RPM's "It's my time to Shrine!" Mock

rpmwr19 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 16906 Location: Stillwater, MN

Minnesota Viking 2012 Draft Picks from East/West Shrine Game
WR - Jarius Wright
WR - Greg Childs
DB - Robert Blanton
K - Blair Walsh

4 out of the Vikings 6 picks in rounds 4-7 were selected after participating in the East/West shrine game. 5 out of the 6 (the 5th being Audie Cole) were picked after participating in a post-season All-Star game.

Since this was Rick Spielman’s first full-control draft it’s hard to tell if this is just coincidence or Rick putting stock in these all-star game performances. I’m going to run with the idea that Rick likes selecting players who showcase themselves in the week of practice leading up to the game as well as the game itself.

Contract Changes
Jared Allen: Signs a four year extension, dropping his cap hit to around $10M for the 2013 season
Kevin Williams: Restructures his deal to get more guaranteed money. Lowers his cap hit to around $5M in 2013. Cap hit increases to $11M in 2014, but he can still be cut to save $8M.
Charlie Johnson: Asked to take a paycut (ala Michael Jenkins last year) and has his base salary reduced to $1M, drops his cap hit to $2.55M
Michael Jenkins: Released prior to March 1st to avoid his roster bonus kicking in; he could potentially be brought back for camp
Percy Harvin: The Vikings finally break through with Percy and sign him to an extension before the draft; thus, putting all the nonsense behind him.

Players Retained
T - Phil Loadholt
FB - Jerome Felton
S - Jamarca Sanford
LB - Marvin Mitchell (position flexibility between MIKE/WILL)
OL - Joe Berger
CB - AJ Jefferson ROFR Tender
OT - Troy Kropog ROFR Tender
S - Andrew Sendejo ERFA
CB - Marcus Sherels ERFA

Notable New Guys
OG - Andy Levitre has said he’s going to test the market and find the best offer. He’s the perfect fit for what Spielman likes to do. He’s the picture of health and solidifies the left side of the line for the rest of Adrian’s career. Likely to avoid the franchise tag as I see the Bills using it on Jairus Byrd

WR - Brandon Gibson Not the guy you were expecting? Fair. Gibson is the underrated wide receiver hitting the market this year. He fits the mold of a Spielman free agent signing and to me, has a little Anquan Boldin to his game. He becomes the team’s new possession receiver after putting up a 62% catch rate; better than any of the big three free agents.

QB - Tyler Thigpen Yes, THE Tyler Thigpen

The Draft
*The Vikings trade pick 23 for the Bengals for: #’s 37, 86, 151

2nd (37) - Sharrif Floyd: DT, Florida
2nd (54) - Quinton Patton: WR, Louisiana Tech
3rd (85) - Tharold Simon: CB, LSU
3rd (86) - Kevin Reddick: LB, North Carolina
4th (101) - Cooper Taylor: S, Richmond
4th (119) - David Bass: DE, Missouri Western State
5th (150) - Keith Pough: LB, Howard
5th (151) - Emory Blake: WR, Auburn
7th (199) - Khalid Wooten: CB, Nevada
7th (215) - Traded for 2014 6th Rounder

Depth Chart
*indicates new addition
^indicates nickel defenders

Offense (23)
QB: Christian Ponder | Tyler Thigpen* | McLeod Bethel-Thompson
RB: Adrian Peterson | Toby Gerhart
FB: Jerome Felton
SE: Quinton Patton* | Brandon Gibson* | Greg Childs
FL: Percy Harvin | Jarius Wright | Emory Blake*
TE: Kyle Rudolph | John Carlson | Rhett Ellison
LT: Matt Kalil | DeMarcus Love
LG: Andy Levitre* | Charlie Johnson
C: John Sullivan | Joe Berger
RG: Brandon Fusco
RT: Phil Loadholt

