12 Days of Vikings Hype - Day 5

On the twelfth day of Vikings hype we took a look at Linval Hungry

On the eleventh day of Vikings hype we took a look at our QB

On the tenth day of Vikings hype we took a look at the defense

On the ninth day of Vikings hype we took a look a a trailer for the year

On the eighth day of Vikings hype we look at all three phases of the team

One week people!

On the seventh day of Vikings hype we looked backward and forward.

On the sixth day of Vikings hype we looked at a top player in the NFL.

On the fifth day of Vikings we take a look at the defense, again.

A Summer Summary

As I've traveled and enjoyed the Summer my attention to the sports scene has been diminished. That's far from a unique circumstance this time of year, but has been compounded by the fact that the Twins have been somewhere between abysmal and forgettable.

In addition to that, the addition I have put toward sports over the last week has been to prioritized the soon coming positivity.

Football is almost back folks. That is an annual fact that brings nothing but positive emotions. If not for the product on the field, for the hardcore fantasy football that can once again breath.

But I digress because this is not about football, at least not mostly.

12 Days of Vikings Hype - Day 6

On the twelfth day of Vikings hype we took a look at Linval Hungry

On the eleventh day of Vikings hype we took a look at our QB

On the tenth day of Vikings hype we took a look at the defense

On the ninth day of Vikings hype we took a look a a trailer for the year

On the eighth day of Vikings hype we look at all three phases of the team

One week people!

On the seventh day of Vikings hype we looked backward and forward.

12 Days of Vikings Hype - Day 7

On the twelfth day of Vikings hype we took a look at Linval Hungry

On the eleventh day of Vikings hype we took a look at our QB

On the tenth day of Vikings hype we took a look at the defense

On the ninth day of Vikings hype we took a look a a trailer for the year

On the eighth day of Vikings hype we highlight all three phases of the team

One week people!

On the seventh day of Vikings hype we look backward and forward at the same time.

12 Days of Vikings Hype - Day 8

On the twelfth day of Vikings hype we took a look at Linval Hungry

On the eleventh day of Vikings hype we took a look at our QB

On the tenth day of Vikings hype we took a look at the defense

On the ninth day of Vikings hype we took a look a a trailer for the year

Onward and forward we go!

On the eighth day of Vikings hype we highlight all three phases of the team

So here goes!

12 Days of Vikings Hype - Day 11

11 days

264 hours

15,840 minutes

Until the first Vikings Training Camp practice is scheduled to be underway.

I showed our big DT's flash yesterday and want to highlight another key member of the team, but this time on offense.

Take a look but be aware that this one is nearly 17 minutes long.

Thanks for coming by!

Fast Break

So there have been some big local news breaks over the past couple days but none of them merit a post alone so I'm gonna go with a quick wrap on everything.

• The Lynx are undefeated. 7 - 0 with more double digit wins then single digit victories. This is what champions do. Great job ladies!

• Rumor has it the Timberwolves will pursue Joakim Noah from the Bulls. That's not especially surprising since he played very well under Thibs during the Bulls recent run of success. I'm not sure he has longevity or athleticism to merit a starting roll type contract for the pups but his experience will probably deride that to some degree if he signs here.

• A few days ago Vegas put out odds on every NBA's team chance to win the 2017 championship. The local five were eleventh. A team that hasn't made the playoffs since I was frosh in high school is in the top 11!!!! There are only four Western Conference teams above them. It's unbelievable! Fairness in facts, they're tied with three other West teams so as not to mislead. Do I think they're a contender? No. But Vegas gets these things wrong so rarely. Even they're putting money on our squad making the playoffs!

A draft recap

As we continue to grind the through the weeks until Football is back I think it may be a good time to take a look back at one of the Vikings recent drafts and break down each pick. It takes a few years to have a real idea of what a team has gained or failed to do so, as has often been the case, so I'm going to take a look at the 2013 draft tonight.

I wish I could be positive about the class as a whole but it was not nearly as good as some of the drafts that have happened since and I want to be objective

Well let's begin, shall we?

Flash off

Option day has come and from what I can tell, the right decisions have been made.

