The Unveiling

UPDATE: The Commish found photos posted and sent them to me. Here are the new uniforms that I believe would have been taken at Giants Stadium this past winter when the boys were in town to don the new designs.

So, you can now vote on the new uniforms below. Thumbs up or thumbs down? You decide. The poll is just a little ways further down.

The horn appears to have a very subtle crease in it now, don't you think? But it is still hard to tell. All I did was pull the helmet out of the Wiggins photo and try to focus in a bit more without losing too much resolution.

One of my co-workers is planning to be at the Mall this evening and said he would send me photos yet tonight if he has time. I have to trudge to work otherwise I'd be there myself.

From this morning....

Early this evening, the Vikings will unveil a new look to their uniforms. According to a running Viking Underground poll, here is what you want to see in the new uniforms:

Home Uniforms
69% of you want a purple jersey on white pants
28% of you want a purple jersey on purple pants
3% of you can't find your way home

Road Uniforms
71% of you want a white jersey on purple pants
26% of you want a white jersey on white pants
3% of you can't find your way home

Once you have seen the uniforms, come back here to vote on this simple poll:

And, as promised....with a hint of what will come tonight....is my own unveiling.

Yep, purple on purple and a bit of the old school. I had made this decision when I saw this old photo from a Gopher's game at old Memorial Stadium.

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Back then, men wore suits and hats to sporting events. "So, why can't we do that now", I asked myself? Thus, the new look. It's not intended to look "gangsta" or "pimpish" but a look that harkens back to the days of yore.

"Worse than the Unknown" by Vikes Geek

On Wednesday, Vikings’ Player Personnel Director, Fran Foley, offered his thoughts on the upcoming draft and his resume problems. More mystifying than his recent insistence that the resume gaffes were the result of clerical errors—an astonishing claim to which I continue to resist any temptation to respond in this column—were Foley’s nearly incoherent statements regarding draft philosophy and where the Vikings’ stand with respect to Saturday’s draft.

Few listening to Foley’s responses to questions regarding Saturday’s draft could be left with anything but doubt over Foley’s ability to resurrect what has become Minnesota’s annual homage to poor drafting technique. The following exchanges took place:

Question: “Does the uncertainty at the top of the draft order make your decision-making more difficult?”

Foley: “I guess I don’t understand your question.”

Question: “Does the fact that teams near the top of the draft have not made clear who they intend to draft make it more difficult for you to focus on the players that you think will be available at seventeen?”

Foley: “No.”

Question: “Have you identified the players that you hope to have an opportunity to select from among?”

Foley: “It’s too early for that.”

Question: “How will the availability of the players that you target as potential draftees affect whether you accept an offer to move down in the draft.”

Foley: “We’ve identified five players that we really like. If only two of those players look to be available when we select we probably wouldn’t trade down—not more than one spot anyway. Understand?”

There was more to the interview, but you get the picture. Maybe it’s time that we looked into what pictures Foley has on Zygi Wilf—or at least time that we collectively prayed that when Foley claims not to have the final word on which players the Vikings select he not only means what he says but also that he doesn’t have any meaningful influence on any final determination.

Up Next: Pre-pick Picks.

Yes, Cheer Or Die is taking the day to journey to his beloved Irish pub to quaff a few ales and celebrate taking another step closer to extinction. And he'll probably end the day with a few spoonfuls of ice-cream. So, raise a toast to COD and wish him well so that he can return Thursday to bring you the unveiling........

....we now join our movie in progress.

With the number seventeen pick in the 2006 NFL entry draft, the Minnesota Vikings stand at an organizational crossroads—play for today or build for tomorrow. Still needing at least a middle linebacker and probably an outside linebacker to be a legitimate contender for a championship, but also needing a backup quarterback with a high learning curve, the Vikings are in a position to draft for 2006 or to defer returns to 2007 or later.

Drafting a linebacker that is capable of playing in the middle in year one is a dicey proposition in most drafts. This year, however, there appear to be two such players—Ohio State’s AJ Hawk and Iowa’s Chad Greenway. Speculation continues to swirl regarding the Vikings’ prospects of obtaining either Hawk or Greenway. Given the linebacking needs of teams currently drafting ahead of Minnesota, the closest thing to a certainty is that neither player will be in Minnesota purple next year if Minnesota does not move up in the draft.

