Rebuilding the Vikings

[Dianwei32]

So I want to start a Vikings Franchise, but they seem to be in a bit of a rebuilding phase. I was hoping for some help ans suggestions about how to best rebuild them. I'm going to sim the first year, but play most/all the games from year 2 on.

Offense: On offense it all starts with Adrian Peterson. I'm thinking about grabbing a top-tier FB to block for him, either in FA or the draft. I'm not sold on Christian Ponder as a Franchise QB, so I'm going to start McNabb all year and join the "Suck for Luck" campaign. I don't think I'll be able to get the top QB in the draft, but I'm looking to draft one of the top 3 QBs (Luck, Landry Jones, or Matt Barkley). Do you think it would be possible to trade away Ponder and get a 1st or 2nd round pick for him?

With the departure of Sidney Rice, I feel that the Vikings need a new standout #1 WR, which I'll probably look for in the draft. Do you think there is anyone along the OL that needs to be replaced by year 2?

Defense: The first thing I wanted to do on defense is trade Jared Allen. I know he's an elite pass rusher, but he's getting old. Do you think it would be realistic for me to trade Allen for a young DE with upside like Robert Quinn? Antoine Winfield is a good CB, but I think that the secondary is another area I need to work on in the draft.

Any additional thoughts/comments?

[Pandetta]

I think you could absolutely realistically get a 1st round pick and more for Allen, but the ONE thing you couldn't get from a team is a young up and coming DE like you wanted (for an older one). That is something no team would ever do.

Honestly just trade Allen to a team that needs him (half the NFL) and take a 1st round DE (Coples, Paige-Moss, and Brandon Jenkins should be the best rookies by far if your NCAA class is built correctly). If Quinton Coples isn't incredible in your draft you should edit him because most analysts have him as almost as good as Andrew Luck (he is a LE if you don't know). Coples will be better in his rookie year than any of the current rookies will be their 2nd year.

Ponder obviously went in the 1st round, most people thought he was overdrafted but he is certainly worth at least a 2nd round pick maybe a 1st rounder if it's a late pick or you throw something in something small. Kind of sucks, but it's a pretty universally panned pick - who knows though maybe he ends up being great /shrug.

Oh and move poor Kleinsasser back to FB where he belongs so he doesn't sit at 3rd string TE he is SUCH a good FB and his career is almost over, he REALLY helps AP. D'Imperio doesn't deserve to start over the Sass-man.

[tiloj]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pandetta

Honestly just trade Allen to a team that needs him (half the NFL) and take a 1st round DE (Coples, Paige-Moss, and Brandon Jenkins should be the best rookies by far if your NCAA class is built correctly). If Quinton Coples isn't incredible in your draft you should edit him because most analysts have him as almost as good as Andrew Luck (he is a LE if you don't know). Coples will be better in his rookie year than any of the current rookies will be their 2nd year.

I'd like to point out that Pandetta's NCAA class is amazing, when I did my draft it came out almost exactly like an ESPN mock draft rofl - usually you see random players all over the place.

The Vikings centers are young but they suck. LG needs to be replaced in a few years but he is like 33 now so not riiight away. Allen would be worth a ton but I agree def not a young DE that doesnt make sense. You could trade him for a shutdown corner though as long as its not Peterson/Amuk.

[For The Win]

Quote: Originally Posted by tiloj

I'd like to point out that Pandetta's NCAA class is amazing, when I did my draft it came out almost exactly like an ESPN mock draft rofl - usually you see random players all over the place.

Where can one find those draft classes. Is it a USB file or a roster set on the NCAA game?

[VikeKing]

In reality there would be very little trade value for Jared Allen at this point. Bad teams have no reason to trade away picks/young players and there's not much of a market with contending teams that run 4-3 defense. I think he still has a few years on a big contract too, so he'd have to restructure.

IMO it would be better to keep Allen and focus on O-line and secondary. Vikings are in bad shape with defensive backs...2 very old corners and not a single safety that should really be a starter.

As far as advice on drafting O-lineman, it's usually not too difficult to use pro days to scout some 1st-3rd round players with good potential. IBL RBS/RBF PBS/PBF & STR are good attributes as you would expect.

[Pandetta]

I tend to disagree, Richard Seymour was worth a 1st round pick at the same age and was less dominant as a pass rusher. Granted Seymour is very versatile and it was to the Raiders, but a dominant pass rusher is always worth alot - and Allen has a good 5-6 years left.

[Pandetta]

Quote: Originally Posted by For The Win

Where can one find those draft classes. Is it a USB file or a roster set on the NCAA game?

I customized the NCAA roster file to make the current 1-3rd round prospects the best players - so they would show up near the top of the draft like they should instead of the idiotic players that normally show up in the first few rounds. Some of the best player like Barkley and Coples don't even always show up in some people's classes when those players will clearly be in the top 15 or higher.

I actually put a ton of work into it, researching which prospects were the best via Walterfootball, and game stats etc, checking their actual play traits in college and making sure they would come out pretty close to their real projected status. I basically just did it for myself and shared it with 2-3 people when they asked - I just tossed it onto a USB.

[TearsOfPurple]

As a Viking fan; we won't get the #1 pick. Probably be within #3-#8 Also, we'd never EVER trade Allen. That's just stupid. He has at least 3-4 years left. Possibly 5. It's a pet peeve of mine when people "cheat" in Madden.

Keep Ponder, he is a good QB in Madden, and he will continue to grow as one. Your main focus should be getting a #1 WR in the 1st round (Jeffery or Blackmon for draft classes). After that, pick whatever is better for talent in that round; LT, MLB, CB, SS, C. You don't need a FB, we almost never use one. And Jimmy K fits what we use a FB for perfectly.