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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Ezra Cleveland is 6'6". He also lacks power. The book on him is he needs to get stronger. I don't want him playing guard. He's not a good fit for that.

Exactly. The big issue at LG is that we have Elflien getting overpowered with alarming frequency. One of the reasons we use so many roll outs and fewer straight drops and shot gun sets is that Bradbury and Elf are just not able to consistently slow the inside pass rush.

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ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

They said over the weekend that the Vikes are going to play the top five players up front period.

They did this after some oline injuries at the tail end of the 2017 season. results weren't good yet they still ran with it 18 with contuing diminished returns.

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Ezra Cleveland is 6'6". He also lacks power. The book on him is he needs to get stronger. I don't want him playing guard. He's not a good fit for that.

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ORIGINAL: kgdabom

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Ezra Cleveland is 6'6". He also lacks power. The book on him is he needs to get stronger. I don't want him playing guard. He's not a good fit for that.

311 and 30 reps are both nice numbers. Most people are saying he lacks power. I will believe that when I see it. I'm hoping it will be no issue.

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: kgdabom

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: unome

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ORIGINAL: Todd M

At the end of the day IF THEY throw caution to the wind and resign Cook we are the likely beneficiaries of a wider SB window because Cook is a special back that could run us to a SB. Why do we as fans have to worry about the money part? The worst case scenarios? He's really good, one of ours. I say strap in and go for it.

Looking at the highest paid running backs and see nothing to make me believe that signing a running back to big bucks is a smart choice. The worst case scenario is that we overpay one position and run out of money for a more important position.

https://overthecap.com/position/running-back/

it seems like it never works to pay a disgruntled running back big money - so many of the top paid rb's are not with their original team - they didn't think they were worth the money...just of interest; carolina has $48m in dead money they're being charged with this season, and still they shuffled in a new qb and made their rb the highest paid in the league....

remember when cook was leading the league in rushing halfway through the season last year?...he ended up 8th in rushing, behind chris carson and joe Mixon....

the way i see the running game in the nfl; build yourself a great o-line and the worst you'll have is a very good running game - with anyone at rb....

i like where the vikings are right now, and i'm not a big cousins fan...if we didn't allow such big holes to form at wr and cb we could have really poured some draft capital into our o-line...but hopefully, the fo and coaches are correct - that some of our younger talent is ready to step up and solidify our line....

IMO the O Line and not the QB is the most important position in football. A great O line will make any QB look good as well as any RB like you mentioned.

we could have possibly done this, and i think we'd be better off....

make the trade with washington for williams at lt....

#22 ruiz at lg
#23 Jefferson (#25 and our 4th router)
#58 fulton
#89 danzler

of course, we could have flipped #22/#23...one hole to fill at rg and we probably have a young player for that - or bring kline back....

Meh. We give up a 4th round pick and the corner we wanted to draft Ruiz. We have Cleveland with Reiff moving to guard. We aren't saddled with Williams salary, which means we don't have to shot gun Harris.

Yeah on draft night I was screaming for something like this (Getting another OLineman early) however I’m warming up to Spiels choices.

Watching more tape (lots) on Jeff Gladney alleviates quite a bit of concern for me. His height is just about the only downside as I can see. Appears a rugged, athletically superior version of Mac Alexander. I’ll roll with the Jefferson at #22, and trade back to #31 for the extra draft capital.

They said over the weekend that the Vikes are going to play the top five players up front period. Cleveland could definitely come right in and start at Guard. He’s projects in many pre-draft guides as a Guard.

I’m not a fan of kicking Reiff inside unless he takes a pretty substantial pay cut.

Still think we are bringing in someone like Dre Kirkpatrick at CB, and perhaps even bring back Josh Kline?

We need some combination of these Olineman to pan out, or it’ll be the same ole collapsing front door, and a quick exit if we don’t.

The biggest key is they are throwing draft capital every year at the Oline.

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

While Williams didn't completely nix the trade to the Vikings, he seems to have indicated he wouldn't sign an extension.

Plus, fukk that guy; he's a 49er.

Where did he say that? The only thing I remember reading from his side is that Williams and his agent said that they had nothing to do with the deal falling through.

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ORIGINAL: thebigo

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ORIGINAL: kgdabom

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Ezra Cleveland is 6'6". He also lacks power. The book on him is he needs to get stronger. I don't want him playing guard. He's not a good fit for that.

311 and 30 reps are both nice numbers. Most people are saying he lacks power. I will believe that when I see it. I'm hoping it will be no issue.

How is his core strength?

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Ezra Cleveland is 6'6". He also lacks power. The book on him is he needs to get stronger. I don't want him playing guard. He's not a good fit for that.

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

While Williams didn't completely nix the trade to the Vikings, he seems to have indicated he wouldn't sign an extension.