By standing pat, the Vikings probably would miss out on an opportunity not only to draft Hawk and Greenway, but also to draft Matt Leinart, Vince Young, and B.J. Cutler. And that would mean that the Vikings will have left the off-season without filling their most glaring weakness for four seasons running and without filling a suddenly urgent need at quarterback.

The Argument for Standing Pat

Despite the fact that, by not moving up in the draft, the Vikings might forfeit their opportunity to address their most glaring needs in this year’s draft, the Vikings might be better served retaining their number seventeen selection spot and their subsequent first-day selections. The argument favoring such a decision rests on both math and numbers.

The math portion of the equation is fairly simple. By moving up in the draft the Viking will be assured of signing a player that they covet. They also will be assured of spending large on that player’s signing bonus. To nab Hawk, the Vikings probably would need to move into the top four of the draft. Last year, the number four pick, Cedric Benson, received a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $18 million. Conversely, last year’s number seventeen pick, David Pollack, received a signing bonus of $5.45 million. While both represent sizeable bonuses, Pollack’s clearly is more cap friendly and significantly more manageable. The stark contrast in dollar figures between a high and middle first-round pick might, alone, warrant a Vikings’ decision to stand pat this year.

But the difference between the Vikings trading up and retaining their number seventeen pick must be considered not only in financial terms, but also in terms of what the Vikings would have to cede in exchange for the number four pick in the draft. The price tag for such largesse likely would include not only the Vikings’ number seventeen selection in the draft, but also their two second-round selections. And that’s a price that the Vikings ought to deem prohibitive.

While obtaining an immediate starter at a position of need is a nice haul in the NFL draft, there is reason to believe that the Vikings—should they break from recent tradition—can accomplish what the successful organizations around the NFL routinely accomplish. Namely, the Vikings should be able to identify at least one bona fide NFL player in the second round.

The 2003 draft offers a gauge for this contention. Of the thirty-two players selected in the second round of the 2003 draft, twenty-seven remain in the league and twenty-four are with the team that drafted them. The numbers are even better for third-round selections with thirty of thirty-two players drafted still in the league and twenty-four with the team that drafted them.

What the numbers suggest, albeit from a small sample, is that even average personnel departments enjoy success drafting in the second round. Given the Vikings’ recent track record, this conclusion would appear to argue for the Vikings trading up in the draft. In fact, based on the Vikings’ recent draft history, the team probably would be better served trading away all of its picks for a couple of proven NFL starters.

Rather than dwell on their past draft failures, however, the Vikings need to focus on getting this draft and those from here forward correct. And that starts with maximizing utility. With a deep draft at linebacker, the Vikings should be able to select one or two quality linebackers in the first two rounds of the draft. That won’t include the likes of AJ Hawk, but it might include a player with the potential to be even better than Hawk, Chad Greenway.

Even if Greenway is gone, however, the Vikings probably will have an opportunity to select Ohio State’s Bobby Carpenter in round one and Abdul Hodge in round two if they opt to add quantity to their linebacking corps. And the Vikings certainly will have a host of very good football players from which to select at seventeen should they opt to draft the best available player, with players such as Laurence Maroney, LenDale White, DeAngelo Williams, Nick Mangold likely still to be available.

The mandate for the Vikings’ front office in this year’s draft is not necessarily to move up or to take a particular player. Instead, the mandate is to make judicious decisions for a change. That means getting value whether through a trade or by standing pat. And when one considers the financial commitment that comes with taking a top-five player, having pick seventeen and two second-round picks in a reasonably deep draft might just make more sense for the Vikings in both the short and the long term.

Up Next: Pre-Pick Picks.

Other Stuff: from Mr. Cheer Or Die

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Fresh from The Insider is that another quarterback is now on the Vikings radar....

....yes, Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler has shifted momentum away from the Wonderlic Kid, Vince Young. The Vikes realize that they would still need to move up to grab Cutler, but the staff feels the price would not be as great as it would to nab Young.