Xavier Rhodes and Shariff Floyd had their 5th year contract options picked up by the Vikings. Their first round running mate, Cordarelle Patterson did not.

So CP - "Flash" - is now in a contract year.

I despise contract year players. So many times players break out in a big way in the last year of their contracts. It happens in the NBA & NFL on a nearly yearly basis.

The only ones who deserve big contract extensions or contracts with other teams are those who have multiple years of high level production. Or just consistent levels of productivity.

That does not include the aforementioned Flash Patterson.

Maybe he'll have a spectacular year. Which I can only imagine would mean great things for the entire team but flash off.

I don't want him on the Vikings next season. Not as a kick returner. Not as a "wide receiver".

Go away CP, just flash off.

Super 7

I've hit on this a little bit in the last few days but things keep progressing and it's very noteworthy.
Newsflash: The NFL draft was this weekend.

With the second pick in the draft Carson Wentz was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. It's been discussed ad nauseam so I'm going to leave it at that.

In the fifth round his left tackle Joe Haeg got snatched by the Indianapolis Colts.

Like I said, I've covered this stuff in the past few days but there is new information that ought to be relayed.

After

Peace Garden Stars

Congratulations to all the young men joining the NFL this weekend!

So much of the focus goes toward the first round picks, and rightly so considering the ascribed value of those picks. But that's only 32 or in this case 31 of the 250+ to be selected before Saturday is done.

Likewise, so much of the attention this year has gone toward Carson Wentz. It's been said and will be said again that a North Dakota boy is almost assured to never reach the height that he did. But he isn't the first and won't be the last.

Two years ago, Billy Turner was drafted by the Miami Dolphins. Then Marcus Williams went to the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent.

Last year Kyle Emanuel was selected by the San Diego Chargers. Also, John Crockett joined the Green Bay Packers.

This year Carson Wentz was the #2 overall pick. Then in the fifth round Connor McGovern and Joe Haeg were both selected.

Two years ago people may have thought it was a mirage. A rare instance. Then it happened again last year and now all the action this year. But this year may be the most special of the three. Find out why after this.

Vikings Draft Day 2 reaction

I went in to the draft thinking that the Vikings should draft a QB in the second if one of the top 5 was still available. Well Connor Cook was, but they skipped on that. Not the worst thing since they want to build around Teddy but if not QB then Offensive line or maybe even Safety. It would make even more sense in real time since one of the top rated Safeties was still available when they selected.

But they went Cornerback.

A 5'10" corner who apparently didn't play too much in the slot. He went to Clemson and they've had a squad the last few years which is a testament to coaching but I don't like this pick.

Zimmer is a defensive guy and has had a history of working well with DB's but this is not a top need this year or even looking toward's next season.

When considering positional need and the spot at which he was chosen I'm giving it a C-.

Thankfully, Draft Friday night goes 2 rounds deep and I'll hit on the third round briefly.

Local Pride

I'm a North Dakota kid. It's home for me, and one of the best partitions of land in the world. Those who come from the space between Minnesota and Montana are tough. We're strong. We're as flawed as people from each and every other part of the world but we're a certain kind of special. We have long memories for those who become exceptional and those who disparage us.

Last night one of our native sons became the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Carson Wentz, the kid from Bismarck, ND. The kid who played at little NDSU. Was drafted second over all. The second of 256 players to be selected by the 32 NFL teams over the 3 days span of the draft.

He's made history. Whatever happens from here is important for him and for all of us Nodaks. He represents the state in a way that no one ever may again. But he's already made history.

Sure Josh Duhamel has had success as an actor in Hollywood, coming from Minot but he didn't lead the state's main university's football team to it's fourth and fifth national championships.

We know the people who come from our towns and make it big.

There were few, if any, native borns who didn't have their eyes fixed on a tv last night to watch the event happen.

It's a proud moment for his family, for the city of Bismarck and for each and very born North Dakotan.  It may never happen again, nor can we expect it to but we celebrate the accomplishment and know that Philly may have just become the second most popular NFL football team in the state.

