2023 Draft Talk

[SotanKing]

2 hours ago, swede700 said:

I think that'll be difficult with Dantzler entering the last year of his deal in 2023 and only Bynum, Evans, and Booth under contract beyond next year.  While they don't have to draft them in the first 2 rounds, I certainly think they are probably going to have to consider them in the mid-rounds and not just late.  

When I said late, I didn't mean like 5th, 6th round but rather after first 2 rounds. I was mainly considering first 2 rounds as early rounds

[swede700]

2 minutes ago, SotanKing said:

When I said late, I didn't mean like 5th, 6th round but rather after first 2 rounds. I was mainly considering first 2 rounds as early rounds

OK.  When I think late, I think 5th-7th and I think they'll have to consider CBs before that.  Depending upon how deep the CB market is in the draft, they'd be lucky to get anyone better than Kris Boyd after the 4th...and even as of last week, Boyd still appears to not be very good as a CB, despite being a pretty good STer.   

[PrplChilPill]

15 hours ago, vike daddy said:

But should Minnesota fall short of the Super Bowl yet again this postseason, it may be time to entertain the possibility that Cousins, while above average at the position, isn’t a championship-level signal caller.

Should the front office come to that conclusion, there is value in looking at a young successor late in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. A handful of options could be in play there, but the one with the most upside is probably Anthony Richardson out of the University of Florida.

The Vikings make sense as a destination for a player like Richardson. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is one of the more respected offensive minds in the league and comes from the new-school coaching circle of Los Angeles Rams football savant Sean McVay. At 37 years old, O’Connell speaks the language of today’s younger, dual-threat quarterbacks and has a better chance of helping Richardson reach his full potential than most head coaches in the NFL.

Furthermore, Cousins remains under contract through 2023, which affords Richardson a full year to sit on the bench and learn. There is no competition for the spot behind Cousins either, after the Vikings parted ways with Kellen Mond prior to the start of the year.

Cousins, who will be 36 following next season, will likely be looking for a multiyear deal. If Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was inclined to give him one, doing so would have made more sense before extending him on a one-year contract that carries a salary cap hit north of $36 million. In other words, Super Bowl or not, there is a good chance that 2023 is Cousins’ last year in a Vikings uniform, unless he’s willing to take a significant pay cut.

https://heavy.com/sports/minnesota-vikings/anthony-richardson-draft-kirk-cousins-replacement/?fbclid=IwAR3xEy7tWiSTh-cled5WWOjdZ6eIRZWxXTbUdsF6YjkfOpqSFGJK7sZkwRg

Or maybe having the worst defense among playoff teams, by far, is the issue...... They aren't winning the SB next year if they pass on fixing the defense at all. 

[VikeManDan]

Disappointed with The Draft Networks overhaul of their site. Feels way more clunky than the previous version.

[viking]

First round: Best WR available 

Remainder of the draft: Talent on defense 

 

FA: starters in the secondary 

[swede700]

57 minutes ago, VikeManDan said:

Disappointed with The Draft Networks overhaul of their site. Feels way more clunky than the previous version.

I feel the same way...I don't really like it.  It was so much easier to follow before.  

[ArcticNorseman]

Yep, the draft will be here before we know it.   I'm torn a bit on how the Vikings should be viewed weakness-wise.   First, I think the 3-4 defense requires a different type of player to be NT . . . Look back at the Vince Wilforks, Siragusas and Ngatas of the world.   I like Tomlinson, a lot, but we need young, quality depth behind him.    Tonga fits the bill and has played well.   The guy I'll be watching pre-draft is the big dude from Baylor.   He might be my choice for our first pick.   

In the 3rd Rd, I could see QB, CB, or LB being valuable.   After that, best available rules.  

[Ozzy]

48 minutes ago, ArcticNorseman said:

Yep, the draft will be here before we know it.   I'm torn a bit on how the Vikings should be viewed weakness-wise.   First, I think the 3-4 defense requires a different type of player to be NT . . . Look back at the Vince Wilforks, Siragusas and Ngatas of the world.   I like Tomlinson, a lot, but we need young, quality depth behind him.    Tonga fits the bill and has played well.   The guy I'll be watching pre-draft is the big dude from Baylor.   He might be my choice for our first pick.   

In the 3rd Rd, I could see QB, CB, or LB being valuable.   After that, best available rules.  

I agree a quality NT would be nice or even a solid DE type.  That DL needs to be improved because Lynch has disappointed, so has Blacklock and Bullard.  At least Otomewo has played well for a developmental DE and Tonga has been decent.  

 

 

Best part is that Luke Wypler declared for the draft, that means there will be a lot of very quality centers for the Vikings to pick from.  Patterson should be a top 10 pick so he is out, but Oluwatimi could be around late 1st, same with Schmitz and Wypler could be around in the 2nd if they trade back in or Stromberg could be around in the middle rounds same with Forsyth and Scruggs.  Wypler declaring helps a lot though, I thought he would return as a RS SOPH player.

 

Jarrett Patterson Notre Dame RS SR
Olusegun Oluwatimi Michigan SR
John Michael Schmitz Minnesota RS SR
Luke Wypler Ohio State RS SOPH
Ricky Stromberg Arkansas SR
Alex Forsyth Oregon SR
Juice Scruggs Penn State RS SR

[swede700]

15 hours ago, Ozzy said:

I agree a quality NT would be nice or even a solid DE type.  That DL needs to be improved because Lynch has disappointed, so has Blacklock and Bullard.  At least Otomewo has played well for a developmental DE and Tonga has been decent.  

