Biggest questions heading into next year

[Pondering Her Percy]

-Both our OTs Kalil and Smith are in contract years. We have a 34 year old center. And Fusco is horrid. I would have to imagine we bring back Smith on another 1 year deal and let Kalil walk. My question is, without a first round pick, it could be tough finding a starting LT. What should be our approach here?

-Peterson due $18 million next year and coming off another knee injury. Next years RB class is loaded however but we might HAVE to go OT with that pick in the second and I can't see Fournette, Cook or Chubb falling to the 3rd.

-If Bradford continues to play well, what do we do here?? We can always let Bradford play until Teddy is fully 100% but this could very well turn into a QB controversy.

-.......I love our defense


.....All in all, I have to imagine we spent our first few picks on offense am I right? My offseason mocks will be quite interesting

[dead_poet]

-Both our OTs Kalil and Smith are in contract years. We have a 34 year old center. And Fusco is horrid. I would have to imagine we bring back Smith on another 1 year deal and let Kalil walk. My question is, without a first round pick, it could be tough finding a starting LT. What should be our approach here?

Prayer?

But in all seriousness I make a competitive offer to Kevin Zeitler in addition to probably overpaying for a 1-2 year deal with Andrew Whitworth. He'll be 35 but an older decent option is better than essentially no option. I don't see how the Vikings don't attempt to do something via free agency (AND the draft). They must think something of Easton at center.

-Peterson due $18 million next year and coming off another knee injury. Next years RB class is loaded however but we might HAVE to go OT with that pick in the second and I can't see Fournette, Cook or Chubb falling to the 3rd.

McKinnon/Asiata may be sufficient if McKinnon can somehow play decently given the mess in front of him. It wouldn't shock me if the Vikings wait until round 3-4 to address RB.

-If Bradford continues to play well, what do we do here?? We can always let Bradford play until Teddy is fully 100% but this could very well turn into a QB controversy.

It all depends on Teddy's recovery. I think best-case scenario would be a QB controversy (as much as I despise them). It also wouldn't shock me if the Vikings let Sam play out his contract and then turn back to Teddy. But, really, it's almost foolish to even speculate at this point.

.....All in all, I have to imagine we spent our first few picks on offense am I right? My offseason mocks will be quite interesting

We're past the point where the line needs to be addressed. Given that, Rick will probably wait until the 6th round and pick up Willie Beavers Part II.

[Mothman]

-Both our OTs Kalil and Smith are in contract years. We have a 34 year old center. And Fusco is horrid. I would have to imagine we bring back Smith on another 1 year deal and let Kalil walk. My question is, without a first round pick, it could be tough finding a starting LT. What should be our approach here?

It's too soon to say.

-Peterson due $18 million next year and coming off another knee injury. Next years RB class is loaded however but we might HAVE to go OT with that pick in the second and I can't see Fournette, Cook or Chubb falling to the 3rd.

It's too soon to say here as well. They'll need to see how Peterson heals, determine if they (and he) want to renegotiate, see how McKinnon performs, etc.

-If Bradford continues to play well, what do we do here?? We can always let Bradford play until Teddy is fully 100% but this could very well turn into a QB controversy.

This one's easy. If Bradford performs well and looks worth keeping, keep him.

.....All in all, I have to imagine we spent our first few picks on offense am I right?

That seems likely but with this coach's love for defense, who knows?

There's a lot of football to be played before we even get to the offseason. more questions could arise, A few might get answered...

[jackal]

Honestly if you look at history the Vikings
from the way things look now of being one
Of the youngest next season. Kalil was a
real question mark, even last season. 11 million
is a lot to pay for a underperforming LT.

Robinson deal is up and Hunter is looking
more effective already. Who knows with
the rest of the OL? Greenway gone, A.P.
I think gone?? He won't take a lot less money
Hill gone probably. Wright gone probably ..
Newman probably gone based off his play
so far. That's pretty much the older guys

[autobon7]

Robinson deal is up and Hunter is looking
more effective already. Who knows with
the rest of the OL? Greenway gone, A.P.
I think gone?? He won't take a lot less money
Hill gone probably. Wright gone probably ..
Newman probably gone based off his play
so far. That's pretty much the older guys

I could see possibly retaining Robison and Wright (depending upon what happens to Patterson).

[J. Kapp 11]

Honestly if you look at history the Vikings
from the way things look now of being one
Of the youngest next season. Kalil was a
real question mark, even last season. 11 million
is a lot to pay for a underperforming LT.

Robinson deal is up and Hunter is looking
more effective already. Who knows with
the rest of the OL? Greenway gone, A.P.
I think gone?? He won't take a lot less money
Hill gone probably. Wright gone probably ..
Newman probably gone based off his play
so far. That's pretty much the older guys

AP isn't going to have much choice. His contract is not guaranteed next year, and he counts nothing against the cap if the Vikings cut him before the 3rd day of the 2017 football year. So if he's not willing to renegotiate, he risks taking a LOT less money on the free agent market -- or no money at all. No team is going to pay $11 million to a 32-year-old running back coming off another knee injury, and it wouldn't surprise me if he has very few suitors for his services at all. I would say the odds of AP retiring as a Viking are strong, whether that's next year or later under a renotiated deal.

The retirement of Greenway will make ZERO difference. He's barely playing as it is, and our LB corps is deep. Wright is a non-factor. Newman is playing now, but Waynes will be more than ready. Believe it or not, a lot of people see a future star in Waynes, including Ike Harris, who is now a talking head. Waynes can stay with anybody ... he just needs to get better at playing the ball. My money is on him taking that step.

