Xavier is a head case now

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/NickOlsonNFL/status/1202300073960464385?s=19

Now thats hilarious!!

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/NickOlsonNFL/status/1202300073960464385?s=19

I really miss that guy. :'(

He's sucked for 2 years. You don't suddenly come back after 2 years of sucking. He has a low football IQ and doesn't seem to want to prolong his career by making up for his losing a step by learning the game. 

Anybody that is shocked at the results this year from X havent been paying attention.  His decline was noticable all last year and even showed signs of fall off the last half of 17 when teams did start to take shots his way on occasion. 

I love the kids intensity but he really needed to make an adjustment last year if he wanted to keep playing at a high level.

As has been mentioned this isn't Terrace Newman we're talking about here. Xavier relied on his speed and physicality, not technique. Speed's gone. Physicality is now illegal. The end is nigh.

I'd really like to see another Veteran Reclamation Project.  Hasn't really been one since Terrance retired. Hughes, Mac, a Veteran in FA and a mid-round Draft Pick as insurance against Hill doing more stupid stuff.

The Draft really needs to focus on the trenches. The O-Line is still a piece or two away and the D-Line needs an outright rebuild.

3T, OT, DE, OG. No room for a high round CB. Time to work some of that Newman/Jones magic and get a vet in here. Remember it was just a few years ago that Gilmore looked like he was on the decline and Belicheat scooped him up and turned him around.

@"FSUVike" said: As has been mentioned this isn't Terrace Newman we're talking about here. Xavier relied on his speed and physicality, not technique. Speed's gone. Physicality is now illegal. The end is nigh.

I'd really like to see another Veteran Reclamation Project.  Hasn't really been one since Terrance retired. Hughes, Mac, a Veteran in FA and a mid-round Draft Pick as insurance against Hill doing more stupid stuff.

The Draft really needs to focus on the trenches. The O-Line is still a piece or two away and the D-Line needs an outright rebuild.

3T, OT, DE, OG. No room for a high round CB. Time to work some of that Newman/Jones magic and get a vet in here. Remember it was just a few years ago that Gilmore looked like he was on the decline and Belicheat scooped him up and turned him around.

I think you are spot on that we need to address our offensive and defensive line in the upcoming draft.  If we cut Rhodes, that should free up enough space to keep our secondary intact and we should expect Hughes to be ready to take over outside.  Hughes, Alexander, Waynes, Harris, and Smith is a good enough secondary that we don't need to spend an early pick on a CB.

If you look at where our roster is at heading into next season, we need a replacement for Griffen (especially if Weatherly leaves for a starting spot), potentially a replacement at LT (Reiff is getting long in the tooth and his cap number is HIGH), and another DT to replace Linval at some point in the next season or two. 

The game is still won in the trenches.  That should be our focus heading into 2020.  We're getting too old at some critical positions and it is time to start planning for that future.

@"Wetlander" said:

@"FSUVike" said: As has been mentioned this isn't Terrace Newman we're talking about here. Xavier relied on his speed and physicality, not technique. Speed's gone. Physicality is now illegal. The end is nigh.

I'd really like to see another Veteran Reclamation Project.  Hasn't really been one since Terrance retired. Hughes, Mac, a Veteran in FA and a mid-round Draft Pick as insurance against Hill doing more stupid stuff.

The Draft really needs to focus on the trenches. The O-Line is still a piece or two away and the D-Line needs an outright rebuild.

3T, OT, DE, OG. No room for a high round CB. Time to work some of that Newman/Jones magic and get a vet in here. Remember it was just a few years ago that Gilmore looked like he was on the decline and Belicheat scooped him up and turned him around.

I think you are spot on that we need to address our offensive and defensive line in the upcoming draft.  If we cut Rhodes, that should free up enough space to keep our secondary intact and we should expect Hughes to be ready to take over outside.  Hughes, Alexander, Waynes, Harris, and Smith is a good enough secondary that we don't need to spend an early pick on a CB.

If you look at where our roster is at heading into next season, we need a replacement for Griffen (especially if Weatherly leaves for a starting spot), potentially a replacement at LT (Reiff is getting long in the tooth and his cap number is HIGH), and another DT to replace Linval at some point in the next season or two. 

The game is still won in the trenches.  That should be our focus heading into 2020.  We're getting too old at some critical positions and it is time to start planning for that future.

