Time to Panic?

[Uncle]

ESPN has their "Winners and Losers" from Day 1 of free agency and they have the Viking as a team under the "time to panic" headline, seeing as how they needed serious OL solutions and only walked away with Reiff. 

I don't disagree a bit and although I'm not at a panic stage yet, I think it's time to definitely worry. 

The problem is that it's not just the OL - the fact that A Jeffrey turned down a multi-year deal from Minnesota to be their #1 WR to go to Philadelphia on a 1-yr deal is really troubling and what does that say about the Vikings organization? We play in a brand, spanking-new stadium - indoors (not in the cold) - and are going to have brand new team facilities and an ownership group willing to spend money....and players almost always want more longer-term security than short deals, and we fail to land this guy? 

And we were reportedly heavy on Wagner, Kalil and Okung and lost out on all of them. Now Kalil and Okung received really, really ridiculous offers considering how below-average and injury prone they both are, but it does say something that Detroit let Reiff go and brought in Wagner - it feels like the Vikings had to settle for the scraps at the table a bit even though Reiff is an upgrade over what we trotted out last year at the OT position. 

To learn that Whitworth signed for $12m a year for 3 years in LA is a little disheartening, too. We don't know the #'s on Reiff, but if we assume he is being paid top-end RT money, we would have only had to pay a few more million a season for an elite-level LT while we groom Rashod Hill or a drafted rookie in that time-span. Now, we don't know if Whitworth was dead-set on LA no matter what the Vikings may or may not have offered, but from a fan standpoint, it is still somewhat disheartening. 

When it comes to our own players - it seems that S Floyd and his $6.7m cap hit will be a Viking (because he presumably couldn't pass a physical before yesterday) and it sort of seems that Thielen isn't exactly excited to be playing for $2.6m this season under a 2nd Rd tender and wouldn't mind being extended. 

Lastly, now we're bringing in the likes if M Remmers and E Lacey for visits - both who don't really strike anybody as upgrades at all. 

This was a very critical offseason for the Vikings, especially since the Vikings seemed to go "all-in" w/ the Bradford trade before last season...and it really seems like they are losing so far this offseason. Time to panic? It's only been 1 day into free agency (more if you consider the tampering period a few days before), so no, it's not time to panic. Time to worry? I would say, yes. 

[Purp1eOne]

Thing is Rick knew who would have to over spend on Oline help with the cap space these teams have it was a given and he wouldn't do it.

Now he is strategically getting those second tier guys that have worked out so well on the offense.

The Jefferies attempt was just dumb in my opinion, made him look desperate. Guy is good when healthy, but from living down here in Chicagoland, bad attitude, all about himself and often injured. Didn't get that one at all.

Remmers and Lacey are crap. Is Rick hoping for those 3 to 4 good games from Lacey?

[Uncle]

One of the big critical things this offseason is not having to go into the 2017 Draft having to absolutely "hit" on your picks to have a viable roster that could contend in 2017. Quite honestly, bringing in Mike Remmers doesn't scream "we're good at RT" - it still nearly forces us to have to get an OT in the early part of the draft or even trade up into the 1st to get Bolles or Ramczyk, and I think trading away picks is something we just can't afford to do.

And quite honestly, given Rick's track record in the Draft - like last year - having to hit on picks doesn't give me any warm and fuzzies about contending in 2017. It gives a feeling of 8-8 / 9-7, or if we're lucky a 10-win season and Rd 1 exit - no further progress than after the 2015 season.

[Purp1eOne]

I don't like the idea of drafting for need with high picks, take the best guy on the board or you usually end up reaching and hoping the pick works or just get an average guy which you can get in free agency.

[SmokedPears]

I'm not panicking or worried. I just don't have a lot of hope for the upcoming season.

[badgervike]

Mar 10, 2017 7:53:40 GMT -6 Uncle said:

ESPN has their "Winners and Losers" from Day 1 of free agency and they have the Viking as a team under the "time to panic" headline, seeing as how they needed serious OL solutions and only walked away with Reiff. 

I don't disagree a bit and although I'm not at a panic stage yet, I think it's time to definitely worry. 

The problem is that it's not just the OL - the fact that A Jeffrey turned down a multi-year deal from Minnesota to be their #1 WR to go to Philadelphia on a 1-yr deal is really troubling and what does that say about the Vikings organization? We play in a brand, spanking-new stadium - indoors (not in the cold) - and are going to have brand new team facilities and an ownership group willing to spend money....and players almost always want more longer-term security than short deals, and we fail to land this guy? 

And we were reportedly heavy on Wagner, Kalil and Okung and lost out on all of them. Now Kalil and Okung received really, really ridiculous offers considering how below-average and injury prone they both are, but it does say something that Detroit let Reiff go and brought in Wagner - it feels like the Vikings had to settle for the scraps at the table a bit even though Reiff is an upgrade over what we trotted out last year at the OT position. 

