To Be Or Not To Be: Brett Favre In Purple And Gold

Is Purple or Gold considered a shade of Green?

It is official; Brad Childress has stated that he will indeed meet with Brett Favre sometime this week.

Like it or not, it appears the Vikings are interested in Favre, and Favre is interested enough in the Vikings that he is at least considering the possibility of suiting up for one of the Packers’ rivals in 2009.

There is no set date yet for the meeting, and it is reported that it will be in an undisclosed location, so the Favre watch has officially begun.

According to multiple sources, a couple of things that may affect this decision are whether or not Favre’s bicep will require surgery, and whether or not Favre is willing to show up for offseason programs for the Vikings, the earliest being in two weeks.

So it appears Brett will make the decision of whether or not to play by next week sometime, or even as early as later this week. Favre would have some incentive to come back, especially since he could play with the Vikings.

For one, the Vikings would have a solid chance at a Superbowl title with an improved offense, and one of the league’s best defenses. The other incentive is that Favre will get to play Green Bay twice every year, and reportedly Favre does not think too highly of the green and yellow.

The Pros

If Brett were to come back and play for the Vikings, he would certainly force teams to focus more on the passing game, and that would give Adrian Peterson the chance to dash through defenses like he did against the Chargers and Bears in his rookie season.

Favre would bring a very accurate long ball to the team, making Bernard Berrian much more effective as well.

Favre would also keep the rest of the Viking quarterbacks on the sideline in 2009, which could be good, or bad.

The Vikings will have a chance on third downs this season as opposed to before, when it has seemed if we do not convert on first or second down, it is get a few more yards for our punter.

The Vikings likely will become a top tier team in the NFC again. Not too many teams have as much talent on both sides of the ball as the Vikings do, and Favre would all but solidify that theory.

A year of Favre could also help Tarvaris Jackson in his development process. He would not have to be in the game, and just sitting out 11 weeks last year helped him a lot.

Jackson actually won NFC player of the week honors against eventual NFC champs Arizona. Another year on the bench would seemingly help him a lot. Plus, if you’re a fan of awards, this move would greatly help Harvin’s chances become rookie of the year too. He would be the “least of problems” on a star-studded Vikings offense.

The Cons

Brett may throw a lot of touchdowns, but he also has a habit of throwing interceptions too. Last year Brett had 22 Touchdowns, and 22 Interceptions. However, that ratio is still higher than Rosenfels’ ratio last year, and is barley under Jackson’s career totals of 20 Touchdowns, and 18 Interceptions.

Favre is also likely just a one year guy, so it would become “make or break” for the Vikings in 2009, unlike everyone else in the division who have all found long term answers at quarterback.

Favre also has a love/hate thing with Viking fans as he played a few too many seasons for that one team in green.

Finally, Brett seemed to tail off at the end of the season. Hopefully that was due to his bicep injury, but if it was not, it could be a long year in Minnesota.

Check out Viking Vigil at www.vikingvigil.com for the latest on Favre and other Viking news.

Why Brett Favre And Fitzgerald Is Closer Than You Think For The Vikings

Just a day or two ago the New York Jets officially released him, yep Brett Favre.

Favre was granted his release, so IF he decided to return, he would be able to go wherever he wanted to. Last season the Vikings were one of the major players in the Favre trade, but Green Bay would not let the Vikings get him.

No way he would come back, right? I mean he tailed off last season and he said he just wanted to be released to retire in Green and Yellow.

No way he would want to be in an offense that has the league’s best running back, a deep threat in Berrian, a team that used its second pick on a 6’ 8” monster at right tackle just to compliment Hutchinson and McKinnie, and used its first pick on an explosive playmaker that is Percy Harvin.

Hmm, we will see how this plays out in the next few weeks.

Oh yeah, a plane from Minnesota just happened to stop by the gigantic town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi for a large chunk of the day. The way I see it, that plane was either a really BIG coincidence, or the Vikings are seriously trying to get Brett Favre in a purple jersey.

It is only speculation at this point, but I’m almost positive someone in the Vikings organization sent that plane down there for a reason. Whether or not some of us fans think Brett can still play, someone in the front office appears to think so.

Brett did not finish strong last year, but then again in 2006 he looked like a guy who had spent a few too many years in the league. Then in 2007, he would have been a serious contestant for the MVP, had some guy named Brady not just broken the record for most touchdowns in a season, and kind of led his team to a 17-0 regular season. Someone in the Vikings front office has some explaining to do.

Also

Vikings Land Fitzgerald!…sort of

The Vikings got a wide receiver who just happened to be a ball boy for them when he was a little kid. Well unfortunately it was not Larry Fitzgerald, but it his little brother.

