Vikings Training Camp Superlatives

The following was bouncing around social media last week. I only saw it among fans of the Minnesota Vikings so I'm not sure if it had a league-wide run. I wasn't sure what to call it but a Vikings podcaster referred to it as "Training Camp Superlatives." That works. I'll steal it and run with it.

Minnesota Vikings Superlatives

Breakout Guy: Kirk Cousins
A string of 4,000-yard, 25+ TD seasons might say that Cousins has already broken out. With that $84 million, three-year contract, Cousins has to be more than nice throwing numbers. He has to win. He has to break out in leading his team to wins. And Championships.

Comeback Kid: Dalvin Cook
This one is easy. His rookie season ended after 3.5 games last year. He was trending toward elite in those 3.5 games. Quarterbacks are critical in today's NFL. Cousins is critical to the Vikings offense. But the Vikings offense will probably run through Cook.

Rising Star: Stefon Diggs
This was a tossup between Diggs and Danielle Hunter. An argument can be made that Diggs is already a star. The only thing that's kept him from erasing doubts about his star status has been his durability. He's missed time each season and that's stunted his stats. When he's on the field, Diggs is one of the league's best receivers.

Don't Forget About: Laquon Treadwell
A lot of people have written Treadwell off as a first round bust. I'm not one of them. Treadwell just has to get out of his own way, out of his own head. He just has to start playing football again. The talent and desire are there. I'm hoping that a new quarterback and new offensive coordinator will bring a new sense of confidence to Treadwell. Football is fun. He just has to remember that.

Needs To Rebound: Rashod Hill
The Vikings offensive line was much improved last year. There's still a lot of room for more improvement. Hill was solid when for most of the season but seemed to wear down as the year got longer. He improved his diet and conditioning in the offseason. The Vikings need consistency from him at right tackle. He may need that consistency to fend off second-round pick Brian O'Neill.

Darkhorse: Devante Downs
As a Cal alum, this is a homer pick. He was a difference-making defender until a knee injury ended his season last October. If not for that injury he likely would've been an early round pick. If he can stay on the field throughout training camp he could surprise.

Under The Radar: Tyler Conklin
The Vikings need another receiving option at tight end. They also need a uniquely skilled red zone option. Conklin can be that guy.

Most Intriguing: Sheldon Richardson
Richardson's signing this offseason was a little overlooked because it came a day after the signing of Cousins. Richardson has been one of the most disruptive interior linemen since he entered the league. The Vikings defense has been terrific in recent years despite not having a consistent penetrating presence at the 3-technique position. It's the shortest route to the quarterback and action in the backfield. When he's at the top of his game Richardson can ruin the intentions of the offense as efficiently as any interior lineman in the league.

Another 10 Things

Football is often on my mind. With all 32 NFL teams in preparation for the 2018 season and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions on Saturday a lot of football things have been occupying my thoughts. Here are 10 of them.

1. Tony Sparano.

2. Is Canton on Enshrinement weekend heaven? I'll have my second crack at finding out this week.

3. The Pac-12 has an intriguing group of head coaches.

Cal: Justin Wilcox
Stanford: David Shaw
USC: Clay Helton
UCLA: Chip Kelly
Washington: Chris Petersen
Washington State: Mike Leach
Oregon: Mario Cristobal
Oregon State: Jonathan Smith
Arizona: Kevin Sumlin
Arizona State: Herm Edwards
Utah: Kyle Whittingham
Colorado: Mike MacIntyre

Of those, Kelly, Cristobal, Smith, Sumlin, and Edwards are new to their respective jobs. In Kelly, Sumlin, and Edwards, have there ever been a more experienced trio of newbies? Wilcox is only in his second season at Cal. So, half of the Pac-12 head coaches have turned over in the last two years.

4. I believe that Cal is flying under the "under the radar" level. Wilcox has the team headed in the right direction. The four years of Cal football under Sonny Dykes was tough to watch. Some fans love the up-tempo, score-in-a-minute offenses of Dykes and his wacky pals. I'm don't. Dykes gives about zero thought to his own defense. Opponents might as well be playing against air. For four years Cal's defense was horrible, tackling was horrible, coverage was horrible, it was horrible to watch. Cal football in the 1980s, when 2-3 win seasons were the norm, was more interesting and more entertaining than the one-sided teams that Dykes put on the field. Wilcox had the defense playing at a respectable level last season with players that Dykes recruited. That just goes to show what some coaching, let alone interest in that side of the ball, can do for a football team. I like what Wilcox has done in a very short time and I feel bad for SMU fans.

5. Perhaps this interests only me. I'm attending my second Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Saturday. The first was in 2013. Here's that class.

Cris Carter
Jonathan Ogden
Warren Sapp
Larry Allen
Bill Parcells
Dave Robinson
Curley Culp

Here's the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class:

Randy Moss
Ray Lewis
Brian Urlacher
Brian Dawkins
Terrell Owens
Jerry Kramer
Elvin Bethea
Bobby Beathard

I couldn't help but notice some similarities between the two classes. Those similarities start with the Vikings receivers (Carter and Moss) that are the reason for my two Canton visits. Then we have the two Ravens cornerstone players (Ogden and Lewis), two players from the great Lombardi Packer teams (Robinson and Kramer), and two players from the Oilers defense of the 1970s (Culp and Brazile). There's some Hall of Fame trivial fun.

6. The injury misfortune of the Los Angeles Chargers is just ridiculous. They lost emerging tight end Hunter Henry for the season during the offseason with an ACL tear. Then, they lost cornerback Jason Verrett for the season during a conditioning test. A conditioning test! Training camp hadn't even started and two impact players are done for the season. One would think that the odds might settle and they'd get a slight injury break. Not for these Chargers. They lost another tight end. Austin Roberts is done for the season with a torn ACL.

7. I've had more than four months to get used to Kirk Cousins being the Vikings quarterback but there are still moments that it startles me.

8. Offensive tackles are getting paid. That's a good thing. Offensive linemen deserve love too. Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith might be wishing that he hadn't signed that 8-year deal four years ago.

9. I found these Jay Cutler nuggets in the recent Sports Illustrated.

On Change:
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it..or don't. Whatever."

On Opportunity:
"Some people want it to happen. Some wish it would happen. And others...don't really care that much."

On Perseverance:
"I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I have stopped trying."

On Success:
"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's how comfy it is down there. Is there a soft bed? I like beds."

How the hell did this guy make it through the academic rigors of Vanderbilt let alone make it to the NFL?

10. The Joneses, as in Jerry and Stephen, are idiots. The NFL has made a mess of the anthem issue. Such a mess, that I wouldn't have thought anyone could make it worse. The Dallas clowns are making it worse. Jerry says that his players HAVE to stand. Stephen says that the players HAVE to stand IF they want to remain on the team. A couple things. First, the league's ridiculous anthem policy is on hold. There's no reason to speak about it. Even if it wasn't on hold they are going against that policy. Not only are they going against it Junior Jones is giving an ultimatum. I guess that the Joneses don't like playing by the rules. Second, the league and players association are finally discussing the matter. That's why the policy is on hold. Again, there's no reason to speak about it. Junior says that team ownership is supportive of their players, their issues, and their interests. They aren't. There's nothing supportive about forcing your social and political views on a group of people. Junior says: "when you're wearing the Dallas Cowboys uniform and a Dallas Cowboys helmet and you're working for the Dallas Cowboys, you check the 'I' and the 'me' at the door and you're part of a team." That's not supportive. Wasn't there a Supreme Court case that ruled that children couldn't be forced to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance? So, the Joneses fascist plans aren't just going against current league policy, whatever that might be, they run against the law of the land.

Vikings Coaching Changes

The Minnesota Vikings were forced to make some coaching changes for the worst possible reason. Offensive line coach Tony Sparano is no longer with us. As long as a player coached by Sparano plays and a coach that coached with him coaches, he will be a part of the game. Unfortunately, the Vikings had to adjust to his physical absence. Head coach Mike Zimmer addressed those adjustments yesterday and continuity held.

Zimmer announced that the team has made Clancy Barone and Andrew Janocko co-offensive line coaches. Barone was coaching tight ends and Janocko was assisting Sparano. Viewing from my comfy chair it felt like the logical decision. It keeps the voices, routines, techniques, and terminology the same. It maintains continuity. Barone has been coaching for about 30 years with about half of those years coming in the NFL. He's coached the offensive line, tight ends, and been an offensive coordinator during his career. His most recent offensive line coaching was that of the Super Bowl-winning Denver Broncos. Janocko has been with the Vikings since 2015 and this is his second season with the offensive line. Offensive assistant coach Todd Downing will step in for Barone as the tight ends coach. Downing was hired in February as a senior offensive assistant. He was a promising coach, despite a rocky 2017 season in Oakland, without a job and the Vikings created one for him. He's been moving up and around the NFL since 2001. The first four of those years were in Minnesota. Having an extra offensive coach on hand was fortuitous when tragedy hit and they needed one. Downing hasn't coached tight ends but the Vikings have a couple coaches on staff that have, Barone and quarterback coach Kevin Stafanski. The coaches will lean on each other to get through this.

