Vikings Draft Pick

[nofishfisherman]

Well the season is over for all practical purposes so the only entertainment left for me is to see where the Vikings may end up in the next draft.

Right now it looks like they are slot in at the 3rd pick, I'm pretty sure they'll stay in the 2-5 range though.

I was looking at an early board that Kiper put together and it looks like we may be able to get a top tier pick that will fit a position of need. I know this high up to take the best available player as they can be a super star but you also need to keep your needs in mind.

Right now this is how I rank our needs:

1. O line - left tackle would be nice

2. Defensive Secondary

3. Play making WR

Here is Kipers top 5 as of right now:

1. Andrew Luck QB

2. Matt Kalil - OT/LT

3. Trent Richardson - RB

4. Justin Blackmon - WR

5. Morris Claiborne - CB

Three of the top 5 players will fit a need that we have. Anyone have an option on who you'd like to see us end up with?

I don't follow college ball as close as I used to so I haven't see most of these guys play much so I can't comment on who will make the best pro. However, I'm always of the opinion that if you can beef up a bad o-line then that is what you do. The o line is the key to the offense, it makes a good RB into a great RB and it can make a QB look good just by giving him time to make a throw.

[Scott K]

I would love to get Kalil, as LT is a hot commodity. I think we address CB in the second round, and WR in FA. Then fill in our other needs in the later rounds, and possibly other FA.

The team just has to many needs, and I dont think we will be able to fill them all in the next coming season. It may be a year or two, before the Vikes are competitive again.

I hate to say it, because I will be ridiculed for it, but trading Peterson could be the best thing for this team.

[Nick Kuhn]

The Vikings need too many things. They should take Kalil if he's around. As sweet as Blackmon would be receivers tend to be very hit and miss in the 1st round. 2nd round we need a corner or safety. I would like to see a safety that can force the issue. 3rd round is a good time to look at a receiver. There will be plenty of speedsters still around at that time, or a big target. Probably a work in progress type player but you should get tremendous value there. Late round we'll need another O-Line player and D-line player. Round it out with a coverage linebacker.

[cheddar 86]

I agree with OP on the order. It will probably garner a lot of booing if the Vikes select anything other than those at high picks. In fact I think it's just smart to use picks on those positions you need help at that generally have a track record of being high percentage (as OL seems to be touted).

Part of my excitement to see them get help at Oline and Dbacks is tempered by the fact that whomever is making the final call doesn't really seem to have a good track record. In addition to that I think it would be great if they could get the #2 overall pick and trade down, however again I don't trust them to make this work. Asher Allen, Tyrell Johnson, Marcus McCauley. Granted those guys weren't in the first round, but it just seems like wasted picks.

[james_walleye]

They need to start with an OL I believe. Kalil would be great.

[zepman]

They need to start with an OL I believe. Kalil would be great.

+1

[ANYFISH2]

I hate to say it, because I will be ridiculed for it, but trading Peterson could be the best thing for this team.

I have come to think the same thing. As much as I like Peterson, if we can get the right value for him it would be better for the future.

[JASS]

I also think third or fourth and Blackmon or Claiborne would be great picks. The young man behind center is alright in my book, but wouldnt be sweet to land Luck some how...lol

And why the heck are we not running wildcats and others with Webb at least put him in as a wide out. I Vote NO on Peterson trade!!!!

[Jarrod32]

Given all the needs the Vikes have, would it make sense for them to trade down and pick up an extra early-to-mid round pick or two? How deep is the draft?

[nofishfisherman]

I might be ok trading AP if we get good value for him. I just don't think that is realistic. Block buster trades rarely happen in football and thats what it would take to trade AP. You'd need to get several high level players or several very high picks in return. In a league that has become a pass dominated league you aren't going to have a team give up top tier talent for a RB, its just not the way teams are building themselves any more.

If we end up at #1 or #2 I'd stay put at take Kalil or Luck if they think Ponder isn't the answer. If we end up at #3-5 and Kalil is off the board I think trading down a spot or two might be a good move since there are likely to be a few players available that can fill areas of need.

[B. Amish]

i'd go OL. the high end OL are almost always a lock aren't they? low fail rate compared to skill positions.

they need a draft with no busts, several years worth of them in fact.

[Rippinlip]

If Kalil is there that is a no brainer.

I have thought about the Peterson trade and just because the Herchel Walker deal is no longer a item that teams are going to deal, I say we must keep him.

With SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many needs you get what you can in the draft and look at FA and off season trades to bolster the spots you can.

Instead of trying to fill everything on both sides the ball next year, you concentrate on 1 side.

If we decide to build offense, make the draft offense and do the defense through other ways.

A young high powering offense may take a year or two to build and through the time you make a veteran defense to hold their own.

[creepworm]

i'd go OL. the high end OL are almost always a lock aren't they? low fail rate compared to skill positions.

they need a draft with no busts, several years worth of them in fact.

All I will say Is Bryant McKinnie

[nofishfisherman]

I wouldn't call McKinnie a true bust. He was better than average for most of his time here. He just didn't take football seriously all the time which led to his demise.

I think in general the O-line positions have a better track record for producing fewer busts. Maybe an o-lineman taken with a top pick won't be the stud you thought but odds are he'll atleast be a good lineman. Not many end up not being able to play at all.

[FISHINGURU]

I wouldn't trade AP, he's one of the only reason people even watch the team or go to games. The team is beyond pathetic without him.

I'd go Kalil if he's available, if not trade and stack some picks.

