Minnesota Vikings Discussion

[Vikes99ej]

Either Sullivan or draft someone like Mack or Unger. I'd be more than fine with that.

[russie]

BIRK TO BALTIMORE
Posted by Mike Florio on March 4, 2009, 4:08 p.m.
A league source tells us that the Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with center Matt Birk.

Birk, a St. Paul native, had spent eleven years with the Vikings, arriving more than a decade ago as a sixth-round draft pick from Harvard, the same year that receiver Randy Moss joined the team as a rookie.

Birk was the last remaining link to the 1998 Vikings team, which won 15 regular-season games before losing the NFC title game to the Falcons.

By all appearances, he gave the Vikings every opportunity to sign him, but as the days passed and no deal was reached he decided to visit Baltimore.

Some thought it was a Kurt Warner-style leverage play, with Birk looking for an offer from Baltimore that he could shop back to the Vikings. (Birk apparently operates on a higher moral plane than that.)

That said, the decision had to be a tough one for Birk, who recently told David Fleming of ESPN The Magazine that he was anxious about uprooting his four small children and moving them halfway across the country.

And, as he told us three years ago, he wanted to stay in Minnesota: “I was born here, I’ll die here. I don’t want to leave.”

But leave he did.

[FuzzyGopher]

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/Home_NFL.aspx
The Ravens have agreed to a deal with free agent C Matt Birk, according to Profootballtalk.com.

Minnesota apparently hoped Birk would stay for a "hometown discount," but the Ravens secured the Harvard grad with what figures to be a 2-3 year deal. Birk will take over for Jason Brown, leaving Chris Chester to back up.

Wtf, can't say I agree with this move.

[hagy34]

We better like Sullivan A LOT. If he doesn't pan out then we are going to be in trouble. Already a shaky right side, center problems would be big trouble for us. For a team that prides itself on pounding the football I don't like the idea of watching our franchise center walk.

[FuzzyGopher]

Our superior quarterbacks will make up for any weakness on the offensive line.

[hagy34]

Originally Posted by FuzzyGopher

Our superior quarterbacks will make up for any weakness on the offensive line.

I just puked in my mouth.

[The_Dude]

******* Idiots.

I just don't understand this decision at all.

Yeah, he may have lost a step since his pro-bowl days, but our O-line situation is shaky enough. Now we have to replace our starting center, too?

Rosenfels will do really well with no time to throw the ball & no MN Moving Company to open things up for AD.

As i said before.... The Little General will be gone 2/3rds of the way through the season.

Hopefully

[russie]

anger. disappointment. rage. sadness.


these are all words that describe my feelings about dickless(sorry, childress) letting birk go. this man is a VIKING through and through. between his charity work and all the giving back to the community, he has been a stand up player, and an all pro. his play may have declined, but he is still by far the best center on the team. we have the cap room, so why the **** couldnt they get their heads out of their asses and get him locked up. this is a major FFUUCCKK up, and i think childress needs to be gone now.

[russie]

that is just my two cents, and i needed a place to vent, so i figured why not here on the vikings board

[The_Dude]

That's my major point of frustration, too.

If you are going to have this "culture of accountability"/good people over good players, why the hell would they let Birk go?

This guy epitomizes what the FO says that they want look for in a player and they let him walk?

As i said in the NFL board, this move is going to piss off a lot of the Vikings fans in MN. Good luck getting public support for a new stadium with moves like this.

[russie]

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/aro...r-his-release/

St. Louis Rams receiver Torry Holt asks for his release


Realizing he no longer fits in the team’s plans, seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Torry Holt has asked for his release from the Rams, league sources told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday.

The Rams have been shopping Holt, 32, on the trade market, but so far there have been no takers. Holt is due a $1.25 million roster bonus on March 17, so it’s unlikely he will be a Ram beyond then.

But with free-agent wide receivers being signed daily around the NFL, and hundreds of millions of dollars already spent six days into free agency, Holt is seeking some closure to his time in St. Louis.








holt is only a year older than doushmanzeduh, any one think the f.o. of the vikes are watching this situation?

[The_Dude]

Childress quote:

“The Minnesota Vikings thank Matt for all he did for the organization both on and off the field over the past 11 years,” Childress said. “Matt has done a great job and we wanted him to return to the Vikings in ’09, but at this point Matt wanted a change of scenery. We wish him the best and know that he will always be a part of the Vikings family. We look forward to playing Matt this upcoming season at the Metrodome.”