Defense (27)
LDE: Brian Robison^ | Everson Griffen^
UT: Kevin Williams| Sharrif Floyd*^ | Christian Ballard
NT: Fred Evans | Letroy Guion
RDE: Jared Allen^ | David Bass*
SLB: Chad Greenway^ | Larry Dean
MLB: Kevin Reddick* | Tyrone McKenzie | Audie Cole
WLB: Marvin Mitchell^ | Keith Pough*
LCB: Antoine Winfield^ | Josh Robinson^ | AJ Jefferson
SS: Jamarca Sanford | Cooper Taylor* | Robert Blanton
FS: Harrison Smith | Mistral Raymond
RCB: Chris Cook^ | Tharold Simon | Khalid Wooten*

Specialists (3)
K: Blair Walsh
P: Chris Kluwe
LS: Cullen Loeffler
PR: Jarius Wright | Khalid Wooten
KR: Percy Harvin
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RPM's Vikings Roster Outlook

twslhs20 · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:04 pm Post subject:

Bass is a beast. Plays for my alma mater. A great addition for our DE rotation
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Joe_is_the_best ^^
Shelby Miller: 5-2 ERA: 1.40 IP: 51.1 H:33 BB: 12 SO: 57 WHIP: 0.88 WAR: 1.5 LOB%: 86.5 FIP: 2.38

rpmwr19 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 16906 Location: Stillwater, MN

LoverInTheCold · Joined: 27 Feb 2005 Posts: 1580 Location: Piscataway, NJ

I prefer to retain Jasper Brinkley and let him compete for the starting MLB position. It's not as if he's going to command a lot on the open market and he's had enough splash plays in his career to at worst be a suitable backup.

Erin "tackle the turf" Henderson, on the other hand, I want no part of. Either way, it's pretty clear we're in need of 1-2 starting caliber linebackers. And if only one can be replaced right now, I vastly prefer it to be Henderson.
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rpmwr19 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 16906 Location: Stillwater, MN

I would prefer to sign neither of them. However, you're probably right that at least one will be brought back.

Brinkley's supposed forte is against the run and he wasn't good at getting off blocks and getting to the ball carrier. Combine that with his complete ineptitude in the passing game and you have someone who shouldn't be in the middle of a defense. He made it through this year unscathed but he has some injury history as well.

Henderson just looks lost out there, I agree.
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RPM's Vikings Roster Outlook

disaacs · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 19963 Location: Brownbackistan

If Thigpen were signed, may as well re-sign Jerome Simpson as well, considering they were college teammates. Laughing

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Thx to Uncle Buck!

VikeManDan · Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 442 Location: Minnesota

Just curious, the Bengals would then have #21 and #23, who are they trading up for? Are they packaging those picks to move up any higher? I'm not sure if I like trading out of the 1st completly. That being said I think Floyd would be a good pick at 37.

rpmwr19 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 16906 Location: Stillwater, MN

I actually talked this over with a Bengal fan I'm in a GM mock with. He told me that the Bengals really like Sam Montgomery and Kevin Minter from LSU. So at 21 I had them taking Montgomery and then trading up for Minter. The Bengals, in my opinion, are close to breaking through and I believe those two players would help.
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RPM's Vikings Roster Outlook

joru1000 · Joined: 23 Jan 2012 Posts: 1815

I love that you have Williams and Harvin staying, but is either Keenan Allen or Cordaerelle Patterson available at the 23 we traded away? If so they've gots to be, and probably would be the actual pick in real life.
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rpmwr19 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 16906 Location: Stillwater, MN

I don't see either of them being available at 23.

I think Patterson is first off the board and Allen is soon after. One of them will go off the board to Miami, and the other possibly as early as Buffalo or St. Louis a bit later.
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RPM's Vikings Roster Outlook

VikeManDan · Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 442 Location: Minnesota

Freakout · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 1765

I have Thigpen and Floyd in the mock I am working on Laughing

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rpmwr19 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 16906 Location: Stillwater, MN

[quote="VikeManDan"]

Lil Uno · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 5263