The Vikings put Albert Young on Injured Reserve yesterday with some unspecified injury (phantom?) to make room for recently-signed third-down back Lorenzo Booker.
The team also released center Adrian Martinez from the practice squad to make room for free agent quarterback R.J. Archer out of William & Mary.
The team originally signed Archer to a three-year contract in April but released him. Archer stands 6-2, 220 lbs. out of William & Mary college.
Archer switched to wide receiver during his 2006 and 2007 seasons at William & Mary, collecting 69 receptions during that span. In 2008, he switched back to quarterback and became the full-time starter during the 2009 season, throwing 16 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
Archer’s agent, Chris Cabott, has flooded YouTube with highlight videos of his client. [WATCH R.J. Archer college video highlights.]
JOE/WEBB?
Does the R.J. Archer signing say anything about the status of Joe Webb at the quarterback position?
Given that the Vikings had Webb return kicks last week, that they had packages for him at wide receiver, that Leslie Frazier joked that we might see him in the backfield, does the team have an eye on him as a slash player they can utilize now rather than strictly the quarterback prospect Brad Childress apparently saw him as?
You remember Kordell Stewart of the Pittsburgh Steelers circa 1995, right? Stewart was the player for whom the nickname Slash was invented, as in quarterback slash running back slash wide receiver slash kick returner slash punter.
Do the Vikings see a few slashes in Joe Webb’s future?
PETERSON HIGHLIGHTS
A Vikings fan got some pretty good video footage of Adrian Peterson‘s first two touchdowns against the Bills on Sunday. Unfortunately, he hasn’t uploaded one of Peterson’s third TD, the beautiful 43 yard sprint. [WATCH Video highlights of Peterson’s touchdowns.]
NUMBER ONE FAN
It hardly surprising when a politician says they’re a professional team’s biggest fan, all of them do say that. They even get into the absurd position when running for national office of pretending not to have a favorite team, so as not to offend anyone.
What is a little surprising is when that sentiment turns out to be completely genuine backed up by a solid understanding of their team and a sport. See, then, Pioneer Press columnist Bob Sansevere‘s Q & A with Senator Al Franken a couple weeks back.
Sansevere’s Q & A was in response to an editorial Franken wrote for the Washington Post prior to the Vikings victory over the Redskins, stating that he’d be in the stands rooting for the Vikes.