quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

I feel sometimes I'm talking to myself, but I have more to share. I have been trying to understand since the second day of the draft why the Vikings selected the running back before the offensive lineman. I was happy that they got Samia anyway by moving up in round four, but I got a clue from Leber, today. He said that he didn't like the idea of two rookies starting together in the middle of the line. Obviously our new center (Bradbury) will be the starter there and he's supposed to be the most "starting ready center" coming out of the draft "in years". Nevertheless, he still is a rookie and he saw that it was good for the Vikings to have a stable veteran who has been around and been in the fire in the past next to him.

So the Vikings must have been thinking that it was a higher priority to get the running back they had to have that would complement Cook rather than a player who would likely only be a backup in his first season. We'll see, because things happen like injuries and perhaps Samia who has been gaining weight and working out may very well have to start just because he is so talented. I thought he was the most important selection in the draft and obviously the Vikings thought it was important, too, because they had to move up to get him.

Next question: more snaps- Mattison or Boone? You know, sometimes it's not the answer, but the "reason why" that is the most interesting thing on these questions. I'm still anxious to get to the question of third and fourth receivers. That will be next after this.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

More snaps- Mattison or Boone? Leber said that the team invested a third round draft pick in Mattison and so it will probably be his job to lose. In other words, they will give him every benefit of the doubt because they are very much interested to see how their shiny new toy can do with the hopes that he can be special. He is considered to be a "three down running back", which means he can be put on the field in any situation and also he is seen as being a "complement" to Cook- I mean different and maybe even better than Cook at certain things. Also, Leber said he is the kind of bright and good character kind of young man that will do his homework in the preparation to training camp to be ready with all of the terminology, etc. with the playbook and understanding his responsibilities.

Next, we all know who the top two wide receivers are. Who will be the third and fourth wide receivers? Leber was at the OTA and so he based some of his opinions on what he saw. There was a big surprise to me when he answered this one.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Close, because one of them is a rookie, but neither of the drafted receivers impressed join as much as an undrafted receiver.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

No, not Hollins. I said it was a surprise. First of all he said that Beebe was number three with a bullet. Now, this is opinion during OTA's, so in fairness to him, he doesn't have a lot to go by, but he said that what he likes to see are "pops" when the receivers make their breaks. Diggs and Thielen have that and so does Beebe, apparently. He said that Treadwell seems to have "heavy feet" and it looked like Johnson and Mitchell were like that, too. ("nothing special") So that leaves us with Jordan Taylor or Jeff Badet, but the one who caught his eye was this receiver.

https://herosports.com/news/fcs-mens-football-sam-houston-state-wr-davion-davis-college-stats-and-highlights-awaw

I did a little reading up on Davis and he comes from a small school plus he got hurt and it affected his draft, but now he is healthy. Leber said that when he saw Davis he thought who the heck is that guy. He stood out above all of the others.

Now, I am typing in the wee hours of the morning, but I am wondering if the analyst I was listening to was not Leber, but Bercich. I'll have to check that out. It was one of those two.

Next question: which quarterback will be the number two guy?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

I like that group quite a bit. Quite an athletic WR room there.

Kinda sad how Todd drops Treadwell completely off the team and nobody bats an eye, but true indeed.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

I like that group quite a bit. Quite an athletic WR room there.

Kinda sad how Todd drops Treadwell completely off the team and nobody bats an eye, but true indeed.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

I like that group quite a bit. Quite an athletic WR room there.

Kinda sad how Todd drops Treadwell completely off the team and nobody bats an eye, but true indeed.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

Yeah, I guess Badet cleaning up the bottom sounds about right.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

No, not Hollins. I said it was a surprise. First of all he said that Beebe was number three with a bullet. Now, this is opinion during OTA's, so in fairness to him, he doesn't have a lot to go by, but he said that what he likes to see are "pops" when the receivers make their breaks. Diggs and Thielen have that and so does Beebe, apparently. He said that Treadwell seems to have "heavy feet" and it looked like Johnson and Mitchell were like that, too. ("nothing special") So that leaves us with Jordan Taylor or Jeff Badet, but the one who caught his eye was this receiver.

https://herosports.com/news/fcs-mens-football-sam-houston-state-wr-davion-davis-college-stats-and-highlights-awaw

I did a little reading up on Davis and he comes from a small school plus he got hurt and it affected his draft, but now he is healthy. Leber said that when he saw Davis he thought who the heck is that guy. He stood out above all of the others.

Now, I am typing in the wee hours of the morning, but I am wondering if the analyst I was listening to was not Leber, but Bercich. I'll have to check that out. It was one of those two.

Next question: which quarterback will be the number two guy?

