2009 Vikes Preseason Schedule

Vikes @ Colts – Either August 14 or 15
Vikes vs Chiefs – Either August 21 or 22
Vikes @ Texans – August 31 (Monday Night)
Vikes vs Cowboys – September 4

Vikes Keep Tahi

Another non-exciting Vikings off-season story, the Vikes matched the one year, $1.4 million offer made by the Bengals on fullback, Naufahu Tahi.

Really who cares? Tahi is decent at best. Adrian Peterson doesn’t like running with a fullback, but obviously the Vikes still need one. Tahi knows the plays and occasionally he shows up to play. I guess he is a Viking for another year.

Add this to the off-season of non-stories for the Vikes.

To date the Vikes have traded for Sage Rosenfels (QB), re-signed Tahi (FB), Benny Sapp (CB), Jimmy Kennedy (DT) and Heath Farwell (LB), signed Free Agents Karl Paymah (CB) and Glenn Holt (WR/KR). Minnesota lost Matt Birk (C), Darren Sharper (S) and Gus Frerotte (QB).

Wow, what excitement!

Chilly Passes on Cutler

Wow! Apparently awhile back Minnesota was working a three team deal that included disgruntled Broncos quarterback, Jay Cutler coming to Minnesota. Eventually Vikes Head Coach, Brad Childress changed his mind because he wasn’t completely “sold” on Cutler.

Now I’m not sure what the Vikes would have had to give up, obviously this year’s number one draft pick and more, but how do you NOT trade for Cutler?!? He clearly wants out of Denver. The Broncos have no real leverage and Cutler is WAY better then Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

Don’t get me wrong, Cutler seems a little on the “diva” side of things, but the kid can play. Plus he is super young. This whole deal is amazing to me. Chilly is FOR SURE heading into the 2009 season with either Jackson or Rosenfels as the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. What an idiot!

Here are the stats of the three quarterbacks:

Cutler - 3 year NFL vet, 762 of 1,220 for 9,062 yards including 54 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.

Rosenfels – 8 year NFL vet, 351 of 562 for 4,156 yards including 30 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.

Jackson – 3 year NFL vet, 306 of 524 for 3,442 yards including 20 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Who would you rather have?!? Again not knowing the asking price, but Chilly is terrible. He better hope his boy, T-Jack or his new boy, Rosenfels step it up or his days in Minnesota are for sure numbered.

Holt, Griffin and Sharper

HOLT
I’ve been a little caught up in March Madness, so this isn’t exactly breaking news. No the Vikings didn’t sign wide receiver, Torry Holt because that would make too much sense. However, they did finally land a Bengal’s receiver. Who wants Housh when you can have Glenn Holt?!?

Holt is receiver, but he was signed more because of his kick return ability. Last year in Cincy, Holt averaged 24.1 yards per kickoff return. It is expected that Holt will battle Darius Reynaud for the Vikes kick return job.

GRIFFIN
In addition to signing Holt, the Vikes also gave an extension to Cedric “Showtime” Griffin. Griffin was set to be a Free Agent after the upcoming season. Griffin was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Vikes and he has started 38 of 46 games. He has 223 tackles, three picks and seven forced fumbles as a pro.

Griffin is kindda odd because some games he looks like a pretty solid cornerback and then others he is a disaster. All in all this is fine for the Vikes. I’m guessing they didn’t exactly “break the bank” to give the contract extension.

SHARPER
Oh yeah and Darren Sharper signed with the Saints. Good riddance!

Vikes Sign Paymah

The Vikes finally signed a Free Agent. Too bad you have never heard of him.

Minnesota signed cornerback, Karl Paymah to a one year deal worth a little over $1.5 million. Paymah is a four year NFL veteran from the Broncos. It is expected that he will battle Benny Sapp for the nickel position.

Paymah is 26 and was drafted in the third-round by Denver in the 2005 NFL Draft. He has started five games in his NFL career and has three interceptions.

The Paymah deal isn’t bad news, it’s just hard to get too excited about our lone Free Agent signee who is either a nickel or dime back.

Vikes Re-Sign Sapp & Kennedy

Sapp & Kennedy
Not exactly earth shattering news, but the Minnesota Vikings re-signed Benny Sapp (CB) and Jimmy Kennedy (DT) to one year deals. Sapp will battle to be the dime back and Kennedy is a possible backup for either members of the Williams Wall.

McKinnie
Other interesting news, Bryant McKinnie (OT) appears to have lucked out again. He was set to go to trial for a brawl outside a Miami nightclub, but he entered a diversion program. Some community service and no more arrests and no jail for the slowest, most overpaid offensive tackle in the NFL. I guess this is a good thing.

Not a Fan of T-Jack
Rumors are rampant that Brad Childress sent Tarvaris Jackson to be the “closer” on the TJ Houshmandzadeh deal. Apparently Housh wasn’t too impressed with T-Jack and that helped him make his decision to choose Seattle. Personally I think this is just a good story. Housh took the money.

Possibilities?
I don’t really count Karl Paymah (CB) or Leonard Weaver (FB) as interesting possibilities. Both are scheduled to visit Winter Park.

