Luft’s Locker Room

Posts Tagged ‘George Stewart’

I was asked by a reader why this season’s Vikings free agency has been so silent.  I agree is has been nothing more than a whimper than roar [not that the Bears have been doing much of that either].  It has come in like a lamb but will hopefully conclude like a lion [not to be confused with the 0-16 Detroit Lions].  The remainder of the NFC North has been just as frozen and smelling of old Limburger cheese.  Why?

I cannot give you any sane reasons why the Vikes seem almost silent during this free agent period.  I don’t think it has to do with the economy, because any big name like TJ Houshmandzadeh couldn’t hurt ticket sales, but TJ almost seemed an afterthought.  I can only surmise that most available free agents this year don’t fit the “coming off of their first contract with plenty of potential” mode that the Vikings like so much.

To date, The Vikings signed Sage Rosenfels after two years of courting and no visits to back up pay.  Yes, he will compete with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job (as of now), but a 3 year $9 million contract is only good back up money.

Speaking of 3 years and $9 mil, one of the first things the Vikings have done right so far was to re-sign Jimmy Kleinsasser, one of the very best blocking tight ends in the league.  Jimmy has been with the team since being drafted in 1999 and now that Matt Birk is a new Raven, makes him the longest tenured Viking.  His power and blocking abilities come in handy when lined up next to Ryan Cook and even Bryant McKinnie.  He has been part of the blocking scheme for 4 of the 5 highest rushing seasons by Minnesota backs.  Matt Birk can’t even claim that due to the season he was out with his sports hernia operation.

The only free agent that was brought in so far was TJ Houshmandzadeh, and even though the Vikings offered the veteran receiver the best chance at winning, he sided with the money.  He had proclaimed earlier that he would, so that, and being closer to his LA home shouldn’t have surprised us that he chose the Seahawks.  Do you really want a player that doesn’t want to be there?  You can say the same about Matt Birk and wish him well as he moves on to the Ravens.

Then today, we hear the good news that the Vikings re-signed their special team ace and #4 linebacker Heath Farwell.  Heath, like Jim, was allowed to test the free agent waters and visited the Pats and the Browns but felt like his place was in Minnesota.  He, like Jimmy wants to be here.  The Vikings ended up signing him to the richest special teams player contract in their history, a 3 year, $7.75 million that calls for $3.25 mil in guarantees.  With the release of Vinny Ciurciu, who wasn’t as good as Heath anyway, the need to have the special teams ace was all the more important.  Vikings fans everywhere don’t want to see a repeat performance of the horrible coverage teams from last year.

Karl Paymah is scheduled to come visit this coming up week.  He is a cornerback from the Broncos who started a couple of games last year.  He is a second tier free agent that fits that “coming off of their first contract with plenty of potential” mold.  We need depth in the secondary with not only Antoine Winfield getting older, but also with Darren Sharper not being re-signed.  Paymah, if signed, will fit that depth role and could hope to earn more though improved play combined with an unfortunate injury to Winfield or Griffin.  He will only be the second free agent to visit if he makes it past his meeting with the Buccaneers and Browns first, and definitely nothing to get excited about.

Hoping for excitement, that roar of the warrior right before battle may manifest itself in a blockbuster trade like last year’s to get Jared Allen.  The only hint of that may be in the rumors of the Vikings being interested in disgruntled Jay Cutler from Denver, but the theories on how to pull that off are not real plausible.  It will take a huge leap on the Broncos’ part to give up their Pro Bowl quarterback with no real alternative waiting in the wings.  Here’s hoping to their stupidity.

The other big name quarterback situation that the Vikings are watching is of Donovan McNabb in Philly.  If that relationship sours again, you might see a move by the Vikes to trade for Brad Childress’ claim to fame.