Plus, fukk that guy; he's a 49er.

Where did he say that? The only thing I remember reading from his side is that Williams and his agent said that they had nothing to do with the deal falling through.

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

While Williams didn't completely nix the trade to the Vikings, he seems to have indicated he wouldn't sign an extension.

Plus, fukk that guy; he's a 49er.

Where did he say that? The only thing I remember reading from his side is that Williams and his agent said that they had nothing to do with the deal falling through.

Straight from Williams:

An NFL Media report Saturday night indicated Williams blocked a trade to Minnesota. He and his agent both denied it over the weekend.

It sounds like it might be a matter of semantics, because Williams admitted Thursday that the Vikings “didn’t synch up” with what he wants long term.

“The Vikings, long term, and what I looked at long term, it didn’t synch up,” Williams said. “They just really dropped out. It wasn’t me refusing to go.”

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

While Williams didn't completely nix the trade to the Vikings, he seems to have indicated he wouldn't sign an extension.

Plus, fukk that guy; he's a 49er.

Where did he say that? The only thing I remember reading from his side is that Williams and his agent said that they had nothing to do with the deal falling through.

Straight from Williams:

An NFL Media report Saturday night indicated Williams blocked a trade to Minnesota. He and his agent both denied it over the weekend.

It sounds like it might be a matter of semantics, because Williams admitted Thursday that the Vikings “didn’t synch up” with what he wants long term.

“The Vikings, long term, and what I looked at long term, it didn’t synch up,” Williams said. “They just really dropped out. It wasn’t me refusing to go.”

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ORIGINAL: unome

Put another way: do we think the SECOND best player from the training camp battle from Elf, Samia, Udoh, Collins, Dozier and whichever of Cleveland and Reif does not play LT is OK filling a starting spot? I am comfortable with the best player from that group with a starting sport and hopeful for the second best player, but I would try to bring in someone like Kline for more competition

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

We're talking about Ezra Cleveland and right on time comes this article from Ludford.

https://www.dailynorseman.com/2020/5/4/21239061/breaking-down-ezra-cleveland?utm_campaign=wludford&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

I was pleasantly surprised by Kline last year, and I'd welcome him back, but the team might want the young'uns to play this year and thus won't pay more than a minimum or slightly higher contract to provide a backstop. I think the team is looking at 2021 as they year to compete for a championship. With three new starters at CB, two empty guard spots, and youngsters/no depth at a number of positions, 2020 is the year to develop. Don't have any insight beyond watching their actions, but I don't think we're in "win now" mode.

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

I was pleasantly surprised by Kline last year, and I'd welcome him back, but the team might want the young'uns to play this year and thus won't pay more than a minimum or slightly higher contract to provide a backstop. I think the team is looking at 2021 as they year to compete for a championship. With three new starters at CB, two empty guard spots, and youngsters/no depth at a number of positions, 2020 is the year to develop. Don't have any insight beyond watching their actions, but I don't think we're in "win now" mode.

Stupid part of the Kline cut is the amount of dead money. He'd have to be willing to come back for 2M or less or it will cost us more in cap than if we hadn't cut him.

I was reading an article where the author thinks 9-7 wins the Central. I think we can win 9 game, more if some youngsters step up.

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

I was pleasantly surprised by Kline last year, and I'd welcome him back, but the team might want the young'uns to play this year and thus won't pay more than a minimum or slightly higher contract to provide a backstop. I think the team is looking at 2021 as they year to compete for a championship. With three new starters at CB, two empty guard spots, and youngsters/no depth at a number of positions, 2020 is the year to develop. Don't have any insight beyond watching their actions, but I don't think we're in "win now" mode.

Stupid part of the Kline cut is the amount of dead money. He'd have to be willing to come back for 2M or less or it will cost us more in cap than if we hadn't cut him.

I was reading an article where the author thinks 9-7 wins the Central. I think we can win 9 game, more if some youngsters step up.

We drafted a couple of offensive linemen in the back end of the draft. (Brandel and Hinton) Obviously the team likes them or they wouldn't get drafted. They won't be ready this year, especially this year. I hear that the Vikings will be grooming Hinton for center and perhaps guard too. I'm not sure about Brandel. Shoot. There are so many draft picks they all can't make the roster, but in the case of Hinton my hunch is that they won't be able to stash him on the practice squad.

If we wind up keeping Reiff and he plays fairly well at guard, then we don't need any more free agent guards. That's what I'm thinking at the moment, but I certainly don't have a high degree of confidence in that.

If I'm not mistaken Kline had an issue with concussions. I think the team wants to get young. Samia and Udoh at guard would be really cool and we would be getting younger in a hurry.

