Reiff Released

O-line guru Mike Tice on if #Vikings move Brian O’Neill from right to left tackle: “If they move O’Neill over to left, you’re starting two new tackles (1 at different spot) & that scares me’’ Tice said O’Neill would command more money in a possible extension if he becomes the LT.

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 10, 2021

O-line guru Mike Tice said last year didn’t consider Riley Reiff a true left tackle & hasn’t changed tune “He plays winning football until he gets into the area of the contest when they have to throw the football & then he doesn’t shine. He’d be a better player on the right side"

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 10, 2021

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"supafreak84" said: Hate this move. I understand the money aspect but you find a way to keep your starting LT who had an excellent year. You are essentially now having to use a high draft pick to fill that spot and making a lateral move instead of improving the roster in another area. Nobody knows if Cleveland can fill that spot and even if he does it leaves you with a huge holes at BOTH guard positions. 

I'm fine with it. In my mock offseason, I went back and forth on whether it was best to keep him or cut him. We won't know the answer to that until we see how we replace him, and how we spend his $11.75 million in cap space. 

But it's funny to me how a team takes a LT in the 2nd round of the draft--a LT  most thought would go in the 1st round--but now with a year of experience, coaching and weight room, he's worthless. 

@"pattersaur" said:

. 

I still like Cleveland a lot. But replace Rieff with Cleveland and now you gotta fill his hole. 

@"pattersaur" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"supafreak84" said: Hate this move. I understand the money aspect but you find a way to keep your starting LT who had an excellent year. You are essentially now having to use a high draft pick to fill that spot and making a lateral move instead of improving the roster in another area. Nobody knows if Cleveland can fill that spot and even if he does it leaves you with a huge holes at BOTH guard positions. 

I'm fine with it. In my mock offseason, I went back and forth on whether it was best to keep him or cut him. We won't know the answer to that until we see how we replace him, and how we spend his $11.75 million in cap space. 

But it's funny to me how a team takes a LT in the 2nd round of the draft--a LT  most thought would go in the 1st round--but now with a year of experience, coaching and weight room, he's worthless. 

I still like Cleveland a lot. But replace Rieff with Cleveland and now you gotta fill his hole. Plus there’s the matter of Dozier’s vacant spot. So whether it’s through FA or the Draft, OL just became a much more pressing need. Darrisaw come on down?

The move sure takes away optionality.  Rieff was an average LT, but he was being paid like an average LT.  Normally I'd say that guard is a fairly easy position to fill, but the Vikings of late have sure shown that is not the case for them.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"supafreak84" said: Hate this move. I understand the money aspect but you find a way to keep your starting LT who had an excellent year. You are essentially now having to use a high draft pick to fill that spot and making a lateral move instead of improving the roster in another area. Nobody knows if Cleveland can fill that spot and even if he does it leaves you with a huge holes at BOTH guard positions. 

I'm fine with it. In my mock offseason, I went back and forth on whether it was best to keep him or cut him. We won't know the answer to that until we see how we replace him, and how we spend his $11.75 million in cap space. 

But it's funny to me how a team takes a LT in the 2nd round of the draft--a LT  most thought would go in the 1st round--but now with a year of experience, coaching and weight room, he's worthless. 

I would hope that if they put Cleveland at LT that they would resign Rashod Hill as a decent, cheap insurance.

Write this down: Kyle Hinton will be a starting guard this year -- and he will be good.  That is my offseason, out-of-left-field prediction.

@"PurpleCrush" said: https://twitter.com/christomasson/status/1369785188717314048

amazing no one has mentioned that this move opens up the door for a Orlando Brown trade

Brown and the Ravens 1st for 14 and our best 3rd

Still grab a DE in the first, still have capital to get Atkins

The guards were a problem last yr. The revisionist history buffs who make it out that Cleveland was our answer at that position is pretty funny. Cleveland should be better at T where he won't get bum rushed by a 320 lb. DT. We need help at both guard positions, but can find them in FA or 3rd rd. We're still in need of DT help. Hope we can trade back in the 1st, get our guy. 

@"supafreak84" said: Hate this move. I understand the money aspect but you find a way to keep your starting LT who had an excellent year. You are essentially now having to use a high draft pick to fill that spot and making a lateral move instead of improving the roster in another area. Nobody knows if Cleveland can fill that spot and even if he does it leaves you with a huge holes at BOTH guard positions. 

this group has been so good at identifying and developing stud offensive lineman that they can afford to lose one of their top two players. Plug and play!!!

@"VikingOracle" said: Write this down: Kyle Hinton will be a starting guard this year -- and he will be good.  That is my offseason, out-of-left-field prediction.

Since nobody has any money, and those that do will get all the splash players first...

Isnt it easy to assume that Rieff will be in that 2nd tier and might go cheap on a 1 yr deal?  No one else has money to sign “average” OL guys either. 

At some point, the Vikings had to clear out some big contracts and let younger players take over. Irv Smith is taking over for Rudolph and they have two players in Cleveland and O'Neill who could take over for Reiff. There is also a decent chance that a good LT prospect is available within striking distance of 14 and they could even opt to bring back Hill and give him a chance at LT. So I think that the Vikings are positioned as well as they could hope to be to replace Reiff. The big thing now is that they need to use the freed up cap space to address other areas of need like DT and/or interior line to give them more flexibility in the draft.

That's not to say that replacing Reiff will be easy, since he played at a high level, especially last season, but I like that they have multiple options to replace him.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"comet52" said: Amazed they actually made a smart move for a change.

I don't know how "smart" it is to take the best offensive lineman off a team with offensive line problems. But the Vikings obviously feel good about their other options there and want some money to improve the defense. 

why do I have the feeling we are clearing money for a “splash” trade?