@"Wetlander" said:

@"FSUVike" said: As has been mentioned this isn't Terrace Newman we're talking about here. Xavier relied on his speed and physicality, not technique. Speed's gone. Physicality is now illegal. The end is nigh.

I'd really like to see another Veteran Reclamation Project.  Hasn't really been one since Terrance retired. Hughes, Mac, a Veteran in FA and a mid-round Draft Pick as insurance against Hill doing more stupid stuff.

The Draft really needs to focus on the trenches. The O-Line is still a piece or two away and the D-Line needs an outright rebuild.

3T, OT, DE, OG. No room for a high round CB. Time to work some of that Newman/Jones magic and get a vet in here. Remember it was just a few years ago that Gilmore looked like he was on the decline and Belicheat scooped him up and turned him around.

I think you are spot on that we need to address our offensive and defensive line in the upcoming draft.  If we cut Rhodes, that should free up enough space to keep our secondary intact and we should expect Hughes to be ready to take over outside.  Hughes, Alexander, Waynes, Harris, and Smith is a good enough secondary that we don't need to spend an early pick on a CB.

If you look at where our roster is at heading into next season, we need a replacement for Griffen (especially if Weatherly leaves for a starting spot), potentially a replacement at LT (Reiff is getting long in the tooth and his cap number is HIGH), and another DT to replace Linval at some point in the next season or two. 

The game is still won in the trenches.  That should be our focus heading into 2020.  We're getting too old at some critical positions and it is time to start planning for that future.

@"Bullazin" said:

@"Wetlander" said:

@"FSUVike" said: As has been mentioned this isn't Terrace Newman we're talking about here. Xavier relied on his speed and physicality, not technique. Speed's gone. Physicality is now illegal. The end is nigh.

I'd really like to see another Veteran Reclamation Project.  Hasn't really been one since Terrance retired. Hughes, Mac, a Veteran in FA and a mid-round Draft Pick as insurance against Hill doing more stupid stuff.

The Draft really needs to focus on the trenches. The O-Line is still a piece or two away and the D-Line needs an outright rebuild.

3T, OT, DE, OG. No room for a high round CB. Time to work some of that Newman/Jones magic and get a vet in here. Remember it was just a few years ago that Gilmore looked like he was on the decline and Belicheat scooped him up and turned him around.

I think you are spot on that we need to address our offensive and defensive line in the upcoming draft.  If we cut Rhodes, that should free up enough space to keep our secondary intact and we should expect Hughes to be ready to take over outside.  Hughes, Alexander, Waynes, Harris, and Smith is a good enough secondary that we don't need to spend an early pick on a CB.

If you look at where our roster is at heading into next season, we need a replacement for Griffen (especially if Weatherly leaves for a starting spot), potentially a replacement at LT (Reiff is getting long in the tooth and his cap number is HIGH), and another DT to replace Linval at some point in the next season or two. 

The game is still won in the trenches.  That should be our focus heading into 2020.  We're getting too old at some critical positions and it is time to start planning for that future.

Hard to believe I’m disagreeing with you but I dont see Hughsie as an everydown outside corner. And dont get me wrong, i love hughsie as a prospect but i dont see him holding up against the allen robinson’s and kenny golidays of the league.     Maybe we could rotate mac outside, i think hughesie would be a helluva slot corner with a little more seasoning 

Yeah, Hughes has a bigger upside than Rhodes...more instinctive, better jump on the ball...and better at taking coaching...

@"BarrNone55" said: Yeah, Hughes has a bigger upside than Rhodes...more instinctive, better jump on the ball...and better at taking coaching...

he needs to play bigger though.  it wasnt until later in his career did we see opposing receivers really exploit Winfields lack of height,  but I have seen several times in limited reps that Hughes has allowed bigger receivers to go up over him and make plays.  its going to happen,  but Hughes needs to learn to move the recievers off their routes so that arent able to high point a ball over top of him.

@"FSUVike" said: Mac to the outside needs to happen in the offseason. As for Rhodes, he's toast. The speed is gone and it's never coming back. Ran the fastest MPH recorded in 2017 during a Pick 6. Now he can't stay with rookies.

