swede700 Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Let's start with the starting Left Guard position... 2020 depth at the position: Dakota Dozier, Kyle Hinton 2021 Outgoing Free Agents: Dakota Dozier Potential Free Agents Available: Joe Thuney, Nick Easton, Ethan Pocic, Jermaine Eluemunor, Forrest Lamp Potential Draftees: Alijah Vera-Tucker, Wyatt Davis, David Moore, Jack Anderson Now we know that there isn't a lot of money to spend in the free agent market, but what should the Vikings do to improve this position? Sign a free agent, Draft a replacement, or Promote from Within? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 My preference would be to sign Joe Thuney. A move like that would likely require them to release Riley Reiff, but for a guard like Thuney, I’d easily make that move. However, given cap restrictions and recent talk surrounding Riley Reiff, I would expect the team to extend him. So, with that in mind, I voted for drafting a starting guard. However, finding a spot starting FA like Easton should be done If looking in the draft I’d like to see a trade down, and draft Dillon Radunz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vikes22 Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I picked, draft a OG.. I think this the best way to go. I think we should cut some players and I think we will see some players restructure there contracts to help free up money. I hope we go after Trey Hendrickson in FA. We need a D-line that gets pressure on QB’s. Hunter and Pierce are gonna make a huge difference. But, adding Hendrickson in FA and draft a DT ( I want Barmore in the 1st) could put our line near the top and really help our young CB’s get better. I would draft a OG in the 3rd round. Should be some good players left. Also, I would hope that if a OG falls, we would actually trade up and get them. That’s what I want.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrplChilPill Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I can't see how they afford a good LG in FA.....so it has to be draft. It better not be "rely on our ability to develop one that wasn't picked early", because they've shown for over five years now, they have zero ability to do that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 18 minutes ago, PrplChilPill said: I can't see how they afford a good LG in FA.....so it has to be draft. It better not be "rely on our ability to develop one that wasn't picked early", because they've shown for over five years now, they have zero ability to do that. I’m seeing the defense as a bottom tier unit and the offense as a top tier unit, when Cousins isn’t playing terrible football. Don’t see how early resources can go to a LG this year given the current shape the defense is in. Id lean towards bringing in a vet like Nick Easton and drafting a mid round rookie (round 3 or round 4). Save that top pick for an impact DT or shutdown CB. Could even look at DE as a legit need too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrplChilPill Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 33 minutes ago, vikingsrule said: I’m seeing the defense as a bottom tier unit and the offense as a top tier unit, when Cousins isn’t playing terrible football. Don’t see how early resources can go to a LG this year given the current shape the defense is in. Id lean towards bringing in a vet like Nick Easton and drafting a mid round rookie (round 3 or round 4). Save that top pick for an impact DT or shutdown CB. Could even look at DE as a legit need too. That's fine, just know that LG will be awful then (I agree they desperately need DT help). But I'd not draft a mid-round OL. They've shown they can't even make them serviceable at this point. Just draft all D and TE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 (edited) I picked other. The team ought to sign a free agent and also draft a LG. It would be great if the Vikings were able to use their first round pick on a G, but there is no way to know that nor is there a way to know how any draft pick will work out. As such, they have to sign someone in free agency can can provide competent play -- someone a lot better than Dakota Dozier. Edited February 16, 2021 by Cearbhall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 7 minutes ago, PrplChilPill said: That's fine, just know that LG will be awful then (I agree they desperately need DT help). But I'd not draft a mid-round OL. They've shown they can't even make them serviceable at this point. Just draft all D and TE. What DT that the Vikes drafted in the mid rounds has performed well for that matter? I think you can make the same argument for DT as is being made for OG. Except IOL has seen significant investment the past two drafts (Bradbury and Cleveland), DT has not. The Vikes have a terrible track record at DT under Zimmer. Shamar Stephen is the only one that has managed to be a decent player but even he’s proving to not be a good starter. I don’t think Easton is awful like Dozier is if they go that route. Not ideal of course, but what alternative is there with no second round pick and limited cash to spend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrplChilPill Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 1 hour ago, vikingsrule said: What DT that the Vikes drafted in the mid rounds has performed well for that matter? I think you can make the same argument for DT as is being made for OG. Except IOL has seen significant investment the past two drafts (Bradbury and Cleveland), DT has not. The Vikes have a terrible track record at DT under Zimmer. Shamar Stephen is the only one that has managed to be a decent player but even he’s proving to not be a good starter. I don’t think Easton is awful like Dozier is if they go that route. Not ideal of course, but what alternative is there with no second round pick and limited cash to spend. So, they can't develop any OL or DT that aren't high picks.....sounds like a coaching and drafting problem (for a long time now).......because other teams sure do. It's why I wasn't a fan of Jefferson being picked...which he's great, but that's irrelevant if they can't give up less than 10000000 points per game. Jefferson was a great pick for sure but the team stinks because it's a team game.....and they don't have a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I voted draft. Not sure if it will be a first round selection or not, because position scarcity and depth on the team may necessitate the early selection of a DT. Ideally, we could bring in a starting 3T from free agency (Short, Rankins, et al) after moving some money around and focus on the interior offensive line and edge of the defensive line in the draft where there's a little depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeydudemanG Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 You're not guaranteed a good player even with a first round pick. I say sign a vet no matter what and take a couple shots in the draft. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelKing728 Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Zeitler is out there, right? That's my pick to fill OL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc_vikingfan Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 I really wished Dennison would've tried Udoh at OG against Detroit. I believe he could be Osmele(sp). I'm going to say draft. Vikings have so many mid round picks it makes more sense to draft one. They don't need a All-Pro there but someone who can at least be reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 58 minutes ago, dc_vikingfan said: I really wished Dennison would've tried Udoh at OG against Detroit. I believe he could be Osmele(sp). I'm going to say draft. Vikings have so many mid round picks it makes more sense to draft one. They don't need a All-Pro there but someone who can at least be reliable. Expecting any of the backups that couldn't beat out Dozier to be solid starters this coming season reminds me of last season when some people thought that Dru Samia might suddenly be worth starting even though he never was able to beat out the team's dreck. People often get expectations this time of year that are way out of line with the evidence. You have to guard against that. I have been burned by that too many times myself. Samia, Isidora, Elflein, Yankey, OT moved to G of the year... Anyone that couldn't beat out Dozier will be doing well if they can prove to be a good backup to whoever the Vikings bring in to start, which will likely not be anyone good if this year is like a standard Rick Spielman year. The team needs to sign a free agent guard that has proven to be at least reliable. If they are unable to do that, they need to trade whatever the cost may be to get a decent guard. Then the team needs to draft a guard as well. Maybe too. That is the corner that Rick Spielman has backed the organization into. If/when (when) he fails, I'll be calling for his head (again). The man is lost with respect to offensive line building. He is what he is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 7 hours ago, Cearbhall said: I picked other. The team ought to sign a free agent and also draft a LG. It would be great if the Vikings were able to use their first round pick on a G, but there is no way to know that nor is there a way to know how any draft pick will work out. As such, they have to sign someone in free agency can can provide competent play -- someone a lot better than Dakota Dozier. True but who in the world would that be? Nick Easton they probably could not even afford and he has pretty bad injury issues and his career might be over. That is the only one that comes to mind because the rest we probably cannot afford. Dan Feeney and Forrest Lamp I would love but the Chargers will pay one if not both of them and doubt the Vikings could afford either one. Vikings only real option is drafting one because doubt they could sign one, Josh Kline still hated that deal to death when they did it and he was a massive waste of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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