January | 2015 | If I Were GM

Draft Preview

Posted on January 18, 2015 by borm0034

(DeVante Parker – Source: Andy Lyons/Getty Images North America)

Minnesota’s general manager Rick Spielman is doing a good job of making his own job easier. Unlike last offseason, the Vikings are entering the offseason without any glaring holes on their roster that need to be filled.

As of now, the positions that could use the most upgrading include linebacker, cornerback, safety, offensive line, defensive end, wide receiver, defensive tackle and barring the Adrian Peterson situation, running back. While some of these positions will be addressed in free agency, lets take a look at the prospects who are projected to be drafted in round one at the Vikings positions of need:

Inside Linebacker

Bernardrick McKinney (Mississippi State) – 6’4, 249 pounds

Outside Linebacker

Vic Beasley (Clemson) – 6’2, 235 pounds
Shaq Thompson (Washington) – 6’2, 231 pounds
Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida) – 6’2, 261 pounds

Cornerback

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Oregon) – 5’9, 195 pounds
Trae Waynes (Michigan State) – 6’1, 183 pounds
Marcus Peters (Washington) – 6’0, 198 pounds
P.J. Williams (Florida State) – 6’0, 196 pounds

Safety

Landon Collins (Alabama) – 6’0, 222 pounds

Offensive Tackle

Brandon Scherff (Iowa) – 6’5, 320 pounds
Andrus Peat (Stanford) – 6’7, 312 pounds
La’el Collins (LSU) – 6’5, 321 pounds
T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) – 6’5, 305 pounds
Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M) – 6’5, 300 pounds
Ereck Flowers (Miami, FL) – 6’5, 324 pounds
Ronnie Stanley (Notre Dame) – 6’6, 318 pounds

Defensive End

Randy Gregory (Nebraska) – 6’6, 245 pounds
Shane Ray (Missouri) – 6’3, 245 pounds
Alvin Dupree (Kentucky) – 6’4, 267 pounds
Nate Orchard (Utah) – 6’4, 255 pounds
Danielle Hunter (LSU) – 6’6, 240 pounds
Arik Armstead (Oregon) – 6’7, 296 pounds

Wide Receiver

Amari Cooper (Alabama) – 6’1, 210 pounds
DeVante Parker (Louisville) – 6’3, 209 pounds
Kevin White (West Virginia) – 6’3, 210 pounds
Dorial Green-Beckham (Oklahoma) – 6’5, 225 pounds
Jaelen Strong (Arizona State) – 6’3, 215 pounds
Devin Funchess (Michigan) – 6’5, 230 pounds
Sammie Coates (Auburn) – 6’2, 201 pounds

Defensive Tackle

Leonard Williams (USC) – 6’5, 298 pounds
Danny Shelton (Washington) – 6’2, 332 pounds
Eddie Goldman ( Florida State) – 6’3, 320 pounds
Malcolm Brown (Texas) – 6’4, 320 pounds
Michael Bennett (Ohio State) – 6’2, 288 pounds

Running Back

Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) – 6’1, 207 pounds
Todd Gurley (Georgia) – 6’1, 226 pounds

As you can see, the Vikings will have plenty of talent to choose from in round one. With this year’s draft being deep, the likeliest move for the team is to draft the best player available (at pick #11) or trade down if they find the right deal.

It should be noted that there are no guards projected to be taken in the first round. If the Vikings want to make an impact acquisition at guard to protect Teddy Bridgewater, they will likely have to address the position in free agency.

My choice for round one: WR DeVante Parker, Louisville

How Good Is Our Franchise Quarterback?

Posted on January 14, 2015 by borm0034

(Photo: Elsa, Getty Images)

Here are some facts that illustrate just how good the Viking’s franchise quarterback is…already:

Teddy Bridgwater, in his rookie season, finished with a higher completion percentage (64.4%) than Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck. That number is third highest all-time for an NFL rookie.
In December, Bridgewater ranked first in the NFL in average yards per attempt (9.18 yards), second in completion percentage (72.3%), and fourth in passer rating (99.8).
Bridgewater’s completion percentage in December is the third-highest in NFL history among rookie quarterbacks in one month.
Under pressure, Bridgewater’s completion percentage of 75.2% in 2014 was the best in football. It’s also the best of any player since 2008.
Bridgewater’s passer rating of 85.2 was eighth-best among all rookies in NFL history.
He was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team after throwing for 2,919 yards with 14 touchdown and 12 interceptions in 13 games in 2014.
This was accomplished without star running back Adrian Peterson, a seven-week absence of starting tight end Kyle Rudolph, and with the 21st ranked offensive line in football.

teddy-bridgewater-080914-ap-ftr_16dznzvxsqgfb1r039cbyauf4x

(Photo: sportingnews.com)

It should be pointed out that Bridgewater’s touchdown to interception ratio were exactly the same his first year at Louisville as they were his first year as a Viking. His next two years at Louisville went as follows: 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions, then 31 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Let’s hope Bridgewater can mirror that performance with the Vikings.

If I Were GM – Adrian Peterson

Posted on January 14, 2015 by borm0034

Credit: Brad Rempel – USA TODAY Sports

If I were general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, I would NOT ask Peterson to restructure his contract.

Why? A few of reasons: Asking Peterson to restructure his deal may come with consequences, such as the 2012 MVP demanding a trade. Also, his trade value is currently lower than it should be, I want him on the team this year, and I can trade or release him (if I want) for no cap hit after the 2015 season.

Peterson is still one of the best running backs in the NFL, if not THE best, and his play has shown no clear signs of regression.

