The NHL’s Bill Masterton Trophy falls into the latter category as it is presented to, “the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

Given that definition, it’s difficult to argue against simply handing the trophy to Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding right now. The 28 year-old netminder was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the fall of 2012 and announced he would battle the illness and continue his playing career.

Harding completely exemplified a dedication to the game and showed his commitment to the Wild, after the news of his illness became public. It’s not very often that a player will be faced with such a situation and will choose to remain with his current club – a team that he plays backup for.

It may not seem simple to the fans, but to Harding, Minnesota was a place he simply could not depart from.

“I can’t say enough and I can’t thank them enough for how good the team has been from the top down,” Harding said. via USA Today “I’m not just talking about the players, I’m talking about management, I’m talking about everybody. It’s one of the reasons I signed back here. This is a family and I can’t say enough about each and every guy in here.”

If that doesn’t count as “perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey”, then the league needs to find a new way of understanding that phrase.

Harding isn’t an MVP talent, and will not likely be joining fellow Masterton nominee Sidney Crosby in the record books, but he certainly exemplifies the type of commitment to the game which all other fellow NHLers should like to emulate. It looks like come the Stanley Cup Finals, this award will only have one true nominee.

The post Why Wild Goalie Josh Harding Should Win The Bill Masterton Trophy appeared first on MinnesotaSNN.

Kyle Korver

Entering unrestricted free agency, Kyle Korver just concluded his 10th season in the NBA as the Atlanta Hawks were grounded by the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs. Korver is a veteran who has always been consistent shooter throughout his career, especially from beyond the arc. Korver is a 42% 3-point shooter in his 9 years of experience, averaging 9.6 points per game. Korver is primarily a 3-point specialist and wouldn’t be an ideal fit as a starter, but he would be more than capable of adding depth to a much needed position.

Kyle could be a great fit for the Timberwolves organization because he can bring the shooting threat that Minnesota is hoping for. The Wolves need somebody to float around the 3-point line offensively and pull the trigger whenever passed the ball. Korver is coming off a three-year, $15 million contract with the Hawks.

odds of pursuing: 6/10

O.J. Mayo

Originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, O.J. Mayo was quickly traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a package for Kevin Love. After playing 4 years in Memphis, Mayo signed a two-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks last season but has decided to opt out of the player option. Mayo, who would be receiving $4.2 million in Dallas next year, is the former #3 overall pick from the 2008 draft and is looking for a long term negotiation. The five-year veteran averaged 15.3 point per game last season and shot above 40% from behind the arc for the first time in his career.

Mayo has always been a good scorer since entering the league and can always be a threat from deep. However, Mayo struggled with some issues he and Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle had which would result in his opting out. Mayo is looking for a boost in his paycheck this off season meaning it would cost the Wolves a little more from their pocket – or at least a longer deal. Minnesota has already shown interest in Mayo and he could be a name to watch for in the offseason.

Odd for pursuing: 9/10

Andre Iguodala

Two years ago Andre Iguodala was involved in a blockbuster trade that sent him from his beloved 76er’s team to the mile high Denver Nuggets. Iguodala had a bit of a down year with the Nuggets this season averaging 13 points per game and shooting only 32% from the 3-point line. Iggy has already made his decision to opt out of the last year of his contract in search of a bigger deal in free agency. Iguodala, 29, doesn’t bring much of an outside threat but he has a dangerous ability to drive the lane and has been well known for his perimeter defense.

If the Timberwolves are looking for their 3-point threat then Iguodala probably won’t be the answer, but if they are looking to improve the position overall – both offensively and defensively – Iguodala is more than capable. The Wolves, in fact, were 23rd in the league in opponent 3-point percentage (37%) and defensively had problems along the perimeter. Iguodala was scheduled to make a hefty $16.1 million next season with Denver but claimed he was looking for a long term situation. In the Wolves case, Iguodala could be on the expensive side and would likely require the departure of Andrei Kirilenko.