Mac Alexander is a UFA. Sure, we might re-sign him...but will he believe that a coach that has shown excessive loyalty to his core of favorites is going to displace one of them to let him play outside - the same coach that criticized Alexander often in his first two years? Or sign with a team that has rewarded many of those favorite defensive players with nice contracts before their last year of free agency - but not him? Ditto regarding Waynes. They will both get offers elsewhere...and we're short of cap space again. Kearse is almost gone and Ant Harris is also a FA, who should be a priority signing (unless Sendejo is going to start again..) I think we all better get used to the idea of Hughes and Holton Hill starting at CB in 2020.

go to "over the cap.com" and take a stab at being a GM...  keep your rookie pool money in mind when you are creating deals for free agents.  we have a shit ton of veteran cap money that could be cut to create cap space,  but we have even more contributing youngsters that are coming into FA... and a QB that will be looking for a new deal as well.

I would rather have the growing pains of Hughes than the regression of Rhodes. 

Don't agree, JL. 1 & Done in the Playoffs (most likely scenario) and heading into the final Contract year for Kirk (and them, IIRC). Unless they're complete idiots, and we have no evidence to support that they are, Rick and Mike will do what they need to in order to try and get the Defense back on track. Their jobs in all likelihood will depend on it.

That means jettisoning big contracts for underperformers ala Rhodes & Griff. Reiff will likely be gone too. That means the cap room should be there to re sign whomever they want.

Mac is a Slot CB who will likely want a shot at playing Outside somewhere like he did in College. Minnesota knows him better than anyone else and is the most likely to give him that shot. Probably a tweener contract that pays him the Slot CB going rate with incentives for play on the Outside. Maybe even something shorter in length so that if he performs he can get Outside CB market rate after say 2 seasons.

I favor this option and adding a veteran FA at either Slot or Outside over retaining Waynes. 

Signing Harris shouldn't be hard. UDFA that got a chance with the Vikings who've steadily moved him up depth chart. And he's only been starting for what, a season and a half? Teams aren't going to be looking to break the bank for him. It will be a typical Brez Special. Kearse I could care less about. Guys like him in every Draft. 

Look for two Picks in the first 4 Rounds to be D-Line and a veteran CB that won't take long to get up to speed in Zimmer's system with Mac and Harris resigning, IMO. If the Draft Picks produce this Defense is back on track next year.

@"FSUVike" said: Don't agree, JL. 1 & Done in the Playoffs (most likely scenario) and heading into the final Contract year for Kirk (and them, IIRC). Unless they're complete idiots, and we have no evidence to support that they are, Rick and Mike will do what they need to in order to try and get the Defense back on track. Their jobs in all likelihood will depend on it.

That means jettisoning big contracts for underperformers ala Rhodes & Griff. Reiff will likely be gone too. That means the cap room should be there to re sign whomever they want.

Mac is a Slot CB who will likely want a shot at playing Outside somewhere like he did in College. Minnesota knows him better than anyone else and is the most likely to give him that shot. Probably a tweener contract that pays him the Slot CB going rate with incentives for play on the Outside. Maybe even something shorter in length so that if he performs he can get Outside CB market rate after say 2 seasons.

I favor this option and adding a veteran FA at either Slot or Outside over retaining Waynes. 

Signing Harris shouldn't be hard. UDFA that got a chance with the Vikings who've steadily moved him up depth chart. And he's only been starting for what, a season and a half? Teams aren't going to be looking to break the bank for him. It will be a typical Brez Special. Kearse I could care less about. Guys like him in every Draft. 

Look for two Picks in the first 4 Rounds to be D-Line and a veteran CB that won't take long to get up to speed in Zimmer's system with Mac and Harris resigning, IMO. If the Draft Picks produce this Defense is back on track next year.

Good plan - but depends on Zimmer turning off his loyalty setting and taking the risk of entrusting a bunch of core positions on his defensive unit to young or new players, something he has resisted. Maybe he has resisted with good reason - have we seen young players perform well for Zimmer without a couple years to learn?

And you are right there is some 2020 cap savings in Rhodes, Griffen, Rieff, Joseph - but that's also about $12M of dead cap, which Spielman and Brzezinski have always hated to carry.
I guess it depends on whether they really think their jobs are on the line in 2020. A lot of NFL owners are happy with their GM and coach as long as the team is "competitive"...

Heard Rhodes road the pine today...