Who should the Vikes draft?

[PierBridge]

I agree with LMIT you take RGIII if available and then Blackmon if not.

So now we are guaranteeing a 15 year career on a O-Linemen selection...... another Bryant McKinnie eh?

[toughguy]

I'd be upset with RG3 or Blackmon. We need O line and D Back help the most. I'd be very happy with Kalil or Claiborne. The Vikings have made it clear that Ponder is their guy next year and there are a ton of quality free agent WRs out there. Trade down if we can to get more picks (not too far down I hope). We are short in so many areas that it's time to clear house. A rebuild in today's NFL doesn't take long. They've already shipped out a lot of the dead weight and there is more cutting to come. - Hutch, Henderson and Shiancoe are next + Berrian, McNabb, Kleinsasser, and McKinney's $ all gone leaves lots of cash next year. Let's face it we'll be lucky to get to the playoffs in 2013/2014. 2012/2013 is out of the question.

[amateurfishing]

i was not comparing Ponder to Griffen talent specifically, was just trying to state difft qb does not matter much if o-line does not get improved first...any qb/rb pretty much a sitting duck behind our o-line

[TR21HP]

Take a look at what Julio Jones did for Atlanta this year and see if Blackmon is the pick you want and Jones is much bigger and faster than Blackmon. If the Q.B. is running for his life like Ponder and Webb were doing this year it doesn't matter who you have out there. The line needs to be improved to give the Q.B. more time. Kalil or that tackle from Stanford would help to stabilize that line along with some guard help. The worst thing for a Q.B. is when the interior of the pocket collapses and the Q.B. can't step up to throw.

[PierBridge]

A lone linemen or DB will change nothing!!!!! A quality QB or Receiver can change an entire franchise quickly.

In todays NFL it's all about the QB and receivers without those key pieces you are nothing.

There is no chance they are taking a DB with the 3rd pick so get that out of your heads quickly! Personally I'll throw up if they take a line-men with the 3rd pick.

Only way either of the O-line or DB theory's work out is if we can trade the pick and get something else along with the linemen or DB.

[james_walleye]

Maybe you should do some research as to how many more busts there are with WR's in the top 10 vs OL. Or maybe you want to research Tom Brady and Drew Brees recieving core. You tell me that their WR's have more to do with their success than having a great line in front of them allowing them all day to find a decent, but not great reciever. Or maybe you would like to share an instance where a team in the top 5 of the draft was turned around by adding a lone WR.

I'd much rather see them draft Kalil and add a WR like Steve Johnson in FA. Much easier to add a good WR in FA than a cornerstone OL. Claiborne is gonna be in the top 5 pick area. Why shouldn't a team that's as thin at CB as anyone draft him? A shut down corner can totally change a defense. Maybe he's that guy, maybe not. Again I think it would be a safer pick for Claiborne to live up to the 3rd pick vs Blackmon.

[mnviking28]

The problem with shopping the third pick and trading down is that it just plain has not worked out for them in the past. Look at what has gone on over the last couple of years. You trade down and keep amassing these picks until you have a pile of 6th rounders that don't even make an extremely bad team. The whole scouting department needs an overhall. I loved Studwell as a player, he just isn't getting it done as a talent scout. Other than Ponder and Rudolph, who did we get this year who is going to make the team better for the long haul? Maybe Ballard, but I strongly doubt it. It is the same sad scenario every year. This organization doesn't exactly have the history of finding that 5th, 6th rounder that is a "diamond in the rough". So, why do we keep stockpiling these picks? You had a team that was beyond awful this year, yet of your 9 draft picks, 4 of them were even active more than a game or two. The days of this team finding a John Randle are long since passed. There are far more stories of Erasmus James, Dmitrius Underwood, and Troy Williamson than there are of AP and Percy Harvin.

[PierBridge]

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Maybe you should do some research as to how many more busts there are with WR's in the top 10

Yeah great thinking lets not draft a wide receiver a potential game breaker, the next Moss or Calvin Johnson because he may be a bust "rolling eyes"

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Or maybe you want to research Tom Brady and Drew Brees recieving core.

Exactly my point on how you need a stud QB and receiving core to succeed in todays NFL. Thanks for proving my point.

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I'd much rather see them draft Kalil and add a WR like Steve Johnson in FA

Thats your boring outdated old school NFL opinion. Nothing wrong with that.

Where did you get your Crystal ball information on said tackle being the next Dan Mandich, Bryant Mckinney .... Cornerstone?...LOL

I will agree we probably won't end up RGIII because of the bad pick we made on Ponder last year. So if we are going to go down the tubes with him lets at least give him someone who can stretch the field to go along with Harvin.

