2020 Sign, Draft or Promote: Starting LG

[ArcticNorseman]

This is a tough call in a lot of ways.  Offensive lines perform best when they have chemistry and longevity.  The center and LT are usually the cornerstones; however, the line the Vikes had in the late '90s was exceptional and again when Hutch, Birk, Herrara, McKinney and Loadholt.  

I feel like the Center, RG and RT positions need to stay as they were last season.  If a LT were drafted and the kid beat Reiff out for the starting role, so be it.  At LG, Elflein just looked undersized, underdeveloped/weak.  It's a position where a team needs an enforcer . . . a beast.  Unfortunately, as Vikings fans we've been treated to Randall McDaniel, Steve Hutchison and scratching way back, wasn't Ed White and Dave Huffman long-term LGs for the team?  

When I look back over the years, great teams always seem to have the LT everyone talks about who's bookend has been on the team 3 or 4 years with him, a Center that calls all the shots, and to guards that no one knows, unless they're Steve Hutchison/Quentin Nelson types.  I don't want the Vikes to bring in another FA . . . either mold a young guy, or draft a stud.  Maybe Samia has developed the past year?  

They way the Vikes are pressured under the Cousins 3 year window, I just don't see that chemistry/longevity forming, unless they let Elflein and Samia duke it out.  Unfortunately, I feel they have to replace Reiff too.  So, here we go again.

[VikeManDan]

I know he is a RG and it sounds like they're ramping up contract talks but I'd make a serious pitch for Brandon Scherff. If we're not going to re-sign one of our big 3 (Harris, Mac, Waynes) there's got to be a way to afford Scherff.

Scherff scenario aside there is no way the team can put Elflein back out there as a starter. I'd like to see Brett Jones and Dozier brought back as cheaper depth and camp competition with Samia and a rookie OG. Let those 4 duke it out for the LG spot.

[SteelKing728]

Would anyone trade for Elflein?

[vikingsrule]

1 hour ago, SteelKing728 said:

Would anyone trade for Elflein?

A 3rd round LG who’s been well below average? Who would want that? Especially on a team who can barely field an OL of average caliber starters.

[Guest]

I would LOVE Brandon Scherff on this line, however, no way the Vikings are going to afford him this year.  I like the idea of Samia somewhere on the line this year, even if it means moving Klein to the left side.  I don't want to move Reiff inside.  In fact, I think he'll wind up as a salary purge.  I suspect the Vikings will go LT in the first or second.  I hope that a decent guard will also be available in the third.  So, my draft would be: 1st Rd: Left Tackle, 2nd Rd: DT, 3rd Rd: Guard.

[SteelKing728]

13 hours ago, vikingsrule said:

A 3rd round LG who’s been well below average? Who would want that? Especially on a team who can barely field an OL of average caliber starters.

We've seen teams trade for bad players before. Offensive Lineman play across the league is down and someone may be willing to trade for him at the right price.

I'd say Kline was a little better the than average and O'Neill was far better than average. The rest were below average.

[VikeManDan]

32 minutes ago, SteelKing728 said:

The rest were below average.

Were my eyes not seeing something or was Reiff as bad as people are saying he was last year? 

[swede700]

29 minutes ago, VikeManDan said:

Were my eyes not seeing something or was Reiff as bad as people are saying he was last year? 

He wasn't bad.  He was average.  

[Hyperborean]

Samia should get a shot at starting this season.  Kline isn't awful but Elflein has been pretty close (how can a guy be THAT dominant in college and be this bad as a pro?  I don't get it).  If Samia can't get it done, you know what you've got (a backup) and you can keep looking.  I'm not much on "developing" guys tbh.  If you can't play, go away.  Wasting draft picks and money on guys you don't trust to take the field seems like a weird way to run things.

[vikesfan89]

59 minutes ago, Hyperborean said:

Samia should get a shot at starting this season.  Kline isn't awful but Elflein has been pretty close (how can a guy be THAT dominant in college and be this bad as a pro?  I don't get it).  If Samia can't get it done, you know what you've got (a backup) and you can keep looking.  I'm not much on "developing" guys tbh.  If you can't play, go away.  Wasting draft picks and money on guys you don't trust to take the field seems like a weird way to run things.

A 4th round pick should play right away or not be on the team?

[Hyperborean]

1 hour ago, vikesfan89 said:

A 4th round pick should play right away or not be on the team?

Absolutely!  

He's a second year player now.  Rereading my post, it might sound that way.  I was actually thinking more like the top picks, first and second rounds.  Don't tell me you can't read my mind!

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, Hyperborean said:

Absolutely!  

He's a second year player now.  Rereading my post, it might sound that way.  I was actually thinking more like the top picks, first and second rounds.  Don't tell me you can't read my mind!

I hear you...but I have noticed that even 1st round offensive linemen usually have a tough adjustment to starting right away.  Quentin Nelson and a couple of others did ok from the beginning, but they are extremely rare these days. 

[VikeManDan]

With Carolina trading Trai Turner to the Chargers for Russell Okung I wonder if Forrest Lamp could be had for cheap.

[SemperFeist]

On 3/5/2020 at 10:30 AM, VikeManDan said:

With Carolina trading Trai Turner to the Chargers for Russell Okung I wonder if Forrest Lamp could be had for cheap.

I would certainly make a phone call. Lamp was one of my favorite players in the draft process in 2017. I wouldn’t offer more than a 5th however, probably nothing better than a compensatory level 5th. You’re either only getting a player for 1 year, or you’re going to be responsible for a contract extension. 

Edited March 9, 2020 by SemperFeist