Vikings Mock Draft Roundup

I remember the days when there were only a handful of mock drafts. None was accessible on the internet because there was no internet. You had to wait for a magazine or a newspaper. Now, everyone that has even a passing interest in the NFL Draft does their own mock draft. The damn things are everywhere. The Minnesota Vikings' performance in the 2019 season earned them the 25th pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The sad trade of Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills brought them the 22nd pick in the first round. The Vikings are now set with the 22nd and 25th picks in the first round. The following is a roundup of the mock draft projections for the Vikings from some of the more prominent mockers. A few of them have yet to update their mocks to include the Vikings' possession of the 22nd pick. I've still included them because they are among my favorite draft analysts.

NFL.com

Daniel Jeremiah
22. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Bucky Brooks
22. Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Charles Davis
22. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Lance Zierlein
22. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
25. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Cynthia Frelund
22. Tee Higgins, WR, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Chad Reuter
22. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
25. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

Charley Casserly
22. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
25. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

ESPN

Todd McShay
22. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Mel Kiper Jr.
22. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
25. A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa

CBS Sports

Will Brinson
22. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Chris Trapasso
22. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
25. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

Ryan Wilson
22. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
25. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

Pete Prisco
22. K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Sports Illustrated

Kevin Hanson
22. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
25. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Corey Parson
22. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Sporting News

Vinny Iyer
22. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
25. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

USA Today

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
22. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Pro Football Focus

Mike Renner
22. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
25. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

The Draft Network

Jordan Reid
22. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
25. Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn

Washington Post

John Clayton
22. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
25. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado

Houston Chronicle

John McClain
22. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Aaron Wilson
22. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
25. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Yahoo Sports

Eric Edholm
22. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
25. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

***

There are so many combinations that it's tough to pick a favorite. If I was forced to do so, I think that I'd lean toward two projections that have the Vikings selecting a pair of teammates.

22. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

or

22. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
25. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

Each is among my favorites at their respective positions and the Vikings need cornerbacks and receivers. I'd be thrilled if the Vikings came out of the real first round with any of the following corners.

Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU

As for the receivers, Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins are currently the only receivers that I like in the first round. Unless, of course, one or more of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs III somehow drop to 22. If the Vikings fall for one of those three, they'll have to move up from 22 to select him. I'm presently not sold on Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, and Laviska Shenault Jr. At least I'm not sold on them in the first round. That might change in the coming weeks but, right now, I prefer Michael Pittman Jr. in the second over a receiver not named Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins in the first.

The Vikings also need to improve the offensive line. It's a surprise that none of the above guesses includes an offensive lineman. At the start of the mock draft season at least half of them had the Vikings selecting an offensive lineman.

All but two of the above projections includes a play that plays receiver, cornerback, or on the defensive line. The two outliers are:

Bucky Brooks
22. Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Kevin Hanson
22. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

It's rare to see such mock drafting consistency. Especially for a team that has two first round picks.

Top Remaining NFL Free Agents

NFL Free Agency signings are so fast and furious at the start that there aren't many players left after the first week. We're about to start the third week of free agency. Here are some of the best available NFL Free Agents.

1.   Jadeveon Clowney, Edge

2.   Cam Newton, QB

3.   Jameis Winston, QB

4.   Everson Griffen, Edge

5.   Logan Ryan, CB

6.   Jason Peters, OT

7.   Bashaud Breeland, CB

8.   Darqueze Dennard, CB

9.   Damarious Randall, S

10. Markus Golden, Edge

11. Daryl Worley, CB

12. Carlos Hyde, RB

13. Michael Bennett, Edge

14. Prince Amukamara, CB

15. Timmy Jernigan, DT

16. Demar Dotson, OT

17. Clayton Geathers, S

18. Eric Reid, S

19. Jabaal Sheard, Edge

20. Mike Daniels, DT

21. Mychal Kendricks, LB

22. Damon Harrison, NT

23. Terrell Suggs, Edge

24. Tony Jefferson, S
25. Cordy Glenn, OT
26. Devonta Freeman, RB
27. Nigel Bradham, LB

28. Chris Thompson, RB
29. Marcell Dareus, DT
30. Taylor Gabriel, WR

The top three were #1 picks in their respective drafts. Jadeveon Clowney's money demands likely greatly exceed what teams are willing to spend. Health and lack of starting opportunities are probably the reason that Cam Newton is available. The Carolina Panthers releasing him after the first wave of quarterback signings didn't help. Wildly inconsistent play isn't helping Jameis Winston. 

There are a number of corners available for a variety of reasons. Safeties too. Nearly a third of the above are defensive backs.

With the recent free agent emphasis on signing young-ish players to short-term deals it's interesting to see the players still available after a few weeks. Several of the above are past their best years (a few are well past it) but some are still at or near their prime. A couple of years ago, there were quality safeties available into the summer. 

Players that can help a team are still available. Other than Clowney, they are likely to be reasonably priced. 

\

Minnesota Vikings Draft Picks

Here's a little bookkeeping.

The 32 Compensatory Picks were announced a few weeks ago. That set in place the 255 picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. There are 255 picks rather than the usual 256 this year. That's because the Arizona Cardinals selected Washington State safety Jalen Thompson in the fifth round of last summer's Supplemental Draft.  As a result, the Cardinals no longer have a fifth round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings received three of the 32 Compensatory Picks. That gave them 10 picks. They added to that total when they traded receiver Stefon Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for three more draft picks. The trade netted them two draft picks this year. The Vikings are currently armed with 12 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

1. (22)-from Buffalo
1. (25)
2. (58)
3. (89)
3. (105)-compensatory
4. (132)
5. (155)-from Buffalo
6. (201)-from Buffalo
6. (205)
7. (219)
7. (249)-compensatory
7. (253)-compensatory

The sad trade of Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills brought the Vikings 1/4 of the picks that they now have.

The Vikings sent their fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens last summer for K Kaare Vedvik. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

It's difficult to go an entire round of the draft without a pick. Before the sad trade of Diggs there was a fifth-round hole in the Vikings draft. I'm guessing that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman was adamant about a fifth-round pick being a part of the deal.

The first seventh-round pick (219) came from the Miami Dolphins for guard Danny Isidora.

The Vikings sent their own seventh-round pick (239) to the Bills.

Considering the frequency with which Spielman deals draft picks (especially in the mid-late rounds) it's possible that the Vikings will actually make a selection with about half of the above picks.

Minnesota Vikings Very Unofficial Depth Chart

The Minnesota Vikings ended the second week of free agency with a flurry of free agent signings. Most of those signings were of their own free agents. They did add three new players to the roster.

WR Tajaé Sharpe formerly of the Tennessee Titans
DE Anthony Zettel formerly of the San Franciso 49ers
LB DeMarquis Gates formerly of the XFL's Houston Roughnecks

Those signings and the re-signing of several of their own free agents gives the Vikings an early offseason roster of 60 players.

Quarterbacks
8  Kirk Cousins
4  Sean Mannion
3  Jake Browning

Running Backs
33 Dalvin Cook
30 C.J. Ham-FB
25 Alexander Mattison
31 Ameer Abdullah
23 Mike Boone
35 Tony Brooks-James

Receivers
19 Adam Thielen
     Tajaé Sharpe
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
15 Alexander Hollins
16 Davion Davis
17 Dillon Mitchell
     Bralon Addison

Tight Ends
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin
86 Brandon Dillon

Offensive Tackles
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
74 Oli Udoh
76 Aviante Collins

Offensive Guards
65 Pat Elflein
78 Dakota Dozier
73 Dru Samia

Centers
56 Garrett Bradury
61 Brett Jones

Defensive Ends
99 Danielle Hunter
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
     Anthony Zettel
52 Eddie Yarbrough
90 Stacy Keely

Defensive Tackles
     Michael Pierce
94 Jaleel Johnson
93 Shamar Stephen
92 Jalyn Holmes
96 Armon Watts
51 Hercules Mata'afa

Linebackers
55 Anthony Barr
54 Erik Kendricks
50 Eric Kendricks
42 Ben Gedeon
59 Cameron Smith
     DeMarquis Gates

Cornerbacks
21 Mike Hughes
24 Holton Hill
38 Kris Boyd
44 Nate Meadors
32 Mark Fields
     Marcus Sayles
37 Kemon Hall

Safeties
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris

Kicker
5   Dan Bailey

Punter 
2   Britton Colquitt

Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting

***

If I was to be so bold as to project a starting lineup from this early Vikings roster it might look something like this.

WR	Adam Thielen		DE	Danielle Hunter
LT	Riley Reiff		DT	Michael Pierce
LG	Pat Elflein		DT	Jaleel Johnson
C	Garrett Bradbury		DE	Ifeadi Odenigbo
RG	Dru Samia		LB	Eric Wilson
RT	Brian O'Neill		LB	Eric Kendricks
TE	Kyle Rudolph		LB	Anthony Barr
WR	Tajaé Sharpe		CB	Mike Hughes
QB	Kirk Cousins		CB	Holton Hill
RB	Dalvin Cook		S	Harrison Smith
FB	C.J. Ham		S	Anthony Harris
K	Dan Bailey
P	Britton Colquitt
LS	Austin Cutting

That's eight starters that weren't in the starting lineup that opened the 2019 season. It's important to keep in mind that this is simply my projection and that it's made in March. The Vikings don't have to play a game today.
New (projected) offensive starters:
Dru Samia
Tajaé Sharpe

New (projected) defensive starters:
Michael Pierce
Jaleel Johnson
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Eric Wilson
Mike Hughes
Holton Hill

That's a significant overhaul of a defense that had remained fairly intact for five years. It's incredible for a unit to stay together for that long in today's NFL.