Odds of pursuing: 5/10

Nick Young

Coming off of an injury filled season, Nick Young will be a free agent for the second straight year after a quick stint withe the 76er’s. Last offseason the Timberwolves expressed interest in Young but he would eventually make his way to Philadelphia. Inconsistency has always been an issue for the former 16th pick by the Wizards. Last year Young, 26, struggled shooting the ball connecting on only 41% of his shots and only 36% of his 3-point shots found the mark.

Nick Young could be a risky pick for the Wolves but nonetheless he could bring great athleticism and quickness to the franchise. Young doesn’t offer much more than shooting as he averaged only 1.9 rebounds and 1 assist per game in his career but that could be all that Minnesota needs. Young could be an affordable option for the Timberwolves who are in need of athletic wing players.

Odds of pursuing: 6/10

Kevin Martin

After being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, Kevin Martin was named a sixth man, coming off the bench for a talented Thunder team. Martin has earned his NBA right to start in the league and not be a bench player – much like he did with the Rockets. Martin will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will most likely part ways with the Thunder who will not have the money or opportunities to offer him. Last year Martin was stroking the ball behind the 3-point line shooting 43% while averaging 14 points per game.

If Martin were to become a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves he would quickly find his name in the starting lineup. However, for the Wolves, Martin could potentially come with a big price tag; That price tag could drop due to Kevin Martin being a fan of Adelman’s system. Kevin Martin could be a great fit for Minnesota if the Wolves staff are able to negotiate a deal with him. His great long range shooting talents and ability to spread the floor could bring a lot to the Timberwolves both offensively and defensively.

Odd of pursuing: 8/10

J.R. Smith

It came with no surprise when J.R. Smith of the New York Knicks decided to opt out of the last year of his contract. The NBA six-man of the year is expected to make just under $3 million next season and it could be debated that Smith could see double that this summer. In his 9th year in the league, Smith averaged 18.1 points per game while shooting 42% from the field. J.R. is only an average perimeter shooter as he closed in on only 36% of his 3-point shots. One of the most dangerous pieces to Smith’s game is his driving ability. This past season, Smith showed NBA fans his intense athleticism and highlight play-making dunks.

What J.R. can bring to the Timberwolves roster is a fast-paced game and on-your-feet plays. As seen in recent years, Ricky Rubio tends to play best with big, long, athletic players and J.R. could be a perfect fit. Smith will be one of the premier players on the free agency board this offseason and will be seeing big payments flying his way.

Odds of pursuing: 5/10

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The Minnesota Wild ended a four-year playoff drought when they locked in the #8 seed in the Western Conference. The postseason didn’t last long for the Wild when they were eliminated by the #1 seeded Chicago Blackhawks in five games this past Thursday night.

“I look where we were a year ago today to where we are now, there’s just been a dramatic improvement, a dramatic difference,” Fletcher told Russo, via the Star Tribune. “Clearly we’re on the right path. But you play a team like Chicago, you see where you have to get better. Their talent level, their depth is pretty impressive. You see where you need to get to, but by the same token, last year we were Mikko Koivu and a bunch of prospects.”

The Wild made a huge improvement thanks largely to offseason acquisitions in Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. Parise and Suter combined for 60 points during the 2012-13 season leading the Wild to a much anticipated and needed playoff berth.

Minnesota faced a huge challenge in the opening round of the playoffs as they faced the #1 overall Chicago Blackhawks. The troubles started early for the Wild, who were unfavored to begin with, as goaltender Nicklas Backstrom went down in pre-game warmups due to what would later be found out to be a sports hernia injury. Later in the series goaltender Josh Harding, who was replacing the injured Backstrom, went down with an injury of his own – Harding did return to start in game five.

“We’re taking steps and we’ve got to keep taking step.”

The Minnesota Wild will have a very active and busy offseason as they will be expected to build upon the playoff performance from this year. If the Wild don’t make the playoff next season you can all but guarantee drastic changes will be made in the front office. For now Mike Yeo will remain the head coach, but he will likely start the season on the hot seat.

The post Wild GM Chuck Fletcher on Mike Yeo: ‘He’s our coach’ appeared first on MinnesotaSNN.

