It would appear that Brad Childress is effectively married to Tarvaris Jackson, for better or worse, till death do they part, and all that. Despite Jackson’s 0-2 start, followed by Childress’ affair with veteran Gus Frerotte, Jackson finished out the year for the Vikings and started in their lone playoff game where he proceeded to implode. While the Viking nation was extremely happy with how Jackson finished the regular season, the playoff game reminded everyone how inconsistency at the quarterback position can completely decimate an otherwise extraordinarily talented football team.

It’s been stated many times before, and everyone thinks the Vikings need to bring in someone new.

Well, almost everyone.

The Tarvaris Jackson experiment returns again?

According to ESPN’s NFC North Blogger Kevin Seifert, Childress stated that right now, the Vikings are looking to maintain at the quarterback position. Childress did confirm that there would be an “open competition” for the starting position when training camp starts, however, knowing what we know about Brad Childress and his habits, that means that Tarvaris Jackson will undoubtedly be the odds on favorite to win the starting gig.

On top of that, right now the “competition” he’s hoping for comes from someone who’s already on the team. No, not John David Booty. Gus Frerotte. Childress claimed he was leaving the proverbial (and literal) door wide open for Frerotte to return to compete for the starting quarterback job.

While he didn’t rule out going after someone who could be the “unquestioned starter,” he claimed ignorance on who that would be. “There might be,” Childress said. Then after a few seconds, “But right now I would be hoenst with you and tell you I wouldn’t know who that person would be.”

The day before, Rick Spielmen, the Vice President of the Vikings organization, said roughly the same thing in a few more words. He said”

“I think you ask yourself this: How many quarterbacks do you face in a year that you are actually scared of playing? There’s maybe a handful that you say, ‘Yeah, this guy can carry a team for you.’ But if there’s a guy that’s unique out there and you think he’s going to be out on the free-agent market … the last guy that was out there was Drew Brees and he had a shoulder [injury]. Quarterbacks don’t get out there that are unique.”

Serious competition from Gus Frerotte? I think not.

So, let’s quickly recap. The Head Coach and Vice President both, in so many words, don’t believe there is anyone out there worth pursuing. Unfortunately, “anyone” includes Matt Cassel, Jeff Garcia, Derek Anderson, Byron Leftwitch, Brady Quinn, or, well, anyone.

Childress said that Jackson needs to improve, but after stating as much, quickly added, “I believe he will.” Kevin Seifert provides us with another great quote from Childress:

“I think [Jackson] gave some glimpses coming in off the bench and doing the things he did. Obviously he needs to eliminate some of those turnovers. We need him to change that touchdown-to-turnover ratio. And then we need to put somebody in place that will push him and compete with him, and I think competition is the nature of the game. At some places it may not be … [but] in our situation we need to have a good healthy competition because I think that makes everybody better.”

 

While I can definitely see that meaning that Childress will take whoever is doing the best come the start of the season, but we as fans know exactly how he’s thinking.

Honestly, who are they fooling? Does anyone believe that if the three quarterbacks on the roster, come training camp, were Tarvaris Jackson, Gus Frerotte, and John David Booty, that there would be a legitimate competition for the starting job? Come on. Jackson is Childress’ man and has been ever since he moved up to draft him those years ago.

Bottom line: It appears as if the Vikings are going to give Tarvaris Jackson another chance to be the starter.

Assuming Gus Frerotte leaves, which is a very likely scenario (the Vikings barely convinced him to play this year), whoever the Vikings bring in will probably be a cheap, older veteran to be a viable backup should Jackson fail. Basically, Gus Frerotte, Version 2.0.

Our only real shot at competition from John David Booty?

So here we are, like we were last year, with big questions at the quarterback position. Is Tarvaris Jackson a capable starter? Maybe. The more pertinent question is this: Is Tarvaris Jackson a capable starter right now? I don’t think so. I haven’t seen enough consistency to anoint him the permanent starter. The Vikings are built to win right now; not in two years, not in five years, not in 10 years. They are ready to go NOW. The biggest piece of the puzzle is the quarterback, and it looks as if the Vikings are going to barely address finding the piece that could get this whole shebang together.

Of course, this could all be massive misdirection, but it’s all we have to go off right now. For now, I am a very disappointed Vikings’ fan. Hopefully, a move will be made soon, and the Vikings will take that first step toward improving the most important position on the field.

Source: ESPN’s NFC North Blog, Kevin Seifert