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The Vikings marked the end of Brett Favre’s two-year stint in Minnesota by spending the 12th overall pick in 2011 on Christian Ponder. Three years later, after the fortunes of coach Leslie Frazier’s staff crumbled with Ponder’s performance, the Vikings traded back into the first round to get Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd overall pick for new coach Mike Zimmer.
Here the Vikings are, four years after the Bridgewater pick, again searching for a premium passer (this time more because of injuries more than ineffectiveness).
The Vikings’ preferred method of solving the problem this time, following a trip to the NFC Championship Game, is almost certainly with a veteran, and that pursuit occupied much of their time at the NFL combine; Zimmer talked openly about the team’s questions with its three in-house options (Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Bridgewater), while the Vikings positioned themselves for a potential bid for Washington’s Kirk Cousins.
But whether it’s to acquire a developmental quarterback or snap up a player that might fall in a deep QB draft — particularly if they find the price for Cousins too rich for their blood — the possibility remains that the Vikings could dive into the draft for a quarterback for the first time since the Bridgewater pick.
“We’re going to look through this quarterback thing at all options,” Spielman said. “Who’s the backup? Do you invest in another draft pick? Because I think there are some quality quarterbacks in this draft. Or do you go out and find a potentially another Case Keenum type? Or does Kyle Sloter continue to develop? To me, especially in the situations we’ve been in the last couple of years, that’s one position that seems like you don’t have enough.”
The Vikings paid Sloter nearly three times the practice-squad minimum when they signed him before the start of last season. They added him to the active roster when Bradford’s knee injuries started in Week 2, and put him on injured reserve following knee surgery in November, to avoid the risk of another team claiming Sloter on waivers if the Vikings tried to put him back on the practice squad.
They could still look to add another young quarterback, though, in a draft that NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said has more QB depth than usual through the first three or four rounds.
http://www.startribune.com/when-evaluati...475750233/
“I think there are some interesting second- and third-round potential quarterbacks this year,” Mayock said in a conference call before the combine. “I think Mason Rudolph from Oklahoma State is a really logical player. Prototypical, dropback type of guy. Along with him, I would say [Washington State’s] Luke Falk and [Western Kentucky’s] Mike White, I think, are very interesting players. Then a notch below that, I take Kyle Lauletta [from Richmond] and Logan Woodside [from Toledo].”
The top of the draft is stocked with players — USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield — who figure to be long gone by the time the Vikings pick at No. 30. Wyoming’s Josh Allen and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson could be gone, too, and particularly if they find their starter in free agency, the Vikings would seem likely to address other needs in the first round.
An example from their recent past, however, shows what value can exist in stockpiling resources at the QB position. In 2012, the Vikings staff coached at the Senior Bowl and fell in love with a plucky, mobile passer from Wisconsin. The team had drafted Ponder the year before, though, and wasn’t about to spend a third-round pick a year later when doing so would have suggested doubt in Ponder.
So at No. 66 overall that year, the Vikings took cornerback Josh Robinson, and the Seahawks grabbed Russell Wilson nine picks later.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
“I think there are some interesting second- and third-round potential quarterbacks this year,” Mayock said in a conference call before the combine. “I think Mason Rudolph from Oklahoma State is a really logical player. Prototypical, dropback type of guy. Along with him, I would say [Washington State’s] Luke Falk and [Western Kentucky’s] Mike White, I think, are very interesting players. Then a notch below that, I take Kyle Lauletta [from Richmond] and Logan Woodside [from Toledo].”
The top of the draft is stocked with players — USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield — who figure to be long gone by the time the Vikings pick at No. 30. Wyoming’s Josh Allen and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson could be gone, too, and particularly if they find their starter in free agency, the Vikings would seem likely to address other needs in the first round.
An example from their recent past, however, shows what value can exist in stockpiling resources at the QB position. In 2012, the Vikings staff coached at the Senior Bowl and fell in love with a plucky, mobile passer from Wisconsin. The team had drafted Ponder the year before, though, and wasn’t about to spend a third-round pick a year later when doing so would have suggested doubt in Ponder.
So at No. 66 overall that year, the Vikings took cornerback Josh Robinson, and the Seahawks grabbed Russell Wilson nine picks later.
Wow, talk about wanting to use a mulligan on that decision.