The Insider also tells me that if the Vikings stay put at #17, a linebacker will be the pick. And the #1 linebacker on the board is Iowa linebacker Chad Greenway. And how can one find fault with a linebacker who wears a shirt with a list of 10 "Norm-isms" that have been uttered by Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker as seen below:

I mean at #3 is "Run like a scalded-ass dog." And how will Vikes defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin like it when Greenway shows up with the shirt and Tomllin reads #6 which goes, "The three fastest ways to die are 1) natural gas, 2) electricity, and 3) cover 2".....I'd think Tomlin might just implode! But that is linebacker mentality.....and what the Vikes need.

New Look

The Vikings aren't the only ones about to unveil a new look on Thursday. Come back Thursday morning when I will beat the Vikings unveiling with one of my own. And you won't have to travel to the Mall of America to see it!

Of course, if you want to see the Vikes new uniforms (my own unveiling will give you a clue!) you can head to the Rotunda at the Mall of America. The event will run from 6:00-6:30 p.m. Which is when I'll be working my second job....so there won't be any personal photos. But come back to the VU for a special poll in which you can vote thumbs up or down.

Long lost twins, Jon Lovitz and Fran Foley were reunited this past week when Foley revised the summary of his early work history to amend inaccuracies. "I did nothing to misrepresent what I've done,'' he said. Foley was then whisked away by Lovitz, the original Lyin' Man of Saturday Night Live fame, and taken to a meeting of Pathological Liars Anonymous.

I was able to catch up with Lovitz at Pathological Liars Anonymous headquarters for a few words on Foley.

Hello, my name is Jon Lovitz, and I'm a member of Pathological Liars Anonymous. In fact.. I'm the president of the organization! And being a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, I came to rescue my brother Fran Foley.

Fran didn't always lie. No, when he was a kid, he told the truth. But then one day, he got caught stealing money out of our mother's purse. He lied. He told her it was homework - that our teacher told him to do it. And she got fired! Yeah, that's what happened!

After that, lying was easy for Fran and me. Fran lied about his age and joined the army. He was thirteen at the time. Yeah.. he went to Vietnam, and he was injured catching a mortar shell in his teeth. And they made him a three-star general! And then he got a job in journalism, writing for the National Enquire.. er, Geographic! Yeah.. He was making twenty thousand a ye.. month! In fact, he won the Pulitzer Prize that year! Yeah, that's the ticket.

And then our cousin died - Joe Louis - and Fran took it hard. Maybe too hard - he tried to kill himself. Yeahh.. he did kill himself! Sure! He was medically dead for a week and a half! It was an old friend that brought him out of it - Mother Teresa! Yeah, right.. And she told Fran and I about Pathological Liars Anonymous.

But we were broke, and in need of money you see....so we invented the computer and sold it to our, er, fri...neighbor Bill Gates. Yeah, that's the ticket. And Gates gave us three...thirty mill...billion dollars. Man, we were eating hambur...steak every night!

Oh, you'd be surprised how many famous people belong to Pathological Liars Anonymous. In fact.. at one of the meetings Fran met his wife - Angelina Jolie! Yes, he's a changed man now, and all because of Pathological Liars Anonymous.

Why, Fran - he even gave Einstein his start in science after meeting Al at Pathological Liars Anonymous. Yeah. Every day! Yeah.. that's the ticket! Yeah, you betcha!

So, I say to Vikings fans everywhere! Forgive my brother's little white lies! He will bring you five....ten Super Bowls! In fact, Hulk Hogan is going to be the team's new weight coach. Yeah, that's the ticket. Top that Jack! See you later!

VU Podcast Fifty-One

The most recent Viking Underground Podcast is now available. It is a very short pre-draft podcast summarizing the results of the first ever blogger mock draft.

"The Case for Moving Up" by Vikes Geek

With one week remaining before the 2006 NFL entry draft, the Minnesota Vikings face a quandary. The dilemma facing the Vikings is whether they should attempt to move up in the draft, stand pat, or do something else. And given that the dilemma is the Vikings’ most ponderous in recent draft history, it is no surprise that the solution is somewhat elusive.

