just talk about some things way back then. We just kind of kept a relationship over the years, bouncing ideas off of one another and talking about various situations.

Q: Have you gotten clarification from Darrell that he is going to Seattle?

A: I really can’t speak to that. I’m sure there will be an announcement relatively soon, but I can’t really speak to it.

Q: How close are you to filling the running back coach position?

A: We’re real close to getting that done. No particular guy. I’m not naming any names, but we’re close to getting some things done at the running back position.

Q: Are Karl Dunbar and Joe Woods retaining their positions?

A: With the exception of Mike on defense, there are no additions or deletions on defense. The one move we made, Ryan Silverfield, who was in a backup role as an assistant quality control guy is now going to move and be an assistant offensive line coach to Jeff.

Q: And George Stewart is staying as well?

A: Staying at wide receivers. Jimmie Johnson’s staying at tight ends.

Q: Is the running back position the only one left you want to fill? And the idea with Ryan is that he is assisting Jeff?

A: Yes, running back is still the one position remaining. Ryan will be the assistant to Jeff on the offensive line.

Q: Did any players end up having offseason surgeries?

A: Other than the guys we talked about in our final meeting, Anthony Herrera had postseason surgery, no new guys. Pat Williams had to have something done on his elbow. I can’t even recall some of the other guys that had to have things done. Nothing major though; nothing where we don’t expect our guys to be ready for the first game of the season.

Q: If you had your choice, would you like to get a young guy in and start developing him right away?

A: I guess it depends on that young guy. Ideally you’d like to find the Matt Ryan’s of the world, the Joe Flacco’s of the world and ride with one of those guys. It doesn’t always happen that way. Just have to kind of see where things fall. If we find someone like that, you’d like to build around them because that really gives you a chance for the long term. As I mentioned it doesn’t always happen that way. If we have to go with a veteran guy as we’re developing that young guy, I’m not opposed to that either. But ideally, yes, find a young guy, build around him and know that you’re going to have him for the next 9-10 years as your starting quarterback. Those guys are sometimes hard to find.

Q: How does it work in free agency in the next two months between you and Rick Spielman? If you see a veteran quarterback that you like will you lobby to Rick?

A: It’s a long process. We will all work together to try to come to the right conclusion. I think between Bill, Rick, his staff, myself, we’re just going to work as a cohesive unit and try to find the right guy. Whether it be a veteran guy or a young guy, it’s so hard to determine right now because we’re so early in the process. We’ve got a lot of work to do. There’s a lot of film that has to be evaluated. There are a lot of campus visits that have to be made. It’s going to be a long process, because this is one that we need to get right. We need to get it right. It’s going to be quite a process.

Q: How much did you and Bill discuss Adrian being the cornerstone here? Atlanta runs the ball a lot.

A: It played a role, without question. They’ve had a ton of success running the football with Michael Turner. That was a great addition for them, getting him from San Diego. The fact that we had Adrian in our backfield really got Bill excited about the opportunity to call plays for Adrian. Having a plan for Adrian, as well as Toby, was an important part of the conversation. We want to be able to run the ball, but we don’t want to exclude Percy or Sidney or Bernard or Shiancoe. Being able to spread the ball around will hopefully be a big part of our future success. But the fact that Adrian is in our backfield definitely played a role in Bill being our offensive coordinator.
http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Viki...9b-dcb13173d562There is a lot to digest there.

Some things that stood out were

One of the things I really liked about Jeff is that they were able to find a way with DeAngelo Williams along with Jonathan Stewart, to have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same backfield. As you know, we have two outstanding backs in our minds with Adrian being the premier back in the National Football League and then Toby Gerhart, who’s a guy we have high hopes for. To be able to find a guy who understands and knows how to incorporate two very good backs in the run game was something that really kind of got my interest and I think it’s going to be a plus for us, the success they had running the football down in Carolina.
On one hand I think it makes sense to have AD on the field in all situations. He is much better than Gerhart. But what better way to bring along a younger QB than to be able to run the ball 500 times with 2 good RB? So that sounds more like the goal to me. FF players might hate this and at times as a Viking fan I might too. But hopefully the overall production will be good enough to get close to that 500 RA mark. We'll see.
 

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