Vikes Start OTA

On Monday, the Vikes started their OTAs(Organized Team Activites).

With center Matt Birk, running back Chester Taylor and offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie missed the first open day of this week's organized team activities.

Coach Brad Childress said Taylor had a family emergency.

Matt Birk is still holding out coming into the last year of his contract. I can see where his coming from being a perennial Pro Bowler. Chilly and Zygi wanting to see what to do at the end of the season.We shall see what the Vikes do come that time.

McKinnie was in Florida to attend a court hearing and could return as early as Wednesday.

Cornerback Antoine Winfield and defensive tackle Pat Williams were limited in practice while coming back from off-season surgeries and defensive end Erasmus James did some stretching and not much else.

Running back Adrian Peterson was held out of some drills, but he and Childress said it was nothing serious. We do not want to overwork AD too early now ladies and gentlemen.

Is T-jack the Guy??

In a recent article by Star Tribune saying the Rich Gannon foresees T-Jack reaching his potential in this upcoming season. With the play that he displayed in the latter part of the season last year. We know what we have in the running game with two great backs in AD and Taylor. If Jackson can continue the way that he was playing last season and stay healthy all season. i cannot see them not going to the playoffs this season. One big things that he does have to work on is his consistently all season long.He needs to be more efficient and more consistent. And if he can do those two things -- with the running game they have, the offensive line, they've upgraded their receivers, they're going to be better defensively.
I believe this upcoming season he will show that he is the leader of this Viking team. If he does this this season we will win the NFC North.

Viking Training Camp Dates

Now with the draft over and free agents signed that the Vikes wanted. What is next?? Training Camp at the campus of Minesota State, Mankato, MN. It will be the 43rd consecutive summer that the Vikings will call Mankato their training camp home.
July 23 – Players report
July 25 – Practices begin
August 8 – vs. Seattle Seahawks (preseason)
August 15 – Break camp at Mankato
August 16 - @ Baltimore Ravens (preseason)
August 18 – Practices resume at Winter Park
It is getting closer and closer to July 23 and see if our team is going to the post season this year.

Udeze on reserve-NFI list

The Vikes place Kenechi Udeze on the Nonfootball illness list today. So that he can focus on his fight against leukemia, without financial worries.With this move, he will not be able to play in the 2008 Viking season. This also guarantees him his $807,500 salary for the year on his contract. Udeze signed a five-year contract as a first-round draft pick out of Southern California in 2004 and will be a free agent next March. Once the upcoming season is over, Childress said the Vikings will revisit Udeze's status.Udeze revealed the cancer was in remission right now, and that his older brother has matching bone marrow for a pending transplant. All of us in the Viking just hope that he can get through the battle with leukemia.

Did the Vikes Address??

With the Vikes in need of 4 postions coming into the offseason. I looks like to me at least they have done a pretty good job in doing so.
Wide Reciever-signed Bernard Berrian, drafted Jaymar Johnson
Saftey-signed Madieu Williams, signed Michael Boulware, drafted Tyrell Johnson
Quarterback-signed Gus Frerotte, drafted John David Booty
Defenseive End-The Jared Allen trade.

With the recievers that the Vikes have now. I hope that the Vikes can run a more balanced offenive attack. So that teams are not putting 9 guys in the box to stop our running game.I just hope that in T-Jacks second year as the starting QB he can show us that he is our leader of the future. I glad that they drafted a pretty good QB in Booty. I was impressed in his place while he was at USC.
They have fulfilled my thoughts of saftey HOLES he had out their last season. I am not worried about those two areas that were a comsern coming into the offseason.I hope that we are singing a different tune on Week 17.
Offseason Grade: B+

Viking Draftees

The Vikes have the smallest draft class in team history. With the Vikes have a great free agency this off season. They really did not have to rely on the draft to cover 5 different postions and hope that the player was still in the mix. Over all the VIkes have had a great offseason.
SECOND ROUND
Tyrell Johnson -Safety 6-0 207 Arkansas State
FIFTH ROUND
John David Booty- Quarterback 6-3 213 USC
Letroy Guion- Defensive tackle 6-4 303 Florida State
SIXTH ROUND
John Sullivan -Center 6-4 301 Notre Dame
Jaymar Johnson -Wide receiver 6-0 176 Jackson State

Undrafted Free Agents
Erin Henderson LB Maryland*
Jeremy Leman LB Illinois
Travis Key CB Michigan State
Brandon Sumrall CB S Ole Miss
Marcus Walker CB Oklahoma
Marcus Griffin S Texas
Husain Abdullah S Wash State
Martail Burnett DE Utah
Leger Douzable DT Cent Fla
Nate Jones WR Texas
Darius Reynaud WR West Vir
Tim Mattran C Stanford
Drew Radovich T USC
Kyle Wright QB Miami
Albert Young RB Iowa
Steven Hauschka K NC State
*Brother of current Viking EJ Henderson

Jared Allen is a Viking

The Vikes owner has done what he set out to do. Bring the best players that he can afford to Minnesota. The Wilf family is committed in bring a championships to Minnesota. On Wednesday, the Vikes acquired Jared Allen from Kansas City. The Chiefs gets Minnesota's first-round pick, No. 17 overall, and both of the Vikings' third-round selections. The teams also swapped sixth-rounders in the deal announced Wednesday. Allen lead the league is sacks last season. Now he is the defensive most paid player. The deal is six-year deal that includes $31 million in guaranteed money and could be worth more than $74 million if he reaches certain incentives. "It's just starting to sink in. As a player it's cool because it shows appreciation for what you have done. But at the same time, personally, I look at it as a new challenge."Allen says

I hope that he works out and stays out of trouble with the league. He has some issues that come alsong with him. Three drunken driving arrests since 2002.I am happy to see this guy for the good 'ole Purple and Gold.