Free agency

[CrappiesNCats]

the next step is either getting odom or trading for jason taylor (ideal) who badly wants out of miami.

i've also heard javon walker could go for a 5th round pick...i know his knees are extremely questionable. but Walker,Berrian, Rice, and Wade sounds awesome

[Born2Fish]

Yeah we MAY have overpaid but I do believe he is a GIANT upgrade over what we have now. He should help AP gain some more yards and overall help the offense.Anyone think that we are gonna make a move for another QB? Personally I think we might make a move for Losman. We have made some moves that have filled some needs so trading for a "decent" backup in case Jackson does not work out would be a good idea. Anyone know if Culpepper has signed anywhere??

[Born2Fish]

I would LOVE to see Taylor in purple and gold. Taylor, Williams, Williams....WOW!!

[Bluegill1510]

The Vikes didn't over pay for these guys...as of right now they would pay Berrian for 7 million a year and Williams 5.5 million a year and Tapeh 1 million a year. We still have around 13-15 million under the cap, plus these contracts that these players sign now a days are so backloaded with money its sick, thats why they sign the huge signing bonuses because thats really their own guarenteed money. For instance Berrian probably won't make 7 million this year but more close to 5-6 million so the vikes can save a few million and use that towards other players. Then later on in these players contracts they are so backloaded with money that a player like Berrian could be making 10-12 million in his last years of his contract and if he doesn't restructure he will more than likely become a salary cap casualty and be cut, like Issac Bruce this year.

[bassNspear]

BLUE.... I agree with you all the way. Hes not over paid, they needed someone that can carry the wideout crew. And i believe they have one now.

[Scott M]

I wouldn't mind Losman. He's capable. That's all they really need. A caretaker QB-That's what Jackson isn't at this point. I'm not giving up on T-Jack, I just think he could use some more time and tutelage.

[Born2Fish]

Yeah there is no way I would give up on Jackson yet. They just went out and got him a pretty darn good WR. He did make some good strides last year(his first starting!). I think AP will open up some great passing opportunities for Jackson to Berrian all season long. I also think Rice will have a breakout year with the addition of Berrian.

[Bluegill1510]

IMO if Bears fans are so upset about Berrian signing with us and saying we overpaid then they need to email or write a letter to the bears management voicing their concerns. The bears were not going to dish out the money that the vikes paid for Berrian period! They are more worried about re-signing Briggs which they did, and in hind sight I know Briggs is a blue chip player and with him along side Urlacher you have a great tandom, but honestly with the elite linebackers coming out of college now a days the Bears should of signed Berrian and let Briggs walk and let teams fight over him on the market. Rookie linebackers can step in and contribute right away as a rookie, when a WR it takes longer to develop into a fine player in this league, unless you draft a bluechipper like Randy Moss, or Owens or Chad Johnson which your chances are slim, and guys such as Patrick Willis LB drafted by the 49ers last year and rookie defensive player of the year this past season, and guys like Shawn Merrmian (SD), Demeco Ryans (Hou), AJ Hawk (GB), DeMarcus Ware (Dal), Lofa Tuputu (Sea), Odell Thurman (Cin), Barrett Ruud (TB), Briggs, Urlacher, Zach Thomas, etc. were attainable through the draft and pretty much contributed right away in their rookie seasons extensively.

So what I am saying sometimes its hard to pick and choose but in the Bears situation they have no talent for skill players besides Hester and maybe their running back, so letting Berrian walk when he is going to be in his prime for 2-3 more years is not planning well for the future of your team and fan base. When you could of kept Berrian and let Briggs walk, and just draft a talented linebacker in this year's draft.

[zepman]

IMO Barrian is a very solid addition to the Vikes. He was not overpaid--if the Vikes didn't give it up someone else would have. Vikes have added some really nice players in the past few days---hope they can keep it up. Taylor would really look nice in purple!!

[tisosy11]

 Originally Posted By: CrappiesNCats

the next step is either getting odom or trading for jason taylor (ideal) who badly wants out of miami.

i've also heard javon walker could go for a 5th round pick...i know his knees are extremely questionable. but Walker,Berrian, Rice, and Wade sounds awesome

How is walker suppose to go for a 5th round pick when he was cut?

[tisosy11]

Berrian was paid...but if he catches balls downfield he will be a welcome addition to the vikings!!!

[james_walleye]

What do you think the first play from scrimmage will be next year? I'm guessing it will be play fake and deep ball letting teams know whats up.

[CrappiesNCats]

 Originally Posted By: james_walleye

What do you think the first play from scrimmage will be next year? I'm guessing it will be play fake and deep ball letting teams know whats up.

did brad childress get fired?

