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StickyBun · 01-05-2019, 10:37 PM

1st round pick on a center in 2016. 1st and 2nd round guards in 2018. Maybe best O-line in NFL. 4 top 40 picks on the starting unit. It ain't rocket science....OL matters.

Yet we've still got some on the board that can't see it but want us to STILL go 'BPA' in round 1 and 2. 'BPA'....lol....there isn't any best players available for the Vikings that don't involve offensive linemen in the Draft. Period. It won't get fixed otherwise. Ignore it again in this Draft and the Vikings will take a step toward the NFCN bottom.

01-05-2019, 11:07 PM

Well, this is misleading. They had the #6 pick in the draft. Taking Quentin Nelson was a no brainer and some scouts had him as the best player in the entire draft. That was BPA.
Braden Smith was ranked from #52 to #84 from at least 4 or 5 different draft boards. They were able to grab him a little early because they traded down with the Jets picking up the Jets 2nd rounder.
In 2016, Ryan Kelly was ranked #15 by Mike Mayock and then varied depending on the board. Not a bad pick since they had and UDFA as their center in 2015.
If the player is good enough and they don't think they might get the chance in the next round then I could see them "reaching". I prefer if they can trade down 6 to 8 spots and pick up another 3rd first though.
Which linemen would you take at #18 if they were available?

01-05-2019, 11:25 PM

That's what I am watching now that I clicked over, I am focusing on OL's. It took them some time and focus but the results are paying off. I know they need to get the OC figured out but they have to get it right with the OL coach. And I really hope they figure out some upgrades for the OL.

01-05-2019, 11:26 PM

That's the problem. Last year was stacked with OLine talent and there was a lot of corner depth in the mid rounds. We blew our chance to add a quality starter. Kisner from K State would be a solid pick but he is getting elevated due to a weak OLine draft class, especially the interior. I think his talent level is 2nd or 3rd round.

01-06-2019, 01:44 AM

From a CBS Sportsline article on today's game. Change can be immediate when you get the right personnel....

Be very afraid of this Colts teamUnlike previous versions of this team, which relied mostly on the offense to do the heavy lifting because the defense was rarely good enough to hold onto a lead, this group is completely different. It starts with general manager Chris Ballard, who spent the offseason fixing the offensive line. No. 6 overall pick Quenton Nelson is already the best guard in football. No, really. He's an animal who dominates on a weekly basis.

How good has this offensive line been? A season ago, the unit ranked 32nd in pass blocking, according to Football Outsiders, after giving up 56 sacks. In 2018? They improved to second, allowing just 18(!) sacks.

01-06-2019, 04:45 AM

It starts with general manager Chris Ballard, who spent the offseason
fixing the offensive line. No. 6 overall pick Quenton Nelson is already
the best guard in football. No, really.
Someday Viking fans.... someday.

01-06-2019, 05:23 AM

Understood and agree. But their defense was also surprisingly good. Team sport. GM has to fill all the weaknesses with good players, but not necessarily great players. Drafting extra stars in the first round leaves weaknesses elsewhere.

01-06-2019, 01:07 PM

Don't forget Dallas, too...

01-06-2019, 01:39 PM

Quote: @Ralphie said:
From a CBS Sportsline article on today's game. Change can be immediate when you get the right personnel....

Be very afraid of this Colts teamUnlike previous versions of this team, which relied mostly on the offense to do the heavy lifting because the defense was rarely good enough to hold onto a lead, this group is completely different. It starts with general manager Chris Ballard, who spent the offseason fixing the offensive line. No. 6 overall pick Quenton Nelson is already the best guard in football. No, really. He's an animal who dominates on a weekly basis.
How good has this offensive line been? A season ago, the unit ranked 32nd in pass blocking, according to Football Outsiders, after giving up 56 sacks. In 2018? They improved to second, allowing just 18(!) sacks.

Colts deserve praise for this season. But all these reviews never mention that they absolutely SUCKED in 2017. This allowed them to have the #3 overall pick and trade down with the Jets and select Nelson.
Kind of nice for a GM to have that kind of draft ammo.
Any of us who post here could have selected Nelson.
The Darius Leonard pick turned out very well. I bet he thinks about Brian O'Neill instead of Braden Smith though.
The other thing a lot of places are giving him credit for is because all the draft picks made the final 53.
It's like the Vikings in 2011 & 2012. The depth was so terrible that the draft picks had a hard time NOT making the team!

01-06-2019, 05:44 PM

Quote: @StickyBun said:
1st round pick on a center in 2016. 1st and 2nd round guards in 2018. Maybe best O-line in NFL. 4 top 40 picks on the starting unit. It ain't rocket science....OL matters.

Yet we've still got some on the board that can't see it but want us to STILL go 'BPA' in round 1 and 2. 'BPA'....lol....there isn't any best players available for the Vikings that don't involve offensive linemen in the Draft. Period. It won't get fixed otherwise. Ignore it again in this Draft and the Vikings will take a step toward the NFCN bottom.

So reaching for a need (Treadwell) is now fine for you? Cuz TBro would have you believe that there are no 1st Round OL available.

Then again, nearly every single Mock I've seen has at least 4 and as many as 7 O-Linemen going in the 1st.

But lets say he's right. Would you take a player you gave a firm 2nd Round grade to over say Dexter Lawrence, whom you may have a Top 10 grade on?

Years ago I advocated your stance and claimed that no Defensive player Drafted in the 1st would be able to make as much of an improvement to an already stout Defense versus taking a lower ranked player to help a very talent-poor Offense....Rick chose Treadwell.

I've learned my lesson.

But lets talk about that Indy Line. 2nd Round Rookie RT, young Center. And in between them? Mark Glowinski.

Who? Former 4th Round pick of the SeaHags in 2015. Started 16 games at LG in 2016, slated as the starting RG for 2017 but lost his job and was eventually waived. That's not easy to do on a team that had several years of awful Line play.

A lot of you had spat out ultimatums like 'the FO better not sign some no-name bust from another team'. The Colts did just that very thing, and it worked great. Glowinski is getting a ton of praise for brining a veteran presence between the young Center and Rookie RT.

Let's look at last year's Champs. The Eagles signed Brandon Brooks a few years back after the Houston Texans drafted him in the 3rd and he failed to live up to expectations.

These absolutes that get thrown around this time of year like 'HAVE to use a 1st on a Guard' or 'Better not sign anyone I never did my homework on and have never heard of' are how bad teams build shitty rosters.

You can pick Cody Ford in the 2nd and sign Glowinski in FA and you didn't screw this teams chances next year. I'd personally try to draft 2 guys and sign a FA, but I'm not going to declare the offseason a bust if Rick doesn't do that.