Moving O'Neill

Yeah, I agree with the premise that Udoh is a natural RT. I think that is his optimal position. His length would be completely wasted inside at guard. But IMO Cleveland is the future LT on this team, O'Neill stays right where he is and Udoh's upside is #1 backup swing OT. Which is pretty damn good considering where he came from. He's still raw regardless of this article's assertion that he's a starter. For me, Reiff sucks and I've felt like that since he was signed in Minnesota. I think Hill won't be on the team next year, but Udoh grabs that spot next year.

I know you feel the same way, but I LOVE the potential starting O-line in 2021. 

I am warming to the idea of trying ONeill at LT this year since it basically going to be a throw away year anyway.  The strength of our schedule coupled with the shit offseason will make it very tough to compete with so many rookies.

I like how the team has built up the OT talent, but I'm still very concerned with OGs.  Kline was the be best guard on the team, and he's gone.  Lots of questions to be answered at the guard position.  Hope they actually have a plan, and most of all, I hope it works.

@"HappyViking" said: I like how the team has built up the OT talent, but I'm still very concerned with OGs.  Kline was the be best guard on the team, and he's gone.  Lots of questions to be answered at the guard position.  Hope they actually have a plan, and most of all, I hope it works.

They can still bring Kline back for cheap, but if they do, I think it will be to compete on the left instead of the right. His best years were at LG with the Pats. I think they would do that in two circumstances: 1. Elflein doesn't improve and is released. 2. They want to keep Cleveland at tackle. That would leave Reiff and signing Kline as the only options at LG. And the team might just decide that it's a better cap value to put Kline there at vet min than Reiff at $10M per....especially with Cook and Harris money pending. Hell, Kline might be a better LG than Reiff at EVEN money. 

@"StickyBun" said: Yeah, I agree with the premise that Udoh is a natural RT. I think that is his optimal position. His length would be completely wasted inside at guard. But IMO Cleveland is the future LT on this team, O'Neill stays right where he is and Udoh's upside is #1 backup swing OT. Which is pretty damn good considering where he came from. He's still raw regardless of this article's assertion that he's a starter. For me, Reiff sucks and I've felt like that since he was signed in Minnesota. I think Hill won't be on the team next year, but Udoh grabs that spot next year.

I know you feel the same way, but I LOVE the potential starting O-line in 2021. 

One has to take the stats in context as well.  Week 17 was the backups playing against a chicago team that had largely quit.  Mack was making "business decisions" rather than playing football.
So while Udoh has potential, I am not ready to crown him off one good showing against a disinterested opponent.  But the good news is, we finally have some solid youth and potential at backup tackle. 

in my highly researched opinion,
Reiff stays at LT this year while Cleveland gets his feet wet and learns the position.  If Reiff gets dinged, Cleveland will have his "O'Neill moment" to take the job and not look back. 
LG is wide open.  Elf, Collins or perhaps someone like Kline as MB mentions. 
C is locked down with BradburyRG is Samia or CollinsRT is O'Neill
I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

Maybe not in '20, but making those moves now might set us up for having the best line we can possibly field (perhaps even a legitimately great line) in '21. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

Maybe not in '20, but making those moves now might set us up for having the best line we can possibly field (perhaps even a legitimately great line) in '21. 

and odds are even if Reiff sticks around this year,  he wont be on the roster next year at his contract number and will likely want to test FA before taking a big pay cut... so see what we've got in house this year.   I do wish if they were going to screw with the OL that they would have waited on Cousins extension to see what kind of year we have this year with a retooled OL and a new fleet of corner backs...but that decision has been made so away we go.

@"greediron" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

Maybe not in '20, but making those moves now might set us up for having the best line we can possibly field (perhaps even a legitimately great line) in '21. 

and odds are even if Reiff sticks around this year,  he wont be on the roster next year at his contract number and will likely want to test FA before taking a big pay cut... so see what we've got in house this year.   I do wish if they were going to screw with the OL that they would have waited on Cousins extension to see what kind of year we have this year with a retooled OL and a new fleet of corner backs...but that decision has been made so away we go.

I agree he likely won't be around next year.  But IMO his leadership will be very valuable with all the young guys in the room.  I get the look forward to 21, but I also want to look forward to 20.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

Maybe not in '20, but making those moves now might set us up for having the best line we can possibly field (perhaps even a legitimately great line) in '21. 

and odds are even if Reiff sticks around this year,  he wont be on the roster next year at his contract number and will likely want to test FA before taking a big pay cut... so see what we've got in house this year.   I do wish if they were going to screw with the OL that they would have waited on Cousins extension to see what kind of year we have this year with a retooled OL and a new fleet of corner backs...but that decision has been made so away we go.

