Vikings Message Board.Com

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Fran ... 030113?t=2

It remains unlikely the Minnesota Vikings will place the franchise tag on right tackle Phil Loadholt, but they now know how exactly much it would cost.

The NFL Players' Association informed agents on Friday the franchise and transition tag designations are set. For offensive linemen, the value of the franchise tag is $9.828 million.

That's how much Loadholt, 27, would make a one-year deal if he were to receive and sign the franchise tender, locking in his salary instead of waiting for a multi-year contract.

Franchise and transition tag designations

Cornerbacks: $10.854 million franchise, $9.095 million transition.
Defensive ends: $11.175 million, $9.151 million.
Defensive tackles: $8.45 million, $7.039 million.
Linebackers: $9.619 million, $8.358 million.
Offensive linemen: $9.828 million, $8.709 million.
Punters/kickers: $2.977 million, $2.7 million.
Quarterbacks: $14.896 million, $13.068 million.
Running backs: $8.219 million, $6.97 million.
Safeties: $6.916 million, $6.002 million.
Tight ends: $6.066 million, $5.194 million.
Wide receivers: $10.537 million, $8.867 million.

For a team considering using either the franchise or transition tag on a guard, center or right tackle, it kinda sucks that all offensive linemen are all lumped together, with the astronomical salaries of some left tackles skewing the cost.

mrc44 wrote: I think with how deep this draft is, we should bring in a nice, young elite RT that can spend his career with Kalil. I think Loadholt is going to want top Tackle money and he is not worth it. He is not good enough in pass protection to be paid 9-10 million.

I'm somewhat on the fence about Loadholt remaining with the team. He absolutely destroys people as a run blocker...but I agree that he is not worth top money due to how slow footed he can be as a pass protector.

I think he's a high character guy and fits well on the team in that regard....but I think I ultimately prefer the more quick athletic lineman on the outside with the bigger guys inside. Especially with a back like AD who gets 1000 yd after contact....he doesn't require defenders getting blown up as much as someone just being able to get in their way. I think Felton is the big key to the run game.

So, that leaves pass protection and Phil is subpar IMO. I like him, but like you, I think it would be a mistake to franchise him.

Loadholt will NOT get $9M per year. I'd expect somewhere in the $5-7M range.

As right tackles go, Loadholt ia arguably among the best in the NFL. His biggest problem hasn't been poor pass protection, per se. His main problem is that he's a complete numbskull.

NFL.Com's top 85 Free agents

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... ree-agents


One name I didn't know about that they seem to be pretty high on is Baltimore LB Danelle Ellerbe.

26) Dannell Ellerbe, LB, Baltimore Ravens: The Ray Lewis-sized hole at the core of Baltimore's defense makes the versatile Ellerbe a priority to re-sign. He can rush, cover and stop the run

Sounds like the type of LB the Vikings need to go after.

MrPurplenGold wrote:NFL.Com's top 85 Free agents

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... ree-agents


One name I didn't know about that they seem to be pretty high on is Baltimore LB Danelle Ellerbe.
Sounds like the type of LB the Vikings need to go after.

Ellerbe was a BEAST in the postseason. I watched all of Baltimore's playoff games and he was everywhere. He would look great in our shade of Purple.

PurpleMustReign wrote: Ellerbe was a BEAST in the postseason. I watched all of Baltimore's playoff games and he was everywhere. He would look great in our shade of Purple.

Hes only 27 and I think hes just the guy we need. I think we should definitely make an attempt at picking him up.

I agree. This draft has some great Tackles in it, I think we should address the RT position in the draft and spend that 7-10 million on Andy Levitre in FA and we would have a GREAT OLine.

So now we just draft a tackle and voila, position fixed? We have a damn solid player in Loadholt, and we should let him walk to draft some giant question mark?

We shouldn't be letting good young talent go. We should be keeping it. Forget Winfield for Harvin. Cut Winfield and pay Loadholt. Garbage to be making more holes then we already have. Forget other positions, at least we have bodies. If we lose Loadholt we have no one on the roster worth plugging in there.

Dark wrote: Hes only 27 and I think hes just the guy we need. I think we should definitely make an attempt at picking him up.

Ellerbe has stated that he wants to stay in Baltimore...

Angels Wings wrote: Ellerbe has stated that he wants to stay in Baltimore...

Thanks for the info. I can dream though

mrc44 wrote:Solid? He is solid at run blocking but he is t solid at pass blocking at all. And ya if you want to consider it a giant ? Mark then that would make every player in the draft a question mark so should we not draft anyone then? Loadholt doesn't deserve 9-10 million. If we are going to pay someone that money then sure up the guard position with levitre or draft a top talent.

Again, Lodholt will not command $9M. If the Vikings were willing to pay him that, they would have used the franchise tag on him.

We just drafted Matt kalil and "voila " position fixed!! Wow that's crazy!

Yeah, we used the fourth overall pick on him. I don't care how deep you think this draft is. There isn't a tackle on Kalil's level in the entire draft much less where we'll be picking.

9-12M? And we're paying a part time player 7.5 this year? Not sure how Loadholt would get that kind of money no matter where he goes!

chiefs just released their starting right tackle:

Chiefs release RT Eric Winston

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/90246 ... ity-chiefs

I wouldn't mind winston over loadholt if the price wasn't too high

Pete Prisco's top 50 free agents:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/2181 ... -by-design

There are quite a few players on that list that play positions where the Vikes could use help, including some alternatives to Loadholt.