Vikings Draft Snapshot

[dead_poet]

Updated with WRs/TEs.

[Mothman]

Updated with WRs/TEs.

Thanks. The comments about Harvin were very interesting and I'd love to see jennings deliver his best season to date. I wish they'd actually discussed the other receivers on the team more.

[Cliff]

Thanks. The comments about Harvin were very interesting and I'd love to see jennings deliver his best season to date. I wish they'd actually discussed the other receivers on the team more.

Wright in particular.

[losperros]

Wright in particular.

I agree. Almost no mention of Wright, who definitely provided some much needed spark in the passing game late last season.

Also, the news about Childs is as we expected - awful. I find the entire situation with the kid to be a sad one for him and the team.

[dead_poet]

Updated with QBs

[dead_poet]

Updated with defensive line. Interesting public statement when it comes to Ballard. I like him, but I'm skeptical he can step in and be as good/disruptive as K-Will.

[mansquatch]

It really doesn't...

Ponder will be a key factor in the team's success or failure but I don't think it all came down to him last year and I don't buy that idea this year. There are key players on any team and the QB is always one of them (in a positive or negative sense) but it really comes down to blocking, tackling, executing. If we're going to look at this in such simple terms we may as well boil it down to that. On offense, Ponder will only be as good as his teammates allow and the opposite is true as well.

Jim going to have to dissagree here. My comment was with regards to balance on offense. For the Vikings that means more passing. I'm not sure they've got pro bowlers at WR now, but Jennings brings legitimacy to the position group. JW and JS are decent other options, plus we have Rudolph. Point being, at this point, it is safe to say those guys can catch a pass or two and get open a reasonable amount of the time. Thus, my comment that it all comes down to Ponder. I'm not bashing Ponder here, just stating that for more balance on offense to happen, Ponder needs to take another step.

FWIW, I think he can make that happen.

[dead_poet]

Updated with Linebackers and how the coaching staff is looking for Erin Henderson to realize his full potential.

[Mothman]

Jim going to have to dissagree here. My comment was with regards to balance on offense. For the Vikings that means more passing. I'm not sure they've got pro bowlers at WR now, but Jennings brings legitimacy to the position group. JW and JS are decent other options, plus we have Rudolph. Point being, at this point, it is safe to say those guys can catch a pass or two and get open a reasonable amount of the time. Thus, my comment that it all comes down to Ponder. I'm not bashing Ponder here, just stating that for more balance on offense to happen, Ponder needs to take another step.

He does and I didn't think you were bashing Ponder but I still don't see how it all comes down to him. It never works like that. Jennings brings legitimacy to the WR group but the others still have plenty to prove and blocking is a huge factor in the success or failure of the passing game. I've mentioned it before so I apologize for repeating myself but it's not a coincidence that Ponder's slump last year coincided with the worst of stretch of pass protection the Vikings had all season. It's safe to say the players you mentioned can get open a reasonable amount of time but then again, it's safe to say Ponder can complete passes a reasonable amount of time too. Everything needs to work together for the passing game to be successful and it needs to work when it counts. A breakdown anywhere can kill a play and there were too many last year, including plays where many of the players mentioned above (Ponder, Wright, Simpson, Rudolph) didn't get the job done.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs but I think it always comes down to execution as a unit.

FWIW, I think he can make that happen.

I do too.

[dead_poet]

Desmond Trufant - DB - Player

The St. Paul Pioneer Press expects the Vikings to use of their two first-round picks on a cornerback.

The Vikings lost nickel CB Antoine Winfield to the Seahawks after cutting him, and in-house CBs Chris Cook, Josh Robinson, and A.J. Jefferson have been far too inconsistent. Minnesota holds the No. 23 and 25 selections on Thursday. A couple of names to keep an eye on are Washington's Desmond Trufant, Houston's D.J. Hayden, and Florida State's Xavier Rhodes.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press