Change of scenery? I really don't think that is the truth. I guess we'll have to wait and see what Birk says.

[Vikings4ever]

Adam Caplan, of Scout.com, reports the Baltimore Ravens have signed unrestricted free-agent C Matt Birk (Vikings) to a three-year deal worth $12 million. The contract includes $6 million in guarantees.

We let him go for 4 million a year? Crap.

[vikes_28]

******* morons. stupid *****. **** ******* pieces of ****. guh!

[Tobzilla]

Originally Posted by The_Dude

As i said in the NFL board, this move is going to piss off a lot of the Vikings fans in MN. Good luck getting public support for a new stadium with moves like this.

I HIGHLY doubt that support for our new stadium rests on whether or not we resign Matt Birk. I think the economic status of our nation might have a little more to do with that.

I think everyone is overreacting. Sure, we all love Birk; he's a great guy, gives to charity, went to Harvard, yadda yadda yadda. Who cares about that, the fact remains that he's an aging Center who's performance ON THE FIELD has declined significantly over the past few seasons (pro bowl appearances mean nothing). This move reminds me of the way the Patriots run their organization, like a business. Plus, we still have FA and the Draft to improve our offensive line.

I don't know much about Sullivan, but we should trust our scouts and let him have a chance to prove himself. After all, we let Birk have that chance who was a sixth round pick himself.

[The_Dude]

I'm not saying that losing Birk will be the straw that broke the camel's back when it comes to the stadium. I'm saying that the fan base is getting fed up with this FO and the stupid things that they say and do. Birk is just one of many things that will push the Vikings fan base away from the idea of a new stadium.

Yes, i agree that the bleak economic outlook in this state is the #1 reason why they will not get a publically funded stadium.

Moves like not re-signing Birk, local athlete, will only make matters worse.

[General Zod]

Its just hard for me to believe that they have that much faith in Sullivan yet, he has seen no playing time. Im not even sure if he has seen any pre season time either. If I remember right, didnt Birk see spot duty due to Jeff Christy being injured? So now Im really thinking Max Unger with our first pick. He can play center if needed and would also add depth on the line or maybe start on the right side if we fail to land Mark Tauscher.

[vikes_28]

Where did Sullivan play college ball. +rep when you figure it out since i'm too lazy to find it myself.

[marshallb]

Originally Posted by vikes_29

Where did Sullivan play college ball. +rep when you figure it out since i'm too lazy to find it myself.

Notre Dame

[FuzzyGopher]

Originally Posted by Tobzilla

I think everyone is overreacting. Sure, we all love Birk; he's a great guy, gives to charity, went to Harvard, yadda yadda yadda. Who cares about that, the fact remains that he's an aging Center who's performance ON THE FIELD has declined significantly over the past few seasons (pro bowl appearances mean nothing). This move reminds me of the way the Patriots run their organization, like a business. Plus, we still have FA and the Draft to improve our offensive line.

The bottom line for me is that we just got worse at the center position. We are supposed to be adding better players, not losing them.

[Tobzilla]

Originally Posted by FuzzyGopher

The bottom line for me is that we just got worse at the center position. We are supposed to be adding better players, not losing them.

Or you could say that we've gotten younger while saving money for future endeavors. C'mon, we'll be fine without Birk. This is the NFL, anyone is replaceable.

[hagy34]

Somebody posted above about Holt. I think that Holt would be an OK fit here if he wanted to play for small contract. I read somewhere that he thinks he could get Coles money ($28 over 4?). I believe that is too much. If wanted to come here for a couple million per year over two years or so I wouldn't mind. I just don't see that happening though. We really need to have a sound draft with the lack of moves we've made. Our 1st round pick almost has to be an offensive lineman now.

[russie]

more to add to our weak off season:

Vikings | Paymah expected to visit
Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:41:03 -0800

Sean Jensen, of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, reports the Minnesota Vikings are expected to meet with unrestricted free-agent CB Karl Paymah (Broncos) this weekend.

[General Zod]

Originally Posted by russie

more to add to our weak off season:

Vikings | Paymah expected to visit
Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:41:03 -0800

Sean Jensen, of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, reports the Minnesota Vikings are expected to meet with unrestricted free-agent CB Karl Paymah (Broncos) this weekend.

um, WHO!? lol

[russie]

Originally Posted by General Zod

um, WHO!? lol

just some god damn back up. dickless(sorry, childress) seems content with fixing none of the holes on the team with proven players