Carey an option?
February 19th, 2009 – 6:36 PM by Judd ZulgadINDIANAPOLIS — Rick Spielman didn’t go into much detail when asked about the right tackle position today at the NFL Scouting Combine but the Vikings vice president of player personnel did say: “As we went through our evaluations, there is not a position — I don’t think — that we would not look at to try to get better.”
Ryan Cook, of course, spent the majority of the season starting at that spot but struggled with mental and physical mistakes and was benched at one point. As the Vikings consider their options, it brings us back to something we put out on this blog a few weeks back and something our friend Kevin Seifert of ESPN wrote today.
Could the Dolphins’ Vernon Carey be an option when he becomes a free agent at 11 p.m. next Thursday? Carey could have had the franchise tag used on him — 14 teams used that tag this year — but the Dolphins elected not to go that route. Spielman certainly is familiar with Carey, having drafted him while working in the Dolphins’ front office in 2004.
Carey would be an upgrade at the right tackle position but getting him would not be easy. As Seifert writes, the Chicago Bears are looking for a right tackle as well and very well could make a run at Carey.
Spielman made it clear that owner Zygi Wilf has put no restrictions on spending despite the tough economic times. The Vikings have about $28 million in salary-cap space.
By the way, one name you can cross off a potential Vikings’ wish list is Carolina tackle Jordan Gross. The Panthers kept Gross by signing him to a six-year deal that reportedly will pay $30.5 million in the first three years. According to a report from Scout.com, Gross was the top-rated player on the Vikings’ free agency board and they wanted to play him at right tackle.
The interesting thing about that is if the Vikings had been able to sign Gross they would have had to pay him left tackle money to most likely protect a quarterback’s non-blindside.
23 Responses to "Carey an option?"
Do right tackles make left tackle money when the QB is a lefty?
Didn’t we get the Fish to give us an extra draft pick so they could move up and select Carey in the draft? I think they believed we wanted him. I say sign Carey ,RT would be taken care of!
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Personally I think the Vikings should evaluate every position this off season and explore all opportunities that are available in free agency and the draft. Wait, Spielman already said that, every time he is interviewed. God he’s annoying.
Hey Judd and Chip, let’s just skip interviewing these clowns, insert the same rhetoric, and speculate ourselves. It will amount to the same thing, yet save you guys the energy.
Mark Tauscher RT - Packer has yet to sign. Is Tauscher, even at 32 with history of injuries, a better pass blocker than Vernon Carey?
dang Krugger, selling surfboards is a tough business these days
I blame Antonio Pantalini
No to Tauscher, injuries and age have caught up to him
[…] Access Vikings: – […]
Ole surfboards?
Vernon Carey
Assets An incredibly strong, massive individual. A quintessential drive blocker with a thick frame and exceptional lower-body strength. Overwhelms defenders at the point of attack. Gets a good punch. Can be an effective run blocker when he anchors and latches on. Uses his head and will get good position on his opponent. Moves and slides very well for a huge man and can get out to the second level.
Flaws: A poor blocker in space. Doesn’t have great footwork and will lunge at times. Except for his initial punch, he doesn’t use his hands to his advantage. Takes the easy way out at times. Weight issues are a concern.
Note - Carey was part of the abysmal Dolphin team of ‘07 at LT. Rebounded last year at what position….?
I don’t like that evaluation of Carey based upon the Vikings “zone” blocking schemes. The linemen are always in space during this brilliant offensive line scheme. And getting out to the second level isn’t going to help much during our 1 screen pass every other game.
I tell you what though, has there ever been a year in recent memory where it seems there are so many possibilities for the Vikings?
FrantheMan
Krugger used to sell surfboards out here in Hawaii. Now he is selling them in some Jeff forsaken place called Montana
I’d rather have Vernon Carey at RT than Tauscher
Carey would be a great option for our team. One of the players I would like to see leave the most, would definitely be Cook.
Carey would be a great option for our team. One of the players I would like to see leave the most, would definitely be Cook.
I say no to Tauscher he is too old. Isn’t Carey only 27.
ABC
Anybody But Cook
How’s life in the Pits, Boss?
What about Stacy Andrews of the Bengals for Cooks replacement?? Injury prone?
Never mind about him..just saw where he had reconstructive knee surgery from a late season injury…. dang…
Good info, Judd…
Some interesting reading on Ferotte, Cassel & the Vikes..another perspective..
http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/17/frerotte-cassel-and-the-vikes-future/#commentform
Good story, 4Ever. One guy wants to bring back Culpepper, so that was kind of funny. I think the Lions are keeping him. Maybe to mentor Stafford or Bradford or whoever they are after.
Who knows, it’s the Lions.
Carey has what it takes to solve our problem at right tackle. However, he’s clearly the top tackle left in free agency and some team will doubtless pay him more than he’s worth. But he also has the ability to play well on the left side, and the need for productive tackles is out there. I also have worries about his ability to learn the zone scheme… but he couldn’t be worse than Cook.
Ray Willis (Seagulls) strikes me as a guy who has been kind of over-looked but has proven he can be an affective right tackle (started 10 games gave up 1.5 sacks). He’d be a cheaper option, but a realtively unproven guy that may not be much better than Hicks… then again he could be much better.
tyson Clabo would actually be my top choice for Right Tackle (Falcons) but he’s restricted. Depending on the tender they place on him, he might be worth the compensation required. He’s only 27 and would be a more sure-fire success than any of the tackles in the second or third rounds of the draft. It’d be worth it in my eye, especially considering we’d be taking him away from a team we could possibly meet in the playoffs next season.
Other than that, I think our woes at Tackle need to be solved in the draft.
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Join Vikings beat writers Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins on a usually informative and often irreverent journey inside the Vikings.
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