To sum up the Minnesota Vikings' Jared Allen, all he wants to do is play football. He wants a fair shake, but he just wants to play. He's not about the money or fancy things that go with it. That's why he's disappointed with the NFL incoming rookies spending money they haven't earned yet. I myself don't understand that one myself. I know there are going to be some future earnings involved, but with this economy and the current lockout they should be thinking of ways to save money instead of blowing it right away. In an interview with KTAR in Phoenix, Allen lets the listeners know how he feels about it. He also clues in on other things like the lockout and players that were drafted ahead of him. “I don’t like anybody who was drafted ahead of me. Kind of pisses me off. You know it did. I honestly think it would’ve been cool to see none or all of the players elect to not show up. I think that would’ve given a really big sign to the NFL. You want us to appease...

At first glance, the Vikings selection of Kyle Rudolph may have seemed puzzling. They already have three veteran tight ends on their roster, including an established blocking behemoth in Jim Kleinsasser and a well-round pass-catcher in Visanthe Shiancoe. But as analysts dig to the second level of roster analysis, there are three primary reasons the Vikings second-round selection of Kyle Rudolph made sense.First, all three of the teams veteran tight ends Kleinsasser, Shiancoe and Jeff Dugan have expiring contracts after the 2011 season. Second, none of them has ever been in a Bill Musgrave offense that appears intent on featuring two tight ends on the field at the same time. And, third, Rudolph just presented too much value and too much of what the Vikings were looking for in a tight end to pass him up, despite other needs that may have been more pressing.He has a lot of different skill sets. You can split him out wide, you can put him as an H (H-back), or you can put him on the line of scrimmage, Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman said after selecting Rudolph 43rd overall one week ago. Hes going to develop into a starting tight end in this league. The most unique thing about him right now is his ability to catch the ball and his route-running ability. Hell develop as a blocker as we go along, but the skill set there, its hard to find guys like that.While the Vikings have been evasive in describing exactly what Musgraves offense will look like, the biggest clues may have come with the selection of Rudolph and the ensuing comments. Musgrave saw how effective a two-tight end offense can be in Atlanta when the Falcons acquired one of the leagues best pass-catching tight ends ever, Tony Gonzalez, prior to the 2009 season.Despite going through his 13th and 14th NFL seasons with a team other than the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time in a dozen years, Gonzalez continued to produce in Atlanta. In 2009, he had 83 catches for 867 yards and six touchdowns. Last year, he had 70 receptions for 656 yards and another six touchdowns.Rudolph has looked at how the tight ends are used in Atlantas offense and cant help but wonder about the possibilities created by having him and Shiancoe on the field at the same time.When I got the phone call (that he was drafted) and youre starting to look into things and I cant be more thrilled and more excited to be here and to be able to play for Coach Musgrave and be in the offense, said Rudolph, who was asked about being on the field simultaneously with Shiancoe.I think it would be tremendous for us. You see teams out there going to that two-tight end set. Having me and Shiancoe on the field at the same time, itll be tough because you dont know what were going to do. Both of us, big, athletic guys and can get down the field and we can run the ball as well. I definitely think thats something thats going to bring a lot to this offense.Rudolph didnt run at the NFL Scouting Combine because of a hamstring injury that required surgery in October, but the 4.64-second time in the 40-yard dash he produced at Notre Dame would have been a top-three time among the 16 tight ends at the Combine in February and thats coming from the tallest (6-foot-6) and fourth-heaviest (259 pounds) of them.He was also quite a basketball player. He was recruited by Brad Stevens at Butler to play basketball there, Musgrave said. He received scholarship offers in the ACC, Wake Forest and things like that, so clearly he has the traits to be a fantastic tight end in this league and have a bright future.Rudolph said he had his mind made up to play basketball during the early stages of the recruiting process, but after he received feedback while attending football camps that he might have an even brighter future in that sport, he decided on Notre Dame for football. He said he loves both sports the same, but this summer will be all about getting ready for his first NFL action.He already met the Vikings newest quarterback, first-round pick Christian Ponder, and the two may get together on their own if the NFLs lockout of players continues.Its hard to find guys like Kyle today. So many of those guys are playing basketball, it seems, so its a little bit different, head coach Leslie Frazier said. I was watching him and I kept going, Man, it sure would be nice to have guy like this.Now the Vikings have Fraziers top tight end in the draft and they plan on getting him involved, no matter the situation with their other tight ends.

The second-year player said that he never was worried following his arrest.

Ted Mondale says the team knows it needs to pay about 40 percent of the project, but the Vikings stayed silent. Talks bounced between Ramsey County and Minneapolis.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Brett Favre says he might become a coach or work as a television analyst in the future, though he has no plans to enter either field anytime soon. The 41-year-old Favre ended a 20-year playing career after an injury-plagued 2010 season with the Minnesota Vikings. The former Southern Mississippi star has famously wavered on retirement over the last few offseasons. But the three-time NFL Most Valuable Player has told WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg on Thursday that he was "starting a new career." Favre gave the interview at a football camp at Oak Grove High School. He says he's...

