The 2013 Vikings Roster

[BGM]

I agree with your FA MUST signs. Felton has been absolutely stellar this season. Brinkley is worth keeping. I think Loadholt needs to be re-signed because he keeps improving, and consistency is key for your OL. Sherels is a maybe. Simpson will not be re-signed, IMO. Just has not stepped up like he should have. Henderson is not cutting it, and I think Audie Cole is breathing down his neck.

Thanks for the informative and thoughtful post. Will have to re-visit this during the offseason!

[losperros]

Hi All,

WR
Wright (3)
Childs (3)
Burton (2)
Jenkins (1)
Harvin (1)

WR
This is a mess. It made no sense to put Percy on IR. He would probably have been back by now, just in time for the playoff push. It seems evident to me that the issue was something other than the injury. Also curious to note frazier saying that team started playing as a team just a game or two after Percy went back to Florida. I think he's gone. Childs cannot be counted on for anything, Burton has shown very little. I see us going into next season with Wright and Jenkins as the receivers of significance on the roster, and I expect to re-sign Simpson on the cheap as at least a stop gap.

Thanks for the breakdown on all this.

The Vikings will address the WR position during the next draft and possibly the free agency. Wright will most certainly remain but I wouldn't bet on Jenkins, Aromashodu, Burton, or even Simpson being back. If Simpson can get one hundred percent healthy, and that's a fairly big "if," then I can see the Vikings signing him to another 1 year deal.

I don't buy into the Percy Harvin conspiracy theories. Harvin was placed on IR because of the extent of his injury - period. He's a difficult personality but so what? Welcome to the world of NFL star players and their eccentricities. I think Harvin will be back with an incentive heavy new contract. I only wish a healthy Harvin was in there right now with AD as the Vikings face the Packers and possibly go to the playoffs.

[J. Kapp 11]

Nice post.

Acutally, Loadholt consistently grades out fairly well on PFF, especially in the run game. It's taken him awhile, but he's improved. Personally, I'm fine with him at RT.

Agree with Craig about Harvin. He's too valuable a playmaker to just write out of the picture, and he's vitally important to Adrian Peterson and the run game because of the attention he commands. Harvin would benefit greatly from having a true outside receiver on the roster who can get separation, even if he can't get deep. Doesn't have to be a superstar Calvin Johnson type. Just somebody with, say, a Michael Crabtree-type skillset (I know Crabtree isn't available ... just picking out a skillset). Remember how many big plays we got out of Harvin in '09 when Sidney Rice was here? An outside-the-numbers threat would really help Percy.

If you're going to move Harvin, it has to be for a true #1 receiver or pretty high draft pick(s). A lot of teams would love to have this guy on their roster.

[dead_poet]

I think the Vikings need to take a long, hard look at Sean Smith in the free agent pool, provided he's not franchised by Miami. He's a young (25), tall (6'3), solid corner. We need CB help. He'd be a solid bookend opposite Cook. Just a thought.

[Cliff]

I just don't see the Vikings spending big money on a CB because of the amount of Zone we play, but I'm open to upgrades anywhere on the roster. Overall though, I don't think its our biggest position of need, and I think Jefferson has been solid and still has upside.

I disagree. I think CB is at least as much of a position of need as WR. Especially if you consider Winfield doesn't have much longer left to play.

[Eliot]

I might get a lot of rage from this but I say we trade both Percy Harvin and Jared Allen.
Harvin was targeted 85 times for 62 catches in 9 games. And 3 TDs
Ponder had 10 touchdowns in those 9 games. He had 8 in his last 7.
Jarius Wright didn't play until Harvin got injured. In 7 games he has been targeted 36 times for for 22 catches and 2 touchdowns. Add that Harvin had 1 rushing touchdowns and you can see that Wright only has 2 less TDs in limited playing time. Wright has pretty good hands and has a catch for 54 and a catch for 65. Harvin's longest is 45. Wright is a rookie who a lot of room to grow. I think we could trade Harvin for some decent stuff. I know we could get a nice draft pick or even a sign and trade for someone like Bowe or Jennings.

Jared Allen has 12 sacks which is a bad number but he is getting up their in age. Robinson has 8.5 and Griffen has 8.0 sacks. We could get a pretty nice draft pick from Jared Allen. The Chiefs might even want to take him back to make some fans happy and that could help with getting Bowe.

[PurplePPLEater]

Thanks for that breakdown. I really want to give my $0.02 but I'm going to wait. It's hard to start talking where the Vikes will go after the season until the season is over. If saturday is a hard-fought loss to the packers then I don't think much changes. But if the Vikings are blown out because of, say, poor CB play, then there would be more urgency in finding a better CB. Maybe a WR other than Wright steps up in the playoffs (I don't really see any breakout game here except maybe Simpson). So I'll wait until then to really analyze the offseason.

[Mercy Percy]

I might get a lot of rage from this but I say we trade both Percy Harvin and Jared Allen.
Harvin was targeted 85 times for 62 catches in 9 games. And 3 TDs
Ponder had 10 touchdowns in those 9 games. He had 8 in his last 7.
Jarius Wright didn't play until Harvin got injured. In 7 games he has been targeted 36 times for for 22 catches and 2 touchdowns. Add that Harvin had 1 rushing touchdowns and you can see that Wright only has 2 less TDs in limited playing time. Wright has pretty good hands and has a catch for 54 and a catch for 65. Harvin's longest is 45. Wright is a rookie who a lot of room to grow. I think we could trade Harvin for some decent stuff. I know we could get a nice draft pick or even a sign and trade for someone like Bowe or Jennings.

