Before free agency overtakes us here at Kick Ass Blog, a few words on the trade that sent Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks today.
Both myself (here) and Pacifist Viking (here) have made our feelings known on Harvin's worth to the Vikings over the past few months. But he's gone now and so Minnesota Vikings fans are left to figure out how the team is going to replace him and build on a surprisingly successful 2012 season.
One way to do that is to acquire players through free agency and with the draft picks they got from Seattle in the trade to make yourself better at other positions. That way Harvin's production on offense and returning kickoffs is offset. That could mean - on the defensive side of the ball - adding more talent in the secondary or at linebacker or defensive tackle or defensive end (the team could stand to do all four) that makes the Vikings defense harder to score on and produces more punts and turnovers that gives the Vikings offense shorter fields to work with or requires the unit to score less points in order for the Vikings to win. That's not an easy blueprint to success, and it requires that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman be right on a lot of his draft picks, plus any free agent signings he makes over the next couple of weeks. However, this is partly what the Vikings must do.
Offensively, Spielman has a considerable amount of work to do. In four seasons with the Vikings, Harvin averaged 70 catches, 825 yards, seven touchdowns and 27.9 yards per kickoff return per season. Jarius Wright could pick up some of the receiving slack - his 2012 numbers over seven games would translate to about 50 catches, 708 yards and five touchdown catches over a 16 game season. But the plan was that Harvin, plus an improved Wright, plus a hotshot free agent wide receiver, plus a rookie wide receiver or two would all lead to an improved Vikings passing game in 2013 - one that could at least keep up somewhat with what Chicago, Detroit and Green Bay will feature next season.
Now Wright is the top Viking receiver under contract and the team faces a lot of competition for a pretty thin group of free agent wide receivers. This year's draft is a deep one for wide receivers, but rookie wideouts typically don't make a big impact in their first year. Is it possible the club's wide receivers could actually be less productive in 2013 than they were in 2012? With Harvin in Seattle and if no significant additions are made through free agency, that will likely be the case.
Of course, a lot could happen between when free agency starts on Tuesday and when the college draft wraps up in April. But we all knew the Vikings had to improve their wide receiving corps - even with Harvin on the roster - to stay competitive in the NFC North and the NFC. Yes, the Vikings got themselves some assets by trading Harvin (something they seem to have been forced to do), but improving the team's greatest weakness also got a lot more challenging.
a big concern for me right now is that Ponder supporters (and I count myself among them for now) will now have plenty of excuses to support him in the face of an underwhelming 2013 campaign.The only solution to acquiesce this fear of mine is an improved passing offense next season, regardless of the talent added at WR.
ReplyDeletethe fun part about this is that the draft and FA just got more exciting. I trust the brass to draft well, so I am excited to see how the team parlays all of its picks into an improved Minnesota Vikings.
It always hurts to lose an elite player, and I understand your loyalty to him. He was one of the best guys in the league on Sundays, and there's a 99% chance we won't get anyone even close to his talent level with those picks. But what else could the Vikings do? The petulant little shit drove down his value every chance he got and pretty much forced his way out of town. I'm astonished they got so much for him. After everything he pulled he makes it hard for me to wish him well. And we play that asshole next year, he is going to light us up.
ReplyDeleteTwo first rounders are a nice way to start rebuilding, and a big WR like Keenan Allen, Justin Hunter, Robert Woods or Cordarrelle Patterson (another headcase but he is super talented) will be available. Maybe a Percy clone like Tavon Austin lasts that far, he can help in the return game too, but we still need a big guy. As upbeat as I am trying to be, something drastic has to be done at WR, there are college teams who are better off than us. Maybe this could force a move for Mike Wallace?
RE: peter- another year of excuses and a free pass again for Ponder, you just made me even more depressed, thanks man.
Ha! Sorry, EtR. It may not happen - Ponder could play well enough to silence most critics, or the decision to get a new QB could happen even though he had to gel with new receivers or whatever.
DeleteI hope that MN doesn't go for any Percy clones and just adopts a deep passing offense. it'd be nice to get a good returner somewhere, though.
Wallace is an option - and Jennings makes more sense with Harvin gone. MN could conceivably move up in the 1st round for a top shelf WR, too. I'm cautiously optimistic. And I hope Harvin gives Seattle more headaches than production.
Best of luck to Antoine Winfield, he deserved better than that. I understand the move but I still hate it. Hope he goes to a contender and gets a ring
ReplyDeleteYep, I really don't like how Spealman was let go of our best WR and CB!? I'm sure he has a plan, but the draft can't guarantee talent and immediate contribution like those guys. Can't wait for his next surprise!
DeleteObviously we don't really know what went on behind the scenes, and I get a little miffed when they follow up by signing one of their company men to jussst a little rich contract (Loadholt). Sort of similar to when they let Sidney Rice walk but overpaid (badly IMO) to keep a less impactful player at a less impactful position (Greenway).
ReplyDelete(And I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't have come to this point if the Vikings had chosen Andy Dalton or, now, Colin Kaepernick in the 2011 draft instead of Ponder, or Russell Wilson in 2012...I used to give Chilly a little slack on TJack because there really weren't really any QBs who were available to them during his era (depending on how you feel about Jay Cutler, maybe), but that hasn't been the case over the past couple seasons with Spielman/Ponder).
And personally, I hope they see if Antoine's interested in coaching (if he doesn't like the offers and wants to hang em up).
But what's done is done, I guess. Now we see what they do with their cap space and draft picks. Last year was probably the best draft they've had in some time, so I'm not sure it'd be proper to expect that sort of return again (3 immediate starters and two emerging role players in Wright and Ellison...I might even be missing somebody). But let's hope it's a sign they can restock with even more talent again.
Is it also too much, given they now have immediate needs in the return game and nickle corner, to start watching some highlights of the Honey Badger?
I AM missing somebody from the 2012 draft: Josh Robinson (who might be the best corner on the team right now).
Delete--jianfu
Opinions on Tyler Bray as backup QB draftee? 6'6' 232lb with a beautiful deep ball! I really doubt we would waste an early draft pick on QB though since our hopes and dreams are secured in Ponder.
ReplyDeleteYeah if we had as great of a draft this year as last! that would be amazing and way too hopeful imo - probably gonna be a rebuilding year, unless Ponder steps up in a big way
Josh:
DeleteHaven't seen Bray play, but I've heard he's got a big arm but some mechanical flaws. Probably came out too early, but he's a guy I could see Spielman taking in the 4th or 5th round and I'd be more than OK with that. The Vikings have 11 picks now. I expect we'll see one or two trades in the 4-7 round range where Spielman is trading picks to move up or down depending on what players he covets. He's done that every year since he's been employed in Minnesota.