To sum up the Minnesota Vikings' Jared Allen, all he wants to do is play football. He wants a fair shake, but he just wants to play. He's not about the money or fancy things that go with it. That's why he's disappointed with the NFL incoming rookies spending money they haven't earned yet. I myself don't understand that one myself. I know there are going to be some future earnings involved, but with this economy and the current lockout they should be thinking of ways to save money instead of blowing it right away. In an interview with KTAR in Phoenix, Allen lets the listeners know how he feels about it. He also clues in on other things like the lockout and players that were drafted ahead of him. “I don’t like anybody who was drafted ahead of me. Kind of pisses me off. You know it did. I honestly think it would’ve been cool to see none or all of the players elect to not show up. I think that would’ve given a really big sign to the NFL. You want us to appease you guys by coming to this show, because that’s what the NFL Draft is on TV, it’s a show for their fans and a show for the league, you want us to do that than let’s get this deal done, let’s quit locking us out, and let’s get back to work. I think the bigger disappointment was to see the jewelry on these kids’ arms and ears. Are you kidding me? You haven’t played a down in the league yet and thousands and thousands of dollars on these kids arms and I’m like you guys understand you’re getting drafted into a lockout where you don’t know what rules you’re playing under or how much money you possibly might get.” I have to agree with Allen. I know the agents are fronting you with money and you want to look good on draft night, but they know the situation, keep that money. Buy a nice suit or whatever but stop with some of the unnecessary expenses.

Brett Favre is starting a new career. What, you didn’t read the headline? According to an article from The Associated Press, the only place in the world that can do a story about Favre and not make a bunch of dick pix references, Favre says that he’s considering becoming a coach or working as a television analyst. So Favre says he wants to get into TV the day after news broke of Jenn Sterger’s return to television? Maybe we should ask him what his definition of “get into TV” is. The legendary, finger-sized quarterback revealed his intentions to WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, during a football camp at Oak Grove High School, saying he’s spent the past several months traveling and following (and possibly crying about) Southern Miss baseball. No matter what turn Brett’s career takes, we can be sure he’ll eventually leave it with dignity and grace. When reached for comment, Jenn Sterger said “stop stereotyping me,”...

Is doesn’t look like Brett Favre is going away any time soon. Just when you thought he was gone, well, he’s back again. According to the Associated Press, Brett Favre wants to begin a new career as a TV commentator or coach. Said the report: Brett Favre says he might become a coach or work as a television analyst in the future, though he has no plans to enter either field anytime soon. [...] The former Southern Mississippi star has famously wavered on retirement over the last few offseasons. But the three-time NFL Most Valuable Player has told WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg on Thursday that he was “starting a new career.” Well, at least he’s off the field for good. We think. But do we really want to hear him every Sunday? You be the judge. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

A few months ago the Minnesota Vikings were being talked about as a team that could possibly relocate to Los Angeles if they couldn’t find themselves a new stadium. Now, it seems they’ve got one. According to Pioneer Press, the Vikings are close to an agreement to build a new stadium. Said the paper: “We are very, very close to coming to a full proposal with the Vikings,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega, one of two commissioners who have been in talks with the team for months. “We have a few i’s to dot and t’s to cross. The big nut to crack, so to speak, is the transportation issue.” Apparently the stadium would be located in Arden Hills with a final construction cost of between $700 and $900 million. The Vikings lease on their current stadium, the Metrodome, expires after the 2011-2012 season. Sorry LA, looks like the Vikes won’t be playing in that cool, new Farmers Field everyone is talking about.

Brett Favre is thinking about eventually getting into coaching or working as a television analyst without even a hint of playing any more football, at least not yet. In a television interview with WDAM-TV in Mississippi at what appears to be a high school football practice, Favre told WDAM about his post-retirement plans, “I don’t know, I could be in coaching, or could be in television, both of which are unlikely anytime soon.” Favre added that a full-time coaching position was unlikely , but that he enjoyed working with kids. It has been rumored for years that Favre would join the NFL Network as a studio host joining his good friends Steve Mariucci and Deion Sanders, both of whom work as analysts for the NFL Network. Speculation has also centered on a broadcast booth job with Fox Sports. Favre also indicated that he was sure to get bored with whatever he initially chooses to do this year and that he’ll, “always miss the guys, the locker room, winning a...

I hope the generally positive 2011 NFL Draft marked a turning point in the effort to bail water from a Viking Ship that seemed, over the course of 2010, to be rapidly sinking while heading at full speed towards a jagged rock cliff while being attacked by pirates.  Up until the Draft, there was barely [...]

The Vikings offense is sure to be a very different animal in 2011 than the one we saw, and mostly disliked, in 2010. Gone are Brad Childress and Darrell Bevell, the masterminds behind Chillyball, a super-predictable run-heavy variation on the vaunted West Coast Offense. In their place is a new would-be offensive guru, Bill Musgrave, late of the Atlanta Falcons. Since the moment of Musgrave’s hiring fans have been speculating on what approach the new coordinator will bring to the Vikings. Going by Musgrave’s own statements, the new offense will be heavily influenced by the one he helped run in [...]

Jared Allen has a message for in-coming draft picks: Dial down the jewelry boys! Don’t you know we’re in a lockout? In an interview with KTAR in Phoenix, Jared talked about watching the Draft, and what struck him about the whole crazy spectacle. I don’t like anybody who was drafted ahead of me [Jared himself was a fourth round pick]. Kind of pisses me off. You know it did. I honestly think it would’ve been cool to see none or all of the players elect to not show up. I think that would’ve given a really big sign to the [...]

