SteelKing728 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 I guess we're at that part of the season! Who are some former Vikings players who you think if they had better coaching, didn't get injured, got a fair shot, sat for a year etc. would've ended up being good pro players? We've seen our fair share of draft picks or free agent signings that didn't pan out. Were there any out there that could've had more success with us in a more ideal situation? Were some doomed to fail? Discuss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelKing728 Posted May 17, 2023 Author Share Posted May 17, 2023 I first thought of Greg Childs when I made this thread. Injuries ended his career before it began, unfortunately. I think had he stayed healthy, he would've had a good shot to showcase what he had early on in his career, given how bad our receivers were in 2012 besides Percy Harvin. Things weren't much better the next season. Childs might've even been our missing WR1 until Thielen and Diggs came along! What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelKing728 Posted May 17, 2023 Author Share Posted May 17, 2023 I guess the biggest recent what if Viking would be Teddy Bridgewater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 Sharif Floyd is one I wish we could have seen grow at 100% Demetrious Underwood, as in “what if we hadn’t drafted him?” 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 What Dennis Green actually had the ability to recognize, and draft, defensive talent? Imagine the late 90’s teams with Warren Sapp next to John Randle, and Ray Lewis behind them? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, SemperFeist said: What Dennis Green actually had the ability to recognize, and draft, defensive talent? Imagine the late 90’s teams with Warren Sapp next to John Randle, and Ray Lewis behind them? I still can't believe that guy here that tried to justify Green's defenses with me as somehow being Red McCombs' fault. 🤣 He was a brilliant offensive mind, but couldn't identify a good defensive player in the draft if it slapped him in the face. He got lucky with late rounder Ed McDaniel and UDFA Robert Griffith, who turned out to be the best defensive players after Randle (who was already there when Green arrived) but that was it. Teddy likely, even without the injury, would have only ended up being maybe slightly better than what he is. It doesn't appear that the injury has dramatically changed how he operates, although he certainly isn't as mobile as he was (and never really was a significant runner to begin with). The biggest what-if for me is Sharrif. He was on the upswing when Zimmer arrived, and if Andre Patterson had had him for a few more years, I believe he would have been an All-Pro level player, and wouldn't have had to fill his spot with a revolving door of DTs like Shamar, Jaleel Johnson and Sheldon Richardson. A rotation of Linval, Sharrif and Sebastian Thunderbucket would have been deadly. Edited May 17, 2023 by swede700 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 What if Onterrio Smith wasn't an idiot? He looked like he could've been a feature back and we probably wouldn't have ended up with Adrian Peterson. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 (edited) 29 minutes ago, JDBrocks said: What if Onterrio Smith wasn't an idiot? He looked like he could've been a feature back and we probably wouldn't have ended up with Adrian Peterson. Yeah, I can’t get there. Smith had a moment or two, but he wasn’t great. He was just better than Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore. Edited May 17, 2023 by SemperFeist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 Just now, SemperFeist said: Yeah, I can’t get there. Smith had a moment or two, but he wasn’t great. He was just better than Mewelde Moore. Same. I don't think he was that much superior to the guy they replaced him with, Ciatrick Fason. And I'm not sure a Whizzinator-less Smith would have prevented them from signing Chester Taylor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 Well I'm also assuming that part of not being an idiot is that he would've been more focused on his game and he would've continued to improve. Even if they signed Chester Taylor with Smith on the team, I think that would've been enough to keep them away from AD. I don't think he was an all-pro or anything, just that he could've been a much better player/had a much better career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 what if the Wilfs had hired a competent GM from the beginning, instead of the one who drafted TJack and a 2nd round center? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 3 hours ago, vike daddy said: what if the Wilfs had hired a competent GM from the beginning, instead of the one who drafted TJack and a 2nd round center? They still would have had Brad Childress, and those picks still likely get made. What if the Wilfs had listened to Bill Parcells, and had hired Sean Payton instead of Childress? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 (edited) 23 minutes ago, SemperFeist said: They still would have had Brad Childress, and those picks still likely get made. What if the Wilfs had listened to Bill Parcells, and had hired Sean Payton instead of Childress? And that draft by Fran Foley was probably better than many of the ones we witnessed over the last 5 years of Spielman's tenure. Greenway, Griffin and Ray Edwards (in addition to Tarvaris and Ryan Cook) alone probably were better than the 2016-2019 drafts. Edited May 17, 2023 by swede700 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 (edited) 49 minutes ago, SemperFeist said: What if the Wilfs had listened to Bill Parcells, and had hired Sean Payton instead of Childress? I'd hate to think that Fate would be so cruel that we would have lost a NFC Championship Game to the Brad Childress coached Saints..... QB'd by Brett Favre.... Edited May 17, 2023 by vike daddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 27 minutes ago, vike daddy said: I'd hate to think that Fate would be so cruel that we would have lost a NFC Championship Game to the Brad Childress coached Saints..... QB'd by Brett Favre.... The bigger question...would Payton have kept Daunte or still traded him to Miami and signed Drew Brees instead? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.