 

 

Best part is that Luke Wypler declared for the draft, that means there will be a lot of very quality centers for the Vikings to pick from.  Patterson should be a top 10 pick so he is out, but Oluwatimi could be around late 1st, same with Schmitz and Wypler could be around in the 2nd if they trade back in or Stromberg could be around in the middle rounds same with Forsyth and Scruggs.  Wypler declaring helps a lot though, I thought he would return as a RS SOPH player.

 

Jarrett Patterson Notre Dame RS SR
Olusegun Oluwatimi Michigan SR
John Michael Schmitz Minnesota RS SR
Luke Wypler Ohio State RS SOPH
Ricky Stromberg Arkansas SR
Alex Forsyth Oregon SR
Juice Scruggs Penn State RS SR

Centers don't get taken in the top 10.  It hasn't happened since 1968.  One hasn't even been taken in the top 15 since Steve Everitt 30 yrs ago.  And at least initially, JMS is the top-rated center available in this draft.  If you're considering Patterson as an OG (which he might be), that's a whole different question.  But even then, I'll have to review a few different sites, but TDN has Patterson as barely a mid-round pick, let alone top 10. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by swede700

[Ozzy]

8 hours ago, swede700 said:

Centers don't get taken in the top 10.  It hasn't happened since 1968.  One hasn't even been taken in the top 15 since Steve Everitt 30 yrs ago.  And at least initially, JMS is the top-rated center available in this draft.  If you're considering Patterson as an OG (which he might be), that's a whole different question.  But even then, I'll have to review a few different sites, but TDN has Patterson as barely a mid-round pick, let alone top 10. 

You do would realize Jarrett Patterson can play OG, C or OT so he should be picked in the top 10 because of that amazing versatility.  I would he surprised if he ends up a center in the NFL honestly, most likely a OG or a OT.  Could argue he is the best OG in the draft potentially, the dude can play but sure he might slip out of the top 10, still does not mean that honestly with that type of versatility he should be a top 10 pick, 

 

"1,306 pass block snaps ZERO sacks allowed"  That was posted Aug 22 2022, and this past year he did not allow any sacks either

 

In 2022 "saw action in 11 games and played a total of 748 snaps for the Fighting Irish. He allowed a solid 6 QB hurries, one QB hit, and no sacks as a left guard"

 

So yeah that is absolutely insane that statistic!  Crazy amount of pass blocking snaps and zero sacks, yeah the dude can freaking play and if he is not a top 10 pick that is an insult.  No OL in the up coming draft is as accomplished or as versatile as he is!  To me he is clearly the best overall OL in the up coming draft and honestly the Vikings have zero shot of drafted him unless they trade way up and clearly do not have the ammo to do that.  

[Duluther]

Alright guys, good season. Now looking forward to the draft.

If anyone continues to suggest a WR in round 1, I will personally escort them to jail.

[Ozzy]

5 minutes ago, Duluther said:

Alright guys, good season. Now looking forward to the draft.

If anyone continues to suggest a WR in round 1, I will personally escort them to jail.

Not sure anyone thinks that unless a great player is just sitting there at WR which might happen if some guys fall.  Thielen is getting less and less effective it seems.

 

Right now though it should be either center all the way or nickel corner who could double as a boundary possibly.  Those to me are easily the biggest weaknesses of the team.  It is a great center class and a great corner class so that helps.  Sucks they do not have a 2nd round pick but is great to have Hockenson who was one of the few who showed up and can physically get yards after contact unlike a lot of guys on the roster it seems.  

Still they should run the ball more because it helps the defense, shortens the game and helps the team become more tough and physical.  They are a finesse team and they lost to the Giants because the Giants were a more physical and tough team offensively and defensively.  

[Duluther]

@Ozzy

There's been people in our forum who advocate for a WR in R1, regardless of if a top tier WR even falls (ie, take the best available). In this very thread.

Plenty of fans on social media.

Daniel Jeremiah repeatedly forced it into his mocks as early as last year.

We obtained our current 2nd receiver in this upcoming draft already with a 2nd: Hockenson.

[VikeManDan]

I can’t get behind an OC since I’m in the camp that believes Bradbury will/should be re-signed.

Think we need to be looking at ILBs to start alongside Asamoah as well as DE’s that can make a bigger impact. Wouldn’t hate an EDGE either. 

[Ozzy]

4 minutes ago, VikeManDan said:

I can’t get behind an OC since I’m in the camp that believes Bradbury will/should be re-signed.

Think we need to be looking at ILBs to start alongside Asamoah as well as DE’s that can make a bigger impact. Wouldn’t hate an EDGE either. 

Bradbury?  The dude got pushed around more than once in the game and him being pushed around made a huge impact on those plays and negatively impacted the team.  Not to mention they do not have tons of cash exactly.

 

In terms of producing rookies, Kwesi had one of the worst drafts in the NFL.  Sure a lot had to do with injuries but so few rookies even made an impact outside of Ingram, it was pretty bad.  At least Esezi made a few impact plays also.  

 

Still how is CB not a massive need, Sullivan should absolutely not be brought back.  Maybe they are thinking Shelley could be a nickel, at least he was ok and provided some versatility.  The DL has to be better no question, could maybe steal DJ Dale in the 3rd round but that would be a hard get.  

 

Could wait till the 6th or 7th to get guys like Keondre Coburn, Cory Durden or Jeffery Johnson as a backup NT developmental type.  Keion White I think should be a major target 3rd round, big strong kid, could play 3/4 DE and get some real deal pass rush and has huge upside.  That would be great, then get Tiawan Mullen in the 4th to play the slot potentially.