With Harrison Smith being placed on Injured Reserve (designated to return), the Vikings have signed cornerback Jacob Lacey. Andrew Sendejo will start at safety in Smith’s place. Desmond Bishop also was placed on injured reserve this week and Rodney Smith was promoted from the practice squad to take his place. Meanwhile, quarterback Josh Freeman will be rushed into action Monday night as the starter, with neither Christian Ponder or Matt Cassel showing the organization they have what it takes to command a championship-quality offense.
The mess is widespread. There are clearly more problems than there are viable solutions. With four losses to their one win, and the toughest part of the schedule yet to come, things are worse than bleak for the Vikings in 2013. We are no longer witnessing a slow start, but instead are witnessing a quick death, and their final breath could end up coming on Monday Night Football against the winless Giants.
With nothing less to lose, however, the Vikings can really only win from this point forward.
Perhaps Josh Freeman jumpstarts this team. Maybe they make a very interesting run at a wild card spot. Maybe his height and strong arm will finally open up the running game in a way Adrian Peterson’s biggest fans have only dreamed of. Maybe he knows what it takes to win, to lead a group of winners, and maybe the Vikings have one of the biggest free agency steals of all time on their hands. Maybe they finally have a franchise quarterback.
Of course, maybe not.
Maybe Freeman doesn’t show us anything special and serves up more of the same. Maybe the defense struggles even more than they already are with their stud safety sidelined with an injury. Maybe the coaching and scheme are just not going to get it done. Maybe this team continues to spiral further into the abyss. Maybe the are destined to be one of the NFL’s worst this year.
Either way, it is hard to see the downside for this team as the season progresses, outside of (knock on wood) devastating injuries. Either they get their collective act together and see some promise out of their new, young quarterback or they get closer and closer to securing one of the top picks in a very quarterback-heavy Draft.
We would all prefer they win games. But, they haven’t been able to do that, and I don’t think it is too early to start eyeballing those consolation prizes.
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Right now is great because we're setting a new course away from what wasn't working. Finally, and with excellent prospects as of now with Freeman. He seems to have just the kind of upside this team needs to luck into competing with the other NFC north QB's. With WR's ready to go, and TE, RB. hope he doesn't flame out like Cassel, but it's the long awaited departure from sticking with the 1 round QB obvious reach that i'VE BEEN PERSONALLY HOPING FOR since the day they drafted that paperboy. God. All time low. We can see a new, potentially better option right off the bat. It looks like Patterson can break tackles and is ready to go. Get him the ball. Simpson and Jennings, too. Rudolph. As for defense, i guess if people are going to run right through us like a Madden commercial, then we should play the Penn State guys and see what we have with other guys. If they're just going to get ripped. I like that we can potentially develope the offense we need...as of right now. Or, we can draft and should draft a QB next year, at least it looks like they won't be torturing everying sticking with a 1st rd QB bust.I'm really, really happy about that. Now would be the time to try the Winfield at safety thing, .
I really don't think Winfield would want to come back to this mess. With Smith out in the Secondary, Young guys get their shot in there. Really would like the see the Penn state boys get their chance, Outside of Chad, not much there.
I really hope Josh can get the Offense to improve as the season goes on. It's all uphill for the defense...
I want Rasheed Hageman on our defense.
I am not expecting a whole lot from Freeman in his first game since he was just sign less than 2 weeks ago. I truly believe he will get better every week after he builds chemistry with the wide receivers and his o-line. I just ask people to be patient with him and dont expect him to be Peyton Manning his first 2-3 games.
Okay Norse...but by game four I want a 350 yard, 4 TD game.
Just remember, Muskrat stills calls the plays. Freeman will be lucky if he is allowed to throw the ball more than 10 yards down the field.
Gave you a thumbs up on that one, CC
I hope Freeman turns out to be the long term answer at the QB position. I think the Vikings offense might be on the verge of being very solid. The QB class is deep... A QB like Aaron Murray, AJ McCarron or Derek Carr in round 3 works for me.
Right now the guy that I think is the right fit for the Vikings in round #1 is Hasean Clinton-Dix, the stud safety from Alabama. The Vikings can win some games down the stretch and still land him in the middle of the first round.
I agree with Cslinde, I like the big DT RaShede Hagerman... Top half of round 2 would be a perfect.
I am not 100% sold on the big hype guys like Bridgewater, Clowney, Manziel, M Mariota, Tajh Boyd, or Sammy Watkins.
Yea, I am still hoping the Vikings get this thing turned around.
As for your old pal Fragile, he hopes with pick one, the Vike pick Louis Nix from ND. Dude is Pat William except you can understand him when he speaks. Dude will be very very good when he "fills out"
at the NFL level. Let's get some big strong danish eater next to the Sherriff at the nose.
http://www.und.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/louis_nix_644527.html
jennings said freeman throws a 'heavier ball', it gets there fast, and he likes that, http://www.startribune.com/video/228395401.html#/228395401/video/1/hpmrt so that will be fun to see. if free turns out to be pretty good for us, we can use our picks on other needs and it'll put us so much further ahead than if we have to draft and develop a rook, unless that guy would turn out like, say, an andrew luck type of guy
we have sucked in prime time, 1-11, i think. next three of four games are in prime time. would love to see that change, but if not, yeah, draft position is better for it
thanks, Cal, some good insight.....he didn't want to disrespect other QBs, but you could see it in his face and hear it in his voice...(oh yeah, he (josh) flicks his wrist and the ball flies 50 yds) etc.....I'm not expecting early miracles but if josh keeps his head together this could really work out well for the Vikes...(hope coaching staff knows how to use his talents)
Freeman is a home run hitter. The fly route to Simpson or C Patterson better be at the top of Musgrave's play card for Monday Night.
Hand it off to A. Peterson... and take some deep shots down field.
Keep it simple, but swing for the fence. The Vikings have nothing to lose.
SHOW ME THE DEEP BALL MUSGRAVE!
One of our popular draft targets, Jordan Poyer, was released by the Eagles earlier today. I would claim him and cut AJ Jefferson if I were the Vikings.
The Browns claimed Poyer off waivers.
After the First Five Games:
2012 79 Points Allowed 4 Wins 1 Loss
2013 158 Points Allowed 1 Win 4 Losses
We better find some defense somewhere, somehow, cause if we're gonna allow 30 points a game, none of our QB's will be winners.
Maybe we can talk Phat Pat out of retirement. The run defense has obviously taken a nose dive after he left.
"Nose" dive. Good one, Norse. We still haven't turned the "corner" in our secondary, either. But at least we don't need to be "defensive" about our ends, for the most part.
Check back later for Tomb's scoring of this comment.
I do what I can Coach. My pride is purple from the constant beatings we have endured.
Peyton Hillis is going to killis
They will lose to Cruz and won't handle Randle.