Minnesota Vikings
Owner: Zygi Wilf (majority), Mark Wilf, Jeffrey Wilf, Leonard Wilf, David Mandelbaum, Alan Landis, and Reggie Fowler
Founded: 1961
Stadium: Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
2010 record: 6-10
Last playoff appearance: 2009, 12-4, NFC North Champs, W34-3 DAL, L31-28 NO
General Manager: Rick Spielman (May 30, 2006 – current)
Head Coach: Leslie Frazier (2010 interim Head Coach – current, record as Head Coach 3-3)
Offensive Coordinator: Bill Musgrave
Defensive Coordinator: Fred Pagac
Defensive Alignment: 4-3
2010 NFL Rankings:
OFF: 17.6 PTS (29th) 314.9 YDS (23rd) 193.6 PASS (26th) 121.4 RUSH (10th)
DEF: 21.8 PTS (18th) 312.6 YDS (8th) 210.4 PASS (10th) 102.2 RUSH (9th)
Pro Bowlers: Adrian Peterson RB, Kevin Williams DT, EJ Henderson MLB, Antoine Winfield CB
2011 schedule:
1 Sep 11 at Chargers 4:15 PM Tickets
2 Sep 18 vs. Buccaneers 1:00 PM Tickets
3 Sep 25 vs. Lions 1:00 PM Tickets
4 Oct 02 at Chiefs 1:00 PM Tickets
5 Oct 09 vs. Cardinals 1:00 PM Tickets
6 Oct 16 at Bears 8:20 PM Tickets
7 Oct 23 vs. Packers 4:15 PM Tickets
8 Oct 30 at Panthers 1:00 PM Tickets
9 Bye
10 Nov 14 at Packers 8:30 PM Tickets
11 Nov 20 vs. Raiders 1:00 PM Tickets
12 Nov 27 at Falcons 1:00 PM Tickets
13 Dec 04 vs. Broncos 4:05 PM Tickets
14 Dec 11 at Lions 1:00 PM Tickets
15 Dec 18 vs. Saints 1:00 PM Tickets
16 Dec 24 at Redskins 1:00 PM Tickets
17 Jan 01 vs. Bears 1:00 PM Tickets
TEAM NEEDS: OG, DE, LB, S
Potential Free Agents:
Patrick Ramsey QB
Naufahu Tahi FB
Hank Baskett WR
Greg Lewis WR
Ryan Cook OT/G
Brian Robison DE – re-signed
Fred Evans DT – re-signed
Pat Williams DT
Chad Greenway OLB – franchise tag
Lito Sheppard CB
Frank Walker CB
Eric Frampton SS
Ryan Longwell K – re-signed –
Free agent acquisitions:
Devin Aromashodu WR (Bears)
Michael Jenkins WR (Falcons)
Charlie Johnson OT (Colts)
Remi Ayodele DT (Saints)
Free agent losses:
Tarvaris Jackson QB - signed by Seahawks
Sidney Rice WR - signed by Seahawks
Bryant McKinnie OT
Ray Edwards DE – Signed by Falcons
Ben Leber OLB – Signed with Rams
Madieu Williams S – signed with 49ers
Picks in 2011 Draft (overall draft grade: B+): One thing was clear for the Vikings in this draft: they needed their quarterback. They drafted Christian Ponder earlier than he was expected to be drafted, but while it wasn’t good value with our current knowledge of how he might do in the league, they got their most important position of need. The Ponder pick could prove to be great value if he becomes the starter and franchise QB. There are question marks that seem to put a cloud over this class after Ponder, though. Kyle Rudolph needs to recover from his hamstring injury, Christian Ballard apparently failed the drug test at the combine, and Demarcus Love was considered a second round talent until he went to the Senior Bowl. However, late round picks Brandon Burton, Stephen Burton, Ross Homan, and Brandon Fusco saved the Vikings’ grade from being worse.
(! Indicates draft pick who was interviewed, had a private workout, etc. prior to the draft according to my compiled list):
Rd 1, Pick 12 (12) Christian Ponder QB, Florida State! – The Vikings needed to get their guy, and they did. Ponder had some injury concerns, but he checked out medically and I think will be a good QB. He may be more ready than the other first round QB prospects.
Grade: B Rated: 27
Rd 2, Pick 11 (43) Kyle Rudolph TE, Notre Dame – Hamstring injury kept him out of first round.
Grade: B+ Rated: 47
Rd 4, Pick 9 (106) Christian Ballard DL, Iowa – reports of a failed drug test at the combine dropped him from second round consideration. Vikings have shown that they’re not concerned about character with this pick and last year’s selection of USC DE Everson Griffen. Griffen has already been in trouble with the law.
Grade: B Rated: 63
Rd 5, Pick 8 (139) Brandon Burton CB, Utah – good size at 6-0, but only decent speed (4.50) may prevent him from making a big impact.
Grade: A Rated: 75
Rd 6, Pick 3 (168) Demarcus Love OL, Arkansas – really struggled during senior bowl week. During games, he switched back and forth from left and right tackle.
Grade: B+ Rated: 144
Rd 6, Pick 5 (170) Mistral Raymond DB, USF! – team captain, had to walk on at USF. Obviously he showed enough potential and effort to get drafted in top 200. Will have to prove himself on special teams.
