gunnarthor

So I'm not sure this is a fair criticism. The Vikings have a pretty good cast of characters for the new QB and added a solid running back. To the extent you want to complain about the IOL, I think you also need to be realistic about what options there were, rather than just saying "I want to spend money on it." According the the NFL list of free agents I linked above (and here), there weren't many IOL available. The highest ranked guy was a guard who they noted wanted to play tackle. The second highest on their list was Robert Hunt, who signed a 5 year / 100m deal with the panthers. He's 28. Next on their list was center Lloyd Cushenberry. He signed a four-year, $50 million deal that includes $26 million fully guaranteed and a signing bonus worth more than $18 million with Tennessee. I'm not sure we should have beat that offer. Maybe John Simpson? 2/18m for the Jets. He was #43 on the free agent list. Raiders resigned their center on a 3/24m deal. Maybe him? He was #45 on the free agent list. Kevin Dotson got 3/48 with 32 of that guaranteed. He timed his bounce season perfectly. I'd pass. And the list goes on. And somehow the Vikings IOL didn't grade out as poorly as some think. A lot of sacks/pressures were not just on the line but also on the QB/scheme of holding the ball for 4+ seconds.

Hunter is going to Houston for two years and roughly 50m. I'm a bit surprised. I thought he'd get 3 or 4 years but 2 years at 25 each year isn't insane. I think, with our salary cap fixes, we could have afforded that and still have signed one of Van Ginkel/Greenard to go with Cashman. Maybe I'm wrong. In any event, best of luck to Hunter.

Packers paid Xavier McKinney 4/68 along with the big contract for Josh Jacobs. I didn't think a safety would get that this offseason so good for him, I guess.

I've read your posts, I just don't think you're very realistic. But, whatever. So far this offseason is looking pretty good to me, all things considered. Obviously the draft will be huge but I like all of the pickups so far and they all seem to fit into what KOC or Flores wants on that side of the ball.

I think you're a bit too angry right now. Against Cincy with Nick Mullins at QB, Chandler ran for 130 yards and Mullins threw for another 300. With no running game, Mullins threw for 400 against Detroit in the first game, while in the second game, Mullins threw for another 400 and Mattison/Chandler combined for 93 rushing yards. If we think the floor of our QB next year is Mullins, then we should be able to move the ball. Agree that turnovers could always be a problem. And the reality is the Vikings are almost certainly not going to get Williams, Maye, or Daniels. They might get McCarthy or Nix. That's it. So if you're holding out hope that we need one of those three, next year might not be your season.

I like Jones and Chandler as a two headed monster back. Very different styles. I think they could compliment each other pretty well and help take the load off of Jones as being "the guy". And, frankly, with our offense, we don't need a monster running game, we just need a running game that will keep defenses honest and bite on occasional play action.

I've read a few things that have the Giants taking McCarthy in the first round to sit behind Jones for one year before moving on. https://nypost.com/2024/03/05/sports/2024-nfl-draft-odds-suggest-giants-flirting-with-michigan-qb-j-j-mccarthy/ So I don't see NY making a trade for Fields. Man, what a great hell for Chicago if they have both Williams and Fields on the roster together. :-)

So I'll be the voice of optimism. Somehow KOC got two 400+ passing games out of Mulllins (IIRC) against a NFC Championship team. So I think there is a type of QB is is comfortable coaching up. And Mayfield credited the 49ers staff a lot for fixing what was broken in Cleveland and especially Carolina. Darnold sucked with the Jets and Panthers but maybe they can turn him into serviceable QB. Keep in mind that Dobbs was 19th in the league last year in QBR. Not a lot of good QBs right now. Edit - my brain screwup - I thought Mayfield was with SF, not the Rams. Ignore this post.

I would assume that the generic starting group would be Van Ginkel/Cashman/Pace/Greenard but different schemes (and injury realities) might see different things. I think the important thing is that Van Ginkel seems able to play a few different spots and gives Flores pieces to fit and tinker with. But I could be completely wrong. That said, I like this first day. Could use some more help on interior d-line and corner but considering what the team did with the low-talent level last year, this looks like an improving defense. Also, and maybe more importantly, it looks like the Vikings at least have a plan for the defense and are implementing it with players that fit.

Vikes sign edge Andrew Van Ginkel, 2/20m. I like this one, actually. Solid player in the Flores scheme.

Greenard is #6 on the free agent list, according to this list. Bummer we missed onWilkins. https://www.nfl.com/news/top-101-nfl-free-agents-of-2024-who-are-the-best-players-available

Mayfield gets a 3yr/100m deal with Bucs. Looks like 50m guaranteed. Good for him. Wilson signs vet minimum with the Steelers but still gets a boat load of money from Denver. So, good luck to him. Would love to see Wilson bring Pitt into the playoffs while Sean Payton sits at home. And Colts paid their stud WR Pittman a 3/70 deal. Not really going to affect Jefferson but still good money.