Unless he returns to the promise that he showed in college and the potential that he showed as a rookie, I'll be very surprised if Pat Elflein keeps the starting left guard job.

Rumors persist that the Vikings are looking into possible trades involving Anthony Harris. I suppose that a team's decision-makers wouldn't be doing their jobs if they didn't look into all possibilities of improving the roster. Personally, I prefer that those decision-makers sign Harris to a long-term extension. It's taken so long to find an impact safety to pair with Harrison Smith. I'd kinda like to see him stick around for a while.

The draft should change these projections considerably. I wouldn't be surprised if a rookie is starting on the offensive line, at receiver, cornerback, and maybe even defensive end. That's high expectations for a rookie class that hasn't even been selected. And it's a rookie class that will be selected under extraordinary conditions.

The defensive tackle group is interesting. Newcomer Michael Pierce is the only one assured of a starting spot at nose tackle. Three-technique is wide open with Jaleel Johnson currently penciled in as the starter. Armon Watts impressed as a rookie last season. From all indications, the coaches like him at nose tackle. I'd like to see him play some three-technique. When he finally got some opportunities late last season he was disruptive, he got into the offensive backfield. It was kinda like having Sheldon Richardson back in the fold. This group is interesting because I really like all of the players currently in it. There's no one player that stands out to pair with Pierce but they each bring something different to the game. Jaleel Johnson currently brings the best combination of pass rush and run defense. That's why he's the projected starter. I'm intrigued by Watts' potential. Shamar Stephen is excellent against the run but doesn't provide much of a pass rush. Jalyn Holmes is the opposite. He's more pass rusher than run defender. Hercules Mata'afa is a situational pass rusher. He's small (6'2" and maybe 280). But he's so quick. Even though there's only one sure starter, I really like the group and the rotation that they bring to the game. It'd still be nice to see one of them step forward and make the three-technique job their own. That wouldn't take away from the rotation that the versatile depth provides.

It's going to be fun to see the 6-foot-ZERO 345lb Pierce in this defense. The Juggernaut! But the new player that might intrigue me the most is the player that the Vikings plucked from the Canadian Football League. Cornerback Marcus Sayles. He's an itty bitty player, generously listed at 5'10" by the Vikings, but his skills, toughness, and play remind me a little of Antoine Winfield. Playing in the NFL is a whole beast compared to the CFL, in style and talent, but until I see otherwise I like him for the nickel job.

The 2020 NFL season will be one of change for the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings' Free Agency

NFL Free Agency comes at you pretty fast. There's a few days of furious activity. Most of that fury is during the two days of "legal" tampering. If NFL Free Agency starts on a Monday (as the tampering period did this year), by Friday, the fury of activity has calmed considerably. For the Minnesota Vikings, this year's free agency has been pretty calm from the start. Seeing as they had a whisper of cap space their relative inactivity was expected. But salary cap constraints never stop fans from dreaming big. Those big dreams haven't been realized. For a team that had so little cap space the Vikings have actually been pretty active. Although some of that activity was to create the cap space to make the moves that they did make. Unfortunately, creating salary cap space usually comes with a cost.

Released
Everson Griffen
Xavier Rhodes
Linval Joseph
Josh Kline

Ouch. The Vikings' defense has been one of the league's best over the last five years. Everson Griffen, Xavier Rhodes, and Linval Joseph have been team leaders and impact players for that defense. Griffen has been the heart beat of the team since he stormed into the starting lineup in 2014. Josh Kline played a single year with the Vikings but brought steady play to an offensive line group that desperately needed it. His release might not have been as painful as the others but it might've been the most surprising.

The Vikings created more salary cap space with two headline-making moves:

1. Signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a two-year extension.

and, sadly

2. Traded receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills

If the first move did nothing else it put to rest the stupid rumors that Kyle Shanahan had San Francisco plans for Kirk Cousins next offseason. Cousins is the Vikings quarterback for, at least, the next two seasons. That move may or may not have played a part in the sad trade of Stefon Diggs. In a perfect world, Diggs would play in Minnesota for his entire career. He's a fantastic receiver. Incredible route runner, fine hands, and he's so damn much fun to watch play football. He's one of my favorite all-time Vikings receivers. And there have been a load of excellent receivers in this franchise's history. But it's not a perfect world and Diggs didn't want to be in Minnesota. As disappointing and as sad as it was to see it was probably best for the Vikings and Diggs to go their separate ways. At least the trade brought a decent return: first-, fifth-, and sixth-round picks this year and a fourth-round pick next year. I miss Stefon Diggs already.

The resulting salary cap space allowed the Vikings to retain several of their own players:

Re-signed/Tagged
Used the franchise tag to keep safety Anthony Harris in Minnesota for at least another year.
Re-signed fullback C.J. Ham
Placed a second-round tender on linebacker Eric Wilson.
Re-Signed punter Britton Colquitt to a three-year extension
Re-signed kicker Dan Bailey to a three-year extension
Re-signed quarterback Sean Mannion
Re-signed offensive tackle Rashod Hill
Re-signed guard/center Brett Jones
Re-signed running back Ameer Abdullah

The biggest surprise of Vikings free agency was the use of the franchise tag on Anthony Harris. I enthusiastically applaud the move. In his first full year as a starting safety, I figured that Harris had played his way out of the Vikings' budget. Many talking heads assume that the franchise tag is merely a placeholder and that Harris is destined to be traded. Maybe. My hope is that the tag is a placeholder for a contract negotiation and that Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith will be the best safety duo in the league for a few more seasons.

As for the other re-signings, it was a safe assumption that the Vikings would find a way to keep their fullback. Despite nearing extinction, a few teams still embrace the fullback position. The Vikings are one of them. C.J. Ham has developed into one of the league's best and he's an integral part of the offense.

Eric Wilson has been a cornerstone special teams player for a few years. An injury to Ben Gedeon gave him defensive opportunities last season. While a third linebacker is only on the field for about a third of the snaps in the Vikings defense, Wilson took advantage of those opportunities. I think that he's in their defensive plans. A second-round tender reflects that.

It was important for the Vikings to keep intact their most effective kicking battery in years. They did so with the re-signing of Britton Colquitt and Dan Bailey. Signing each to a three-year extensions should bring great joy to Mike Zimmer. Years of kicking woes have probably taken years off of his life.

The re-signings of Sean Mannion, Ameer Abdullah, Brett Jones, and Rashod Hill are needed depth signings. Hill and Jones, in particular, are needed. The offensive line has been a serious issue for years. For far too many seasons, the Vikings' starting offensive linemen were marginal and there were ZERO back up linemen that were of NFL quality. That's not good. Hill and Jones are NFL quality offensive linemen. You might not want them starting 16+ games but each is reliable in spot starts. The Vikings still need to improve their starting offensive line.

The fun of free agency is usually found in the new players that are added. Despite the much harped upon salary cap constraints, the Vikings have managed to add a few new football players.

Free Agents Signed
Signed NT Michael Pierce
Signed WR Tajae Sharpe
Signed DE Anthony Zettel
Signed LB DeMarquis Gates (XFL)-Houston Roughnecks

The Vikings' big free agent signing was former Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce. At 6' and about 345lbs, he is literally a huge signing. Linval Joseph has been an excellent run-stuffing, middle-clogging, offense-disrupting presence since he joined the Vikings in 2014. Pierce was signed to do the same thing. The difference between the two being that Joseph is exiting his prime while Pierce is entering his.

On the depth chart, Tajae Sharpe is replacing Stefon Diggs. Sharpe can do some of the same things. He has excellent hands. He's a great route runner. He simply doesn't have Diggs' startling quickness. If the Vikings had to play a game today, Sharpe is probably starting opposite Adam Thielen. He'll help the offense but the Vikings still need more talent at the receiver position.

If based solely on a particular Vikings-Detroit Lions game of a couple years ago, Anthony Zettel could be a big-time free agent addition. As a pass rusher for the Lions that day, he tore apart the Vikings offensive line. That isn't really saying much but he did look like a defensive star in the making. He was disruptive. He's bounced around the league since that day. He's played for as many teams (4) as he's played seasons (4). If the teachings of Andre Patterson and Imarjaye Albury can get him to play every game like he did that day against the Vikings, perhaps Zettel will be much more than a depth signing.

The Vikings signed linebacker DeMarquis Gates from the XFL. Until Gates gets a chance to show what he can do for the Vikings this signing looks and feels like an offseason numbers addition. He probably replaces Kentrell Brothers on the linebacker depth chart.

So far, the Vikings have lost the following:

Signed (or traded) Elsewhere
Stefon Diggs
Linval Joseph
Trae Waynes
Mackensie Alexander
Andrew Sendejo
Stephen Weatherly
Jayron Kearse
Laquon Treadwell
Xavier Rhodes

That's a lot of talent to leave to a single offseason. And Everson Griffen will likely be added to it. He's still unsigned but he's already publicly said his goodbyes to the team and fans. Very sad. It's been an offseason of significant change for the Vikings. We won't know if it's change for the best until games are played.

