NFL Draft 2012

Childs Sent To Waivers

August 6, 2012, by 27 comments

The Vikings had 10 draft picks in April, and before a preseason game has even been played, 10% of them are no longer on the team.

Two torn patella tendons have already ended rookie receiver Greg Childs’ season with the Vikings, and it may have already ended his career with the team as well.

On Monday morning, the Vikings waived their fourth round pick, according to PFT.  This is an extremely disappointing turn of events for the young receiver who was beginning to flash in training camp and was an option to be a starter in week one.

If Childs makes it through waivers, which is not a guarantee, then the Vikings may be able and willing to stash him on the injured reserve and give him another chance at success a year from now.

Top Ten Things To Know About TC So Far

July 29, 2012, by 14 comments

After a couple of days away from my computer, I got back and immediately took to the internet to see what I have missed.  I am glad to report that the worst news I was able to find is that AMC cancelled The Killing after only two seasons.

So, consider it good news that after two days of Vikings training camp nothing disastrous has taken place.  Here are the top ten notes I took away from the first two days of camp:

1.  Ponder And Rudolph Have Serious Chemistry

All reports out of camp indicate that Kyle Rudolph is far and away Christian Ponder’s favorite target.  Rudolph already had ideal size coming out of Notre Dame, but he has supposedly bulked up this offseason, and Ponder is regularly connecting with the tight end in the flats.  Take note, fantasy players.

2.  Peterson Fights But Loses

Adrian Peterson vowed to fight if the Vikings placed him on the PUP list to begin training camp.  He lost.  The Vikings place Peterson on the PUP list but plan to run him through individual drills that are custom tailored and require him to “read and react” to real-time simulated obstacles in an effort to make him cut.  Frazier said he would like to see Peterson play in the preseason at some point, but I am glad to see them playing it safe with their franchise back.

3.  Harvin Is Killing It

While Jerome Simpson has had a few good moments in the first two days, Percy Harvin has reminded everyone who the most talented receiver on the team is.  He has reportedly made a few sprawling grabs and is consistently beating the defense.  Oh, and he is currently being considered the top kick returner, but it remains to be seen if the Vikings will again try to reduce his reps at that spot.  Oh, and about that whole unhappy trade request thing, Harvin declared himself “happy” on Saturday.

4.  Todman Breaks One

With Adrian Peterson on the mend, the third string running back position could very easily prove to be one of great importance in 2012.  Second year player Jordan Todman has been getting a fair share of reps in the beginning of camp.  On one run, he broke free and got himself into a footrace with cornerback Zack Bowman.  Todman ran 80 yards and Bowman was unable to catch him, with Todman scoring a would-be touchdown.

5.  Injury Update

Peterson isn’t the only guy to worry about when it comes to staying healthy.  In fact, we would prefer to see every Viking come out of camp at 100%, but that is not going to
be the case.  The most notable non-Peterson injury is Josh Robinson’s hamstring which happened on Friday after practicing just long enough to impress reporters with his speed during punt return drills.  Tight end Mickey Shuler and wide receiver Stephen Burton both began camp on the non-football related injury list.  Shuler made it onto the field on Saturday, while Burton’s continued absence is disappointing considering he was one of the candidates to have a break through offseason.  Simpson and Bowman both were shaken up when they collided with each other at one point, and linebackers Marvin Mitchell and Corey Paredes were both hobbled on Saturday.  So far, none of the injuries appear to be uber-serious (knock on wood).

6.  Battle At Right Guard

One of the best battles to keep track of this preseason will be that of the starting right guard.  Brandon Fusco and Geoff Schwartz are the top candidates for the job, with Chris DeGeare as a dark horse.  Fusco is getting the most reps with the first team as it stands now.

7.  Reed Impressing

With Everson Griffen focusing on becoming an NFL linebacker, there is suddenly some room for backup defensive ends to make a lasting impression.  So far, it is last year’s seventh round pick D’Aundre Reed that is standing out, using his speed rushing abilities to notch at least one touch sack already.  Frazier described Reed as a “different player” from his rookie season a year ago.

