A family emergency forces Harvin to delay surgery to clean out bone spurs.
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The Minnesota Vikings won't need to worry about George Paton moving on from the franchise to the St. Louis Rams. On Saturday, the team announced that Paton had been promoted from director of player personnel to assistant general manager.
Paton had been one of two finalists for the St. Louis Rams' vacant general manager position. However, Paton has been a long-time friend of general manager Rick Spielman and now has formally received the title to go along with the power he had as the director of player personnel. Paton has been with the team since the 2006 season.
The Vikings have the No. 3 overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft following its 3-13 2011 season. Paton will certainly have a large role in deciding whom the team will draft in April.
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This past season was awful for the Minnesota Vikings and, unfortunately, it was difficult to pinpoint one single problem that needs fixing before next year begins. The upside to that, however, is that the team will be able to look at nearly every option that becomes available this offseason.
One of the top options on the board just a few seasons ago is available at one of the Vikings positions of need, too, as Stanford Routt is a free agent after being released by the Oakland Raiders earlier in the offseason. There isn't anything concrete being mentioned, but ESPN Dallas cited Routt's agent saying the Vikings are one of the teams that have shown interest in the veteran defensive back.
Routt wasn't spectacular last season, but Daily Norseman's Christopher Gates outlines the reason he could be a solid pickup for the Vikings at the right price.
Routt has decent size (6'1", 195 according to the numbers from NFL.com), but isn't really considered a "Cover 2" sort of player. Then again, new defensive coordinator Alan Williams, while a Tampa-2 disciple of sorts, might be more interested in something more aggressive -- man, I hope so -- that Routt could do well in.
It'll be interesting to see where this goes, if anywhere, as the offseason rolls on through the upcoming NFL Draft.
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On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings announced they've signed one player to a reserve/future contract, according to Scout.com. Solomon Elimimian, standout with the B.C. Lions in the CFL, has agreed to the minimum $390,000 salary with a $35,000 signing bonus. It's likely that the Vikings will carry Elimimian on the roster in 2012, as the prospect apparently visited with multiple teams once the offseason got underway to discuss a deal.
It's unclear if the teams decided not to pursue Elimimian or if he chose the Vikings over them. Minnesota carried two other CFL products on the roster in 2012 in wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux and linebacker Kenny Onatolu. According to The Province, the B.C. Lions didn't even offer Elimimian a contract, given that they can't compete with even the minimum salary in the NFL, and that Elimimian had his heart set on the big game, either way.
Elimimian is just 6-foot and 225 pounds, but was still named the hardest hitter in the CFL, and was named an All-Star.
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The Minnesota Vikings have their defensive coordinator, and I'm sure they feel confident about their guy. He wasn't necessarily the first option, given the fact that Jacksonville's Mel Tucker was reportedly offered the position before declining it, and it's also not looking like Alan Williams was their second choice, either. According to the Washington Post, the Vikings also offered the position to Raheem Morris, who declined.
That isn't to say that Morris didn't want the position, it's just that he already had agreed to terms on a deal with the Washington Redskins to become their defensive backs coach. Morris interviewed with the Vikings, but had heard that the team was going to offer the job elsewhere, and he didn't want to leave the Redskins waiting for an answer. One has to wonder how many coaches are out there who would have went back on his word to take the better position.
Morris would go on to say that all he has is his word and his tape, and he wasn't going to go back on it. He refuses to talk about whether or not he wishes he'd waited a little longer, but it's worth noting that Morris was almost on his way to Minnesota. It's worth noting that the three most prominent coaches, Tucker, Morris and the actual hire, Williams, are all linked to coaching defensive backs.
The Minnesota Vikings made their hire of Alan Williams as their defensive coordinator official on Thursday, according to ESPN Twin Cities. Williams had a great interview and the two-week long search for a defensive coordinator came to an end. He replaces Fred Pagac, who is expected to stay with the team in the role of a linebackers coach. According to the piece, it also notes that Mike Singletary is likely to remain in that role as well, though there have been conflicting reports regarding his future with the organization.