This won't get a lot of play from the bigger media outlets, since they already got what they wanted. . .that being an opportunity to trash a member of the Minnesota Vikings. But today in Virginia, Vikings' cornerback Chris Cook was cleared of a gun charge that stemmed from an argument he had with a neighbor back in March.

Cook admitted to getting into a verbal confrontation with the man, but denied having pulled a gun on him. Cook does have a concealed carry permit in the state of Virginia.

Thankfully, it appears that Cook has learned something from this, even though it turned out that he didn't do anything wrong other than yell at someone that yelled at him first.

"It definitely will make me smarter about how I react to other people and what they say to me or what they try and do to me," Cook said Friday. "It just makes me more cautious about what I say or how I react to other people."

Thank goodness. . .hopefully Cook is maintaining his focus on staying healthy and developing into a decent NFL cornerback now that he doesn't have to deal with idiots throwing stupid, baseless accusations at him any longer.

The Minnesota Legislature’s session end on May 23rd.  The Vikings, and many of their fans, are hoping to see a bill passed by then that would provide a funding plan for a new stadium and prevent the team from being sold or moved. Over the last couple of weeks, multiple ideas for a site have been tossed around, but the options are starting to get narrowed down.  It appears that Ramsey County is the frontrunner to be the Vikings local partner. “We are very, very close to coming to a full proposal with the Vikings,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega.  ”We have a few i’s to dot and t’s to cross. The big nut to crack, so to speak, is the transportation issue.” Governor Mark Dayton has been supportive of a new Vikings stadium and says that he would be willing to sign a bill before the budget is passed.  So, maybe, just maybe, this thing will actually get done.

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre is sitting at home in Mississippi and enjoying retirement life.  For now,  at least until he figures out what he wants to do next.  Favre told WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg Thursday that he is  ”starting a new career.” Favre has confirmed that he submitted his retirement papers back in January.  He has mentioned [...]

Brett Favre is 41 and believes he can throw the football still. So what NFL team wants him? How about the teams of every football television studio. You thought I was talking about playing quarterback? Oh no, Brett Favre knows that he is done playing. He still has football on his mind though, either as a television analyst or football coach. He has been spending most of his time at his Alma-mater Southern Mississippi. The strange thing is that the Hall of Fame football quarterback said he has been there just to watch baseball, not football. I bet ESPN Countdown is salivating to hire Brett Favre as the replacement for Keyshawn Johnson more than likely. Brett says he has no intention of getting into television or coaching soon, but he is known for changing his mind. Brett Favre is as smooth as Keith Stone. "What the Hell is Brett Favre doing here?" - There's Something About Mary (Maybe Boomer also in 2 years?)

The Vikings offense is sure to be a very different animal in 2011 than the one we saw, and mostly disliked, in 2010. Gone are Brad Childress and Darrell Bevell, the masterminds behind Chillyball, a super-predictable run-heavy variation on the vaunted West Coast Offense. In their place is a new would-be offensive guru, Bill Musgrave, late of the Atlanta Falcons. Since the moment of Musgrave’s hiring fans have been speculating on what approach the new coordinator will bring to the Vikings. Going by Musgrave’s own statements, the new offense will be heavily influenced by the one he helped run in Atlanta when he was quarterbacks coach under Mike Mularkey. “It will definitely be the Minnesota Vikings system,” Musgrave said when asked a few months back about his plans. “It will have its roots in language, I’m sure, from my history with coach [Mike] Shanahan and most recently from my experience with Mike Mularkey. There will be some language that our guys will...

While only 29-years-old himself, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has an old soul, which doesn’t help with his assessment of damn kids these days. Allen appeared on Phoenix radio station KTAR with Doug and Wolf and discussed a multitude of issues, including his perceptions regarding the recent NFL Draft and how he felt about [...]

It's been a big week of stadium news for the Minnesota Vikings. It was announced that the Dome Will Rise again in July, and it appears that the Vikings have put together a stadium deal with the state and county. Though this is not a done deal.

If the Vikings had moved their franchise to Los Angeles instead of squeezing the state of Minnesota for a new stadium, it would have obviously changed their rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. I don't expect the state of Minnesota is getting a good deal out of this. Other than they get to keep their NFL team, which has a lot of non-monetary value. I expect the Vikings and NFL will pay for about one-third of the cost, while all the extra revenue will flow to the Vikings. The rich get richer.

But the new stadium won't be at the site of the Metrodome, or anywhere near downtown. Tom Pelissero reports that it will be located in Arden Hills, MN, at the site of an old munitions plant. Insert your own bomb joke here. It's about 13 miles from the Metrodome.

While I'm familiar with downtown Minneapolis, I've never been to Arden Hills. Is anyone familiar with this area? Do you think this will be a good location? Or is just any location still in Minnesota a good location at this point?

There were a couple of interesting developments in the drive for a new Minnesota Vikings' stadium on Thursday. I put them up over at SB Nation Minnesota, but they need to go over here as well.

The first thing that happened is Mike Opat, the Hennepin County board commissioner that had been championing the Farmer's Market location near Target Field, said that Hennepin County would not be the local partner in any stadium deal that goes through this season. That means that the site for a Vikings' stadium has, essentially, been narrowed down to two locations. . .either the site that the Metrodome currently sits on, or the site of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills.

