Thread: 14 Vikings unsigned for next season

Jerome Felton is one of 10 who can become unrestricted free agents in March. The others are: receivers Devin Aromashodu and Jerome Simpson; offensive linemen Phil Loadholt, Joe Berger and Geoff Schwartz, linebackers Brinkley, Erin Henderson and Marvin Mitchell; and safety Jamarca Sanford.

Offensive lineman Troy Kropog and Jefferson can be restricted free agents. Sherels and Andrew Sendejo can be exclusive rights free agents. The team re-signed its entire practice squad to reserve/futures deals on Monday, putting 52 players under contract for 2013.

From 1500ESPN.com

Originally Posted by Tad7

Jerome Felton is one of 10 who can become unrestricted free agents in March. The others are: receivers Devin Aromashodu and Jerome Simpson; offensive linemen Phil Loadholt, Joe Berger and Geoff Schwartz, linebackers Brinkley, Erin Henderson and Marvin Mitchell; and safety Jamarca Sanford.

Offensive lineman Troy Kropog and Jefferson can be restricted free agents. Sherels and Andrew Sendejo can be exclusive rights free agents. The team re-signed its entire practice squad to reserve/futures deals on Monday, putting 52 players under contract for 2013.

From 1500ESPN.com

Sign Felton and Loadholt, maybe Mitchell. That's it.

Originally Posted by MaxVike

Originally Posted by Tad7

Jerome Felton is one of 10 who can become unrestricted free agents in March. The others are: receivers Devin Aromashodu and Jerome Simpson; offensive linemen Phil Loadholt, Joe Berger and Geoff Schwartz, linebackers Brinkley, Erin Henderson and Marvin Mitchell; and safety Jamarca Sanford.

Offensive lineman Troy Kropog and Jefferson can be restricted free agents. Sherels and Andrew Sendejo can be exclusive rights free agents. The team re-signed its entire practice squad to reserve/futures deals on Monday, putting 52 players under contract for 2013.

From 1500ESPN.com

Sign Felton and Loadholt, maybe Mitchell. That's it.

I agree, and would possibly add Simpson

Big decisions await Vikings following 2013 season

My take

2013 FA
Aroma - No
Berger - No
Brinkley - Yes (he is just starting to come into his own)
Felton - Yes (makes me believe in FB's again)
Henderson - No
AJ Jeff - Yes (he is young and learning)
Kropog - No
Load - Yes (he has issues but not as many as a new guy would)
Mitchell - No
Jamarca - Yes
Schwartz - No (Fusco just needs to get all the reps now)
Sendjio - No
Simpson - Yes (I think he will come through in year two when he is a member of a full WR corps and isn't forced to play the Z so much).

2014 (resign this year)
JA - No (Yes if he give us a discount)
Asiat - No
MBT - No (Address in 2014)
Cook - Yes
Dean - No
Evans - No (Address in 2014 but pray you can get rid of him)
Toby - No (Address in 2014 if you can't trade him this year)
Everson - (Yes, cat is really making our good friend Kevoncox eat crow this year)
Harvin - (Yes, but not if its a top 5 WR contract - Revisit in 2014 if it can't get done)
Jenkins - No (We need WR's that catch passes not run block)
Charlie J - Yes (Consistency on the line)
Kluwe - No (He officially is on my shit list)
Robison - Yes (Move him to RDE if you can't sign JA and move Griff to LDE)
Webb - No (Revisit in 2014 but use him as a WR or something this year that involves running)

Just because these guys aren't great, doesn't mean we'll be able to find better in the draft or on the open market. We should try to upgrade some of those spots, but most of these guys can be retained(and later cut) for relatively cheap if the potential replacements don't pan out.

Loadholt, Felton, Sanford and two of the three linebackers need to be retained, IMO, those are no-brainers.

Linebacker is a really thin spot for us, we need the depth at that position, same goes for Sanford at safety. Again, they'll all be pretty cheap to retain.

Simpson, to me is the toughest choice to make. He made a few big plays for us in clutch moments, and I like that, especially from a guy we'd be bringing off the bench. But he has consistency issues and that bothers me. If he's comfortable with coming off the bench and not looking for big money, I'd like to keep him around.

Schwartz and Jefferson are two others I'd like to keep around, for depth.


Save the big money for following years or a #1 wide out.

Agreed. Hopefully we get that Warpig. That should help Brinkley prosper. WR's PLEASE!

Good point Mr. A, it's hard to get better signing a rotating door of 1-year wonder contracts every year and hoping they pan out. None of those guys really impressed, very likely they'll stay for a very reasonable price...and if they get beat out in camp, or early injuries happen, either way, depth/camp competition is better off.

Felton needs to be resigned to a multi-year contract ASAP, FBs don't make all that much and he was one of the best in the biz this season.

They list AJ Jefferson as a Restricted FA, but I thought there was a same team that drafted you clause that would wipe that option out...? Kid has flashed some talent, and is young enough to improve, I'd say keeper. BTW, anybody know what we gave away for him!?? 6th?