Williams spent the last 10 years as defensive backs coach with the Indianapolis Colts, who are in a transition period right now - it's unclear if Williams would have had a job even if he had stayed there. He's got a history with Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier, having coached with him on the Colts, notably in the 2006 Super Bowl season.
On top of that news, the Vikings hired Brendan Daly as the team's defensive line coach. Daly spent the past three seasons with the St. Louis Rams, and before that was with the Vikings.
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It looks like the Minnesota Vikings have found their new defensive coordinator. According to Jason La Canfora on Twitter, the Vikings are expected to offer the job to Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams. Reports were that Williams interviewed on Tuesday, and it looks as though the interview went very well.
Williams had previously worked in Tampa Bay, with ties to Tony Dungy, much like current Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier. Williams is familiar with the Cover-2 scheme that Frazier and the Vikings will be using, so it makes an awful lot of sense. Williams is filling the position that was formerly filled by Fred Pagac, who was let go last week.
Pagac was offered the job of linebackers coach, meaning Mike Singletary might be on his way out one way or another. There were earlier reports that Singletary could be elevated to the defensive coordinator position if not fired. Well, looks like it may be going the other way, there.
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The search for a new defensive coordinator continues for the Minnesota Vikings, but it hit a snag on Tuesday, as the Chicago Bears have declined a request from the Vikings to interview defensive backs coach Jon Hoke, according to the Chicago Tribune. Minnesota has been looking at several suitors, including some with a specialization in defensive backs, such as Raheem Morris, and it's possible that Hoke could be a very serious candidate for the defensive coordinator position.
That is to say, he could have been a very serious candidate. Chicago can decline requests of this nature in all cases not related to a potential gig as a head coach. Perhaps the Bears said no because the Vikings are an NFC North rival, but the team has a history of doing this kind of thing where that doesn't really apply. Mike Tice wasn't allowed to interview with the Titans back in February to become their offensive coordinator, and they're not within the division, or even the same conference.
It's likely that the Bears will give Hoke a raise and perhaps another year to his deal if he wants it, but for the Vikings, it means they'll have to search elsewhere.
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With Sunday's report that Fred Pagac is out as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator comes the question of who is going to replace him. For one, the team was already actively looking for a replacement defensive coordinator over the past week or so, and it's unclear if it will be someone within the organization or not. The biggest wild card by far is current linebackers coach Mike Singletary.
It's true that the linebackers have performed exceptionally well under Singletary, with Chad Greenway making his first ever Pro Bowl, but there's been conflicting reports about the linebackers coach's performance and dedication. Many have reported that Singletary has missed team meetings and shown a total lack of structure in his coaching approach, but others feel his status within the organization is safe due to the fact that he's good friends with head coach Leslie Frazier.
It appears that the Vikings have offered Singletary's job to Pagac, though it's unclear if that's just a courtesy at this point. Some say it hinges on Singletary, who at this point could be promoted to defensive coordinator, or promptly fired from the organization outright. Really, it's a weird situation overall, with conflicting reports on both sides. It does appear that both of these are legitimate options the team could pursue, which doesn't speak much to a stable coaching staff.
Though it wouldn't be the first time, it would be odd to see Singletary and Pagac just swap roles within the coaching staff.
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The Minnesota Vikings' rough season wasn't all due to a hobbled offense breaking in a rookie quarterback. The defensive decline on the other side of the ball also played a role and according to a report on Twincities.com, the performance of the defense will cost Fred Pagac his job as defensive coordinator.
The Vikings relieved Fred Pagac of his defensive coordinator duties Friday morning but have offered a job to return as linebackers coach, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation.
The Vikings have not yet been informed whether Pagac, who coached the Vikings linebackers from 2006-10 before assuming the coordinator job last January, will embrace the demotion or look for work elsewhere.
