Posts: 1,583
Threads: 816
Joined: Jan 2014
Reputation:
587
https://vikingsterritory.com/2020/genera...guard-away
Need to see more from Cleveland, but how he played in Green Bay was very encouraging. More so, how much he improved from this first start to his 2nd. Not sure when Vikings expect Elflein back, but his return could move Ezra to the left and form what might be the best performing line the Vikings have seen in years. Many years.
All this begs the question, do we rethink Riley Reiff? He's having the best year of his career. And this comes after a fairly decent 2019 (outside the GB game). Is it that he's just a great fit in Kubiak's blocking scheme?
I say no. Reiff will be 32 in a couple weeks, sure he has been relatively healthy and OL can typically play until their mid 30s, but he is only under contract for 1 more year so I think it would be presumptuous to assume that he will stay here at a rate that the team can handle, after we made him take a pay cut this offseason.
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
I say no. Reiff will be 32 in a couple weeks, sure he has been relatively healthy and OL can typically play until their mid 30s, but he is only under contract for 1 more year so I think it would be presumptuous to assume that he will stay here at a rate that the team can handle, after we made him take a pay cut this offseason.
To that I only say that it's so incredibly hard to find good LTs. And as you say, he's been very durable. And I did just read that part of the reason that he took the pay cut was because he really likes Kubiak and Dennison's OL schemes. Could be seeing a re-birth here.
I think what argues against it is the cap. I think his dead money in '21 is only 2M or so. Vikings could probably save a good chunk of change by shifting O'Neill over or putting Ezra there and drafting their replacements at RT and G, positions which are MUCH easier to find in the draft.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
I say no. Reiff will be 32 in a couple weeks, sure he has been relatively healthy and OL can typically play until their mid 30s, but he is only under contract for 1 more year so I think it would be presumptuous to assume that he will stay here at a rate that the team can handle, after we made him take a pay cut this offseason.
To that I only say that it's so incredibly hard to find good LTs. And as you say, he's been very durable. And I did just read that part of the reason that he took the pay cut was because he really likes Kubiak and Dennison's OL schemes. Could be seeing a re-birth here.
I think what argues against it is the cap. I think his dead money in '21 is only 2M or so. Vikings could probably save a good chunk of change by shifting O'Neill over or putting Ezra there and drafting their replacements at RT and G, positions which are MUCH easier to find in the draft.
of course though, ONeill needs a new contract, no guarantees we get him inked under the cap situation that we are currently looking at. Reiffs salary is relatively cheap at 11.65 million next year for a starting LT, but you are right, something is going to have to give. I still like my idea of starting with Barr and Cousins and then seeing what we can do with that created space.
I still believe in Oli Udoh as RT and hopefully this year he will see the field.
Maybe the play is:
O'Neill-Reiff-Bradbury-Cleveland-Udoh IF you can't acquire a young LG via 2nd tier FA or the draft
That OL with Adam, Jett, Irv, Cook, Mattison, plus another rookie WR and TE could be great for Justin Fields err Trey Lance err Mormon Manziel to start his career with
Quote: @Skodin said:
I still believe in Oli Udoh as RT and hopefully this year he will see the field.
Maybe the play is:
O'Neill-Reiff-Bradbury-Cleveland-Udoh IF you can't acquire a young LG via 2nd tier FA or the draft
That OL with Adam, Jett, Irv, Cook, Mattison, plus another rookie WR and TE could be great for Justin Fields err Trey Lance err Mormon Manziel to start his career with
please lets all agree to lose the mormon manziel moniker for that kid... I kind of like the kids game, but if people keep making that reference then there is no way in hell I could ever get on that train.
I would still like to see a few games of ONeill at LT, Reiff at LG this year, i mean WTF not? what are they gonna do, not make the playoffs? use the rest of this season to work on the different looks they should have been working on in preseason games and training camp.
We got a probable pro-bowler in the making @ RT...
He becomes a priority for re-sign
I dont move him positionally
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
We got a probable pro-bowler in the making @ RT...
He becomes a priority for re-sign
I dont move him positionally
we need to find out his position flexibility though so we know if he is able to kick to the left if our LT fails, or if we lose Reiff to FA and arent able to find another to take his place in case Cleveland isnt the guy. it would also be good to find out more about Udoh, can he play RT for shit on a full time basis if ONeill (Heaven forbid) were to miss extended games.
with all that said, why showcase ONeills flexibility to the rest of the league prior to him becoming a FA? he is going to command a monster deal anyway IMO but no point in creating more competition for ourselves.
The"we're so close" fantasy is powerful and has taken root not just at TCO but with many fans and bloggers.
A rookie OL has one o.k. game and suddenly the mighty Viking oline is on the way!
This team needs a g.m. and coach overhaul in the worst way.
|