Barring a complete collapse in the Vikings’ draft room, the Vikings should land a bona fide NFL-caliber starter should they elect to retain their seventeenth overall pick. But finding an NFL-caliber starter is not all that the Vikings need in this year’s draft. The team also needs to find an immediate starter at linebacker—and one who can play middle linebacker immediately—and/or a quarterback who will mature quickly in the NFL.

The Vikings purportedly are looking at several players as first-round options—presumably considering different players for different selection slot scenarios. The players most often cited as among the Vikings’ first-round targets, assuming that Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart are off the board when the Vikings select, are linebackers A.J. Hawk, Chad Greenway, and Ernie Sims, and quarterbacks Vince Young and Jay Cutler.

Based on the needs of teams ahead of the Vikings, Hawk and Young likely will be gone when the Vikings draft at seventeen, and Cutler and Greenway probably also will be gone. Of the sixteen teams selecting before Minnesota, seven have enough of a need at quarterback now or in the very near future to select a quarterback with their first-round pick and six have enough of an immediate or near-term need at linebacker to select a linebacker in the first round of this year’s draft.

Interestingly, none of the seven teams ahead of Minnesota in the draft with a pressing need for a quarterback have a pressing need at linebacker and none of the six teams ahead of Minnesota in the draft with a pressing need for a linebacker have a pressing need at quarterback. Assuming that the teams ahead of Minnesota who need a quarterback or linebacker prioritize the available talent in the same order as do the Vikings, the players that the Vikings value most highly almost certainly will be gone when the Vikings select at seventeen. That would mean that the Vikings would be left to draft the best available player rather than for need should they stand pat. And that would mean another off-season during which the Vikings failed adequately to address their most long-standing, dire need.

To move up in the draft, however, the Vikings need to find a trading partner. Several such partners appear ready to dance with the Vikings, but to have a legitimate shot at drafting one of their prime targets the Vikings probably will need to move into the top six of the draft. The two most likely trading partners in that range appear to be San Francisco, which holds the number six pick, and New York, which holds the number four pick.

San Francisco needs quality and numbers more than it needs an expensive top-of-the-order pick. With the number six pick in the draft, the 49ers could choose from among several very good players, but none alone will suffice to turn around a team so in need of an infusion of talent. A later first-round pick and one or two later-round picks would be more valuable.

The Jets are closer to the playoffs than the 49ers and could make the case that one very good player will make the difference for them in 2006. But, assuming that Leinart and Williams are not available and that the Jets are not interested in either Young or Cutler, the Jets are in a position to trade down several spots—even to the seventeenth spot—to address what has become a priority for them, defensive end. With players such as Kamerion Wimbley, Manny Lawson, and Mathias Kiwanuka likely to be on the board at seventeen, the Jets could trade with Minnesota, get the player that they most need, and pick up yet another mid-major quarterback in the second or third round to break in over the next few years.

Assuming no other changes in the top three of the draft, swapping first-round picks with the Jets likely would provide the Vikings the opportunity to select from all of their main targets. Reggie Bush, Leinart, and Young once looked to be the top three picks in the draft, but recent interlopers Hawk, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Vernon Davis, and Mario Williams have muddied the waters. The recent shuffle atop the draft board, however, only strengthens the Vikings’ probability of selecting one of their targeted players should they hold the fourth or sixth pick in the draft. The only questions remaining for the Vikings are whether their potential trading partners have the same view of the big board as suggested here and whether trading up is worth the cost. The first question will remain unanswered until draft day. The second, however, will be addressed here well before the draft.

Up Next: The Price of Exchange—The Value of a Pick and Why Standing Pat Might Make More Sense for the Vikings than Landing the Player the Team Most Needs Now.

Introduction by Mr. Cheer or Die: Harry Peter "Bud" Grant was born May 20, 1927. In honor of his upcoming birthday in five weeks, the VU will be paying homage by having special guest author Roger Wilk (aka Purplexing) present a five-part series on Grant. Each Friday, the VU will present one of the five Grant entries culminating on Friday, May 19.

