Tough Decisions Coming

NFL teams are forced to make tough decisions every year. Signing and re-signing players at the beginning of the offseason. Forming the final roster before the start of the new season. The Minnesota Vikings will have some real tough decisions to make by next March. There's more than enough immediate concerns to even start worrying about those decisions now. The media won;t let that happen. The media simply can't back off the contract status of much of the Vikings defensive line. Defensive ends Jared Allen, Brian Robison, Everson Griffen and defensive tackle Kevin Williams are playing under the last year of their contract. Allen, Robison, and Williams are all projected to be starters. Griffen may not start but coaches will get him on the field as much as possible. He's primed for a huge season. Allen gets a lot of media attention. Every time a microphone is near him, which is often, a question about his contract status soon follows. The thing that bothers me most about the media asking players about their contract situation is it's a question that the players can't really answer. Even if they did know the team's plans they aren't going to discuss it with the media. The player isn't going to negotiate through the media. It's ridiculous but the media has always been more concerned with drama than the play on the field.

As a Vikings fan, it's difficult not to consider the possibility that this is the last season of Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, and Brian Robison on the defensive line. Williams has been a fixture since he was drafted in 2003. Allen has brought a pass rushing presence since 2008. Robison has started opposite Allen since 2010. With the talent of those three football players it's interesting that Everson Griffen is the most likely to be re-signed. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he's signed to an extension during this season. The team may not wait until the offseason. At 25, he's by far the youngest of the impending free agents on the defensive line. Williams, Allen, and Robison are 32, 31, and 30, respectively. Griffen is going to be a difference-making pass rusher. He actually already is and he's ready to do it on a full time basis. While it's certainly possible that the Vikings re-sign all four players, I find it highly unlikely. I always hope that the Vikings win the Super Bowl. Every single season. This season, I hope that Kevin Williams can finally win the Super Bowl and ride off into retirement on a high note. He's been such a fantastic football player for the Vikings. A possible Hall of Famer and he continued the line of fine defensive tackles in Minnesota. I'd rather see him retire as a Viking than play elsewhere. His likely replacement in Minnesota has arrived with top pick Sharrif Floyd. There is a changing of the guard and will likely take place at defensive end as well. I think that the Vikings will try to re-sign one of Allen and Robison. They are close enough in age so that shouldn't play a role. Robison would be cheaper to re-sign so that might. These are the tough decisions that teams make every year.

Perhaps the worst part of being a fan of a team is experiencing the exodus of much loved players. Kevin Williams, Jared Allen, and Brian Robison have been fan favorites for years. They've certainly been favorites of mine. Retirements are tough but much easier than decisions made through economics. The salary cap brought about some good things but this isn't one of them. Quite frankly, these decisions suck. It's best to concentrate on this season and worry about those tough decisions when they have to be made.