Throwback Thursday: Receivers Past And Present

Receivers have been on my mind. They often are. I love the pure act of catching a football. That's why the receivers that catch the football well are often my favorite players. As a life long Minnesota Vikings fan I've been blessed with a tradition of pass-catching excellence.

John Gilliam
Sammy White
Ahmad Rashad
Anthony Carter
Cris Carter
Randy Moss
Percy Harvin
Stefon Diggs
Adam Thielen

Hassan Jones, Jake Reed, Nate Burleson, and Sidney Rice also provided more pass-catching fun for the Vikings. Reed dropped a few more footballs than I would've liked but he was a fun receiving pair with Cris Carter. The trio of Carter, Moss, and Reed was pass-catching poetry. They were so beautiful.

Receivers have been on my mind recently for a less fortunate reason. For the third time in the last 15 years the Vikings traded one of my favorites. Stefon Diggs was traded to Buffalo. Very sad. In 2005, Randy Moss was traded to Oakland. Incredibly sad. In 2013, Percy Harvin was traded to Seattle. So sad, Each was one of the most fun football players to ever play for the Vikings. Each was a personal favorite. It's often been said that receivers can be difficult. Apparently, each of the three ruffled some feathers during their time in Minnesota. That's why they were all sadly sent away. But they sure were fun to watch play football. At least the Vikings got a nice return on each. Hopefully, the Vikings use the return on Diggs better than they did with the return on Moss and Harvin.

Present receivers have been on my mind because of the trade of Diggs. For the past few years the Vikings have fielded one of the best receiving duos in the league. Diggs and Thielen. My goodness, their pass-catching excellence reminded me of the weekly pass-catching tutorials once given by the Arizona Cardinals' duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Bolden. In Vikings lore, a similar weekly tutorial was given by Carter and Moss. The trade of Diggs, and yesterday's signing of Tajae Sharpe, give the Vikings a current receiver group that looks something like this:

Adam Thielen
Tajae Sharpe
Olabisi Johnson
Chad Beebe
Alexander Hollins
Davion Davis
Dillon Mitchell
Bralon Addison

Well, it looks a little better than it did on Tuesday.

Past receivers were on my mind yesterday when Diggs asked the Twitter world for their top five receivers of all-time. I sure wish that his past Twitter activity was as trivial. Anyway, most of the responses included some combination of receivers that have played this century. The only "old-timer" was Jerry Rice. I know that it's often an age thing but the recency biases of football fans never ceases to amaze me. Even as a developing football fan in the 1970s it wasn't just Lynn Swann, Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, Drew Pearson, Harold Carmichael, John Stallworth that were on my mind. I was well aware then of past passing-catching greats like Don Hutson, Mac Speedie, Dante Lavelli, Elroy Hirsch, Tom Fears, Pete Pihos, Raymond Berry, Lance Alworth, Bobby Mitchell, etc. And those are just some of the the Hall of Famers. Ken Kavanaugh, Harlon Hill, Billy Wilson, Bobby Walston, Del Shofner, Gary Collins, Boyd Dowler, Otis Taylor were among the historically overlooked receivers often on my mind as an itty bitty fan in the 1970s. Today's fans only seem to know the receivers that played during their lifetime. I was the only that responded to Diggs' question that listed a player that played before 1980. The topic, and the lack of history in the responses, got me thinking about my picks for the top receivers of all-time. I'll expand it from Top 5 to Top 10.

1.   Jerry Rice
2.   Randy Moss
3.   Don Hutson
3.   Lance Alworth
4.   Cris Carter
5.   Paul Warfield
6.   Raymond Berry
7.   Larry Fitzgerald
8.   Julio Jones
9.   Marvin Harrison
10. Elroy Hirsch

Or something like that. The order changes often, even daily, and maybe Steve Largent or Steve Smith Sr. pop into it. In my opinion, Cris Carter is the best pass-catcher to ever play. That doesn't mean that I think that he was the best receiver. I my opinion, Randy Moss is the most physically gifted receiver to ever play. That doesn't mean that he was the best receiver. One supposed receiving great that'll never appear in my top 10 is Terrell Owens. The pure act of catching a football is important to me. Owens had too much trouble catching a football to ever be considered great.

Past and present, receivers are on my mind. Future too. Maybe the 2020 NFL Draft will bring the next pass-catching great to Minnesota.

Bucky Brooks' Top 5 2020 NFL Draft Prospects By Position

NFL Draft Analyst Bucky Brooks recently posted his new Top 5 2020 NFL Draft Prospects By Position. I enjoy the analyses of Brooks and Move the Sticks podcast partner Daniel Jeremiah. Both worked several years as NFL scouts. They've done the job. They know their stuff. They're interesting and entertaining. Their mock drafts and draft rankings are the ones I look forward to the most. Here's Bucky Brooks' most recent Top 5 2020 NFL Draft Prospects By Position.

Quarterbacks
1. Tua Tagavailoa, Alabama
2. Joe Burrow, LSU
3. Justin Herbert, Oregon
4. Jordan Love, Utah State
5. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Running Backs
1. D'Andre Swift, Georgia
2. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
3. Cam Akers, Florida State
4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
5. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU

Wide Receivers
1. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
2. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
3. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
4. Justin Jefferson, LSU
5. Laviska Shenault, Colorado

Tight Ends
1. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
2. Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
3. Adam Trautman, Dayton
4. Hunter Bryant, Washington
5. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

Offensive Tackles
1. Jedrick Wills, Alabama
2. Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
3. Andrew Thomas, Georgia
4. Mekhi Becton, Louisville
5. Austin Jackson, USC

Guards/Centers
1. Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
2. Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
3. Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
4. Matt Hennessy, Temple
5. Netane Muti, Fresno State

Defensive Tackles
1. Derrick Brown, Auburn
2. Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
3. Jordan Elliott, Missouri
4. Ross Blacklock, TCU
5. Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M

Edge
1. Chase Young, Ohio State
2. A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
3. Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
4. K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU
5. Bradlee Anae, Utah

Linebackers
1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
2. Zack Baun, Wisconsin
3. Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
4. Patrick Queen, LSU
5. Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State

Cornerbacks
1. Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
2. C.J. Henderson, Florida
3. Trevon Diggs, Alabama
4. A.J. Terrell, Clemson
5. Kristian Fulton, LSU

Safeties
1. Xavier McKinney, Alabama
2. Grant Delpit, LSU
3. Ashtyn Davis, California
4. Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
5. Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota

***

Players that Brooks has rated a bit higher than most draft analysts:

Quarterbacks

Tua Tagavailoa over Joe Burrow

Running Backs

Cam Akers

Defensive Tackles

Jordan Elliott

Linebackers

Zack Baun

Players that Brooks has rated a bit lower than most:

Offensive Tackles

Mekhi Becton

Edge

K'Lavon Chaisson

Perhaps I'm biased a bit, but I don't agree with safety Antoine Winfield Jr. being ranked behind Ashtyn Davis and Kyle Dugger. 

Speaking of biases, I guess that my Vikings biases overrule my Cal-biases. 

Tight end is the least talked about position group in this year's draft. It edges out the interior offensive linemen. 

Speaking of the tight ends, I'm curious how many people are going to be mixing up Harrison and Hunter Bryant.

Some Football Thoughts

With free agency slowing way down after a busy first few days I've had some time to think about football. Here are some of those thoughts.

1. The Minnesota Vikings have had remarkable run of player (and coaching) stability on defense. When Mike Zimmer was hired as head coach in 2014, he immediately went about fixing a sad sieve of a defense. In that first year, Zimmer inherited Everson Griffen, Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes, and Andrew Sendejo and added Linval Joseph and Anthony Barr. In 2015, the draft brought Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, and Trae Waynes. Fee agency brought player/coach Terence Newman as a bridge until Waynes was ready. Nickel corner Mackensie Alexander arrived in 2016. These players and a somewhat revolving door of players at three-technique were the Vikings defense for most of the past six years. That sort of player consistency simply doesn't happen in today's NFL. The defensive coaches have had similar stability. The Vikings defense has been one of the league's best since 2015. The defense has had the sort of on-field success that typically leads to other teams swooping in and plucking players and coaches. That didn't happened. The defensive consistency has come to an end. The following won't be back for the 2020 season:

Everson Griffen
Linval Joseph
Xavier Rhodes
Trae Waynes
Mackensie Alexander
Andrew Sendejo

Griffen and Rhodes have yet to sign with a new team. Griffen has publicly said his goodbyes to the team and fans. Until he signs elsewhere, there's always a chance that Rhodes could be brought back. I'm very skeptical of that happening. It's going to be tough to see a Vikings defense without half of the starters that made it great for so long. Griffen, Joseph, and Rhodes are three of my favorites. This sort of player turnover usually takes place over a few years. Seeing it in a single offseason is a rough thing.

2. From NFL Research:
Tom Brady has as many Super Bowl wins (6) as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise has playoff wins (6).

