10 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Yes, but two weeks of learning is doable (also, if the Vikings do deal, they should have done it the week before so the player had time to learn).....one player can make a huge difference in the NFL.

If they'd done it two weeks prior, they would have had the bye week too.

Roquan Smith for a 2, 5, and a middling veteran LB is a trade I would have made. Baltimore gets a steal there. 

10 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I don't like what I'm seeing from the defense, but watching from the stands, I have to say that some of the stuff I don't like almost looks intentional. They seem to ONLY be trying to contest catches on the sideline and over the middle when there's safety help. One-on-one I think they are intentionally letting the receivers catch the passes so they can bring them down and not chance having them slip behind them. The LBs also seem to be guarding the edges which is why when the RBs get past the DL, they get all the way to the safeties. I mean, the LBs are clearly the only strong part of the defense, there's little other reason the other team should be able to run as well as they do.

A lot of it is intentional, the safeties are playing really deep to prevent big plays, but it's put a lot of strain on the LBs as Hicks is not good in coverage and Kendricks has been regressing. The benefits have been apparent, with more interceptions coming because the DBs are actually looking at the QB compared to Zimmer's man-heavy schemes which always had the DBs facing the receivers and never being able to make a play on the ball, leading to low interception rates for CBs. And that scheme demanded top tier CBs to be able to function. The downside with Donatell's scheme is that if the QB gets enough time in the pocket or can scramble, the receivers can run to the gaps in coverage and make plays, and also get some big opportunities for YAC (see Rondale Moore yesterday). It's been used to frustrate the high-power offenses that don't want to 'take what the defense gives them', but it's only going to work if the offense keeps scoring 28+ points a game since our defense is usually going to keep the other team in the game. 

I'm not sure what you mean by the LBs being the best part, are you including the OLBs? Smith has easily been the best player on the defense, with Hunter looking good not great, and Wonnum looking much better than before and even Jones looked great against the Fins.

6 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Bears have now unloaded Roquan Smith along with the Robert Quinn deal last week.

It always seemed weird that there weren't dozens of NFL trades at the deadline. Unlike the MLB, draft picks are the coin of the realm in this league. Maybe that's finally changing.

The main difference would seem to be that NFL playbooks are beastly, and depending on the position, it's probably asking too much for the new guy to be able to fall into place for the first few weeks.

There's been a whole bunch of rumors, but little action. Playbook is probably the biggest issue, plus teams don't have farm systems with plenty of prospects to trade. With the deadline tomorrow, I'd expect a couple moves but most of the rumored names won't get moved.

 

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Roquan Smith for a 2, 5, and a middling veteran LB is a trade I would have made. Baltimore gets a steal there. 

On paper that looks like a great move, though Smith wants a $20M per year contract and he won't play on the franchise tag next year... which for a LB I would not pay, even though Smith is a very good one. LBs are one of the easier positions to find in the draft and overpaying them usually doesn't end well, especially since their prime is over by age 28/29.

Kyler Murray is so over-rated. I cannot believe he got that contract. 

8 minutes ago, wabene said:

Kyler Murray is so over-rated. I cannot believe he got that contract. 

Agreed. What the hell has he done to warrant it?

RIP Adam Zimmer. Only 38. Mike Zimmer has dealt with a lot of loss and adversity in recent years losing his wife, now his son. Awful news. 

13 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Roquan Smith for a 2, 5, and a middling veteran LB is a trade I would have made. Baltimore gets a steal there. 

Baltimore got a good deal, but Hicks and Hendricks have been two of the best players on defense for the Vikings. Smith would be an upgrade for sure, but I'd be more interested in DL and DB trades which look to be bigger problems.

Though, as I posted previously, any DB brought in may look bad because of the deliberately soft coverage the team is running.

48 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

RIP Adam Zimmer. Only 38. Mike Zimmer has dealt with a lot of loss and adversity in recent years losing his wife, now his son. Awful news. 

This is awful. I feel terrible for the family, so young.

WOW! I am beyond pumped! 

Hefty, hefty price to pay…

Kwesi going full “F them picks” mode. We won’t have any draft capital besides our 1st round pick. 

Based on last year's draft, I'm unimpressed with how the front office used their picks anyway.

They drop from late second to early fourth.... What, about forty spots? Steep price, but not as bad as it first seems.

I wonder how TE fits in this offense. We've seen Smith make a few drops here and there but it doesn't feel like TE is targeted a lot. This is an upgrade but I don't know how good a blocker he is.

4 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

I wonder how TE fits in this offense. We've seen Smith make a few drops here and there but it doesn't feel like TE is targeted a lot. This is an upgrade but I don't know how good a blocker he is.

Yeah, Cousins getting to a third or fourth read before checking down is the biggest question mark.

He's a better blocker than Smith.... This is the kind of trade I've been saying more teams should make, early picks for a player and mid picks. 

Irv Smith Jr. going on IR with a high ankle sprain so his tenure with the team is likely over. 

5 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Irv Smith Jr. going on IR with a high ankle sprain so his tenure with the team is likely over. 

It seemed like a great pick when made.....

Smart move with Irv Smith seemingly out for extended time.

Smith can't stay healthy. It's ironic, the guy I always use as an example, when talking Buxton, of a guy who got injured often early in their career, then became an iron man was Rudolf. I don't see how you can count on Smith. Gets dinged all the time then when he started the year with drop after drop, I'm not impressed. I like this move. Next year I'll bet it's TJ and Mundt and Smith is gone. 

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Irv Smith Jr. going on IR with a high ankle sprain so his tenure with the team is likely over. 

He should be healthy for the playoffs, but yeah, he’s not getting a second deal here. Probably gets a one year deal on the FA market.

3 hours ago, wabene said:

Smith can't stay healthy. It's ironic, the guy I always use as an example, when talking Buxton, of a guy who got injured often early in their career, then became an iron man was Rudolf. I don't see how you can count on Smith. Gets dinged all the time then when he started the year with drop after drop, I'm not impressed. I like this move. Next year I'll bet it's TJ and Mundt and Smith is gone. 

Rudolf has played few games for Tampa this year and pretty sure has produced next to nothing.

Was hoping to get some defensive help but I guess there are only so many draft picks to trade 

6 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Rudolf has played few games for Tampa this year and pretty sure has produced next to nothing.

Yep he's probably close to done. I was obviously referring to the prime of his career. His first few years with the Vikes he got hurt all the time. Then he went on an incredibly durable steak. Look it up. 

11 hours ago, Aggies7 said:

Was hoping to get some defensive help but I guess there are only so many draft picks to trade 

I would have liked someone on the DL (which is what I wanted in the draft too I guess), but I'd bet this defense would look pretty much exactly the same no matter who they ran out there in the secondary.

I like the winning, but I really hope this isn't our forever defensive scheme.

Incredible opening drive and absolutely squat since 

The officials don’t call an obvious PI to end the half and now an official takes away what would have certainly been an interception. And guys are dropping like flies. Guess the good fortune had to run out at some point 

Offensive line getting worked all day

Now Heinicke is having his way with us