Grade: C Rated: NR
Rd 6, Pick 7 (172) Brandon Fusco OL, Slippery Rock – Raw player, but the mold is there for offensive line coach to shape into a good center.
Grade: A Rated: 166
Rd 6, Pick 35 (200) Ross Homan LB, Ohio State – Undersized, but good value here and will provide very good special teams play.
Grade: A Rated: 178
Rd 7, Pick 12 (215) D’Aundre Reed DL, Arizona – good end, but played behind Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore at Arizona.
Grade: C+ Rated: NR
Rd 7, Pick 33 (236) Stephen Burton WR, West Texas A&M – good size, decent speed, needs to improve route running, but the mold is there.
Grade: A+ Rated: 189
2010 Vikings’ Draft review:
Once again, I apologize for the shortness of the draft review. The Vikings didn’t have a lot of draft press conference video available. GM Rick Spielman said the Vikings interviewed USC defensive end Everson Griffen at the combine. He dropped in the draft but he was at top of their board when they picked him. However, as we saw recently, Griffen fell for a reason. He was recently arrested twice in three days in Los Angeles for public drunkenness and driving without a valid license, then running. Spielman said they always try to take best available player. He thought that once the kids get into the Vikings’ locker room, they’ll see how it (being in the NFL) works and they’ll grow up. Yea, that worked out well with Griffen. One of 30 players they brought in for a visit was Ryan D’Imperio LB from Rutgers. One criterion they scout on players is special teams ability. They give players a separate special teams grade. When asked about changes on the roster from the offseason, Spielman said it didn’t affect their picks or board at all. Stanford running back Toby Gerhart was a best available pick, as well. The Vikings had tried to trade up to get a few players, but weren’t able to find a trading partner. Former head coach Brad Childress addressed media and the only interesting thing he had to say was that he just sent a couple texts back and forth between him and Brett Favre during draft. I don’t think I even have to say the joke about Brett Favre texting here. You all are smart enough to put together the pieces of the puzzle.
Rd 2, Pick 2 (34) Chris Cook CB, Virginia – 6 games, 5 starts, 21 TCK, 2 PD
Rd 2, Pick 19 (51) Toby Gerhart RB, Stanford – 15 games, 1 start, 81 ATT, 322 YDS, 4.0 AVG, 1 TD, 21 REC, 167 YDS, 3 FMB lost
Rd 4, Pick 2 (100) Everson Griffen DE, USC – 11 games, 11 TCK
Rd 5, Pick 30 (161) Chris Degeare OT, Wake Forest – 8 games, 5 starts
Rd 5, Pick 36 (167) Nathan Triplett LB, Minnesota – released in final cuts, added to Chargers’ practice squad, ended season on Colts’ active roster
Rd 6, Pick 30 (199) Joe Webb QB, UAB – 5 games, 2 starts, 54-89, 60.7%, 5.4 YPA, 0 TD/3 INT, 60.9 RTG, 18 RUSH, 120 YDS, 2 TD
Rd 7, Pick 7 (214) Mickey Shuler TE, Penn State – cut after first two weeks of regular season, claimed by Dolphins
Rd 7, Pick 30 (237) Ryan D’Imperio LB, Rutgers – practice squad
Looking back at my grades for the Vikings’ 2010 draft class: The Vikings received a B grade from me for the 2010 NFL Draft class. I knew before the draft that a few teams, including the Vikings, were very high on Chris Cook. The Vikings traded back with the Lions and were able to get Cook with the 34th pick. I had him graded in the second round at 49 and thought maybe he could’ve lasted until then, but they probably had him at the top of their board there. I gave the value of that pick a B- and their other second round pick, Toby Gerhart, a B grade. I made a huge mistake…(Arrested Development anyone?). I had Everson Griffen rated as my 19th best player in the draft on my board, but he wasn’t taken until 100 by the Vikings. I gave him an A+, but I’ve got to change that to a C. His trouble with the law is not worth the number 100 overall pick now. So, looking at the Griffen, Triplett, and Shuler picks, I’m thinking I’ll drop their 2010 NFL Draft overall grade to a B-. Cook, Gerhart, Degeare, and Joe Webb ended up as good picks, but Griffen and the other players who got cut weren’t good values. Too many project players were taken in the later rounds rather than people who may have been able to contribute better to depth. I think Joe Webb would’ve sufficed for a project. He was a good pick as well, starting two games and showing some good skills. He was a B grade from me and I’ll have to move him up to a B+ for stepping in late in the year.
First Round Picks From Last 5 Years: Percy Harvin WR, Adrian Peterson RB, Chad Greenway LB
2010 Stat Leaders
Brett Favre 217-358 60.6% 2509 YDS 7.0 YPA 11 TD 19 INT 69.9 RTG
Adrian Peterson 283 ATT 1298 YDS 4.6 YPA 12 TD
Percy Harvin 71 REC 868 YDS 12.2 AVG 5 TD
Ryan Longwell 17-18 94.4% 48 LNG
Chad Greenway 144 TCK
Jared Allen 11 SCK
EJ Henderson, Husain Abdullah 3 INT
Out of Season Storylines (Because there is no offseason)
Leslie Frazier Named Full Head Coach
Vikings Search For A New Stadium