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Following the retirement of Joe Berger, the Minnesota Vikings are in serious need of a right guard or tackle. But in a draft where there are a number of quality interior O-line prospects, Vikings GM Rick Spielman isn’t ready to guarantee that he will select a lineman with the 30th overall pick.
“Everybody in the mock world and the experts out there are saying it’s O-line, O-line, O-line, but when you look at your roster, you have to look at where are the other holes that you’re going to have to fill,” Spielman said in his pre-draft press conference on Tuesday.
Depending on which analysts you read, there are quality prospects like Arkansas center Frank Ragnow, Ohio State’s Billy Price and Auburn’s Braden Smith who could be available in the second round. That could allow the Vikings the option of taking the best player on the board with No. 30.
“I’m looking at the 2019 roster as well, guys who are not under contract, what if there is a significant player who is there at 30 that could potentially fill a need – who may have a role this year but fill a need in the future,” Spielman said. “You have to weigh in what your needs are this year, but we are in a position at 30 where everyone thinks we are locked in on an offensive lineman, that’s absolutely not the case. The way our draft board has developed, we have five different positions that we can go any directions.”
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2018/0...rst-round/
did anyone expect him to tip his hand? lol. no kidding???!! you arent locked into a position yet.
Quote: @AGRforever said:
did anyone expect him to tip his hand? lol. no kidding???!! you arent locked into a position yet.
The most interesting part of his response is that he said the Vikings have five different positions they would feel comfortable drafting at #30. I would assume it's OT, OG, TE, CB, and the fifth one is a little harder... maybe S or DT?
Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ AGRforever said:
did anyone expect him to tip his hand? lol. no kidding???!! you arent locked into a position yet.
The most interesting part of his response is that he said the Vikings have five different positions they would feel comfortable drafting at #30. I would assume it's OT, OG, TE, CB, and the fifth one is a little harder... maybe S or DT?
But saying 5 positions doesn't cap him to anything. All he has to do is Thursday night/Friday morning is say "see this is who we wanted all along" and we'll never know if said draftee was one of those 5 position groups.
Now logic might dictate that we're not likley to go QB, K or P but past that nothing would surprise me.
Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ AGRforever said:
did anyone expect him to tip his hand? lol. no kidding???!! you arent locked into a position yet.
The most interesting part of his response is that he said the Vikings have five different positions they would feel comfortable drafting at #30. I would assume it's OT, OG, TE, CB, and the fifth one is a little harder... maybe S or DT?
I think you have to factor in all the guys that could be out next year. Beyond Richardson, Diggs, Waynes, Barr, and Hunter who are potentially out next year, you could also see cap cuts like Sendejo or a replacement for Robison who will likely retire or Griffen who will be interesting to see how well he recovers from his injury. I think there's so many possible ways we could go that we'll probably go pretty convincingly BPA outside of a high OLine pick somewhere in the draft and who we get in the draft will dictate which guys we resign.
Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ AGRforever said:
did anyone expect him to tip his hand? lol. no kidding???!! you arent locked into a position yet.
The most interesting part of his response is that he said the Vikings have five different positions they would feel comfortable drafting at #30. I would assume it's OT, OG, TE, CB, and the fifth one is a little harder... maybe S or DT?
My 5 positions would be OL, DT, CB, LB,and DE. Protection for Barr or Hunter leaving and Griffen having issues with his foot. They dont seem too confident in the back up DEs.
Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ AGRforever said:
did anyone expect him to tip his hand? lol. no kidding???!! you arent locked into a position yet.
The most interesting part of his response is that he said the Vikings have five different positions they would feel comfortable drafting at #30. I would assume it's OT, OG, TE, CB, and the fifth one is a little harder... maybe S or DT?
I would say an edge rusher to add to the rotation. One of those Barr types who can project either at DE or OLB.
I said this in another thread: Spielman has drafted only 2 offensive linemen in the top 2 rounds over the last 11 years, despite needing to improve that unit throughout that time. He believes in getting OL later in the draft, and when he has picked linemen high, they have been OTs (Loadholt, Kalil). I think people hoping to see him pick Price, Wynn, Hernandez, Daniels, or Corbett are going to be disappointed.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
I said this in another thread: Spielman has drafted only 2 offensive linemen in the top 2 rounds over the last 11 years, despite needing to improve that unit throughout that time. He believes in getting OL later in the draft, and when he has picked linemen high, they have been OTs (Loadholt, Kalil). I think people hoping to see him pick Price, Wynn, Hernandez, Daniels, or Corbett are going to be disappointed.
I think Wynn could be a possibility since I personally think he has the ability to play RT as well as OG. However, most of the pure C/OGs in this draft will likely come off the board early Day 2. I agree with your take... I think the only way the Vikings go OL with their pick is if an OT or G/T they like is there. If not, I would expect them to go a different direction with that first pick and grab an OG with their second pick. I would hate to draft a pure C/OG at 30 and bypass another position when most of the top C/OG will probably still be available in the 2nd/early 3rd round.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
I said this in another thread: Spielman has drafted only 2 offensive linemen in the top 2 rounds over the last 11 years, despite needing to improve that unit throughout that time. He believes in getting OL later in the draft, and when he has picked linemen high, they have been OTs (Loadholt, Kalil). I think people hoping to see him pick Price, Wynn, Hernandez, Daniels, or Corbett are going to be disappointed.
I wont be disappointed in the lack of a 1st on OL but if we get past the 3rd and we've not picked an OL then they damn well better have a plan in place to fill the openings and lack of depth with the unit.
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