The Timberwolves have a big need for a legitimate shooting guard to help take pressure off both Rubio and Love. Mayo might not be the best option for the Timberwolves as he struggled down the stretch – averaging 8.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in the final 8 games – but he is an immense upgrade over current starting guard Luke Ridinour.

Last season the Timberwolves finished dead last in the NBA shooting just 30.5% and averaging just 5.5 3-pointers made per game. Mayo would add the much needed presence of a 3-point threat as he ranked 26th in the NBA last season, shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc and averaging 1.7 3-point shots made per game.

Mayo was an up-and-down shooter for the Mavericks this past season and got on the nerve of head coach Rick Carlisle. Carlisle ripped into Mayo at the end of the season for his lack of heart and team effort.

“Well, the good news is there’s only an opportunity for one more [poor outing],” Carlisle said. “I just want to see him show up. I just want to see him show up and compete. He didn’t compete tonight. And I tell you, with all the time we’ve put into helping him develop and bringing him along, in the biggest game of the year – an opportunity to be a winning team – for him to show up like he did tonight, I was shocked. Look, sometimes guys have bad nights, so make sure to put that in there, too.”

Flip Saunders, the newly named President of Basketball Operations for the Timberwolves, will seek to improve the Timberwolves roster that hasn’t made the Playoffs since the 2005 season. The decisions won’t be easy as the Wolves will need to find a way to make the salary cap situation work with them, not against them. The Timberwolves will have to make tough decisions on G/F Chase Budinger, C Nikola Pekovic, as well as potential free agent signings.

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Christian Ponder’s Production

The 2013 season will be a do-or-die season as quarterback Christian Ponder needs to prove himself as the future of the Minnesota Vikings if he wishes to remain the teams franchise quarterback. To credit Ponder, he did start every game for Minnesota in the regular season and lead them to a 10-6 record; In other words he didn’t lose the season for them. In his 2012 campaign, Ponder passed for 2,936 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing 12 interceptions, finishing with a quarterback rating of 81.2. The rankings for Ponder are bleak as he ranked 21st in passer rating, 31st in yards per game, and 25th in total passing yards. Ponder didn’t even throw a touchdown in 5 of the 16 games played in the regular season.

Entering his third year in the league, second year as full-time starter, Ponder will need to be at minimum a consistent passer. Last year he missed to many open receivers and had inaccuracy hiccups, especially in the middle part of the season. He has shown his capability to preform at the professional level in big games, most specifically in a must win game against the Packers in week 17. In the final regular season game, Ponder showed up big as he passed for 234 yards, 3 touchdowns and most importantly, no interceptions.

Between the NFC North quarterbacks, Ponder was ranked 3rd in the NFC North in total passer rating at 81.2, ahead of only Mathew Stafford (79.8). Ponder will have a huge advantage heading into next season as the Vikings have added legitimate receivers via free agency and the draft. It will be the first time in Ponder’s short career he will have a down field threat. Percy Harvin seemed to be the only bright spot on a gaunt 2012 Vikings receiving core. With Adrian Peterson supporting him in the backfield, a top 10 offensive line, and an ameliorated receiving core, Ponder has no excuse not to execute the Vikings game plan week by week and establish himself as a legitimate starting NFL quarterback.

Peterson expectations

Nobody sets their goals and aspirations higher than MVP running back Adrian Peterson. After suffering a torn ACL on December 24th in the 2011 season, Peterson got back on his feet by nearly breaking the record for the most rushing yards in a single season, falling short by just 9 yards (2,097) to Erik Dickerson. Adrian claimed the MVP award for the first time in his career after putting together one of the greatest seasons ever by a running back.

Peterson has already set the bar for himself this season claiming he wishes to break 2,500 yards; A challenging feat for the best of the best. You may be scratching your head thinking that 2,500 yards in a single season is physically impossible, but impossible in the same sentence as Adrian Peterson doesn’t exist. It will all come down to if Adrian can get enough carries to allow him to break the 2,500 rushing yard goal.