Jared Allen has 12 sacks which is a bad number but he is getting up their in age. Robinson has 8.5 and Griffen has 8.0 sacks. We could get a pretty nice draft pick from Jared Allen. The Chiefs might even want to take him back to make some fans happy and that could help with getting Bowe.

I dont see us splitting ways with Percy or Jared, Sure Wright has been a pleasant surprise but Percy is so electric and cant even be compared to another player. Why get Jennings or Bowe if you can hold onto a better player in Harvin? If we could pull off getting Bowe and keeping harvin at the same time that would be huge.

[VikingLord]

I don't buy into the Percy Harvin conspiracy theories. Harvin was placed on IR because of the extent of his injury - period. He's a difficult personality but so what? Welcome to the world of NFL star players and their eccentricities. I think Harvin will be back with an incentive heavy new contract. I only wish a healthy Harvin was in there right now with AD as the Vikings face the Packers and possibly go to the playoffs.

I agree 100%. The Childress era of punitive action against players who have issues is over. If Harvin leaves, it will be because of him and for no other reason. Spielman would have to be insane to deal a 24 year old guy who is an outstanding returner, runner, and receiver and who was in the MVP conversation earlier in the season. The only way Harvin leaves is if Harvin makes that happen, and the only way Spielman should indulge that would be for at least a very high pick. But I just don't see that happening. Harvin may be emotional and eccentric in some ways, but he's no fool. I don't see another head coach he could play for that would be a better fit for him than Frazier.

[VikingLord]

Acutally, Loadholt consistently grades out fairly well on PFF, especially in the run game. It's taken him awhile, but he's improved. Personally, I'm fine with him at RT.

Totally agree with this as well. Loadholt has taken a few bad penalties, but in terms of his play he has been very effective. When things break down on his side of the line its usually a result of Fusco getting blown up. Loadholt is a guy the Vikings are going to keep. If they make changes on the offensive line, it will be at one or both guard positions.

[Orion]

Don't forget Greg Jennings. And besides WR, we definitely need at least one more solid CB. Winfield is getting old.

[headless_norseman]

I might get a lot of rage from this but I say we trade both Percy Harvin and Jared Allen.
Harvin was targeted 85 times for 62 catches in 9 games. And 3 TDs
Ponder had 10 touchdowns in those 9 games. He had 8 in his last 7.
Jarius Wright didn't play until Harvin got injured. In 7 games he has been targeted 36 times for for 22 catches and 2 touchdowns. Add that Harvin had 1 rushing touchdowns and you can see that Wright only has 2 less TDs in limited playing time. Wright has pretty good hands and has a catch for 54 and a catch for 65. Harvin's longest is 45. Wright is a rookie who a lot of room to grow. I think we could trade Harvin for some decent stuff. I know we could get a nice draft pick or even a sign and trade for someone like Bowe or Jennings.

Jared Allen has 12 sacks which is a bad number but he is getting up their in age. Robinson has 8.5 and Griffen has 8.0 sacks. We could get a pretty nice draft pick from Jared Allen. The Chiefs might even want to take him back to make some fans happy and that could help with getting Bowe.

If the Vikes were in rebuilding mode, then you can make the case. But we are not, so even thinking like that is a waste of time.

[headless_norseman]

It seems like our WR core would be pretty decent if we were able to pick up Bowe. He fits the need of a big, physical guy who can get 1st downs and TDs.

1. Bowe
2. Wright
3. Harvin
4. Jenkins/Simpson/Childs/Draft Pick

That would be a solid group.

Count Bowe out. He wants that one huge contract, and rest assured, he's not getting that from us. Nor would I want to pay him that sort of money.

[dead_poet]

the Packers really have no interest in bringing him back, which is cause for concern in itself

Only because they're absolutely stacked at receiver and have quite a few tricky/expensive contracts coming due. He seems like a luxury they probably can't afford. They're losing little by moving on with Nelson rock solid, Cobb emerging as a slightly lesser Harvin and Jones improving.

plus he's been injured a lot the past 2 years.

Eh, that's debatable. Prior to this season he's missed just three games in his past four years. He's pretty durable. Unless for whatever reason this season is a precursor to things to come.

I think if the Vikings can't get Wallace or Bowe their best bet would be to sign one of the guys I mentioned above Barden, Hartline, etc and then draft a WR with one of their first two picks.

My preference is still for Wallace, but it's all a matter of cap space, Harvin and if the Vikings want to spend big because each of the top three guys are going to command top dollar. Barden makes me nervous. I just haven't seen enough from him and he ended up the #4 guy in New York. He's a wild card. I'm betting Hartline returns to Miami and I think the Vikings can (and should) aim higher than those two.

[Eliot]

If the Vikes were in rebuilding mode, then you can make the case. But we are not, so even thinking like that is a waste of time.

We were supposed to be in rebuilding mode but then had a good season this year. If we stick to what we are doing (getting young) we could stay at this level and get higher as time goes by.

Remember 2009 how good we were? Then think about 2010 and how bad we were.