Quote: @TBro said:
@ purplefaithful said:
“I think there are some interesting second- and third-round potential quarterbacks this year,” Mayock said in a conference call before the combine. “I think Mason Rudolph from Oklahoma State is a really logical player. Prototypical, dropback type of guy. Along with him, I would say [Washington State’s] Luke Falk and [Western Kentucky’s] Mike White, I think, are very interesting players. Then a notch below that, I take Kyle Lauletta [from Richmond] and Logan Woodside [from Toledo].”
The top of the draft is stocked with players — USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield — who figure to be long gone by the time the Vikings pick at No. 30. Wyoming’s Josh Allen and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson could be gone, too, and particularly if they find their starter in free agency, the Vikings would seem likely to address other needs in the first round.
An example from their recent past, however, shows what value can exist in stockpiling resources at the QB position. In 2012, the Vikings staff coached at the Senior Bowl and fell in love with a plucky, mobile passer from Wisconsin. The team had drafted Ponder the year before, though, and wasn’t about to spend a third-round pick a year later when doing so would have suggested doubt in Ponder.
So at No. 66 overall that year, the Vikings took cornerback Josh Robinson, and the Seahawks grabbed Russell Wilson nine picks later.
Wow, talk about wanting to use a mulligan on that decision.
Having Russell in purple would have been amazing in so many ways...Especially making WI football fans queasy watching him win in MN.
I remember wanting the Vikings to take him when he was still available in the 3rd. But I knew how the vikings annoint
Qbs and that Ponder was just drafted, but I always hate that reasoning. This was the third round.
With all the good QB coaches we have it might not be a bad year to pick a developmental quarterback in the draft.
We have a pretty good looking developmental QB in Sloter, and a pretty good QB draft coming up. And both of these facts should have zero bearing on the Kirk, Teddy, Sam and Case decision.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
We have a pretty good looking developmental QB in Sloter, and a pretty good QB draft coming up. And both of these facts should have zero bearing on the Kirk, Teddy, Sam and Case decision.
Agreed regarding adding another QB.
Based on what Geoff has said, it's really Kirk, Sam and Case. Sounds like Bridgewater might be out of the mix in MN. Seeing him in Miami is highly likely imo.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
@ MaroonBells said:
We have a pretty good looking developmental QB in Sloter, and a pretty good QB draft coming up. And both of these facts should have zero bearing on the Kirk, Teddy, Sam and Case decision.
Agreed regarding adding another QB.
Based on what Geoff has said, it's really Kirk, Sam and Case. Sounds like Bridgewater might be out of the mix in MN. Seeing him in Miami is highly likely imo.
The only reason Geoff said that is because Bridgewater wants and deserves a shot at a starting job. 3 of the 4 QB options prevent that. Those aren't good odds.
Your'e not going to pay Cousins a gazillion dollars and have him compete for a job. Same is true with Keenun. You don't sign him to whatever he's worth and open up the QB competition. Just doesn't work that way.
You could feasibly do it with Sam and Teddy, because of their lower contracts, but with other teams knocking on their doors, (and there will be teams), I don't see either one accepting a situation like that UNLESS no other team offers a starting job. Then it becomes apples to apples and the Vikings might just win that. If each has to compete for the job in every location, it might make some sense to just compete with each other in Mpls, where at least you know the situation is good if you win the job, and the guy you're competing with has a bum knee.
All that said, there are only two things I know for certain:
1. In terms of talent, Kirk and Case are not worth what they're going to be paid. Both are good QBs, but neither is 25M good. I don't think there's anyone who would disagree with that.
2. In terms of talent, Sam and Teddy are worth far more than what they're going to be paid. Peanuts considering their injuries. I don't think there's anyone who would disagree with that.
So go with talent over health. If we can get both, Rick should be fitted with a top hat and wand. If only one, then trade for the best backup we can find.
I would not be surprised to see Sam here. I do think #5 gets a nice offer somewhere. Dont know where his head is at regarding wanting a "fresh start" or not either? He hasn't said anything publicly in that regard, so it may not be part of his decision criteria.
I have no idea what they'll do @ QB. Pro's & Con's any way they turn.
I think Zimmer said something along the lines of make a judgement call and move onwards. That's all they can do. Not what we all wanted about last October, we were hoping for clarity.
Anyways, should be all determined by the time we switch over on daylight savings time. Thank goodness.
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