“I want to try to set the ball higher than that,” Peterson said, via NFL Network “I want to make it the 2,500 club. It’s definitely out there. I feel like it’s definitely attainable. … Enjoy this last year because the record’s going down, with ease.”

Peterson also noted that it was his goal to raise the Lombardi trophy for the first time in Vikings history. After what NFL fans witnessed last year, it’s hard to doubt Peterson’s confidence and willingness when he takes the field, but 2,500 yard would be, well, record crushing. Now to say Adrian could make another run at the record is something to consider and should never be counted out.

Key losses

Percy Harvin: Christian Ponder didn’t have many talented receivers to target last year, but Percy Harvin established himself as one of the elite slot receivers in the league. His quick and elusive play-making ability showed us the impact he can make in the NFL. Percy was 8th in the league last year in yards after catch even after missing the last seven games of the season. He led the all Viking wide receivers in receptions (62), yards (667), and touchdowns (3). Other than Peterson, Harvin was the only offensive threat that Minnesota had to offer. Before Harvin injured his ankle he was a potential MVP candidate.

Unfortunately for Minnesota, relations between Harvin and the Vikings staff were colorless and the tension between the two parties grew. Once Percy realized he would never receive the big chips from the Vikings, he demanded a trade. The Vikings staff tried their best to convince Harvin to remain but as time grew longer so did his unsatisfaction. After long trade talks, Percy was officially named a member of the Seattle Seahawks organization. In return the Vikings received a first round and seventh round pick in the 2013 draft as well as a mid-round pick in the 2014 draft. It was a win-win scenario for all sides of the deal as the Seahawks got attained a proven and talented receiver, the Vikings acquired key draft picks, and Harvin signed himself to a 6 year – $60 million dollar deal.  It won’t be easy for Minnesota to replace the talents of Percy Harvin but the Vikings actually went 4-0 in the last four games while he was sidelined.

Antoine Winfield: It was a huge shock to hear that Antoine Winfield, a pivotal player in the Vikings secondary for the past nine years, had been released from the Vikings roster. The veteran out of Ohio State had been with the team since 2004 and has served in 3 Pro Bowls. Consistency is the name of the game for Winfield as he has always been a defensive nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. Winfield led the Vikings last year in interceptions (3) and continued his fearless tackling ability as he recorded 72 solo tackles.

The move helped clear the Vikings of over $7 million in cap space as they sent Winfield packing. It wasn’t until after his release that the Vikings made efforts to negotiate a new deal, but it was too late. It was all said and done when Winfield decided to take his talents to Seattle and play for the Seahawks with Harvin.

Jasper Brinkley: One of the only Vikings to hit the free agency market this offseason was middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley. The Arizona Cardinals were the first to pull the trigger on Brinkley signing him to a 2-year $3.5 million deal. Brinkley, a solid run defender, is very efficient in executing open field tackles. Minnesota was 11th in the league in opponent rushing yards per game (105.8) in 2012 and were 3rd in the league in only allowing six rushes of 20+ yards.

Brinkley didn’t make significant impacts to the Vikings defensive, but it has been a question as to who is going to be his replacement. The move wasn’t overally surprising considering the Vikings linebackers had a so-so year. Minnesota selected linebacker Gerald Hodges out of Penn State with the 120th pick and also drafted his teammate Michael Mauti in the 7th round too.

Chris Kluwe: The last episode of the Chris Kluwe series in Minnesota has come to an end as the Minnesota Vikings announced his release on May 6th. Kluwe has always been a fan favorite in Minnesota but more than anything for his off field stints. From his World of Warcraft addiction to his twitter rants, Kluwe is well known across the league and will never be afraid to speak the truth. Sadly for both Kluwe and the Vikings, his production on the field was in certain decline. He yielded only 25% of his punts within the 20-yard line and a 45.0 yard average punt. He did yield his highest net punting average in his career at 39.7.

Kluwe was scheduled to make $1.4 million with the Vikings this year but thoughts arouse as to if he would return next season when Minnesota drafted punter Jeff Locke out of UCLA. Kluwe has been a Viking since 2005 and will always be a memory for any Minnesota fan.

