Minnesota Vikings: What Moves Need to Be Made Before Training Camp Starts

The Minnesota Vikings took some steps in the right direction this week amid the free agency frenzy that ensued with the lifting of the lockout.

They now have a veteran quarterback that can help their rookie QB investment to mature and possibly help them win a few games along the way.

They also managed to acquire a stopper for the massive hole in the defensive line left by Pat Williams who likely won't be re-signed by the Vikings, due to an impending four-week suspension.

With the exception to the aforementioned players, the Vikings have signed no one of value, in my opinion.

The 15 un-drafted rookies that make up "the newest group of Vikings" likely won't make any difference to the team and are merely with the organization as bodies for training camp. Maybe that outlook is pessimistic, but I highly doubt any of them will help the Vikings win a Super Bowl this year.

You may be thinking that a goal of that magnitude is too steep for the Vikings. I don't. I think that signing Donovan McNabb was a statement by the organization that they still have the ultimate goal of winning, winning right now.

Many people seem to be afraid of the other teams in the NFC North. Not me. I think that the Packers had a good run for their title, but I wasn't afraid of them last year and my opinion of them hasn't changed. To me, they were just in the right place at the right time (Packer fans feel free to attack me).

At the same time, the Bears are getting old, older than the Vikings, though many choose to ignore that. They are just smoke and mirrors and I'm not afraid of Jay Cutler or his crocodile tears.

This leaves us with the Lions. Detroit, you've done a good job assembling a strong team, I congratulate you on that. I am sorry to say, though, that you still don't have a playoff team.

 While the rest of the NFL is so high on these three teams, I am one of the few that remembers that 2010 was the first year in three seasons that the Vikings missed the playoffs. Can you blame them for that when they ran with a sixth round rookie for their starting QB?

They have their QB now. They also have the best running back in the NFL and a lot of other quality players that will help the Vikings remind everyone why they were feared in 2009 and the years before.

To do that, though, they have some moves to make before they enter training camp.

So now that I'm done venting, lets look at the moves essential for the Vikings success in 2011.

Cut Bernard Berrian, Bryant McKinnie

The Vikings already cut Madieu Williams, Jimmy Kennedy, and Freddie Brown in an attempt to clear enough cap space to bring in the players they needed to fill major holes on both offense and defense.

Even after those three cuts, they still would need to clear up some additional space to bring in high priority free agents like Braylon Edwards or Antonio Cromartie.

Two players they could cut to clear up the space they would need are WR Bernard Berrian and LT Bryant McKinnie

Berrian is due to make $3.9 Million in 2011, far too much for the lack of production he's had over the last three seasons. He is a No. 3 receiver at best, but he's making starter money. If he won't agree to restructure his contract, he isn't worth keeping around anymore.

I know that Leslie Frazier says that he wants to keep Berrian around, but I think that once the Vikings find and sign a viable No. 1 option, Berrian will be shown the door. After all, Frazier said that he wanted to see Madieu Williams compete for a starting job only a few days before Williams got cut. It just seems all too predictable to me.

The should also cut Bryant McKinnie for the same lack of production.

Long has McKinnie been a cornerstone of the Vikings once feared offensive line, but Mount McKinnie has turned into a shell of his former self.

His play in 2010 was uninspired and he just seems two steps behind everyone else on the field. McKinnie carries himself like he just doesn't care about being a starter in the NFL.

He is due to make $4.9 Million in 2011, which would be a nice chunk of money that the Vikings could throw at some play-makers on offense or defense, or possibly a better offensive lineman at a cheaper price.

This cut seems like it would be more risky, but in reality, they could move RT Phil Loadholt over to the left side and easily sign another offensive lineman to play RT.

Just by cutting these two players, the Vikings will add $8.8 Million to their cap space, all money that they can use to help make themselves a playoff team through free agency or trades.

Sign Key Players to Long Term Deals

Along with making necessary cuts to the team, the Vikings still have some key players that they must re-sign before entering training camp.

Veteran OLB Chad Greenway has signed his Franchise Tender which will give him more than $10 Million in 2011. This is good for Greenway, but the Vikings need to lock him up long term, as he is only under contract for this season. That being said, the Vikes need to get him to agree to an extension sooner, rather than later.

