Who will start at MLB??? Poll

[Cliff]

Yeah why not, this team was not a true contender, Brinkley was only being showcased for some other team to shore up at linebacker. And I don't care if it was Cole or whoever, they needed to take a look. 3 months from camp, and there isn't an answer, minicamp is the time to have a solid idea, especially at such a vital position.

What part of their late season run where they won out to make the playoffs suggested to you they weren't a contender? They weren't a contender after Ponder went down, that's for sure.

[Mothman]

Yeah why not, this team was not a true contender, Brinkley was only being showcased for some other team to shore up at linebacker. And I don't care if it was Cole or whoever, they needed to take a look. 3 months from camp, and there isn't an answer, minicamp is the time to have a solid idea, especially at such a vital position.

They see players every day in practice so they already have a good idea of what they can do. Mitchell played MLB for a few games during the season so they saw him in action. There was simply no reason to put Cole into the starting lineup and you have to remember, the mindset of an NFL team is different from the mindset of fans. A team trying to make the playoffs isn't saying to themselves, "We aren't true contender so let's put this completely unproven rookie in just to see what he can do"... and that's good, especially because, as Cliff pointed out, they looked like a contender at the end of the season.

As for having a solid idea of who will play MLB for them... just because we don't know their plans, that doesn't mean they don't have a plan.

[mansquatch]

I voted Henderson as I think it is the most likely scenario. However, before opining I think it is worth noting that we won’t have any real knowledge on this until July at the earliest unless some blockbuster trade happens (not likely) or they just up and name a starter before training camp. (also not likely.)

EH was on the Friday Football Feast on April 26th when PA interviewed the new 1st round guys. He stated he was adding weight to build his upper body and wanted to play in the middle. For this reason I think he is mostly likely our MIKE when the season opens, but it could change, lots of time between now and then.

PA also brings up a point about the NFC North being primarily a Nickel and Dime division, ie you play 5 and 6 DB A LOT. Not surprising given who else we play. So in that respect, coverage skills are probably more critical to a LB than being a run stuffer. This would point to a traditional 3 down MIKE not necessarily being the best fit to be on the field all 3 downs. (Perhaps a positive for our situation?) Unfortunately, none of our returning roster from last season gave us much to be excited about when it comes to playing coverage. In this respect the Hodges pick is intriguing. He is a converted Safety and coverage is reportedly his strong point. How it plays out, who knows?

The Mauti pick is interesting. What can he be if they more or less give him a season to learn and heal his legs? That guy had 1st round talent stamped all over him prior to the string of injuries. You have to consider him a longshot, but for a 7th rounder, I think it was a solid bet. Large potential payoff / low risk.

[Mothman]

I love the Mauti pick. I cannot believe he was there until the 7th round. Other team doctors must not have cleared him from injuries.

Either that or perhaps there was just too much concern about the potential for further injuries. Either way, he could prove to be a steal.

As mansquatch said, the possibilities with hodges are intriguing as well, especially in pass coverage sub-packages.

[losperros]

They see players every day in practice so they already have a good idea of what they can do. Mitchell played MLB for a few games during the season so they saw him in action. There was simply no reason to put Cole into the starting lineup and you have to remember, the mindset of an NFL team is different from the mindset of fans. A team trying to make the playoffs isn't saying to themselves, "We aren't true contender so let's put this completely unproven rookie in just to see what he can do"... and that's good, especially because, as Cliff pointed out, they looked like a contender at the end of the season.

As for having a solid idea of who will play MLB for them... just because we don't know their plans, that doesn't mean they don't have a plan.

I agree. It's interesting how different people perceive the MLB situation. Not that anyone can know if they're right or wrong, since only the Vikings staff really knows what they're thinking right now.

FWIW, both Pelissero and Zulgad feel that the Vikings picking Floyd, Rhodes, and Patterson in R1 means the Vikings DO have a plan for MLB but it didn't include the top rated prospects in this draft. I think that might be true.

I'm thinking the Vikings will take a veteran MLB from the free agency, though I'm still not convinced it will be Brian Urlacher. I'm not big on stopgap players and I'd prefer the Vikings don't get one for MLB, but I'm also not sold on starting Cole or moving Erin Henderson into the MLB position.

[mondry]

I simply prefer young talent but without experience over experienced but old and busted. The latter is what it is, an Urlacher who's lost a step (or three) simply cannot be saved by experience, it's nice to have, but even if you know what to do, if you physically can't keep up the bottom line is it really doesn't matter.

