Vikings appear ready to go young at middle linebacker

[Funkytown]

Here's what I don't get - why didn't they resign Brinkley? It's not like he went out and signed a major deal. They could have kept him for reasonable money and at least gone into the draft not being desperate to find a MLB. Then, if the right guy fell to them they could have taken him and even looked at him not as an immediate starter, but a guy they could work in and develop properly. As it stands, they almost have to take a MLB early in this draft because they have no other options, and the guy they take is going to have to start Day One.

Spielman has made more good moves than bad so far, but this is one he botched IMHO.

I've been wondering the same thing. Now we are left in desperation mode.

[CaptainKirov]

Singletary was on the 49ers staff that brought in Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. If i trust anybodies instinct on the LBs in the draft it's him.

[Purple Rage]

Before the girlfriend whisperer debacle Manti was projected in the top ten, at the very least top 15. I don't care about his 40 or his bad day vs Alabama. I think Teo will be a solid NFL player wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being a dominant MLB for years to come. If we can draft him at 25 or better yet somehow manipulate our way to get him in the 2nd I'd be happy an excited to see him in purple. Now that being said I do like Arthur Brown better at the position, kid is a playmaker an has a unstoppable motor. I'd be happy with either come draft day, can't wait.

[Mothman]

I am sure some of the Te'o haters will eat it up when they see it lol On the other hand, who do you personally want or think fits the best here as a vike?

It's difficult to say. I've seen Te'o the most so I lean towards him but Minter and Brown are intriguing. I don't want Ogletree, although if they draft him I'll hope for the best.

[ViciousBritishVike]

It's difficult to say. I've seen Te'o the most so I lean towards him but Minter and Brown are intriguing. I don't want Ogletree, although if they draft him I'll hope for the best.

Precisely, the college game differs greatly from the pros, you can't comment until they've actually taken the field in the NFL for an extented period of time.

With the draft immiment, it would seem as though we're going to address the deficiencies in this format. I saw Wobby was proposed a question, querying as to why we haven't made a run for current FA LB's (Dansby etc). Obviously, there may have been negotiations behind the scenes but either way, these calibre of players will demand relatively high wages and also expect playing time from the off.

Not to mention age and reasons as to why they haven't been re-signed. I certainly prefer rebuilding in the traditional sense, garners a sense of togetherness.

[Mothman]

Here's what I don't get - why didn't they resign Brinkley? It's not like he went out and signed a major deal. They could have kept him for reasonable money and at least gone into the draft not being desperate to find a MLB. Then, if the right guy fell to them they could have taken him and even looked at him not as an immediate starter, but a guy they could work in and develop properly. As it stands, they almost have to take a MLB early in this draft because they have no other options, and the guy they take is going to have to start Day One.

Spielman has made more good moves than bad so far, but this is one he botched IMHO.

I don't see how he botched it. That sounds like a rush to judgement. It seems to me they decided Brinkley wasn't the player they wanted in the middle, they evaluated the MLB talent in this draft class and decided, with a second first round pick in hand, that they could safely move on. That second pick gives them the flexibility to draft for need in R1 (MLB) as well as talent and with several MLBs projected as mid-to-late first round picks, need and talent could match up nicely for them anyway.

As for "developing properly"... they can probably get as much out of a rookie as they got out of Brinkley last year unless they draft someone who doesn't have a head for the position. I imagine they're counting on getting more.

On top of all that, there are still free agent options available so it's not accurate to say they have no other options...

[mansquatch]

I will be pleasantly surprised if Ogletree makes it to us. There are some who think he is the best overall athlete in the draft. He might have off the field issues, but to be honest, those are what will allow an athlete of his caliber fall to our position. All the 4 look to be upgrades, but IMO, Ogletree is the one that seems to have potential to be a game changer. Time will tell.

I agree on Singletary’s track record with picking/developing LB. I think guys forget that he had some say in picking a lot of the talent that is on that SF team right now. He might have been bad news as an HC, but it is hard to come down on his ability to develop guys.

[Cliff]

I've been wondering the same thing. Now we are left in desperation mode.

I think it speaks volumes about what they thought of Brinkley brought to the team.

Perhaps they already projected Cole ahead of Brinkley and considered a draft pick to be a better choice for a backup.

It's hard to call it "botched" when the player that "got away" was Brinkley ... will he really be that difficult to replace?

The position was already a weakness ... now it's just more obvious.

[losperros]

I think it speaks volumes about what they thought of Brinkley brought to the team.

Perhaps they already projected Cole ahead of Brinkley and considered a draft pick to be a better choice for a backup.

It's hard to call it "botched" when the player that "got away" was Brinkley ... will he really be that difficult to replace?

The position was already a weakness ... now it's just more obvious.

I agree wholeheartedly with you. Letting Brinkley go was a statement regarding just how weak the MLB position already was and how frustrated the Vikings coaching had justifiably become with it. And I don't think something is better than nothing in this case, because the Vikings weren't satisfied with the "something" part and are clearly willing to start over from scratch.