During the past week there was speculation that the Vikings might look outside the organization for a new offensive line coach. Former Vikings offensive line and head coach Mike Tice was mentioned as a possibility. There were reports that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians had contacted the Vikings to recommend Harold Goodwin. Who knows if the Vikings decision-makers considered those possibilities? I don't. I do know that looking outside the organization didn't feel right. The Vikings have stressed a family atmosphere in recent years. At this late date in the process, the eve of training camp, looking anywhere but within simply felt wrong. 

Vikings Training Camp Battles

The Minnesota Vikings takes the field today for their first full team training camp practice. This is their first camp that's not in Mankato since 1965. Spectacular, new TCO Performance Center in Eagan is now their year-round home. The rookies reported for training camp on Tuesday. The veterans reported yesterday/ Today they take the field.

Expectations for the Vikings are as high as they've ever been. There was an NFC Championship game appearance last year. It was a very disappointing appearance but they were right there. A step from the Super Bowl. The Vikings are a young, talented team right in the middle of a Championship window. They just needed consistency at the all-important quarterback position. That's why Kirk Cousins was signed to a fully guaranteed, three-year, 84 million dollar contract. A young, talented team in the middle of a Championship window should be fairly set at most, if not all, positions and the Vikings are. That doesn't mean that the roster is set. Far from it. There will still be a lot of competition for roster spots. There are even a few starting jobs up for grabs. Here are some of the most interesting training camp battles that begins today.

Right side of the offensive line

The left side of the line appears set with Riley Reiff at tackle, Nick Easton at guard, and Pat Elflein at center. Nearly every fan and talking head has a favorite combination on the right side. Head coach Mike Zimmer has said on at least two occasions that Mike Remmers will move from tackle to guard. Unless second-year Danny Isidora, rookie Colby Gossett, or perhaps veteran free agent addition Tom Compton shines at guard during training camp and preseason, it appears that Remmers will be the Vikings right guard this season. That leaves Rashod Hill at the top of the right tackle depth chart at the start of camp. Second-round pick Brian O'Neill will be in contention but could be a year away from starting. He's new to the offensive line and he needs gain NFL size and strength. If he isn't there physically he's well on his way mentally. O'Neill was interviewed this week following the sad passing of offensive line coach Tony Sparano. In a very difficult situation he came across as an eventual team leader.

While all five offensive line positions might appear fairly set it's probably safe to say that Reiff and Elflein are the only two that are assured of starting jobs. There could be a shakeup at the other three positions. For all anyone really knows, left guard, right guard, and right tackle could be manned by recent draft picks Isidora, Gossett, and O'Neill.

Offensive line has been an issue for the Vikings for a few years. There was improvement last year to hit the league "average" level. Maybe a little above. They need further improvement. Competition should help the starters improve their play. It should also help the depth.

Third Running back

Dlavin Cook is the starter. Latavius Murray gives the Vikings a potent duo. The third option at running back is up for grabs and the contenders are veteran Mack Brown and rookie undrafted free agents Roc Thomas and Mike Boone. Thomas and Boone weren't drafted but they are draftable talents. Off-the-field issues (Thomas-character, Boone-injuries) kept them from being drafted. If the issues are behind them, the Vikings might have lucked into players that can play in the NFL. This competition could make the second half of preseason games 1-3 and all of preseason game 4 very interesting. I think that the third running back competition will be one of the most interesting and will ultimately come down to Thomas and Boone.

Receivers 4-6

The Vikings receivers 1-3 are set with Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and Laquon Treadwell. Most assume that free agent addition Kendall Wright is safe as the fourth receiver. It's up for grabs after that. Second-year Stacy Coley is the front-runner for #5 simply by being a second-year draft pick. He has the talent but he really needs a break from injuries. He has to stay on the field. The question then becomes whether the Vikings keep five or six receivers. If it's five, Coley will have to fend off Cayleb Jones, CFL-import Brandon Zylstra, free agent addition Tavarres King, and undrafted rookies Korey Robertson, Jake Wieneke, Chad Beebe, and Jeff Badet. For what it's worth, Zimmer singled out Beebe at the conclusion of offseason workouts and coaches have spoken highly of Zylstra. If I had to guess I'm guessing that the Vikings go with five receivers and Coley has a slight edge over Zylstra for that final spot. If it does come down to those two it'll come down to Coley's athletic ability vs. Zylstra's 6'3" 220 lb size. Some of the young competitors are talented. That talent, rather than actual need, could force the Vikings to keep six receivers.

Defensive line

The starters are set. Everson Griffen, Sheldon Richardson, Linval Joseph, and Danielle Hunter form one of the best defensive fronts in the league. As important as the starters is the depth. The line rotation will be critical for season-long success. The pass rush wasn't much of a factor in the playoffs as the starters appeared to wear down. Second-year defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson and rookie Jalyn Holmes are expected to provide depth on the interior. There are a bunch of players fighting for playing time and roster spots at defensive end. Veteran Brian Robison is a team leader and first off the bench. He's still an impact player. It'd be a surprise if he isn't on the 53-man roster. I'm guessing that the Vikings keep nine defensive linemen. The starters, Johnson, Holmes, and Robison are seven of the nine. Ends Stephen Weatherly and Tashawn Bower were on the roster last year and are likely the leaders for the final two spots to start training camp. Second-year Ifeadi Odenigbo and rookie Ade Aruna will compete with Weatherly and Bower. Aruna is my wildcard for the roster. He's a freakish athlete but he's very raw as a player. If his play can come close that freakish athletic ability it'll be tough to keep him off the roster. The practice squad might be the best place for him this year but I have doubts that the Vikings can get him to the practice squad. The defensive end competition could be the most entertaining of training camp.

Linebacker

The only certainty with the Vikings linebackers is Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. Other than those two standouts, it's all competition. Kentrell Brothers has been Kendricks' backup and would be a lock for the roster if not for his four-game suspension to start the season. As a rookie, Ben Gedeon was the third linebacker in the Vikings base defense last year. That amounted to about a third of the defensive snaps. He'll compete with second-year Eric Wilson to keep the job. So Barr and Kendricks are roster locks. It's likely that Brothers (despite the suspension), Gedeon, and Wilson will be part of the linebacker group. There's a better than decent chance that the Vikings keep six linebackers. Seventh-round pick Devante Downs, undrafted rookies Garrett Dooley, Brett Taylor, and Mike Needham, and second-year Antwione Williams are in the mix for that final roster spot. Downs is my pick for that spot. As a Cal alum I'm probably biased but I saw all of his college games. The only reason he wasn't drafted in the third or fourth round was a knee injury that ended his final season in Berkeley after seven games. He was probably playing better than any other Pac-12 defensive player at the time of the injury. Rushing the quarterback, chasing down runners, coverage, he can do it all. He looked like a bigger version of former Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks. If Downs' knee is fully recovered this summer he'll surprise all the people that aren't expecting much from a seventh-round linebacker.

Kicker

Technically, there's a kicking competition. Rookie Daniel Carlson vs. veteran Kai Forbath. The Vikings selected Carlson in the fifth round. I don't think that they select a kicker in the fifth round thinking that he might not make the team.

All these competitions, and more, start today. Football's back.

Possibly Final Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Roster

The players that currently make up the 90-man Minnesota Vikings roster will be on the TCO Performance Center fields today. The rookies have been on those fields since Wednesday. The veterans join them today. Training camp has finally really started.

The Vikings added undrafted rookie center J.P. Quinn to the roster this week. He played collegiality at Central Michigan and spent part of this offseason with the Indianapolis Colts. Quinn's addition came at the expense of tight end Josiah Price. Pat Elflein was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp. That created the need for an extra center and the opportunity for Quinn.

Quarterbacks
  8 Kirk Cousins
  3 Trevor Siemian
  1 Kyle Sloter
  6 Peter Pujals

Running backs
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Latavius Murray
30 C.J. Ham-fullback
31 Mack Brown
32 Roc Thomas
48 Johnny Stanton-fullback
44 Mike Boone

Receivers
14 Stefon Diggs
19 Adam Thielen
11 Laquon Treadwell
17 Kendall Wright
13 Stacy Coley
12 Tavarres King

16 Cayleb Jones

15 Brandon Zylstra
85 Jeff Badet
18 Korey Robertson
  9 Jake Weineke
84 Chad Beebe

Tight ends
82 Kyle Rudolph
89 David Morgan
83 Tyler Conklin
81 Blake Bell
86 Tyler Hoppes

Offensive line
71 Riley Reiff
62 Nick Easton
65 Pat Elflein
63 Danny Isidora
74 Mike Remmers
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
79 Tom Compton
73 Colby Gossett
76 Aviante Collins
64 Josh Andrews
72 Storm Norton
67 Cornelius Edison

78 Dieugot Joseph
68 Cedrick Lang
59 Chris Gonzalez

51 J.P. Quinn

Defensive line
97 Everson Griffen
93 Sheldon Richardson
98 Linval Joseph
99 Danielle Hunter
96 Brian Robison
94 Jaleel Johnson
92 Jalyn Holmes
91 Stephen Weatherly
90 Tashawn Bower
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
61 Ade Aruna
72 David Parry
66 Curtis Cothran
78 Jonathan Wynn

