WHAT I’LL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON
- Javon Walker and Greg Camarillo – Just what do we have here?
- Adrian Peterson – Continue to show that he cares about hanging onto the ball. Will he successfully pick up some blitzes? Will he successfully block them? Has he got his burst back?
- Garrett Mills – More seam stretching? More soft hands? Sets that include him and Visanthe Shiancoe?
- E.J. Henderson – How long can he last?
- Chris Cook – Will another big play seal the deal for the rookie’s chances at seizing the starting position?
- Bernard Berrian – Will Brett Favre & Mr. Sticks hook up for a deep ball?
- Logan Payne – Will his special teams play improve?
- John Sullivan – Is the starting center ready for prime time after missing, well, pretty much all the offseason?
- Anthony Herrera – Will guard Herrera get more time at center? If so, what does that say about the team’s confidence in backup Jon Cooper?
- Offensive Line in general. Can we open holes for the running backs. Can we keep defenses from executing The Blueprint on Brett Favre?
- Defensive Line – They should be able to dominate against the Seahawks depleted offensive line. Will they?
- Tyrell Johnson, Jamarca Sanford & Hussein Abdullah – Who’s gonna step up and take the strong safety position?
- Toby Gerhart – Will he prove himself as a third down back by being able to recognize and pick up blitzes? Will he supplant Albert Young? Does it matter? It’s not like he’s getting cut. More importantly:
- Albert Young – Is he a third-down specialist or Adrian Peterson‘s immediate backup?
- Ryan D’Imperio – Will he demonstrate that he knows who to block? Will he blow some Seahawks up? Will he, please, make my season more enjoyable by being better than Nafau Tahi at fullback? I’m afraid he’s probably practice squad material at this point. If so, though, you, gentle Vikings fan, will have to endure an entire season of me bitching about Tahi.
- Everson Griffen – Will he do anything at all?
OUT
Cedric Griffin and Sidney Rice are both on PUP list.
PROBABLY OUT
Percy Harvin and DT Jimmy Kennedy.
WAIVED
Wide receiver Roy Small & running back Ryan Moats.
BUD GRANT
The first guy to hire Pete Carroll for an NFL coaching job.
1985-1989
The years current Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll served as the defensive backs coach for your Minnesota Vikings.
78
The number of interceptions the starting cornerbacks and safeties got during Carroll’s reign as Vikings defensive backs coach.
- 1985 DB interceptions = 10
- 1986 DB interceptions = 18
- 1987 DB interceptions = 18
- 1988 DB interceptions = 23
- 1989 DB interceptions = 9
2
The number of times Pete Carroll lost out to Dennis Green for a head coaching position (at USC and with the Minnesota Vikings)
EVERSON GRIFFEN ARRESTED
When he was at USC. By Pete Carroll. As an April Fools prank. [Watch.]
WHAT GIVES, CULLEN?
My friend Blois Olson reported in his Minnesota politics Morning Take email newsletter yesterday that Coach Brad Childress, left guard Steve Hutchinson and linebacker Ben Leber attended a fundraiser for former president George W. Bush‘s presidential library.
So where the hell was Maddenless long-snapper, Cullen Loefler, whose family are friends with the Bushes?
What gives (or doesn’t, I guess), Cullen?
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