Maybe I'm seeing this differently than others but I'm excited about the present class of MLBs in the draft. While none of the MLBs in the draft seem perfect, we're only talking about their brief college careers. I see some real physical skills among the draft candidates. It's the guys that can be coached and learn the nuances of the NFL game that will make an impact professionally.

[Mothman]

I will be pleasantly surprised if Ogletree makes it to us. There are some who think he is the best overall athlete in the draft. He might have off the field issues, but to be honest, those are what will allow an athlete of his caliber fall to our position. All the 4 look to be upgrades, but IMO, Ogletree is the one that seems to have potential to be a game changer. Time will tell.

As you said, time will tell but there are a lot of question marks surrounding the guy. Athleticism is great but there are the character issues to consider and then there's the question of whether he's big and physical enough to excel in the position, especially in a defense that relies heavily on gap control to stop the run. Everybody is getting wrapped up in speed, athleticism and deep coverage ability in these MLB discussions but an MLB has crucial responsibilities closer to the line of scrimmage and I'm just not convinced Ogletree is the right guy to handle the position as a whole.

I agree on Singletary’s track record with picking/developing LB. I think guys forget that he had some say in picking a lot of the talent that is on that SF team right now. He might have been bad news as an HC, but it is hard to come down on his ability to develop guys.

... and as a Hall of Fame LB, there's no doubt he knows something about playing the position.

[Mothman]

It's hard to call it "botched" when the player that "got away" was Brinkley ...

... and when the consequences of not re-signing him aren't entirely clear. I think we should see who the Vikings have at MLB going into camp and how those players perform before we talk about Spielman botching his approach to the position.

I agree wholeheartedly with you. Letting Brinkley go was a statement regarding just how weak the MLB position already was and how frustrated the Vikings coaching had justifiably become with it. And I don't think something is better than nothing in this case, because the Vikings weren't satisfied with the "something" part and are clearly willing to start over from scratch.

Well said!

Maybe I'm seeing this differently than others but I'm excited about the present class of MLBs in the draft. While none of the MLBs in the draft seem perfect, we're only talking about their brief college careers. I see some real physical skills among the draft candidates. It's the guys that can be coached and learn the nuances of the NFL game that will make an impact professionally.

I'm excited too. Regardless of which of MLB the Vikes draft, if they select one of the top 3 or 4 they're likely to get a player with genuine potential to make a positive impact and that's exciting.

[Purple bruise]

Here's what I don't get - why didn't they resign Brinkley? It's not like he went out and signed a major deal. They could have kept him for reasonable money and at least gone into the draft not being desperate to find a MLB. Then, if the right guy fell to them they could have taken him and even looked at him not as an immediate starter, but a guy they could work in and develop properly. As it stands, they almost have to take a MLB early in this draft because they have no other options, and the guy they take is going to have to start Day One.

Spielman has made more good moves than bad so far, but this is one he botched IMHO.

It seems a little premature saying that by not resigning Brinkley that Spielman "botched" it. You did watch all the games and saw Brinkley's total ineptness in trying to cover anyone time after time. The team apparently has decided to get younger at the MLB position and to fill that spot with someone with better coverage skills. Brinkley was not cutting it and perhaps Spielman, knowing that he would not be remaining on the team, gave him an early opprotunity to sign with another team.

[mansquatch]

I think you guys are making a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to Brinkley. At this point in his career the Vikings felt like they knew what they had in Jasper. They didn’t resign him based on that knowledge. AZ obviously felt different. So if the Vikings blew it, why do you think AZ was right and the Vikes were wrong with regards to Brinkley’s value? IMO, AZ overpaid.

Also, it is worth noting that many felt JB was a strong inside LB in the 3-4 set. Not sure what AZ runs or plans to run, but that could be a factor. This also why I think they will need to pay EG a lot of money to retain him as there will be 3-4 teams chomping at the bit to put him in as a rush LB.

[losperros]

Everybody is getting wrapped up in speed, athleticism and deep coverage ability in these MLB discussions but an MLB has crucial responsibilities closer to the line of scrimmage and I'm just not convinced Ogletree is the right guy to handle the position as a whole.

Exactly. When the Vikings are talking about a 3-down MLB, they aren't just saying they want a guy who can pass protect on 3rd downs. The team also wants a MLB that can stop RBs in their tracks on any down. So, I guess what they're looking for among the group of MLBs in this draft class is overall effectiveness more than anything else.

[Texas Vike]

Exactly. When the Vikings are talking about a 3-down MLB, they aren't just saying they want a guy who can pass protect on 3rd downs. The team also wants a MLB that can stop RBs in their tracks on any down. So, I guess what they're looking for among the group of MLBs in this draft class is overall effectiveness more than anything else.

And when I watch tape on Oggletree he looks like he is easily taken out by offensive linemen. I don't think he'll be very effective against the run. He crushes QBs when he's unobstructed and he's fast and defends the pass well, but his deficiencies vs. the run scare me.

The character issues weigh on me too. I've watched interviews with him. He has little to no charisma. He's inarticulate. Perhaps it sounds odd to mention, but I think these are important qualities for the QB of the Defense whose job, in part, is to communicate and lead the troops.

I'll be happy with Te'o, Brown or Minter.