Entering the 2005-2006 free-agency period, the Minnesota Vikings had two glaring shortcomings—offensive line and linebacker. Many Vikings’ fans would have been content with the Vikings’ off-season had the team focused on these two areas. And with $32 million and change to spend under the NFL cap, the Vikings were in a position to do just that.

The Vikings began free agency quietly with the signing of veteran offensive lineman Jason Whittle, projected to be an emergency backup along the offensive line. The cost was minimal.

Slowly, the team appeared to be filling other holes at minimal expense, signing players like running back Chester Taylor. The Vikings’ decision to sign Taylor, a little-used backup to Jamal Lewis last season in Baltimore, suggested that the Vikings intended to build from the line back on offense in 2006, spending the big money on offensive linemen and making do with more modest players at some of the skill positions. The Vikings’ offer to Steve Hutchinson cemented the front-back suspicion.

Hutchinson’s signing not only signaled the Vikings’ renewed commitment to a strong offensive line, however, it also signaled the team’s apparent willingness to enter 2006 with a suspect linebacking corps. Because, despite the team’s acknowledgement that its linebacking corps remained an area of deep concern, the Vikings did little to ensure that the team’s linebacking corps will be better in 2006 than it was in 2005.

Yes, the Vikings did sign former San Diego Charger Ben Leber, but Leber is as much a question mark as he is an addition. Coming off of an injury season, there is legitimate concern about Leber’s ability to play at a high level in 2006. And with a limited track record in the NFL, there is additional reason to wonder whether the Vikings picked up Leber more because GM Fran Foley had a comfort level with Leber than because Leber was the answer to the Vikings’ problems at linebacker.

But even if Leber proves to be a solid addition, he’s not the player that the Vikings needed to add to the linebacking corps in free agency. The play of the Vikings’ outside linebackers was fairly solid last season with E.J. Henderson playing much better on the edge than in the middle, Keith Newman playing solid for most of the season, and Raonall Smith contributing when healthy. Add to that the fact that finding outside linebackers is much easier than finding middle linebackers and the Vikings appear to have put their money into a position of lesser importance than one for which they continue to have a pressing need.

Assuming a healthy and productive Leber, the Vikings’s signing of Leber can best be viewed at this point as a lateral move. With Newman out, the Vikings are pretty much where there were at the end of the 2005 season—some depth outside but without a credible middle linebacker. And with Cowart leaving for Texas, the Vikings are without a middle linebacker even in name. And that portends more linebacker problems in 2006, unless you subscribe to Brad Childress’ purported faith in E.J. Henderson as a middle linebacker.

Whether it be a miraculous and improbable reclamation of E.J. Henderson as middle linebacker or some other player, the Vikings need to find a middle linebacker post haste if they want to contend this season. The problem, of course, is three-fold. First, given the hit that the Hutchinson deal will have on the Vikings’ 2006 salary cap, the Vikings have little money left to pursue a free agent middle linebacker.

There is also the difficulty that, even if the Vikings had the money, the prospects would be dim. With the Vikings focusing their time and cap space on Hutchinson early in free agency, the few good linebackers in this year’s free agency crop long ago signed with other teams.

Finally, there is the issue of maturity. In the modern era, only one NFL team has won the Super Bowl with an inexperienced middle linebacker. And that team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had a pretty solid defense surrounding its young middle linebacker—the kind of defense that this Vikings’ defense probably will not come close to matching on its best day in 2006. That makes finding a middle linebacker in the draft a daunting prospect—but it might be the Vikings’ only remaining hope this season.

Draft Ayes

Fortunately for the Vikings, this year’s draft offers some good linebacker prospects. Among the likely Vikings’ targets in this year’s first round are A.J. Hawk, Chad Greenway, and Abdul Hodge. Hawk is the obvious top choice, but is projected to go in the first five picks of the draft. It certainly would make sense for the Vikings to trade up to get Hawk, but, of course, they must find a willing trade partner. And, even if they find such a partner, the price will be high—probably the Vikings’ first-round pick and two second-round picks—if not more.

That makes Greenway appealing—though Greenway, too, should be gone when the Vikings draft at number seventeen. As with Hawk, the Vikings could trade up to take Greenway. But such a trade likely would require an exchange of first-round picks, a second-round pick, and some other consideration. That makes the price for trading up to take Greenway about the same as trading up to take Hawk making the latter more palatable, if possible.

The Vikings could also wait to take Hodge, who is likely to be available at seventeen and might even be available through the first half of the second round. Of course, Hodge will be available later than Hawk and Greenway because he is a lesser talent than are either Hawk or Greenway. That lesser talent—if intended to be used as middle linebacker talent in the NFL—could mean the difference between the Vikings competing for the NFC North and competing for the NFC proper, a difference that makes Greenway more appealing than Hodge.

All of which makes trading up to take Hawk logical and sensible, if the Vikings hope to find a middle linebacker in this year’s draft with any hope of performing at a high level in the NFL in 2006.

Bigger Question

Assuming that the Vikings find a willing trading partner—likely either New Orleans or Oakland—they must still answer an even more fundamental question. With veteran middle linebackers available in free agency virtually every season, is it worth taking a projected middle linebacker—even one with the promise of Hawk—with a top-five pick in this year’s draft, if, by so doing, the Vikings must pass on taking a quarterback such as Matt Leinart?

Up Next: More Holes. Any Answers?

Posted by maasx003 at March 30, 2006 8:16 AM