2022 Vikings Off-Season Thread

[cHawk]

The Hall of Fame Game is tonight at 7:00 pm CST on NBC. Jacksonville will be playing against Las Vegas.

[Vanimal46]

Things I’m paying attention to this preseason:

Starting center: sounds like Bradbury is having the same issue getting blown up by bull rushes. I don’t think he will be the starter week 1 of the regular season. 

Kellen Mond: He’s got a fresh start with a new regime that isn’t setting him up to fail on day 1. He should get a ton of work to see if he will be anything more than a cheap, break glass in case of emergency QB. 

The crowded CB room: Where does Andrew Booth fit in? Immediate starter? Big prove it year for Dantzler… Evans has been getting praise already as a 4th round pick. 

Pass rush: I want to see what a healthy ZaDarius Smith and Danielle Hunter pass rush looks like. Last time they were both healthy and played a full season (2019) they were #1 and #2 in the NFL for QB pressures. 

[Mike Sixel]

13 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Things I’m paying attention to this preseason:

Starting center: sounds like Bradbury is having the same issue getting blown up by bull rushes. I don’t think he will be the starter week 1 of the regular season. 

Kellen Mond: He’s got a fresh start with a new regime that isn’t setting him up to fail on day 1. He should get a ton of work to see if he will be anything more than a cheap, break glass in case of emergency QB. 

The crowded CB room: Where does Andrew Booth fit in? Immediate starter? Big prove it year for Dantzler… Evans has been getting praise already as a 4th round pick. 

Pass rush: I want to see what a healthy ZaDarius Smith and Danielle Hunter pass rush looks like. Last time they were both healthy and played a full season (2019) they were #1 and #2 in the NFL for QB pressures. 

It is hard to believe how bad Bradbury has been. Consensus top C in that draft. Sigh. And, I agree, he's likely a backup (if that) at this point.

The CB position sure looks like it is beefed up depth wise, which after last year? Big deal for sure.

[Danchat]

Here's an update to my depth chart with the team's unofficial depth chart released:

As for the QB spot, it seems like the new regime is doing everything they can to give Mond the job, but he's seemingly just not there, as he's taking too long to throw and has thrown some bad picks. It's still early for him, but he has the look of a guy who might be a backup and certainly won't be our QB of the future.

[Mike Sixel]

17 hours ago, Danchat said:

Here's an update to my depth chart with the team's unofficial depth chart released:

As for the QB spot, it seems like the new regime is doing everything they can to give Mond the job, but he's seemingly just not there, as he's taking too long to throw and has thrown some bad picks. It's still early for him, but he has the look of a guy who might be a backup and certainly won't be our QB of the future.

The odds of any QB not taken by pick 45 being a starter are near zero. I never want a QB other than that range, or super late. 

[nicksaviking]

8 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

The odds of any QB not taken by pick 45 being a starter are near zero. I never want a QB other than that range, or super late. 

Kirk Cousins cried while reading this.

After being sent home with an undisclosed illness.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

Kirk Cousins cried while reading this.

After being sent home with an undisclosed illness.

NEAR zero......but I get your point!

[Danchat]

13 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

The odds of any QB not taken by pick 45 being a starter are near zero. I never want a QB other than that range, or super late. 

Hot take - I think we see one of the 3rd-5th round QBs from this year's become a legit starter a la Cousins/Wilson. In normal drafts, the likes of Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell, and Matt Corral would go in the late 1st-2nd round, but this year teams showed a lot of patience. If I had to bet, I'd guess Willis can at least be like Jalen Hurts.

[Mike Sixel]

In the least shocking news ever, the QB has COVID.

[nicksaviking]

17 hours ago, Danchat said:

Hot take - I think we see one of the 3rd-5th round QBs from this year's become a legit starter a la Cousins/Wilson. In normal drafts, the likes of Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell, and Matt Corral would go in the late 1st-2nd round, but this year teams showed a lot of patience. If I had to bet, I'd guess Willis can at least be like Jalen Hurts.

Willis and Tennessee are going to be interesting. I think Tannahill showed last year that he’s not a great QB. However, Tennessee keeps showing they don’t need anything other than a below average QB to win games.

I could see that team have a winning record thus prompt the coach to stick with the vet for stability, but the fans still being restless and calling for the rookie because the vet doesn’t pass the eye test.

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

In the least shocking news ever, the QB has COVID.

Can’t believe we have to go through another year of this. I thought making sure this crap wasn’t going to be a distraction would have been a top priority for the new guys.

[Mike Sixel]

11 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Can’t believe we have to go through another year of this. I thought making sure this crap wasn’t going to be a distraction would have been a top priority for the new guys.

You're not getting the anti vaxxer to vaccinate.....

[nicksaviking]

15 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

You're not getting the anti vaxxer to vaccinate.....

I just thought they’d start over with the roster.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

I just thought they’d start over with the roster.

They have what could be a great offense. I'm not sure why they'd start over. 

[nicksaviking]

4 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

They have what could be a great offense. I'm not sure why they'd start over. 