Very interesting. HUGE numbers at a tiny school. Never saw him so off to watch some film. As for Mitchell and "Heavy Feet" not true in the slightest. Those feet are about as light as they come.
EDIT: After watching film he definitely has wiggle. Even in highlights didn't always get good separation. Checking his speed he wasn't timed at the combine and the only 40 time I found on him was from an obscure draft site that had him at 4.63.
http://draftanalyst.com/davion-davis
Now considering that non combine times are usually a tenth of a second faster than combine times that is more like a 4.73. He's listed at 5'10.5" and 191. The numbers don't look good, but I don't know how reliable they are. I'm reserving judgment on him at this time until I can find out more. The football speed better be a heck of a lot better than the reported time or he has no chance.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thebigo

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

No, not Hollins. I said it was a surprise. First of all he said that Beebe was number three with a bullet. Now, this is opinion during OTA's, so in fairness to him, he doesn't have a lot to go by, but he said that what he likes to see are "pops" when the receivers make their breaks. Diggs and Thielen have that and so does Beebe, apparently. He said that Treadwell seems to have "heavy feet" and it looked like Johnson and Mitchell were like that, too. ("nothing special") So that leaves us with Jordan Taylor or Jeff Badet, but the one who caught his eye was this receiver.

https://herosports.com/news/fcs-mens-football-sam-houston-state-wr-davion-davis-college-stats-and-highlights-awaw

I did a little reading up on Davis and he comes from a small school plus he got hurt and it affected his draft, but now he is healthy. Leber said that when he saw Davis he thought who the heck is that guy. He stood out above all of the others.

Now, I am typing in the wee hours of the morning, but I am wondering if the analyst I was listening to was not Leber, but Bercich. I'll have to check that out. It was one of those two.

Next question: which quarterback will be the number two guy?

Very interesting. HUGE numbers at a tiny school. Never saw him so off to watch some film. As for Mitchell and "Heavy Feet" not true in the slightest. Those feet are about as light as they come.
EDIT: After watching film he definitely has wiggle. Even in highlights didn't always get good separation. Checking his speed he wasn't timed at the combine and the only 40 time I found on him was from an obscure draft site that had him at 4.63.
http://draftanalyst.com/davion-davis
Now considering that non combine times are usually a tenth of a second faster than combine times that is more like a 4.73. He's listed at 5'10.5" and 191. The numbers don't look good, but I don't know how reliable they are. I'm reserving judgment on him at this time until I can find out more. The football speed better be a heck of a lot better than the reported time or he has no chance.

Probably faster than Beebe.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

I like that group quite a bit. Quite an athletic WR room there.

Kinda sad how Todd drops Treadwell completely off the team and nobody bats an eye, but true indeed.

Not to be contrarian, but Taylor has been taking 1st team reps. P Manning was impressed with him (before injuries) and as Zimmer pointed out, has history with G Kubiak. Cousins has already been singing his praises.

I would include a 7th or 6th to trade Treadwell and free up 1.8M in cap space. Cap space is so much more valuable to us at this point and we already are slated to have 10 draft picks next.

Its so early, projections are meaningless at this point. But I'll make mine:

Digg/Thielan/Taylor/Beebe/Badet. Zystra/Johnson/Mitchell battle for that 6th spot.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Todd M

It's gonna be Thielen/Diggs/Mitchell/Badet/Bebe/Johnson

Drop Badet to last in that group and I think you got it just right.

I like that group quite a bit. Quite an athletic WR room there.

Kinda sad how Todd drops Treadwell completely off the team and nobody bats an eye, but true indeed.

Not to be contrarian, but Taylor has been taking 1st team reps. P Manning was impressed with him (before injuries) and as Zimmer pointed out, has history with G Kubiak. Cousins has already been singing his praises.

I would include a 7th or 6th to trade Treadwell and free up 1.8M in cap space. Cap space is so much more valuable to us at this point and we already are slated to have 10 draft picks next.

Its so early, projections are meaningless at this point. But I'll make mine:

Digg/Thielan/Taylor/Beebe/Badet. Zystra/Johnson/Mitchell battle for that 6th spot.

I agree. If Taylor stays healthy - there is no way he’s not the 3rd or 4th guy (and backup or punt returner). Same with Beebe.

Not sure Badet is well-rounded enough but if nothing else he’s Robinson II and we did protect him from being swiped by the Jets. For what little that is worth.

5 WRs (thiels, diggs, taylor, beebe, badet) zylstra if we keep 6 / johnson on practice squad.
(I think well-rounded Johnson is a darknorse to bump one trick pony badet and stiff zylstra)

4 TEs (rudy, smith, morgan, conklin)
I think if te Hikutini has improved enough as a blocker, he may just bump Conklin)