Vikings 2016 Free Agency & Draft Thread

The Wild thread was getting too depressing…Let’s focus on a team that’s actually trending in the right direction….

FREE AGENCY:
I’d like to see the Vikings first address the offensive line help to get an established player that can start immediately and help Teddy out vs drafting O-line in 1st or 2nd round. Maybe look for a veteran DB that can help fill in and mentor the kids

DRAFT:
1st round) Best WR or Safety available

2nd round) pick whatever you didn’t select in the 1st round…

3rd round) O-line or LB help

4th round) Whatever you didn’t select in 3rd round

5th round) D-line help

6th round) BPA or Punter

7th round) BPA or Punter

In previous years I was all for trading down to get more picks. I think the Vikings are now in a position to go for quality instead of quantity and plug the remaining holes left with high draft pick talent…

What say you?

I say spring training starts in a couple of weeks.

Vikings are far from my thoughts but go ahead and draft away!!

Vikings are always high on my mind.

I’d like them to make a serious run at 1 of 2 FA Guards, Richie Incognito or Evan Mathis.

Your draft analysis looks reasonable, I think OL could go in the first round if a good guard is available at #24 and we didn’t address that in FA. There simply won’t be a starting caliber tackle available at #24. OL, WR, Secondary are all pretty important to fill early in the draft. I like Spielman as a drafter and his ability to stockpile picks. I don’t think a punter is needed just yet this year.

My analysis on next years depth chart:

QB- Bridgewater, Hill, Heineke
RB- Peterson, Mckninnon. Asiata is a FA and I don’t see him returning. Need to find a bigger back to fill his role.
FB- Zach Line
WR- Diggs, Wright, Thielen. Still need 2-3 others, 1 will probably come via draft, which means 1-2 of these 3 will be gone next year: Wallace- high contract, didn’t produce much. Maybe another year in the system will help though. Patterson- I think he has shown that he has a NFL career as a KR and will always be on somebodies roster to fill that role, whether its with MN or not. Charles Johnson- Game day inactive for most of the past season, essentially lost his spot to Diggs.
TE- Rudolph, Pruitt, Rhett Ellison is a FA and who knows what will happen after a broken leg to end this season.
LT – Kalil. Say what you want, but we won’t find anybody better through FA or the draft. Yes, his $11 million is high, but it is what it is.
RT – Clemmings or Loadholt? Clemmings didn’t show much, but he also was a rookie with only 2 years of college OL experience. Loadholt has been productive when healthy, but after 2 years of season ending injuries his $7 million cap hit may be too much.
Backup Tackle – Clemmings if Loadholt stays. Carter Bykowski if Loadholt goes.
LG – ? I see Brandon Fusco moving back to RG. LG will hopefully be a veteran FA or a rookie.
RG – Fusco.
Backup Guard – Austin Shepherd.
Center – Sullivan, if he gets healthy. Due $5.5 million this year, worth it if healthy.
OL Utility backup – Joe Berger.

Defense… that analysis could come later! Safety and CB are #1 priorities though. An edge rusher like Von Miller would be nice for this D.

we pick #23 overall and while I agree OL is high priority, I think it can be addressed easier in FA, although if Conklin is there at #23, I would take him as he can move to play guard if Kalil figures it out…. I think if we drafted a WR or Safety at #23 they would be ready to go come camp… Getting a safety that can tackle playing next to Smith would solidify the defense…

WR prospects I like in order are Treadwell, Thomas, Doctson, Miller, Coleman

Out of the top 4 picks we have 2 or 3 have to be Olineman, and we need at least one free agent Olineman signed… as far as I am concorned there is not one position on the Oline that is locked in. It’s impossible to judge teddy when he is under duress more than any qb in the league.

Bridgewater has a slow release which is why he is pressured. I will agree the line needs improvement.

I’d have thought a FG kicker would be a priority…

OK, I’m good. I’m over it now. Really.

Grouse

JoeMX1825 wrote:

The Wild thread was getting too depressing…Let’s focus on a team that’s actually trending in the right direction….

FREE AGENCY:
I’d like to see the Vikings first address the offensive line help to get an established player that can start immediately and help Teddy out vs drafting O-line in 1st or 2nd round. Maybe look for a veteran DB that can help fill in and mentor the kids

DRAFT:
1st round) Best WR or Safety available

2nd round) pick whatever you didn’t select in the 1st round…

3rd round) O-line or LB help

4th round) Whatever you didn’t select in 3rd round

5th round) D-line help

6th round) BPA or Punter

7th round) BPA or Punter

In previous years I was all for trading down to get more picks. I think the Vikings are now in a position to go for quality instead of quantity and plug the remaining holes left with high draft pick talent…

What say you?

….Really.?? …. Maybe we should just go fish-un.? Or hunt for morels.!? …. rrr PS When is the 1st preseason game..? .R

STRIB article discussing much of the same:

http://www.startribune.com/for-vikings-in-the-offseason-there-s-work-to-do/368268361/

I agree they have the cap space would love for them to get a veteran for the line. I also think late in the first round you have a better chance of getting a startable WR vs an offensive lineman that is ready to go. I wouldn’t be mad with any defensive pick. With our string of LB luck I wouldn’t even mind another one. I agree that Locke has to go as well. Been a downgrade from Kluwe from the start.

I agree mcarlsen on the first round possibilities. I’d like to see the Vikes try and get a o-lineman through free agency and see if we can land a tall wideout in the draft. IMO that’s what we’ve been missing, a guy that can win jump balls and steal them away from defenders. I really have nothing against Mike Wallace but he takes heat for not having great numbers on a team where the scheme and QB are not built to throw downfield well. Hopefully we can finally get that above-average height WR and give Teddy some confidence that he can throw the ball up to a guy. Just my thoughts.

I really like what I see from the Safety crop in this years draft… All are big hitters with coverage skills…

We’ll need to grab one in the 1st or 2nd round though…big drop off after the top 5 players…

My preference would be to go big WR in the 1st and Safety in the 2nd round…then Offensive line help in the 3rd (sign OL help in free agency)

sign Cordy Glenn from buffalo to be our starting left tackle and opt not to pay Kalil 11.1$ Mil.

1st Round – safety or pass rusher. We don’t need a pass rusher really but you can never have too many of them and I love what zimmer can do with pass rushers! We all saw Von Miller and Demarcus Ware pretty much win Denver a superbowl themselves

in the later rounds we can find a WR and some guards as well as depth at CB and linebacker

Teddy needs another WR that can get open or go get contested throws… This draft has 3-4 of those kinds of receivers that will start in the NFL this season…

I have full confidence Rick and the coaching staff will determine what position is most important to fill first…

The safety from West Virginia is a BEAST and might slip into the 2nd or 3rd round due to him ending his college season with an injury….

It doesn’t matter they will still suck….so will the Packers also
#THENFLISRIGGED

I’ll be back in September. Right now I don’t care about football.
#boring