Unless I need extra cap room to pull off a blockbuster trade this offseason, the potential of the offense with Peterson starting along with Teddy Bridgewater is too enticing to risk by asking him to restructure his deal.

If I were GM, I would keep Peterson under his current contract.

If I Were GM – Matt Cassel

Posted on January 13, 2015 by borm0034

Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn – USA TODAY Sports

Matt Cassel will be 33 years old at the beginning of the 2015 season. He is due to make $4.75 million next year, presumably as Teddy Bridgewater’s backup.

However, that’s a lot of money for a backup quarterback. The average salary for a backup QB in the NFL is only $2.1 million. Furthermore, Bridgewater’s cap hit is $1.56 million.

Throw in the fact that Cassel had surgery on his foot in September and the question now becomes: Is he worth $4.75 million?

He gives the team a veteran presence on offense and while he may be a “mentor” to Bridgewater, he played poorly in 2014 before a broken left foot ended his season in week three. His shaky play and more importantly, his salary, make him very replaceable.

Considering the current general manager’s “youth movement” philosophy along with offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s ability to develop young quarterbacks, and you have the recipe for the Vikings drafting another signal caller this offseason.

Cassel is a bigger risk than a rookie quarterback due to his foot injury and he costs much more. He is due a roster bonus of $500,000 on March 14th. The cap hit of cutting him is $0.

If I were GM, I would cut (or trade) Cassel before March 14th.

My Vikings Offseason Wish List

Posted on January 5, 2015 by borm0034

Now that the Vikings have found their quarterback of the future in Teddy Bridgewater, their first priority of the offseason should be to protect him. Once the team feels he is adequately protected, they should surround him with weapons.

Here is my Vikings Offseason Wish List:

Sign LG Mike Lupati in free agency. This would be a big acquisition for Minnesota. It would solve the question of who the starting left guard will be and would create stability along the left side of the line. Also, signing Lupati would likely help left tackle Matt Kalil end his struggles, or at least minimize them. Injuries to both Brandon Fusco and Phil Loadholt this past season shined light on this team’s lack of depth on the offensive line. Despite the issues, I believe the line will bounce back next year. A guard will likely be picked up by the Vikings in free agency because the draft is not deep at guard, but it really depends on how the team feels about starting last year’s 5th round pick David Yankey. The Vikings may choose to add a lineman in the draft such as OL Brandon Scherff from Iowa, but I still feel it’s too early to give up on Kalil and take an offensive lineman in round one.
Target WR Josh Gordon.
Keep RB Adrian Peterson. Yes, Peterson makes a lot of money, but he also makes the team better. His presence alone will take pressure off Bridgewater AND the offensive line. He should be fresh considering he basically had a year off and he will be running mad next season, literally. From a financial standpoint, if Peterson will not renegotiate his contract, it would be wise for the Vikings to keep him for the 2015 season and then trade/release him in 2016 when his cap hit is $0. That would open up $15 million in cap space next offseason. The team could then use that money to re-sign its own players (like Harrison Smith) and splurge in what’s lining up to be a ridiculously deep free agent pool in 2016.
Draft a #1 Receiver – WR Amari Cooper (Alabama; 6’1″, 2013 pounds) or WR DeVante Parker (Louisville; 6’3″, 209 pounds). Both have been projected as a potential first round targets for the Vikings, both are former teammates of Bridgewater’s, and both could develop into the Vikings #1 receiver. WR Kevin White (West Virginia; 6’3″, 210 pounds) is also a solid prospect.
Sign MLB Brandon Spikes or MLB Rey Maualuga in free agency. If Spikes (6’2″, 255 pounds) does not re-sign with Buffalo for some reason, he would make a great addition to Zimmer’s defense. Maualuga (6’2″, 255 pounds) will be 28 at the start of the 2015 season and is a beast against the run. The former USC Trojan is familiar with Zimmer’s defense and may be a solid option as the Vikings look to improve their 25th-ranked run defense. It should be noted the draft is NOT deep at the inside linebacker position.
Sign S Taylor Mays in free agency. Mays, like Maualuga, also played at USC and under Zimmer in Cincinnati. Mays fits Zimmer’s preference of using versatile defenders. He played safety as well as nickel linebacker this season. He has great size (6’3″, 225 pounds) and will be 27 years old when next season starts. At the very least, the signing would be economical and create depth at a weak position. Mays could win the starting safety position opposite Harrison Smith. Safety is also a shallow position in the draft.
Establish depth at linebacker. This year’s draft is light on inside linebacker talent and there aren’t many intriguing options at MLB in free agency outside of Spikes, Maualuga and Rolando McClain (who is risky), so it may come down to Chad Greenway, Audie Cole, and one or two draft picks competing for the starting MLB position in training camp next preseason. Regardless of if the Vikings address the position in free agency, drafting a linebacker with the most long-term potential would be a wise move for Minnesota. I like Bernardrick McKinney from Mississippi State.
Replace P Jeff Locke. I’ll keep saying it until it happens.
Make a surprise move. Players like WR Larry Fitzgerald, WR Demariyus Thomas, WR Dez Bryant, WR Randall Cobb, WR Jeremy Maclin, TE Julius Thomas, RB Demarco Murray, RB CJ Spiller, and DT Dan Collins may become available in free agency. If the team decides to part ways with Adrian Peterson, it will have plenty of money to spend.

If the Vikings are able to successfully build around Bridgewater this offseason, they could be in for a very rewarding 2015.

If I Were GM

Building a Dynasty

Month: January 2015