According to sources, Marcus Fitzgerald was invited to try out for the team this weekend. The funny thing is, this comes just days after the Eagles did the same thing with Anquan Boldin’s brother. Apparently everyone is looking for talent from the family tree, or just people with Eagle ties such as Mr. Childress.

Visit Viking Vigil at www.vikingvigil.com for more updates

Why Percy Harvin Was The Perfect Pick

Just a few days ago, Commissioner Rodger Goodell introduced the first of five new Vikings that were acquired via the 2009 NFL Draft. The name that came out of his mouth prompted a huge shock by plenty of people. Chris Berman, an NFL analyst for ESPN, seemed shocked. Plenty of knowledgeable Vikings fans also thought this was an interesting pick to say the least, even all three of the writers for Viking Vigil initially thought the Vikings had just picked the wrong guy, but maybe they knew exactly what they were doing.

As it turns out, the guy almost everyone wanted, Offensive Tackle Michael Oher, was picked with the very next pick. Baltimore even traded up to get him, however, the Vikings were able to land a more than capable tackle with their next pick with Phil “The Load” Loadholt, who measures an astonishing 6’8”, and at least 330 pounds! The guy would be a dominant power forward in the NBA even.

With Loadholt joining the Vikings, the first pick, Percy Harvin no longer seemed so outrageous, in fact it seemed kind of great to me. ESPN draft expert Todd McShay has repeatedly called Percy Harvin, “the most explosive player in this year’s draft”, and he is not the only one either.  

Percy is no doubt rich in talent and ability, but the reason he fell to pick 22, was the fact that he had just tested positive for marijuana at the scouting combine, when he knew he was going to be tested. Harvin has also been deemed, ‘tough to coach’ and there have been reports that Florida is ‘glad he [Harvin] is done’ with his stay at Florida, although they also said he was a very talented player. With all these negatives, Percy Harvin may just be the biggest boom, or bust in the 2009 NFL Draft. The possibility of having Harvin and Peterson on the same field is incredible. It is almost like having AD, and a slightly less powerful version of AD in the slot.

To say the least, the Vikings have taken a look at improving an average offense. Harvin can do it all, he figures to be an explosive special teams man, he could force Childress to implement the wildcat with his skills at running back, and he is great in the open field. If Harvin pans out, and if he can get rid of his off the field issues, the Vikings will have gotten a very big steal. Harvin could even contribute to many fantasy football teams this year as a rookie. But what happens if Harvin does get in trouble?

Brad made a good call by bringing in Jared Allen last year, even though he had some issues, and he once again took the risk this year by drafting Harvin. Harvin could very well turn into one of the league’s biggest threats, but he could go down a bad path, and end up off this team in only a few years. Would it really be that bad if it was the later though? Of course it would make the Vikings fans angry, and it would probably guarantee that the Vikings would not pick a wide receiver in round one for a long time, but it would not kill us.

With the team Minnesota has on the field this year, they are very likely to contend for the playoffs, especially since the team will likely play better with another year of chemistry between last year’s free agent and draft pickups, and the 2007 team. Jackson also looked pretty good last year prior to the game against Philly, as he won his first ever NFC player of the week honors for his outstanding effort against Arizona in week 15. If Harvin were a bust, he would likely hurt our record this year, or at least not contribute, and maybe be out of Minnesota within a few years. I think that would not be horrible though.

This year’s draft was one of the very few drafts in recent years that the Vikings really did not need to desperately fill any holes.  Some people would say the right tackle was a huge need, but it really was not that bad. The thing I hated about Cook the most was his addiction to penalties. Peterson still got some good runs behind the right side, and if Cook was terrible, Artis Hicks is a pretty solid backup on the verge of starting anyway. Plus, the Vikings got Phil Loadholt in round two, so the position was definitely addressed anyway.

Since we had no glaring needs, there was a little room for Childress to take a risk on someone who could put this team atop the NFC, and that is exactly what he did. I am not the biggest fan of Childress and his seemingly frequent ‘play it safe’ attitude, and I was a little frustrated with this pick initially, but I applaud the man for going out and shocking Viking nation by grabbing a questionable, yet super talented guy with our first round pick. In the worst case scenario Harvin is out of here by the end of this year, but losing Harvin would definitely not sink the ship. Rice is a good player when healthy, and Bobby Wade is consistently getting open, and we made the playoffs last year without Loadholt or Rice, and an injured EJ Henderson.

The bottom line is the Vikings are a solid team without Harvin, but they put themselves into a great position to possibly get to the Superbowl with a Harvin that kicks his bad habits.