The same goes for Adrian Peterson who will be a free agent in 2012. I'm not very worried about this getting done, but the Vikings need to see it through soon just to make sure that they don't lose the No. 3 overall player in the National Football League.

The Tennessee Titans are already feeling the headache of a star running back holding out from camp for a contract extension. Peterson has committed to not holding out from camp, and I think the Vikings should reward him for that with a new contract immediately. Vikings fans will breathe easy again once Peterson is locked-up for the long-term in Minnesota.

 A third player that needs a contract extension is OLB Erin Henderson. The younger brother of MLB E.J. Henderson, Erin Henderson was a restricted free agent with the Vikings and has worked himself into a position to compete for a starting job. On Friday night, Henderson received a one-year contract, but should get a deal longer than that. Even if he can't start, he's better than any of the other would-be back-ups.

With Ben Leber likely on his way out of Minnesota, the weak-side LB spot is up for grabs. Henderson will jump on that opportunity to start as soon as he is given a new contract and training camp begins.

Henderson is deserving of a new contract because he has the potential to be a starter now, and to be a contributor in the future. Plus, wouldn't it be cool to see brothers next to each other as starters on the field?

The Vikings have some other players like Pat Williams and Ben Leber that haven't received contracts, but I think that because the Vikings are already filling those holes with younger options, the Veterans might be getting the shaft. I respect both players, but this was bound to happen eventually. I wish them luck with the rest of their career, both are truly classy players.

Address Issues with Receiving Corps

Like I said on a previous slide, Bernard Berrian is simply not cut out to be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL. If he is willing to restructure his contract I would more than willing to keep him around, but that seems unlikely so it may be best to just be rid of him.

If the Vikings were to do that, they would be left with a very emaciated receiving core.

The signing of ex-Chicago Bear Devin Aromashodu, was not one adequate enough to fill the depth and call it a day. Honestly, I would prefer Berrian to Aromashodu, but i suppose a small amount of depth added is better than nothing.

The rest of the receivers on the team include Percy Harvin, Jaymar Johnson, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Greg Camarillo, and some rookies that likely won't make it through training camp.

In my opinion, the only viable options of that group to keep around at this point are Percy Harvin and Emmanuel Arceneaux.

Harvin is, pure and simple, a better player in the slot. He can't be expected to play as well as usual without a No. 1 receiver to stretch the field for him.

Arceneaux is a former CFL receiver that shows a lot of promise with above average speed and catching. for more background on Arceneaux, see my article which serves as a spotlight on the Vikings rookie.

I'm not saying to cut the remaining players, but let them compete for the job with a flurry of free agents that  could be brought to Minnesota with the cap space that would be saved by cutting Berrian and McKinnie.

Ideally, I would like to see the Vikings sign two higher profile receivers. Braylon Edwards, Randy Moss, James Jones, Malcom Floyd and Plaxico Burress are all still available.

Address Issues with Offensive Line

Like I said, McKinnie needs to go. I think that both John Sullivan and Anthony Herrera need to be shown the door as well. That would leave a lot of space on the offensive line, but I think that some of those spots are easily fixed.

Center John Sullivan should either be replaced by rookie Brandon Fusco (for background check out this article), or through free agency that includes several accomplished veteran options like Shaun O'Hara who was recently cut by the New York Giants.

Guard Anthony Herrera should be replaced by Chris DeGeare who played most of 2010 in his stead, while he was injured repeatedly. Herrera shows that he is not durable enough for a starting job, plus now that DeGeare is no longer a rookie, he should be in a much better position to succeed with some experience. If they chose not to go with DeGeare, former Atlanta Falcon Justin Blalock could be an excellent option, but would come with a high price tag.

McKinnie could be replaced at LT by Loadholt, like I said, but who will replace him? The Vikings aren't going to start two rookies on their offensive line, but there are plenty of linemen that have been cut by other teams who could be excellent options like Mark Colombo who was recently cut by the Dallas Cowboys.

