Jump to content

2019 Defense Thread


SemperFeist

Recommended Posts

Over Minnesota's past six games, Anthony Harris has picked off Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, owners of three of the four lowest interception percentages in the NFL this season. The fifth-year safety has come a long way from undrafted practice squad player, as some of the league's best quarterbacks have been reminded recently. Harris, who became a full-time starter last year, tied for the regular-season league lead with six interceptions in 2019.

Only 13 safeties were drafted in 2015, with just four of them coming off the board in the first three rounds. Harris, who also played quarterback and wide receiver in high school in Chesterfield, Virginia, just outside of Richmond, had an injury-limited senior season at Virginia that contributed to him being passed over. But the Vikings made him a priority free-agent signing, now counting him as one of their several success stories with undrafted players.

Harris: "It's been a long journey, but I look at it as a continuous thing. It's not just something like, 'Now I'm here. Now I've arrived.' It's going to be a continuous process for me. It's just been embracing the opportunity that I have."

https://kfan.iheart.com/featured/vikings-blog/content/2020-01-08-ball-hawking-harris-has-been-vikings-secondary-success-story-kfanvikes/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, swede700 said:

Well, now they've screwed themselves...he'll be asking for Eddie Jackson money...

 

I am already expecting the 3rd round compensatory pick for him; I just don't see how we will fit many of our own free agents under the little cap room we have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, perrynoid said:

I am already expecting the 3rd round compensatory pick for him; I just don't see how we will fit many of our own free agents under the little cap room we have.

He should be made the priority, even over all of the free agent CBs. There’s no reason to keep someone like Reiff or Joseph on the team over Harris. I’d expect $10-12 million per year for Harris. Safety’s do tend to be slightly underpaid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He'll 'definitely' be made the priority, the priority generally goes to the good young player, receiving 1st big contract.

Some combination of Reiff, Waynes, Rhodes, Joseph will not be retained/released, to give room to Harris' contract.

Its sad that Hughes/Mak are out for us, this will definitely will be the only time everyone is on this squad.

Edited by CriminalMind
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, CriminalMind said:

He'll 'definitely' be made the priority, the priority generally goes to the good young player, receiving 1st big contract.

Some combination of Reiff, Waynes, Rhodes, Joseph will not be retained/released, to give room to Harris' contract.

Its sad that Hughes/Mak are out for us, this will definitely will be the only time everyone is on this squad.

I’d like to be able to bring back one of Alexander or Waynes, in additon to Harris. Just not sure who’s better to retain. If Waynes is lost, you’re starting Hughes and Hill with Alexander in the slot. If Waynes is signed, they’d need to find a new slot CB as I’d assume Hughes would start outside. Alexander is better than Waynes relative to his counterparts and should be cheaper,  but it will be difficult losing two full time CBs in one offseason.

Griffen is also proving to be a valuable piece to the defense.

Does cutting Rhodes, Joseph and Reiff buy us Griffen, Harris and Waynes/Alexander.

 

Edited by vikingsrule
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, vikingsrule said:

I’d like to be able to bring back one of Alexander or Waynes, in additon to Harris. Just not sure who’s better to retain. If Waynes is lost, you’re starting Hughes and Hill with Alexander in the slot. If Waynes is signed, they’d need to find a new slot CB as I’d assume Hughes would start outside. Alexander is better than Waynes relative to his counterparts and should be cheaper,  but it will be difficult losing two full time CBs in one offseason.

Griffen is also proving to be a valuable piece to the defense.

Does cutting Rhodes, Joseph and Reiff buy us Griffen, Harris and Waynes/Alexander.

 

I think Waynes/Reiff are going to be the cap casualties (not retained/cut), while Rhodes gets a restructure. 
Sufficient funds should be than available for Harris + Mak (who should be the priority).
CB: Rhodes + Hughes + Mack Hill
S: Harrison + Harris

I think Joseph's play is enough to warrant a mini extension, that does not break the bank.

Puts pressure to draft a LT with a high pick ... which lines up with my preference (as well)

 

Edited by CriminalMind
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, CriminalMind said:

I think Waynes/Reiff are going to be the cap casualties (not retained/cut), while Rhodes gets a restructure. 
Sufficient funds should be than available for Harris + Mak (who should be the priority).
CB: Rhodes + Hughes + Mack Hill
S: Harrison + Harris

I think Joseph's play is enough to warrant a mini extension, that does not break the bank.

Puts pressure to draft a LT with a high pick ... which lines up with my preference (as well)

 

Still think LT, DT and CB will be the early draft priorities. Hopefully they get a deal done with Griffen. I’d hate to have to look for a new DE as well and depth is important.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven’t seen anything from Linval Jospeh to suggest that he should get any sort of extension. Quite the opposite, actually. Joseph is a guy that should expect to take a significant pay cut, or get cut. He’s not a liability by any means, but he’s not a play maker. And he’s certainly not worth his ~$12M salary. Armon Watts was just as effective as Joseph, he’s younger, and a lot cheaper. I’d roll next year with Watts, Johnson, and another draft pick.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

I haven’t seen anything from Linval Jospeh to suggest that he should get any sort of extension. Quite the opposite, actually. Joseph is a guy that should expect to take a significant pay cut, or get cut. He’s not a liability by any means, but he’s not a play maker. And he’s certainly not worth his ~$12M salary. Armon Watts was just as effective as Joseph, he’s younger, and a lot cheaper. I’d roll next year with Watts, Johnson, and another draft pick.

Oh, I do think they'll have to do something with him.  His dead money drops significantly, so they can renegotiate a lower guaranteed salary.  I think they still do need Linval, since he still occupies multiple o-linemen and frees up things for other players, but he is on the way to being out the door in the next 2 years.  

Edited by swede700
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, CriminalMind said:

the priority generally goes to the good young player, receiving 1st big contract

Harris is good but he's not young -- turns 29 before training camp next year. He's almost exactly a year younger than Rhodes, and 2.5 years older than Mac Alexander.

I really wanted the Vikings to extend him Harris this preseason, something like 3-4 more years for ~$7M AAV. He'll be much more expensive now.

Thing is, Zimmer has a track record of turning late round picks and UDFAs into good safeties -- not just Harris, but Sendejo and Iloka. I think they'd have a decent chance replacing him with another late round pick or developmental player. 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, Krauser said:

Harris is good but he's not young -- turns 29 before training camp next year. He's almost exactly a year younger than Rhodes, and 2.5 years older than Mac Alexander.

I really wanted the Vikings to extend him Harris this preseason, something like 3-4 more years for ~$7M AAV. He'll be much more expensive now.

Thing is, Zimmer has a track record of turning late round picks and UDFAs into good safeties -- not just Harris, but Sendejo and Iloka. I think they'd have a decent chance replacing him with another late round pick or developmental player. 

 

 

True...his age is really the only drawback to extending him...although, I think they still could, if he's willing to still take a 3-yr deal.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Krauser do you have a bigger picture idea that letting Harris walk fits into? Just genuinely curious really.

I'm fine with letting a talented player walk if there value to be gained elsewhere, and the team is going to have several tough decisions to make toward that end, but I personally felt that Harris and Mack had to be priorities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...