Vikes thread!

[Steve-o]

Stuff is starting to come out that Zim didn't get along with a lot of people...

Eric Kendricks’ revealing comments on Vikings’ locker room after Mike Zimmer firing

When discussing Zimmer’s firing from the organization, Kendricks revealed that he and the ex-Vikings head coach didn’t have a particularly strong relationship. In fact, Kendricks described Zimmer as implementing a fear-based culture within the organization, something the linebacker is glad to see exit alongside the 65-year-old.

“No matter what your role is on the staff, you having a voice and being able to communicate things you think could facilitate wins. I think just having that voice, no matter how big your role is—it’s important to listen up and take each other’s opinions into account. I don’t think a fear-based organization is the way to go.”

I don't know if it was in a related report or somewhere else, apparently there were issues in the locker room early that certain coaches and star players got treated differently when they weren't vaccinated compared to the new guys.  That didn't sit well with a lot of players - apparently including some veterans.

[Steve-o]

Here is a really good article summing up Zim's tenure with the Vikings.  Early on it reminds us of what happened before Cousins arrived.

Mike Zimmer set the bar high and then couldn't reach it

When Zimmer was hired by the Vikings in 2014, the team was in disarray. The Vikings had the worst defense in the NFL and no answer at quarterback. Two years later, they celebrated a division championship and lined up for a game-winning field goal against the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round of the playoffs. Two years after that, they were one game away from the Super Bowl.

In some people’s eyes, Zimmer’s time in Minnesota will be defined by the things that got in the way of fulfilling the club’s potential. Whether it was Adrian Peterson’s absence in 2014, Blair Walsh’s shanked kick in 2015, Teddy Bridgewater’s injury in 2016 or Sam Bradford’s absence in 2017, the truth of the first four years of Zim was that the Vikings had to overcome problems that usually sink teams. Maybe there’s an alternate universe in which a healthy Bridgewater or Bradford either wins the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2017 or beats the Philadelphia Eagles to earn a the team’s first Super Bowl appearance since the '70s but it was not to be, as fans would say, because Vikings.

Funny...  All these years later, the Vikings have one of the worst defenses in the NFL and no answer at quarterback.   

[LPS]

Kendricks said the team didn't like it when Zim said they were soft in that game.  I'm thinking Zim didn't like it when Jefferson said the locker room was "flat" when he arrived for that other game.  I think that is why he didn't make more of an effort the help Jefferson attain that record.

[Steve-o]

Kendricks said the team didn't like it when Zim said they were soft in that game.  I'm thinking Zim didn't like it when Jefferson said the locker room was "flat" when he arrived for that other game.  I think that is why he didn't make more of an effort the help Jefferson attain that record.

  Interesting about Zim's grudge against Jefferson.  Yeah, it was time for Zim to go.

Also in that article I linked...  They talked about how we thought Diggs was being a Prima Donna getting himself traded off the team.  Prior to that, behind the scenes, he was lobbying for the team to pass more.  Obviously Zim wasn't hearing any of it.

And this echo's what Kendricks said.  The players didn't feel they had a voice with the coaching staff.  So now the rest is history.

[LPS]

It is all starting to make sense

[dutchboy]

"And this echo's what Kendricks said.  The players didn't feel they had a voice with the coaching staff.  So now the rest is history."


No players got fired yesterday. It's the coaches job to do what they believe best to get wins. It's the players job to execute.

[Steve-o]

"And this echo's what Kendricks said.  The players didn't feel they had a voice with the coaching staff.  So now the rest is history."


No players got fired yesterday. It's the coaches job to do what they believe best to get wins. It's the players job to execute.

Yeah, but there is give and take.  Yesterday's hard-nosed, old-school, my-way-or-the-highway approach to coaching has been demonstrated to be ineffective time after time in today's NFL. 

I am no advocate in letting the inmates run the asylum, but you also catch more flies with honey than vinegar. 

Football is a job unlike any other - and it is like all jobs...

If you don't think your boss is listening to your ideas and giving you the respect you think you deserve...  you'll still do your job, but you won't go the extra mile.

And in football, if everyone doesn't go the extra mile, you don't win.  Period.

[LPS]

That's right Steve-O and without communication the whole team or business you are in suffers.

[glenn57]

lota of skuttlebutt about a new coach.........lane kiffin, awe no!!!!!! doug pederson is supposedly getting interviewed.
i think we bring ole uncle burnsie back!!!!!!!!

[LPS]

I read this morning that the Wilf's and Spielman had been talking about a new title for him for about a week before Black Monday.  He arrived at the office around 7 expecting to get a new job and see Zimmer fired.  They of course both got fired.  Shocker for him.