8.  Pressure On Walsh

Blair Walsh is being handed the kicker position on a platinum platter, but the Vikings want to make sure the lack of competition doesn’t hinder his practice routine.  While there may not be much pressure coming in the form of another kicker on the roster, coaches are planning to bombard him with simulated pressure during game-like situations.  Walsh was two of three from 55 yards out on Saturday.  He also made six straight from 46 yards.  Oh, and on Friday, Walsh nailed a 60 yarder while working on his own.

9.  Staying Out Of Trouble Is Key

Leslie Frazier has told the media that he is disappointed in the Vikings arrest record over the last couple of years and is making a point to connect with his roster, doing what he can to ensure they keep out of trouble.  Training camp is not when you want to see a player get thrown behind bars… just ask Rhett Bomar.  Frazier said that the new CBA does not allow him to impose a curfew during training camp, but he suggested a time for players to return to their dorms.  Here’s hoping our guys heed Frazier’s advice.

10.  Felton Over D’Imperio

With roughly 72 of the Vikings 90 roster spots being taken up by fullbacks, there is no doubt going to be some healthy competition there.  Right now, it is Jerome Felton getting the most reps with the first team right ahead of Ryan D’Imperio.  I am still curious to see how fourth round selection Rhett Ellison figures into the team’s plans.

Vikes Cave To Kalil On Offset Language

July 26, 2012, by No comments yet

As Brett mentioned in the post below this one, Matt Kalil will report on time to training camp after signing his rookie deal on Thursday morning, effectively ending any chance for unneeded drama during the preseason.

The deal was able to get done because the Vikings caved on language in the rookie deal that allows Kalil to collect payment from two different teams should he be cut by the Vikings and subsequently signed by someone else.

While the Vikings caved in the end, there is absolutely no reason for them not to attempt to get the best deal for the organization as long as there are negative impacts on the team as a result.  Negative impacts, such as a holdout, would have started to shown up tomorrow so there was no reason to flinch in this game of chicken until today.

Kalil’s contract, according to PFT, is for four years and worth $19,770,598.

The deal is completely guaranteed and included a signing bonus of $12,818,620.

The place where he was selected combined with the contract he was given suggests that the team plans on Kalil being their starting left tackle for a decade or more, so I am betting this is the last we hear about this offset language in relation to Kalil… unless he busts.

Which he won’t.

Kalil Signs Rookie Contract and Will Report On Time

July 26, 2012, by 5 comments

Matt Kalil Signing Rookie Contract

Despite Adam’s reassurance that the Vikings just “…always seem to be behind the rest of the league when it comes to signing their own… draft classes,” it was hard to not get a little concerned when it looked like Kalil may not have a contract at the start of training camp.

Well, worry no longer. As of this morning, Kalil has officially signed his rookie contract and will be reporting to training camp on time.

The delay, which was believed to be due to the offset language in rookie contracts, is no longer an issue and all of the Vikings draft picks have been signed.

Now let’s get this season started.

TOP FIVE TC STORYLINES: The Defense

July 26, 2012, by 4 comments

Today, the Minnesota Vikings officially will open training camp in Mankato, and there will be plenty of storylines to follow on offense as chronicled here.

The defense provides even more intrigue and drama for us to follow, however, as there is a surplus of jobs up for grabs across the board.  Here is my look at the top five storylines to follow on the defensive side of the football in the coming weeks:

5.  The Alan Williams Show

“Hey, Alan, I have a job for you.  I want you to come to Minnesota and coach up the defense that, outside of Jared Allen, was atrocious last year.  Oh, by the way, I want you to supervise the guy you are replacing and also try to get Singletary to keep his pants on.  Thanks, see you soon.”

New defensive coordinator Alan Williams inherited a mess, to be frank, and the unique arrangement of the coaching staff could prove to be a point of drama moving forward.  It will be mighty interesting to see how he responds to the challenge and how his players respond to him.

Continue Reading →

Vikings Get Third Rounder In The Fold

July 25, 2012, by 6 comments

I don’t know how many times I have typed this sentence, but here it goes one more time:  The Vikings always seem to be behind the rest of the league when it comes to signing their own free agents and their own draft classes.

I’ve also said before that we have no reason to worry about any holdouts now that the rookie wage scale is in place.