3. Imagine the disbelief if told in 2018 that Bruce Arians would be coaching Tom Brady in 2020. In Tampa Bay.

Ex-Patriots heading to Detroit or Miami:
Jamie Collins, LB
Duron Harmon, S
Danny Shelton, DT
Ted Karras, C
Elandon Roberts, LB
Kyle Van Noy, LB

4. It looks like the Atlanta Falcons' starting offense will boast 10 former first round draft picks:

QB	Matt Ryan
RB	Todd Gurley II
WR	Julio Jones
WR	Calvin Ridley
TE	Hayden Hurst
LT	Jake Matthews
LG	James Carpenter
C	Alex Mack
RG	Chris Lindstrom
RT	Kaleb McGary

When the Falcons replace their fullback with a third receiver, they can trot out former Vikings' first round pick Laquon Treadwell.

5. The Seattle Seahawks appear to be quite fond of the players selected at the top of the 2013 NFL Draft. They have employed three of the first five players selected in that draft.

Luke Joeckel (#2)
Dion Jordan (#3)
Ezekiel Ansah (#5)

With the recent signing of Chance Warmack, the Seahawks have now employed half of the top 10 of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Luke Joeckel (#2)
Dion Jordan (#3)
Ezekiel Ansah (#5)
Barkevious Mingo (#6)
Chance Warmack (#10)

and seven of the top 15:

Luke Joeckel (#2)
Dion Jordan (#3)
Ezekiel Ansah (#5)
Barkevious Mingo (#6)
Chance Warmack (#10)
D.J. Fluker (#11)
Sheldon Richardson (#13)

It's surprising that a team would favor the 2013 NFL Draft. Other than Lane Johnson the players selected at the top of that draft failed to provide a sustained impact for any team that employed them. That's why so many of them have been available for the Seahawks to sign. And hope.

6. Stay safe.

Flea Flicker Post-First Week Of Free Agency Mock Draft

After a chaotic two days of tampering and a few, less chaotic days of free agency, the needs of NFL teams have changed a little. As a result, a new mock draft is needed.

Thanks to surprising trades, a couple of teams have acquired an additional first round pick. The San Francisco 49ers traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the 13th pick in the draft. The Minnesota Vikings sadly traded Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for the 22nd pick (and a couple later picks).

Here's a Flea Flicker Post-First Days Of Free Agency Mock Draft

1.   Cincinnati Bengals-Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2.   Washington Redskins-Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State
3.   Detroit Lions-Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
4.   New York Giants-Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
5.   Miami Dolphins-Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
6.   Los Angeles Chargers-Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
7.   Carolina Panthers-Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
8.   Arizona Cardinals-Tristan Wirfs, OG, Iowa
9.   Jacksonville Jaguars-Isaiah Simmons, S, Clemson
10. Cleveland Browns-Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
11. New York Jets-Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
12. Las Vegas Raiders-Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
13. San Francisco 49ers-CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
15. Denver Broncos-Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
16. Atlanta Falcons-K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
17. Dallas Cowboys-Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
18. Miami Dolphins (from Steelers)-Austin Jackson, OT, USC
19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Bears)-Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams)-C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
21. Philadelphia Eagles-Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
22. Minnesota Vikings-A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa
23. New England Patriots-Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
24. New Orleans Saints-Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
25. Minnesota Vikings-Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
26. Miami Dolphins (from Texans)-Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State
27. Seattle Seahawks-Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
28. Baltimore Ravens-Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
29. Tennessee Titans-Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
30. Green Bay Packers-Denzel Sims, WR, Baylor
31. San Francisco 49ers-A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
32. Kansas City Chiefs-Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan

Until the next one.

Favorite Free Agent Signings (So Far): AFC

I picked my favorite free agent signings for each of the NFC teams yesterday. Here are my favorite signings for each of the AFC teams.

Kansas City Chiefs
Chris Jones, DT
The Chiefs have yet to sign a free agent. They've seen a couple of their starters (Kendall Fuller and Stefen Wisniewski) leave. Good teams often see players leave and the Chiefs are the champs. They did use the franchise tag on defensive tackle Chris Jones. It looks like their keeping one of the most important players but they did trade the last player that they tagged. Nothing's a done deal until it is. The Chiefs need to sign Jones to a long term deal. Or ship him to the Vikings.

Denver Broncos
Defensive Trades
The best offseason moves of the Broncos have been the two trades that they made for defensive players. The acquired corneback A.J. Bouye and defensive tackle Jurrell Casey for a fourth- and a seventh-round pick, respectively. They assume a couple serious contracts but they add terrific players to their defense. Head coach Vic Fangio should be very happy.

Los Angeles Chargers
Bryan Bulaga, OT
The Chargers had to improve their offensive line and they added one of the best right tackles in the league in Bryan Bulaga. As long as he's healthy this is an excellent addition.

Las Vegas Raiders
Nick Kwiatkoski, LB
The Raiders have been very active in free agency. Nick Kwiatkoski was never a full-time starter in Chicago. I never understood it. Every time I saw him play he simply made plays. I expect him to be the leader of an improving, on paper, Raiders defense.

Houston Texans
Not-a-thing
I'll continue the bashing of general manager(?) Bill O'Brien. The Texans should've gotten more for trading DeAndre Hopkins than the Vikings got for trading Stefon Diggs. They didn't. If David Johnson stays healthy and returns to his 2000-yards from scrimmage ways, the trade might be a push. For now, it's a joke.

Tennessee Titans
Vic Beasley, Edge
If Vic Beasley plays like he did in 2016, this is a great signing by the Titans.

Indianapolis Colts
DeForest Buckner, DT
I'll look past the fine signing of Philip Rivers and go with the terrific trade for Deforest Buckner. A single first round pick is a bargain for one of the 2-3 best defensive players in the league. The Colts are building a very intriguing defense.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Joe Schobert, LB
It must be a gas to be a Jaguars fan. They add a boatload of high-end draft talent and expensive free agents, have a blink of success, and then tear the whole thing down. Right now, I tap the Jaguars as the team most likely to be drafting first in the 2021 NFL Draft. As for the signing of Joe Schobert, I really liked him throughout his time in Cleveland. It's interesting that his deal with the Jaguars is for five years. That doesn't happen too often in this era of short-term deals.

Baltimore Ravens
Michael Brockers/Calais Campbell, DL
Other than their practice of often letting home-grown talent leave in exchange for Compensatory Picks, I'm annually a big fan of the moves that the Ravens make. The addition of Calais Campbell through trade and Michael Brockers through free agency are excellent additions. If Campbell does nothing on the field for the Ravens he'll make an immediate, positive impact on the locker room. He's just a great guy and team leader. Brockers played in Aaron Donald's immense shadow in Los Angeles but he often made a few impact plays of his own in every game. He should get the opportunity to make an even bigger impact on the Ravens defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Stefen Wisniewski, G
The Steelers haven't been too active in free agency. If the pattern holds, the addition of Stefen Wisniewski should bring another Lombardi to Pittsburgh. He signs with the Eagles-Super Bowl. He signs with the Chiefs-Super Bowl. He's a mercenary and good things happen wherever he goes. Despite never staying in one place very long he's also a very good football player.

Cleveland Browns
Jack Conklin, OT
The Browns have been signing free agents in bulk. They had to improve their offensive line. Jack Conklin was the best free agent offensive lineman and one of the better right tackles in the league. Good deal.

Cincinnati Bengals
D.J. Reader, DT
Has Mike Brown been locked out of the building? The Bengals embraced free agency this year like they rarely have. Perhaps never have. D.J. Reader is literally the biggest of their several signings. He's developed into one of the best nose tackles in the league.

New England Patriots
Beau Allen, DT
I've been intrigued by Beau Allen since the 2014 NFL Draft. He's never been a star. He's never been an every-down player. He's one of those high-effort grinders that does nothing but help his team.

New York Jets
Connor McGovern, G
The Jets had to improve their offensive line. Connor McGovern is a solid step in that direction.

Miami Dolphins
Byron Jones, CB
The Dolphins have been one of the most active teams in free agency. They made a few signings that I like (Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson among them). I'll go with the signing of Byron Jones as my favorite. Paired with Xavien Howard, the Dolphins now have one of the best cornerback duos in the league. They are certainly the highest-paid duo.

Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs, WR
The Bills have been active and I like nearly all of their signings. I'll go with the addition that I actually like the least. As a Vikings fan, I hated to see Stefon Diggs go. He's been one of my favorite players since the day that he was drafted. At least the Vikings got a solid return on the trade. On the Bills side of things, Diggs is an outstanding addition to a fast improving team.

Favorite Free Agent Signings (So Far): NFC

After two days of tampering and nearly three days of free agency, most of the best free agents have signed with their old teams or with new teams. Here are my favorite signings for each of the NFC teams.

Minnesota Vikings
Michael Pierce, DT
The Vikings released Linval Joseph prior to free agency. That left a giant hole in the middle of the defensive line. Michael Pierce is talented enough and big enough to fill that hole. Joseph is exiting his prime. Pierce is entering his.

Green Bay Packers
Christian Kirksey, LB
The Packers replaced Blake Martinez with Christian Kirksey. I'd say that's a bump in talent. I was a fan of Kirksey throughout his days in Cleveland. Plus, moving on from a player from Stanford for a player from any other college is always a move in the right direction.

Chicago Bears
Nick Foles, QB
I'm not really a fan of any of the Bears free agent signings so I'll go with a player added through trade. The Bears were wise to trade for Nick Foles. He's played well at times and he's played well for some of the Bears coaches. He has to provide more consistency than Mitchell Trubisky ever has.

Detroit Lions
Jamie Collins, LB
The Lions have been active. I like about half of their signings. Those that I like start with Jamie Collins. He was playing as well as any linebacker in the league through most of last season. If he can play at that level for an entire season the Lions defense should improve.