It’s the same offense three years running.

I get it, the team should be decent, but I think most of us were ready for a reset when they fired Spielman and Zimmer.

Now before the season even started we’re back to the same stupid stuff and crossing our fingers that the me-first players don’t sink the season.

[Danchat]

19 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

It’s the same offense three years running.

I get it, the team should be decent, but I think most of us were ready for a reset when they fired Spielman and Zimmer.

Now before the season even started we’re back to the same stupid stuff and crossing our fingers that the me-first players don’t sink the season.

O'Connell's offense is going to be quite different from the Kubiak system we've been running - players have talked about how they've been spending a lot of time learning terminology and the playbook since we're transitioning to a McVay-like system.

[Vanimal46]

After the 1st preseason game I like the RB depth. Chandler looks like he can play right away. 

Mond is still worth investing reps and development time. However, if he’s the true backup and is thrusted into action mid game, or multiple weeks, he’s going to get exposed immediately. If he was our starter for 17 games, we’d be lucky to win 3. 

[Mike Sixel]

22 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

After the 1st preseason game I like the RB depth. Chandler looks like he can play right away. 

Mond is still worth investing reps and development time. However, if he’s the true backup and is thrusted into action mid game, or multiple weeks, he’s going to get exposed immediately. If he was our starter for 17 games, we’d be lucky to win 3. 

Mannion should not play the rest of the preseason. Not that I think Mond is ready, but we know what Mannion is....

[nicksaviking]

20 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Mannion should not play the rest of the preseason. Not that I think Mond is ready, but we know what Mannion is....

Yeah, the only way the team would ever win a game with Mannion as QB is if the other team had a similar Mannion-like QB playing that game. Even if he's "better" than Mond, the team is still not going to score enough points to win, so might as well get Mond reps.

[nicksaviking]

So Deion Sanders recruited Zimmer to coach at Jackson State with him. Didn't see that coming.

I hope Sanders reminds Zimmer that he is actually coaching children now and to maybe take the constant criticisms down a notch, since this level of college ball is more about learning how to play the game.

[cHawk]

UPDATE: Deshaun Watson's suspension has been lengthened. Still not even close to enough, IMO.

On another note, the Browns are ****ed.

[Vanimal46]

21 hours ago, cHawk said:

UPDATE: Deshaun Watson's suspension has been lengthened. Still not even close to enough, IMO.

On another note, the Browns are ****ed.

Watson needed to be eligible to play 6 games in order for his contract to toll and make his $40 something million next year. I also read Watson’s legal team was threatening to sue because executives on NFL teams haven’t received equal punishment for their sexual assault crimes *cough* Washington *cough* 

Pretty shady stuff going on in the NFL per usual. 

[nicksaviking]

6 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Watson needed to be eligible to play 6 games in order for his contract to toll and make his $40 something million next year. I also read Watson’s legal team was threatening to sue because executives on NFL teams haven’t received equal punishment for their sexual assault crimes *cough* Washington *cough* 

Pretty shady stuff going on in the NFL per usual. 

And Robert Kraft.

I'm so disgusted by the NFL and even more by Cleveland. I can't believe everyone used to pity that franchise; absolutely loathsome.

I know you don't get to be a billionaire by being a decent human being, but Jimmy Haslam has to be amongst the most despicable owners in sports. He should have been run out of the club after his Flying J fraud job. Now he has absolutely no shame in helping a sexual predator land a huge deal and stay employed.

[cHawk]

[Vanimal46]

Good bye, Sean Mannion. It’ll be interesting if Kwesi keeps 3 QBs on the 53 man roster, or tries to sneak Mond to the practice squad. 

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Good bye, Sean Mannion. It’ll be interesting if Kwesi keeps 3 QBs on the 53 man roster, or tries to sneak Mond to the practice squad. 

I don't see any reason to keep Mannion. If you have to dip down to your 3rd string QB, the season is almost certainly lost no matter who it is. 

With Mannion, it's a certainty anyway. He can barely march the team down the field and score against the other teams' 3rd stringers. Last year's garbage time TD against GB was the only one he's ever thrown in an NFL game. The Vikings chances of winning a game with Mannion at QB is minimally better than if they didn't have a QB and just ran the Wildcat. Like maybe 2% chance vs. 1% chance.

And to be clear, this is not an endorsement of Mond. Nor is it an endorsement of Mullens really.

[Mike Sixel]

Can anyone explain why the one QB they know they should cut is playing the first half? Mind. Boggling.

[cHawk]

Matt Araiza has been released by the Buffalo Bills.

[D. Hocking]

I know the preseason is not really for the starters and veterans and is to determine who should make the team, but I am not sure I have ever seen a preseason where a number of the starters did not even get on the field once.  I wonder if there will be a bit more rust evident during the opening game.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, D. Hocking said:

I know the preseason is not really for the starters and veterans and is to determine who should make the team, but I am not sure I have ever seen a preseason where a number of the starters did not even get on the field once.  I wonder if there will be a bit more rust evident during the opening game.

I too find that odd.