I just hope they don't panic and take a lone line-men or DB with that pick.

You have to at least try for the home-run game changing QB or Receiver with that pick....IMO..

[amateurfishing]

@pierbridge, hate to enlighten you on something but Vikings ALREADY HAD a good o-line when they drafted Moss!!

u think Vikings will turn into Broncos? Miami's wildcat only worked for 1 year, Tebow & co. will be done when this season is over, a one hit wonder, when u look at the Mannings, Brees, Brady, the common theme is not getting touched in the pocket. I dont care if we have jerry rice in his prime, if ur qb only has 1 second to get the ball of with a swiss cheese o-line, every single wr u have is wasted cause they will never get the ball with qb on his back. Ponder was fine till his hip pointer then lost mobility & essentially a sitting duck. any other qb will be same. EVERYTHING start upfront on the line.

[BuckSutherland]

The problem with shopping the third pick and trading down is that it just plain has not worked out for them in the past.

You do realize that just because you pick three you arent guarenteed a stud. There have been lots of top ten picks flop in this league (Ryan Leif). At the same time there are many 5th, 6th, and 7th rounders that have gone on to be studs (Tom Brady). We are in complete rebuild mode. We need to emass picks so we can spread our risk on more than just one player.

Like I said, the stars would have to align just perfect with Clevland, but we could possibly pick 4, 22, 35 and 37. If RG3 slides to us at three we better be able to trade for a plenty of booty.

[BuckSutherland]

Well Pierbridge I guess you can come out of the closet. With that plan I think you must be one of the Vikings front office personel. Who are you Spewman, Dudwell? Your plan will ensure two things. A permenant ban on a superbowl win, and bunch of whinning narcissistic dinks crying cause they arent getting the ball enough to pad their stats cause the QB has no time to throw. Our line only got ponder, peterson, and gerhart killed in a three week span.

[james_walleye]

You hit that nail on the head buck. It's Matt Millen in disguise. Next year with the 2nd pick he will be calling for the next dynamic reciever. Just remember, we are talking about a guy, who if he had his way, would be still trying to build around t junk. I guess he missed the point about Brees and Bradys recieving cores. Not exactly full of dynamic WRs. Solid, but not a 1 was even a first round pick, much less top 3. You can add Aaron Rodgers core as well. No 1st rounders. It'd much easier to find that good reciever in later rounds or FA than a good tackle.

Oh by the way pier, u listed 2 "busts" Reguarding OL in what, the past 15 years. You really want me to start with WR busts? Lol. Probably not Haha. You proved my point for me though, thanks. Lineman are a safe pick at the top of the draft.

[zepman]

I would love to see the Vikes trade out with Cleveland or Washington and get a couple extra high round picks. I think those will be the teams after RGIII.

If not, Kahlil is the guy.

[james_walleye]

I agree.

[zepman]

Let's hope RGIII has a fantastic off-season and combine...our asking price for pick #3 could skyrocket.

I'm not opposed to taking RGIII either, I just don't think the Vikes would/will do it. Other than highlights, I have never seen him play.

[mnviking28]

I fully get that drafting at 3 doesn't guarantee you a stud, but the current strategy of trading back a dozen spots or out of a round to pick up the extra 5th, 6th, 7th rounder that the current regime of "brain surgeons" has come up with definitely isn't working. I stand by my belief that the current front office/talent scouting department is in need of a MAJOR overhaul. I also agree that there are many, many holes on this team that one draft isn't going to fill. You have a need for about 6 defensive starters and about 5 or 6 on offense. Most of the guys you have in these spots currently are back ups at best. This isn't going to be a short term fix. With the team that is currently in place, it is going to be about a 3 year journey with the right drafts and free agency to become a contender again. But, with the current front office, I don't see that happening either.

[amateurfishing]

u dont get an extra 5-7 rounder for trading a top 5 pick, it would have to be multiple picks (3-4) and nothing lower than round 4 or the Vikings made a bad deal. the falcons set the bar last year with what they were willing to trade and no doubt qb is much more sought after postion than wr, especially in top 5 picks of draft. 2 1st rounders, second & fourth rounder would be appropriate cost for 3rd pick, but would also not expect the vikings to do any business with anyone below 10th overall pick either as that starts to get a little too low.

[solbes]

Great left tackles don't exactly grow on trees. You can't go out and pick one up in free agency. And if they interior of the pocket collapses at least the QB can usually see it. If your LT takes a nap on a play your QB gets destroyed. I still say draft Khalil. Then Johnson can shift over or we get some other help at left guard. Right side of the line I feel more confident in.