Dallas Cowboys
Gerald McCoy, DT
The Cowboys were more focused on a few of their own players than adding to their roster. They did add Gerald McCoy to bulk up the interior of their defensive line. I've always liked McCoy. He might not be the player that he's been for most of his career but he's still a fine addition to the defense on the field and off.

New York Giants
James Bradberry, CB
I guess that the Giants see something in the players that they signed. If I have to pick a signing that I like I suppose that the signing of James Bradberry is the one I like the most. The Giants needed a corner and he plays the position. Actually, Bradberry has been a very good corner at times. He just has to be a very good corner more often.

Washington Redskins
Kendall Fuller, CB
The Redskins did a great job of swapping out Josh Norman for Kendall Fuller. I was really surprised that the Kansas City Chiefs let Fuller get away.

Philadelphia Eagles 
Javon Hargrave, DT
Just the thought of Javon Hargrave on the same line as Fletcher Cox is frightening.

New Orleans Saints
Emmanuel Sanders, WR
I suppose that Drew Brees needed more playmakers. Emmanuel Sanders paired with Michael Thomas should be fun for the Saints. Not so fun for defenses.

Atlanta Falcons
Dante Fowler, Jr., Edge
The Falcons needed a pass rusher. Dante Fowler was a good one for Los Angeles Rams last year. He wasn't always that for the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he can play for the Falcons like he did for the Rams, this is an excellent signing.

Carolina Panthers
Teddy Bridgewater, QB
If not for the horrible knee injury before the start of the 2016 season, Teddy Bridgewater would still be the Vikings' franchise quarterback. I truly believe that. What a different football world it would be. I'm glad that Bridgewater is finally getting an opportunity to be "the guy" for a team. He deserves it. He's earned it. The Panthers gave him a three-year deal but I fear that it's only as a place-holder for the "next guy." At least that future is in his hands.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady, QB
Nothing needs to be said about this signing.

San Francisco 49ers
Jimmie Ward, S
The 49ers have signed a single outside free agent. Tom Compton. I don't like that signing. Especially since it looked like it came at the expense of Mike Person's place on the roster. So, I'll go with the re-signing of Jimmie Ward as the best free agent signing by the 49ers. When he's healthy he's been a very good, versatile player.

Seattle Seahawks
Brandon Shell, OT
The Seahawks have needed to improve their offensive line since the departures of Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson. Brandon Shell is a very underrated player. This will be his opportunity to no longer be underrated.

Los Angeles Rams
Andrew Whitworth, OT
The only outside free agents that the Rams have signed are defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson and edge rusher Leonard Floyd. They were signed to replace Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler Jr. I don't consider either as an upgrade. So, I'll go with the re-signing of the ageless Andrew Whitworth.

Arizona Cardinals
DeAndre Hopkins, WR
The Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, and linebackers DeVondre Campbell and Devon Kennard. All are very good signings. I have to go with the trade that would've been vetoed in nearly all fantasy football leagues. The Cardinals committed unarmed robbery with the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans.

Charles Davis' 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Here's a brief break from the free agency madness. Another mock draft.

I first became aware of Charles Davis during the 2007 NFL Draft when he gave a very positive update of Adrian Peterson's rehab of his college collar bone injury. I've enjoyed his analysis and insights ever since. His never-ending pop culture references are an added bonus. I look forward to his mock drafts. This is his first of the mock draft season.

1.   Cincinnati Bengals-Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2.   Washington Redskins-Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
3.   Detroit Lions-Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State
4.   New York Giants-Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
5.   Miami Dolphins-Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
6.   Los Angeles Chargers-Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
7.   Carolina Panthers-Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
8.   Arizona Cardinals-Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
9.   Jacksonville Jaguars-Isaiah Simmons, S, Clemson
10. Cleveland Browns-Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
11. New York Jets-Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
12. Las Vegas Raiders-CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
13. Indianapolis Colts-Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
15. Denver Broncos-Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
16. Atlanta Falcons-K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
17. Dallas Cowboys-Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
18. Miami Dolphins (from Steelers)-C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Bears)-Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams)-Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
21. Philadelphia Eagles-Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
22. Buffalo Bills-Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
23. New England Patriots-Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin
24. New Orleans Saints-Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
25. Minnesota Vikings-Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
26. Miami Dolphins (from Texans)-D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
27. Seattle Seahawks-A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa
28. Baltimore Ravens-Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
29. Houston Texans-Josh Jones, OT, Houston
30. Green Bay Packers-Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
31. San Francisco 49ers-Grant Delpit, S, LSU
32. Kansas City Chiefs-Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

It's interersting that Davis' first mock doesn't include:

Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Austin Jackson, OT, USC
Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Those players stand out for the simple fact that they are among my favorites for the Vikings. I doubt that any of them fall all the way to the 58th pick. But one can dream. A first two round draft haul of Ross Blacklock and any of the above three would be beautiful.

Throwback Thursday: All-Time University of Iowa NFL Team

Writing for the Talk of Fame Network, long-time Dallas Cowboys beat-writer and Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Rick Gosselin selected an All-Time NFL team from players that played their college ball at the University of Iowa. The fine folk at the Talk of Fame Network have picked an All-Time NFL team made up of players from several of the top college programs. This Iowa team caught my attention because of the number of players on this team that played for the Minnesota Vikings.

Jerry Reichow
Chad Greenway
Wally Hilgenberg
Paul Krause

I was also amazed at the ridiculous number of talented tight ends that have come out of Iowa.

Jim Gibbons
Jonathan Hayes
Dallas Clark
Scott Chandler
Brandon Myers
Marv Cook
Tony Moeaki
C.J. Fiedorwicz
Noah Fant
T.J. Hockenson
and
George Kittle

At the pace that he's setting, Kittle should be the tight end on this team in about a year.

Offense

QB—Chuck Long. 21 career starts, 19 TD passes.

RB—Ed Podolak. NFL record 350 playoff yards in 1971 game against Miami Dolphins.

RB—Ronnie Harmon. 12 seasons, 582 catches, 24 TDs.

WR—Quinn Early. 12 seasons, 460 career catches, 40 TDs.

WR—Jerry Reichow. 1 Pro Bowl, 8 seasons, 172 career catches, 24 TDs.

TE—Jim Gibbons. 3 Pro Bowls, 287 career catches, 20 TDs.

OT—Duke Slater. Hall of Fame.

OT—John Alt. 2 Pro Bowls, 149 career starts.

G—Marshal Yanda. 8 Pro Bowls, 166 career starts.

G—John Niland. 6 Pro Bowls, 126 career starts.

C—Jay Hilgenberg. 7 Pro Bowls, 152 career starts.

Defense

DE—Adrian Clayborn. 9 seasons, 36 ½ sacks.

DE—Aaron Kampman. 2 Pro Bowls, 10 seasons, 58 career sacks.

DT—Alex Karras. Hall of Fame.

DT—Karl Klug. 7 seasons, 21 ½ sacks.

LB—Andre Tippett. Hall of Fame.

LB—Chad Greenway. 2 Pro Bowls, 10 seasons, 18 interceptions.

LB—Wally Hilgenberg. 15 seasons, started in 4 Super Bowls.

CB—Bob Smith. 1 Pro Bowl, 6 seasons, 33 interceptions 4 TDs.

CB—Bob Jeter. 2 Pro Bowls, 11 seasons, 3-time NFL champion.

S—Paul Krause. Hall of Fame.

S—Emlen Tunnell. Hall of Fame.

Special Teams

K—Nate Kaeding. 2 Pro Bowls, NFL scoring leader in 2009.

P—Reggie Roby. 3 Pro Bowls, 1980s NFL all-decade team.

KR—Tim Dwight. 10 seasons, 3 career KR and 2 PR for TDs.

ST—Jim Jensen. 12 seasons, 97 career ST tackles, long snapper.

***

Five Hall of Famers is a nice tally. Two of the five Hall of Famers, Duke Slater and Alex Karras, waited too damn long for their Canton call. It's ridiculous that it took this year's Centennial Class for them to finally get that call.

Marshall Yanda should boost the Iowa Hall total to six.

Minnesota Vikings Free Agency 2020 Begins

The NFL's pre-free agency tampering period has been a thing since 2013. That should be a long enough period of time for something to become the norm. Perhaps it's just me but it still feels a little weird that, after all that has happened over the past two days, NFL Free Agency actually begins today at 4pm ET. Nearly all of the top free agents are already committed in some fashion to their original teams or new teams. However, the thrilling free agency ride of Anthony Barr last year shows us that no deal is a done deal until it's signed. No deal with a new team can be signed until today at 4pm ET. The New York Jets might be the only team that's worried about a player flipping on an agreement.

Since tampering started on Monday there's been a lot of action across the NFL. None of that tampering action included the Minnesota Vikings. It usually doesn't. Their fans hate that. They see all of these "top o' the market" free agents agreeing to deals with other teams and there's rarely a mention of the Vikings. The only instance that I can recall of actual tampering coming out of Minnesota was during the bidding war for Kirk Cousins. They really had no choice but to get actively involved. If they had left it to under-the-radar, by-the-rules negotiations they would've lost their quarterback. The free agency signings of defensive tackle Linval Joseph and offensive tackle Riley Reiff came so soon after the start of free agency showed that the Vikings do tamper a little. They just keep that tampering under wraps. As all teams are supposed to do. So, there's always a chance that some exciting Vikings free agency news pops today after 4pm ET today. Receiver has suddenly become a significant need. A cornerback? Offensive line help? Who knows?

