Vikings 2017 Off-season

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

This just seems to be a pretty underwhelming off season given the Bradford trade last year and the implications of believing we were/are Superbowl contenders. I don't see anything done that has me believing we're on our way to 10+ wins and a playoff berth. It's basically back to back offseasons with underwhelming moves with no big deals and we know how last year worked out. You sign Boone and Smith instead of Osemele and you see the difference. This year it's some other ok linemen instead of a Whitworth. We'll see how it works out, but I've seen nothing inspiring so far to believe we're going for a title. Just seems like a lot of placeholders to keep building.

[Monster]

This just seems to be a pretty underwhelming off season given the Bradford trade last year and the implications of believing we were/are Superbowl contenders. I don't see anything done that has me believing we're on our way to 10+ wins and a playoff berth. It's basically back to back offseasons with underwhelming moves with no big deals and we know how last year worked out. You sign Boone and Smith instead of Osemele and you see the difference. This year it's some other ok linemen instead of a Whitworth. We'll see how it works out, but I've seen nothing inspiring so far to believe we're going for a title. Just seems like a lot of placeholders to keep building.

I don't disagree. What I do think is interesting is how they let some guys go. I think they are going with a more clear plan of guys they want especially offensively. Murray isn't amazing (except at pass blocking) but is infinitely more versatile than AP. I just listened to a podcast of MN media guys and they said that Patterson didn't improve his ability to run routes basically at all the Vikings just got him more involved and he was also willing to bust his butt in any way to get on the field. If that's true (it would make me wrong in how I viewed CP as improved as a WR) then letting him go makes a bunch of sense. Get guys out there that aren't gadget guys. Jarius Wright isn't the athlete or game changer that CP is but he was plenty productive when they were calling his number on those CP type plays plus he could line up and be a decent receiver.

I'm not suggesting this plan is going to work but I sense a different approach to things than just keeping your own and building around guys. It sounds like Zimmer is going to change some things about his approach...or at least attempt to do so and we know the offense is going to be different than it was under Norv which could be a positive. The Vikings haven't exactly knocked the offseason out of the park like say NE seemed to have done but it's still early and they could add some nice players in FA still and the draft. So far I think they did what they absolutely had to do and now it's whether they can improve the roster beyond that.

Also they don't have anything near a sure thing at punter and withtbhebissues they have with kickers it isn't ideal to have 3 different punters during the season or whatever holding for Forbath or whoever is the kicker. That's a real concern and I'm not sure what they should be doing to address it. It's not like Locke was super great.

[JasonIsDaMan [enjin:7981157]]

This just seems to be a pretty underwhelming off season given the Bradford trade last year and the implications of believing we were/are Superbowl contenders. I don't see anything done that has me believing we're on our way to 10+ wins and a playoff berth. It's basically back to back offseasons with underwhelming moves with no big deals and we know how last year worked out. You sign Boone and Smith instead of Osemele and you see the difference. This year it's some other ok linemen instead of a Whitworth. We'll see how it works out, but I've seen nothing inspiring so far to believe we're going for a title. Just seems like a lot of placeholders to keep building.

Ok. We'll try this again.

First of all, if they get that RTP call against DAL and come up with three plays to win the two DET games and the WSH game, they're 12-4. So there's your 10 wins.

Second, they lost three OT's (all former top 5 picks, so there goes your "Spielmann doesn't give a shit about OT's" theory). I know everything goes right at your job, if you are in fact an adult, but that's a big blow.

You want underwhelming, try 1981, when a drunk Tommy Kramer derailed a pretty good team. Or 1984, when Coach Testeckel absolutely destroyed what might have been a tough year anyway. Or 1988, when 45 guys who clearly didn't give an eff about each other or coach-uncle-burnsie gave zero effort. Or 2003, when George O'leary's former QB (True story) and Kory Stringer's killer Mike Tice beat the crap out of the team in training camp so hard that they had nothing left on Oct. 1. Having three major injuries to one position group is bad luck.

[bleedspeed]

Goog article about Murray and McKinnon's role. Mckinnon can line up in the slot. They can go 2 backs. I would think Murray might be able to play a little FB if needed.

http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/03/even-murray-signing-jerick-mckinnon-still-key-vikings-offense/

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

This just seems to be a pretty underwhelming off season given the Bradford trade last year and the implications of believing we were/are Superbowl contenders. I don't see anything done that has me believing we're on our way to 10+ wins and a playoff berth. It's basically back to back offseasons with underwhelming moves with no big deals and we know how last year worked out. You sign Boone and Smith instead of Osemele and you see the difference. This year it's some other ok linemen instead of a Whitworth. We'll see how it works out, but I've seen nothing inspiring so far to believe we're going for a title. Just seems like a lot of placeholders to keep building.