Here now, is part one of his Grant essay.

Taken For Granted: Essay on Vikings Coach Bud Grant – Part 1 "Bud Grant; The Viking's Turning Point" - The Early Years; A College Grant and The Post-Graduate Learning Years by Roger Wilk

Born Harry Peter Grant, Jr. to Bernice and Harry Peter Grant, Sr. in Superior, Wisconsin on May 20, 1927, 'Bud' earned his nickname to help his mother avoid the confusion of two Harry's in their house. His mother's first choice 'Buddy Boy' was eventually shortened to 'Bud'.

Bud graduated high school in 1945, and went on to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where he participated in basketball and football. After leaving the GLNTC, Bud attended the University of Minnesota, where he participated in three sports; baseball, basketball, and football.

Graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1949, Grant first went onto a pro career in basketball with the then Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA. In 1950, Grant, then at 6 ft - 3 in, 195 lbs., was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, 12th overall, but he opted to forgo an NFL career (for a few years) to play pro basketball. (He made the Lakers, but only as a backup forward). This decision would have a most significant impact later in his pro athlete career. During his first season, 1949-50, the Lakers won the NBA championship. Grant played one more season before opting for more active involvement than he was getting in basketball, to join the Eagles in the 1952 season.

Grant played wide receiver, defensive end, and defensive back during his pro football career. In 1952, his first season in Philadelphia, he played defensive end, but was switched to wide receiver in 1953, when he had a very productive season, catching 56 passes for 997 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Few details are available about Grants’ defensive performances during his first year as an Eagle. Sacks were not a collected defensive statistic until he was a pro football coach with the Vikings. But one thing is clear; Bud was learning about pro football from both sides of the line of scrimmage. And, he learned valuable lessons about winning from his years on a champion pro basketball team, which he would later apply as a pro football coach, first in Winnipeg, and later in Minnesota. It was a continuation of his yearning and learning to organize teams and coach, which was motivated by the absence of team sports in the relative isolation of the Superior, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota hometowns of his pre-high school youth.

After two seasons with Philadelphia, Grant joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, for several reasons not mentioned in most published materials. However, one source outlined several reasons for his move to Winnipeg. The strained relationship that developed between Grant and the Eagles for his delay in joining them for two years after he was drafted in 1950 resulted in Grant non-renewing his contract.

Grant's move to Winnipeg occurred after he had an outstanding season as an Eagles receiver, after playing defensive end in his first pro football season. Unwilling to play for the salary Philadelphia offered after his great season as their starting receiver, finishing second in the NFL, Grant left and inquired with Winnipeg. Winnipeg previously expressed interest in him while he was in college. (2006 Editorial Note: Attention Terrell Owens and Daunte Culpepper! There are better ways to deal with contract disputes than to disrespect your current team and players! )

Grant repeated his success as a receiver in Winnipeg, leading the CFL in receptions for three of the next four seasons. In 1957, he was named head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Some sources attribute the promotion to his ability to make changes on offense and defense, on the field, during the game. This particular event is one of the most momentous turning points in his life, and it would also be so, later, for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings franchise, to be born in 1961.

If not given the opportunity to prove himself as a head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at the age of 30, Grant may have never coached in the NFL. And, Grant might not have been available at the time the Vikings parted ways with Norm van Brocklin, their first coach in franchise history, in 1967.

What is seldom mentioned about Grant was the initial inquiry by the Vikings, by Max Winter, in 1961, to coach the new expansion franchise. Grant passed on the opportunity at that time, and went on to continued success as head coach of Winnipeg, earning four Grey Cup championships in six appearances, over his ten years as their head coach, with the four championships coming in a span of five years from 1958-62. Bud's composite record as a CFL coach was as impressive as his NFL coaching career; 106 wins, 56 losses, 2 ties over 10 seasons, including four Grey Cup wins.

The stage was set for Bud Grant's move back to the U.S., as head coach of the fledgling, but promising NFL expansion franchise, The Minnesota Vikings….

Coming Friday, April 28 will be Part Two: "Grant's Early Viking Years - Green and Gold Fades to Black, Blue, and Purple."

