Post by scorpion42 on Jan 7, 2009 16:18:53 GMT -7
Charley Walters: New quarterback would be costly for Minnesota Vikings
Pioneer Press
Posted: 01/06/2009 12:01:00 AM CST
Before Sunday's playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Tarvaris Jackson was expected to be the Vikings' top quarterback heading into training camp next season.
Now, though, Jackson's status is unclear. The Vikings might have options to find a starting quarterback, but those, too, are unclear.
If team owner Zygi Wilf, who invested $60 million in guaranteed contracts this season, is willing to guarantee an additional $30 million or so, the team might be able to pry Matt Cassel away from the New England Patriots.
Besides a new contract for Cassel, 26, the price of a trade would be high — perhaps first-round and second-round draft picks. It's unclear whether New England would be willing to trade Cassel, an unrestricted free agent who is expected to be designated a franchise player, thus guaranteeing him about $14.5 million for the coming season.
But the Vikings were able to trade with Kansas City last year for defensive end Jared Allen, who also had been franchised, for a first-round and two third-round draft picks.
Cassel would provide hope for Vikings rooters, retain the team's visibility and might even enhance Wilf's effort for a new stadium.
A more realistic and practical objective, though, might be to trade with Seattle for Matt Hasselbeck, 33, who probably would be available for a second-round draft pick. The Seahawks, 4-12 this season, need to rebuild.
Hasselbeck has run a pure West Coast offense, which
Vikings coach Brad Childress likes to run.
Houston's Sage Rosenfels, 30, for whom the Vikings were rumored to have offered a third-round draft pick last season, might be a third option and seemingly would compete with Jackson in training camp.
A fourth option could be the Rams' Marc Bulger, 31, a veteran who might want out of St. Louis but would cost a lot more money.
If Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier gets the Rams' job, which is a distinct possibility, he could try to bring Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte, who lives in St. Louis, with him, maybe as part of a trade for Bulger.
It's unlikely that Frerotte, 37, will be back with the Vikings, although he is signed for next season.
Over the past three seasons, the Vikings, by far, have had the lowest cumulative payroll for quarterbacks in the NFL.
Vikings place-kicker Ryan Longwell is a pal of quarterback Brett Favre from their days with the Green Bay Packers. There is little doubt that the Vikings last year tried to find a way to land Favre before he signed with the New York Jets.
Longwell was asked if he could imagine Favre, 39, coming to the Vikings next season.
"I don't know; he's got to get the right situation," Longwell said. "I think he had fun playing in New York, but it was a different atmosphere than Green Bay, which he found out pretty quick. If he can get healthy and re-evaluate and maybe he gets the incentive to want to play some more ... but as of right now, with his arm being banged up, I don't know if playing sounds too fun to him. It's such a hypothetical."
Vikings players will receive $20,000 apiece for their playoff loss to the Eagles.
It would be surprising if Ted Roof, who is leaving his $330,000-a-year Gophers defensive coordinator job after one season for the same position at Auburn, doesn't get an annual salary increase of at least $170,000.
The new head golf professional at storied Interlachen Country Club in Edina will be Nathan Olahaff, 27, who was raised in Owatonna, Minn., and was the top assistant at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and at exclusive Seminole in Palm Beach, Fla. Interlachen received more than 80 applications for the job made vacant with the resignation of Jock Olson.
Meanwhile, Bill Kidd, who was head golf professional at Interlachen for 35 years, will be the Bobby Jones Award winner and honored at a banquet at the Edina club on Feb. 20.
Former Gophers football coach Glen Mason, covering the Rose Bowl for the Big Ten Network, was among media members who suffered food poisoning a day before the game, presumably from breakfast. Mason made it through the Southern California-Penn State game but experienced severe stomach pains throughout.
DON'T PRINT THAT
If six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk isn't back with the Vikings next season, word in Phoenix is that the Arizona Cardinals will be in hot pursuit. Birk, meanwhile, will be inducted into the Catholic Athletic Association Hall of Fame next month.
By not re-signing free agents Birk, Darren Sharper and Jim Kleinsasser, the Vikings would save about $13 million in 2009 payroll.
Kleinsasser is expected to have to take a significant pay cut to remain in Minnesota. Meanwhile, don't be surprised if Sharper ends up in Pittsburgh with former Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.
Instead of picking a right tackle high in April's NFL draft, the Vikings should try to trade for 6-foot-5, 300-pound Ryan Harris, 23, who started 16 games this season for the Denver Broncos, gave up just 1 1/2 sacks and has been a giant Vikings fan since his days as a youngster in St. Paul. The Broncos, though, aren't expected to let him go.
