Vikes thread!

[Steve-o]

Yeah, rock and a hard place.  Still, Cookie is one tough son of a gun to have played thru all that pain. 

[Gunner55]

 He has good hands & is surprisingly fast for his size too. Just about every time he catches a screen pass he's a threat to score if he can make that 1st guy miss.

[Steve-o]

His cap # for this season is > $14 million & his dead cap #, if he's cut before 6/1 is > $8.

So it costs 14M to keep him and 8M to cut him...  But if they cut him, they have 6M to sign other players. 

They signed Matteson, the heir apparent.  They could draft a cheap back-up replacement and have probably 5.5M leftover to sign someone else.

Still, I want one more year of Cook.  I'm thinking he still has something in the tank.

But if it is the question of having two #1 running backs or one #1 running back and a skilled veteran starter at another position of need - that is where the Vikings business decision comes in.

[Gunner55]

 Having $20 mil tied up in 2 RBs isn't something most NFL teams are willing to do very often these days either. I read 1 pc that said they may try to run the ball a little more this season in an effort to help the D. According to them, that might be why they picked up the best run blocking TE in the league. Only 4 teams threw the ball more often than the Vikes last season & guess who they were..........KC, SD, Cinn, & TB. A lot of people believe that Cousins does play action best anyway.

[Steve-o]

I read 1 pc that said they may try to run the ball a little more this season in an effort to help the D.

So why the heck DIDN'T the Vikes run more last year? 
Wasn't KOC calling the plays?   
Didn't they already have Cookie and Matteson?!? 
Didn't the D need more help last year too?   

[Gunner55]

  Because that was too much like the guy that was just fired & nobody liked???

[glenn57]

I read 1 pc that said they may try to run the ball a little more this season in an effort to help the D.

So why the heck DIDN'T the Vikes run more last year? 
Wasn't KOC calling the plays?   
Didn't they already have Cookie and Matteson?!? 
Didn't the D need more help last year too?   

look at all the close games.....and most times they were behind and pulled it off at the end!!!!! datz why!!!!!!!

[Gunner55]

  Because they have #18, might have something to do with it too.

[Steve-o]

I read 1 pc that said they may try to run the ball a little more this season in an effort to help the D.

So why the heck DIDN'T the Vikes run more last year? 
Wasn't KOC calling the plays?   
Didn't they already have Cookie and Matteson?!? 
Didn't the D need more help last year too?   

look at all the close games.....and most times they were behind and pulled it off at the end!!!!! datz why!!!!!!!

Good point...  But what makes the Vikes think they will have more comfortable leads next year?   

They'll be passing the ball again next year til Kirk's arm falls off.  God bless 'em, however, if they can run more early to make Play Action work more often.

[LPS]

Good news.  Harrison Smith took about a 6 million pay cut to stay with the Vikes.  He had other teams that wanted him too. 

[Gunner55]

I seen that earlier too, but didn't read it to get the specifics.

[Steve-o]

Good news.  Harrison Smith took about a 6 million pay cut to stay with the Vikes.  He had other teams that wanted him too.

I shake my head with all this Monopoly money.    He took a $6 Million pay CUT, but will still receive at least $8M to stay.

There is WAY too much money in professional sports for anyone's good.

[glenn57]

Good news.  Harrison Smith took about a 6 million pay cut to stay with the Vikes.  He had other teams that wanted him too.

I shake my head with all this Monopoly money.    He took a $6 Million pay CUT, but will still receive at least $8M to stay.

There is WAY too much money in professional sports for anyone's good.

yea i definitely went intro the wrong line of work!!!!!!!

[Gunner55]

 The NBA is worse, there's a lot of guys making right around $50 mil/year.

[KEN W]

Not sure about him.....age catching up. Slower than he used to be.

[LPS]

I hope he does good for one more year.

[fishwidow]

I think he’s still has enough value to keep him around, especially with a pretty weak overall defense.

[Gunner55]

 I see they signed the #2 center to a new deal yday too.

[Gunner55]

  https://vikingsterritory.com/2023/news/top_news/vikings-sign-former 

[Steve-o]

https://vikingsterritory.com/2023/news/top_news/vikings-sign-former 

I'm not impressed, but I don't know nuttin' 'bout football.

[Gunner55]

 With Tomlinson signing with the Browns they needed help at DT. Bullard also played a lot of minutes last season & he's a FA too. I read another pc that said because he was hurt & didn't play much last season it's a very team friendly deal. Even if he's not with the team next season, the overall costs of his deal aren't too bad. On top of all that, they got him from GB.

[Gunner55]

  I see there's ~ a $3 million dead cap hit if he's not with the team next year which most probably consider very doable. Along with the $4.25 million/year for a guy that typically plays a lot of minutes sounds awfully good to me.

[Gunner55]

  I'd like to see 'em sign some more help on OL, our guards were pretty weak last season. Especially Cleveland, as he graded out as 1 of the worst at his position in the league for pass blocking.

[Steve-o]

5 biggest Vikings needs after the first wave of free agency in 2023 (by some blogger... )

1. Defensive Line
2. Wide Receiver
3. Cornerback
4. Inside Linebacker
5. Edge

I gotta disagree with this guy too.  There is NO WAY wide receiver is the 2nd biggest need on this team.  They need defense, defense, and MORE defense. 

[Gunner55]

  McShay & Kiper have 'em going after a CB with their 1st pick https://www.vikings.com/news/2023-mock-nfl-draft-tracker-5 

[LPS]

I saw a thing and it showed Theilen saying "now maybe I can win a Super Bowl."  LOLOL   

[Gunner55]

  This LPS? https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/after_signing_with_panthers_thielen_says_he_didnt_want_to_leave_minnesota/s1_17017_38602143

[Steve-o]

Yeah, I don't think it was so much a shot at the Vikings as it was comments intended to warm up to his new team.

[LPS]

I agree.

[glenn57]

it was about the money......but i read it wasnt all that good !!!!!!!

now i read a blurb the Vikings are talking to Micole Hardman from the chiefs!!!!!