Getting on the QB Carousel

So I’ve been reading in the blogosphere that the Minnesota Vikings need to address the QB position in 2009, and I agree. You can make an argument that Tarvaris Jackson should be given every opportunity to succeed, but let’s say he isn’t the guy, and the Vikes need to find a new guy to run the show next season. Who would the Vikings sign? Now, I’m not looking at this as a fan who would love to see a certain guy, but as a guy that tries to look at how Chilly, Chris Spielman’s brother, and Zygi will look at it, and go from there.

Matt Cassel—Depending on what the Patriots do with him, I think he’s the guy the Vikes will target. Mr. WIlf has shown no reservations to open up the checkbook, so signing him to a big money contract isn’t the issue. If the Patriots franchise Cassel, now you have to look at doing a deal with the devil (Bill Belichick). Do you give the Patriots two first round draft picks for a guy that’s played full one full season? The Lions did for Scott Mitchell. But that’s the Lions…and it was Scott Mitchell. If you take it, you’re pretty much going all in, because you now go three years without a first round draft pick, when you factor in the Jared Allen trade. By the way, there were a lot of people outside of Minnesota who thought that was a bad trade for the Vikings. Turned out okay, it appears. Would the Vikings catch lightning in a bottle twice, or would Matt Cassel turn out to be just another quarterback who looked really good passing to Randy Moss? I think he’d actually be somewhere in between. No question the Patriots, even without Moss, have a better receiving corps than the Vikings, but the few times I saw Cassel play this year (and they were game snippets, not a complete outing) he seemed to play…older, in a good way, than he is. He seemed to have a veteran presence that belies his youth; that “flatline” that Coach Childress discusses so often when talking about quarterbacks. He reminds me a lot of Brad Johnson, circa 1997-98, and that’s a good thing.

Matt Hasselbeck—He’ll be 34 early into the 2009 campaign, and is coming off of an assortment of injuries that caused him to miss 9 games. And the games he did play in he pretty much sucked, quite frankly, although he was playing injured. But he is a quarterback with a proven track record of success that if healthy, can still play at the Pro Bowl level. Seattle’s wide receivers were a horror shop of injuries this year, and that has to be factored in when looking at Hasselbeck’s performance this year as well. He is a good character guy, another flatliner, and with all things being equal I can see the Vikings making a run at him. He has a more proven track record than Matt Cassel, more veteran presence, which I think weighs heavily into this equation based on the sense of urgency the Vikings have to win now, and he could be had much cheaper than a franchised Cassel. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell said on the 9th of January that they won’t trade him, but Seneca Wallace played well in his absence, so never say never, especially if the Vikes dangle a good offer in front of them. Seattle needs help, and a couple of mid round draft picks and/or players might look like a good deal.

Donovan McNabb—The Vikings have been an off-season destination rumor for McNabb for a couple of seasons now, but I really don’t see it. Like Hasselbeck, he is a veteran with a proven track record, he has a good relationship with Childress, and would seem like a perfect fit. Had the Eagles gone 9-6-1 and missed the playoffs, I could see Philadelphia seriously consider a change. I mean, they replaced McNabb in Baltimore, they…tied…Cincinnati, and they would have missed the playoffs. But they went 9-6-1…and went to the NFC Championship, which changes the dynamic. McNabb played very well during the post-season, and that made everything that happened during the regular season sort of drift into the background. His post season exploits have probably held off the Philadelphia dogs for one more season, but I’m sure if the Vikings QB and McNabb struggle again in 2009, we’ll be talking about this again next year.

Michael Vick—Speaking of dogs, how about convicted felon Michael Vick? He has serious character issues since, he’s like, in PRISON, really doesn’t show a propensity as a “flatline” guy when he flips the bird to home fans coming off the field, and if he ever does get reinstated by the NFL, will have gone anywhere from three to five (estimate) years from playing professional football. Thanks for playing in the 2009 Minnesota Vikings quarterback sweepstakes. We have some lovely parting gifts for you.

As John McEnroe would say, ‘you CAN’T be SERIOUS!”

Brett Favre—Oh God, here we go. Let me say this before I go any further: If Brett Favre hadn’t played almost his whole career in Green Bay, would you still want him on your team? Last off-season, the answer was yes, if you looked at the situation dispassionately. Favre, like it or not, is one of the five best quarterbacks who ever played, and was coming off of one of the more remarkable seasons in his career, leading the Packers to the NFC Championship. I was all for Favre coming to the Vikings, and I still am, with a couple of caveats. He’s one year older, and is realistically a one year guy for the Vikings. His shoulder is messed up, and if that isn’t fixed, don’t bother. But IF his shoulder is healthy, and IF he wants to play for Minnesota, I say go for it. I think Favre thought he could orchestrate his departure from Green Bay, and when he landed in New York, his give a crap level went down. I don’t think he half-assed it or mailed it in, but he didn’t play with the passion or fire he has in the past. I think he would in Minnesota, and has one good season left in him.

John David Booty—Maybe JDB will be a good quarterback someday; I hope he is. But this is a veteran team that is built to win now, and I don’t think this is a realistic option. You’d face a mutiny on two fronts: One, you throw Jackson to the curb for a guy that’s never played a regular season down, and you alienate him. Two, you don’t necessarily upgrade the position with a veteran on a veteran team, so you risk losing the locker room. I can easily see the locker room split in a Jackson camp and a JDB camp, and that is a disaster waiting to happen. But that said, no one, and I mean NO ONE thought Daunte Culpepper was ready in 2000 after the Vikings failed to lure Dan Marino out of retirement. Still, JDB isn’t an option for 2009 if the Vikings want to seriously contend for the Super Bowl.

But he should be ready by 2012, when the Vikes have relocated to LA.

BUILD A DAMN STADIUM!!!