Thomas Tapeh and Madieu Williams Sign!

Word out of Winter Park is that the Vikings have signed S Madieu Williams and FB Thomas Tapeh and are continuing to meet with WR Bernard Berrian. If they can get Berrian to sign a contract while he's in the state, that would be a huge coup for the Purple, and would mean that they had filled three holes with talented players that will make the Vikings better next year.

As I wrote earlier, Williams will be a huge improvement over Dwight Smith in coverage, something that Smith was horrible at, and something that Williams is very good at. This was a very, very good move for the Vikings. By swapping Smith for Williams, they improved their talent level at safety, brought in a younger player and one who's skills will improve one of the Vikings weaknesses. Also, Williams should help cover for the Vikings young corners, something Smith wasn't very good at.

The Vikings also upgraded at fullback by signing Thomas Tapeh. Tapeh is a younger version of Tony Richardson. He has a good reputation as a blocking back, and is known for his special teams play, something at which they can always get better at, especially in a division that includes Devin Hester and Koren Robinson. And, as everyone likely knows, Tapeh is a former Minnesota Golden Gopher, and a native of St. Paul, and it's always a plus to bring a Minnesotan home to play for the Purple.

These two signings were a great start by the Vikings on the first day of free agency. They filled two of the holes in their roster, and still have a very good shot at signing the best receiver available. If DE Justin Smith doesn't sign with San Francisco, and they can talk the Texans or Bills into trading their backup QB, they'll have a very good chance of addressing everyone of their needs before the draft even starts. After all the negativity of the end of the season, its nice to finally have some reasons to be excited about next year.

Solving Our Problems: Madieu Williams

[Solving Our Problems is an ongoing series here at the Ragnarok where I evaluate the Vikings' options going into the offseason. I started by looking at the quarterback options, examining Derek Anderson, Donovan McNabb and possible backups for Tarvaris Jackson. I've tried to figure out who the QB is going to throw to, starting with free agent Bernard Berrian and Donte Stallworth, but I'm going to take a detour and take a look at a safety the Vikings might sign, Madieu Williams]

The Star Tribune had an article today about the Vikings' possible targets in free agency, and it's a positive one, because the Vikings are going to go after top talent. According to the article, the Vikings top three targets are wide receiver Bernard Berrian, defensive end Justin Smith and safety Madieu Williams. I covered why the Vikings should try and sign Berrian earlier, and Grant's Tomb took a look at the possibilities in the free agent market at defensive end, which I agree with, because I don't think the Vikings are going to spend big money on a pass rusher, because the talent isn't there. Aside from Smith, who struggled in his free agency year, there really aren't any game changing talents. That, combined with the fact that the draft has some quality talent at the position, makes me think that the Purple will spend their $30 million to fill other gaps, mainly wide receiver and safety. And, with Dwight Smith signing with the Lions, the Purple have to find a player to pair with Darren Sharper, and Madieu Williams is their top target.

Williams has spent his four years playing for the Bengals, but you shouldn't let that scare you. He's a talented safety, and is known off the field for his charity work (you thought I was going to say "legal troubles", didn't you? Well, he's not that kind of Bengal). And unlike Smith, his talents lie in coverage, not run support. As Football Prospectus 2007 put it, "Williams in particular is excellent in coverage and can help cover the deficiencies of the corners."

The information in the following table was taken from Football Prospectus 2007, so the stats are from 2006. I don't have access to the stats from last season yet. However, based on what I've read about Williams, he played about as well in 2007 as he did in 2006. And based on watching Smith, I think he preformed about as well this year as he did last year. So I believe that the information below is still relevant in comparing the two.

The first two statistics deal with the safeties ability to stop the run. RuYd shows where the player normally tackled a runner past the line of scrimmage and RuStp deals with the percentage of run plays in which the player was involved in stopping. The second two statistics deal with stopping the pass. Suc% is the percentage of plays targeting a player on which the offense did not have a successful play. "This means not only incomplete passes and interceptions but also short completions that do not meet our baselines for success (45 percent of needed yards on 1^st down, 60 percent on 2^nd down, 100 percent on 3^rd or 4^th down)". PD is passes defensed, which is a counting stat that includes any time a player knocked down a pass or intercepted it. Where the player ranks out of all NFL defensive backs in the first three statistics is also included.

	RuYd	Rank	RuStp	Rank	Suc%	Rank	PD
Madieu Williams	8	62nd	43%	39th	69%	3rd	10
Dwight Smith	4.6	10th	55%	13th	43%	64th	7

As you can see, Williams is nowhere near the run stopper that Smith is and Smith is nowhere near as good at coverage as Williams is, except when he comes to intercepting passes, as Smith has averaged 3.25 picks over the last four years, while Williams has averaged only 2.25 picks over the same time period. One extra interception a year isn't that big a loss, however, when you consider that Williams was almost 25% more successful at stopping plays targeting him.