Linebackers
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
42 Ben Gedeon
40 Kentrell Brothers
50 Eric Wilson
57 Devante Downs
56 Antwione Williams
43 Reshard Cliett
58 Garrett Dooley
45 Brett Taylor
49 Michael Needham

Cornerbacks
29 Xavier Rhodes
26 Trae Waynes
23 Terence Newman
20 Mackensie Alexander
21 Mike Hughes
37 Holton Hill
35 Marcus Sherels
24 Horace Richardson
46 Trevon Mathis
36 Craig James

Safeties
22 Harrison Smith
34 Andrew Sendejo
41 Anthony Harris
27 Jayron Kearse
39 Jack Tocho
38 Tray Matthews

Kicker
  7 Daniel Carlson
  2 Kai Forbath

Punter
  4 Ryan Quigley

Long snapper
47 Kevin McDermott

Throwback Thursday: Another All-Time, Not In The Hall of Fame Team

The 2018 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be inducted in just over a week. Seven of the eight members of that class will be in Canton. Lil Terrell Owens will go it alone and induct himself on his own stage. Should be fun. It's sad that Owens is getting so much attention for throwing another tantrum but that's probably been his plan all along. It's always about him. Enough of this Owens nonsense. Here's another All-Time Team of players not in the Hall of Fame. Unlike other such teams this team is made up of players that have been named to an All-Decade Team. That honor is often viewed as a smaller step to the bigger step of Hall of Fame induction. It doesn't always work that way as being named All-Decade is relative to the quality of players during that decade. There are still a lot of players on an All-Decade Team that are deserving of Hall of Fame consideration.

Quarterback

Cecil Isbell, 1938-42 Green Bay Packers

Running backs

Byron "Whizzer" White, 1938 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1940-41 Detroit Lions
Edgerrin James, 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks

Receivers

Lavvie Dilweg, 1926 Milwaukee Badgers, 1927-34 Green Bay Packers
Mac Speedie, 1946-52 Cleveland Browns

Tight end

* Fred Arbanas, 1962-70 Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs

Tackles

Al Wistert, 1943-51 Philadelphia Eagles
Tony Boselli, 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans

Guards

Bruno Banducci, 1944-45 Philadelphia Eagles, 1946-54 San Francisco 49ers
Steve Hutchinson, 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-11 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans

Center

Ox Emerson, 1931-33 Portsmouth Spartans, 1934-37 Detroit Lions, 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers

Defensive ends

Ed Sprinkle, 1944-55 Chicago Bears
Harvey Martin, 1973-83 Dallas Cowboys

Defensive tackles

Alex Karras, 1958-62/1964-70 Detroit Lions
Richard Seymour, 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-12 Oakland Raiders

Linebackers

Joe Fortunato, 1955-66 Chicago Bears
Tommy Nobis, 1966-76 Atlanta Falcons
Larry Morris, 1955-57 Los Angeles Rams, 1959-65 Chicago Bears, 1966 Atlanta Falcons

Cornerbacks

Bobby Boyd, 1960-68 Baltimore Colts
Lester Hayes, 1977-86 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Safeties

Johnny Robinson, 1960-71, Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs
Steve Atwater, 1989-98 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets

Kicker
Jim Bakken, 1962-78 St. Louis Cardinals

Punter
Sean Landeta, 1985-93 New York Giants, damn near the rest of the league. 

*-Fred Arbanas and Johnny Robinson were All-Time AFL Selections.

One Last Look At The First Round Signing Tracker

We have holdouts. We aren't supposed to have holdouts with these ready-made rookie contracts. This is the eighth year of a CBA that left little to negotiate and put an end to ludicrous rookie deals. It appears agents have finally found some things to negotiate. About a week ago a third of the first round picks remained unsigned. Training camp report dates set deadlines and several of the unsigned players finally signed. First overall pick Baker Mayfield signed last night with the Cleveland Browns opening camp today. Maybe that got the ball rolling to get the remaining unsigned picks signed. We'll soon see.

Officially, we currently have only two holdouts. The Chicago Bears' rookies have been in camp since July 16 and the whole team has been hard at work since July 19. Their hoped for defensive leader for the next decade Roquan Smith has been waiting for more than a week to join his teammates. Sam Darnold has been a holdout since yesterday. If Denzel Ward and Josh Allen can't come to an agreement today with the Browns and Buffalo Bills, respectively, they will join Darnold and Smith in the holdout room.

Four first round holdouts is slight compared to the pre-current CBA days. The only reason this year stood out from the previous seven years was the slow signing rate. At the start of July only about a third of the first round picks were signed. The respective parties were either taking their time or agents were finally finding terms over which they could haggle. My guess is the latter. Agents always find a way. In the grand scheme of things holdouts are only a concern on this side of the process. Players end up signing their deals and the issues are soon forgotten.

Here's one last look at the 2018 first round signing tracker.

1.   Cleveland Browns-Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma-Signed
2.   New York Giants-Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State-Signed
3.   New York Jets-Sam Darnold, QB, USC
4.   Cleveland Browns-Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
5.   Denver Broncos-Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State-Signed
6.   Indianapolis Colts-Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame-Signed
7.   Buffalo Bills-Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
8.   Chicago Bears-Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
9.   San Francisco 49ers-Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame-Signed
10. Arizona Cardinals-Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA-Signed
11. Miami Dolphins-Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama-Signed
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Vita Vea, DT, Washington-Signed
13. Washington Redskins-Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama-Signed
14. New Orleans Saints-Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA-Signed
15. Oakland Raiders-Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA-Signed
16. Buffalo Bills-Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech-Signed
17. Los Angeles Chargers-Derwin James, S, Florida State-Signed
18. Green Bay Packers-Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville-Signed
19. Dallas Cowboys-Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State-Signed
20. Detroit Lions-Frank Ragnow, C/G, Arkansas-Signed
21. Cincinnati Bengals-Billy Price, G, Ohio State-Signed
22. Tennessee Titans-Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama-Signed
23. New England Patriots-Isaiah Wynn, G/T, Georgia-Signed
24. Carolina Panthers-DJ Moore, WR, Maryland-Signed
25. Baltimore Ravens-Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina-Signed
26. Atlanta Falcons-Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama-Signed
27. Seattle Seahawks-Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State-Signed
28. Pittsburgh Steelers-Terrell Edmonds, S, Virginia Tech-Signed
29. Jacksonville Jaguars-Taven Bryan, DT, Florida-Signed
30. Minnesota Vikings-Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida-Signed
31. New England Patriots-Sony Michel, RB, Georgia-Signed
32. Baltimore Ravens-Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville-Signed

The four unsigned first round picks aren't the only unsigned picks. For some reason the San Francisco 49ers are having a slow go of signing their second round pick. Receiver Dante Pettis.

Preseason All-AFC West Team

And finally, it's the AFC West's turn.

Quarterback
Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers

Running Backs
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs

Fullback
Anthony Sherman, Kansas City Chiefs

Receivers
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

Tight end 
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Tackles
Garrett Bolles, Denver Broncos
Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City Chiefs

Guards
Kelechi Osemeli, Oakland Raiders
Forrest Lamp, Los Angeles Chargers

Center
Rodney Hudson, Oakland Raiders

Defensive Ends
Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers

Defensive Tackles
Corey Liuget, Los Angeles Chargers
Eddie Vanderdoes, Oakland Raiders

Linebackers
Von Miller, Denver Broncos
Denzel Perryman, Los Angeles Chargers
Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers

Cornerbacks
Casey Hayward, Los Angeles Chargers
Kendall Fuller, Kansas City Chiefs

Safeties
Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs
Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Kicker 
Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs

Punter
Marquette King, Denver Broncos

Returner
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

RIP Coach

This was supposed to be a week of fun and excitement around the NFL. Training camps are opening, players and coaches are getting down to it. Preparation for the 2018 NFL season is starting. Every team is 0-0. Every team has hope. Then the news broke early yesterday that Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano had passed away. He was only 56.

Football is a sport. A game. It's a job for the players and coaches. It's entertainment for those of us that care even a lick about it. We are often entertained to a degree that the coaches and players that entertain us become heroes, icons, GOATs, whatever. I fear that we sometimes forget that these players and coaches are people too. That they have lives beyond the game. The Vikings lost their offensive line coach. Some fans thought of that first and foremost yesterday because they wondered who would replace Sparano. The football machine must move on. Jeanette Sparano lost her husband. Tony, Andrew, and Ryan Leigh lost their father. Tony and Gabriella lost their grandfather. Mike Zimmer, the Vikings coaches, coaches around the NFL and the college game lost a friend. Hundreds of football players lost a father figure. Sparano coached for over 30 years. He was a football-lifer and he impacted the lives of a lot of people. He even impacted the lives of people he never met. I realized this when Korey Stringer died during the Vikings 2001 training camp. I couldn't understand why the passing of a man I'd never met hit me as if I'd lost a family member. I suppose I discovered then that the Minnesota Vikings had become something more than simple entertainment. Perhaps they always had been. I was an itty-bitty kid in 1970s California learning about football and falling for a team that played in Minnesota. I had to know everything about that team. I had to know everyone tasked with getting the players ready to play on Sundays. Knowing the players was easy. They were the face of the team. They were there in front of me every time they were on TV. I had to get know the people that weren't so easy to know but were part of the team. The coaches, trainers, equipment staff. Fred Zamberletti to Eric Sugarman. Stubby Eason to Dennis Ryan. John Michels to Tony Sparano. All of the people in the Vikings organization were becoming something much more than entertainment to me. I certainly didn't realize it then. I was a kid. I started to get an inkling to these feelings when I was stunned more than I anticipated at the sudden passing of Chip Myers in 1999. He'd just been tapped to replace Brian Billick as the Vikings offensive coordinator and a month later he he was gone. Then I was simply floored by the death of Korey Stringer. Now, Tony Sparano. Last week I watched a video of him talking about his players on the offensive line. It just doesn't seem possible that he's gone.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Sparano family and everyone that actually knew him. I am so sorry.