Oh, that other development? Only one of those two sites appears to have things in order to make things happen right now, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

"We are very, very close to coming to a full proposal with the Vikings," said Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega, one of two commissioners who have been in talks with the team for months. "We have a few i's to dot and t's to cross. The big nut to crack, so to speak, is the transportation issue."

On Thursday, key players huddled around maps and other highway documents in the state Transportation Building. Among them: Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, House Transportation Chairman Michael Beard, Senate Transportation Chairman Joe Gimse and Ramsey County commissioners Tony Bennett and Ortega.

On the other side of the coin, the group championing the current Metrodome site has no proposal for funding, and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has stated that the city can not financially support construction at the Metrodome site. (So, they would love to have all the benefits of the stadium, but not have to pay anything for it? Nice.)

We said here the other day that it was time for the Vikings to stop screwing around and get serious with the folks from Ramsey County, and all indications are that they're doing just that. Hopefully things can get pushed through ASAP (the legislative session ends on the 23rd) and get things taken care of. . .you know, if for no other reason than to silence the various forms of sub-human life that would actively hope and cheer for the relocation of the Minnesota Vikings.

With the #12 overall selection, the Minnesota Vikings suprised the world by drafting Florida State Seminole quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder was "projected" to be a late 1st rounder or early second rounder. I have never been one for projections and draft grades, considering Troy Williamson was drafted #7 by the Minnesota Vikings and Tom Brady went in the 6th round to the New England Patriots. I like the move personally. I was hoping for Jake Locker or Blaine Gabbert, but as both were selected, I am glad we took Ponder. We need a quarterback and we finally addressed it in a draft. If they like the kid, than take him. Don't trade down and hope for the best, because some team may trade up and beat you to it. Welcome Christian.

With the #43 pick by the Minnesota Vikings, Kyle Rudolph of Notre Dame was selected. When I saw it on my phone, I was a bit suprised. Rudolph plays tight end. We already have a solid tight end right now. However, I realized we went for value with this pick. Rudolph is a big guy, 6'6 apparently and has a ceiling of Jason Witten or Todd Heap according to scouts. He was considered a 1st round player but slipped to the Vikes in the 2nd round. I think this kid could be a great target for Ponder in the future and with Visanthe Shiancoe around for at least 1 more year, we could use 2 tight end formations more often. Welcome aboard Kyle!

The Minnesota Legislature’s session end on May 23rd.  The Vikings, and many of their fans, are hoping to see a bill passed by then that would provide a funding plan for a new stadium and prevent the team from being sold or moved. Over the last couple of weeks, multiple ideas for a site have [...]

The Vikings came away from the draft with 10 new players, but how did their actual draft slot compare with their draft value … and their pro potential. Dave-Te’ Thomas of NFL Scouting compiles two sets of predraft rankings, for draft value and long-term pro potential, and we take a look at the Vikings’ picks in relation to both sets of rankings.

Slippery Rock center took unusual path to NFL

Thursday, we looked at the five offensive players the Vikings drafted last weekend. Today, we flip to the other side of the ball: Christian Ballard, DL, Iowa (fourth round, 106th overall)What to like: Just as Kyle Rudolph was a late first-round value in many analysts eyes, Ballard was a second-round value that the Vikings got in the fourth round because of another kind of red flag a reported positive drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine. He was a three-sport athlete in high school and brings a lot of versatility to the defensive line he can line up at defensive tackle, defensive end and maybe even play some nose tackle.Words of caution: It may take Ballard some time to master one spot because of all the rotational work he did for Iowa. Initially, he is likely to add to the interior of the Vikings defensive line, which could need help early with the expected departure of Pat Williams and the expected suspension of Kevin Williams.Coach Leslie Frazier says: Hes one of those rare commodities when you talk about big men. He moves extremely well and that flexibility should really help our defense. Brandon Burton, CB, Utah (fifth round, 139th overall)What to like: At nearly 6 feet, Burton has decent height and good speed, and his aggressive nature on the field fits the Vikings Cover 2 defensive scheme that requires physical play from their cornerbacks.Words of caution: The Vikings could use some playmakers in their defensive backfield and Burton had only three interceptions in his final two seasons at Utah.Vikings VP of player personnel Rick Spielman says: He has a lot of cover skills. He can be physical in (run) support. Hes fast and a big corner, and those are the types of corners we are looking for from a defensive scheme standpoint. CB Mistral Raymond, S, South Florida (sixth round, 170th overall)What to like: Raymond can play safety or cornerback, but he is expected to see his first work with the Vikings at safety. He has battled personal hardship and persevered, with his familys home being set on fire, one sister being shot four times and surviving and a half-sister being found dead in April.Words of caution: If he is going to come in and provide a playmaking safety, it will have to be a departure from his college career. He started only 15 games at South Florida and recorded only two interceptions there.Frazier says: My heart goes out to him and his family for what theyve experienced. It says a lot about him as a person some of the adversity hes faced and hes stuck with it and has not given up on life or has not given up on himself. Hes a tremendous young man and hes overcome a lot. Ross Homan, OLB, Ohio State (sixth round, 200th overall)What to like: Homan was very productive at the Big Ten level, producing 287 tackles, 17 for a loss, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, seven interceptions and 10 pass deflections for the top defense in the Big Ten the past two years.Words of caution: Nothing jumps out at you about Homans measurables. He isnt quite 6-1 (a little on the short side) and isnt the fastest of linebackers, even among the inside linebackers he worked out with at the NFL Scouting Combine.Spielman says: I know the knock on him is the size factor, but (he was) one of the most instinctive linebackers that was on the board and he was a lot higher on our board than where we were able to get him. DAundre Reed, DE, Arizona (seventh round, 215th overall)What to like: He should be fresh and have a lot of tread left on his tires. He started only eight games as a rotational defensive end for Arizona, which had Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore ahead of him. But DAundre Reed displayed solid athleticism in a private workout for the Vikings before the draft.Words of caution: His lack of starting experience will likely mean he comes to the Vikings pretty raw, and if the lockout continues to take away from rookie practice time, Reeds development could be retarded.Spielman says: He can play the left side, the right side they even slid him inside some as a nickel rusher. Weve always tried to focus on guys that have some athletic skills that our coaches can work with and try to develop. He fit that mold.

