If I was the Vikings GM, I would...

FIRST: I would tell Zygi that he and Mark and Leonard are FIRED from any FOOTBALL meetings. They get NO say in ANYTHING football related. They get to sit in the owners box, smile for the camera, and sign checks. Other than that, STFU.

SECOND; I would FIRE Leslie Frazier and his entire staff. Buh-Bye!!!!! I would then begin sorting through the list of prospective HC candidates...and hire whichever one Marrdro hated most....or Jon Gruden.

THIRD: I would address the roster.

I would tell Adrian that I plan to rebuild, it will take 2-5 years to get there, and I will trade him if he would prefer to have a shot at a Championship.

I would tell Harvin too....but he'd probably have a migraine or an ankle sprain.

NOW, I would address significant areas of need:

QB
WR
Front 7.

At QB, I'd consult with my new HC and look for a solid prospect to build around. I'd then explore the idea of bringing in a veteran like Smith to help the new guy. Ponder would have until the end of TC to EARN a roster spot or get cut.

WR: Harvin is done in Minnesota. I doubt he wants to stay, and I'm fairly certain his price tag will be worth more than he is. Just like Rice's was. I'd look for early round WR's to develop, and some cagey veterans to make us legitimate while the Rookies learn the ropes.

Front 7: KW is almost done. He's not what he was. I'd be looking for the next K Williams/J Randall. I'd then be looking for some hard nosed LB's who like to get messy. I like Greenway, but I think we need some more help back there. My primary concern is pass rush. We need to stop letting teams convert 3rd and 12 by forcing QB's to throw short or be destroyed. by plugging a big war pig in the middle, we make our run stopping more effective.



Caine

I would build on my successes and admit my failures. For example, Carlson was obviously a mistake...I would cut my losses and move on. I would build on the 2012 Draft, with a few key FAs, and, youth at WR, DT, LB positions.

QB, WR, and, front 7 (agree with Caine).

Re: QB, a real puzzle, although, with AD, I would go after Alex Smith. He is certainly capable of doing what they are seemingly asking Ponder to do, which, he has not proven to be capable of. Keep hyphen and please move Webb to WR.

WR...keep Harvin, sign him early and recruit an accomplished QB. Keep Wright, purge the rest. Give Childs a chance to come back, goodbye Burton, Aromashadow, and Jenkins. Draft BPA with an eye on WR. Bring in a FA, and, reinvent the position with tall WRs similar to Colston.

Front 7...Brinkley, not good enough. Ditto Erin Henderson. They both flash but, that's not enough. Bring in a FA DT, draft 2 and let them compete. I like Alan Williams, he appears capable. He will prob want another DE too.

I think those are the keys to the next level for the Vikes.

I would throw darts at a board of available coaches.

I'd do the same for the draft.

I'd say, "figure it out" because I have no idea what I'm talking about compared to you all.

But if I didn't have the job I'm totally under qualified for on the line I'd try to hire Jon Gruden, tell him to assemble a staff and find a QB whose name is not Tim Tebow.

I'd emphasize drafting a receiver early, interior offensive and defensive linemen in the middle rounds. I'd try my hardest to keep Harvin around. I'd demand Gruden moves Joe Webb back to receiver and work him into the offense in any way he can.

Other than that, I don't really know what I'd do.

If I were GM, my first 3 positions of concern would be HC, WR & QB.

I would first change the direction we are heading & that is to build our team around the running game with passing playing 2nd fiddle. The time to have done that is when we drafted AD, not 6 years into his career. If I continued in that direction via the draft 7 years into his career, by the time my offensive is where it wanted it to be to fully support it, my star RB may already be gone due to injury or on the backside of his career. My chances of finding another stud RB in the draft at the point I feel I'll be getting my 1st selection will be slim. I wouldn't be abandoning the run game, I would still be making it an important part of my game, but I'd be concentrating most my rebuilding effort on the passing game.

With that said, I'd find a coach who could coach beyond our style of WCO & while still incorporating some of the benefits of the WCO, would also have a much broader passing game beyond dinking & dunking. The need to have an offense attack that spreads the defense wide and far not only opens up my passing game, but improves my running game as well.