[Steve-o]

When Spielman and Zim took over, they cleaned house. 

5 players a new Vikings regime could get rid of in 2022

Danielle Hunter, defensive end

Danielle Hunter is an absolute monster when healthy, but he has a nearly $26M cap hit for 2022 if he stays on the roster. Releasing him would incur a dead cap penalty of approximately $7.5M if released before he is eligible for his roster bonus on March 20.  Considering the salary cap situation for the Vikings, the new regime will need to decide if they want to attempt to trade Danielle Hunter, release him, or hope he can stay healthy and play him big bucks. This could be the hardest decision made this offseason.

Kirk Cousins, quarterback

Kirk has a cap hit of $45M this season after his money was continually kicked to the end of his contract to allow the team to sign other players. Now, Minnesota is on the hook for the entire amount unless they can find a way to trade him to a quarterback-needy team.
 Otherwise, Cousins will likely get a contract extension that spreads his owed money out more evenly without making it top-heavy. But if the new GM and head coach don’t see Kirk as their guy going forward, Kirk may have taken his last snap for the team.

Harrison Smith, safety

Smith’s contract allows them to release the Pro Bowl safety for a dead cap of $7.66M compared to his cap hit of $13.4M. Saving a little under $6M to let him walk doesn’t seem like a bargain, but there are reasons to think it could be a possibility.  Camryn Bynum showed potential as a rookie and either drafting a new safety or picking up a cheap free agent could make letting the 32-year-old defensive back go while planning for the future isn’t a terrible strategy.  However, Smith’s more likely exit will be following the 2022 season when there is an out in his contract that will allow him to be released for a cap hit of $5.75M compared to a $17.2M cap hit. Odds are that will be when Minnesota makes their big decision on Smith, but if a youth movement is in order, several veterans including Smith could be on the chopping block.

Michael Pierce, defensive tackle

Signed by the Minnesota Vikings before the 2020 NFL season, Michael Pierce was brought in to stop teams from running the ball all over the defense. Sadly, that signing hasn’t resulted in what the team was hoping for.  So far, Pierce has played eight games in his first two years in Minnesota due to sitting out 2020 with COVID-19 concerns and injuries in 2021. He has a cap hit of $10.2M but only has $4M guaranteed., making releasing him to save over $6M an appealing situation.

Adam Thielen, wide receiver

Much like Harrison Smith, most fans of the Minnesota Vikings would love to see Adam Thielen finish his career with the purple and gold, but his value is still very high, which could make him a big candidate to be traded.  Minnesota could be looking to rebuild by moving on from many veterans and getting younger and cheaper at many positions. Releasing Thielen makes no sense since cutting him would only save about $5.7M, but trading him for draft capital is a different story.

[Steve-o]

When Spielman and Zim took over, they cleaned house. 

5 players a new Vikings regime could get rid of in 2022

Danielle Hunter, defensive end
Kirk Cousins, quarterback
Harrison Smith, safety
Michael Pierce, defensive tackle
Adam Thielen, wide receiver

Hunter?  Gone.  Trouble staying healthy.  Expensive contract.  Six years in the league, his best years might be behind him.  Bottom out and look for the next stud pass rusher in a future draft.  I don't think Hunter would re-do his contact for a new regime - not even if Andre Paterson was the new Head Coach.

Cousins?  Stays.  $45M is way too much for Kapt. Kirk, but the old Vikings front office kept kicking that money down the road.  The new guys will want to dump it somehow - either this year via trade (and which team would do that?) or next year by biting the bullet and letting the contract expire.  I don't think they will extend him.  Otherwise, if they want to keep him after the current contract, maybe they ask him to take a more team-friendly deal next time.

Smith?  Gone after next year.  I like the analysis that says it is easier to cut him after 2022, and there is merit in keeping an experienced vet in the backfield for at least another season as the defense changes guard.

Pierce?  Gone.  Only played 8 games in two years.  They can save $6M in cap space by cutting a guy who has basically given them nothing - as the defense still can't stop the run even when he does play.

Thielen.  Stays... maybe.  The new guy will want to engender some good will with the new fans, and keeping a productive, fan-favorite player is a good way to do that.   But if a team offers them a 2nd rounder or another, younger player in a position of great need, I'll bet they will be tempted to trade him.

[Steve-o]

Here is a scathing indictment of Zimmer, from several sources, on the occasion of his departure.  They even used the C-Word!

Picture Emerging That Zimmer Had Become a Cancer For the Vikings’ Team Culture, Locker Room

[glenn57]

I expected comments like that from Barr, he's been Zimmy's little pet all along.

As I understand it Zimmer knew his fate already Saturday before the game, kinda explains alot about his behavior.