There is no question Harvin would have been gone in round two, as three receivers were already taken in the next fifteen picks, and the Jets said that they were trying to trade back into round one to get Harvin as well. The best receiver left when the Vikings got back on the clock was Derrick Williams, and he only went four picks before the Vikings third round pick. Therefore, I think with the way the draft played out at right tackle, and wide receiver, I think Brad Childress made the perfect pick by taking a risky Harvin in round one.

I applaud Childress, especially with all the questions surrounding his job if the Vikings don’t play so good this year, he went on a limb and maybe even put his job in the hands of Percy Harvin.

Check out Viking Vigil at http://www.vikingvigil.com for more news, and updates on the Minnesota Vikings

Breaking News: Jason Campbell Possibly a Viking?

With the draft just two days away, we are bound to start hearing some crazy stuff.

Enter Jason Campbell. According to Pro Football Talk, if the Seahawks do not select Matt Sanchez, there is a strong possibility that the Redskins (who are for some reason in love with Sanchez) may trade up to get him at pick No. 5!

This would put two franchise quarterbacks on the Redskins’ roster. Again, I have no clue why Washington loves Sanchez sooo much, but that is the rumor. According to PFT, the Redskins would then look to trade Campbell to one of three teams: the Vikings, the Buccaneers, or the Jets.

Another possibility is nearly the same, just a few picks later. According to the same source, the Jaguars could trade out of the No. 8 spot to either the Redskins or the Jets. Apparently there is what seems to be a two-way race to the top between the Jets and the Redskins.

If this situation were to play out, and the Vikings wound up with Campbell, I have no idea what they would give up to get him. It is safe to say the Vikings would at least lose one of their top two picks, and maybe a player or a late round pick.

Campbell has shown that he can be an elite quarterback at times. Last year, he had three straight games where he beat the Saints, Cardinals, and Cowboys in Dallas and posted at least a 100 QB rating.

However, he closed out the season last year on shaky ground, throwing five TDs to six INTs, and never having a higher quarterback rating than 89.4. He also finished the year with a 2-6 record, including a loss to the 49ers.

Campbell’s career quarterback rating is 80.4, which is an upgrade compared to Tarvaris Jackson’s 76.5. I do think Campbell could become the quarterback the Vikings have been looking to get for years, but with the Vikings getting Sage Rosenfels earlier this year, I would think Brad Childress would not be the one to make a quick move.

It appears yet another good young quarterback could become available, and it is possible that the Vikings may have tried to fix the situation too quickly. Granted, no one could have expected Jay Cutler to be pissed to a point of no return, and the Redskins to instantly have a huge crush on Sanchez, but had the Vikings waited, they may have gotten the franchise QB they were looking for.

Nothing against Rosenfels, but even if he is a little better than Campbell or Cutler next year, he is at least four years older than either of the other two QBs.

Check out Viking Vigil for more breaking news and how another big name player may also be headed to Minnesota: http://www.vikingvigil.com/

NFL Draft Countdown: 5 Days, A Look at WRs

As posted by me at Viking Vigil earlier:

With the NFL Draft quickly, approaching, there are a few spots the Vikings may look to help out with either of their top two picks. One of those positions that seems to be pretty rich in talent this year is the wide receiver position.

Last year not one wide receiver was even picked in the first round, but this year it seems that there could be as many as five taken in round one. Here is a look at some of the top talent out there in the 2009 NFL Draft:

1) Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) 6’3”, 214 lbs.

Michael Crabtree is by far and away the top wide receiver in the 2009 draft. He did not even participate at the scouting combine, or on his pro day due to injury, but he is still almost guaranteed to be a top five pick in the draft on Saturday.

The guy can do it all. Catch. run, jump, and anything else you ask of him. The only real concern with Crabtree is that he did not have a scouting day or pro day to confirm his amazing talent. It would be very surprising to see Crabtree in purple next year, the Vikings would have to trade up to get him, but he could be worth the move. NFL comparison: Andre Johnson

2) Jeremy Maclin (Missouri) 6’1”, 200 lbs.

If this was still last year’s draft, Maclin would be the best wide receiver available for sure, however he will have to settle with No. 2 in 2009 as Michael Crabtree appears to be the can’t miss wide receiver of this draft. Maclin’s biggest weakness looked to be his height, but he measured over six feet at the combine, debunking the myth that he was too short.

The biggest weakness for Maclin is still probably his size, but since you can’t teach that, Maclin will probably be a skilled wide receiver for years to come. If Maclin is not picked in the top seven, he could slide a little, possibly even to the Vikings at 22, but that still looks unlikely. NFL comparison: Ted Ginn

3) Percy Harvin (Florida) 5’11”, 185 lbs.