On one hand, it might appear as there is no reason to worry because the Vikings reportedly agreed to terms today with third round cornerback (and fastest man at the Combine) Josh Robinson.  The deal, as usual, is for four years.

On the other hand, however, there is a growing sense that the Vikings are taking a firm stance on the issue of “offset language” in these rookie contracts so Matt Kalil’s contract remains to be finalized with training camp beginning tomorrow.

The offset clause being referenced has to do with how the contract is handled should the player be cut prior to the contract expiring and then have the player sign with another team.  The Vikings want the contract to be worded in such a way that any money they still owe the player is offset by the new contract awarded.    The players, of course, would rather see themselves in a situation where they are being paid by two teams for a year or two in the event that they are cut by the team that drafted them.

Rick Spielman has indicated that he is confident that Kalil’s deal will be done without any major hiccups. 

Here is hoping he is correct.

Priefer Thinks Walsh Has What It Takes

June 24, 2012, by 4 comments

Competition.

It is widely regarded as the best thing to have at any given position this time of year, but the Vikings have none at the kicker position and do not plan on bringing any in.

The Vikings drafted Georgia kicker Blair Walsh in the sixth round of April’s NFL Draft, subsequently waived veteran Ryan Longwell, and it appears that the team’s Special Teams Coordinator could be tying his fate to that of his new rookie kicker.

Mike Preifer had a number of conversations with Walsh at the Scouting Combine, he put Walsh through a pre-Draft workout, and watched a lot of film.  According to Judd Zulgad, Preifer thinks he knows why Walsh missed those 14 field goals as a senior and wants to coach this kid into a premier NFL kicker.

“He was rushing every kick,” Priefer said of Walsh’s senior season. “Every kick he missed, he hit them well, but he was much too fast with his get off time. I don’t know if that was what he was coached to do, maybe that’s what he wanted to do. Usually you watch the ball get snapped to start (the) approach. I have him watching the holder’s hands. When the holder lifts up his left hand, that’s when he’s going. That’s what I’ve been coaching for years.”

“You’re not giving the holder time to even give you a good hold and that’s another part of the deal,” continued Priefer. “You want to make sure that the holder can get it down, on the spot with the laces, with the tilt that he wants. He couldn’t get that last year when he goes too fast and even here we’ve had to slow him down a little bit. I don’t mind him being slow right now in that we can get him back up to where we need him by the season.”

According to Zulgad, Walsh made 14 of 15 field goal attempts during the Wednesday and Thursday minicamp sessions.

“Every situation they’ve put me in has been good,” Walsh said of the practices. “We did some last-minute situations last week and we executed them well.”

Walsh also seems plenty open to suggestions from Preifer and understands the pressure that is going to be placed on him at the NFL level, both on the field and from a business standpoint.

“Football is a pressure-packed sport,” he said. “Especially being a kicker. There are certain instances where you’re the only guy on the field that’s performing at that certain time. Whether it be a kick or a (point-after attempt). But it’s a pressure situation and if you’re not ready to handle it you probably shouldn’t be playing. You’ve got to enjoy it and realize that it’s still a game and while it’s very important you’ve still got to have fun with it.”

“Ryan (Longwell) left big shoes to fill, that’s for sure,” Walsh said. “I’m just trying to come in here and focus in on what I’ve got to do for game one and go on from there. Those two guys have been great helping me. They’ve been professional about it like I expected they would. They couldn’t have handled it any better.”

So, does Preifer think that handing the job to a rookie without any competition is the right way to go about this?

“I think competition is a great thing to be honest with you,” Priefer said. “I don’t mind competition, but I think with what we’re trying to accomplish with Blair and the chemistry between Cullen, Chris and Blair, to me, is extremely important. If we had another kicker in camp, I think you’re going to share that a little bit. I don’t think he’d be worried about the competition. I wouldn’t be worried about competition because he’s been very successful kickoff-wise. He’s got a big-time leg. I wanted to make sure that field-goal wise we have the chemistry between those guys rolling even before we got to camp. I think we’re doing a good job in that respect.”

So, in this case, the team is aiming for chemistry over competition.  That is not the conventional way to go about things at this point in the offseason, but it is hard to argue that it makes sense…

After all, the job was pretty much Walsh’s to lose from the moment his name was announced in April, and that hasn’t changed.