Replacing Pagac isn't a big surprise since there have been reports of Minnesota showing interest in other defensive coaching while already firing defensive line coach Karl Dunbar. Among the possible candidates mentioned to take over the defense is former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary.
The Associated Press has named their 2011 National Football League All-Pro team, and the Minnesota Vikings had but one representative on the squad.
It should come as a surprise to nobody that defensive end Jared Allen was named an All-Pro this season. After all, he came up just half a sack short of trying Michael Strahan's single-season record of 22.5, and threw in 66 tackles, a safety, three passes defended, four forced fumbles, and even an interception for good measure.
Allen was named on 49 of the 50 ballots for the All-Pro team, one of two players to be that close to unanimous choices for the squad. Detroit Lions' receiver Calvin Johnson also received 49 of 50 votes.
(Kind of makes you wonder who the guys were that decided that Jared Allen and Calvin Johnson weren't All-Pros, doesn't it?)
Congratulations to Jared Allen on a well-deserved honor to put a fine finish on one of the best individual efforts that we've seen in recent NFL history.
Per ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the Minnesota Vikings will be interviewing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coach Raheem Morris for what Mortensen called a "high-level defensive coaching position." With current Vikings' defensive coordinator Fred Pagac in serious jeopardy of being fired, it stands to reason that the Vikings would be interviewing Morris to potentially be his successor.
Morris has spent the past three seasons as the Buccaneers' head coach, taking over for the fired Jon Gruden in 2009. The Buccaneers went 3-13 in their first season under Morris, and followed that up with a 10-6 campaign in 2010, contending for a playoff spot until the final week of the season. The seven-game turn-around was the largest in Buccaneers' franchise history. Unfortunately for Morris, things fell apart this season, with the Bucs losing ten straight games after a 4-2 start to finish with a 4-12 record and the fifth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Morris has never been a defensive coordinator in the NFL before. He was set to take that job in Tampa Bay in place of legendary coach Monte Kiffin, who left the Buccaneers after the 2008 season to join his son Lane with the NCAA's Tennessee Volunteers. However, Gruden was fired in mid-January of 2009 and Morris was promoted to the head coaches spot with the Buccaneers. Prior to that, he had been the team's defensive backs coach.
The potential hiring of Morris would lead one to believe that the Vikings will stay with their current "Tampa-2" defensive approach, rather than potentially attempting to switch to a 3-4 defense. . .a scheme that they are ill-equipped to switch to at the current time, personnel-wise.
We will have more on this story as it develops.
The Minnesota Vikings shook up their front office on Tuesday morning, making the announcement that former Vice President of Player Personnel Rick Spielman to the position of General Manager, making Spielman the singular voice in player personnel decisions. This is a direct contrast to the way things have been run since Zygi Wilf fired Mike Tice after the 2005 season, as the team has been run by a "Triangle of Authority" consisting of Spielman, Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski, and the head coach (either Brad Childress or Leslie Frazier).
Spielman took a similar career path with the Miami Dolphins, having been named Vice President of Player Personnel in 2000 and being promoted to General Manager in 2004.
The upcoming draft for the Minnesota Vikings might be the most important draft in team history, with the team coming off of a 3-13 season and needing to launch the serious rebuilding project that will bring them back to being a competitive football team again. The fact that Zygi Wilf and company have decided to make Spielman the singular voice going into that draft speaks volumes for the level of confidence that the team has in him.
Now, Viking fans need to hope that confidence isn't misplaced.
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Vikings Offseason: Percy Harvin Postpones Shoulder Operation
Today was supposed to be the day that Percy Harvin had arthroscopic shoulder surgery, but the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver took to Twitter today to announce had postponed the surgery.
The surgery is still expected to take place soon enough that he can be ready for organized team activities practices on May 29, according to ESPN 1500 Twin Cities.
Harvin was having the surgery to clean out bone spurs. He played with the injury throughout the 2011 season. He had a career-high in both catches (87) and receiving yards (967) last season and played in all 16 games for the first time in his career.
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Apr 10 12:27p by David Cassilo