I agree with Pier that this has become a league of QB's and WR's. But the guys who are succcessful usually have a great line in front of them (or at least decent). We certainly do not. Chicken or the Egg?

Also lets count all of the "great" receievers that Detroit drafted before they got Megatron. (Charles Rodgers- '03 #2 overall, Roy Williams- '04 #7 overall, Mike Williams- '05 #10 overall). Clearly drafring a top receiver is not an exact science.

[TR21HP]

Solbes, drafting any player is a [PoorWordUsage] shoot. The transition from college to the pros is probably the most difficult one in sports but you do have to have a solid O line in front of the Q.B. Agree with you on most points but that right side of the line especially Loadholt, emphasis on the word Load, has to be replaced. Poor technique, slow feet and not aggressive enough.

[BuckSutherland]

I agree with Pier that this has become a league of QB's and WR's. But the guys who are succcessful usually have a great line in front of them (or at least decent). We certainly do not. Chicken or the Egg?

I will say this about a passing league.

ATLANTA

Drafted Matt Ryan third and he was supposed to be a future FOH type player.

Rodey White more catches than anyone last two years.

Julio Jones (Atlanta traded 5 picks including two first rounders to get him)

Tony Gonzales (Greatest TE ever and still top five)

Quiz Rodgers (A Darren Sproles type back out of the backfield)

Michael Turner (one of the leading RBs in the league)

and what have they done in the playoffs the last two years? They laid a big egg. They failed to put up a single point against the Giants! Why, because their line got owned. No time to throw the ball and they couldnt open any holes for the RB. Good blocking will make all of the skill position players better. You dont put the roof on a house before you build the foundation.

If we want to be satisfied with a couple playoff wins here and there then go ahead and draft a WR or a QB. I for one am sick of it and would like to have a long-range plan to actually WIN a championship.

[Getanet]

I think a nice solution for our line troubles would be to draft Kalil, move Johnson to RT and slide Loadhoalt to RG.

I certainly would be willing to drop down a few spots if we got the right offer. But I don't think Atlanta giving up the farm for Julio Jones last year "set the bar" anymore than when Mike Ditka traded his entire draft for Ricky Williams or when the Vikes went all in for Hershel Walker. Some of those are pure aberrations that won't be replicated the following year.

[FutbolGuru]

I like your thinking regarding the O-line, Getanet.

We need to fix the Oline in the worst way... but we need more than 1 olineman to do that, so... why not try changing it up in the meantime to see if anything clicks?

During last year's draft, I was dumbfounded as to why we weren't drafting oline early... Rudolph looks like he has the makings of a solid TE, but we all knew the line was going to suck this year when we didn't take an olineman there in Rd 2.

Would Blackmon be exciting? Of course. But, if he's there, we shouldn't take him... we just can't. We need an oline and a defense beofre we'll contend. There will be plenty of time for us to sign/draft a wr once we build up our team. Right now I feel like it'd be exciting, but ultimately a waste to draft anything other than Oline or D in round 1 and 2. Unless of course, we plan on spending money on these positions in free agency.

[klecker]

People can say all they want about it being a QB, WR league. The good teams have good o-lines to give those QB's time. Ponder played eleven games and had 30 sacks. The top eight yardage wise QB, s were 36 sacks or less for 16 games. Rodgers only played 15. Heck Dalton was only sacked 24 times. Six of those eight are or were in the playoffs.

The team needs to be built inside out. No matter if it’s a run league or pass league. It all starts at the same point.

One major thing to look at. Look at the past five or more drafts. Why are a lot of the same teams picking top ten every year. Why are a few really good teams picking lets say in the bottom ten year in and year out.

A top five pick don’t mean squat. Its what the team dose in the mid what counts. Teams with excellent upper management and scouts are the ones hitting those picks.

[Rick]

Ur nuts if you think they will give up that much to move up 1 spot.....

It's not just about moving up one spot.

It's about filling a need and the value at that spot (supply & demand). It's a thin QB class this year and how many teams need a QB.

[PierBridge]

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The good teams have good o-lines to give those QB's time

Yeah the Packers and Patriots really run that ball great with the those lines... Not.

Protecting your QB is more about the total scheme and the QB's BRAIN and reaction time!

Not saying we don't need improvement or a stud left tackle in the line thats pretty obvious but passing on a potential game breaking QB or receiver is ludicrous in todays game.

It's a different game you don't even need a defense any longer "see patriots, packers"