Posts by Gil Alcaraz IV

Eye on the Opposition: OTAs Under Way

May 31, 2013, by 4 comments

Another week of “Eye on the Opposition” is upon us, and again I’ll be giving you the lowdown on everything that the Minnesota Vikings’ NFC North foes have been up to as OTAs roll along.

Here’s a look at what’s been going on in the NFC North as well as some insight as to how it’ll affect the Vikings once the regular season arrives.

Enjoy some news from behind enemy lines.

Chicago Bears

Evan Rodriguez, a second-year fullback/tight end, was arrested today for DUI, speeding and improper lane usage. This is his second arrest of the offseason – he was arrested back in March for violence and disorderly conduct. While this doesn’t exactly mean that it’ll cost him his roster spot, Rodriguez will be on a short leash once he returns to camp with the Bears. If Rodriguez can’t prove to the Bears that this crime wave is behind him, he’ll be on the open market before the regular season begins.

As far as reports indicate, Matt Forte is at full strength during OTAs and showing that he’s ready to be an integral part of the Bears’ passing game. Especially with new head coach Marc Trestman coming in and bringing out the best in Jay Cutler, Forte figures to be a huge part of the Chicago air assault. If he’s healthy, the Vikings secondary and the rest of the NFC North better be ready to spy him out of the backfield all game long.

Kicker Robbie Gould is expected back soon after rupturing a tendon in his calf late last season. The Bears signed Austin Signor to fill the void, but a strong return by Gould should put the veteran back at the top of the depth chart. It sounds like the Vikings won’t be able to expect missed field goals from Chicago the way they did with the Packers and Mason Crosby.

Detroit Lions

By all reports, second-year wide receiver Ryan Broyles is looking good so far after returning from an ACL tear that ended his rookie season. After bouncing back from another ACL tear last season, Broyles showed insane amounts of potential as a contributor in the Lions’ passing game. If he can get healthy and stay healthy, Broyles is headed for a breakout year for Detroit.

Another wide receiver that has worked his way onto the Lions radar is Patrick Edwards. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad before tearing his quad and ruining any chance he had of seeing the active roster. So far this offseason, Edwards has gotten several recommendations from teammates and appears to be in line for a serious contributing role in 2013. The Vikings better beware with how good this Detroit receiving corps is turning out.

Word around training camp also has undrafted rookie running back Theo Reddick turning heads. The former Notre Dame standout has displayed tremendous versatility, proving his worth as a runner, receiver and return man. Just another offensive weapon for the Lions to wreak havoc with this upcoming season.

Green Bay Packers

Second-year cornerback Casey Heyward is coming along nicely and appears to be in position to earn a starting job with the Packers this season. Last year, Heyward graded out as arguably the top cornerback in the NFL – albeit with a smaller sample to work with than the majority of the top cover men in the league. Assuming that he continues to build on the tools that he displayed last year, the Vikings will have a tough time passing in Heyward’s direction in 2013, even with an upgraded wide receiver unit.

The Packers’ 2012 first-round pick, Jerel Worthy, is still working his way back from a knee injury that he suffered in the regular season finale against the Vikings last year. Although Worthy has been positive about his return, there’s a slight chance that he could end up missing his entire sophomore season. Looks like the Packers will have to find production along the defensive line elsewhere.

Speaking of which, there’s been some buzz surrounding 2013 first-rounder Datone Jones, who could step in to fill the void with Worthy out indefinitely. The former UCLA standout is a physical, athleticism defensive end who should see immediate action for the Packers. If his play can rival his confidence, Green Bay will be getting plenty from this rookie in 2013. The Vikings’ offensive line better beware, because Jones isn’t here to play games.

Eye on the Opposition: The “Silly Season” coming to a close

May 17, 2013, by 3 comments

Free agency and the 2013 NFL Draft are in the rear view mirror, which means that were that much closer to some real Minnesota Vikings football. With OTAs just around the corner, many of the intriguing storylines that we’ve seen unfold this offseason in the Twin Cities will continue to take shape.

Meanwhile, there’s also plenty going on around the rest of the NFC North. That’s where “Eye on the Opposition” comes in. Every Friday, I will be breaking down the past week’s news from around the conference as well as giving some insight into what it means for the Vikings. It’s always good to be aware of what the enemy is up to.

So here we go. My first shot at breaking down what the opposition is up to in the NFC North. Enjoy.

 

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Joe Webb Officially Moved to WR

May 16, 2013, by 10 comments

We all knew it was coming.

After his lackluster performance in the Vikings’ Wild Card loss to the Cheeseheads, Joe Webb knew that his only chance of making the 53-man roster in 2013 was at a different position.

Well, now it’s official. The Vikings have moved Webb to wide receiver.

“We had been talking about it for a while, and we made the decision that this was the way to go after we had our draft,” Frazier told the Star Tribune.

With Webb now at wide receiver, he’s facing an uphill battle to stick with the Vikings this upcoming season. He’ll duke it out with Jerome Simpson, Jarius Wright and the rest of the receiver depth chart for snaps behind Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson. Considering the few glimpses we’ve gotten of him as a pass-catcher, it’s not promising to say the least.

Still, you can never discount an athlete of Webb’s caliber. He’s been working to improve his pass-catching skills all offseason long and could surprise during training camp and the preseason.

For now, we wait and speculate on something we knew was inevitable.

What’s next for Toby Gerhart?

