If you’re traveling around the Twin Cities on the evening of May 8, you might want to be careful. There could be several men (and even women and children) who could be walking around the area in a fit of rage while cursing the sky and wondering why the football gods hate them. They will be dressed in purple and should be considered extremely dangerous.
Especially when the Minnesota Vikings pass on Johnny Manziel.
Manziel is the most polarizing player to enter the draft since Tim Tebow in 2010. While his plays on the field at Texas A&M were electrifying, some people question his ability to succeed in the National Football League because of his rockstar persona off of it and his tendency to make the wild play rather than the basic one.
For many Vikings fans, there are no concerns with bringing “Johnny Football” aboard if he’s available when the team selects eighth in the NFL Draft. By adding Manziel, Minnesota could finally have the franchise quarterback they’ve been searching for since Fran Tarkenton retired, and the fan favorite who would put butts into the seats of a brand new stadium when it opens in 2016.
All of this sounds great, but the problem is that new head coach Mike Zimmer won’t consider Manziel. Is it because of the attitude that made Zimmer call the former Aggie’s pro day a “sideshow?” Or is it because Zimmer is tougher than public restroom toilet paper and won’t take crap from his players?
Nope. It just doesn’t make sense for this football team.
The Vikings have plenty of holes outside of the quarterback position. Their defense allowed the 2nd most yards in the NFL a season ago and currently employ replacement level talents like Audie Cole and Jamarca Sanford as starters.
While taking a quarterback would be a flashy move with their first round pick, it makes more sense for the Vikings to take a defensive player such as UCLA’s Anthony Barr or Michigan State’s Darqueze Dennard to prevent games from becoming a high-powered shootout.
But what if Manziel keeps falling and the Vikings have a chance to trade up? Would his aura entice Rick Spielman to pull a trigger on a move to trade up?
Again, nope.
A lot of Manziel’s NFL success will be determined on what system he winds up in. The Vikings employed Norv Turner to be their new offensive coordinator last February and he loves to get the ball downfield with a big, strong-armed quarterback. For those of you keeping score at home, Manziel weighs in at 6’1″ and weighs 209 pounds. Manziel also has trouble when he stays in the pocket — something that happens regularly in Turner’s offense.
With all of that, the Vikings are better off looking elsewhere by selecting Blake Bortles, Derek Carr or even Zach Mettenberger and focusing on the true weak link of the team: the defensive side of the football.
That’s a huge risk that some Vikings fans aren’t willing to take after seeing the team reach for Christian Ponder and pluck Tarvaris Jackson out of Alabama State on their last two attempts to find a franchise signal caller. Yet, it’s a better decision than taking the square peg and trying to fit it in the round hole.
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Chris Schad contributes to 105 The Ticket and has had his work featured on the Bleacher Report and Yahoo Contributor Network. He serves as the Vikings Lead Writerfor Pro Football Spot. Find him on Twitter @crishad. |