As we continue to delve into the analysis of the Vikings’ draft, here is a cursory look at what their divisional opponents did, with a quick review of each selection.

The potential locations for a new Vikings stadium are quickly decreasing as local governments check in with their intentions. Right now, Ramsey County is the only local partner with a plan.

No state team has contributed more than the Vikings, and that figure would potentially jump with a new stadium.

Kansas City Star

In the Nation | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-05-06 Philadelphia Inquirer WASHINGTON - A federal commission Thursday recommended construction of a museum on the National Mall honoring the history of American Latinos. The commission submitted a report to Congress and the White House outlining details of the proposed $600 ... Locals welcome call for national Latino museumSan Gabriel Valley Tribune Commission recommends museum honoring US LatinosLos Angeles Times Commission seeks congressional support for Latino museumFox News MiamiHerald.com -Art Daily -NBC Washington all 445 news articles »

Hennepin Board Chairman Mike Opat said the county won't pursue a deal with the team.

So far this off-season Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith have did a solid job of addressing the needs of the Bears. Picking up Gabe Carimi in the 1^st round was a good start to rebuilding a line that was downright the worst in all of football. DT Stephen Paea is an answer to improving the Bears interior pressure that has been missing since 07. FS Chris Conte is good insurance Policy for Chris Harris whose contract expires next year and QB Nathan Enderlee and LB J.T. Thomas address the depth problems the Bears had at those positions. Even though the Bears have address some glaring needs on their team, most fans including myself still have questions with this team. I applaud Angelo for not reaching for interior lineman late in the draft, but at the same time it's a position of need that needs to be address in Free Agency. We fans still don't know what their plan is as far as the #2 starting Cornerback as Tim Jennings is best as the 4^th CB in dime packages. Wide Receiver is also an area of need, as Angelo saw most of his projected top WR's fly off the board in the 1^st and 2^nd rounds of the draft.

Yes the Bears address some positions area of concerns, but not all of them. Here's my area of concerns with the team at its current state and my assumptions on how they will fix these issues.

Even with the acquisition of OT Gabe Carimi, the Bears still have work to do along the O-line.

 

Both starting OT positions seem to be set with this year's first round Gabe Carimi and last year RT J'Marcus Webb. There are still question marks at all 3 interior line positions as the starters at the positions are declining or just not starter quality and the reserves behind them are just not that good. I would say the two guys fans should have some hope for are Chris Williams and Herman Johnson. Chris Williams although not the punishing run blocker that OL coach Mike Tice wants in his OL; he's a good pass blocker at the LG position. Herman Johnson has all the ability to become a solid starting RG, but just needs the opportunity. I expect the Bears to address one of the Guard positions with a Veteran in Free Agency. If the NFL establishes a new CBA, a guy like Atlanta Falcons LG Justin Blalock or Tampa Bay's LG Davin Joseph would be immediate upgrades at the position. If the NFL lifts the lock out and they go by the same rules as last year then San Francisco 49ers OG/C David Baas could get strong consideration.

Wide Receiver is still an area of concern

I believed the Bears had Austin Pettis or Vincent Brown in mind for that 3^rd round selection instead of FS. Leonard Hankerson, Austin Pettis, and Vincent Brown went off the board that was pretty much as far as addressing WR in the draft. The Bears might be better off getting a veteran Wide Out anyway as they are already developing young receivers on the roster in Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett, and Devin Hester. When teams are allowed to sign Free Agents, I expect the Bears to strongly pursue Jets WR Braylon Edwards and when I mean strongly pursue, I mean he might be their #1 target of all the free agents available. I also don't count out targeting Vikings WR Sidney Rice who will be the best available at the position, but the Bears might opt to take a cheaper option so they have enough money to address other areas on the team. In Conclusion Bears fans should expect a new WR on the depth chart.

What will they do about the #2 cornerback position?

This is a position I feel the Bears will ignore in Free Agency simply because they are high on last year 5^th round draft pick Joshua Moore and they haven't completely shut the door on Zackary Bowman who the two might compete for that job. I always felt the Bears didn't have CB as a top priority in the draft despite the fans and media concern at the position. Bowman or Moore looks like they will be the starter along with veteran Charles Tillman.