RIP Coach.

Preseason All-AFC South Team

It's the AFC South's turn.

Quarterback
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Running Backs
Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

Fullback
Tommy Bohanon, Jacksonville Jaguars

Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
TY Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

Tight end 
Stephen Anderson, Houston Texans

Tackles
Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans
Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans

Guards
Andrew Norwell, Jacksonville Jaguars
Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts

Center
Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts

Defensive Ends
J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars

Defensive Tackles
Jurrell Casey, Tennessee Titans
D.J. Reader, Houston Texans

Linebackers
Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans
Benardrick McKinney, Houston Texans
Telvin Smith, Jacksonville Jaguars

Cornerbacks
Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars
A.J. Bouye, Jacksonville Jaguars

Safeties
Tyrann Mathieu, Houston Texans
Malik Hooker, Indianapolis Colts

Kicker 
Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts

Punter
Brett Kern, Tennessee Titans

Returner
Adoree' Jackson, Tennessee Titans

Preseason All-AFC East Team

It's the AFC East's turn.

Quarterback
Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Running Backs
Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins

Fullback
Patrick DiMarco, Buffalo Bills

Receivers
Jordan Matthews, New England Patriots
Robbie Anderson, New York Jets

Tight end 
Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

Tackles
Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins
Marcus Cannon, New England Patriots

Guards
Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots
Josh Sitton, Miami Dolphins

Center
David Andrews, New England Patriots

Defensive Ends
Leonard Williams, New York Jets
Trey Flowers, New England Patriots

Defensive Tackles
Star Lotulelei, Buffalo Bills
Malcolm Brown, New England Patriots

Linebackers
Dont'a Hightower, New England Patriots
Darron Lee, New York Jets
Stephone Anthony, Miami Dolphins

Cornerbacks
Stephon Gilmore, New England Patriots
Tre'Davious White, Buffalo Bills

Safeties
Devin McCourty, New England Patriots
Jamal Adams, New York Jets

Kicker 
Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots

Punter
Matt Haack, Miami Dolphins

Returner
Cordarrelle Patterson, New England Patriots

Preseason All-AFC North Team

Training camps are starting to open across the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens rookies have been at work for more than a week. Their veterans joined them this week. The Chicago Bears brought their full team in this week. In two weeks, the Ravens and Bears will kick off the preseason in Canton with the Hall of Fame game. All 32 teams will be working for the 2018 NFL season by the end of next week. It's happening. The NFL is back. In advance of that I've been picking all-star teams for each of the league's eight divisions. The NFC is in the books. It's the AFC North's turn.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Running Backs
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Fullback
Roosevelt Nix, Pittsburgh Steelerse

Receivers
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

Tight end 
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Tackles
Cordy Glenn, Cincinnati Bengals
Ronnie Stanley. Baltimore Ravens

Guards
Marshall Yanda, Baltimore Ravens
David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers

Center
Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh Steelers

Defensive Ends
Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Defensive Tackles
Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens
Michael Pierce, Baltimore Ravens

Linebackers
Jamie Collins, Cleveland Browns
Christian Kirksey, Cleveland Browns
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Cornerbacks
William Jackson III, Cincinnati Bengals
Jimmy Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Safeties
Eric Weddle, Baltimore Ravens
Jabrill Peppers, Cleveland Browns

Kicker 
Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens

Punter
Sam Koch, Baltimore Ravens

Returner
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers

Throwback Thursday: All-Time Not In The Hall Of Fame Team

With the Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductions approaching, and Jerry Kramer finally being part of the fun, I was thinking about some of the players not honored in Canton. There are enough players worthy of consideration to make a complete team. So I did. An All-Time NFL Team made up of players that are not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Quarterback

Ken Anderson, 1971-86 Cincinnati Bengals

Running backs

Chuck Foreman, 1973-79 Minnesota Vikings, 1980 New England Patriots
Spec Sanders, 1946-48 New York Yankees, 1950 New York Yanks

Receivers

Lavvie Dilweg, 1926 Milwaukee Badgers, 1927-34 Green Bay Packers
Mac Speedie, 1946-52 Cleveland Browns

Tight end

Jerry Smith, 1965-77 Washington Redskins

Tackles

Duke Slater, 1922 Milwaukee Badgers, 1922-25 Rock Island Independents, 1926-31 Chicago Cardinals
Al Wistert, 1943-51 Philadelphia Eagles

Guards

Al Nesser, 1920-25 Akron Pros, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs, 1926 Akron Indians, 1926-28 New York Giants, 1931 Cleveland Indians
Steve Hutchinson, 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-11 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans

Center

Ox Emerson, 1931-33 Portsmouth Spartans, 1934-37 Detroit Lions, 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers

Defensive ends

Rich Jackson, 1966 Oakland Raiders, 1967-72 Denver Broncos, 1972 Cleveland Browns
Harvey Martin, 1973-83 Dallas Cowboys

Defensive tackles

Alex Karras, 1958-62/1964-70 Detroit Lions
Tom Sestak, 1962-68 Buffalo Bills

Linebackers

Maxie Baughan, 1960-65 Philadelphia Eagles, 1966-70 Los Angeles Rams, 1974 Washington Redskins
Chuck Howley, 1958-59 Chicago Bears, 1961-73 Dallas Cowboys
Karl Mecklenburg, 1983-94 Denver Broncos

Cornerbacks

Lester Hayes, 1977-86 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Ken Riley, 1969-83 Cincinnati Bengals

Safeties

Johnny Robinson, 1960-71, Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs
Joey Browner, 1983-91 Minnesota Vikings, 1992 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kicker
Gary Anderson, 1982-94 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1995-96 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997 San Francisco 49ers, 1998-2002 Minnesota Vikings, 2003-04 Tennessee Titans

Punter
Tommy Davis, 1959-69 San Francisco 49ers

***

The Hall of Fame selection process never rests. Not long after the Pro Football Hall Class of 2018 is inducted the Senior Committee will decide on the Senior Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019. It sure would be nice if the committee would consider the players that are recommended by the the Pro Football Researchers Association.

Duke Slater

Lavvie Dilweg

Al Wistert

Mac Speedie

The voters still have some work to do with players that played before 1950. 

Preseason All-NFC West Team

It's the NFC West's turn.

Quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers

Running Backs
Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Fullback
Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers

Receivers
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

Tight end 
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams

Tackles
Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
Joe Staley, San Francisco 49ers

Guards
Justin Pugh, Arizona Cardinals
Ethan Pocic, Seattle Seahawks

Center
Weston Richburg, San Francisco 49ers

Defensive Ends
Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals
Frank Clark, Seattle Seahawks

Defensive Tackles
Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers

Linebackers
Haason Reddick, Arizona Cardinals
Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
K.J. Wright, Seattle Seahawks

Cornerbacks
Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
Richard Sherman, San Francisco 49ers

Safeties
Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks
Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals

Kicker 
Greg Zuerlein, Los Angeles Rams

Punter
Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams

Returner
Pharoh Cooper, Los Angeles Rams

The Rams have the specialists locked down.

Preseason All-NFC South Team

It's the NFC South's turn.

Quarterback
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Running Backs
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Fullback
Zach Line, New Orleans Saints

Receivers
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Tight end 
Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers

Tackles
Terron Armstead, New Orleans Saints
Ryan Schraeder, Atlanta Falcons

Guards
Trai Turner, Carolina Panthers
Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Center
Alex Mack, Atlanta Falcons

Defensive Ends
Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Vic Beasley, Atlanta Falcons

Defensive Tackles
Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers
Grady Jarrett, Atlanta Falcons

Linebackers
Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Cornerbacks
Marson Lattimore, New Orleans Saints
Desmond Trufant, Atlanta Falcons

Safeties
Marcus Williams, New Orleans Saints
Keanu Neal, Atlanta Falcons

Kicker 
Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons

Punter
Thomas Morstead, New Orleans Saints

Returner
Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

Preseason All-NFC East Team

I only planned to do this with the NFC North. It was so damn much fun that I've decided to pick a Preseason All-Star team for each of the eight divisions. Not only is it fun, it also helps me become more familiar with the rosters of all 32 teams. Here's a Preseason All-NFC East Team.

Quarterback
Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Running Backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Receivers
Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants
Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia Eagles

Tight end 
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles

Tackles
Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Guards
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins

Center
Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles

Defensive Ends
Demarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles

Defensive Tackles
Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
Damon Harrison, New York Giants

Linebackers
Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys
Jordan Hicks, Philadelphia Eagles
Alec Ogeltree, New York Giants

Cornerbacks
Josh Norman, Washington Redskins
Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants

Safeties
Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles
Landon Collins, New York Giants

Kicker 
Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles

Punter
Tress Way, Washington Redskins

Returner
Jamison Crowder, Washington Redskins

Preseason All-NFC North Team

This is another July time-passer. A Preseason All-NFC North Team.