I agree he likely won't be around next year.  But IMO his leadership will be very valuable with all the young guys in the room.  I get the look forward to 21, but I also want to look forward to 20.

i am having a hard time finding optimism for this season... maybe its the covid shit,  maybe its ... who knows,  I just have a feeling that we regress record wise this year...not enough to get into the top 10 draft picks where we can make a bid for a blue chip draft pick,  but just shitty enough to not play in january... and then we get another full offseason of we shouldnt have extended KC,  will Zim and Rick get fired.... all the regular Vikings fan shit that we go through far to often.

@"medaille" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

Maybe not in '20, but making those moves now might set us up for having the best line we can possibly field (perhaps even a legitimately great line) in '21. 

and odds are even if Reiff sticks around this year,  he wont be on the roster next year at his contract number and will likely want to test FA before taking a big pay cut... so see what we've got in house this year.   I do wish if they were going to screw with the OL that they would have waited on Cousins extension to see what kind of year we have this year with a retooled OL and a new fleet of corner backs...but that decision has been made so away we go.

I agree he likely won't be around next year.  But IMO his leadership will be very valuable with all the young guys in the room.  I get the look forward to 21, but I also want to look forward to 20.

i am having a hard time finding optimism for this season... maybe its the covid shit,  maybe its ... who knows,  I just have a feeling that we regress record wise this year...not enough to get into the top 10 draft picks where we can make a bid for a blue chip draft pick,  but just shitty enough to not play in january... and then we get another full offseason of we shouldnt have extended KC,  will Zim and Rick get fired.... all the regular Vikings fan shit that we go through far to often.

This season is going to be dominated by teams with great
coaching staffs and veteran teams that have stable rosters/coaches.  I think teams that are trying to change a lot
are going to struggle.  I think teams
with young coaches are going to struggle. 
I think the home field advantage is going to evaporate, except for
perhaps the cold weather stadiums in December, but the noise advantage is going
to be gone.

I think our team is always one of the more cerebrally sound
teams.  Playing in an empty stadium,
probably reduces the pressure on Cousins, so he has less big game jitters.  Zimmer and Kubiak have as much experience as
anyone.  I think a lot of how well we do in
the regular season comes down to our CB play, and how deep we go in the
playoffs will depend on our OLine.  If
Hughes and Hill play well and we only have one rookie exposed, that would be
amazing.  If Bradbury just adds some bulk
or technique to handle the pass rush, I’m feeling good about things.
I just don’t see any reason we’ll be worse than 8-8.  Zimmers down years still have us near playoff
caliber and they’re adding an extra team to the playoffs this year.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

I just don't see the massive movement of 4 positions being a good move for our offense.

Maybe not in '20, but making those moves now might set us up for having the best line we can possibly field (perhaps even a legitimately great line) in '21. 

and odds are even if Reiff sticks around this year,  he wont be on the roster next year at his contract number and will likely want to test FA before taking a big pay cut... so see what we've got in house this year.   I do wish if they were going to screw with the OL that they would have waited on Cousins extension to see what kind of year we have this year with a retooled OL and a new fleet of corner backs...but that decision has been made so away we go.

I agree he likely won't be around next year.  But IMO his leadership will be very valuable with all the young guys in the room.  I get the look forward to 21, but I also want to look forward to 20.

i am having a hard time finding optimism for this season... maybe its the covid shit,  maybe its ... who knows,  I just have a feeling that we regress record wise this year...not enough to get into the top 10 draft picks where we can make a bid for a blue chip draft pick,  but just shitty enough to not play in january... and then we get another full offseason of we shouldnt have extended KC,  will Zim and Rick get fired.... all the regular Vikings fan shit that we go through far to often.

I like the balance of your approach and prior to this draft I thought O'Neill to LT was their plan, but drafting Cleveland really confuses the issue. Both seem like natural LTs, but now O'Neill has almost 2 years experience at RT. Leaving him there gives them a sure thing - and Cleveland is more likely to adjust better if he stays in the position he played throughout college.

You may be designing this plan primarily around trying to find a spot for Udoh. I also love his potential, and he may outplay someone, but my hunch is that the team sees him as a longshot to become a starter and will see if he can stick around as a swing tackle. If he is one of 5 OTs competing, he'll have to prove he is a better player - or investment - than Hill. But my guess would be that Reiff stays at LT in case Cleveland isn't ready, and Udoh and Hill fight to be backup RT. But if Zimmer wants to keep 7 CBs, they might both be cut.