Chad Greenway hopes to return ...

[fiestavike]

I think Greenway's best days are behind him, and I would move on if I were making the decision, but to be fair to him, he has been battling injuries the last couple years. He might look better when healthy, but I think at best he is a stop gap quality player at this point. On the open market he might fetch about 4 mil on a 2 year deal is my guess.

[IrishViking]

If he is ready to accept a full backup role he can be my guest to stay. If he thinks he still has what it takes to start in the NFL, I think it may be best for him to go else where.

[The Breeze]

With KWill, they had a viable alternative in Floyd. It was a much easier situation.
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They have yet to replace Winfield's productivity even at his advanced age.....that may have been too hasty of a decision given the resulting void. They may still have wound up parting ways, but I wish they would have done so with more refined negotiations, regardless of who was at fault for the lack of talks.
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I only want Greenway if he can make a difference. That's up to Zimmer and Spielman. It sounds like he is open to multiple options. I'd rather see Cole and Hodges as the starters, personally. They are both 'high motor' and Cole has a nose for the ball.

[jackal]

I love Greenway as a person, but he is at the back end of his career ...

I have loved Cole since day one and Hodges looked great in several games last year...

[Cliff]

Greenway restructured.

http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/03/28/chad-g ... -minnesota

[jackal]

Good I hope he finishes strong with us....he is a very good person.

[DanAS]

Good I hope he finishes strong with us....he is a very good person.

I don't know the guy personally, but from what little I've been able to glean, I agree with you. He appears to be one of those so-called "character guys" who is the real deal.

[chicagopurple]

The simple fact is that Greenway is on the bubble and luckily (for him) he is on a team that is weak at HIS position. He IS experienced and he CAN help train up young talent they draft. I would not be surprised if he ends up a LB coach. Certainly, if we are keeping a clear failure like our failed OL "star", it is no surprise that there is room for Greenway.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Good I hope he finishes strong with us....he is a very good person.

Yeah, he is a good person. Does a lot of community work. A great teacher. Not a good LB anymore, at least not a 4 mil a year LB. They should have let him go, and grabbed Spikes with that money. Spikes can cover as good as any mike we have had since EJ Henderson. Greenway makes a of of tackles, because thats the way he plays. He is never in front of the ball, to make a play on the ball. He is too slow. He cant cover me. So he waits for them to catch the ball, and then tackles. I have no doubt, if we ever let some of our younger LB's play Greenways spot, they would put up similar tackles. Unless Zimmer changes something. Because it doesnt look like our LB's have changed a thing since Zimmer came. Im afraid, just like with JA, we waited too long to trade Greenway.

[dead_poet]

They should have let him go, and grabbed Spikes with that money.

I'm not sure why the two should be related. Greenway is a WLB. Spikes is an ILB. I also don't think that the Vikings had to even restructure Greenway to be able to fit Spikes under the cap (though it's been reported Spikes' asking price is high, which is why he's still out there).

Spikes can cover as good as any mike we have had since EJ Henderson.

That's not saying much. And from what I've seen Spikes is quite miserable against the pass. In fact, I've rarely seen him on the field on third/passing situations.

Greenway makes a of of tackles, because that's the way he plays. He is never in front of the ball, to make a play on the ball. He is too slow. He cant cover me. So he waits for them to catch the ball, and then tackles.

There might be some truth to this, but two separate coaching staffs have valued Greenway. Zimmer has nothing but good things to say about him. I don't know his exact responsibilities at the position, however much like Robison's assignments (which I read do not traditionally lend themselves to large stats) that may have contributed:

“I love Chad; Chad’s a good guy,” Zimmer said. “You’d have to ask him, but I think even at his stage in his career he probably learned some things this year. And we asked him to do a lot of different things he probably hasn’t done before. He’s the kind of guy that we like to have.”

http://blog.startribune.com/sports/acce ... till-start

And he wasn't exactly useless.

He was ranked 8th overall in stops, tied for 7th in sacks and 6th in quarterback hits.

http://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/2/8/5 ... d-greenway

I have no doubt, if we ever let some of our younger LB's play Greenways spot, they would put up similar tackles.

There's really no way to know that. Despite his falloff he's been a very solid linebacker for the Vikings for years. I don't think just anyone could've done what he did, though there is some merit to the suggestion a younger player could play at his level now. But he's still very smart/savvy.

Im afraid, just like with JA, we waited too long to trade Greenway.

You always have to weigh trade value of a vet to what they're able to do for you and what your plans are. The Vikings obviously felt his contributions on the field were more productive that potential trade compensation. I'm sure you'd agree you don't trade a veteran player just to trade them.

[Mothman]

You always have to weigh trade value of a vet to what they're able to do for you and what your plans are. The Vikings obviously felt his contributions on the field were more productive that potential trade compensation. I'm sure you'd agree you don't trade a veteran player just to trade them.

I wonder... that's starting to seem like the prevailing philosophy of some Vikings fans. A player is over 30? Trade him!

The repeated deprecation of Greenway's game drives me nuts because it gets so over-the-top. The guy can still play and play at a pro level. Frazier valued him, Zimmer values him and that's not just due to sentimentality. Zimmer had no reason to love a player who had never played for him. Greenway played an important role on a significantly improved defense last year. Are we really supposed to believe he's an over-the-hill incompetent with nothing left to offer but his knowledge of the game?

[mansquatch]

I've long advocated infusing talent at LB and have generally that felt Greenway is a bit over-rated the past few years. However, those are not sufficient reasons in of themselves to cut the guy. Quite simply, who is going to replace him? There are some younger guys who might be able to play his position, but there is no guarantee that they'll have as many positive plays or as few negative plays as Greenway. I really do not see how some of the guys on the Roster are suddenly going to be an immediate upgrade over CG.

This seems like much ado about nothing IMO. Who plays CB opposite Rhodes and who plays Safety opposite Smith are much bigger questions to answer on defense.

[chicagopurple]

the more important questions are who are they going to bring in who will improve us? LB & OL will require either some very good draft picks or big free agents. Keeping an aging vet is really not important in the scheme of things, its just a feel good story and I am tired of feel good stories, they dont satisfy me at all.

[PurpleKoolaid]

LOL DP, I know Greenway doesnt play ILB. My point was, we should have low balled him, since his performance has droped so much, and with that money, get Spikes. I have a feeling we can get him a bit cheaper then his asking price. The Bills have made so many moves this year, I dont think Spikes is even on their radar. A MLB is on our radar.

And as far as taking Greeways spot, I bet that wouldnt be a problem, at all, with our younger LB's, who need to start playing. We have a couple LBs on the bench that need that playing time cause I think they may be pretty good. I do understand for leadership, but not spending that much. They dumped Winfield for less. And he was a better CB at his age then Greenway plays LB. Greenways off the field stuff though, theres a guy id let my kids idolize. He is stand up all the way.

[Cliff]

This thread is starting to remind me of the song 'Big Yellow Taxi'. The idea that we can stick any of the other guys on the team in for Greenway and they'll do just as good is pure speculation and probably wishful thinking. If the team could have picked up a better player to replace him then sure, go ahead and do what is necessary. That person doesn't seem to be out there.

As far as price, who cares? We aren't personally paying him and his cap hit isn't going to stop the team from signing other players.