During the 2010 NFL season, ESPN's Bill Simmons became a proponent of what he dubbed the "Law of Gus Johnson." In a nutshell, the Law of Gus Johnson states that whenever Gus Johnson is the lead announcer for an NFL game, weird stuff has a tendency to happen, causing Gus to completely freak out, which is awesome.

Here is the Law of Gus Johnson defined by Simmons:

If Gus Johnson is calling an NFL game, the odds quintuple that (A) the lead will change hands in the fourth quarter; (B) someone will complete a long pass in a big moment that will make Gus' voice hit an octave only dogs can hear; and (C) the game will go into overtime or at least come damned close.

After the jump, we'll have a couple of plays that prove this. . .one from 2009, and one from 2010.

Well, unless something drastic happens, we might not get any NFL calls like that during the 2011 season.

Pro Football Talk is reporting that Gus Johnson is out at CBS Sports after the two sides could not come to terms on a contract. Johnson was also a big part of their March Madness coverage, during which he was just as excitable as he was during the NFL games.

Now everyone knows that with Gus at CBS, there were only two chances a year for him to call Vikings' games, and I can't remember if he's ever done one. Not since this site has been around, at least. Hopefully, the folks at FOX will have the good sense to sign him up and get him into their group of NFL announcers ASAP.

Hopefully the folks at FOX will have the good sense to fire Joe Buck, too. . .not because of anything connected to this story, mind you. You know. . .just because. (Of course, I've been calling for that for five or six years and haven't been successful yet, damn it.)

Apparently Ray Edwards is the only member of the Minnesota Vikings that feels the need to make any news, so by God, I'm just going to keep on reporting it.

As mentioned yesterday (at least once), Edwards has been tendered at a first-round level by the Minnesota Vikings in the event that he is a restricted free agent once transactions begin. That would mean a salary of approximately $2.8 million for Edwards in the event that he's not an unrestricted free agent.

It doesn't sound as though Ray likes that very much.

"They put a first-round tender on me (a one-year, $2.8 million contract), but even if that holds up, there's no way I will play for less than what my backup got in his new contract," Edwards told Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "There’s no way I would play here."

His backup, of course, is Brian Robison. Just before the lockout, Robison signed a new three-year contract with the Vikings worth $14.1 million, including a $6.5 million signing bonus.

Here's the thing. . .after the 2010 season, Robison was a player with four years of NFL service under his belt, having been drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Vikings. Edwards was drafted the year before, in 2006. With a new CBA, it's possible that both Robison and Edwards could have been looking at unrestricted free agency this off-season. . .whenever that begins. With the rules before the uncapped year, which would likely have been implemented with a new CBA, both of them would have had the requisite four years of service to explore their options.

Robison opted for the safety and security. . .and the big ol' chunk of up front cash. . .that came with a new contract with the Vikings, while Edwards decided to just sort of hang out and see what happened with the CBA. Now, Edwards is in limbo, not knowing how much he'll be playing for or even where he'll be playing, while Robison knows that he has a chance to start for the Vikings in 2011.

And if we do end up going back to the 2010 rules, it doesn't matter of Ray Edwards wants to play for the Vikings for less than his "backup" is getting paid or not. If he's a restricted free agent and a team doesn't want to pony up a ton of cash and a first-round draft pick to acquire his services, then his options are going to be a bit on the limited side. In fact, he'll only have two options: play for the Vikings, or sit at home all season. At that point, it's no longer a Minnesota Viking problem. . .it's a Ray Edwards problem.

The latest draft crop of Vikings, for the most part, will have only medium-sized shoes to fill.

Both Jake Locker and Christian Ponder were both taken much earlier than expected. Will the Titans and Vikings end up enjoying or regretting their decisions?

In the sports book in my head the Oakland Raiders are a solid 1-3 favorite to win the next Super Bowl. Bodog sports has a slightly different view. They released odds on various things NFL football, 2011 version. I did not see the odds on there actually being 2011 NFL season, but they did release the Super Bowl odds and rookie related odds.

None of the Raiders rookies figure into any of their betting lines, which is going to make them look pretty silly when Stefen Wisniewski and DeMarcus Van Dyke win offensive and defensive rookie of the year. They did release the odds on the next Super Bowl winner. Seeing as how free agents have yet to be signed that is some murky territory.

And good news for all of us—they place the Raiders at 40-1. That is going to be some good, easy money. The 40-1 puts them as the 19th favorite. They are tied with their bay area partners the 49ers and their former L.A. partners, the Rams. The Chiefs are directly in front of the Raiders at 35-1.

I think the Raiders and Chiefs deserve to be a little higher up the rankings, but I can't say any of these odds are too surprising. Public perception on these two young and improving ball clubs still lags a little behind the reality.

What is surprising is that the Chargers are the fourth favorite at 12-1. They haven't posted the odds not to win the Super Bowl, which is too bad, because as the fourth favorite I would be willing to bet my family or something I care about like my Raiders memorabilia collection on the Chargers. Talk about easy money! See the full odds after the jump....