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

As a Vikings honk, I really wanted to put Kirk Cousins here. But, alas, Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league. Even if he's coming off a shoulder injury.

Running Backs
Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

I forced a second running back onto this team because simply because I think Dalvin Cook should be on it. He showed in 3.5 games last year that he can be an elite back and by this time next year he might be considered the best in the division. Until then, Jordan Howard is the best back in the NFC North.

Fullback
Aaron Ripkowski, Green Bay Packers

Receivers
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

Tight end 
Jimmy Graham, Green Bay Packers

Tackles
David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers
Riley Reiff, Minnesota Vikings

Guards
Kyle Long, Chicago Bears
TJ Lang, Detroit  Lions

Center
Pat Elflein, Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Ends
Everson Griffen, Minnesota Vikings
Ziggy Ansah, Detroit Lions

Defensive Tackles
Mike Daniels, Green Bay Packers
Linval Joseph, Minnesota Vikings

Linebackers
Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings
Eric Kendricks, Minnesota Vikings
Roquan Smith, Chicago Bears

It's probably a little early to be anointing a rookie with something this grand but the ceiling for Roquan Smith is very high.

Cornerbacks
Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota Vikings
Darius Slay, Detroit Lions

Safeties
Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
Glover Quin, Detroit Lions

Kicker 
Matt Prater, Detroit Lions

Punter
Pat O'Donnell, Chicago Bears

Returner
Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears

Gathering Of Gridiron Greats

The 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement weekend is three weeks away. It's a wonderful time and the people of Canton and Stark County do a spectacular job of hosting it. The Pro Football Hall of Fame website announced that 130 Hall of Famers will be present throughout the Enshrinement Week. 96, in addition to seven of the eight newbies, have so far committed to do so.

The full list of returning returning Hall of Famers (so far)

Marcus Allen

Morten Andersen

Lem Barney

Bobby Bell

Elvin Bethea

Jerome Bettis

Fred Biletnikoff

Mel Blount

Derrick Brooks

Tim Brown

Dick Butkus

Earl Campbell

Harry Carson

Cris Carter

Dave Casper

Curley Culp

Terrell Davis

Dermontti Dawson

Fred Dean

Joe DeLamielleure

Eric Dickerson

Chris Doleman

Tony Dorsett

Tony Dungy

Carl Eller

Marshall Faulk

Dan Fouts

Darrell Green

Joe Greene

Bob Griese

Ray Guy

Charles Haley

Chris Hanburger

John Hannah

Franco Harris

Mike Haynes

Ted Hendricks

Ken Houston

Claude Humphrey

Michael Irvin

Rickey Jackson

Charlie Joiner

Sonny Jurgensen

Leroy Kelly

Paul Krause

Willie Lanier

Steve Largent

Marv Levy

Bob Lilly

Floyd Little

Larry Little

James Lofton

Ronnie Lott

Curtis Martin

Bruce Matthews

Don Maynard

Randall McDaniel

Bobby Mitchell

Ron Mix

Art Monk

Warren Moon

Lenny Moore

Mike Muchak

Anthony Muñoz

Joe Namath

Ozzie Newsome

Jonathan Ogden

Orlando Pace

Bill Polian

John Randle

Andre Reed

Mel Renfro

Willie Roaf

Warren Sapp

Shannon Sharpe

Billy Shaw

Art Shell

Will Shields

Mike Singletary

Jackie Slater

Bruce Smith

Emmitt Smith

Jan Stenerud

Dwight Stephenson

Jason Taylor

Jim Taylor

LaDainian Tomlinson

Paul Warfield

Kurt Warner

Roger Wehrli

Dave Wilcox

Kellen Winslow, Sr.

Ron Wolf

Rod Woodson

Ron Yary

Jack Youngblood

To hit the more than 130 that the Hall expects several (35, 28 if their counting the newbies) more Hall of Famers will be added to the list.

Sonny Jurgensen, Lenny Moore, Don Maynard, and Jim Taylor are the only returning Hall of Famers (so far) that played part of their career in the 1950s. It's sad to see this list get smaller. I vividly recall the days when half the Hall of Famers on the stage were players from the 1940s and 50s. Jim Brown usually returns to Canton. Hopefully he's able to do so this year.

Seven of the 12 living Vikings Hall of Famers are expected in Canton. I'd be surprised if Gary Zimmerman doesn't make it eight. I'd be even more surprised if Bud Grant, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, and Mick Tingelhoff do make the trip. It might take Jim Marshall being inducted to get all of the Vikings greats in Canton at one time.

I'll be in Canton for the Induction ceremonies. I was there for Cris Carter's induction in 2013. It was an incredible experience. The Museum is fantastic. I could spend weeks in there. Months if I can get into the archives. The people of Stark County are wonderful. I'd love to go back for every Enshrinement week. Gridiron Greats are everywhere. On a single stroll in 2013 I saw Roger Staubach leaving the museum, Jerry Rice and Steve Young zipping by in a golf cart, Marv Levy milling about, and Willie Lanier chatting with someone who remembered him and another who didn't. That's not even mentioning the dozens of Hall of Famers signing autographs in tents along the grounds. He's no Gridiron Great but I saw DeMaurice Smith walking through the museum. If I encounter him this time I might have a few questions for him. Enshrinement week is a football festival. There are people involved in the game everywhere. There are fans from all teams. And they seem to get along. I might be the only event of year at which some of them do.

I look forward to being in Canton for this fantastic event and I hope to see the Gathering of Gridiron Greats grow.

More TO Woes

Terrell Owens made news a few weeks ago when he said that he wouldn't be taking part in his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Instead he was going to have his own ceremony at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he played college football, to induct himself. It's been assumed that lil T's tantrum has been over it taking three ballots to get into the Hall of Fame. It's a safe assumption but you never really know with Owens. Maybe he just wanted his own stage. In response to Owens' desire to go it alone, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced yesterday that they are essentially going to ignore Owens throughout the various events of induction weekend. Executive director Joe Horrigan said the Owens will not be introduced at either the Gold Jacket Dinner Friday, August 3, and Saturday's induction ceremony. "There's no reason to bring him up as an individual," Horrigan told Clark Judge of the Talk of Fame Network, "He's not here." Horrigan did go on to say that Owens' name will be included when the 2018 Hall of Fame class is referenced as a unit. So, Owens has that going for him.

When I heard about Owens' boycott of the festivities in Canton my first thought was that I wouldn't have to listen to his speech. I saw that as a good thing. I'm going to be on the field of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium that night in Canton and I wasn't really looking forward to listening to Owens talking about T.O. As I thought more about Owens skipping an event that celebrates him I started to get annoyed. His actions are a hard slap in the faces of the people of Canton and Stark County, the volunteers, everybody that spends an entire year to make everything perfect for all of the returning Hall of Famers and especially the new Hall of Famers. They go out of their way to make the Hall of Famers feel celebrated. Owens' decision is so disrespectful. It's unprecedented. The only inductees that have ever skipped their inductions were dead. If Owens truly has a problem with waiting two years then his problem is with the voters. It's not with the people of Canton and the Hall of Fame. I've never been a fan of Owens and I actually didn't think that three ballots was a long enough wait for a receiver that had a real problem catching a football. Sure, when he did manage to catch the football he was a nightmare for a defense but every pass was a challenge for him. Horrible hands. Hall of Fame receiver. The two don't go together. That doesn't even address his locker room issues. Wrecking teams from the inside isn't a Hall of Fame quality.

While I understand why Joe Horrigan, and perhaps all of Canton and Stark County, are upset over lil T's antics I don't like the decision to ignore him. They are stooping to his level. No one should ever want to do that. Owens and the Hall are reacting to perceived slights. No one is doing the right thing. I can't imagine it being too difficult to include his name when appropriate. Maybe they can even drop something in recognition of those sad hands.