Despite no agreements with new players, the Vikings haven't been quiet over the past two days. They have always prioritized signing their own players and that's where we found the action. On Monday they accomplished the following:

Signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a two-year extension.
Used the franchise tag to keep safety Anthony Harris in Minnesota for at least another year.
Re-Signed punter Britton Colquitt to a three-year extension.
Placed a second-round tender on linebacker Eric Wilson.

All that was a fine start. A necessary start. Before the first day of tampering was done the Vikings made a big move. A disappointing move. But probably a necessary move. They traded receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for a nice haul of draft picks.

Vikings receive:
2020 first round pick (#22)
2020 fifth round pick
2020 sixth round pick
2021 fourth round pick

Bills receive:
WR Stefon Diggs
2020 seventh round pick

I'm going to miss Diggs. A lot. But if he didn't want to be in Minnesota it's probably best that he's not in Minnesota. At least they got a nice return for Diggs. A net of two picks this year gives the Vikings 12 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

1. (22)-from Buffalo
1. (25)
2. (58)
3. (89)
3. (105)-compensatory
4. (132)
5. (155)-from Buffalo
6. (201)-from Buffalo
6. (205)
7. (219)
7. (249)-compensatory
7. (253)-compensatory

For some reason, many of the beat writers, bloggers, and fans keep writing, saying, tweeting that the Vikings have 13 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. It was being mentioned so often that I started questioning my 18 years of public school education. I've counted the above 12 picks dozens of times and I come up with 12 every single time. Maybe they are overlooking the seventh round pick that they sent along with Diggs to Buffalo. It's a mystery. I hope that they solve it soon.

Anyway, the Vikings have done most of the heavy lifting of their internal business. They don't have a lot of cap room but I'm hoping that they can manage judicious contracts to bring back a few more of their own free agents. Including:

Everson Griffen, DE
Dan Bailey, K

one or more of the following offensive linemen:
Rashod Hill
Dakota Dozier
Brett Jones

and maybe even:
Mackensie Alexander, CB

If the Vikings can manage some of the above, my wish list of free agents looks a little something like this:

Robby Anderson, WR
or
Breshad Perriman, WR

Desmond Trufant, CB
Eli Apple, CB
Nickell Robey-Coleman, CB (if they can't re-sign Alexander)

Maybe an offensive lineman or two if they can't sign their own.

This doesn't feel like a year that Vikings make a free agent splash but you never know. In 2018, it didn't seem possible that they could sign Sheldon Richardson (even if it was for only one year) after they had committed so much to Cousins. Cap managing maestro Rob Brzezinski routinely surprises.

The free agency fun officially starts today at 4pm ET.

Active First Tampering Day In Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings were fairly active on free agency's first day of tampering. Unlike most of the teams in the NFL, the Vikings focused on their own players. Here's what they did:

Signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a two-year extension.
Used the franchise tag to keep safety Anthony Harris in Minnesota for at least another year.
Re-Signed punter Britton Colquitt to a three-year extension.
Placed a second-round tender on linebacker Eric Wilson.

The Vikings' first move was to extend their quarterback. Cousins was set to become a free agent in 2021. This deal keeps him under contract for the next three seasons. It also gave the Vikings much needed salary cap room this year. The move allowed them to tag Anthony Harris. Going into this offseason, it was assumed that Harris had played his way out of the team's budget. The surprise move allowed the Vikings to keep one of last season's best defensive players. Hopefully, they can agree to a long-term deal and make playing under the franchise tag unnecessary.

In the more than quarter century of the franchise tag's existence, the Vikings have used it on only two other occasions. In 2003 they used the tag to keep Jim Kleinsasser in Minnesota. They did the same with Chad Greenway in 2011. Using the franchise tag this year on Harris was a surprise because of the possible $11.44 million cost. It was also a surprise because the Vikings so rarely use it.

The Vikings have had so damn many kicking issues since Blair Walsh lost the ability to put a football through the uprights. Those difficulties seemed to fade away when Britton Colquitt was signed before the start of the 2019 season. His holding brought immediate improvements to the kicking process. His punting was perhaps the best that's been seen in Minnesota since the days of Chris Kluwe. And Colquitt was apparently a delightful, interesting addition to the locker room.  Everything was so much better with the late addition of Colquitt that re-signing him became an offseason priority. The Vikings did that yesterday with his three-year extension. Now, kicker Dan Bailey needs to be re-signed. Kicking has been a nightmare in Minnesota for too long. The Vikings have to keep those nightmares away by keeping Colquitt and Bailey together.

Eric Wilson has improved each season since being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He's excelled on special teams and has developed into a critical role player on defense. Injuries gave him the opportunity to play in the Vikings' base defense last season. His play in those opportunities might've secured the role moving forward. He's become an important player on the team and it was important to keep him in Minnesota.

It was a fun, player-retaining, tampering day in Minnesota. Then it wasn't. The Vikings traded receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills.

Vikings receive:
2020 first round pick (#22)
2020 fifth round pick
2020 sixth round pick
2021 fourth round pick

Bills receive:
WR Stefon Diggs
2020 seventh round pick

It was shocking. I was shocked. I've come to realize that dealing with Diggs can be a chore. I always took his quirkiness to be interesting. Being a little different can be a good thing. Obviously, there was more to his quirkiness. For whatever reason, he wanted out. If he wanted out, it probably would've been best if he hadn't signed that contract extension. Whatever. If a player wants out, it's probably best to accommodate him. Things tend to fester. Things rarely get better. At least the Vikings received a nice draft haul from the Bills. In the past two decades the Vikings have unloaded Randy Moss, Percy Harvin, and now Diggs. Each was one of my favorite players, if not my favorite player, on each of those teams. I like receivers. Especially, supremely talented receivers. I always have. I always will. It sucks to lose another one. I survived the previous the loss of Moss and Harvin. I'll survive the loss of Diggs. Hopefully, the Vikings will do a better job of replacing him than they did the previous two.

A fun, active first tampering day in Minnesota ended with some tears. Skol!

It's Tagging Time

The players voting for the CBA over the weekend allows the NFL's 2020 free agency to proceed under new rules. The legal tampering of potential free agents begins today at noon ET. Teams have until one minute before that to slap the franchise tag on one of their soon-to-be free agents. Seven teams have already done so:

Baltimore Ravens-Matthew Judon, LB
Denver Broncos-Justin Simmons, S
Jacksonville Jaguars-Yannick Ngakoue, DE
Kansas City Chiefs-Chris Jones, DT
Los Angeles Chargers-Hunter Henry, TE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Shaquil Barrett
Washington Redskins-Brandon Scherff, G

More players can expect their teams to restrict their movement in a similar fashion over the next couple of hours. Some of the most likely:

Dallas Cowboys-Dak Prescott, QB
Cincinnati Bengals-A.J. Green, WR
New York Giants-Leonard Williams, DL
Pittsburgh Steelers-Bud Dupree, Edge
San Francisco 49ers-Arik Armstead, DL
Tennessee Titans-Derrick Henry, RB

There's some talk that the Titans could choose to tag offensive tackle Jack Conklin rather than their beast of a back. For now, I'm going with the player that makes their offense go.

I've yet to see a reporting of this year's franchise tag numbers (the CBA uncertainty likely prevented that). Former agent Joel Corry recently posted these projections on Twitter:

QB: $26.824M
RB: $10.278M
WR: $17.865M
TE: $10.607M
OL: $14.781M
DE: $17.788M
DT: $16.126M
LB: $15.829M
CB: $$16.338M
S: $11.441M
P/K: $5.105M

It's a mystery as to why the NFL sees fit to break down the defensive line positions but not the offensive line positions. The same goes for the linebackers and the linebackers that do nothing but rush the passer. Just make it an edge position!

It's tagging time!

There has been some belly-aching from many talking heads over free agency beginning on time at this chaotic time. My first thought is "I have to go to work." Most of the people that are complaining are still working. The world hasn't completely stopped. The world can't completely stop. If everyone involved in the free agency process is being smart, doing things the right way, following imposed and self-imposed restrictions, why not do what can still be done? Besides, maybe we can use a little bit of a distraction right now. One other thing, it's been reported that the NFLPA wanted to start free agency as scheduled. So, those that are criticizing the NFL for not delaying the start of free agency should redirect their rage.

Update: In another example of “he said, she said” NFLPA’s DeMaurice Smith said that the NFL didn’t ask for player’s input on the start of free agency. It looks like this decision is on the NFL. Still, I agree with the decision to start free agency. IF everyone is smart about it and take proper and prescribed precautions. I’ll be following free agency FROM WORK. Someone has to do it.

The CBA Passes!

The NFL has a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The voting of the players ended at midnight and the votes are now known.

1,019 (51.5 %) of the players voted in favor of the new CBA.
959 (48.5%) were opposed.
A 60-vote margin. A single vote margin was all that was needed.

There are roughly 2500 dues-paying members in the NFLPA. 1978 (~79%) of those players voted. NFL Network's Steve Wyche stated that was a strong turnout. I'm not so sure I see it that way. Over 20% of the players decided not to take part in the voting. One in five players. On average, one player on every team's starting offensive line decided not to vote. It was a 60-vote margin. Over 500 players didn't vote. Perhaps an ~80% player turnout is strong but a 60-vote margin is so slim.