I pretty much agree with your assessment of this year's FAs Marr, maybe with the exception at WRs...Simpson hasn't shown much, perhaps we can keep him on another low-end, prove-it contract, but what I'm hoping for is to add top end depth at WR: sign a more established, deep-threat guy, and draft a big-fast kid early that we hope are starters and keep Harvin in the slot/backfield more, with Wright and Jenkins our 4th and 5th options. Wright is a great backup to Harvin and Jenkins has made some pretty tight catches lately, is a hell of a blocker, and fits that big, possession role well, but we need more speed outside most of the time.

As for the 2014 FAs, other than Harvin, who there's been much discussion on already, the only one I'd even think about extending before this next season starts is Jared Allen, and only if it helps out our cap space by spreading out the big chunk he has coming in the last year of the old contract, over the next 3 years. Not that I don't think Cook, E.Griff, Robison, Charlie etc are keepers, just that I think they're still proving their worth and if we like what we see, we can work on their extensions during the season, while we focus our efforts elsewhere during the off-season.

I am so excited to see what we do to improve our 10-6 (playoffs!?!?!???) team!! We've got a young, talented, up & coming team with some clearly defined, gaping holes that I suspect, we're going to try a lil harder to fill this time around. Sign say? Two good FAs and land a few good draft picks, and this team can compete for the division yearly!

SKOL!!!

Originally Posted by Mr Anderson

Just because these guys aren't great, doesn't mean we'll be able to find better in the draft or on the open market. We should try to upgrade some of those spots, but most of these guys can be retained(and later cut) for relatively cheap if the potential replacements don't pan out.

Loadholt, Felton, Sanford and two of the three linebackers need to be retained, IMO, those are no-brainers.

Linebacker is a really thin spot for us, we need the depth at that position, same goes for Sanford at safety. Again, they'll all be pretty cheap to retain.

Simpson, to me is the toughest choice to make. He made a few big plays for us in clutch moments, and I like that, especially from a guy we'd be bringing off the bench. But he has consistency issues and that bothers me. If he's comfortable with coming off the bench and not looking for big money, I'd like to keep him around.

Schwartz and Jefferson are two others I'd like to keep around, for depth.


Save the big money for following years or a #1 wide out.

Good stuff old friend. Quick comment/question (as always).....

Do you think Simpsons biggest issue is that he is a bad X or that the staff really was trying to use him in more of a Z role, which he really isn't suited for?

I for one, think it is the later and wouldn't mind seeing him come back in that role as long as his cost didn't affect the efforts to sign a Vet Z.

Originally Posted by mountainviking

Good point Mr. A, it's hard to get better signing a rotating door of 1-year wonder contracts every year and hoping they pan out. None of those guys really impressed, very likely they'll stay for a very reasonable price...and if they get beat out in camp, or early injuries happen, either way, depth/camp competition is better off.

Felton needs to be resigned to a multi-year contract ASAP, FBs don't make all that much and he was one of the best in the biz this season.

They list AJ Jefferson as a Restricted FA, but I thought there was a same team that drafted you clause that would wipe that option out...? Kid has flashed some talent, and is young enough to improve, I'd say keeper. BTW, anybody know what we gave away for him!?? 6th?

I pretty much agree with your assessment of this year's FAs Marr, maybe with the exception at WRs...Simpson hasn't shown much, perhaps we can keep him on another low-end, prove-it contract, but what I'm hoping for is to add top end depth at WR: sign a more established, deep-threat guy, and draft a big-fast kid early that we hope are starters and keep Harvin in the slot/backfield more, with Wright and Jenkins our 4th and 5th options. Wright is a great backup to Harvin and Jenkins has made some pretty tight catches lately, is a hell of a blocker, and fits that big, possession role well, but we need more speed outside most of the time.

As for the 2014 FAs, other than Harvin, who there's been much discussion on already, the only one I'd even think about extending before this next season starts is Jared Allen, and only if it helps out our cap space by spreading out the big chunk he has coming in the last year of the old contract, over the next 3 years. Not that I don't think Cook, E.Griff, Robison, Charlie etc are keepers, just that I think they're still proving their worth and if we like what we see, we can work on their extensions during the season, while we focus our efforts elsewhere during the off-season.

I am so excited to see what we do to improve our 10-6 (playoffs!?!?!???) team!! We've got a young, talented, up & coming team with some clearly defined, gaping holes that I suspect, we're going to try a lil harder to fill this time around. Sign say? Two good FAs and land a few good draft picks, and this team can compete for the division yearly!

SKOL!!!

Good stuff my friend. I biggest issue with Simpson is the same I had when they tried it with Berrien. Force him into a role that I do not think he is suited to fill. That being the difference between a Z and a X receiver.

One of the greatest receivers to ever play the game (Randy Moss) couldn't do it, why would anyone think someone like Simpson could do it.

Aroma - No
Berger - No
Brinkley - Yes
Felton - Yes
Henderson - Yes
AJ Jeff - Yes
Kropog - No
Load - Yes
Mitchell - No, but we need to get more depth at LB
Jamarca - Yes
Schwartz - Yes, he's better than Fusco and should be starting
Sendjio - No
Simpson - Yes, I'm willing to give Simpson another chance, preferably in a role that suits him better

Our biggest offseason needs are WR, and more depth at LB and in our secondary, so even if some players weren't outstanding (Jefferson, Henderson), we can't afford to get rid of them unless we sign some people.