Odds to win the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI (as of 5/4/2011)

Green Bay Packers                    7/1

New England Patriots                 7/1

Pittsburgh Steelers                    11/1

San Diego Chargers                   12/1

Baltimore Ravens                       14/1

New York Jets                           14/1

New Orleans Saints                   16/1

Indianapolis Colts                       16/1

Atlanta Falcons                         16/1

Philadelphia Eagles                    16/1

Dallas Cowboys                         16/1

New York Giants                        18/1

Chicago Bears                           25/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers             30/1

Minnesota Vikings                     35/1

Detroit Lions                              35/1

Houston Texans                         35/1

Kansas City Chiefs                    35/1

Oakland Raiders                        40/1

San Francisco 49ers                  40/1

St. Louis Rams                          40/1

Miami Dolphins                          50/1

Tennessee Titans                       50/1

Washington Redskins                50/1

Cincinnati Bengals                     60/1

Denver Broncos                         60/1

Cleveland Browns                       65/1

Jacksonville Jaguars                   65/1

Arizona Cardinals                       75/1

Seattle Seahawks                      80/1

Buffalo Bills                               100/1

Carolina Panthers                      100/1

Even back in September, defensive end Ray Edwards was skeptical of a return to the Vikings. "There are too many guys," Edwards told me almost seven months ago. ""Just on defense, they have me, Chad Greenway, Ben Leber. [Brett] Favre won't be here, so they have to find a quarterback. I just don't see it. I don't know where I'm going to be." Now that Edwards is immersed in his boxing career and turned off by the Vikings' reluctance to sign him long term, his comments this week to the Star-Tribune's Mark Craig illustrate his growing frustrations with the franchise. Edwards told Craig in a story that ran Thursday: "They put a first-round tender on me, but even if that holds up, there's no way I will play for less than what my backup got in his new contract. There's no way I would play here." On many levels, it's easy to understand Edwards' stance. How would you feel if, in your prime at age 26 ...

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards is set to hit the free agent market this off-season as soon as the new league year begins.   The only problem is Edwards doesn’t know if he will be a restricted or unrestricted free agent.  If he ends up restricted,   he will be tendered at a certain price.  Either way he knows he [...]

Oftentimes, when the phrase “Minnesota Vikings fan” is uttered, the words “long suffering” are usually preceding it. Well, that or “morbidly obese,” sometimes “chemically dependent” too, but that’s another story. The reasons behind why are too many to mention, but it starts with “Losing Four Super Bowls” and ends with “1998 NFC Championship Game” with [...]

Even back in September, defensive end Ray Edwards was skeptical of a return to the Vikings. "There are too many guys," Edwards told me almost seven months ago. ""Just on defense, they have me, Chad Greenway, Ben Leber. [Brett] Favre...

The Daily Norseman Takes Over Grand Forks

Hey, now the games on Thursday nights on the NFL Network will actually be watchable, which is always nice.

The NFL Network has announced that their new Thursday night announcer team will be Brad Nessler on the play-by-play, and Mike Mayock doing the color commentary.

Nessler replaces Bob Papa, who was actually pretty good as a play-by-play guy, in my opinion. Nessler has been doing college football games for ESPN for nearly 20 years now, and is the main voice for ESPN's Saturday Night Game of the Week. Before that, Nessler. . .a native of St. Charles, Minnesota. . .was actually the voice of the Vikings for the 1988 and 1989 seasons on the radio.

The rumor had gotten out that the NFL Network had considered Gus Johnson for the play-by-play spot, but ultimately went with Nessler.

Viking fans know about Mike Mayock as well, as he's done color commentary for the team's pre-season telecasts for the past couple of seasons, and always provides an amazing amount of information regarding many of the lesser-known players that the second halves of most pre-season games are comprised of. Anyone who watches the NFL Network's draft coverage. . .and, given the alternative, why wouldn't you. . .knows what Mayock brings to the table as well.

Just as importantly, it means we can once again watch a football game on our televisions without having to hear Joe Theismann or Matt Millen, who served as the booth analysts for the NFL Network last season. To be honest, I've never been a fan of Theismann, and listening to Millen evaluate talent after destroying the Detroit Lions for almost a decade always struck me as strange.

Even though the Vikings aren't scheduled to be on the NFL Network this season. . .and I'm not sure if they've ever been involved in any of the NFL Network's games. . .it's nice to know that fans will be able to watch Thursday night football without having the urge to throw things through their television screens.

Daily Mail

Is Haley Reinhart the Next American Idol? Us Magazine As American Idol's Randy Jackson vehemently proclaimed on Wednesday's performance show, the remaining five contestants are "in it to win it." And while the five -- Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, James Durbin and Jacob Lusk (though not so much) ... What's the judges' beef with 'Idol' contestant Haley?Entertainment Weekly Watercooler: Idol May Be Out of LuskTV Guide 'American Idol': James Durbin, Haley Reinhart bring the 'wow' factorSan Jose Mercury News Parade Magazine -CBS News -Hollywood.com all 298 news articles »