[james_walleye]

He actually did that a few times last year the first play, thats why i think its predicatable it will happen again.

[backstrap]

Good call, but I'm thinking Tapeh up the middle.

[LMITOUT]

 Originally Posted By: Bluegill1510

The bears were not going to dish out the money that the vikes paid for Berrian period!

Neither were many other teams! Why do you think he ended up here? I bet he's just laughing his butt off at the money he got paid....4th highest paid WR in the league, BTW, and hardly the 4th best WR out there...maybe low 20's if even that.

The Vikes needed a WR no doubt about that, but they are paying this guy way too much. I guess they had to make sure they got him, but wow.

[tisosy11]

LIke state eariler - ITS A LOT OF MONEY...but if he catches balls down field he will be well, well worth it!

[Born2Fish]

Im not sure about low 20's at all. If you can name me 20 wr's that are better than Berrian then please show me the list. Im not talking about personal preferences im talking about #'s here. Like everyone said before he did catch 71 balls from Rex "I couldnt hit a chevy" Grossman and Kyle "look at my beard and long hair" Orton. If he can catch 71 with 950 some odd yards from those 2 I think he can at least match that with ours. WHICH is a VAST improvement over what ANY of our wideouts did last year. Overpaid, debatable. I think he would of gotten that kind of money from any other team he would of visited. On another note Bill Parcells had said that the only way Jason Taylor is not going to play for miami this year is if he retires. So I think that dream is all but dead.

[Fishing_High]

Don't forget didn't Brian Griese get a couple starts last year and just suck as well? Berrian will be a good player for this team I like the pick up.

[boatfixer]

Ok, now it's 2nd & 10. Whats next? C'mon, 2 more plays then Kluwe is off to another busy season.

[LMITOUT]

 Originally Posted By: Born2Fish

Like everyone said before he did catch 71 balls from Rex "I couldnt hit a chevy" Grossman and Kyle "look at my beard and long hair" Orton.

I was waiting for this softball.

Ahem, do I need to remind you who is the current starting QB for the Vikings? It ain't Cunningham and it ain't Culpepper. Three yards and a cloud of dust...and that's a pass play! So they have one good WR now, fine. What do you think defenses will do? Double team him and then what do you have left?

Three yards and a cloud of dust.

I wouldn't pick out your spot on the super bowl parade route just yet....

[LMITOUT]

You want stats? You can't handle the stats? J/K.

2007 numbers:

Total receptions - 20th

Total yards - 22nd

Yards/game - 29th

TD's - 29th

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Of course you overpaid for Berrien and the Bears followed that up by signing Briggs to a long term deal that most consider a steal. Look for the Bears to shop elsewhere for a wide out. Enjoy Berrien, Queens fans, he will break your heart and will break the teams bank! You way overpaid for him! Your deal was more than twice what the Bears were offering him during negotiations. Only time will tell.

Windy

[james_walleye]

Lmitout, if the vikings have a 3 reciever set in and now the defense has to use 2 defenders to cover a reciever, which they never had to do last year, now many guys at most are in the box?? Thats right its 7 and you don't stop AP with 7 guys. You decide to single BB on the outside and he WILL fry almost any corner in the league and for sure any corner in the NFC central. That is the difference. As far as numbers, how can you look at straight numbers last year and decide there are 20 recievers in the game better than he is? Try thinking about in in these terms once. What would some of your top recievers as far as numbers, what would they have done for the bears last year. An offense that was 30th as far as rushing. Do you think most of them would have had more than 71 catches for 950 yards??? If BB was playing next to TJ "whosyourmama" and had Palmer throwing the ball his numbers would have been top 10 in the league. You can't look at just numbers, you have to look deeper. Steve Smith last year, 1002 yards. 27th in the league in fantasy football points as far as recievers went. Fantasy football is straight numbers. You going to tell me there are 26 recievers better than Steve Smith out there?? Thats how lame numbers are. Its what BB's presence will bring to the vikings. He's a major outside weapon. He won't put up 100 catches and 1400 yards with 14 TD's for the vikes. He doesnt have to! Its what his presence will mean!

[LMITOUT]

LOL. We'll see. I was asked for numbers, so I did. Berrian's numbers were even a little worse in their Super Bowl run.

An expensive decoy, but I really doubt he'll see much double-coverage anyway since he's not a receiver that deserves it, not to mention they don't have anyone to throw to him. The only reason I bought that up was that I knew someone would toss up that softball too, which they did. So, it looks like AP will continue to get stuffed more often than not, much like the latter part of the season when he was exposed.

I didn't know "presence" was worth the 4th highest WR on the pay scale.