Minnesota Vikings still short on offensive tackles after NFL draft

After aggressively addressing one glaring need last week, the Vikings didn't have an opportunity to shore up another one over the weekend.

[jeb arcata ca]

anyone see the article on nfl.com yet about andre woodson being the best QB in the draft? i agree with him on most accounts and actually said something pretty similar about four hours ago after he was drafted. although i like booty, i was really hoping we would pick up woodson. actually i was thinking he was worth a much higher pick and will prove that to be true in the nfl...is there something i am missing besides just booty being west coast?

[Old Vike]

The only thing I heard the ESPN crew talk about (a.k.a. Jaws) was that he has a "hitch" in his throwing motion. Truefully, I thought both Booty and Woodson would go by the end of round 3. Woodson was actually my preference too, but had been warming up to Booty - to me he's better than Lienart (and hopefully smarter!), but not Carson Palmer. Anyway, at least Booty should be better than our other backups!

[erik the viking]

i think we are on our way - awsome front four

[Northern Viking]

Our second round selection on Tyrell "Who". All player rankings showed that he was a seventh round possibility. We missed the mark on this one.....there was far better talent and safties available. Yes, the draft is a "crap shoot" and there can be diamonds in the rough. Prove me wrong!

[jim]

It looks like tyrell and booty are ones likely to make the roster and probably sullivan the rest just cut them we don't need jaymar johnson to return punts or kicks we have plenty on our roster than can fill in that duty allison isn't a bad choice or try martin nance if he is still on our roster

[jim]

we brought in some undrafted rookies I would take a good look at drew radovich from usc he can can fight for a spot and possibly start we need o-line help

[Coaching Credibility]

Anyone notice that in this draft, there "seemed" to be an emphasis on taking players from systems that benefited from NFL credentialed coaches?
I think our front office boys did ok this year. Not great, but pretty darned good. We jsut have to see how/when Birk and McKinnie show up to Training Camp.

[Vegas Vic]

Northern Viking wrote:

Our second round selection on Tyrell "Who". All player rankings showed that he was a seventh round possibility. We missed the mark on this one.....there was far better talent and safties available. Yes, the draft is a "crap shoot" and there can be diamonds in the rough. Prove me wrong!

I can't stand Mel Kiper from ESPN, but he did project Tyrell Johnson to be selected in the first round...for whatever that's worth

[viking fan]

along with the draft we also got 16 undrafted free agents, so a nice draft erin henderson will b a beast also a cb out of oklahoma good size and speed vikings moving on up

[Greg from Louisiana]

Tyrell "who" will be starting in no time. Mayock thinks he can start now for the Vikings so I expect he will see a lot of playing time. He was rated the #1 safety in the draft by many people and his highlight reel shows why, he is a fast but under control tackling machine.

Booty already knows the Vikings system and can be ready faster than Woodson.

Jaymar Johnson is very interesting. He is very fast, can change direction very fast and has great hands. I am thinking Wes Welker here. His times in the shuttle drills were among the best. He was best at conditioning and rapid change of direction. He could be a field sretcher or slot receiver.

I can understand the Sullivan pick but the Guion pick has me mystified. I understand project, but character?

[Jack Hammer]

HIPAA be damned! Pete Carroll will speak about Udeze's condition, if he so chooses!

[buddy grant]

Greg from Louisiana wrote:

Tyrell "who" will be starting in no time. Mayock thinks he can start now for the Vikings so I expect he will see a lot of playing time. He was rated the #1 safety in the draft by many people and his highlight reel shows why, he is a fast but under control tackling machine.
Booty already knows the Vikings system and can be ready faster than Woodson.
Jaymar Johnson is very interesting. He is very fast, can change direction very fast and has great hands. I am thinking Wes Welker here. His times in the shuttle drills were among the best. He was best at conditioning and rapid change of direction. He could be a field sretcher or slot receiver.
I can understand the Sullivan pick but the Guion pick has me mystified. I understand project, but character?

Your last point is a good one. What happened to building a team of high character? McKinnie, Allen, Guion, Radovich, and some others have off field issues. I think Chilly saw the writing on the wall and pushed for the BP possible even if he came with "issues".

We did get some players with no baggage but the team is changing to a meaner more competitive personna. I think it's a good move so, long as things don't get out of hand.