We've seen what young talent has done for us at nearly every other position that's gone younger, Longwell was nice, but going younger in Walsh because he can physically kick the ball further on kick offs, and still hit a high percentage of field goals from further away is better.

[losperros]

I simply prefer young talent but without experience over experienced but old and busted. The latter is what it is, an Urlacher who's lost a step (or three) simply cannot be saved by experience, it's nice to have, but even if you know what to do, if you physically can't keep up the bottom line is it really doesn't matter.

We've seen what young talent has done for us at nearly every other position that's gone younger, Longwell was nice, but going younger in Walsh because he can physically kick the ball further on kick offs, and still hit a high percentage of field goals from further away is better.

Yes, it's the old but "bruised" dynamic that counts. If a player is a veteran but still plays at his maximum level, that's one thing. But a player who is a shell of his former self, well, I don't understand how a rebuilding team benefits from that.

[dead_poet]

Either that or perhaps there was just too much concern about the potential for further injuries. Either way, he could prove to be a steal.

I hope so. I just can't shake the fact that we were all saying that about Brinkley too. Of course, I need to remember some "steals" do end up being that.

[losperros]

I hope so. I just can't shake the fact that we were all saying that about Brinkley too. Of course, I need to remember some "steals" do end up being that.

I do recall that Brinkley had injury concerns. Just wondering but did he actually slide in the draft? I think he was a R5 pick, which doesn't sound bad, whereas Mauti got picked in R7.

I'm not familiar with Mauti at all. Haven't seen him play a down of football. But from what I've read about the guy, it sound as if he has talent. So I'm assuming his injury issues were big time worries for the other teams.

[dead_poet]

I do recall that Brinkley had injury concerns. Just wondering but did he actually slide in the draft? I think he was a R5 pick, which doesn't sound bad, whereas Mauti got picked in R7.

If memory serves, he had a second-round grade before his ACL tear.

But from what I've read about the guy, it sound as if he has talent. So I'm assuming his injury issues were big time worries for the other teams.

Three ACL tears are going to scare a lot of teams. Frankly, he's probably lucky to have been drafted at all.

[VikingPaul73]

I went with Hodges.....seems like his skill set could be a good fit in the middle of a cover 2!!!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1593 ... ta-vikings

[King James]

Michael Mauti is another Greg Childs. Talented but can't stay healthy. If I recall, Mauti had 3 knee injuries. And is still nursing a newly repaired knee. By the time he is 100%, it will probably be around preseason. And lets say he still started in the middle, staying healthy for the season would raise questions. I don't know if he could do it, but only time will tell.

[DanAS]

Michael Mauti is another Greg Childs. Talented but can't stay healthy. If I recall, Mauti had 3 knee injuries. And is still nursing a newly repaired knee. By the time he is 100%, it will probably be around preseason. And lets say he still started in the middle, staying healthy for the season would raise questions. I don't know if he could do it, but only time will tell.

These kind of players drive me crazy because just when you start counting on them, they get injured. There are, however, guys who appear to be injury prone -- I think that Robert Smith was one, if memory serves -- who at some point just stop getting injured. So you never know, but I hate depending on guys with severe durability problems.

Hopefully, the Vikes saw something that other teams didn't when it comes to Mauti. Lord knows, we can use a MIKE linebacker. But given that he's torn both ACLs, and tore one up twice, color me a skeptic.

[mansquatch]

Given that Mauti is a 7th rounder I don't view him as someone we are depending on. I look at those picks as developmental prospects more than anything else. It would be entirely different if say they took him in the 2nd or 3rd round, but they didn't. I've got no problem with taking a shot on a guy with a 7th round pick, that is what those picks are for.

Childs was coming off of injuries and then got hurt in training camp. That was bad luck, but his teammate, Wright, is looking to be at least a solid role player. Both are 4th round picks, so more valuable than a 7th rounder, but still a day 3 pick.

I agree with Paul Allen's take and that is that the Vikings had a plan at Linebacker going into this draft and as such choose to pick at other positions vs. MLB. What that plan is, I do not know, but I think it is fair to say they know their situation and need at MLB better than we do, so we'll just have to role with it.

[NextQuestion]

Michael Mauti is another Greg Childs. Talented but can't stay healthy. If I recall, Mauti had 3 knee injuries. And is still nursing a newly repaired knee. By the time he is 100%, it will probably be around preseason. And lets say he still started in the middle, staying healthy for the season would raise questions. I don't know if he could do it, but only time will tell.

So he's already a legend?