The good news:
Continued labor peace. That's huge.

The bad news:
The NFL owners get their 17th game. It probably wouldn't be a stretch to say that this was the only thing that the owners wanted. They would've given the players all of the breezy practices they desired if the players would agree to a 17th game. It's all about the money. Roger Goodell can bellow til he can bellow no more that all that the league does is for the fans. It's all for more money. I'm a firm believer that great football games will continue to bring everyone involved fantastic sums of money. Adding games does not guarantee better games. Money and the physical well-being of the players were held in balance and money won. Again. When it comes to people with plenty of it, money will always win.

Some of the CBA's particulars:

The 17th game will have a window to pop on the NFL schedule of 2021-2023. As can be seen by it being an odd number this will cause scheduling questions/problems/difficulties. Basically, it's a stupid deal. Apparently, the most likely solution is that one year the NFC teams get the extra home game and the AFC gets it the next year. And so on, and so on. Until the owners force an 18th game on the players in about ten years.

In-season and offseason practices will get even easier for the players. The coaches are going to love this. It makes no sense that my high school football and college rugby practices were more grueling than anything that NFL players go through these days.

NFL rosters will increase in size. The active roster on game day will go from 46 to 48 players, and one of the extra players has to be an offensive lineman. Practice squads will increase to 12 players in 2020 and 2021 and to 14 players starting in 2022. Two practice-squad players each week can be elevated to the team's active roster, meaning that the roster during the week will effectively be 55. Apparently the league believes that this will help spread out the wear and tear players that a 17th game will inflict upon the players. At best, this will spare a player or two a snap or two. What the league considers a concession has never ceased to amaze me. More jobs for players is a very good thing.

So, it's done. The NFL and the NFLPA have a new CBA. We have labor peace in the NFL. That's a very good thing.

And, the 2020 salary cap has been set at $198.2 million.

It's Roster Trimming Time

The Minnesota Vikings were going to have some tough decisions to make this offseason. They made a couple of those decisions yesterday. They probably made the decisions weeks ago. They acted upon those decisions yesterday. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes, defensive tackle Linval Joseph, and tight end David Morgan were released. The Vikings entered this offseason with a whisper of salary cap room. Releasing Rhodes, Joseph, and Morgan boosted the available cap room from just over $1 million to about $20 million. The players were considered likely salary cap casualties but that's not entirely accurate. They were probably released more for performance issues than salary cap issues. Rhodes clearly hasn't been the same player that he was as recently as 2017. Injuries were a factor in 2018 but his play continued to decline through last season. Joseph also battled through injury issues the last couple seasons but even when healthy he wasn't destroying opposing linemen and crushing the run like he'd done in the past. If both players had played in 2019 as they'd played for so many years, the Vikings likely would've looked elsewhere for salary cap relief. Morgan is a whole other issue. An injury and surgeries to fix that injury kept him out for the entirety of the 2019 offseason and season. He was on the final year of his rookie deal last season. As a fifth round pick, his contract was a relatively itty-bitty $735,000. That barely registers in comparison to the cap savings of releasing Rhodes and Joseph. Since Morgan didn't play at all last season the final year of his contract was scheduled to "toll" into the 2020 season. If he didn't pass a physical, the Vikings would be committed to that contract. They decided not to take that gamble. If Morgan is healthy enough to continue playing in the league, the only thing that might keep the Vikings from bringing him back is the Kyle Rudolph, Irv Smith Jr., and Tyler Conklin trio of tight ends. Morgan's blocking is something that none of that trio brings. For that reason alone, I'd like to see the team re-sign Morgan. If he's healthy.

This is one of the toughest aspects of being a fan of a sports team. Xavier Rhodes and Linval Joseph were excellent football players. They were significant contributors to one of the best defenses in the league. From about 2015 and through 2017, Rhodes was arguably the best cornerback in the league. I would've taken him over any other corner. He took some of the league's most dangerous receivers away from their team. Rhodes Closed. He was a fast, physical blanket of a corner. Joseph was simply a wall on the interior of the defensive line. Once he settled himself in the defense in his second year with the team there were stretches of games that he just took over. The opponents run game no longer existed. He was a consistent presence in the offensive backfield. Rhodes and Joseph were team leaders. They were on-field coaches to the younger players. By all accounts, both were wonderful people on and off the field. Personally, both were among my favorite Vikings players. Now, and throughout the team's history. I already miss them.

There's always a chance that the Vikings bring them back at a more team-friendly deal. I think that's probably more likely for Joseph than Rhodes. Presently, I wouldn't count on either.

Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50: 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings 3.0

NFL Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his third Top 50 Draft Prospect Rankings. His third posted ranking of the prospects is the post-Combine, pre-Pro Days ranking. That makes it significant in that only tweaks to it should follow. I still can't seem to find Evan Weaver or Ashtyn Davis.

1.   Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State
2.   Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
3.   Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson
4.   Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
5.   Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
6.   Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
7.   Tua Tagavailoa, QB, Alabama
8.   Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
9.   CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
10. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
11. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
12. Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
13. Trsitan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
14. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
15. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
16. D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
17. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
18. Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
19. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
20. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
21. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
22. Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
23. Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
24. A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa
25. K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
26. Austin Jackson, OT, USC
27. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
28. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
29. Jaylon Johnson, S, Utah
30. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
31. Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State
32. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
33. Grant Delpit, S, LSU
34. Marlon Davidson, Edge, Auburn
35. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
36. Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
37. Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan
38. Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin
39. Joshua Jones, OT, Houston
40. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
41. Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
42. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
43. Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M
44. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
45. Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
46. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
47. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
48. Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois
49. Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
50. Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State

Biggest Movers
Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State -14
Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado -12
Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin +9
Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma +7
Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State +7
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State -7

Players that joined the Top 50
Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois
Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota

Players that dopped from the Top 50
Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne (#43)
K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State (#46)
Bradlee Anae, Edge, Utah (#48)
Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia (#50)

Throwback Thursday: 10 Best Vikings Free Agent Signings

Due to salary cap issues the Minnesota Vikings aren't expected to be too active in this year's free agency spending spree. They are rarely big players whether they have the cap room to do so or not. Despite that, they have signed some impact players over the 27 years of NFL free agency. Here are the 10 Best Vikings Free Agent Signings.

10.  Tom Johnson, DT

Tom Johnson's performance with the Vikings was a revelation mostly because it took him so long to hit his stride in the NFL. He played in the Arena Football League, Canadian Football League, and NFL Europe before he found a spot with the New Orleans Saints in 2011 at 27. He really found his place in the NFL with the Vikings in 2014. Johnson was a terrific interior pass rusher. So terrific that he's one of the best Vikings free agent signings. His impact on the pass rush is reminiscent of the one made by Lance Johnstone over a decade ago. Actually, Johnstone is a player that nearly made this list.  

9.  Ben Leber, LB

Ben Leber was a consistently solid linebacker for the Vikings from 2006-10. He had a great knack for making big plays in crucial moments. The linebacker trio that Leber formed with Chad Greenway and E.J. Henderson was one of the best in franchise history.

8.  Ryan Longwell, K

A kicker! The only thing that keeps Ryan Longwell from being ranked higher is the position that he played. Longwell was an excellent kicker for each of his six seasons in Minnesota. He's in the argument for best kicker in Vikings franchise history.

7.  Chester Taylor, RB 

Chester Taylor had an outstanding first season for the Vikings in 2006. He probably would have had several more in Minnesota if not for the surprising arrival of Adrian Peterson in the 2007 NFL Draft. Taylor's playing time was cut drastically but he remained an effective complimentary back to Peterson. The two formed an excellent combo.

6. Corey Chavous, S

Corey Chavous came to Minnesota as a corner in 2002 but really found his home with a switch to safety. His 2003 season was simply outstanding. That was the year in which he often seemed to be the only Vikings player on the field that had any interest in playing defense. He earned the only Pro Bowl bid of his career that season. Smart football player. 

5.  Pat Williams, DT

Defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams formed the "Williams Wall." No one ran on the "Williams Wall." It was remarkable to watch Pat Williams move short distances. He was so big but got through the line so fast. He was a lot of fun to watch.

4.  Linval Joseph, DT

Linval Joseph has been awesome for the past few seasons. The only knock on his play are the games that he didn't play. Injuries kept him out of a couple. When healthy, he's one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league. He's been a defensive cornerstone since he joined the team in 2014.

3. Kirk Cousins, QB

The signing of Kirk Cousins at the start of 2018 spending spree was the Vikings' most aggressive free agent signing. He gets loads of criticism but his passing numbers compare to those of any quarterback over the last two seasons. Cousins was signed to lead a talented Vikings team to a Super Bowl win. He hasn't done that yet. He'll soar to the top of this list if he does.

2.  Steve Hutchinson, G

Steve Hutchinson might have been the team MVP in 2006. He quickly changed the level of play and attitude of the Vikings offensive line. And as a result the entire offense. He was an outstanding football player for all of his six seasons in Minnesota. He's heading to Canton this summer.  

1.  Antoine Winfield, CB

Antoine Winfield's signing in 2004 was the Vikings first true venture into big time free agency. They merely dabbled the first ten years. They struck gold with Winfield. He played for the Vikings for nine years and was fantastic for nine years. He made it to three Pro Bowls. He should have been to more. It was a real treat to be witness to his football career. He won't get much Hall of Fame consideration but he's in my Hall of Fame. A great, fun football player.