Throwback Thursday: 50th Anniversary NFL Team

The NFL is gearing up for their 100th Anniversary. An All-Time Team is sure ro be part of the festivities. They did a similar sort of thing when the league hit the big 5-0. Here's the 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Offense

Quarterback
Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts

Fullback
Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns

Halfback
Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears

Flanker
Elroy Hirsch, Chicago Rockets/Los Angeles Rams

Split End
Don Hutson, Green Bay Packers

Tight End
John Mackey, Baltimore Colts

Tackle
Cal Hubbard, New York Giants/Green Bay Packers/Pittsburgh Pirates

Guard
Jerry Kramer, Green Bay Packers

Center
Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles

Defense

End
Gino Marchetti, Baltimore Colts

Tackle
Leo Nomellini, San Francisco 49ers

Linebacker
Ray Nitschke, Green Bay Packers

Cornerback
Dick "Night Train" Lane, Los Angeles Rams/Chicago Cardinals/Detroit Lions

Safety
Emlen Tunnell, New York Giants/Green Bay Packers

Kicker
Lou Groza, Cleveland Browns

***

Runners-Up

Offense

Quarterbacks
Sammy Baugh, Washington Redskins
Norm Van Brocklin, Los Angeles Rams/Philadelphia Eagles

Fullbacks
Bronco Nagurski, Chicago Bears
Joe Perry, San Francisco 49ers/Baltimore Colts

Halfbacks
Harold "Red" Grange, Chicago Bears/New York Yankees
Hugh McElhenny, 49ers/Vikings/Giants/Lions

Split Ends
Raymond Berry, Baltimore Colts
Dante Lavelli, Cleveland Browns

Flankers
Boyd Dowler, Green Bay Packers
Lenny Moore, Baltimore Colts

Tight Ends
Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles/Dallas Cowboys
Ron Kramer, Green Bay Packers/Detroit Lions

Tackles
Forrest Gregg, Green Bay Packers
Joe Stydahar, Chicago Bears

Guards
Dan Fortman, Chicago Bears
Jim Parker, Baltimore Colts

Center
Mel Hein, New York Giants
Alex Wojciechowicz, Detroit Lions/Philadelphia Eagles

Defense

Ends
Len Ford, Los Angeles Dons/Cleveland Browns/Green Bay Packers
Deacon Jones, Los Angeles Rams

Tackles
Art Donovan, New York Yanks/ Dallas Texans/Baltimore Colts
Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers

Linebackers
Joe Schmidt, Detroit Lions
Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, Chicago Bears

Cornerbacks
Herb Adderley, Green Bay Packers
Jack Butler, Pittsburgh Steelers

Safeties
Jack Christiansen, Detroit Lions
Larry Wilson, St. Louis Cardinals

Kickers
Ernie Nevers, Duluth Eskimos/Chicago Cardinals
Ken Strong, Staten Island Stapletons/New York Giants/New York Yanks

***

It's great to see Jerry Kramer finally make the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. If for no other reason it was always a ridiculous look to have him on the first team of this team and not in the Hall of Fame.

Chuck Bednarik is a terrific football player and deserving of all honors that have come his way. I'm still surprised that he got the center nod over Mel Hein. There's only one offensive lineman ever named the league's MVP. That was Hein in 1938. That's one of the most amazing accomplishments in league history. Bednarik gets a lot of notoriety for being the last of the players to play both offense and defense. That was the norm in Hein's day.

Active players at the time of this team's announcement
John Unitas
Gale Sayers
John Mackey
Ray Nitschke
Boyd Dowler
Mike Ditka
Forrest Gregg
Deacon Jones
Herb Adderley
Larry Wilson

Ron Kramer is a very underrated football player.

I know that he played all over the offense for the Colts but I always pause a bit when I see Lenny Moore listed as a receiver. I've always thought of him as a back that split out often.

I'm surprised that Otto Graham didn't make this team over Norm Van Brocklin. NFL people were probably still bitter about the All-America Football Conference days and the way the Browns slapped around NFL teams once they joined the league. Graham, Johnny Unitas, and Sammy Baugh were the best quarterbacks of the first 50 years. All three should be in every argument for best quarterback of the first 100 years.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won so consistently over the last 50 years that it's hard to believe that they one of the league's worst teams during their first four decades. Those bad Steelers teams still put two players on this team. Ernie Stautner and Jack Butler.

Jim Parker was a runner-up at guard. He was probably in the conversation at tackle as well. He'd probably be my top tackle over the NFL's first 50 years. His was a ridiculous offensive line talent.

It's Supplemental Time!

The NFL will be holding it's Supplemental Draft today. This draft is held for players that weren't eligible for the regular Draft in April. These players are usually eligible for the Supplemental Draft because they are no longer eligible for their respective college football team. Unlike the more popular draft day there isn't much action on this draft day. Since it's inception in 1977, 43 players have been selected in the Supplemental Draft. Only three have been selected since 2011. More often than not the talent is marginal at best. This year might be different. There are five players available.

Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan
Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech
Brandon Bryant, S, Mississippi State
Martayveus Carter, RB, Grand Valley State
Bright Ugwoegbu, LB, Oregon State

Anyone need a defensive back? Sam Beal is considered by most to be the most promising Supplemental Draft talent since Josh Gordon in 2012. That's not really saying much but Beal is a legitimate NFL talent. He will be selected. He could be joined by the other two defensive backs.

Former player, scout, and current NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks recently gave his opinions on the five players available in the 2018 Supplemental Draft.

Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan: As the hottest name in this year's supplemental draft, Beal has garnered plenty of attention from the NFL scouting community. The 6-foot-1, 187-pounder not only has plus size, but he displays outstanding movement skills and agility on the perimeter. Beal looks like a natural cover corner on the island with the potential to play in a nose-to-nose position or from distance. He flashes outstanding footwork, balance and body control shadowing receivers while staying in their hip pocket down the field. Beal's discipline and detail in coverage suggest that he could grow into a front-line player in a diverse scheme that features man and zone concepts with a variety of techniques.

Critically speaking, Beal needs to work on his physicality and toughness as a run defender. He doesn't aggressively seek out contact on the edge, and his reluctance to engage ball carriers could make him a liability on a gap-control defense that forces runners to bounce to the outside. Now, I certainly understand the challenges of being a solid tackler as a sub-200-pounder, but Beal's suspect effort stands out on tape and must be addressed if he is going to be a solid player at the next level.

From a playmaking standpoint, Beal could also show better ball skills, having snagged just two interceptions as a two-year starter for the Broncos. Granted, he finished his career with 19 passes defensed, but elite corners create turnovers. This former high school track star hasn't produced enough takeaways on the island.

Beal's academic issues and other shortcomings will bother some evaluators, but his exceptional talent and natural cover skills will make him a top selection in the supplemental draft. Given his solid film and the strong workout at his pro day (clocked 40-yard-dash times in the 4.47-4.55 range with a 37-inch vertical leap, 10-6 broad jump, 4.09 20-yard shuttle and 7.11 three-cone drill), Beal could emerge as a second-round pick on Wednesday.

Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech: In a league where it's hard to find 6-foot corners with solid cover skills and tackling ability, scouts will give a big corner with a few off-field blemishes plenty of chances to prove his worth as a pro. That's one of the reasons why Alexander is likely to come off the board as a mid-round selection in this year's supplemental draft. Looking at his game on tape, it is easy to fall in love with his size, length and press-man skills. Alexander smothers receivers at the line of scrimmage with his aggressive shadow technique, while also displaying good instincts and ball skills. He routinely pins receivers to the sideline with the ball in the air to minimize the target area for the quarterback on downfield throws. In addition, Alexander will use his superior length to swat away 50-50 balls in critical situations.

From a critical standpoint, Alexander's game is still a work in progress, with the young corner needing to refine his footwork and technique in press and off coverage. He is a straight-line athlete without the movement skills or change-of-direction ability to execute head whips or speed turns in coverage. Alexander's shady footwork gets exposed against big-time wide receivers (see: last season's West Virginia game), which leads to concerns about his potential to grow into a CB1 or CB2 as a pro. Considering the off-field problems (academic ineligibility and a marijuana arrest) and the so-so pro day (clocked 40 times in the high-4.5/low-4.6 range with a 35.5-inch vertical leap, 10-4 broad jump, 4.38 20-yard shuttle and 7.18 three-cone drill), Alexander's stock will take a tumble from early 2019 draft estimates that once pegged him as a possible top-50 selection. That said, he should be selected in the third round by a team looking for a Richard Sherman type on the perimeter.

Brandon Bryant, SS, Mississippi State: There are always spots in the NFL for talented athletes with exceptional physical traits. That's why scouts were paying close attention to Bryant as a prospect after he earned recognition as one of the most explosive college football players in 2016 and '17. Despite failing to perform up to lofty expectations during his pro day, Bryant posted respectable numbers for his position (checking in at 5-foot-11 and 207 pounds with 4.45/4.52 40 times, a 34-inch vertical and a 10-3 broad jump) in front of representatives from 14 teams.

On tape, Bryant flashes decent movement skills, range and toughness, but he isn't a playmaker in the back end. Although he tallied five career interceptions as a Bulldog, he snagged three of those picks in 2015 and didn't make much of an impact after his initial success. With questions surrounding his work ethic, discipline and attention to detail after his on-field (blown coverages) and academic struggles, Bryant is likely to be a seventh round/priority free agent prospect on most boards around the league.

Bright Ugwoegbu, LB, Oregon State: It is hard for undersized linebackers to make it in the league when they lack explosive speed, quickness and burst. That's why Ugwoegbu could face an uphill climb after posting pedestrian numbers at his pro day following a nondescript playing career in Corvallis. The 6-1, 205-pounder clocked 40 times in the 4.9 range and put up the kind of numbers in the other agility drills that suggest he could move to a secondary position as a pro. With film also confirming that point through his lackluster play as a part-time starter over three seasons, Ugwoegbu is a long shot to hear his name called on Wednesday.

Martayveus Carter, RB, Grand Valley State: There are a handful of small-school running backs dotting NFL rosters, but most have taken the long road to earn their place in the league. Despite being a Division II All-American with an impressive resume (rushed for 1,900-plus yards and 20 touchdowns in 2016), Carter is likely to enter the NFL as an undrafted free agent due to concerns about his size and durability as a jitterbug runner with a game built on speed, quickness and wiggle instead of strength and power. Without a pro day to verify his reported size (6-0, 200 pounds) and speed, he is hoping his game tape will be convincing enough for a team to pull the trigger on draft day. Although his natural running skills make him worthy of securing a spot on a 90-man training camp roster, I'm not convinced that he is special enough to sacrifice a future draft pick on his long-term potential.