[Triple_D]

Take Kalil if he's there, then move the T we signed as a FA from the Colts back to G his more natural position and you solidify two positions. If Kalil is gone we go best available DB, safety or corner, whichever is better.

[Matt C]

Trade AP? Wow, now thats a BOLD statement. Never. no, nadda.

...Now, after choking on my Pepsi....

We need major help in the D. Premier D back or Safety would be my vote.

[LMITOUT]

Trade AP? Wow, now thats a BOLD statement.

Not really. He is essentially worthless in a league dominated by passing. Quite honestly the only reason they paid him the big bucks was to put butts in the seats and hope that was enough for a new stadium. Now he's on the injury report doing nothing but collecting a big, fat check. Little good that does, and expect more of that with his age. Trade him.

[Scott K]

AP on the Vikes = The Barry Sanders era all over again. The Vikings will only waste his talent. If they can trade him and get a couple first round picks, they can then build off that. They just have to many weak spots, and have now chance to be good anytime soon. If they trade him, they can speed up the rebuilding era, and may be able to be good in a couple years.

[nofishfisherman]

AP on the Vikes = The Barry Sanders era all over again. The Vikings will only waste his talent. If they can trade him and get a couple first round picks, they can then build off that. They just have to many weak spots, and have now chance to be good anytime soon. If they trade him, they can speed up the rebuilding era, and may be able to be good in a couple years.

I'm not against this but who would give up a couple first round picks for him? A few teams in the last 20 years have been willing to trade multiple first round picks for a RB and everyone of them was worse off for it. I'm thinking of the Herschel Walker trade and the Saints trading an entire draft class to move up to pick Ricky Williams. I'm pretty sure the rest of the NFL is aware of that track record.

I think we need to come to terms with the fact that we have AP for the long haul. Depending on how free agency goes and if we do well in this years draft I can see the turn around coming in a year or two.

[reinhard1]

AP is a proven player. he put's out 100% every game. draft picks are unproven. there will be free agents and draft picks to be had. they all have to prove themselves on the field. today we seen Ponder make some great plays and mistakes with Harvin being the only proven player on the recieving end. a tight end Rudolph, who is showing promise and some recievers who nobody knows making plays out there. there will be changes but proven players are a mistake to trade unless they have a attitude problem or have off the field and in the locker room distractions to the team. good luck.

[pikestabber]

AP is a proven player...proven players are a mistake to trade unless they have a attitude problem or have off the field and in the locker room distractions to the team

+1. We didn't invest $100 million dollars into trade bait. The Viking's will build there offense around Peterson as they have always planned. Trading him for draft picks is rather foolish, IMO. Proven outweighs unknown commodities 110%.

[FutbolGuru]

This draft is deep in CB's - there are half a dozen in the top 50 ranked players coming out so we should be able to get a good one in the second round. I'd like to see it go down like this:

1. Blackmon or Kalil (or trade back and get another early pick)

2. CB

3. Defense or Oline

4. Defense or Oline

5. Defense or Oline

6. Defense or Oline

Obviously our team is hurting for Oline help... however, I'd rather not watch the vikes take an olineman with a top 5 pick. The only way to get a stud WR these days is through the draft or in free agency where you have to overpay these guys for their services. You can find offensive linemen outside of the top 5 overall prospects. In my opinion, you either jump on a skill position guy like Blackmon or trade back and get an additional early round draft pick.

Regardless, I'm just glad we finally have a qb to build around. We've always been able to put together stud teams, but never had the qb to lead those teams. Now we have that guy. For a rookie with a weak wr core and no Oline... he's been nothing short of solid.

[SkunkedAgain]

+1. We didn't invest $100 million dollars into trade bait. The Viking's will build there offense around Peterson as they have always planned. Trading him for draft picks is rather foolish, IMO. Proven outweighs unknown commodities 110%.

The problem with that is that while the Vikings may have "planned" to build around AP, they didn't. This team has not been, and will not be, a playoff team without significant upgrades at many positions. AP is going on 27 years old. He's already at the prime of a typical running back's career. Ponder will need several years to become a solid QB and it will take at least several years to build a team around Ponder.

The problem that I think many have is the belief that without AP this team has nothing. Fans can get a bit blinded by Peterson's greatness. However, Toby Gerhart is a quality running back and so is Booker. I'd rather see Minnesota get some value for Peterson and use that value to improve the rest of the team. It's been well discussed what the Vikings have in terms of needs. You can't just fill a few deficiencies and expect the Vikings to still be competitive with just AP. Even if two drafts get the Vikings out of this hole, it will be at least one-to-two years beyond those drafts before players typically blossom.

Keeping Peterson is short-term thinking to appease a fan base that values winning some games now versus lots of games in the future.

[LABS4ME]

Not a Vike's fan, and I do think Ponder is going to be a good NFL QB, but I wonder why Vikes fans are so HIGH on Ponder and were ready to lynch McNabb... not defending McNabb either... he stunk...

The numbers are fairly comparable... The deciding factor is as I see it rookie vs. veteran... but what else makes everyone so giddy and saying he is waaaay better than McNabb. Just the hope that he will develop? Just more banter for the board...

With a better O-Line do you think McNabb had something left? I don't, I think any team that trades their QB within their own division knows they are done. The skins knew he was done... I see some good things coming in Ponder, just that his overall numbers prove he still has a ways to go...

PONDER through 6 games: 1-5

TDS

9

INT

8

YDS

1,522

RTG

76.6

McNabb through 6 games: 1-5

TDS

4

INT

2

YDS

1,026

RTG

82.9

What does everyone else think?

Good Luck!

Ken