[die hard]

At first I was mad we didn't take Brohm,but when we got Booty two round later.I was satified,because he is a winner.His team had a lot of talent,but was not great without him.

[Jim]

Northern Viking wrote:

Our second round selection on Tyrell "Who". All player rankings showed that he was a seventh round possibility. We missed the mark on this one.....there was far better talent and safties available. Yes, the draft is a "crap shoot" and there can be diamonds in the rough. Prove me wrong!

That is not true! He was projected as a late first to middle second round pick. Along with Kenny Phillips of Miami, Tyrell Johnson was at the top of the class of safeties in the '08 draft. NFL Scout.com which is at the NFL web site clearly established Johnson as one of the two elite safeties in this draft.

[Justin Sider]

The Vikings pass protection last year was horrendous. None of our QBs had time to throw let alone make progression reads to 2nd or 3rd wr's. Piss poor Wr's, a young QB and the O-Line was the cause of the worst pass offense in the NFL.

McKinnie was burned by speed rushers for 8 plus sacks and numerous knockdowns. Cook is a college C playing RT in the NFL?? He is young and raw with nice size but too much is being asked of him.

Chase Johnson has the size (6'8" 330) to play LT or RT. He needed to work on his footwork and strength/conditioning, and needs a mean streak without hitting someone with a pole. Hicks and Johnson are wasted roster spots. Johnson can't freaking remember the snap count and Hicks is an Eagle retread.... Vikes will need a LT if/when McKinnie is eventually suspeneded.

This has to be the last year for the Cook and Jackson experiments. I hope they work out for everyones sake. On a positive note, I liked the draft and really like Braden Jones at TE. He looked very fluid and had great hands/speed. He caught the ball with his hands!! He would make a nice pass catching TE. Shiancoe can't catch and Kleinsausage is a solid blocker... Grahm, Jones, Rice, Berrian and Wade will be much needed help for AD and TJ.

[Mark]

Get a load of Chilly saying four QB's isn't out of the question. Of course it is! Goodbye Bollinger; maybe you'll catch on with another team after a quarterback injury.

[Old Vike]

Northern Viking wrote:

Our second round selection on Tyrell "Who". All player rankings showed that he was a seventh round possibility. We missed the mark on this one.....there was far better talent and safties available. Yes, the draft is a "crap shoot" and there can be diamonds in the rough. Prove me wrong!

"All the player rankings.." Sorry, but I don't subscribe to People Magazine or the National Inquirer. In Mel's world (we're just living in it) he's better than Kenny Phillips. Let's step outside Mel's world for a second...

Profootball weekly had him rated #60 overall and #2 safety. So, how could he be better than Phillips? They also state that Phillips has slighty better cover skills at this point, but Johnson is a bigger hitter and actually has better speed, and... Phillips lacks great ball skills.

With the ability to backup Sharper and learn from Sharper, Madieu and Boulware? This guy is gonna be great and (I know it sounds strange...) Vikes could have one of the best overall group of safeties in the NFL. When was the last time we could say that?

[Old Vike]

jim wrote:

we brought in some undrafted rookies I would take a good look at drew radovich from usc he can can fight for a spot and possibly start we need o-line help

Agree. Drew is solid and might suprise(not a stretch) and beat out Marcus Johnson, and adds flexibility to back up LOG.

[Old Vike]

Mark wrote:

Get a load of Chilly saying four QB's isn't out of the question. Of course it is! Goodbye Bollinger; maybe you'll catch on with another team after a quarterback injury.

Just Chilly duck'n with the press like they duck with him. That was not a wasted pick, esp. at 137. BB will be throw'n to the 4th team pretty quickly and won't make it to the last preseason game.

[Old Vike]

jim wrote:

It looks like tyrell and booty are ones likely to make the roster and probably sullivan the rest just cut them we don't need jaymar johnson to return punts or kicks we have plenty on our roster than can fill in that duty allison isn't a bad choice or try martin nance if he is still on our roster

The 6th/7th rounds traditionally are like the predraft of the undrafted free agent signings, esp with the top teams that have already solidified 99% of their rosters by that point.

But, sometimes you get some real gems in the last rounds/undrafted - I believe Matt Birk was a 7th rounder? The rest at least provide some competition (a.k.a. tackling dumbies) for training camp.

Tyrell and Booty are locks. Even cutting Guion and esp. Sullivan would just be foolish. F/As Erin Henderson and Radovich have a chance.