According to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com, the Vikings brought in Virginia quarterback Pat White for a private workout on Tuesday, April 21.

Interesting, no?

What does that mean? Well, it can mean one of two things: either the Vikings are seriously considering taking Pat White at some point in the draft, or they have serious concerns about his abilities in the NFL.

Pat White: on the Vikings' draft board?

Frankly, I’m very surprised the Vikings are even considering Pat White at any juncture in the draft. We know Childress isn’t adverse to taking mobile quarterbacks, but White seems much more fitted to a creative, Wildcat type offense that the Dolphins brought to the forefront of the league last year. Pat White could, in my opinion, be the true Wildcat quarterback. Quick, agile, fast, and able to pass the ball well. A running quarterback, not a passing running back.

Minnesota is not the place for Pat White. At least, I hope for his sake, this is a smoke screen by the Vikings. He would be much better suited to a different coach who is a bit more liberal with his playcalling. Pat White would be underutilized as a member of the Purple People Eaters. Don’t get me wrong; I’d be excited as the next guy to get this extremely interesting athlete on my team, but I just don’t think he’s the type of guy to fit into the Vikings’ offense. Maybe they think he can return kicks as well?

I could see Childress finding a prospect able to be used as a wide out and returner while developing him as a quarterback on the side. That may be a lot, but Childress is the self proclaimed quarterback guru. So, that wouldn’t be bad, though it’s still hard for me to see Minnesota drafting the WVU quarterback on Saturday.

I’m sure White is on the Vikings’ draft board, but I bet they have him lower than a lot of other teams. You can bet he’ll be gone in the mid to high second round.

Interesting?  You be it is. I just don’t think it would be worth it.

Fun to talk about though, isn’t it?

Source: FoxSports.com

A couple of notes before we dive in:

(Note – With the dozens of mock drafts being published every day, an original title is in high demand. I am not sure how Monroe can “take a fall,” seeing as how this is the first version of this particular mock draft. Anyway, whatever was going on in my brain is besides the point.)

(Note – This is “how they should draft,” not necessarily “how they will draft.” For example, the Lions will probably pick Curry, only because he is the safest pick in the draft and any member of that front office doesn’t want to hitch his career on a quarterback right off the bat.)

Let’s get started!

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I know we’ve had a lot of quarterback speculation, but this report out of the Houston Chronicle states that the Vikings are nearing a deal that would bring Houston Texans backup Sage Rosenfels to the Vikings for a fourth round draft choice.

From the article:

“The Texans and Minnesota are close to completing a trade that would send quarterback Sage Rosenfels to the Vikings, possibly for a fourth-round draft choice.”

A deal close to completion for Sage?

This goes against what Childress said just a few days ago at the NFL Combine, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it was just posturing on the part of the Vikings top brass. Of course, it wouldn’t surprise me if this is a false statement, and someone in the Texans organization leaked some suspect information. So far, I’ve only been able to find the information on the Houston Chronicle website, so take it for what you will.

It would be an interesting move that would mean the end of Gus Frerotte as a Viking, but it would definitely bring in competition for Tarvaris Jackson. Rosenfels wouldn’t be the clear cut starter, but you know what? I’d take it. For a fourth round choice, bring him on.

I’ll bring you more updates as I get them.

UPDATE:

ESPN’s NFC North Blogger Kevin Seifert had not heard anything. Happened to be in his weekly chat and I posed this question to him:

“Brett (Houston, TX): So says the Houston Chronicle: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6276358.html
Any truth to that? Sage Rosenchoppa/Rosenfels to the Vikings?

 Kevin Seifert: (1:44 PM ET ) I take that back. Wow. That comes as a surprise to me. A couple things jump out to me. The fact that he is available this year, and wasn’t last year, suggest the Texans aren’t as high on him. Rosenfels had a pretty uneven peformance last year.

But this doesn’t chance the overall picture. Rosenfels, I presume, will fill the Frerotte role and compete with Tarvaris Jackson in training camp. Tarvaris will be the favorite in that competition. ”

It’s news to Kevin Seifert, so again, take it for what you will. Possible, but no one’s heard anything but the Houston Chronicle as of now.

SECOND UPDATE:

From Judd Zulgad, Access Vikings:

“Sports Radio 610 out of Houston is reporting that the Vikings are offering a fifth-round pick and the Texans are seeking a third. They will probably settle on a fourth-rounder. Meanwhile, the station also reports the Vikings have offered a three-year, $9 million extension to Rosenfels.”

More info, looks to be legit. Nothing is finalized, however, it looks like both parties are willing to negotiate. Of course, we won’t know anything until free agency officially starts. Again, I’d take Sage to compete with Tarvaris. Whoever gets the job will have earned it in offseason workouts, training camp, and the preseason. It’s not a move that will set the world on fire, but hey, it’s better than no moves at all.

Source: Houston Chronicle
Source: ESPN NFC North Blog Chat

President’s Day came and went, bringing us one step closer to free agency; that is, one of the few interesting parts of the NFL Offseason, and the Vikings have a decent amount of cap space to make it at least a little note worthy. Especially considering our troubles at the quarterback position, coupled with the few viable options in the free agent market, all fans of the Minnesota Vikings are waiting with proverbial bated breath to see what Childress and the top brass of the Purple People Eaters do in regards to Tarvaris and company.