The Minnesota Vikings had three tight ends on their roster heading into the 2011 NFL Draft, but that didnt stop them from selecting Notre Dames Kyle Rudolph with the No. 43 overall pick in Round 2.New offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave likes to mix in two- and three-tight end sets. So what will this mean for current starter Visanthe Shiancoe, and how will running back Adrian Peterson benefit? I called on former Vikings tight end Stu Voigt to answer these questions. Voigt played at the University of Wisconsin before being drafted by the Vikings in 1970. He ended up catching 177 passes for 1,919 yards and 17 touchdowns and winning eight NFC Central Division titles with the Vikings before retiring in 1980. Voigt was the lead analyst on the Vikings Radio Network from 1981-89.5 QUESTIONS WITH STU VOIGT1.KG: What do you think of the Vikings second-round selection of Notre Dames Kyle Rudolph? VOIGT: At first, I was a bit surprised knowing the Vikings needed help on defense and also might be looking to upgrade their offensive line. However, this kid is quite an athlete and without question one of the top tight ends in this year's draft. After watching Rudolph at Notre Dame, I think its obvious he has great hands and is tough enough to hold his own in blocking situations. So he brings big-time versatility. Sometimes I think you are better off in the top couple rounds taking the best players available rather than looking to just fill a need.2.KG: The Vikings already have three tight ends on the roster, including Visanthe Shiancoe. How will this affect Rudolph's playing time? VOIGT: I think he will be a perfect fit. Shiancoe is really more of a hybrid receiver who can stretch the field. Rudolph is more of a blocker and play action-type guy that will stay home. This should give Minnesota some diversity in the area of play-calling and open up deep balls for guys like Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. Remember, all three current tight ends are 30-plus years old, and all three are in their final year of their contract.3.KG: How will the selection of Rudolph impact Vikings running back Adrian Peterson? VOIGT: This is the area where the pick makes the most sense. The Vikings needed to get better at run blocking, and Rudolph should instantly help the cause. Rudolph is a terrific in-line blocker, which means he can handle linebackers and or defensive ends. Adrian Peterson should be able to find some running lanes with these multiple-tight end sets. Teams will have to respect Rudolph and Shiancoe in the area of play-action therefore wont be able to key in on stopping Peterson.4.KG: How will the NFL lockout hinder rookies like Kyle Rudolph? VOIGT: Its a very big jump from college to the pros, and missing some of these offseason camps will be difficult--no doubt about it. Something as simple as being able to go over the playbook and interact with coaches and players will now be out the door. One thing that helps Rudolph is he played at Notre Dame, where you play a pro-style offense and compete against very good teams. I think if this lockout situation goes well into the summer it will put these kids behind the 8-ball coming into next season.5.KG: The Vikings have a new head coach in Leslie Frazier and now have added a new quarterback in Christian Ponder. What type of expectations should Vikings fans have for next season? VOIGT: The tough part right now is the division has never been better. The Packers are world champions, the Bears went to the NFC Championship game and nobody has drafted better than the Detroit Lions in the last two years. That being said, I think Leslie Frazier will do an outstanding job for this organization. Frazier reminds me a lot of Tony Dungy. He is quite smart and patient and the players really seem to like him. As far as the new quarterback goes, it looks like Christian Ponder has serious potential, but like most young QBs he will need some time to develop. I think 8-8 for next year is a very realistic expectation, but one thing is for sure: They should be a fun team to watch.TWEET AND RETWEETVisanthe Shiancoe, TE, Vikings (@VShiancoe): "Just left the St Patricks Episcopal School in Washington DC for Childrens Hunger Awareness"Danny Valencia, IF, Twins (@dannyvalencia): "Boston, here we come ... What's up in Boston besides my Heat? I will be attending the game Saturday night!"Dave St. Peter, President, Twins (@TwinsPrez): "Hey Bert, u sure Gayle and u don't want to spend a couple more days there? 2-0 since you made the trip. "

We've spent a lot of time talking about how explosive Julio Jones is. So much time, in fact, that a bomb squad and a team of FBI agents is descending on his house as we speak.

Yet we haven't spent a lot of time quantifying exactly why the Falcons felt they needed to go all-in on Jones, who averaged a little under 15 yards a catch in his three years at Alabama. After all, wasn't pass rusher a bigger need for the team, given that nobody even got five sacks beyond John Abraham?

Well, no. Not really.

We've kind of debunked the Kroy Biermann isn't a good pass rusher argument, and the Falcons are being heavily linked to pass rushing whiz Ray Edwards of the Vikings once free agency rolls around. The need for a receiver like Jones was a huge one, and the Falcons responded accordingly. Even if that involved a mind-blowing trade.

Hit the jump to find out why this need was so pressing.

First of all, you need to look at what the passing attack has accomplished. orang3b's bewildering brand of advanced statistics will give you an idea of how Matt Ryan has done, and generally the picture isn't as rosy as it should be.

I don't particularly blame Ryan for that, though he still can be quick to look to the short route. I blame some combination of an ultra-conservative attack from Mike Mularkey, a lack of explosive options outside of Roddy White and a gathering storm of decline for Tony Gonzalez. As a result, the offense has become way too reliant on threading the ball in to White or letting Michael Turner bash his brains out up the middle for a two yard gain.

Here's an interesting stat for you: The Falcons ranked 31st in the NFL in pass plays of 20 yards or more, widely considered to be a mark of explosiveness for a passing attack. Teams simply didn't fear the deep pass from the Falcons, and they weren't particularly afraid of someone catching it ten yards out and trucking over a cornerback. If it wasn't White, it wasn't happening.

There are outstanding questions about this offense, and I can't promise that Julio Jones is a panacea. But I can say that with his combination of size and speed, he's a weapon that the Falcons sorely needed. He can stretch the field, open things up for White and Tony Gonzalez and hopefully help the team not rank 31st in long pass plays. That'd be nice.

Do you believe Jones will help to fix the issue, or am I living in a fairytale?