Since the head coach is still the one responsible for the hiring & firing of his staff, the coach I select I would expect to rid the organization of the remaining coaches that Childress hired out of friendship rather than their ability to coach. I would expect him to refill those positions & replace others that Childress didn't hire with better coaches who know how to coach where needed.

For WR, I'd look in the draft for tall, speedy receivers with good hands that can go up & get the ball.

Simpson, Jenkins & Aromashodu would be gone. Wright would move up, but at 5'10" & Harvin at 5'11", the need to add height is of great importance. I see the need to add at least one WR via the draft, but will also look at FA to add another that can provide immediate help. I would be looking for a proven FA, not one with potential.

Cruz, Bowe or Wallace would work. Jennings, maybe but he is still under 6'.

At QB, I need to find one that is accurate deep down field, that can make any throw consistently. Having a QB who can do that only on short passes like we have now only handcuffs what I and my OC can do offensively & I'd rather be able to throw anywhere on the field & be far less predictable.

The only veteran out there that might be able to fit the bill the best IMO would be Alex Smith. QB's like Cassel & Flynn, IMO where "1 hit wonders" who had a good game or two & that was it.

I would look closely at the draft to see if I could possibly find one there & take a much closer look from within at MBT.

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Originally Posted by singersp

If I were GM, my first 3 positions of concern would be HC, WR & QB.

...

At QB, I need to find one that is accurate deep down field, that can make any throw consistently. Having a QB who can do that only on short passes like we have now only handcuffs what I and my OC can do offensively & I'd rather be able to throw anywhere on the field & be far less predictable.

The only veteran out there that might be able to fit the bill the best IMO would be Alex Smith. QB's like Cassel & Flynn, IMO where "1 hit wonders" who had a good game or two & that was it.

I would look closely at the draft to see if I could possibly find one there & take a much closer look from within at MBT.

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What do you like about Alex Smith that you don't like about Ponder?

I think they're remarkably similar, especially when you compare them at similar points in their career(Ponder's entire career, Smiths first two seasons.) They're good athletes with mediocre arms, seemingly injury-prone, intelligent, but lacking in on-field instincts which lead to poorly timed and/or placed throws, and don't have much to work with at receiver.

In 2006 Smith had a very good running back in Frank Gore(1695 yards,) no receivers of note and a promising young tight end in Vernon Davis.

So I ask, why go for an older and more expensive Christian Ponder?

EDIT: Forgot to address the deep ball. If you want a QB who can throw a consistently accurate deep ball and make any throw on the field, Alex Smith is not your man. I've never seen a QB who trusted his arm less than Smith does.

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Originally Posted by Mr Anderson

What do you like about Alex Smith that you don't like about Ponder?

I think they're remarkably similar, especially when you compare them at similar points in their career(Ponder's entire career, Smiths first two seasons.) They're good athletes with mediocre arms, seemingly injury-prone, intelligent, but lacking in on-field instincts which lead to poorly timed and/or placed throws, and don't have much to work with at receiver.

In 2006 Smith had a very good running back in Frank Gore(1695 yards,) no receivers of note and a promising young tight end in Vernon Davis.

So I ask, why go for an older and more expensive Christian Ponder?

EDIT: Forgot to address the deep ball. If you want a QB who can throw a consistently accurate deep ball and make any throw on the field, Alex Smith is not your man. I've never seen a QB who trusted his arm less than Smith does.

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What I am saying about Smith is essentially he's the best of the QB bunch that will be looking for a job next season. Right now I can't think of anyone else that I'd take over Smith. If I had to take one out of FA that I thought was better than Ponder, he would be the one. He certainly doesn't have everything we need, but IMO, he's the better QB.

Granted I've watched few of his performances, but he's definitely more accurate, especially on mid range balls. He's completed 57% of his passes between 11-30 yards where as Ponder is at 41%. He's completed 70% of his passes compared to Ponder's 63%, he has a significantly higher QBR & he's less likely to turn the ball over.

Attempt to duplicate the great draft we had last year...

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Originally Posted by PacNWVike

Attempt to duplicate the great draft we had last year...

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So you would shoot for a lousy record next year so you can get high picks in the 2014 draft?

Johnny Football perhaps?



J/K about tanking the season of course!

LOL! I don't mind a lousy season if we're obtaining the key players we need to truly become a force to reckon with.