2018 Vikings Draft Prospects - Offensive Line

[SemperFeist]

If the Vikings draft Price, which is what I’m predicting, it would be interesting to note that all 3 of the assumed starters along the interior of the offensive line would be entering the offseason workouts recovering from injury. 

[CriminalMind]

I prefer we don't lock up Easton longterm & I prefer we don't take Price with our 1st pick

[Kparty15]

28 minutes ago, CriminalMind said:

I prefer we don't lock up Easton longterm & I prefer we don't take Price with our 1st pick

Depending on how the draft goes we could lock up Easton on a cheap deal to either be a backup or groom someone behind him.

[Klomp]

The Georgia kid is still my top choice. Next OL I'd consider in the 1st is McGlinchey. Otherwise, I think I'd go another position with the first pick or trade down. I wait on Price until our 2nd, I think.

[CriminalMind]

52 minutes ago, Klomp said:

The Georgia kid is still my top choice. Next OL I'd consider in the 1st is McGlinchey. Otherwise, I think I'd go another position with the first pick or trade down. I wait on Price until our 2nd, I think.

ya i wouldn't go with price or hernandez until our 2nd. 

[SteelKing728]

I have Isiah Wynn over Will Hernandez, but it's pretty close.

I hope we don't re-sign Easton long term. He's okay but he's very much expendable. 

[JDBrocks]

Why are people ready to cast off Easton? In his first extended stretch of starts he was serviceable, and likely won’t cost a lot to be a young, primary interior backup lineman, with starting experience. That was a trade win for the Vikings, and another source of stability, continuity, and depth on a team that has lacked all three for a long time.

[SemperFeist]

You don’t lock up a player long term to be a backup. If the Vikings are truly looking at giving Easton a long term contract, then they view him as the long term starter at guard. 

While im not opposed to it, I also think they could do a lot better than Easton. 

[Robbroy45]

35 minutes ago, JDBrocks said:

Why are people ready to cast off Easton? In his first extended stretch of starts he was serviceable, and likely won’t cost a lot to be a young, primary interior backup lineman, with starting experience. That was a trade win for the Vikings, and another source of stability, continuity, and depth on a team that has lacked all three for a long time.

It's the Sendejo effect. If a starter is the weak link on their unit, the fans will want them to be replaced regardless of their performance

[SemperFeist]

1 minute ago, Robbroy45 said:

It's the Sendejo effect. If a starter is the weak link on their unit, the fans will want them to be replaced regardless of their performance

Isn’t objective to improve, and therefore upgrade your weak links?

[Robbroy45]

1 minute ago, SemperFeist said:

Isn’t objective to improve, and therefore upgrade your weak links?

Yes, but change shouldn't be made for the sake of change, there should be proof of poor play and a need to upgrade. Easton is still a little inconsistent but he's taken steps to improve each year, much like Sendejo did from 2014-2016 until suddenly, he became a very good safety in his own regard. Easton might be on the same trajectory, and the coaching staff and front office think there's a chance he could become a very good guard in due time, or else they would have moved on from him already. If we were still dealing with TJ Clemmings or Ryan Cook or an obviously bad player, it'd be a different story, but Easton is a useful, maybe even good player that isn't holding the team back

[SemperFeist]

13 minutes ago, Robbroy45 said:

but Easton is a useful, maybe even good player that isn't holding the team back

That doesn’t mean that you don’t look to upgrade the position if he’s the weak link. 

This team doesn’t have any “bad” players, that’s why we went 13-3, and why we’re considered Super Bowl contenders for next year. 

You're always looking to make your roster better, and the best way to do that is to upgrade the spots where you’re the weakest. 

[Cearbhall]

I wouldn't be considering locking up Easton since I see him as an ideal backup and below average starter. If he walks after this year the team can get other below average starters to fill in until they finally get an above average guy. After this year if Easton can find a team to pay him as a starter good for him and the Vikings compensatory formula. Otherwise, I would be looking to bring him back on a backup salary at that point. He needs to show me more before I would consider locking him up as a starter.

[vikestyle]

1 hour ago, SemperFeist said:

You don’t lock up a player long term to be a backup. If the Vikings are truly looking at giving Easton a long term contract, then they view him as the long term starter at guard. 

While im not opposed to it, I also think they could do a lot better than Easton. 

I'm not sure that's true. If he gets 6 million a year I think it's true, but if he gets a lower money deal why not? Plenty of swing tackles/interior guys that play all three positions get long term backup deals. Didn't we do this with Joe Berger when he first came here when we didn't necessarily plan on him being the starter?

[SemperFeist]

Berger never signed more than a two year deal with the Vikings. He just kept re-signing one year at a time.