Sign a No. 1 Receiving Option

I mentioned that the Vikings should sign two receivers to strengthen their receiving core and add some depth to this group that is about as deep as a kiddy-pool.

Above that, they need to find a replacement for WR Sidney Rice, who is now a Seattle Seahawk.

My favorite replacement would be Braylon Edwards, who seems to be the Vikings target right now, though nothing official has been released.  Reports surfaced this morning, that Edwards won't return to the Jets, which would make things all that much easier for the Vikings to sign Edwards who will likely seek a hefty contract.

Another option, though more short-term, would be 30-year-old Malcom Floyd who could come with a much smaller price tag. Floyd had a solid year with the San Diego Chargers in 2010 where he was the No. 1 option while WR Vincent Jackson held out for a trade or a new contract.

If the Vikings were to sign Edwards, I think a fitting No. 2 receiver to sign with him would be former Viking Randy Moss who can still stretch the field as well as the rest of them. Moss may be a one trick pony, but he does that trick better than anyone in the NFL. He could come very cheaply for the Vikings in 2011.

If the Vikings signed Floyd, I would like to see them sign James Jones who is a big physical receiver that could create some competition in training camp and challenge Floyd to make plays. Jones is looking to be the No. 1 guy wherever he goes, so this would give him the opportunity to compete for what he wants.

Either option would be far better than what the Viking worked with in 2010. They need to sign at least two receivers, hopefully one of these scenarios could play out for them before training camp.

Sign Some Starting Defensive Backs

Because the Vikings released Madieu Williams, they lose even more depth in their defensive backfield.

I honestly see Hussain Abdullah as the only safety worth starting for the Vikings. Tyrell Johnson and Jamarca Sanford are not fit to even be a No. 2 option.

Rookie Mistral Raymond is an exciting prospect who can play both corner and safety, but I wouldn't be comfortable leaving that pressure on the shoulders of a rookie. Hopefully someday Raymond will contribute to the defense, but the sixth round draft pick likely won't start this season. For more background on Raymond, see my spotlight on the rookie, who has a truly remarkable story.

At corner, the Vikings have more depth, but they should also be concerned with the high amount of injury they saw in 2010. Both Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook injured their knees twice last season, and Antoine Winfield, though a great player, is still aging. The Vikings may want to bring in some more depth in this area as well.

With receivers like Greg Jennings and Calvin Johnson Jr. in their division, the Vikings need to see to it that they get some players to cover them.

That being said, CB Antonio Cromartie, CB Carlos Rodgers, S Michael Huff and S Donte Whitner are all still available. Each would improve the Vikings backfield tremendously and even one of them would be a great addition by the organization.

They need to make at least one move in this area before training camp. If they were able to sign a corner, but no safeties, it may be a good idea to consider moving Cedric Griffin to safety to help him avoid any further knee injuries and still get some solid play out of a good player.

Trade with Philadelphia for Asante Samuel

Because the Eagles landed 2011 prized free agent CB Nnamdi Asomugha, they now have three No. 1 corners on their roster.

By landing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie through the Kevin Kolb deal with Arizona, the Eagles have too much talent at corner to not see some jealousy or someone wanting out.

The way I see it, Asante Samuel will get the short straw and head coach Andy Reid will be in the same position he loved being in with Kevin Kolb: with too much talent and plenty of teams looking to give him something for it.

If that became the case, the Vikings should jump on the opportunity to bring a play-maker like Samuel to Minnesota. Like I said, Winfield is still a great player, but with his age, he will begin to decline soon and it would be wise of the Vikings to bring in a No. 1 corner, something they clearly don't have at this point.

I could see a trade like a second round draft pick with a conditional 2013 draft pick as enough for Andy Reid who is a wizard at accumulating draft picks.

This deal would work out for all parties involved.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would just like to reiterate that I am not afraid of the rest of the NFC North as the media would like me to be. I think the Vikings are still in a position to not only make the playoffs, but go deep into the playoffs also.

With that prediction, however, the Vikings will have to continue to spend money and make moves for high profile free agents.

Though making every one of these moves is unlikely, I think many of them are realistic and at least three of them are necessary.

Look for the Vikings to surprise some people in 2011.

See you in Mankato.