Another option may be the discarded Terrell Owens, but word from Vikings personnel guy Rick Spielman said the Vikings have no interest.  “We would never say never, but you can put the pieces together and the history with Coach Childress [in Philadelphia].”  Word had it that Chilly and T.O. had buried the hatchet and were getting along, plus with George Stewart being T.O.’s father figure and old receiving coach from his 49ers days, you have to wonder if a deal could actually work.  T.O. does make quarterbacks into legitimate stars (at least for the first year) as pointed out by my good friend Pacifist Viking.  But he is getting older, his production is dropping off and he doesn’t fit the free agent mold the Vikings like, but then again neither did TJ Who…

Like the rest of the NFC North, free agency has been eerily quiet.  Hopefully the draft will stir more excitement, but the Vikings having the #22 pick won’t net the team any blue chippers.  Let’s just hope we can get some quality starters at need positions and depth where it is needed.  Our favorite coach, Brad Childress will be on the hot seat after finishing the season with a 21% approval rating, so you hope he tries to make some move to ensure that the Vikes win the division again and make a long drive into the playoffs.

I think the overall answer to your question is that there weren’t the players available to make the noise with so far, or at least ones that the Vikings and Brad Childress were interested in.  Let’s hope something changes for the better.   Here’s to a roar sometime this offseason and hoping that your spring will be a little more exciting.

I wrote after Terrell Owens release from the Cowboys and speculated where he wouldn’t end up, “You can guarantee that the Vikings won’t be that team.”

Now, that’s what I wrote, but could I be wrong?

NFL.com writer: Owens and Vikings a match?
Posted by Sean Jensen on March 6, 2009 11:02 AM

NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche believes that WR Terrell Owens may be a good fit for the Vikings.

Wyche, who previously covered the Atlanta Falcons for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, made several interesting points.

First, he noted that the Vikings missed out on T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Second, he notes that coach Brad Childress “doesn’t have much to lose,” because his job security could be on “thin ice” if he doesn’t take the Vikings to the postseason.

“Desperate men have been known to make desperate moves,” Wyche writes.

Third, Wyche said Owens can thrive on a short-term basis, wondering if an incentive-laden, one-year deal would fire him up.

Fourth, Wyche notes that Owens has a very good relationship with Vikings receivers coach George Stewart. Stewart helped develop Owens in San Francisco, and they remain close.

Is Childress that desperate?

Judd Zulgad writes:

PFT put the Vikings on that list, citing an NFL source, and pointed to the troubles that Vikings coach Brad Childress had with Owens when the two were together in Philadelphia. Childress was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator and an unhappy Owens requested that Childress not speak to him during his final season with the franchise. Childress, who loves that type of challenge, never passed up the opportunity to say hello to Owens after that.

While they did not get along at the time, Childress said last year that he and Owens actually had a nice exchange before the Vikings played the Cowboys. I believe it was in a preseason game last summer. That doesn’t mean Childress is going to want to bring Owens to Minnesota — even if the team did try to upgrade at receiver by attempting to sign T.J. Houshmandzadeh. (Owens also is familiar with the West Coast system the Vikings run).

Did absence between Chilly and TO make their hearts grow fonder?

My friend Pacifist Viking points out that TO is good for quarterbacks.

Terrell Owens has a habit of getting contentious with his quarterbacks and ex-quarterbacks. But on the field, he helps QBs to their best seasons. He’s aided four different quarterbacks to 30+ TD seasons: Steve Young (1998), Jeff Garcia (2000 & 2001), Donovan McNabb (2004), and Tony Romo (2007). Only Young ever had a 30+ season without him.

I’d be wary of Terrell Owens, and I’d expect him to eventually say bad things about his quarterback. But on the field, he helps quarterbacks to career years.

TO’s talents would definitely be appreciated, but would the forthcoming headache after this season? Could receivers coach George Stewart who is a father figure and his coach at San Francisco “control” him, or at least convince Brad that he could? Would Zygi want him for ticket sales? Free your mind and consider it a minute. What is the worst that could happen? He improves TJack or Rosenfels into a respectable QB. Removes the extra guy from the box for Adrian to run free. The Vikes make it to the Super Bowl and TO does everything in his power to win, or the Vikes fail and Brad Childress gets fired. That sounds like a win – win to me.

Just think about it…