2013 Vikings off season

[Fish Head]

quote]Mike Wallace is a very rich man. I know this seems like a very obvious statement considering the former Steeler signed a 5-year $60 million contract with the Miami Dolphins (the deal included a $11 million signing bonus and $27 million in guaranteed money).

He has so much money that he could buy and sell my existence several million times over.

That said, according to Wallace’s dad, the 26-year old wide receiver could have pocketed even more cash if he had decided to sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

“The [Vikings] had come to the point where they were telling him, ‘You don’t have to live here, just be here during the season,’ ” Wallace’s father, Mike Jr., said by phone this week. “He wanted to get out of that snow and cold weather.”

Well, I guess we learned today that sometimes money isn’t everything. We also learned that no sane human being would actively choose to live in Minnesota during the winter.

Hat-tip to the Miami Herald and PFT

[DrJuice1980]

Let me guess, the dad wasnt in his life until he become a notable football player.... about a 90% chance anyways

[FISHINGURU]

I heard the person that wrote that article has nads the size of peas.

[grizrunner]

I agree LAB, one year of Urlacher may well prove to be the bomb.

Urlacher is a complete waste of time and in no way will be a part of the Vikings.

I hope da Bears take Ogletree and we get Brown. Teo can go somewhere else.

[10,000 Casts]

Why didn't we sign Flynn? Did I see that the Raiders picked him up for a 14 and 15 late round pick. He was worth that all day.

[Scott K]

He is basically Ponder, no need for two of them.

[SkunkedAgain]

He is basically Ponder, no need for two of them.

I've never seen Ponder light up any NFL team for 6 touchdowns in a game. That said, I might agree that Flynn isn't right for the Vikings offensive scheme but I think that he's a better QB than Ponder.

[LABS4ME]

I agree! Rag Arm and Flynn have never been used in the same sentence... He proved he could step in and play for Rogers if the need arose. I'd hardly say Ponder could step into the Packer's line up and be utilized the same as Rogers... we don't have anyone to hand off to! He'd have to pass!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Scott K]

Well, they both have weak arms, and cant throw a deep accurate ball. They are both young, and need lots of work to ever become anything of a starter in this league.

OK, lets look at the situation here. Packers have a Superbowl team, their starting QB goes down, Flynn steps into a Superbowl team minus the QB. Ponder has about the same mechanics as Flynn, about the same experience, and the same flaws. The difference is that Flynn got to step into a Superbowl ready team, and play a few games, Ponder got to step into a bunch of doodo.

What did Flynn show last year? Not much!

[LABS4ME]

He didnt get to play last year...

Weak arm? Really? Did you ever watch Flynn? That is not an accurate statement... He is ready to be a starter. Pete Carroll knew it and went after him in the off season last year... they had no idea what they had in Russell. We'll see what Flynn can do with a bunch of Raider doo - doo... they are far from SB ready!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Scott K]

Labs, are you going to use Pete Carroll as a judge on talent now? LOL

They just take the outcasts from MN, Kinda like the Vikings do with the Packers.

I think the fact that Russel was the starter tells you what he thought of Flynn, and the fact they let him go for peanuts as well. The Packers traded him, and were jumping for joy they actually got something in return.

Sorry but I usually respect your opinion, and judgement with sports, and you are usually open minded with other teams, other then the Packers, but I think just because Flyn was a Packer, has blinded you somehow here. But only time will tell, I may under value him totally, but it seems so has all the other teams as well, since they only got a late pick, and a conditional for him.

[LABS4ME]

Not blinded because he was a Packer... I think he is and will be a good QB... I wouldn't say plugging Ponder into the Packer system would make Ponder an 'instant starter'. I think Ponder can be a decent starter for the Vikes... he would not do well on an arial assault squad.

The Packers didn't trade Flynn... he was a free agent. The seahawks signed him. The Packers tried to retain him, but could not pay him the money he was going to get and then keep him as a back-up.

With that said, I will admit you are partially correct. We do not know how well he will do as a 'starter'. I can say he has a stronger arm than Ponder has shown along with better accuarcy. Will this be the case for 16 games? No way to know until he plays them. At the end of the season he may well prove to be a total bust, but from what I have seen he should do fine... and yes I can admit I am wrong if proven otherwise. But I can say he has a strong accurate arm... we'll see if he comes with enough savvy to be a winning starte in the NFL.

I don't think Carroll is the do all, end all talent zen, but I think he knew he was missing one key component to make a viable run, that was a QB. I think he grabbed Flynn because he felt he had starter talent and showed it in a couple of key times he had to play for GB. Wilson surprised everyone... I don;t think coming into the season anyone including Carroll felt ol' Russell could pull off what he did. And I kind of agree that the Raiders got him for nothing, BUUUUT the Seahawks wanted his salary gone so I think they were willing to take very little to free up that money.

Good Luck!

Ken

[zepman]

The book on Flynn has yet to be written...nobody knows what kind of starter he'll actually become OR if he ever becomes one. For all we know, Flynn might become a much better QB than Russell Wilson ever will. Neither have played long enough to make that judgement on either one of them yet.

The Seachickens let him go for peanuts simply because they wanted his contract off their books.