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

I was pleasantly surprised by Kline last year, and I'd welcome him back, but the team might want the young'uns to play this year and thus won't pay more than a minimum or slightly higher contract to provide a backstop. I think the team is looking at 2021 as they year to compete for a championship. With three new starters at CB, two empty guard spots, and youngsters/no depth at a number of positions, 2020 is the year to develop. Don't have any insight beyond watching their actions, but I don't think we're in "win now" mode.

Stupid part of the Kline cut is the amount of dead money. He'd have to be willing to come back for 2M or less or it will cost us more in cap than if we hadn't cut him.

I was reading an article where the author thinks 9-7 wins the Central. I think we can win 9 game, more if some youngsters step up.

We drafted a couple of offensive linemen in the back end of the draft. (Brandel and Hinton) Obviously the team likes them or they wouldn't get drafted. They won't be ready this year, especially this year. I hear that the Vikings will be grooming Hinton for center and perhaps guard too. I'm not sure about Brandel. Shoot. There are so many draft picks they all can't make the roster, but in the case of Hinton my hunch is that they won't be able to stash him on the practice squad.

If we wind up keeping Reiff and he plays fairly well at guard, then we don't need any more free agent guards. That's what I'm thinking at the moment, but I certainly don't have a high degree of confidence in that.

If I'm not mistaken Kline had an issue with concussions. I think the team wants to get young. Samia and Udoh at guard would be really cool and we would be getting younger in a hurry.

I think concussion played a part of Kline being cut. But for the price, they could have had competition with a solid vet. If Samia was good enough, no big loss to trade or cut Kline. Much harder to bring him back though.

I'm all about the youth movement. I'd much rather see some mistakes and be optimistic about improvement from a youngster than average play by vets. What I've hated the most about the 2018 & 19 oline play is the status freaking quo. Remmers and Comptom might have been the worst guards in the history of the nfl and got a rope long enough to hang the postseason. Same thing with Elf last year. My gawd at some point you have to bench piss poor performance don't you?

If any of the younsters are in the same neighborhood as Reiff at LT or LG, I'd rather cut/trade him and save the 9M. Take the lumps and hope the youngsters jell. No way Reiff is back next year unless he plays like Thuney at Guard (Reiff will be making 14M).

In a vacuum I'm hoping for Cleveland/Collins/Bradbury/Samia/ONeill.

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: bohumm

I was pleasantly surprised by Kline last year, and I'd welcome him back, but the team might want the young'uns to play this year and thus won't pay more than a minimum or slightly higher contract to provide a backstop. I think the team is looking at 2021 as they year to compete for a championship. With three new starters at CB, two empty guard spots, and youngsters/no depth at a number of positions, 2020 is the year to develop. Don't have any insight beyond watching their actions, but I don't think we're in "win now" mode.

Stupid part of the Kline cut is the amount of dead money. He'd have to be willing to come back for 2M or less or it will cost us more in cap than if we hadn't cut him.

I was reading an article where the author thinks 9-7 wins the Central. I think we can win 9 game, more if some youngsters step up.

We drafted a couple of offensive linemen in the back end of the draft. (Brandel and Hinton) Obviously the team likes them or they wouldn't get drafted. They won't be ready this year, especially this year. I hear that the Vikings will be grooming Hinton for center and perhaps guard too. I'm not sure about Brandel. Shoot. There are so many draft picks they all can't make the roster, but in the case of Hinton my hunch is that they won't be able to stash him on the practice squad.

If we wind up keeping Reiff and he plays fairly well at guard, then we don't need any more free agent guards. That's what I'm thinking at the moment, but I certainly don't have a high degree of confidence in that.

If I'm not mistaken Kline had an issue with concussions. I think the team wants to get young. Samia and Udoh at guard would be really cool and we would be getting younger in a hurry.

I think concussion played a part of Kline being cut. But for the price, they could have had competition with a solid vet. If Samia was good enough, no big loss to trade or cut Kline. Much harder to bring him back though.

I'm all about the youth movement. I'd much rather see some mistakes and be optimistic about improvement from a youngster than average play by vets. What I've hated the most about the 2018 & 19 oline play is the status freaking quo. Remmers and Comptom might have been the worst guards in the history of the nfl and got a rope long enough to hang the postseason. Same thing with Elf last year. My gawd at some point you have to bench piss poor performance don't you?

If any of the younsters are in the same neighborhood as Reiff at LT or LG, I'd rather cut/trade him and save the 9M. Take the lumps and hope the youngsters jell. No way Reiff is back next year unless he plays like Thuney at Guard (Reiff will be making 14M).

In a vacuum I'm hoping for Cleveland/Collins/Bradbury/Samia/ONeill.

You like Collins better than Udoh at guard? Is that because you want to keep Udoh as a backup tackle?