"Who Should I Draft?" by Mr. Cheer Or Die

I am taking part in an all-blogger draft. It is just a little NFL Mock Draft consisting of fans who blog for their respective teams. I am representing the Vikings blog-o-sphere. The first seven picks have been selected as of 11 pm CST. It is a little slow and may take until the weekend to complete as "teams" may be on the clock while their "owner" is at work....or singing at the karaoke bar...or just passed out.

For me, the "owner" of the Vikings, I have put together the Triangle of Authority with myself, The Commish, and Milwaukee Mark who will decide the Vikes first-round selection in a calm and gentlemanly manner. But we will listen to our fans that pay to see our team.

In fact, on Thursday, the Triangle had its first War Room fight. A trade offer came in from Buffalo. The Bills were offering their #8 1st round pick for the Vikes first round pick (#17) and one of the 2nd rounders (either #48 or 51). Their pitch was that we could move up 9 spots to get either Vince Young or Jay Cutler. The Commish wanted to pull the trigger and do it. So did Milwaukee Mark.

I, being the part of Zygi, vetoed it on the basis that we could make a trade with Atlanta giving them our first rounder for Schaub....getting a vet QB while keeping both 2nd round picks! Any way, I had to lock The Commish in Bud Grant's broom closet, er, office while he cooled off.

But prior to hitting the hay, a trade offer was made to another team. Should that trade be made, another trade offer will follow. If not, the Proud Purple will stand pat and take whomever falls to us at #17. A true win-win situation.

Stayed tuned.

I am taking part in an all-blogger draft. It is just a little NFL Mock Draft consisting of fans who blog for their respective teams. I am representing the Vikings blog-o-sphere. The first seven picks have been selected as of 4 pm CST. It is a little slow and may take until the weekend to complete as "teams" may be on the clock while their "owner" is at work....or singing at the karaoke bar...or just passed out.

For me, the "owner" of the Vikings, I have put together the Triangle of Authority with myself, The Commish, and Milwaukee Mark who will decide the Vikes first-round selection in a calm and gentlemanly manner. But we will listen to our fans that pay to see our team.

In fact, the Triangle just had its first War Room fight. A trade offer came in from Buffalo. The Bills were offering their #8 1st round pick for the Vikes first round pick (#17) and one of the 2nd rounders (either #48 or 51). Their pitch was that we could move up 9 spots to get either Vince Young or Jay Cutler. The Commish wanted to pull the trigger and do it. I, being the part of Zygi, vetoed it on the basis that we could make a trade with Atlanta giving them our first rounder for Schaub....getting a vet QB while keeping both 2nd round picks! Any way, I had to lock The Commish in Bud Grant's broom closet, er, office while he cooled off.

Stayed tuned.

With most of their salary cap for 2006 spent, and with only a handful of modest starters likely to be available after the June salary cap cuts, the Minnesota Vikings are left to consider their options for obtaining through this year’s NFL entry draft the players that they yet need. The options appear to be three-fold. One option is to package picks for a modest gain in selection order. Another is to package many picks for a more substantial gain in selection order. The final option, of course, is to remain pat. And what the Vikings ultimately decide to do in the draft will—or should—come down to what returns the greatest value.

Vikings’ Current Needs

Entering free agency, the Vikings were in the market for a safety, middle linebacker, backup quarterback, running back, offensive guard, and offensive tackle. Despite the loss of wide receiver Nate Burleson, the Vikings believe that they are set at wide receiver with Koren Robinson moving to number one receiver, Travis Taylor to number two, and Marcus Robinson, Troy Williamson, and probably some discount salary cap casualty veteran, draftee, or free agent battling for the number three position.

The Vikings concluded the primary free agency period having addressed most of their off-season needs. The biggest signing, Steve Hutchinson, not only solidified the left side of the offensive line but also allowed the Vikings to spend less money for a second-tier free agent running back, Chester Taylor—a player who figures to out-perform anything which the Vikings have referred to as a running back in the past four seasons.