Whenever the Supplemental Draft comes up on the NFL calendar there are always questions about the event. ESPN's Kevin Seifert tackles some of those annual questions.

What's the purpose of this thing?

The supplemental draft accounts for players who did not declare for the traditional spring draft but are eligible to enter the NFL; they are at least three years removed from high school. Usually their college circumstances have changed in some way since the January declaration window, be it NCAA discipline or academic troubles, or both. Such players can petition for supplemental draft eligibility.

I've never seen this broadcasted. Where do they stage it?

On this great big thing called the Internet. During one of the few quiet periods of the year, no one wants -- or needs -- to travel to a central location. Instead, the NFL provides teams with a list of eligible players. A modified bidding process then takes place.

At 1 p.m. ET on the day of the draft, teams are notified that the first round has started. Teams then have 10 minutes to respond if they wish to draft a player in that round. The league compiles the responses, if any, and awards the player to the team with the highest priority. All 32 teams are notified electronically of the selection, and the process repeats for each round.

How is the priority determined?

With a weighted lottery based on the April draft order. Teams learn the supplemental draft order shortly before it begins.

Are teams given a separate set of supplemental draft picks?

Nope. If a team wins its bid, it forfeits the corresponding draft choice for the following spring's draft. For example, a team that uses its third-round pick in the 2018 supplemental draft would lose its third-round pick in the April 2019 draft. And a team that doesn't own a 2019 third-round pick can't participate in the third round of the 2018 supplemental draft.

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Best of luck to the five players hoping to continue their football dreams.

More Mount Rushmores

Picking NFL Mount Rushmores is fun. It's fun because just about everyone has a different one. It's also tough. Limiting just about anything to the four best is tough. The four best players in NFL history. The four best quarterbacks. The four best running backs. The four best whatever. Mount Rushmore talk can spring up for a variety of reasons. Tom Brady doing something special. Tom Brady retirement speculation. Tom Brady doing nothing special at all. Last week's 4th of July celebrations triggered some Mount Rushmore talk on NFL.com. Some players were polled as to the players on their NFL Mount Rushmore. Here are some of those responses.

Panthers WR Torrey Smith: Walter Payton, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Tom Brady

Jets QB Sam Darnold: Tom Brady, Walter Payton, Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor

49ers DB Adrian Colbert: Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, Walter Payton

Ravens OT Orlando Brown Jr.: Cam Newton, Tom Brady, Barry Sanders, Dan Marino

Saints DE Cameron Jordan: Steve Jordan, Reggie White, Chris Doleman, Drew Brees

Eagles C Jon Toth: Peyton Manning, Jeff Saturday, Roger staubach, Dermontti Dawson

49ers LB Eli Harold: Lawrence Taylor, Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Joe Montana

Bills FB Mike Tolbert: Jerome Bettis, Jerry Rice, Brett Favre, Lawrence Taylor

Panthers CB Donte Jackson: Tom Brady, Deion Sanders, Ray Lewis, Barry Sanders

Ravens OT Greg Senat: Deion Sanders, Tony Gonzalez, Tom Brady, Ray Lewis

Then we have Jalen Ramsey with his unique take:

Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey: "My Mount Rushmore is me with four different expressions."

Brandon Mebane had a similar sort of thought:

Chargers DT Brandon Mebane: "Mebane, Mebane, Mebane, Mebane -- my Mt. Rushmore."

Nice.

As for mine. I cheat. I like to break them up.

Contributors
George Halas
Joe Carr
Bert Bell
Paul Brown

Coaches
Paul Brown
Vince Lombardi
Bill Walsh
Bill Belichick

Quarterbacks
Sammy Baugh
Otto Graham
Johnny Unitas
Tom Brady

Running Backs
Jim Brown
Gale Sayers
Walter Payton
Adrian Peterson

Receivers
Don Hutson
Lance Alworth
Jerry Rice
Cris Carter

Tight Ends
John Mackey
Kellen Winslow
Tony Gonzalez
Rob Gronkowski

Offensive Linemen
Jim Parker
John Hannah
Dwight Stephenson
Jonathan Ogden

Defensive Linemen
Gino Marchetti
Deacon Jones
Reggie White
J.J. Watt

Linebackers
Bulldog Turner
Dick Butkus
Jack Ham
Lawrence Taylor

Cornerbacks
Night Train Lane
Mel Blount
Mike Haynes
Deion Sanders

Safeties
Emlen Tunnell
Johnny Robinson
Ronnie Lott
Ed Reed

If I had to go with a Mt. Rushmore as this exercise wass intended it'd probably look like this.

Sammy Baugh
Jim Brown
Lawrence Taylor
Jerry Rice

I'll go with those four players because I think each impacted/changed the game more than any other player that's played the game.

Vikings' Offseason

During this brief downtime of the NFL calendar it's natural to look forward. Training camps are a few weeks away. The 2018 season is creeping closer. For Minnesota Vikings fans it's easy to look toward the first training camp at the team's new facilities in Eagan and that September 9 opener against the San Francisco 49ers. This, however, is a look back. A look back at a big Vikings offseason.

The 2017 season didn't end well for the Minnesota Vikings. They were stomped by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game, 38-7. The good news is that they made it to within a step from the Super Bowl. The bad news is that they made it to within a step of the Super Bowl. Making it to the Super Bowl and winning it is always the goal. To hopefully make those last steps the Vikings made some pretty major tweaks to a very talented team this offseason. General manager Rick Spielman stated after that final loss that the team's top two priorities of the offseason were 1) finding a new offensive coordinator and 2) securing their quarterback of the near, and hopefully long-term, future. They were aggressive in pursuing both priorities and arguably couldn't have filled those needs any better.

OC: John DeFilippo

QB: Kirk Cousins

John DeFilippo is one of the hot names in coaching. He was the quarterbacks coach of the Eagles last season and received a lot of credit for getting Nick Foles ready for his spectacular playoff run in relief of Carson Wentz. In addition to his quarterback coaching duties, DeFilippo also played a significant role in the development and implementation of the Eagles red-zone offense. His status as a "hot coach" was confirmed when he received some head coach consideration during this year's coaching search cycle. If the Vikings offense is successful this season it's highly likely that DeFilippo's time in Minnesota will be a short one. If that turns out to be the case it was a strong move to also retain long-time assistant coach and current quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski as the likely offensive coordinator heir.

Kirk Cousins was the hot free agent of the offseason. That's partly because of the position that he plays. It's mostly because of the way that he's played the position and his age. Quarterbacks with his resume' (3-straight 4,000+ yard and 25+ TD seasons) and age (29) simply don't become available very often. The Vikings had three starting caliber quarterbacks on the roster last season. Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Bradford, and Case Keenum. Each has had a strong season as the Vikings starter, each probably factored into the team's quarterback discussion this offseason, and each had significant question marks moving forward. Bridgewater and Bradford have health issues. Keenum simply had never before had a season like he had last year. Can he do it again? Cousins had fewer questions. Since becoming the Washington Redskins' starting quarterback he hasn't missed a start. He's had three consecutive seasons of strong offensive production. It's the sort of production that has him ranked among the league's best over those three seasons. He just has to prove that he can win games. The Vikings will surround him with talent. It's the sort of talent that should help him win games. Playoff games too. The only cause for possible pause on a Cousins deal was the huge price of it. The Vikings' decision-makers had been planning for a big quarterback contract. It's the nature of the game. They figured that big contract would come this year. They thought that it would be for Bridgewater. Or Bradford. Or even Keenum after his big, fun 2017 season. Instead, that quarterback turned out to be Cousins. And the Vikings have their first relatively young "franchise" quarterback since they thought that they had one with Daunte Culpepper over a decade ago.

Head coach Mike Zimmer had a third priority for the Vikings offseason. Add a disruptive 3-technique to his defense. A strong push up the middle of an offensive line has always been the best way to rattle a quarterback. It's the shortest and quickest path. Every defensive coach wants defensive linemen that can get into the offensive backfield in a hurry. The Vikings needed one and Zimmer wanted one this offseason. They ended up getting one of the best.

DT Sheldon Richardson.

News of the Vikings wining and dining Sheldon Richardson popped about the time that they were closing on Cousins. It sounded like a pipe dream to this Vikings fan. Cousins and Richardson. There's no way. Then it became a possibility. Then it became a reality. The Vikings are adding Sheldon Richardson to a line that already included nose tackle Linval Joseph, and ends Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter. On paper it's one of the best defensive lines in the league. On the field, it might be even better than it looks on paper. Richardson is one of the most disruptive 3-techniques in the game. Off the field issues and occasional attitude flares have sometimes kept his performance from matching his potential. The Vikings signed him to one-year "prove-it" deal. He needs the Vikings as much as they need him. If it works out for team and player, the league's best defense in 2017 got much better.