While replacing Smith with Williams would likely hurt the Vikings' run defense, adding a safety with Williams' coverage ability would be a huge gain for the Vikings' pass defense. Williams and Sharper (his Suc% was also 69%) would likely make up the best pair of coverage safeties in the NFL, which would more than offset whatever damage it would do to the Vikings' run defense. And, the Vikings' can afford losing some of their ability at stopping the run if it means improving their mediocre pass defense, especially at a position that isn't as vital to run defense. Signing Williams would accomplish that, and in today's NFL, being able to stop the pass is of vital importance.

5 Goals for Tonight

The Vikings have one last preseason game to go [Thank God!], and still quite a few questions to answer about their roster. The starters aren't going to play much (with probably one exception), but there's still going to be a lot going on. So without further ado, the five things the Vikings need to accomplish tonight:

1. Get yo' stats. Get paid. Don't. Get. Hurt.

Pretty self explanatory. The last thing anyone wants is for one of their starters to go down during their one series on the field.

2. Choose between Mike Doss and Tank "Tank" Williams.

It’s looking like Greg Blue is going to make the team as the third safety, due to his play so far, cost, his upside and his special teams play. That leaves Mike Doss and Tank “Tank” Williams to fight it out for the final spot. Doss didn’t play in the last game and neither one of them practiced this week, which will greatly increase the amount their play tonight factors into the decision. One blown coverage or missed tackle by either player could be enough to get them the pink slip. I see the Vikings keeping Doss because of the similarities between Tank and Blue, but the extent of Doss’ calf injury could be a huge factor.

3. Pick two of the following: Troy Williamson, Martin Nance, Billy McMullin and Chandler Williams

As I’ve been saying this week, the Vikings seem set to keep Bobby Wade, Sidney Rice, Aundrae Allison and Robert Ferguson. They aren’t going to keep more than six receivers, which means there are only two more spots to fill. None of them have done much in the first three preseason games. Williamson has been a non factor in games (except for when he drops passes), but that doesn’t mean the Vikings are ready to admit they got nothing out of Randy Moss. While he hasn’t done enough to win the starting kick returner job, Williams has done a decent job returning kicks so far. Billy McMullin has shown he can be a relatively dependable fourth receiver and Nance has the ability. I think the Vikings are going to keep Williamson and Williams, because they aren’t ready to give up on their former #1 pick yet and because Williams brings skills to the table that Nance and McMullin do not.

4. Decide on who’s starting on the right side of the line.

Ryan Cook had two false starts last game (not good—false starts correlate with losing. And players that have false started in the past tend to continue to do so), allowing Marcus Johnson back in the picture at Right Tackle. Anthony Herrera and Artis Hicks continue to rotate at guard. Lines that play together perform better, but unless one of the guards can consistently outperform the other and Cook stops making mental mistakes, it won’t matter who starts Week 1. The Vikings are going to use all four of them during the course of the season.

5. Fill the final defensive lineman spot with Fred Evans, Khreem Smith or Jayme Mitchell

The Vikings aren’t keeping more than nine defensive linemen. Right now, they have five defensive ends (Udeze, James, Robison, Scott, Edwards) and three defensive tackles (The Williams Brothers and Spencer Taylor) with roster spots. Smith and Mitchell have both played well during the preseason, but both are defensive ends, something the Vikings have a surplus of. Evans had a limited impact in his time against the Seahawks (2 tackles, 1 forced fumble) and he’s a true defensive tackle. While the Purple could get away with keeping another end due to Darrion Scott’s ability to play DT, it’s better to keep another true defensive tackle. That, combined with the fact they’re looking for Pat Williams heir, means that Evans will make the team.

Unanswered Defensive Questions

Remember when Brian Robison and Ray Edwards were the Truth, the Answer, the Solution? Remember when they were going to team with a healthy Erasmus James to crash down upon opposing quarterbacks with unstoppable force?

Yeah...That was fun while it lasted.

Robison, Edwards and James (who was in for 18 plays) couldn't get past the Seahawks backup left tackle on Saturday. It's definitely not a good sign that a team can keep its All Pro LT on the bench and still not have any problems keeping the Vikings away from its quarterback. And it's not like the ends were opening things up for everyone else either, as the Vikings failed to record a sack. The good thing is that James was seeing his first action of the year and he didn't have any setbacks. The bad thing is that, well, the Vikings only had 30 sacks last year (7th least in the NFL), despite the fact other teams dropped back to pass 629 times against them(Most in the NFL). The Vikings weren't planning on counting on Edwards and Robison to turn around their pass rush--that's James' job. And while he didn't accomplish much in his 18 plays, his knee responded well. Finding out whether or not he can get to the quarterback will have to wait. It's too bad we already know that the other starting end cannot.

The Vikings' also avoided providing more info on which of their five safeties they are going to keep. Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith are locks for the team, which means Mike Doss, Greg Blue and Tank Williams are fighting for two roster spots. Doss didn't play against the Seahawks due to a calf injury, and neither Blue nor Williams made too much of an impact that I saw. Due to an undisclosed injury to Tank Williams and the fact that Doss continues to miss practice, it appears that Greg Blue is going to have all the opportunity in the world to win a roster spot against Dallas on Thursday. He's already got an advantage because he's younger and he's cheaper. He also, as you may recall, made "JACKED UP" last year for a hit against Buffalo. Definitely doesn't hurt.