To learn that Whitworth signed for $12m a year for 3 years in LA is a little disheartening, too. We don't know the #'s on Reiff, but if we assume he is being paid top-end RT money, we would have only had to pay a few more million a season for an elite-level LT while we groom Rashod Hill or a drafted rookie in that time-span. Now, we don't know if Whitworth was dead-set on LA no matter what the Vikings may or may not have offered, but from a fan standpoint, it is still somewhat disheartening. 

When it comes to our own players - it seems that S Floyd and his $6.7m cap hit will be a Viking (because he presumably couldn't pass a physical before yesterday) and it sort of seems that Thielen isn't exactly excited to be playing for $2.6m this season under a 2nd Rd tender and wouldn't mind being extended. 

Lastly, now we're bringing in the likes if M Remmers and E Lacey for visits - both who don't really strike anybody as upgrades at all. 

This was a very critical offseason for the Vikings, especially since the Vikings seemed to go "all-in" w/ the Bradford trade before last season...and it really seems like they are losing so far this offseason. Time to panic? It's only been 1 day into free agency (more if you consider the tampering period a few days before), so no, it's not time to panic. Time to worry? I would say, yes. 

I'm disappointed in the Whitworth deal....Okung and Kalil...you can keep...especially for the money the teams paid to get them.  I'm guessing we're kicking the tires on Clady and Beachum right now as the second round starts.  We'll likely keep some $$ to enable the Vikings to make a move as teams start to pare down their rosters.  I might even think about going after Cameron Fleming on a 4th round tender.

The Jeffery deal always seemed odd to me anyway so that doesn't bother me much.  It appears that we submitted a multi-year offer (for less money) than the single year offer that Jeffery accepted.  Can't blame him much...multiyear offers don't mean much these days.  I'm hoping that Treadwell can become a redzone threat this year and that Morgan continues to grow in the offense.

The Lacey deal perplexes me too..if we're talking about an every down back.  I would much rather go after Latavius Murray or the equivalent that can run, catch and block in equal parts.  It keeps the defense off guard (and out of the backfield).

So...let's see how it plays out.  For all we know, our starting LT may already be on the team (Hill).  Ty Nsekhe came from nowhere last year and did extremely well.

[WisconsinVike]

Great points of view from all of you guys!!
I'm in the same camp as Smoked Pears in not expecting much of anything good happening this year again
Been a fan since 1968/69, and something doesn't feel right about this team,
don't know exactly what it is, but it is something.

[Purp1eOne]

Mar 10, 2017 9:11:42 GMT -6 WisconsinVike said:

I'm in the same camp as Smoked Pears in not expecting much of anything good happening this year again

If they don't fix the Oline..... Gee whats going to happen in the draft, already a weak class and every team knows we need them so they will just trade in front of the Vikings pick and take them. Then we will get to rounds 5 - 7 and Rick will load up and grab that guy that should have been a first or second round pick and load up with the rest of the picks and hope one works out

[Uncle]

Mar 10, 2017 8:58:07 GMT -6 badgervike said:

Mar 10, 2017 7:53:40 GMT -6 Uncle said:

So...let's see how it plays out.  For all we know, our starting LT may already be on the team (Hill).  Ty Nsekhe came from nowhere last year and did extremely well.

Agree, and that's why I'm more worried/concerned than any sort of panic at this point. 

To me, it does seem that Rick was yet again, "late to the party" of free agency, and while other teams were actively involved in the tampering period, Rick and the Front Office seemed like they were going the more traditional route. Well, while traditional and not overplaying your hand are fine, this team really is somewhat desperate on offense and the word from Rick prior to this period was that there would be "aggression". Obviously we don't know what's going on in Winter Park behind the scenes, but my first reaction is that Rick was behind the the proverbial eight ball at a time when he should have been in front of it. 

As far as Rashod Hill goes, I think the general thinking among fans was he would compete for the backup job and was a potential young LT to groom behind a stop-gap - not someone who could start Wk 1 of the 2017 season and entrench himself as even a league-avg OT (like Reiff). Even Geoff on VF admitted the other day that the "Vikes don't even know what they have in Hill". 

Now the general feeling and selling point seems to be Reiff holding down the fort on the left side while they bring in someone like Remmers to hold down the right side, and grooming either Hill or a 2017 Drafted rookie to take over at LT in 1-2 seasons and move Reiff back to RT. So the Remmers deal will likely be a 2-3 yr deal to stick out on the right side and when that deals up, Reiff moves over to RT while Hill or a 2017 Drafted rookie takes over the LT spot. 

It's not a horrible plan, but I don't think it was Plan A or B heading into this offseason, and leaves fans with the feeling that we "lost" so far when we really needed to "win". 

[Jayme96]

I'm not worried anymore. Signing Reiff was huge. Just take a step back and look at the roster:

OL: Boone, Berger, Sirles, Reiff - That's not a bad OL. Remember that Sirles was good at OG, just not a good OT. They are just lacking one OT now. If they sign Remmers, he's not good, but he's better than the turnstiles the Vikes have had recently. I mean he was good enough to start on a SB team, and everyone gets destroyed by Von Miller. So if they signed him, you'd have Reiff, Boone, Berger, Sirles, Remmers. That's a hell of a lot better OL than the shit they've trotted out there in recent years. Solid year for interior OL I think.