Bradford is under contract for next year. The only way the Vikings don't pay him is if they trade him. If he goes out and has a Pro Bowl season, would trading him in favor of starting Teddy, who will epitomize the term "question mark," make sense? Not in my book, but if Bradford's trade value is high, who knows?

[autobon7]

AP isn't going to have much choice. His contract is not guaranteed next year, and he counts nothing against the cap if the Vikings cut him before the 3rd day of the 2017 football year. So if he's not willing to renegotiate, he risks taking a LOT less money on the free agent market -- or no money at all. No team is going to pay $11 million to a 32-year-old running back coming off another knee injury, and it wouldn't surprise me if he has very few suitors for his services at all. I would say the odds of AP retiring as a Viking are strong, whether that's next year or later under a renotiated deal.

The retirement of Greenway will make ZERO difference. He's barely playing as it is, and our LB corps is deep. Wright is a non-factor. Newman is playing now, but Waynes will be more than ready. Believe it or not, a lot of people see a future star in Waynes, including Ike Harris, who is now a talking head. Waynes can stay with anybody ... he just needs to get better at playing the ball. My money is on him taking that step.

Bradford is under contract for next year. The only way the Vikings don't pay him is if they trade him. If he goes out and has a Pro Bowl season, would trading him in favor of starting Teddy, who will epitomize the term "question mark," make sense? Not in my book, but if Bradford's trade value is high, who knows?

Agree with everything EXCEPT Wright being a non factor. As I mentioned and nobody is talking about is what they will do with Patterson.......will dictate what will happen with Wright imo.

[Mothman]

Bradford is under contract for next year. The only way the Vikings don't pay him is if they trade him. If he goes out and has a Pro Bowl season, would trading him in favor of starting Teddy, who will epitomize the term "question mark," make sense? Not in my book, but if Bradford's trade value is high, who knows?

If he goes out and has a great season, not only would trading him in favor of starting Bridgewater not make sense, it would be somewhat mindboggling. This team has been looking for answers at QB for a long time. If Bradford plays at a high level and looks like a genuinely viable solution after this season, trading him to go with a QB coming off a devastating knee injury (the kind that has ended careers) and still hasn't really proven himself a viable long term starter would be a very reckless roll of the dice.

[IrishViking]

If he goes out and has a great season, not only would trading him in favor of starting Bridgewater not make sense, it would be somewhat mindboggling. This team has been looking for answers at QB for a long time. If Bradford plays at a high level and looks like a genuinely viable solution after this season, trading him to go with a QB coming off a devastating knee injury (the kind that has ended careers) and still hasn't really proven himself a viable long term starter would be a very reckless roll of the dice.

Almost Vikingesque you might say?

[Mothman]

Almost Vikingesque you might say?

I didn't want to say it but... yes.

[chicagopurple]

Bridgewater hasnt proven anything yet other then being a nice and calm fellow. If Bradford really shines in a very challenging year only a fool would bench him for Bridgewater ( so the Vikes prolly will do so). If they did bench him it would only be to serve the ego of the GM who drafted him. Sometimes a player becomes the GMs benchmark and they cannot face the fact that the draft choice may not have been epic. I hope Bradford does have a great year, thats a good problem for the Vikes to have.

The OL is a trainwreck and that might be a good thing if it forces changes.....It has taken sooo much failure to force it into the spotlight.

The RB is a dying position in the NFL. Not having a RB being your highest paid player is the only way to go. Losing AP will not derail our SuperBowl aspirations. Planning on running off tackle left/right then up the middle is 1980's football.....it's not going to happen.

If we spend our off season acquiring an OL and some wideouts.....I would be thrilled.

[autobon7]

If he goes out and has a great season, not only would trading him in favor of starting Bridgewater not make sense, it would be somewhat mindboggling. This team has been looking for answers at QB for a long time. If Bradford plays at a high level and looks like a genuinely viable solution after this season, trading him to go with a QB coming off a devastating knee injury (the kind that has ended careers) and still hasn't really proven himself a viable long term starter would be a very reckless roll of the dice.

Agree 1000%....(is that possible ?)

[Mothman]

The RB is a dying position in the NFL.

That's not even close to true. Approaches to the position may be changing but the position itself isn't going anywhere.

[mansquatch]

You guys are hitting on it, but my guess is that the QB situation will dictate a lot. If Bradford blows up we are going to go from being one of the most QB starved teams in the league to having two legitimate starters on the rosters. That will make for some very interesting decision making AND some very difficult coaching decisions.

On the OL it is too soon to tell, but my guess is that cha-cha-changes are coming. Assuming Sparano is kept for the long haul (too soon to tell anything there) then it is probably a good bet that he'll continue to seek out "his" kind of guys.

We have a whole season in front of us. Maybe Fusco settles down and recoups some of whatever it was (???) that lead the team to give him his rich contract. I'd say he is a likely candidate for restructure if he hasn't already. Maybe Smith settles down a bit and starts playing to his pedigree. IF he does that creates cap issues, he is on a prove it deal. Maybe TJ Clemmings with a year of experience under his belt and playing more on his natural side proves to be serviceable. (This would be an improvement over week 2 Kalil.) My guess is we will see the worst of the OL over the next few games leading into the bye. In the second half of the season I think we'll see them improve some. How much, I don't know. I'm not expecting a lot.

I think it is safe to say that if AP wishes to remain in purple there is no way it will be at $18MM a year. His injury and first two weeks of tape this season are going to really cut into his earning potential, previous equity or not.

[IrishViking]

That's not even close to true. Approaches to the position may be changing but the position itself isn't going anywhere.

I could see a future where someone like CP or Harvin is a prototypical back and he takes a classic handoff only 1 in 10 plays and otherwise is in motion or doing sweeps or coming out of the backfield to catch