Quick Thoughts and an Apology

So...remember when I was "back"? Yeah, that didn't work--I clearly overestimated my ability to post while traveling for business. Hence the two posts followed by nothing.

But now, I'm back home, no longer traveling and have given up on the Twins season (meaning, that, while I'll still be watching their games, I no longer feel it necessary to spend time thinking about them). Hopefully, that means this post won't be an isolated one.

Now, I must admit that I was not able to watch the Vikings' first preseason game (oddly enough, not every hotel has the NFL Network--who knew?), but it looked like it went well. Tarvis Jackson's stat line was good for the one quarter he was in--8/11 for 83 yds and 2 scrambles for 25 yds. Troy Williamson and B0bby Wade didn't do too poorly and the defensive ends (not counting the Vikings' run specialist, Keneci Udeze) put pressure on the quarterbacks, even if they didn't actually bring them down.

It was a good first step on the long and winding path back to the playoffs. And the team takes the second step tonight against the Jets. Here's what I'll be looking for tonight:

• Another accurate performance from Tarvaris. I'm hoping he'll once again complete 65%-70% of his passes and avoid throwing interceptions. The biggest question mark with the Revolution is his accuracy and his decision making. The most important thing in Brad Childress' offense are the receivers catching passes in stride on the short and medium routes so they can do something with it.
• Brooks Bollinger continuing to personify mediocrity. The last thing this team needs is a quarterback controversy. Brad Childress' decision to play Bollinger for a quarter with the first team seems guaranteed to create one. If he's mediocre to bad again, that will hopefully put any possible controversy to rest, so Childress can go back to focusing on developing his young starting quarterback. It makes no sense whatsoever to cut into Tarvaris' playing time, especially if the reason is to give Drew Henson and Tyler Thigpen more playing time.
  
• Can any of the rookie wide receivers make an impact in the game? Sidney Rice had one catch last game, but he was the only one.
  
• The Vikings are currently have five safeties with the talent to start. Are Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith locks for the position, or do Mike Doss, Tank Williams and Greg Blue have a shot to start?
• Finally, I'd like to see Tarvaris lead the first team offense to a touchdown, preferably on a completion to Troy Williamson. That would hopefully quiet the nattering nabobs of negativity, at least for a week.
  

Get to Know 'Em: Brandon Meriweather

Rather than add my voice to the legion of bloggers speculating on the Vikings' first round pick, I'm going to take the draft analysis a step further and preview players the Vikings might take with the 41st overall pick. And in case you're wondering, I'm getting the ideas for players from NFL Draft Countdown, Draft Tek and FF Tool Box. So for all I know, these guys will all be gone in the first round, or will still be available when the Vikings draft in the third round. If it's the latter, let's all pretend this was a third round preview, ok? Thanks.

April 3: Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio St.
April 4: Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina
April 5: Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia
April 8: Steve Smith, WR, USC
April 10: Brandon Meriweather, S, Miami

If the Vikings want to get first round talent in the second round, their best bet is to draft Brandon Meriweather, a senior safety out of the University of Miami. Disregarding the fact that the Vikings are being investigated by the Attorney General for a Safety monopoly, something all those mock drafts with LeRon Landry going #7 have already done, there are some slight issues that may cause the Purple to pass on a player that could be their version of Sean Taylor.

Before we get into Meriweather's issues, it's best that we talk about what he would bring to the table. He has the speed necessary to be a returner (4.48 forty), the tackling ability of a strong safety and the coverage skills necessary to play any position in the secondary, something he did for the Hurricanes. He has great hands and routinely put the fear of God into receivers as they came across the middle. You can expect him to score touchdowns for the Purple, whether it's by returning interceptions or kicks. And to top it all off, he is reported to have a great work ethic and was seen by the 'Canes as one of the leaders of their defense. Quite simply, he has the potential to be a Pro Bowler for the Vikings for the next 10 years.

Like all prospects, however, he has his drawbacks. Durability is an issue, due to how he throws himself around on the field. There are also some small character issues, such as how he starred in the FIU-Miami brawl as the "Cane Stomper", a role he played to perfection by kicking and stomping an FIU player on the ground. He also has issues with his aim, as his return fire failed to hit an assailant who shot his roommate. The gun he used was legally owned and was used only in self defense, but it forces the Vikings to decide whether it was an isolated incident or something likely to reoccur due to poor choices by Meriweather.

It's the answer to that question, as well as his conduct during the FIU-Miami brawl that will determine where Meriweather is drafted. If a team is willing to overlook them, Meriweather could go as high as the mid first round. If teams are worried about those issues, he could fall past the Vikings to the mid second round. I don't see Zygi and the new look Vikings taking a chance on Meriweather, but if they feel the brawl was a heat of the moment incident, and his return fire an isolated matter of self defense, his talent would be awfully hard to pass up.