I think you're right on both Cousins and Hunter. Wilkins seems like a likely fit. I've read in a few places that the Vikings are likely to draft a QBOTF (whether it's Nix, McCarthy, or even Spencer Rattler, who knows?) and sign Joe Flacco as the mentor/bridge guy.

I think they are actually in pretty good cap space after this year so that could be a fix but I could be wrong.

Broncos will take a 80m cap hit but release Wilson. I wonder where he ends up. QB depth is bad league wide but not sure if he's a high end back up or a starter.

Well, he's already a top pick, I think most people in his shoes correctly decide to enter the draft. The money is too good to pass on. While draft gurus aren't perfect, I don't think internet football experts are, either. Sounds like the Vikings met with McCarthy and other top QBs (including Williams). It's pretty clear they are doing their due diligence. It also seems like Cousins won't be coming back. So unless Daniels, Williams or Maye drop to 11 (they won't) or the Vikings trade with the Pats (pretty unlikely), they'll have to decide if Nix, McCarthy, Penix, or Sanders is the future. Reports from the combine suggest that McCarthy did ok. Also it seems really unlikely that Dallas Turner will drop to the Vikings either (for those who thought drafting a defensive stud might be worth it at 11). https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2024/03/how-jj-mccarthy-compared-to-other-nfl-combine-quarterbacks.html https://theathletic.com/5313945/2024/03/04/nfl-combine-winners-jj-mccarthy-michael-penix-jr/ In any event, Vikings are in a tough spot. They only have a few picks in a loaded draft so trading down might be a real idea but with the QB problem, that also might not be a good idea. Should be a fun draft period though.

Pretty logical move but best of luck to him.

I get that and it's a fair concern. My thoughts are essentially this - He's only 21, he's only lost one game in college and has won the national championship game. He could go back to school in a more pass-friendly offense (either at Michigan or through the transfer) and show that he can dominate college secondaries and make himself the top pick in the draft next year, where we'd have no chance to draft him. He had a pretty good game against a great Alabama defense that will have two cornerbacks and an edge rusher that will all go in the top 20 in the upcoming draft (and a stud linebacker/edge that will go in the early second round). Instead, draft guru's already have him as a potential top 10 pick and the fourth QB off the board. He'll almost certainly move up during the pre-draft combines where he could be gone before we pick at 11. He's got a strong arm, he's athletic, and the offense he's run isn't too dissimilar from some of the Vikings' pro-sets. Harbaugh and Kwisi have worked together and presumably have a similar understanding of football/schemes. Of all the QBs, I think he's the most logical to plug in to the offense from day one. We likely have a chance to nab what could be the first over-all pick next year, this year. But, yeah, the offense that Michigan used doesn't make this easy. If the FO does nab him and he fails, they'll be gone, too. So I assume the Vikings are doing a lot of due diligence on him. But I think he's going to be a pretty good NFL QB.

I like out hitting depth. Lee and Martin (and Jenkins) are going to hit when they get up here. I don't like the pitching staff, so we'll see. Right now, I think they are good enough to win the Central but not much else.

The more I think about it, the more I think I want the Vikings to pick McCarthy. I'm seeing mocks with him going in the top 10 so there is no way he'll be there at 42. But he has some mobility and an excellent arm. The FO has Jefferson, Addison, and Hockensen for him, which is a pretty good safety net for a young QB to have. The draft has some depth at defense so they can probably get a good pass rusher or corner at 42 and with the increased salary cap, might be able to get some more pieces for Flores through free agency. But I don't really see a realistic scenario where the Vikings can move up into the top three. (Although I've already read a few articles about how Williams is too small for the NFL so if one of the big three falls out of the top 10, that'd be ok, too). But drafting McCarthy gives the team their QB of the future and allows them to spend money elsewhere.

Margot seems like a decent back up OF but if Buxton can't stay healthy, is a full time option? I don't like losing Miller but maybe this is trading high on him. He did struggle at A+. I don't like the trade and the FO still seems like it doesn't know what it wants to do next season but hopefully it works out.

Stories of athletes losing their money after they retire sucks. Bummer.

Looks like a big surge in after hours trading for you!

I know some folks who made really good money on regional banks in the 90s and early 2000s. Huge profits. I'm a bit too old so I'm not investing in really risky stuff - except for what I already have, of course - so I've been buying some healthcare/pharmaceutical stocks (AZN and AMGN).