Vikings didn't seem concerned about taking a RB

[MaroonBells]

Maybe it’s a good sign that the fan base can debate the outer edges of the roster.

I personally don’t understand how much passion & borderline panic I’ve read about (on all platforms) about the Safety position (to the point of being disappointed with securing the o-line). They are set for the season there. Everywhere else on the defense, people whole heartily trust when Flores wants a guy. Here, he wants to use Theo Jackson with Harry & Metellus. Smith only has praise for Jackson, and Flores wants him, so that’s good enough for me for the least important spot on the defensive side of the ball.

The Vikings have had great Safety play for a really long time. I’m not trying to downplay that or how valuable Harry has been. When we look at losses in the playoffs and most important games, what have been the common themes after? Certainly not, the Safeties cost us the game. It’s been interior o-line for ages. There has been so many issues with CBs not cutting it. Not enough of a pass rush, or couldn’t stop the run at the point of attack. Any team that is set in all those areas, can make average safeties then look great. So, keep all of those areas stocked up and then think about getting better safeties through the draft or FA. 

This wasn’t the year to spend a first round pick on the luxury of a Safety. LG was still super important to square away. There’s probably free agents still out there that I’d rather have start than Brandel. I don’t care how much the Vikings still like Brandel, they are better with him coming off the bench than counting on him as a starter. So for my money, I’m pumped they landed Jackson in the draft. Giving JJM the best chance to succeed & thrive is the number one priority, and I can’t wait to see it happen now.

I’m not sure I would classify mild surprise about failing to take a safety as “panic.” But I’m also aware I have no idea what the twidiots are saying about it.

That said, there’s a bit of irony in supporting the team’s confidence in unproven Theo Jackson, all the while celebrating the replacement of an unproven left guard the team expressed the exact same confidence in last year. I trusted the team knew what it was doing last year with Brandel. I have similar confidence in Theo, misguided though it might be. I’m actually much more concerned about 36-year-old Harrison Smith. At a certain age, slow decline can become a cliff.

I’m also aware that safety Jonas Sanker was taken 4 picks before 97, and that Atlanta traded into 96 to take safety Xavier Watts right in front of us. Teams make those moves for a reason, and those selections may have played a role in our trading down to 102 and taking Felton there.

But the draft doesn’t always fill your needs in an orderly manner, and you have to turn your attention elsewhere, especially if you’re drafting with a BPA mentality. To “panic” over such a thing (if that’s happening somewhere) is pretty silly.

[MAD GAINZ]

I think Theo Jackson is going to be this season's Josh Metellus. We all wondered why a special teams guy who was drafted in the 6th round was our primary backup and above Cine on the depth chart. Well we found out he can play. Think we'll see the same thing with Theo when he was the first S to come in when Bynum or Harry were dinged. He also had that big INT against Seattle and a couple PBs.