Quote: @Bullazin said:
@"Geoff Nichols" said:
I don't think this an awful idea, but it isn't great either. It ultimately depends what the larger plan is to fill the other four positions. It does give the team more options as they approach free agency and the draft. Historically the Vikings have felt more comfortable drafting OT's early vs. guards. With O'Neill having some flexibility it would allow them to draft a day one starter (hopefully) and play them on their natural side. That still leaves a gap at RG but that is maybe where you target a guy in free agency or trade. Follow it up with a mid to late round pick and re-sign Easton or Compton for near the minimum and you actually have a decent talent pool.
Geoff have you heard any news on Eastons injury? He is UFA and possibly signing for the min? sounds like a big turnaround from a 2nd rd tender
I don't know what he would be looking for $ wise but it sounded like there is hope he should be able to return to the field. How effective he'd be is another question. Lots of question marks there.
Smart teams: Sign cheap right tackles and draft undervalued guard/tackle tweeners, then move them to the premium tackle spot
Vikings: Sign expensive tackles, then move them inside to guard
Since the team doesn't have a boat load of cap money this year, keep Elflein at center, O-Neil and Reiff at tackles and fix the guard positions with at least one free agent and a couple of draft picks. Future cap money can go to tweeking the tackle spots later.
Quote: @ArizonaViking said:
Since the team doesn't have a boat load of cap money this year, keep Elflein at center, O-Neil and Reiff at tackles and fix the guard positions with at least one free agent and a couple of draft picks. Future cap money can go to tweeking the tackle spots later.
Or, maybe, play some of the guards we already have (Easton was hurt... so he *might* help next year), like Isadora. Yeah, I know, the team didn't think that he was better than Compton or Remmers. But the "team" also didn't think that O'Neill was better than Hill.
Quote: @pumpf said:
@ ArizonaViking said:
Since the team doesn't have a boat load of cap money this year, keep Elflein at center, O-Neil and Reiff at tackles and fix the guard positions with at least one free agent and a couple of draft picks. Future cap money can go to tweeking the tackle spots later.
Or, maybe, play some of the guards we already have (Easton was hurt... so he *might* help next year), like Isadora. Yeah, I know, the team didn't think that he was better than Compton or Remmers. But the "team" also didn't think that O'Neill was better than Hill.
Not to mention Collins....
Reiff, still a big strong man who is agile, not so much fast out of the gate, seems like sliding over to LG could be a good fit. Playing inside could hide some of his weaknesses, remember we dont need top 5 G performance, we need 12-18th G performance for a major upgrade.
To me, the biggest ????? is Collins. If he is healthy, he is a super intriguing player. He has size, speed, and stregth, agile and looks to be very good on the second level. If he can step into the RT position and perform admirably (as good as ONeill did in 18’) without any major upgrades via FA or the early draft, we could have soldified the line with only RG as the weakness.
How to address RG?
1) Draft Ford in the 1st and resign Easton
OL: ONeill-Reiff-Elf-Ford-Collins with back ups Easton (G), Jones ©, Isodora (G), rookie or Hill as T
2) Sign Easton and add another FA from a ZBS (Levitre? Carpenter?)
OL: ONeill-Reiff-Elf-Levitre-Collins with Easton, 2nd Round OL, Jones, Isodora
3) Trade Xavier for Osemele
OL: ONeill-Reiff-Elf-Osemele-Collins with Easton, 2nd Round OL, Jones, Isodora, Rookie T
3# would be a very long shot but the contract numbers are similar, I’m not certain how KO would fit in ZBS but man that would be amassive OL. No doubt the riskier move but could have the biggest payoff. I could see a much maligned OLmoving into the league top 10. How good is this team with a top 10 OL? How many wins would that have been worth in 2018, the Rams game? Both Bears games? Seattle? Could we have gone 11-4-1, 10-5-1?
Going to be interesting
I asked around on this and it sounds like moving Reiff inside is an option on the table but not the plan as of today. Based on the Vikings past draft philosophies I doubt they'd choose at guard unless they trade down in the 1st. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't take the right OT, which would potentially make Reiff the guy to move. There are a lot of unknowns but there are really 3 ways I see it going.
1. They draft a LT. It would make the most sense to leave the rookie on their natural side and then if they can start day one bump Reiff inside. If they need a year of development you end up leaving Reiff on the outside and develop the rookie at LG.
2. Draft a RT. This is probably more clear-cut. They would move O'Neill back to LT which is theoretically his natural side and bump Reiff inside.
3. Draft a guard outside of round one. Obviously Reiff stays put.
Personally I would be planning to move on from Reiff in 2020 barring a restructure this off-season. You can't eat the dead money unless you do it post-June 1. That is the fall through if they do bump him inside to guard and he is beat out. But more likely than a straight up cut, he'd have trade value.
Quote: @"Geoff Nichols" said:
I asked around on this and it sounds like moving Reiff inside is an option on the table but not the plan as of today. Based on the Vikings past draft philosophies I doubt they'd choose at guard unless they trade down in the 1st. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't take the right OT, which would potentially make Reiff the guy to move. There are a lot of unknowns but there are really 3 ways I see it going.
1. They draft a LT. It would make the most sense to leave the rookie on their natural side and then if they can start day one bump Reiff inside. If they need a year of development you end up leaving Reiff on the outside and develop the rookie at LG.
2. Draft a RT. This is probably more clear-cut. They would move O'Neill back to LT which is theoretically his natural side and bump Reiff inside.
3. Draft a guard outside of round one. Obviously Reiff stays put.
Personally I would be planning to move on from Reiff in 2020 barring a restructure this off-season. You can't eat the dead money unless you do it post-June 1. That is the fall through if they do bump him inside to guard and he is beat out. But more likely than a straight up cut, he'd have trade value.
Yep, whatever they do or don't do with Reiff will depend how the Draft falls.
Since their inception, the Vikings have drafted one OG in the first round of the draft.
Any guesses as to who that was, or how far back you have to go to find it?
A long ways and we'll just say it was one hell of a pick too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mi...y_position
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
Since their inception, the Vikings have drafted one OG in the first round of the draft.
Any guesses as to who that was, or how far back you have to go to find it?
A long ways and we'll just say it was one hell of a pick too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mi...y_position
and its high damn time they find another like him!
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