Strengthening the left side of the offensive line was critical not only because it allowed the Vikings to pursue a more modestly priced free-agent running back, but also because it allows the Vikings to run the West Coast offense—an offense that tends left to right—with some degree of efficiency. And it also means that the Vikings will be a little less concerned about having a 37-year-old starting quarterback in Brad Johnson backed up by a highly questionable backup in Mike McMahon, since Johnson will have his blind side covered by Bryant McKinnie, Hutchinson, and Matt Birk.

With the addition of Tank Williams at safety, the Vikings’ additions leave them in better position than they were in at the end of last season. But the Vikings have one glaring hole on their roster that they have not fully addressed in free agency. And that hole could come back to haunt the team if the team is unable to fill it through the draft.

Remaining Needs

At the outset of free agency, the Vikings signed former San Diego Charger linebacker Ben Leber. Leber arrived in Minnesota with two positives and two negatives. The positives for Leber are that he is young and has shown promise of significant upside. The negatives are that he is coming off of an injury in 2005 and has yet to reach his potential in a league notorious for making final calls on players early in their careers.

Then there is the added difficulty that Leber not only has not played middle linebacker in the NFL, but also that the Vikings reportedly will not ask Leber to play that role this year. All of which leaves the Vikings either better off at outside linebacker with no clear middle linebacker for 2006 or about where they were at the end of 2005—with no middle linebacker and some decent players on the edges. And as the Vikings can attest, that won’t get it done in the NFL.

Middle Linebacker

The Vikings’ coaches currently are suggesting that Dontarrious Thomas and E.J. Henderson are the prime candidates to fill the middle linebacker role in 2006. What remains unclear, however, is what evidence exists that either Henderson or Thomas is capable of playing middle linebacker. Henderson’s failure at middle linebacker in 2004 is outshone only by Thomas’ poor play just about anywhere he has played. And moving Henderson to middle linebacker not only augurs poorly for that position but also means transferring the Vikings’ best outside linebacker from 2005, thus portending the weakening of two positions with one change.

The Vikings’ front office is well aware of the Vikings’ linebacking deficiency—no matter the statements, as sparse as they are, out of Winter Park—as the Vikings are said to be making a pitch to move up in the draft to take Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk. As are most NFL teams, the Vikings are convinced that Hawk can be one of the few players to make a seamless transition from college linebacker to standout NFL middle linebacker.

The rub, of course, is that to obtain Hawk, the Vikings must do three things. First, they must make peace with sending a passel of picks to another team to move up in the draft. Second, they must find a team that is high enough in the draft to take Hawk that also is willing to trade down in the draft. Finally, they must convince themselves that Hawk is the right selection so high in the draft. And given the Vikings’ triangle of authority, that might be a daunting consensus to reach.

Up Next: Getting There from Here. Expectations for the Vikings’ various draft-day options.

"Who Should I Draft?" by Mr. Cheer Or Die

I am taking part in an all-blogger draft. It is just a little NFL Mock Draft consisting of fans who blog for their respective teams. I am representing the Vikings blog-o-sphere. The first four picks have been selected as of 11 am CST. What about the Vikes? Should I try and trade up? Trade Down? Stay pat?

Stayed tuned.

On April 22 of last year, The Insider had e-mailed me with the top three players on the Vikings board for the first round selection. Since he had given me the scoop on Randy Moss just a few months earlier, I listened. After all the dust of the draft had settled, the Insider did not disappoint. He was spot on.

For those not familiar with The Insider, he is an acquaintance of mine with inside access to Winter Park. We trade more e-mails about gardening than we do football....as we did this week. His credentials are sound and he only e-mails me about Vikings "scoops" when they are pretty damn sound. Last year, he said the following three people Sat atop the Vikings draft board. This is exactly what I posted in April of 2005 shortly after The Insider contacted me:

At #1 sits Braylon Edwards. No surprise there. With the #7 overall selection it makes perfect sense for the team to replace some of Randy Moss' production here. Edwards, a playmaker with a solid frame and great hands, has All-Pro potential. He immediately would become Daunte Culpepper's go-to receiver.

And here comes the curve ball. At #2 is Troy Williamson, the speedy WR out of South Carolina. Williamson has good size and blazing speed. Paired with Nate Bu