He's a Bison. He's an Eagle. But before that he was a North Dakotan and after his career is over he will still be a North Dakotan.

We're proud of you Carson. Now get out there and shut up all the detractors who don't give us the respect we deserve!

Vikings Draft recap - round 1

The Tread is on the tires.
The Well is surely full.

We got the man I wanted all along. Laquon Treadwell is a Minnesota Viking.

I think I just heard someone say "Super Bowl home boi." Oh wait, that was just in my head.

The rounds not done and I'm hoping that GM Spielman can find a way to get back into the first round but if not it's already a success.

Prisoner of the moment, looking at it within minutes of the pick I'm giving it an A+.

14 - 2 just got a little bit more likely & we didn't even have to give up four picks to get him...

If anything else happens or comes to mind it'll be below the fold!

Vikings Draft Compendium

I've now completed the 7 round, 8 pick Vikings draft in 5 separate posts. Since I did the work to break it down that much I'm going to go a little further and do the work to bring it all together. In that exercise I went from the bottom to the top. I know that most of the attention goes to the first round  so I'm going to lead off with that and if interested keep going and see the rest of the picks as I see them hopefully happening. For the top 3 rounds I'll give some alternative possibilities.

I'm keeping it brief here but if you want more of a deep take a look at the five previous posts.

Round 1 - #23 overall

Wide Receiver - Not another 5'10" slot guy or even a speedster but a 6'2"+ receiver to take the number 1 spot.

Alternatives

Lineman - The best one available, either offense or defense.

Linebacker - This is maybe the fourth spot of need on the team but am holding off on Safety until later

Vikings Draft - Stage 5

Well, it's finally time to lock in on the position that I think should be addressed at 23. Because of the value of a first round pick I'm going to do three possibilities, like I did with the second round pick but in more detail. It could be perceived as a cop out to locking in on one position but the draft is hard to predict and combining that with the importance of first picks I don't want to lock myself into one position.

I hope the Vikings are able to draft a best player available and fill one of the needs on the team.

So with the 23rd pick in the 2016 NFL Draft the Vikings will hopefully draft either a Lineman, Receiver or linebacker, but not in that order so you'll just have to go on to see the A, B & C.

Vikings draft - stage 4

We're a few minutes under 8 days to the draft. I've gone through the bottom six picks and finally have gotten to the second round.

That has been plenty of action by other teams but none yet by the Purple. Getting into the top of the draft there are more potential fits then guys who could be excluded. I've already repeatedly noted the areas which could use attention, and will do so again next Thursday pre draft before my make my prediction of the first round but I think now is the right time to firmly eliminate some positions.

Running back
With the Texan Terminator still at the top of the position I don't think a running back needs to be added at all during this draft and especially not in the top rounds. As others have already identified, running back is one, if not the only position where there are more capable players then there are starting positions in the league. So maybe bringing one in as an URFA would bare dividends for the team down the road but not with the 8 picks currently in possession.

Vikings Draft - Stage 2

So working on up from the bottom of the seventh round I think the Vikings would benefit from going defensive line and wide receiver. That would create competition at some important areas while allowing for the remainder of the draft to bring in guys to strengthen other areas of the team.

As mentioned before, I'm completely ignoring the likelihood of Spielman making trades with some of the picks.

The two picks I want to speculate about today are number 198, from the sixth round and 160, from the fifth round.

I'll get to it just across the divide.

Vikings Draft - Stage 1

Last night I went off about a couple NBA draft prospect that I want to see added to the Timberwolves. Well now I'm going to go deep on the NFL draft.

I'm going to go from the bottom to the top and layout which positions I'd like to see addressed with each pick. To stretch the topic out, I'm also going to space it out over the next five weeks.

There's no way to know what Trader Rick will do as far as trades go so I'm just going to ignore the possibility...certainty... of a trade happening. We have 8 picks as of now. Today I'll do the bottom 2 picks. Then move up by 2 for the next 2 times, finishing up with the top 2 picks as individual sets.

I don't plan on pin pointing any certain player for each pick but more so a position that could use bolstering.

So here goes, our 7th round pick, number 212 overall should be a....

Find out after the break!