typical!!! Frazier

[grizrunner]

Totally agree labs. Unless they guarantee him the starting role and a new coach why would he want to come back and even then he may be bitter.

I totally disagree.

Cassel got boo'd off the field at his last gig. He knowingly came here in a backup role. He's played a couple decent games, and you guys think his stock has reached a point where teams are willing to sign him on some big long term deal? And he'll leave here for spite? He's in a good spot here with no competition. Ponder will be the backup. Freeman most likely gone. Next year's draft pick probably won't start in front of him either. If he comes thru the next 2 games he's a lock. And he'll stay here smiling, knowing all along he needed to play Spielman/Fazier games before he finally gave them no option. Bitter? I don't think so. He played it smart, and won. He'll get his maximum payday here, and be happy he get's to play on a future NFL winning team.

[schmitty3]

I agree Grizrunner, although I think and hope Ponder is gone next year.

[fishersofmen]

He came here knowing what Ponder is, everyone on the planet has known what Ponder is and has been except for this coaching staff. Freeman came here for the same reason. I don't think he has earned the right to some big long term contract but he has clearly shown he can play at a high level. Imagine how good he could be with a coaching staff that isn't tripping over their own feet. He has the right to be bitter wouldn't you be if you were involved in that circus?

[LABS4ME]

He's played a couple decent games, and you guys think his stock has reached a point where teams are willing to sign him on some big long term deal? And he'll leave here for spite?

You mean the point like Flynn a couple years ago? Yep. Welcome to the NFL. His stock will be high if he plays well the next two games...lots of teams need a competent QB. He knows what he'll get paid next year if he stays. And it's only for one year. His max value will potentially be at the end of this season. No guarantees how next season ans out, and it could potentially drop his stock. He' much rather Lock up a better multi year deal vs. the one year he has in place here, I can guarantee you that. Spite? Na... But in the end all things being equal, I don't think he has any loyalties to the Vikings. Well at least no more than they have in him. Player options can and will usually bite you in the butt. Watch Kevin love on the last year of his contract.

Good Luck!

Ken

[aanderud]

Quote:

Christian Ponder and Josh Freeman are not in the team's future plans, according to Rapoport, though a potential new coach could decide to keep Ponder. If not, the Vikings will shop the quarterback for a late-round pick in May.

I don't get why they are holding freeman. I thought maybe it was due to the 2 million dollar contract they signed with him -- but apparently that contract could be terminated at any time (according to this article), and they'd owe him nothing for the remaining games (save themselves 166k a game, carrying forward to the 2014 salary cap). This article says the only reason to not cut him is to have exclusive negotiating rights with him this offseason (through March) -- for next year. But the post above says he's not in their future plans. Very strange stuff.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/11/freeman-continues-to-be-mia-in-minnesota/

Quote:

So why are the Vikings continuing to pay Freeman $166,667 per week to not contribute? They could cut him at any time and owe him nothing, banking the cash and carrying the ensuing cap savings forward to 2014.

Apart from saving face for signing him in the first place, keeping Freeman makes him available for emergency duty, and it gives Minnesota exclusive negotiating rights on a new deal until March. But if the Vikings aren’t ready to play Freeman after having him in the building for two months, why would they want to make a long-term commitment to him?

[LABS4ME]

I remember hearing reports he wanted the 2nd year as a player option, so in the event he assumed the starter role, he could shop his wares in the league during the offseason. He knew he was coming here to back up total dysfunction... Because of tht, He also knew he would have a chance to start... He wanted to hold the cards, not the Queens. It would also be beneficial to him in the event Ponder turned out to be good and he never started, he can still leave to try to win the job with another team. Pretty savvy of him.

If zygi is smart and really wants him to stay as a starter, he should rework his contract in off season to go two years with better money... If not, I'd say 50-50 top she comes back.

[LABS4ME]

Quote:

but apparently that contract could be terminated at any time (according to this article)

That's the head scratcher in the whole Freeman deal. Most people do not realize that contracts signed after the start of the season are a game by game contract and if cut from a squad you do not owe the remainder of the contract to the player. Why would the Vikings continue to pay a 'healthy scratch'? They don't even allow him to dress or be on the active roster as a back-up, but yet feel compelled to pay him. Strange...

I wouldnt doubt this scenario. Spielman has a love fest for the guy and he will be your starter next year. I think ol' Ricky boy (incompetent!) will throw Leslie under the bus (who never wanted Freeman) with the ownership group and figures the new coach will work with Freeman. Going the route of letting him walk at season's end makes no sense... Zygi has money, but even rich guys do not like to 'throw away' 2 million with zero return, especially when they have the ability to stop the bleeding at any given moment.

Something smells here!

Good Luck!

Ken

I wouldn't be surprised to see Freeman start, Ponder backup and new rookie learning next year. After all it is the Vikings! and by seasons end 2014 you can reverse that order!!!

[LMITOUT]

Frazier almost out of chances to save job

CINCINNATI -- The Minnesota Vikings had just finished their 10th and most lopsided loss of the season, falling by four touchdowns to the Cincinnati Bengals at a time when such a shot could prove fatal to the chances of coach Leslie Frazier keeping his job. Running back Adrian Peterson -- who had said on Friday he looked forward to playing for Frazier "for the rest of my career," was even more pointed in his support of Frazier on Sunday.

Citing multiple sources, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that Vikings ownership has told others around the league that it is planning to make a head coaching change after this season, though one team source was adamant that nothing has been decided yet. Vikings ownership has told others that it believes it presides over an attractive opportunity, one that will have another premium draft pick, along with the promise of a new stadium coming. The Vikings already have been doing their due diligence on potential replacements for Frazier, and their wish list is said to include Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin and Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien, among others.

I'd heard rumblings of candidates putting out feelers for the Vikings job as early as November, when the team was 1-7, and in reality, Frazier was in a tough spot last January, when ownership decided not to offer him a contract extension after a 10-6 season, choosing instead to pick up his 2014 option and effectively forcing him to repeat a season where the Vikings enjoyed a soft schedule, good fortune with injuries and the singular brilliance of Peterson during his 2,097-yard march on Eric Dickerson's record.

The odds of doing that were slim when the Vikings had so much uncertainty at possibly the two most important positions in the NFL -- quarterback and cornerback -- and while Peterson insisted after the loss that the Bengals weren't better than the Vikings, Frazier almost sounded at a loss for what he could do with his young secondary racked by injuries and not only Peterson, but backup Toby Gerhart trying to play through injuries.

[CaptainMusky]

Frazier is on thin ice for sure. Though Bellicheck has been successful his "coaching tree" has not. I'm not too excited about O'Brien for this reason. And some coach from Vanderbilt? Come on ! Much rather see jay gruden or some other coach than those options.