However, I do like the thought of trading for Anquan Boldin (WR). It is very unclear what his status is with the Cardinals. He’d definitely be worth a First Round pick.

Trading for Jay Cutler (QB) of Denver would be awesome too. Although I highly doubt this is even a remote possibility.

Also, the Rams cut Orlando Pace (OT). I understand his is getting old and is a little injury riddled, but would you rather start and old Pace or a terrible Ryan Cook at right tackle. Something HAS to be done here and I don’t think starting a rookie is the best idea.

Vikes Re-sign Farwell

As the Minnesota Vikings remain very quiet during Free Agency, one move they made over the weekend was a very good decision. The Vikes re-signed linebacker/special teams standout, Heath Farwell.

Farwell will be the number one backup to EJ Henderson, Chad Greenway and Ben Leber. In addition to developing into a rather solid backer, Farwell is a STUD on special teams.

Farwell missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Minnesota clearly missed him as the Vikes special teams was pathetic.

The re-signing of Farwell is fairly under the radar nationally, but this was a wise move for the Vikes. Now let’s go find a right tackle!

Free Agency to Date

In case you have been celebrating since the big Sage Rosenfels acquisition or you just haven’t been paying much attention, here is a breakdown of really all that has happened during Free Agency so far. Minnesota is one of many teams to do little to nothing. Below are the impactful moves so far.

ARIZONA: Re-signed Kurt Warner (QB)

BALTIMORE: Re-signed Ray Lewis (LB) and Signed Matt Birk (C)

CAROLINA: Re-signed Jordan Gross (OT)

CINCINNATI: Signed Laveranues Coles (WR)

DALLAS: Signed Keith Brooking (LB), Released Terrell Owens (WR) and Roy Williams (S)

DENVER: Signed LaMont Jordan (RB), J.J. Arrington (RB), Correll Buckhalter (RB), Brian Dawkins (S) and Jabar Gaffney (WR)

DETROIT: Signed Grady Jackson (DT), Philip Buchanon (CB), Bryant Johnson (CB) and Maurice Morris (RB)

NEW ENGLAND: Signed Fred Taylor (RB) and Re-signed Matt Cassel (QB) then traded him to Kansas City

NEW YORK JETS: Signed Bart Scott (LB) and Jim Leonhard (S)

ST. LOUIS: Signed Jason Brown (C/G)

SEATTLE: Signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh (WR)

TENNESSEE: Signed Nate Washington (WR)

WASHINGTON: Signed Albert Haynesworth (DT)

Birk Sign with Ravens

Longtime Minnesota Vikings center, Matt Birk signed a three-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The deal is worth $12 mil with half guaranteed.

Birk is a six-time Pro Bowler and a St. Paul native. It was thought that Birk, 32, would go on the circuit but end up back with the Vikes. I guess not.

I’m not as crushed as some people are. Birk’s game has slipped some and seems a little arrogant. Maybe I didn't liked him since he never had the back of Randy Moss.

The real question is who will be the center for the Vikes in 2009. John Sullivan is now looking like the guy. That is a little scary.

So apparently Minnesota is planning on doing nothing in Free Agency. We better have a SOLID 2009 Draft because we are headlining into next year with Sage Rosenfels instead of Gus Frerotte, minus Birk and soon to be minus Darren Sharper with ZERO additions to the team.

I sure hope Chilly has something sneaky up his sleeve, but I doubt it.

I Want My $6 Back

So after flirting heavily with the Minnesota Vikings, wide receiver, TJ Houshmandzadeh apparently chose money over winning. Housh was in Minneapolis on Saturday and much of Sunday talking with the Vikes. It was thought that Minnesota would likely lock him up. In the end he signed a five year deal with the Seahawks for over $40 million with $15 being guaranteed. A little pricy for the Housh.

Don’t get me wrong I wanted him. I’m not sure if partially it was that $6 water I bought him at the Vegas club or if I just think he’s good. I think Housh wanted out from under Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson’s shadow and he wants to prove that he is a legit number one wide receiver in the NFL. Housh is no Randy Moss (but who is) or Reggie Wayne, but he would have been a nice addition to Bernard Berrian.

Picture Berrian, Houshmandzadeh, Sidney Rice and Bobby Wade being four wide with Adrian Peterson in the backfield, now that actually sounds like an offense. Oh yeah, unfortunately the quarterback is Sage Rosenfels.

So the Housh chose Seattle over Minnesota and Cincy. Dammit!

The new hot rumor is that Minnesota is interested in trading for Broncos quarterback, Jay Cutler. Cutler is mad at the Broncos because they were supposedly interested in trading him in a three team deal to acquire quarterback, Matt Cassel. Cassel ended up with the Kansas City Chiefs.

This would be AWESOME if the Vikes landed Cutler, but this will never happen.

No Housh, no Cutler, now as a Viking fan the highlight of Free Agency will be us re-signing Matt Birk. What a thrilling off-season so far!

Oh by the way, it sounds like Darren Sharper will either be a Saint or a Bear. He’s old so who cares?