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OK, this might only be interesting to draft nuts like me, but I find it fascinating...
Vikings did not meet with Bradbury at all. He was not among their Top 30 visits. I can't even find evidence that they met with him at the Senior Bowl or combine (though I'm sure they did).
They did, however, meet with Noah Fant a couple of times. Even brought him in for a private visit. That scared me. Would the Vikings really take a TE in the 1st? I've made no secret of the fact that I think taking a TE in the 1st round would be foolish, especially this year, in a historically deep TE class, and especially for the Vikings, who already have a TE and would find themselves utterly DESPERATE for OL help at 50 if they didn't get any at 18. Not only would it be harder to find help there, but every team in the NFL would KNOW the Vikings are taking OL at 50 and would likely jump them for the one or two that might have starting value.
No, let stupid teams take a TE, I said, let teams like the Lions do it. (Ha! Guess who took another TE in the 1st yesterday?).
Then we find out at the owner's meeting that Rick told reporters that they were not interested in moving Elflein. Really? Just days after publicly announcing that you were open to the idea of moving Reiff to give you draft flexibility, you announce that you have NO interest in moving the NFL's worst graded center for that same flexibility? Despite the fact that Reiff has never really played guard before and Elflein played more guard at OSU than center? Even if you could draft the best damn outside zone center the NFL has seen in years? This is just not adding up.
Either the Vikings have Bradbury off their boards, which is nearly impossible to conceive of considering the fit. Or this is all smoke. It was all smoke...
You gotta be on Cloud 9 today, Maroon... LOL
We got your boy and "my guy" Lindstrom actually went at 14 despite some fans considering him a "reach" if the Vikings were to take him at 18.
If the Vikings take Deebo next, you'll have to ask VikingBob to teach you an Irish Jig. :-D
Quote: @"Wetlander" said:
You gotta be on Cloud 9 today, Maroon... LOL
We got your boy and "my guy" Lindstrom actually went at 14 despite some fans considering him a "reach" if the Vikings were to take him at 18.
If the Vikings take Deebo next, you'll have to ask VikingBob to teach you an Irish Jig. :-D
Ha! I'll need to pick up some Jameson first. Now that I think about it, that sounds like a spectacular idea.
I'd say I'm more relieved than anything. Vikings were smart. They got a player who should be a pro bowl center for years to come.
You were right that Lindstrom was being underrated. Good call on that. It's so hard to estimate draft value when you're talking about scheme dependent players. One scout might hate a guy like Lindstrom, but if he works for a power team he's not going to see the things he needs to see. No doubt the Falcons got two very good zone players in Lindstrom and McGary. Both should be starters for a long time. Not particularly happy about that...or the fact that the Eagles got Dillard. Why is it the NFC just keeps getting better?
If we somehow get Deebo, I'll be jacked. If he's available and we pass on him, I'll be depressed. Either way, Jameson.
Enough with the TE stuff. Every team in the League would take Kelce or Ertz Top 5 in a re-draft. Every. Damn. Team.
Now if you were to say that NFL Scouts haven't figured out how to identify true 1st Round TE talent vs. the dudes who've been over drafted in the 1st and therefore don't trust Front Offices to pick the right guy in the first that's a different story.
But to your smokescreen angle the other Rick the Liar did was talk on and on about how important BPA was and how stacked the D-Line Class was.
Say what you want about him, but Spielman is excellent at this part of being a GM.
I think the Fant interest was legit... I don't think you meet with a guy that many times unless you're trying to get more comfortable with him as a player and how he'd fit in the locker room.
But the Vikings did an excellent job of hiding their interest in Bradbury. I wonder who the Vikings would have taken if Bradbury and Lindstrom were off the board? I shudder to think about it...
Quote: @"FSUVike" said:
Enough with the TE stuff. Every team in the League would take Kelce or Ertz Top 5 in a re-draft. Every. Damn. Team.
Now if you were to say that NFL Scouts haven't figured out how to identify true 1st Round TE talent vs. the dudes who've been over drafted in the 1st and therefore don't trust Front Offices to pick the right guy in the first that's a different story.
But that's all part of it. Scouts are terrible at identifying TEs. I mean, good God, how much evidence do you need? Ertz was a 2nd rounder. Kelce was a 3rd rounder. Taken below guys like Vance McDonald and Gavin Escobar. Best young TE in the league is George Kittle, taken in the 5th round.
Offensive linemen have to learn blocking concepts. Wide receivers have to learn routes. It's hard enough to pick those guys. But TEs have to learn BOTH and so it not only takes them more time to develop, it's harder to identify the ones who can. And so why would you invest big money in that? If you're terrible at picking stocks do you put all your money on Wall Street?
Think of the best TEs in the NFL. Every single one of them was taken outside of the 1st round. Every. Damn. One. You know when the last really good TE was taken in the first round? 12 years ago.
Now maybe Hockenson and Fant will break that streak, but don't bet on it. And I doubt either one is going to have much impact in '19. Vikings needed help now.
I'll bet you a dollar the best TE from this class is taken tonight.
Quote: @"Wetlander" said:
I think the Fant interest was legit... I don't think you meet with a guy that many times unless you're trying to get more comfortable with him as a player and how he'd fit in the locker room.
But the Vikings did an excellent job of hiding their interest in Bradbury. I wonder who the Vikings would have taken if Bradbury and Lindstrom were off the board? I shudder to think about it...
I think it would've been Dillard or a trade down for Howard or McGary.
I think the Vikings brought in Fant both as a smoke screen for their 1st round intentions, but also because they thought he might be available in the early 2nd and they might have a chance to get up there with a potential Waynes trade. Also because there were questions about his character. Teams typically want to meet face to face with players they have character questions on.
But just like O-Linemen teams are going to continue to take TEs earlier and earlier and some day they will figure it out. And then you will see less and less impact guys from later in the Draft.
Hockenson won't break that streak. He just benefited from a weak class in terms of Blue Chip guys and has a high floor.
I wonder, though, if Move TE will eventually become flooded with uber-athletic guys and end up devalued like RB. Something to watch for in say 5 years.
Quote: @"FSUVike" said:
I wonder, though, if Move TE will eventually become flooded with uber-athletic guys and end up devalued like RB. Something to watch for in say 5 years.
Excellent point. And I think it's safe to say they have made the FB the dodo of the NFL.
Quote: @"MaroonBells" said:
@"Wetlander" said:
You gotta be on Cloud 9 today, Maroon... LOL
We got your boy and "my guy" Lindstrom actually went at 14 despite some fans considering him a "reach" if the Vikings were to take him at 18.
If the Vikings take Deebo next, you'll have to ask VikingBob to teach you an Irish Jig. :-D
Ha! I'll need to pick up some Jameson first. Now that I think about it, that sounds like a spectacular idea.
I'd say I'm more relieved than anything. Vikings were smart. They got a player who should be a pro bowl center for years to come.
You were right that Lindstrom was being underrated. Good call on that. It's so hard to estimate draft value when you're talking about scheme dependent players. One scout might hate a guy like Lindstrom, but if he works for a power team he's not going to see the things he needs to see. No doubt the Falcons got two very good zone players in Lindstrom and McGary. Both should be starters for a long time. Not particularly happy about that...or the fact that the Eagles got Dillard. Why is it the NFC just keeps getting better?
If we somehow get Deebo, I'll be jacked. If he's available and we pass on him, I'll be depressed. Either way, Jameson.
You would to grab 2 bottles. One for me to even start to be able to teach the Irish jig. I only know it when I am drinking. LOL
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