vike daddy Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 For months (if not years), all signs have pointed to Ezra Cleveland eventually leaving Minnesota in free agency, this offseason. And now, with Dalton Risner on the roster and seemingly the same starting-caliber guard as he was for the first four years of his career in Denver, the Vikings are likely shopping their “injured” left guard. O’Connell was asked if there is a chance Ed Ingram could get usurped at right guard, if both Dalton Risner and Ezra Cleveland are ready to go on Sunday. He put that conversation to rest by saying the only guard competition at TCO Performance Center is on left side, between Risner and Cleveland. If a contract extension can be agreed upon with his new team, before a trade is completed, Ezra should easily bring back day-two draft capital, in return. So, if the Vikings believe they are the same team with Dalton Risner at left guard, as they are with Ezra Cleveland playing there… then it only makes sense they ship Cleveland out if they can get a proper return. So, should Ezra not play Sunday in Green Bay, it’s very possible we’ve seen him in a horned helmet for the last time. https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/vikings-ezra-cleveland-questionable-vs-packers-trade-deadline-looms/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 12 hours ago, vike daddy said: For months (if not years), all signs have pointed to Ezra Cleveland eventually leaving Minnesota in free agency, this offseason. And now, with Dalton Risner on the roster and seemingly the same starting-caliber guard as he was for the first four years of his career in Denver, the Vikings are likely shopping their “injured” left guard. O’Connell was asked if there is a chance Ed Ingram could get usurped at right guard, if both Dalton Risner and Ezra Cleveland are ready to go on Sunday. He put that conversation to rest by saying the only guard competition at TCO Performance Center is on left side, between Risner and Cleveland. If a contract extension can be agreed upon with his new team, before a trade is completed, Ezra should easily bring back day-two draft capital, in return. So, if the Vikings believe they are the same team with Dalton Risner at left guard, as they are with Ezra Cleveland playing there… then it only makes sense they ship Cleveland out if they can get a proper return. So, should Ezra not play Sunday in Green Bay, it’s very possible we’ve seen him in a horned helmet for the last time. https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/vikings-ezra-cleveland-questionable-vs-packers-trade-deadline-looms/ No way is Ezra Cleveland bringing back a day 2 pick. If the Vikings can get a 4th round pick, they’d have to jump at that. But I don’t think he fetches anything more than a 5th rounder. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted October 30, 2023 Share Posted October 30, 2023 This is awesome. all of the parts working together. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I think waiting for Ingram to settle in is going to pay off. Clark used to be a game wrecker, and the GB DL is very good. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 34 minutes ago, JDBrocks said: I think waiting for Ingram to settle in is going to pay off. Clark used to be a game wrecker, and the GB DL is very good. There has been marked improvement from Ingram this season. He's looking like a long term building block more each week. I don't think he's been noticeable (in a bad way) since maybe week 3. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 31 minutes ago, JDBrocks said: I think waiting for Ingram to settle in is going to pay off. Clark used to be a game wrecker, and the GB DL is very good. It's amazing that doing exactly what was done for decades to produce good offensive linemen actually works. Put them in at one position and let them settle in and develop. Over the past decade plus, the Vikings have been awesome at screwing up raw offensive linemen by rotating them from position to position on the line so they never become good at any of them. It's one thing if they're a backup lineman (like Brandel), but if they have starter-level talent, stick them at one position on the line. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 (edited) On 10/29/2023 at 10:29 AM, wcblack34 said: No way is Ezra Cleveland bringing back a day 2 pick. If the Vikings can get a 4th round pick, they’d have to jump at that. But I don’t think he fetches anything more than a 5th rounder. I wouldn't jump at that because he's likely to bring back a high day 3 pick as a compensatory free agent after getting a starting guard (or tackle?) contract elsewhere; unless we (unlikely) sign more qualifying free agents than we lose. It's a draft down the line, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to move him unless we are blown away by a deal or we are sailing the ship on this season. For example, Ben Powers 13M AAV last year brought in a 4th round comp pick for the Ravens, and FWIW, Cleveland has graded out consistently better than Powers over the years Edited October 31, 2023 by RpMc 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikeManDan Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Agreed on Cleveland, it'd have to be an enticing offer. Plus the depth he and/or Risner provides is a bonus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Learning/Growing pains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Assuming Risner "wins" the starting position and Cleveland moves on next year, what kind of extension do we think he would be in line for; what would an extension for Ezra look like (I used the Ben Powers example) with the cap going up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, RpMc said: Assuming Risner "wins" the starting position and Cleveland moves on next year, what kind of extension do we think he would be in line for; what would an extension for Ezra look like (I used the Ben Powers example) with the cap going up? Not that they can’t do multiple things at once, priority has to go to Darrisaw, Jefferson and Hunter and locking those guys up. I think they should try and bring Risner back and I doubt it costs much. Give him Josh Oliver money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, RpMc said: Assuming Risner "wins" the starting position and Cleveland moves on next year, what kind of extension do we think he would be in line for; what would an extension for Ezra look like (I used the Ben Powers example) with the cap going up? Not sure, but FWIW, spotrac says that Risner's market value would be ~4 yrs/$38M. Cleveland's a couple of years younger, so he'll get more than that...you mentioned Powers...and Nate Davis, also around the same age, got $10M on average from the Bears. Connor McGovern (the original Dal one, not the Broncos one) got less than that from the Bills). I'm thinking it'd still be somewhere around that $10M range at most because I don't think Ezra has really solidified himself as a really good OG. We'll have to see how the increased cap impacts things though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikeManDan Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 29 minutes ago, vikingsrule said: Not that they can’t do multiple things at once, priority has to go to Darrisaw, Jefferson and Hunter and locking those guys up. Jefferson, Hunter, Darrisaw IMO. Darrisaw will be entering year 4 next season (2024) and I assume we will pick up his 5th year option this offseason. He's under team control for at least 3 more years (franchise tag if needed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshpit23 Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 3 hours ago, RpMc said: I wouldn't jump at that because he's likely to bring back a high day 3 pick as a compensatory free agent after getting a starting guard (or tackle?) contract elsewhere; unless we (unlikely) sign more qualifying free agents than we lose. It's a draft down the line, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to move him unless we are blown away by a deal or we are sailing the ship on this season. For example, Ben Powers 13M AAV last year brought in a 4th round comp pick for the Ravens, and FWIW, Cleveland has graded out consistently better than Powers over the years Nice to have you back, @RpMc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, VikeManDan said: Jefferson, Hunter, Darrisaw IMO. Darrisaw will be entering year 4 next season (2024) and I assume we will pick up his 5th year option this offseason. He's under team control for at least 3 more years (franchise tag if needed). I know we’ve got control over Darrisaw, I guess I’m more of the stance in taking care of your elite building block level players for two reasons: usually you get a better deal if you do it right away and why not make your best players feel appreciated and not draw out negotiations. If Jefferson and Darrisaw are elite, treat them as such. Dont leave them questioning your commitment. Edited October 31, 2023 by vikingsrule 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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