[Gunner55]

Mr Z was a big fan of #22 too.

[glenn57]

Mr Z was a big fan of #22 too.

hey but he was on the field most of the time. Well except when he got the Rona, that zimmy was less than impressed with.

[Gunner55]

Yeah, Smith had to be playing hurt a lot the way he plays & still hardly missed a game. Barr on the other hand has missed a bunch the last 2-3 years.

[LPS]

And Pierce, he only played 8 games in 2 years I believe. 

[Steve-o]

Yeah, I think that Zim was content to roll with "his guys" on defense that he drafted in the beginning, and a few he developed along the way in his tenure with the Vikings.  As the run for that group was ending (a defense-first Head Coach with one of the worst defenses two years in a row), it looks like Zim was perfectly willing to check out.

I read elsewhere else that somewhere along the line, Zim lost his defensive backs coach, and after that point - Zim by himself - failed to develop any new rookie talent at the position.  After Rhodes, Waynes, and Hughes were gone, the cupboard was bare.  This sort of explains his strategy of spending money at corner back to find veterans who still had gas in the tank.

How'd that work out?   

[KEN W]

The gas tank was empty.

[mike89]

so who is the lady the Vikes want to talk for a new GM???? 

[glenn57]

so who is the lady the Vikes want to talk for a new GM????

she's currently with the eagles and what the news said she is also currently the highest female executive in the NFL.

[mike89]

so what's her name??   nice enough looking!!! 

[Gunner55]

  This says they have requested interviews with her & 7 others. https://news.yahoo.com/vikings-gm-candidates-eagles-exec-180308268.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

[dutchboy]

The Zigmeister could save himself a few bucks by naming Cousins interm coach & OC.

Burnsie wouldn't work for me these days Glenn, he's a bit to quiet since passing away.

However Kiffin wouldn't bother me. I would rather have him then Peterson anyway.

[glenn57]

  I was kidding about burnside!!

I heard not so good things about kiffin but don't really know much about him.  I have no clue who could be a HC.

I also heard someone asking for permission to talk to  our OC. See Yea!!

[dutchboy]

Lane Kiffins dad Monty was a defensive guru and I believe was on Bud Grants staff.

[Steve-o]

so who is the lady the Vikes want to talk for a new GM????

she's currently with the eagles and what the news said she is also currently the highest female executive in the NFL.

From the Eagles website...

Catherine Raîche VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS

Catherine Raîche enters her third season with the Philadelphia Eagles. During the 2021 offseason, she was promoted to vice president of football operations after originally joining the team as a football operations/player personnel coordinator in 2019.  In her role, Raîche is involved in all areas of football operations and player personnel, including pro and college scouting, contract management, player/staff development, and football research.

Before that she was Coordinator of Football Administration, Assistant General Manager, and Director of Football Administration in the Canadian Football League.  She practiced law in Canada before making her transition to professional sports in 2015.

[Steve-o]

What is this recent fascination the Vikings have with the Eagles?   

In 2016 the Vikes needed a quarterback.*  (Big news there.  )  So they traded their 1st round pick in 2017 to the Eagles for Sam Bradford.  Bradford had a really good season in 2016, but reinjured a worn-out knee in the first game in 2017.  He was done for the Vikings.   

Then the Vikes had to have Eagles John DeFilippo as their Offensive Coordinator.  DeFilippo was the Eagles' quarterbacks coach for just two years.  Was he hired because Spielman and Zim were so impressed by the way the Eagles kicked their    in 2017?    Hard to say 'cause Zim had him fired 14 games in to the 2018 season.

The rumor mill is flying and one candidate for head coach is 2017 Superbowl Champion, Eagles' ex-head coach, Doug Pederson.  Since the Vikes found out that DeFilippo wasn't the straw that stirred the Eagles drink in 2017...  Maybe it was Doug?   

And now Eagles' Vice President of football operators, Catherine Raîche, pops up for the Minnesota General Manager job.   

Somehow it doesn't strike me that - despite their Superbowl win - the Eagles are such a successful organization that they have superior talent to spare for other teams to steal.

Still, it seems similar in some ways to the Vikings, who also have a track record of losing talented coaches instead of promoting them:  Dungy, Tomlin, and now Stefanski. 



* In all fairness, the Vikes needed a QB in 2016 because of the Bridgewater knee injury.  Just think...  If Bridgewater didn't blow out his knee and instead blossomed into the dynamic QB and leader it looked like he was becoming, or if Bradford could have kept it going for another year or two, they never would have had to mortgage the farm to get Kirk Cousins and the Spielman/Zimmer era could have been dramatically different.
 

[LPS]

I really liked Bradford and so did the players.