Tampa Bay is letting journeyman Jeff Garcia go

As it has been discussed many times before here and elsewhere, most people believe that the Vikings are one or two positions away from making a deep playoff, and even possibly, a Super Bowl run. One of those positions happens to be the most important position on the field – the quarterback. I won’t go into deep specifics here, as the horse is dead, and I don’t want to beat the poor guy any more, but suffice to say it has been a topic of discussion of late.

Yesterday, word came out that Jeff Garcia would not be re-signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coming from the St. Petersburg Times, Garcia said, “My time in Tampa has come to an end.” He also said, from the same paper, “I’m not under contract and I’m about to hit free agency, and that means it’s time again for me to just move on.” The paper stated that Bucs’ general manager Mark Dominik talked with Garcia’s agent and the two talked about Garcia’s future with the Buccaneers organization. Dominik apparently told Garcia’s agent that the Buccaneers wanted a younger quarterback, someone who can be shaped to the organization’s specifications. Garcia said, “Sometimes it’s how you tweak it, not change it. With a new head coach, they want somebody pulling the trigger that they can mold. Beyond that, I don’t know why they’re making the move.”

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Before I get into a look at who I hope the Vikings manage to draft, it should be noted that because the Cardinals made it into the Super Bowl, the Vikings moved from pick 23 to pick 22. While it’s only one spot, I’m glad to have it. That could be the difference between a game changer and a mediocre fill-in. So, thanks Arizona! You helped Minnesota, at least in the draft. Most appreciated.

It should also be noted that, if the Vikings quarterback situation is not resolved by this point, I certainly wouldn’t mind trading this pick for a solid QB to play for Minnesota. First and foremost, the Vikings need competition at the quarterback position. If that’s not addressed, it needs to be by draft day, either through the draft or by trading picks.

Prospective Viking at offensive tackle

With pick number 22 in the draft, assuming we still have it, I would love for the Vikings to address the tackle position by drafting Michael Oher out of Ole Miss. I realize this may be a slight pipe dream, but according to ESPN’s Draft Analysis, his slight inconsistency and intelligence has dropped him down from a top 10 or 15 to a possible late first rounder. With the Vikings’ situation at right tackle, Michael Oher could step right in and start, either on the left side or the right side. If he started on the left, simply slide Bryant McKinnie over to the right side and the Vikings’ line suddenly gets a whole lot scarier. I’m sure Mr. McKinnie wouldn’t be happy, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind getting paid, regardless.

Michael Oher is a certifiable freak of nature. He is six foot, five inches tall and weighs 330 pounds, according to ESPN’sdraft page on Oher. He plays like a man at least 150 pounds lighter than that, with extremely quick feet. As a former offensive lineman myself, I know how valuable having quick feet can be; strength can be improved in the weight room. Having the ability to move that big frame as fast as those defensive ends is a much harder skill to improve. Because of his quick feet, he is an extremely good pass blocker and he gets off the ball extraordinarily well. Once he locks on in the running game, it’s basically game over for that defender.

The biggest knocks on Michael Oher are his intelligence and consistency. Everyone agrees he has the physical tools to be able to compete in the NFL; it’s his knowledge and retention of plays and knowing his assignments, as well as somewhat puzzling inconsistency during some games. One play, he will absolutely flatten one of the best defensive ends in college football, and the next a second string linebacker will blow past him. Of course, it’s not all bad by any means; his misses are far less than his hits. In simple terms, he’s thinking too much and not reacting. Repetition with an offense will fix that fairly quickly; he just needs to learn the plays as much as possible.

Michael Oher and his adopted family, from The Blind Side

I must also admit, I have a soft spot for Oher. He is the subject of the book “The Blind Side,” by Michael Lewis. It tells two stories: one being the evolution of the game of football and the rising importance of the left tackle position, primarily because of Lawrence Taylor, and the story of Michael Oher, an extremely down on his luck kid trying to make it through school, picking up football along the way. So please, understand this pick by me includes a bias towards him, but realize that he’s an extremely good offensive lineman who could be a staple of the Vikings’ O-line for years to come. Saying that, if you need a good, quick read, pick up “The Blind Side” by Michael Lewis. It’s a great read for anyone who is interested in football.

It’s very possible that Michael Oher will be off the board in the top 10 or 15 picks, but he could fall to the Vikings at 22. It is, as we all know, impossible to guess at how the NFL draft will unfold. If a great offensive lineman isn’t available, then the Vikings can truly take the best available player, as they only have a few needs. Quarterback can’t be upgraded immediately through the draft (unless you have a Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco, but that’s so rare, never count on it), and the only other big needs are in the secondary and at the wide receiver position. If the Vikings take any of those three positions in the first round, consider it a good draft already.

With the twenty-second pick in the NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings select…

I absolutely cannot wait to find out who.

Until next time,

Skol Vikings!
Woot Woot!