May 15, 2013, by 29 comments

It’s been three years since the Minnesota Vikings traded up to make running back Toby Gerhart a second-round pick.

Since then, he’s done nothing to prove that he’s capable of being a reliable option behind Adrian Peterson. On top of averaging a pathetic 3.4 yards per carry last season, he failed to display the power and vision that made him a top prospect coming out of college. And we all remember that disastrous fumble-fest against the San Francisco 49ers…

Unless Gerhart magically flips a switch in 2013, the Vikings will part ways with the former Heisman Trophy runner-up. What avenue they decide to take, though, is TBD.

The first, and most appealing, of the Vikings’ options is trading Gerhart, who could be an intriguing addition for a team looking to implement some power into their ground game. While the former second-round pick won’t fetch much after three underwhelming seasons, getting something for Gerhart instead of letting him walk via free agency seems logical.

The other option is severing ties with Gerhart now and avoiding disaster. Let’s talk hypotheticals…

Let’s say – knock on wood – Peterson goes down in 2013 and is forced to miss significant time due to the injury. In that instance, the Vikings would have to rely on Gerhart to carry the load with no other proven running backs on the roster. While he has been serviceable in the short-term, he’s too inconsistent and inefficient to start more than two or three games. Avoiding that situation might be a good option for Minnesota.

If the Vikings did go with Door No. 2, a free agency acquisition would become a must. The only other ball carriers currently on the roster are Matt Asiata and a handful of undrafted rookies. Not exactly comforting in terms of depth. There are several capable options – Ahmad Bradshaw, Michael Turner, Javon Ringer – wading in the free agency pool who could fill the void.

It’s something to consider moving forward, especially with Gerhart likely headed elsewhere in 2013.

Vikings fill practice squad spot, sign WR LaMark Brown

December 11, 2012, by 35 comments

After trying out three wide receivers last week, the Minnesota Vikings have made their decision, signing former Minnesota State pass-catcher LaMark Brown to their practice squad.

This move comes within a week of electrifying wide receiver Percy Harvin getting the IR stamp. Offensive tackle Troy Kropog was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster to fill the void, which allowed for the Vikings to add a new receiver, Brown, to the mix.

After going undrafted this past April, the 6’3’’, 225-pound Brown enjoyed short stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills and, most recently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who released him from their practice squad on Nov. 13.

Brown began his college career at Kansas State, where he spent three years playing running back before transferring to the DII Minnesota State. While with the Mavericks, he made the transition to wide receiver, hauling in 31 passes for 405 yards and five touchdowns. He still received some work out of the backfield as well, amassing 98 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries.

The Vikings have Brown listed as a tight end, but he will likely be used at both positions while working with the scout team. During his pre-draft pro day, Brown clocked a 4.5 40-yard dash time.

It’s not the impact wide receiver signing that some were hoping for, but who knows what type of player Brown could develop into given the proper time and coaching. The Vikings have never been bashful about giving a homegrown player an opportunity, either.

Jaguars pluck RB Jordan Todman from Vikings’ practice squad

November 27, 2012, by 1 comment

The Minnesota Vikings have one of the best offensive backfields in the NFL, headed by superhuman Adrian Peterson. Toby Gerhart isn’t too shabby either.

Unfortunately, the depth behind No. 28 and No. 32 took hit on Tuesday when the Jacksonville Jaguars signed second-year running back Jordan Todman off of the Vikings’ practice squad.

Todman, who the Vikings signed off of the San Diego Chargers’ practice squad near the end of the 2011 season, was a promising young running back who appeared to have a future in Minnesota as a third-down back. Injuries, however, limited his playing time during the preseason, which allowed fellow second-year man Matt Asiata to lock down the No. 3 running back spot.

The Jaguars signed Todman in hopes of providing depth to a positional group that has been mutilated by injuries. Star runner Maurice Jones-Drew has been hobbled all season long and is currently nursing an ankle injury while Week 12 starter Jalen Parmele was sent to the IR on Tuesday due to a leg injury.

It was expected that Todman would give both Asiata and Gerhart a run for their money as Peterson’s main backup in 2013, but the Jaguars had other plans.

It’s sad to see such promising young talent ripped away from the Vikings, especially by a inept team like the Jaguars. That’s the NFL for you, though.

Vikings add George Johnson, waive Ernest Owusu

November 9, 2012, by No comments yet

The practice squad revolving door took another spin on Friday when the Minnesota Vikings swapped one defensive end for another.

The Vikings waived Ernest Owusu from the practice squad to make room for George Johnson.

Johnson, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, went undrafted out of Rutgers during the 2010 NFL Draft. During his three seasons in the league, the 6’4’’, 265-pound end has seen the field during nine games. In that time, he has amassed seven total tackles.

After seeing limited action early last season, Johnson spent the majority of the year on the Injured Reserve list following a knee injury. He played in five games for the Buccaneers in 2012 before being released on November 1.

More than anything, Johnson will provide depth along the line. The former Scarlet Knight does, however, offer some upside as a project who could eventually develop into a contributor.

Owusu is an undrafted rookie out of Cal who has spent the last couple months on and off of the Vikings’ practice squad. Signed by Minnesota shortly after the conclusion of the 2012 NFL Draft, he failed to survive final roster cuts back in August. He was later re-signed to the practice squad, and has been waived five times since then. With the addition of Johnson, it’s unlikely that the Vikings will re-sign him anytime soon.

Just another insignificant roster swap as the Vikings attempt to avoid a mid-season letdown.