Vikings to release OGs Hutchinson; Herrera

Swaps · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 1682 Location: SKOL!

You keep saying that you dont want to overpay for a top OG.

So, the last 5 years with hutch have been awful?

No. 1 year has been awful. Hutch has been a stud his entire career until age and injury caught up with him.

There's no reason NOT to pay huge for an OG stud like Nicks. Especially since we'll get OT stud in Kalil for a very reasonable price to play next to him. If we didn't have the rookie cap then we would probably be in trouble having to pay huge for a 3rd overall pick, but the new rules help us BIG time. Which means we can pay HUGE to get a HUGE OG to play next to the rook. I dont want to see CJohnson at LG. I dont want to see him on this team PERIOD.
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vikingsrule · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 3:26 pm Post subject:

Purplexing · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 3:49 pm Post subject:

NorthCountryEvo · Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 344 Location: Maple Grove, MN

As a guy who loves the players in the trenches, I am sad to see Hutch go, but it was a necessary cut, but only because of his pay. Even with a down year, he still could start on a lot of teams, and if he doesn't retire, I believe he will start somewhere else, and do good until he does retire. I would absolutley hope that we could bring him back on a reduced contract because he is a leader and a vet that can teach the youngsters a ton about how to work as a solid unit.

I don't know why people are so against the contract we had with Hutch either. Yes, now he is not worth the pay that he is recieving, but when we got him, he was worth every penny. He was the best guard in the league IMO, and having him between McKinnie and Birk gave us the best left side in the league for several years. If I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing with his contract, because he has been a staple to our line ever since he got here. Of course a contract for a top 5 guard is a lot more lucrative now than it was when we got Hutch, but that is league salary inflation. The player contract inflation in the NFL rises at such a high rate that in 6 years salaries can double easily compared to what the same palyer would have recieved before.

I would be all for going after a top guard like Nicks in FA. I do think that CB is a much higher need, and I would take Carr over Nicks any day, but if we get either of them, I would consider it a success. I beleive we can all agree that Kalil is most likely to be our round 1 pick, and Sullivan will be our center. I am not opposed to C.Johnson playing left guard, and from what I hear, he played that position uch better than tackle while in Indy, but our RG is also going to be a position of flux this year, so picking up a veteran starting quality guard in FA, especially a top level guy like Nicks or Grubbs would make it very wasy to let Johnson be either a backup or a starter at RG. We have the cap room now, so I say we go after it.

My perfect offseason would be:

RESIGN:
-Erin Henderson

SIGN VIA FA:
-B.Carr
-Nicks/Grubbs

DRAFT:
-Kalil at #1
-WR like S. Hill, Quick, or Randle in 2nd
-Saftey M. Martin from OSU with 3rd, and T. Johnson/D. Bentley at CB with 3rd Comp.
-Mychal Kendricks MLB with 4th
-later rounds go for a OG, another CB and WR (maybe Criner), a HB like Ganaway, and a TE towards the 7th pick
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Purple Faithful · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 2688

ArcticNorseman · Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 1431 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska

I understand the Vikings position of releasing these vets; however, I do believe Hutch is fully capable of playing at a level that exceeds most. Now, if the team brings in Nicks, am I still bummed? - nope.

I do not believe they can rely in Charlie Johnson, but I like the depth offered from Fusco, Berger and Love. I see Sullivan as the primary candidate to assume the leadership role that Hutch held, and I think Love would be a darn good RG.

Presuming Kalil gets picked, that would be an O-Line of Kalil, Nicks, Sullivan, Love and Loadholt . . . 3 guys at 335 lbs+ . . . nice. And one really nimble & strong 305 lb LT . . . really nice. Topped off with a NotreDame smarts type of center -- I like it!

As for Cedric, I feel for the guy and hope he proves the Vikes front office wrong - to an extent. Those injuries are hell to come back from and he may not make it on any other teams either . . . disappointing for a guy with so much skill prior to the injuries.

Vikefan79 · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 25094 Location: Atlanta

Frank Costello · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:51 pm Post subject:

Per Adam Shefter

Purplexing · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:01 pm Post subject:

With Kalil almost a certainty at #3, the Vikings can avoid looking for a G high in the draft, letting the current OL compete for the OG spots.

One of the young Gs and perhaps CJohnson might do well with help from Kalil and Sullivan.
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ArcticNorseman · Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 1431 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska

Purplexing Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:01 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Kalil almost a certainty at #3, the Vikings can avoid looking for a G high in the draft, letting the current OL compete for the OG spots.

One of the young Gs and perhaps CJohnson might do well with help from Kalil and Sullivan.

The point of having 5 Olinemen is that they stand on their own while working as a unit. No team in the NFL will be successful using double-teams to "help" a guy who can't perform his assignment. Guard isn't the glamor position, but no one needs to convince me that going up against Suh, Raji and other DTs is one tough task.

One of the reasons the Vikes have been limited offensively the past 2 years is that someone was always helping block up front . . . McKinney or Loadholt being too slow for speed rushers or blitzers . . . 'Sass was there to chip/chop. A DT tearing up the interior? Double-teams were deployed to minimize that threat and then the passing game went to dink n dunk.

IF the Vikes don't land a top guard in FA . . . the better darn well draft someone who will push for a starting job!

Purplexing · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:34 pm Post subject:

Agreed. ^

I didn't finish my thought on Kalil. Mea culpa. He won't need help on a DE as often as did C Johnson. So a TE might be used as a receiver more than a blocker on the end.

One of the Gs will often have help from Sullivan, or vice versa. One G will have to go it alone, and hopefully that works out well going forward.
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swiss_vike · Joined: 29 Jul 2011 Posts: 236

there's no way that our current players will make a capable guard duo in this league and in our division, not even with the help of kalil.

we need at least one stud at guard to keep ponder on his feet and to _create a pocket_. I didn't see much of a pocket last season at all. our QB's had nowhere to step up. Only their speed allowed them to get outside behind the tackles.

Releasing the 2 starting guards, I sure hope they have a plan to fill these huge holes. If not: there goes the career of Ponder. And Kalil will mean nothing to change that.

I'd rather have 2 stud guards and average tackles than the other way around.

Move down to get DeCastro.

Patv · Joined: 14 Mar 2009 Posts: 83

vikingsrule · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject:

SteelKing728 · Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 10864 Location: Pittsburgh