Ok. We'll try this again.

First of all, if they get that RTP call against DAL and come up with three plays to win the two DET games and the WSH game, they're 12-4. So there's your 10 wins.

Second, they lost three OT's (all former top 5 picks, so there goes your "Spielmann doesn't give a shit about OT's" theory). I know everything goes right at your job, if you are in fact an adult, but that's a big blow.

You want underwhelming, try 1981, when a drunk Tommy Kramer derailed a pretty good team. Or 1984, when Coach Testeckel absolutely destroyed what might have been a tough year anyway. Or 1988, when 45 guys who clearly didn't give an eff about each other or coach-uncle-burnsie gave zero effort. Or 2003, when George O'leary's former QB (True story) and Kory Stringer's killer Mike Tice beat the crap out of the team in training camp so hard that they had nothing left on Oct. 1. Having three major injuries to one position group is bad luck.

You're delusional if you think Kalil and Smith were the difference between the playoffs and 12 wins and the missed playoffs and 8 wins we ended up at. They aren't big upgrades at the tackle position. Smith has been garbage since he entered the league and Kalil not only had injury issues, but he was still a revolving door on half his snaps as well. Loadholt should never have been counted on to come back from that injury and Sullivan was gone before the season started. That's 4 guys all questionable before the season started when they could have cut 3 of them and not signed Smith and signed Osemele and been significantly better off just picking 1 guy over 4 guys who all either were coming off significant injuries or been dealing with them throughout their careers. Not even the Jake Long injury was that out of left field because the guy was out of football and not physically ready to play that soon. Also, where you were drafted doesn't mean shit in the NFL. Kalil was the only one still on the team that drafted him so obviously the other top picks didn't pan out and their draft position shouldn't matter. The plan was built on a house of cards and it tumbled. Justifying it with bad luck when it was really a poor plan that was exposed the second things went wrong is just wrong. If you think we had a good offseason last year I don't know what to tell you. We got very little from everyone we brought in and it's hard to strike out that hard in free agency and the draft and just blame it all on bad luck.

[bleedspeed]

I think the big thing was nobody saw Kalil getting hurt and going down going into a contract year. That was the domino we couldn't overcome. I will say that this offseason we picked up guys that stay on the field and both can play LT to a degree that is an improvement over what we saw last year. I would have liked to see us find another interior vet, but not sure who is still out there. I am happy with Sirles getting more minutes and think Hill earned a spot as backup LT for us. I hope we find a stud OL in the draft. Even if it is a center or guard. It doesn't look like we will find anything other than projects at OT. We already have Hill and Clemmings for that. I honestly thinking Clemmings should be moved to RG.

[Monster]

I think the big thing was nobody saw Kalil getting hurt and going down going into a contract year. That was the domino we couldn't overcome. I will say that this offseason we picked up guys that stay on the field and both can play LT to a degree that is an improvement over what we saw last year. I would have liked to see us find another interior vet, but not sure who is still out there. I am happy with Sirles getting more minutes and think Hill earned a spot as backup LT for us. I hope we find a stud OL in the draft. Even if it is a center or guard. It doesn't look like we will find anything other than projects at OT. We already have Hill and Clemmings for that. I honestly thinking Clemmings should be moved to RG.

I think the biggest failure was no backup option at LT if Kalil got injured. RT they had options. LT...apparently their only choice was move Clemmings over there. RT I feel like they either had options last year and some of them did evaporate and maybe they could have done better but nobody behind Kalil is roastworthy even from me. I was very concerned about that last year.

This season I feel better about that side as you have Hill who played well enough and if that doesn't work you could move Sirles to RT and put Remmers at LT. Remmers won't be good at LT but he won't be completely brutal either.

It seems there could be some good interior guys this team could get in the draft. You never know who will come through. There are some serviceable to good players on that oline that were not top picks. The Vikings need to invest though.

[bleedspeed]

Not to beat a dead horse. Boone was probably our best LT last year.

[Monster]

Not to beat a dead horse. Boone was probably our best LT last year.

Regardless I think you would agree that he wasn't a viable backup option at that spot going into the season. Pro football reference says he hasn't played a regular season snap at any tackle postion since 2012. Just sayin. :)

[bleedspeed]

Not to beat a dead horse. Boone was probably our best LT last year.

Regardless I think you would agree that he wasn't a viable backup option at that spot going into the season. Pro football reference says he hasn't played a regular season snap at any tackle postion since 2012. Just sayin. :)

I agree. I was thinking it would have been Beavers, but he just was not ready to be unleashed on the league we snuck him on to the practice squad to fully blossom.