***

The Minnesota Vikings have rarely gotten too involved in free agency. The Cousins, Hutchinson, and Winfield signings were the biggest but they were and are rare. A low free agency profile is the norm. That's why 2006 was such a surprise. In Brad Childress' first season as head coach the Vikings really dove into free agency. Four players on this list were signed that year. Steve Hutchinson, Chester Taylor, Ryan Longwell, and Ben Leber. That offseason was a bonanza and Vikings fans were delirious. All four helped form the foundation of a team that improved each season. A team that ended up being a play away from the Super Bowl in 2009. 

The Comp Picks Are In!

The Compensatory Picks for the 2020 NFL Draft were announced yesterday. The 32 picks were awarded to 15 teams that lost more in free agency last year than they gained. The picks are added at the end of rounds 3-7. Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.

Here is the full list of compensatory picks:

Round 3
97.   Houston Texans
98.   New England Patriots
99.   New York Giants
100. New England Patriots
101. Seattle Seahawks
102. Pittsburgh Steelers
103. Philadelphia Eagles
104. Los Angeles Rams
105. Minnesota Vikings
106. Baltimore Ravens

Round 4
139. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
140. Chicago Bears
141. Miami Dolphins
142. Washington Redskins
143. Baltimore Ravens
144. Seattle Seahawks
145. Philadelphia Eagles
146. Philadelphia Eagles

Round 5
178. Denver Broncos
179. Dallas Cowboys

Round 6
212. New England Patriots
213. New England Patriots
214. Seattle Seahawks

Round 7
247. New York Giants
248. Houston Texans
249. Minnesota Vikings
250. Houston Texans
251. Miami Dolphins
252. Denver Broncos
253. Minnesota Vikings
254. Denver Broncos
255. New York Giants

It's astonishing that the Vikings received a couple seventh round picks for the combined free agency losses of Tom Compton, Nick Easton, and Trevor Siemian.

Picks by team:

4 picks
New England Patriots

3 picks
Minnesota Vikings
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks

2 picks
Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins

1 pick
Chicago Bears
Dallas Cowboys
Los Angeles Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Redskins

The Baltimore Ravens have worked the Compensatory Pick system more than most teams since it's implementation in 1994. The two picks that they were awarded this year marks a down year for them. Seeing as they added Mark Ingram and Earl Thomas in free agency it's remarkable that they received even two extra picks. The Minnesota Vikings' philosophy over the years has been to retain the players that they draft and develop. In doing so they have lost few players to free agency. As a result, they haven't been awarded very many Compensatory Picks over the years. The three picks that they received this year is a bonanza.

Most Compensatory Picks since 1994: 

Ravens  52
Cowboys  43
Patriots  43
Packers  42
Rams  37
Bengals  35
Eagles  35
Steelers  33
Seahawks  32
49ers  31
Titans  30
Bills  28
Giants  28
Cardinals  26
Chiefs  25
Vikings  25
Broncos  24
Colts  23
Dolphins  22
Falcons  21
Lions  21
Raiders  21
Chargers  20
Buccaneers  20

The Ravens have won a couple Super Bowls as they've refined their manipulation of the Compensatory Pick system. The Patriots have seen a fair amount of success as well.

Family Ties

This is one of those draft endeavors that can be considered fun or sad. Maybe both. This is a Minnesota Vikings mock draft with Family Ties. It's possible, but highly unlikely, that the Vikings could draft several players with a familial relationship to past, and one current, Vikings.

Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
J.R. Reed, S, Georgia

That would be a fun group. If the Vikings were to do such a thing they would have to select Trevon Diggs and Antoine Winfield Jr. in the first and second rounds. And that's assuming that both make it to the team's respective picks in the first and second round. They could probably select Thaddeus Moss and J.R. Reed with Day 3 picks.

The Family Ties:
Trevon Diggs is the younger brother of current Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs.
Antoine Winfield Jr. is obviously the son of former Vikings safety Antoine Winfield.
Thaddeus Moss is the son of Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss.
J.R. Reed is the son of former Vikings receiver Jake Reed.

While I continue to think that the Vikings should select an offensive tackle in the first round, I would be happy if the team's decision-makers decide that Diggs is the pick in the first round. Cornerback is a significant team need and he has nice size, ball skills, and loads of potential. Diggs arrived at Alabama as a receiver but was eventually moved to corner. He's still learning the position. Also, as a former high-level collegiate receiver he brings a unique experience and perspective to the defensive side of the ball.

Antoine Winfield is one of my favorite players in franchise history. Many of the terrific traits (field awareness, tackling, feistiness, and toughness) that Senior had appears to have been passed down to Junior. As a result, Junior is one of my favorite players in this draft. I get the feeling that he could be selected anywhere between the Vikings' pick in the first and their pick in the second. If the team likes Junior as much as I like Junior they might have to take him with that first pick or trade up for him in the second. No matter how it plays out I'd be thrilled if Antoine Winfield's kid continues the family legacy in Minnesota. And safety is a team need.

It would be fun to have Randy Moss' kid on the Vikings but tight end isn't really a need. I don't really know enough about J.R. Reed at this point in the draft evaluation process.

It's fun to see these kids, and brother, of Vikings' players follow in the family business. Even if the Vikings don't draft any of them I'll follow each of their NFL careers with great interest.

A Minnesota Vikings Free Agent Refresher

The Minnesota Vikings, and the other 31 NFL teams, are a week away from the chaos of the "tampering window." That's the two-day prelude to free agency in which all of the illegal discussions/negotiations that have been going on for weeks can be done legally. It's a fun time. Free agents can agree to deals with new teams but they can't sign those deals until the actual start of free agency on Wednesday, March 18 at 4pm ET. But the "legal tampering" begins a week from today.

The Vikings have some work to do between now and next week. They have more work than most teams because they presently have so little cap room to do that work. According to the salary cap maestros at Over the Cap, the Vikings are about $1.4 million under the projected salary cap. They might get a few more million if the actual salary cap is higher than current projections. Either way, that isn't much room with which to play the free agency game.

The Vikings have the following players set to become free agents on Wednesday, March 18 at 4pm ET.

Unrestricted Free Agents
Anthony Harris
Everson Griffen
Trae Waynes
Andrew Sendejo
Mackensie Alexander
Marcus Sherels
Jayron Kearse
Kentrell Brothers
Stephen Weatherly
Sean Mannion
Ameer Abdullah
Laquan Treadwell
Rashod Hill
Dakota Dozier
Brett Jones
Dan Bailey
Britton Colquitt

Restricted Free Agents
C.J. Ham
Eric Wilson

Unfortunately, many of the above won't be back. The top of my "wish list" for return is safety Anthony Harris. I'd be real surprised if that happened. He's due for a big contract and the Vikings simply aren't in position to meet that. Harrison Smith is a well-compensated safety. The team can't afford a second well-compensated safety. The money is better spent elsewhere.

I'm expecting defensive end Everson Griffen to return. Last month, he opted out of the remaining years of his contract but the Vikings would like to bring him back at a lower contract number. It sounds like both sides are interested in this happening so I'm expecting that it will.

But the Vikings won't be able to bring Griffen, or pretty much anyone, with only $1.4 million available. Some contract juggling will have to happen over the next week. Contract extensions for quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Dalvin Cook could create more cap room. Some restructuring of current pricey contracts could create even more room. Finally, unfortunately, a player, or two or more, could be cut as a cap casualty. The Vikings will have to do a few things over the next week in order to create cap space. They have to sign some of their own free agents. They won't be able to be big players in the league's free agent market but they will have to sign some players to round out the roster.

I believe that the Vikings have to re-sign the following:

Dan Bailey
Britton Colquitt
C.J. Ham
Eric Wilson

I start with those four because I think that they need to be re-signed and they shouldn't be too expensive to re-sign.

Harrison Smith is currently the only safety on the roster that is signed for the 2020 season. Something has to be done with this position. Anthony Harris played his way out of the Vikings' budget. Andrew Sendejo and/or Jayron Kearse could be brought back for some experienced safety depth or as a projected starter. The cornerback position is also set to take a free agency hit. Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander could sign elsewhere and Xavier Rhodes could be a salary cap casualty. Those have been the team's top three corners for the past few years. Perhaps it's time for a complete overhaul at the position. The Vikings do have some young players like Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, and Kris Boyd that might be ready for much more significant roles. Maybe the Vikings find a way to keep one of Waynes or Alexander to keep some continuity and a little leadership at the position.

At defensive end, I'm expecting Griffen to back and I'd like to see Stephen Weatherly return. On the offensive line, it'd be nice to re-sign one or more of Rashod Hill, Dakota Dozier, and Brett Jones. Each would provide valuable depth at their positions.

So, I'd like to see the Vikings do what they need to do over the next week to, at the minimum, bring back the following:

Everson Grffen
Stephen Weatherly
Andrew Sendejo
Rashod Hill
Dakota Dozier
Dan Bailey
Britton Colquitt
C.J. Ham
Eric Wilson

Griffen probably takes the biggest chunk of the limited, available cap space but it shouldn't be a crippling amount. Whatever needs to happen for the Vikings to craft their 2020 roster should start happening in the coming days.