At least on paper, seeing as that's all we have right now, the signings of Cousins and Richardson alone give the Vikings their best free agency haul since the Steve Hutchinson, Chester Taylor, Ben Leber, Ryan Longwell haul of 2006. Adding Cousins and Richardson to a team that was one long step from the Super Bowl will help the Vikings contend in 2018.

The rest of free agency was used to add depth.

QB Trevor Siemian
WR Kendall Wright
WR Tavarres King
OL  Tom Compton
DT  David Parry

If everything works out as planned/hoped, Trevor Siemian will never see the field. The trade with the Denver Broncos that brought Siemian to Minnesota might be the second most important move of the offseason. An NFL team is often only as good as their backup quarterback. The Eagles proved that last season. Siemian has starting experience. He's had some strong moments as a starter. He's had some disappointing moments as well. That's why he was available. With the Vikings' recent issues keeping their starting quarterback in the lineup they have to feel better about having Siemian ready if needed. Hopefully, he remains on the sideline. Kendall Wright has been an effective slot receiver for several years. The Vikings essentially exchanged Wrights. They released Jarius Wright in a cap-saving move and signed Kendall Wight in what felt like one seamless transaction. If a player of Wright's talent is the team's fourth receiver the the team's in good shape at the position. Tom Compton should contend for a starting spot on the offensive line in camp. At worst he'll provide solid depth. Tavarres King and David Parry will fight for roster spots but could be on the wrong side of the numbers game.

Then we get to the draft.

Round	Player	Position	College	Ht	Wt
1	Mike Hughes	CB	Central Florida	5'10"	189
2	Brian O'Neill	OT	Pittsburgh	6'7"	297
4	Jalyn Holmes	DE	Ohio State	6'5"	283
5	Tyler Conklin	TE	Central Michigan	6'3"	254
5	Daniel Carlson	K	Auburn	6'5"	213
6	Colby Gossett	G	Appalachian State	6'5"	315
6	Ade Aruna	DE	Tulane	6'5"	262
7	Devante Downs	LB	California	6'2"	252

The 2018 NFL Draft is where the Vikings offseason deviated from my "dream" offseason that had been taking place. I expected the Vikings to select a ready-to-play guard in the first round. A run on the position before the Vikings picked at #30 prevented that from happening. That's if they were even considering selecting a guard in the first round. They might've been eyeing Mike Hughes all along. Most, including myself, thought that he'd be long gone before the Vikings were on the clock. When he was still available maybe their plans changed. Who knows? I don't. As the draft played out I'm not so sure that I'd trade the combination of one of the top guards that was available at #30 and anyone in the second for Hughes and Brian O'Neill. A team in today's NFL can never have enough quality corners and Hughes has the talent to be an elite corner. The Vikings are currently set on the outside with Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes but Hughes will compete for the nickel role this summer. The Vikings are in nickel about 2/3 of the time these days so that third corner position is essentially a starter. No matter how it plays out for Hughes on defense he'll make an immediate contribution as a returner. O'Neill will compete at right tackle but he's probably a year away from being truly ready for the NFL. Offensive line is still a little new for him and he needs to gain strength but the athletic ability and potential are there. He's likely a right tackle now but he might be Riley Reiff's eventual heir at left tackle.

Jalyn Holmes will back up Sheldon Richardson and factor into the defensive line rotation. Holmes might step into the starter role in 2019 if Richardson leaves for a giant deal after this season. Tyler Conklin should emerge as the third tight end. His unique athletic ability should give him an opportunity to make an impact as a rookie in the passing game, especially in the red zone. I already have Daniel Carlson penciled in as the Vikings kicker. He'll compete with incumbent Kai Forbath in training camp but it's probably a competition in name only. The Vikings wouldn't select a kicker in the fifth round if they had doubts about him winning the job. The guard position was finally addressed in the sixth round. I was surprised that Colby Gossett was still available. I thought that he'd be gone by the fourth. That's one of the reasons I'm doing this and not doing the real scouting stuff. Gossett will compete this summer for a starting spot but it's more likely that he provides decent depth as a rookie. Ade Aruna continues a Vikings draft tradition of adding a long, athletic defensive end late in the draft (or after). Like Stephen Weatherly, Ifeadi Odenigbo, and Tashawn Bower, Aruna is a developmental pass rusher with absolutely ridiculous test scores. Actually, his test scores are more ridiculous than the others. His look more like those of a back or receiver. He's probably a year from an NFL field unless he's a super-quick study. I thought that about Bower as well but he made the team last year. I think that Aruna's on the practice squad this year. If he makes the 53-man roster this year it could be because the Vikings don't want to make him available to the other 31 teams. His athletic ability is so ridiculous that another team could snatch him away if the Vikings aren't protective of him.

Then we get to Devante Downs. As a Cal alum I was thrilled with this pick. Downs might've been the best defensive player in the Pac-12 last year until a knee injury ended his season after seven games. That's in a conference that included Vita Vea. Downs was all over the field leading a surprisingly improved Bears defense. The Vikings need linebacker depth and if healthy Downs can provide that. The Vikings and Cal haven't always played well together. Joe Kapp, Todd Steussie, and Ryan Longwell are probably the most notable of former Golden Bears to make a mark as professionals in Minnesota. All three had fine moments with Longwell probably having the most sustained success. Downs is the sort of talent that can top those three players. If he's healthy and can stay healthy. Before the knee injury, I thought that he compared favorably to former Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks. Downs blitzed, ran down ball carriers, and covered like a bigger version of Kendricks. Again, if he's healthy and can stay healthy, the Vikings might've found a seventh round steal in Downs. But that could just be my Cal bias clouding things.

In recent years, the Vikings have spent more work, time and money on the undrafted free agent market. That extra effort paid off last year with defensive end Tashawn Bower, linebacker Eric Wilson, and offensive lineman Aviante Collins. There might be some keepers among the players signed at the conclusion of this year's draft.

Player Position  College Height  Weight Jeff Badet WR Oklahoma 6'0" 172 Mike Boone RB Cincinnati 5'10" 205 Curtis Cothran DT Penn State 6'5" 301 Garrett Dooley LB Wisconsin 6'2" 227 Armanti Foreman WR Texas 6'0" 210 Chris Gonzales G San Jose State 6'3" 310 Holton Hill CB Texas 6'2" 196 Tyler Hoppes TE Nebraska 6'4" 245 Hercules Mata'afa DL Washington State 6'2" 254 Trevon Mathis CB Toledo 5'10" 186 Tray Matthews S Auburn 6'0" 196 Kamryn Pettway RB Auburn 6'0"  235 Pete Pujals QB Holy Cross 6'2" 215 Korey Robertson WR Southern Mississippi 6'1" 212 Roc Thomas RB Jacksonville State 5'10" 198 Jake Weineke WR South Dakota State 6'4" 205 Jonathan Wynn DE Vanderbilt 6'5" 265

Northern Illinois receiver Chad Beebe was also signed after the draft.

It wouldn't have been a surprise if cornerback Holton Hill had been drafted at some point. He was an early round talent that dropped out of the draft due to off field concerns. He impressed during the Vikings' OTAs and mini-camp. There were some rumblings that the coaches see him as an eventual starter. That seems a bit premature seeing as corners can't press or do much of anything else against receivers during these offseason workouts. Despite that, it's still promising and Hill is a promising talent. Running backs Mike Boone and Roc Thomas are in contention for the third running back role. That battle could be one of the most interesting in training camp. Receivers Chad Beebe, Korey Robertson, Jeff Badet, and Jake Weineke could contend for one of the final receiver spots. Beebe was singled out by Zimmer as a player that impressed in offseaon work. Badet might be the fastest player on the team. As with Hill, it wouldn't have been a surprise if Hercules Mata'afa had been selected in the draft. Position uncertainty was the only apparent question to his game. That position uncertainty makes him perhaps the most interesting of the Vikings' rookies. At 6'2" and 254 lbs, he was a severely under-sized interior lineman on Washington State's defense. He was sturdy enough and strong enough to hold up against the pounding of players that sometimes outweighed him by nearly 100 lbs and he was often too quick for the big guys to block. The Vikings tried him at linebacker for some practices and ultimately moved him back to the line. He can rush the passer in a variety of ways. As a stand-up end, hand-in-the-dirt end, an interior rusher, or as a linebacker threatening the gaps. His style of play offers tremendous possibilities on every special teams unit. Hell, maybe he can even line up as a lead blocker on offense. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL during one of the final practices. The bad news is that his season is over. The good news is that he's on the team for a year, rehabbing, and familiarizing himself with the Vikings defense, special teams, whatever as well as adjusting to NFL life and routines.

The Minnesota Vikings 2018 offseason stands out for some significant reasons. They were so close to the big prize last year. They return a tremendously talented, young roster this year. In Kirk Cousins, they add a proven, very productive, still young quarterback that hasn't missed a start in over three years. In Sheldon Richardson, they added a disruptive 3-technique. Those two players are the sort of players that really shouldn't be available but were this offseason. They also filled the Vikings two most glaring holes. The offensive line might be the area with the greatest need for improvement but quarterback and 3-technique were the most obvious holes. At the start of free agency they had no proven starter at either position. In John DeFilippo, they added one of the most promising play callers and offensive coaches in the league. The Vikings are a more talented football team right now than they were last season. If they play to that talent they should be in contention in January to play for that game in February.