WR: Treadwell has another season under his belt and you already have Thielen and Diggs who are both good if healthy. Great draft for WRs IMO.

TE: Rudy actually played well and produced last year for the first time ever. If he can repeat that, we're fine. Great draft for TEs too.

QB: Bradford played outstanding last year, which was shocking given his statuesque playing style and the shit protection he got, and that's not even getting into his lack of familiarity with the scheme and targets. With better blocking and more familiarity, he should be much better this year.

RB: Adrian is gone (hopefully). Addition by subtraction. Great draft for RBs.

Defense:

DE: Guys are getting old, but they are 3-deep studs there.

DT: Undecided. If Floyd can play, he with Joseph and the other guys are good.

LB: Not a fan. Only 2 starters and they are always dinged up. There are some good LBs in the draft.

CB: The position is really thin if they lose Newman of Munnerlyn, but this draft is absolutely loaded at CB. I'd draft 2+.

S: Needs a big upgrade opposite Dirty Harry. Again, the draft is loaded here.





So in other words, I think this OL will be much improved. Addition by subtraction of Kalil for starters. That will allow the entire O to improve. Reiff can play all the positions except center. He's not a Joe Thomas, but he's a lot better than Kalil and Clemmings, especially in run blocking.

On D, the unit was already good but this draft is really good and you should be able to add 2-3 starter quality players if you choose to use them on D.

The situation isn't ideal since you are still weak at OT, even if Remmers is resigned, but I feel more confident about the moves the Vikes are making this year than I did last year. Reiff >>>>>>>>>>>> Kalil, Smith, Loadholt, Harris, Fusco, Long, Clemmings, and all the other shit they picked up/kept last year.

[SmokedPears]

Thanks for the optimism Jayme.

[njvikesfan]

Mar 10, 2017 7:53:40 GMT -6 Uncle said:

ESPN has their "Winners and Losers" from Day 1 of free agency and they have the Viking as a team under the "time to panic" headline, seeing as how they needed serious OL solutions and only walked away with Reiff. 

I don't disagree a bit and although I'm not at a panic stage yet, I think it's time to definitely worry. 

The problem is that it's not just the OL - the fact that A Jeffrey turned down a multi-year deal from Minnesota to be their #1 WR to go to Philadelphia on a 1-yr deal is really troubling and what does that say about the Vikings organization? We play in a brand, spanking-new stadium - indoors (not in the cold) - and are going to have brand new team facilities and an ownership group willing to spend money....and players almost always want more longer-term security than short deals, and we fail to land this guy? 

And we were reportedly heavy on Wagner, Kalil and Okung and lost out on all of them. Now Kalil and Okung received really, really ridiculous offers considering how below-average and injury prone they both are, but it does say something that Detroit let Reiff go and brought in Wagner - it feels like the Vikings had to settle for the scraps at the table a bit even though Reiff is an upgrade over what we trotted out last year at the OT position. 

To learn that Whitworth signed for $12m a year for 3 years in LA is a little disheartening, too. We don't know the #'s on Reiff, but if we assume he is being paid top-end RT money, we would have only had to pay a few more million a season for an elite-level LT while we groom Rashod Hill or a drafted rookie in that time-span. Now, we don't know if Whitworth was dead-set on LA no matter what the Vikings may or may not have offered, but from a fan standpoint, it is still somewhat disheartening. 

When it comes to our own players - it seems that S Floyd and his $6.7m cap hit will be a Viking (because he presumably couldn't pass a physical before yesterday) and it sort of seems that Thielen isn't exactly excited to be playing for $2.6m this season under a 2nd Rd tender and wouldn't mind being extended. 

Lastly, now we're bringing in the likes if M Remmers and E Lacey for visits - both who don't really strike anybody as upgrades at all. 

This was a very critical offseason for the Vikings, especially since the Vikings seemed to go "all-in" w/ the Bradford trade before last season...and it really seems like they are losing so far this offseason. Time to panic? It's only been 1 day into free agency (more if you consider the tampering period a few days before), so no, it's not time to panic. Time to worry? I would say, yes. 

The Alshon Jeffrey thing looks bad, but Wagner, Kalil and Okung did accept huge offers. I wouldn't think there is a bad perception of the Vikings based on us losing out on those players. Looks like they went with who offered them the most $$$. Missing on Whitworth is also disappointing. If we had signed Whitworth and Reiff I would be very happy.

I also think we are likely to resign AP to a relatively team friendly deal and probably draft a RB in the 3rd. If we can land one more decent Tackle in FA and draft a few Olinemen I think we are good going into 2017. We don't need to have an All pro Oline, we just need to be average and bring back AP. With our top 5 defense we can play with anyone. Keep in mind if we can score 20 points we will probably win most of our games. 

FAs are fool's gold. You almost always have to overpay a FA. I'm not upset that we didn't add some of the contracts we are seeing out there that are way over market value.