Percy Harvin was one of, if not the most explosive players in college football last year. Harvin was a three year starter at Florida, and was a key player in both of the Gators National Titles while in Gainesville.

The two things that may lead NFL teams away from Harvin are his recent questionable attitude, and his size. Harvin may have cost himself a little with his attitude coming into question, being now labeled as a “tough guy to coach”, but his main drawback would be his size.

However, even with those questions, Harvin is still a good enough receiver to be a first round pick, and by the way it is looking, Minnesota may have Harvin in purple for the 2009 NFL season.
NFL comparison: Reggie Bush

4) Darrius Heyward-Bay (Maryland) 6’3”, 203 lbs.

Heyward-Bey may be the most physically gifted wide receiver in the NFL draft in 2009. He is not only tall, but he is lightning fast as well. There probably is not another wide receiver on this list that could climb higher than Heyward-Bey can by Saturday. He has all the tools to become a great NFL wide out, BUT he has had problems dropping the football.

Sound familiar? Let’s just say this guy could become the next Randy Moss, or he could become the next Troy Williamson. After picking Williamson a few years ago, I doubt the Vikings go after Heyward-Bey, but he will likely be around at pick 22.
NFL comparisons: Randy Moss OR Troy Williamson

5) Kenny Britt (Rutgers) 6’4”, 215 lbs.

At his size, Kenny Britt is the biggest wide out in this draft. Britt is the classic route-running receiver that will probably be a solid No. 2 guy for almost within the next few years. Britt also has the speed to break away from his guy too, and could end up being a Pro Bowl wide receiver in his career as well.

The main questions about Britt are his attitude, and his hands. Like Harvin, Britt could be a little harder to coach than some of these other guys, but he could still be a first round pick. Britt has also dropped a few passes in his day, but that is something he should be able to improve with the right amount of work. Britt will likely be a late first round, or early second round pick in the draft on Saturday. NFL comparison: Brandon Marshall

6) Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina) 6’1”, 210 lbs.

Hakeem Nicks is the first underclassmen out of North Carolina to declare for the NFL draft since Julius Peppers. Nicks is a solid athlete with HUGE hands. He does not drop many passes, and has a solid build to complement that. Nicks is another classic route-running receiver, and he is should be taken in the first two rounds.

The main knock on Nicks is his lack of explosive speed. If Nicks were as fast as a guy like Heyward-Bey, he just might be a top 10 pick this year. Instead the Vikings might get a chance to get Nicks in round two if he slips a little farther than expected.
NFL comparison: Jerricho Cotchery

7) Brian Robiske (Ohio State) 6’2”, 195 lbs.

Brian Robiske is very similar to Hakeem Nicks. Robiskie is another talented receiver with great route-running abilities, but like Nicks, he lacks the amazing speed. More so than Nicks though, Robiskie also lacks the explosiveness it takes to be a great wide receiver in the NFL.

Robiskie is likely to be a mid to late second round pick on Saturday, so if the Vikings wanted, he may be there in the second round. NFL comparison: Roy Williams

8) Derrick Williams (Penn. State) 6’0”, 194 lbs.

MY SLEEPER PICK: Derrick Williams is my sleeper pick in the 2009 class of wide receivers. Williams has great speed, and a pretty decent build. Some people think he has some catching issues, but I think he is improving on that already. I don’t think Williams’ hands will be that big of an issue in the NFL.

His only other main knock is his durability issues, but if he is healthy I think this guy will have a better career than some of the wide receivers listed ahead of him on this list. Williams is also an explosive kick returner as well. NFL comparison: Steve Breaston

9) Juaquin Iglesias (Oklahoma) 6’0”, 200 lbs.

Iglesias was the “do it all” guy at Oklahoma last year. Iglesias returned kicks last year, and was the No. 1 target for Heisman winner Sam Bradford last season. Iglesias has solid hands, and a pretty good build too. He has also been labeled as a hard worker, as he has played through his share of injuries as well.

Iglesias’ main drawback is his speed and a problem with fumbles. Iglesias will almost certainly be available for the Vikings in the second round if they feel like adding another Oklahoma star with possible fumbling issues in the 2009 Draft. NFL comparison: Roddy White

Note: It was well documented a few years ago that coach Brad Childress does not like taking wide receivers in the first round of the NFL draft after the Williamson fiasco, but if Crabtree is still available, Childress would have to be a fool to pass him up. Some of these other guys could also make Childress think twice about passing them up as well.

Keep up with the Vikings, and the NFL draft this weekend with Viking Vigil. www.vikingvigil.com

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