OVERHEARD
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Pat Williams, on teammate Tarvaris Jackson: "That's my guy, and I'll always stick with him."
Pioneer Press
Posted: 01/06/2009 12:01:00 AM CST
Before Sunday's playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Tarvaris Jackson was expected to be the Vikings' top quarterback heading into training camp next season.
Now, though, Jackson's status is unclear. The Vikings might have options to find a starting quarterback, but those, too, are unclear.
If team owner Zygi Wilf, who invested $60 million in guaranteed contracts this season, is willing to guarantee an additional $30 million or so, the team might be able to pry Matt Cassel away from the New England Patriots.
Besides a new contract for Cassel, 26, the price of a trade would be high — perhaps first-round and second-round draft picks. It's unclear whether New England would be willing to trade Cassel, an unrestricted free agent who is expected to be designated a franchise player, thus guaranteeing him about $14.5 million for the coming season.
But the Vikings were able to trade with Kansas City last year for defensive end Jared Allen, who also had been franchised, for a first-round and two third-round draft picks.
Cassel would provide hope for Vikings rooters, retain the team's visibility and might even enhance Wilf's effort for a new stadium.
A more realistic and practical objective, though, might be to trade with Seattle for Matt Hasselbeck, 33, who probably would be available for a second-round draft pick. The Seahawks, 4-12 this season, need to rebuild.
Hasselbeck has run a pure West Coast offense, which
Vikings coach Brad Childress likes to run.
Houston's Sage Rosenfels, 30, for whom the Vikings were rumored to have offered a third-round draft pick last season, might be a third option and seemingly would compete with Jackson in training camp.
A fourth option could be the Rams' Marc Bulger, 31, a veteran who might want out of St. Louis but would cost a lot more money.
If Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier gets the Rams' job, which is a distinct possibility, he could try to bring Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte, who lives in St. Louis, with him, maybe as part of a trade for Bulger.
It's unlikely that Frerotte, 37, will be back with the Vikings, although he is signed for next season.
Over the past three seasons, the Vikings, by far, have had the lowest cumulative payroll for quarterbacks in the NFL.
Vikings place-kicker Ryan Longwell is a pal of quarterback Brett Favre from their days with the Green Bay Packers. There is little doubt that the Vikings last year tried to find a way to land Favre before he signed with the New York Jets.
Longwell was asked if he could imagine Favre, 39, coming to the Vikings next season.
"I don't know; he's got to get the right situation," Longwell said. "I think he had fun playing in New York, but it was a different atmosphere than Green Bay, which he found out pretty quick. If he can get healthy and re-evaluate and maybe he gets the incentive to want to play some more ... but as of right now, with his arm being banged up, I don't know if playing sounds too fun to him. It's such a hypothetical."
Vikings players will receive $20,000 apiece for their playoff loss to the Eagles.
It would be surprising if Ted Roof, who is leaving his $330,000-a-year Gophers defensive coordinator job after one season for the same position at Auburn, doesn't get an annual salary increase of at least $170,000.
The new head golf professional at storied Interlachen Country Club in Edina will be Nathan Olahaff, 27, who was raised in Owatonna, Minn., and was the top assistant at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and at exclusive Seminole in Palm Beach, Fla. Interlachen received more than 80 applications for the job made vacant with the resignation of Jock Olson.
Meanwhile, Bill Kidd, who was head golf professional at Interlachen for 35 years, will be the Bobby Jones Award winner and honored at a banquet at the Edina club on Feb. 20.
Former Gophers football coach Glen Mason, covering the Rose Bowl for the Big Ten Network, was among media members who suffered food poisoning a day before the game, presumably from breakfast. Mason made it through the Southern California-Penn State game but experienced severe stomach pains throughout.
DON'T PRINT THAT
If six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk isn't back with the Vikings next season, word in Phoenix is that the Arizona Cardinals will be in hot pursuit. Birk, meanwhile, will be inducted into the Catholic Athletic Association Hall of Fame next month.
By not re-signing free agents Birk, Darren Sharper and Jim Kleinsasser, the Vikings would save about $13 million in 2009 payroll.
Kleinsasser is expected to have to take a significant pay cut to remain in Minnesota. Meanwhile, don't be surprised if Sharper ends up in Pittsburgh with former Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.
Instead of picking a right tackle high in April's NFL draft, the Vikings should try to trade for 6-foot-5, 300-pound Ryan Harris, 23, who started 16 games this season for the Denver Broncos, gave up just 1 1/2 sacks and has been a giant Vikings fan since his days as a youngster in St. Paul. The Broncos, though, aren't expected to let him go.
OVERHEARD
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Pat Williams, on teammate Tarvaris Jackson: "That's my guy, and I'll always stick with him."