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Tom Sykes -> RE: General Vikes Talk (12/30/2020 6:36:00 PM)
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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen
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ORIGINAL: paulgly
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ORIGINAL: The Happy Norseman
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ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes
I agree good discussion on coaching candidates.
It's neither here nor there – Zimmer will be our coach next year, Spielman our GM. Cousins our QB.
Doesn't hurt to fantasize though. I wish it were not so, I guess we'll find out for sure pretty quickly after next Sunday.
I fully expect a press conference with Mark Wilf talking about how crazy 2020 was and their confidence in the pieces in place, etc. (Deep down, I'm sure the owners are thinking 'playoffs in 2015, 2017, 2019 ... so 2021 is destined for a return to the playoffs ... that's one more year of not having to make the hard decision in public').
I think the Wilfs have been great owners in terms of providing the franchise with whatever resources / facilities it needs (and then some) ... they seem pretty hands off in the actual shaping of the team.
.........
Like the owners, I really believe Spielman and Zimmer will have the team in contention again next year. I think we underestimate just how exceptionally 'barely good enough' they are at putting together playoff contending teams.
Unlike the owners, I recognize that returning to the playoffs in 2021 only means an abysmal, demoralizing loss (in the playoffs) to a team with a smarter coach, an nfl caliber OL, and a QB with some big game cajones – and that the playoff loss is really just the start of another miserable cycle with this regime, not a reason to raise expectations for the following season.
Enough.
Spot on post. We're also stuck with Barr, who's a good player but wildly overpaid for his production. With the obvious cuts that are coming due to cap space, coupled with the obvious needs of the team, RS pretty much has no choice but to draft/sign players that we've been clamoring for for years.
Out:
Reiff
Rudy
Harris
Stephen (possibly)
Smith - reworked contract
Barr - reworked contract
Must haves:
2 OG
1 3T DT
1 S
1 QBOTF
Depth everywhere
Will he actually do such a good enough job that we don't crash and burn in the playoffs (again)? Hey, even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes...
If we cut Reiff - and that very well could be the right move - add LT to that must have list. At worst, Reiff was an average LT this year, and might have been better. It's a pretty bit leap to think Cleveland (or whoever else) will slide right in and equal his production.
Similar to Mackensie, Trae, Everson, and Linval last year. Likely was the right move to not pay any of them huge money (although I think Zim burned bridges with Mac by playing him in meaningless game 17 where he got hurt), but I always cringed when people were like 'good riddance'. It isn't easy to just draft or get free agents to replace even average production. We may find the same when we (rightfully) don't sign Harris. That said, I don't think we miss Rudolph. Good dude - his production is pretty easily replaced IMO.
I'm afraid we're really gonna miss Reiff...
If we can't start Cleveland in his second year we might as well stop drafting in the second round. Besides, who else is out there? A highly touted UFA LT that some team simply lets walk, will choose to sign in Minny, and is very cheap? Or a middling talent like Reiff with no upside and that is STILL too expensive?
That's like Woody Allen's My Speech to the Graduates:
'More than at any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.'
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