[klecker]

Zep is right.

Flynn had two starts. One good game and loss to the Pats. The win over det in week 16 of 2011 with two teams in the playoffs. Both having injuries and sitting starting DB's due to no matter who won, the seeding would not be changed. Eleven total TD'S passing over a thousand yards. Carson Palmers younger bother the back up in CIN could have done what either Flynn or Stafford did.

Carroll new what he was getting in Wilson. He was heckled for drafting Wilson in the third round. The competition for QB in Seattle didn't even make it out of the preseason. Seattle did'nt really start running the zone read till the end of the season so that factor can be removed. At least Seattle got one more draft pick out of Flynn than the compensatory pick than GB did.

Carrol did every thing he could not to name Wilson the starter before camp even opened.

Flynn is going to a depleted team trying to recover from the years of AL Davis.

[Scott M]

Seattle is supposed to be close to signing Winfield. The 'Hawks will have to be my surrogate team this year since they have so many former Vikings and since they will be so entertaining on both sides of the ball. It helps when your starting quarterback isn't killing your salary cap; leaves a lot of money to sign extra veterans like 'Toine.

[Scott K]

Quote:

Seahawks agreed to terms with CB Antoine Winfield, formerly of the Vikings, on a one-year contract.

Winfield, 36 in June, picked the Seahawks over the Vikings and Redskins. His addition is a massive upgrade on injury-prone burn victim Marcus Trufant, who manned the slot for Seattle last season. Sandwiching Winfield between Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner gives Seattle arguably the top cornerback trio in the league. The Seahawks' roster has no holes outside of a questionable offensive line, and they're shaping up as the early Super Bowl favorite.

[zepman]

Sure wish they would have kept Winfield and let Williams walk instead.

I still don't know why Spielman hasn't restructured Williams contract...he's making way more than he's worth and everybody knows it...even Williams, himself.

Now, we all get to see just how bad Henderson truly is...Winfield has been his crutch since...well, forever.

Vikes better be drafting/adding two starting caliber LB's this year...the cupboard is bare.

[FISHINGURU]

I wish they would of let them both walk.

[MUSKY18]

Sure wish they would have kept Winfield and let Williams walk instead.

I still don't know why Spielman hasn't restructured Williams contract...he's making way more than he's worth and everybody knows it...even Williams, himself.

Now, we all get to see just how bad Henderson truly is...Winfield has been his crutch since...well, forever.

Vikes better be drafting/adding two starting caliber LB's this year...the cupboard is bare.

I'm still wondering why they resigned Henderson? Are they afraid they will not be able to replace him with someone else? Winfield was his crutch and it showed when 26 wasn't playing. Never heard Henderson's name called.

Weakest two players on the defense last year were Henderson and Robison. They both need to go!

[Scott K]

Quote:

The Vikings and Kevin Williams have agrees to a contract restructure that will make him a free agent after this season.

Williams was due a non-guaranteed $7.5 million in both 2013 and 2014. Now he'll get a guaranteed $4.9 million this season and then hit the open market. The move clears out roughly $2.5 million in salary cap space, giving the Vikes about $6.913 million to work with. Williams will turn 33 years old in August, but is coming off another difference-making year as a run stuffer.

[Scott K]

Quote:

Joe Webb will switch to wideout for Minnesota Vikings

The signing of Matt Cassel has allowed the Minnesota Vikings to admit what many of us already knew: Joe Webb is not an NFL-caliber quarterback.

With Cassel backing up Christian Ponder, the team can move Webb to receiver and better utilize his athleticism.

Jeremiah: Draft trade market

Daniel Jeremiah identifies six teams that could trade up/down in the draft. Plus, six prospects who might spur movement. More ...

"(Webb) is such a talented athlete that we want to make sure that we're doing the right thing by him and our team, as well," coach Leslie Frazier told The Star Tribune. "That's something we'll continue to discuss as we go forward."

Webb played quarterback at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, but he was drafted to play receiver. The quarterback experiment turned into full-time duty and he became the primary backup last season.

That experiment appears to be over. Now, Webb has the opportunity to make a successful contribution -- at a position of need, with Percy Harvin's departure -- for the Vikings

[FISHINGURU]

"Williams will turn 33 years old in August, but is coming off another difference-making year as a run stuffer"

Really? I haven't seen much of his difference making in the past 5 yrs or so. His 30 tackles and 2 sacks wouldn't be to hard to replace.

[FISHINGURU]

About time they try Webb at WR, they should of done that a couple yrs ago. He was never QB material. 6'4- 220lbs, he's athletic and big enough to go up and get some. Hopefully he can catch lol

[Scott K]

Quote:

Vikings agreed to terms with DE Lawrence Jackson, formerly of the Lions.

Jackson, 27, visited last week, and Minnesota likely wanted to see what it was going to do in the opening round of the draft before deciding on whether to sign him. The former first-round pick has 19.5 career sacks, and he'll slot in as a rotational end behind Jared Allen, Brian Robison, and Everson Griffen.

[FISHINGURU]

So do people think we will try to find our starter MLB later in the draft, package more picks to move up again, or just sign a veteran?