Key additions

Greg Jennings: The Vikings made their pursuit to improve their depleted wide receivers beginning with the signing of Greg Jennings. Jennings, a long time Packer, thought it was time for a change of scenery when he picked Minnesota to be his new home. Jennings didn’t travel far but the change in offense will be an experiment. Coming from MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Packers to the young developing Christian Ponder will test Jennings flexibility as well as patience. Being that Adrian Peterson is the workhorse for the Minnesota offense, Jennings is likely to see a lot of man-to-man, one-on-one coverage.

Jennings signed a whopping 5-year $47.5 million ($17.4 guaranteed) contract that will just about conclude his NFL career. With his time in Green Bay, Jennings had 3 seasons of over 1,000 yards and totaled 54 touchdowns and has Super Bowl ring in his trophy case from the great 2010 Green Bay Playoff run. With the experience and talent that Jennings has to offer, the Vikings could establish the aerial attack they haven’t had since they signed Brett Favre throwing bombs to Sidney Rice.

Sharrif Floyd: It couldn’t have been a better 2013 draft for the Minnesota Vikings as they walked away with three first round picks. Beginning with the 23rd pick, the Vikings acquired a huge steal in Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, out of the University of Florida. Originally projected a top 5 pick, Floyd floated around the board and would eventually be the first Viking drafted. Critics may have been thinking that a defensive linemen was the least of Minnesota’s necessities in the draft and a linebacker would have been a better fit. It turns out, however, that the Vikings elite defensive line is simply aging. The Vikings staff thought it best to plan for the future as Kevin Williams and Jared Allen are both on the final year of their contract.

With his time as a Florida Gator, Floyd was a first team All-American in his senior year as he recorded 3 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Floyd is a large 6’3″ 303 pound run-stuffing beast and has the strength to shred through any offensive line. The Florida Gator’s had a top 5 defense in the FBS last year that was most visibly seen with their run defense. At the hands of Sharrif Floyd and the defensive line, the Gator’s were 4th in opponent rushing yards per game (94.92). Floyd’s stats are not much to show for but his leadership ability on the defensive line aided in establishing on of the best defense’s in college football.

Sharrif received a 94.2 draft grade from NFL.com with a 40-yard dash of 4.92 seconds. The only possibly reason Floyd could have fallen is due to his “short arms”. Fortunately the Vikings had the opportunity to grab him with the 23rd overall pick in the 2013 draft. Sharrif will have the opportunity to learn from Kevin Williams – one of the best defensive tackles the game has to offer.

Xavier Rhodes: Defensively the Vikings saw great improvement last season. Their secondary appeared as a problem going into 2012 but betterment was clearly seen compared to the previous season. Yet, the Vikings still were only 24th in opponent passing years per game at 244.2. With the 25th pick in the draft the Vikings took their chances on cornerback Xavier Rhodes out of the Florida State University. The Vikings need help on the outside with elite receivers like Jordy Nelson, Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Marshall in the division.

Listed at 6’1″, Rhodes has a great leaping ability with the athleticism to bat down most 50/50 balls. He is a big, strong, physical corner who isn’t afraid to get down and dirty. Rhodes, a top performer in the 40 yard dash with a time of 4.43 seconds, led all corners in the vertical jump (40.5″) and the long jump (11′). Clearly Rhodes displayed his intense athleticism and his leaping ability will support the Vikings as an intimidation factor to any opposing quarterback. Rhodes finished his FSU career with eight interceptions and was the only player from the ACC to be named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award.

Cordarrelle Patterson: Minnesota’s deep threat last year wasn’t much of a threat at all, in fact you could probably word it as disgraceful. For the developing Christian Ponder it was essential to acquire pieces to help solve the puzzle at the wide receiver position. Signing Greg Jennings was a great start but the Vikings staff thought it was essential to add more depth. Minnesota’s third and final pick of the first round came when they traded up to the 29th pick in order to draft Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver, Tennessee. Patterson is a tall 6’3″ split end that has the potential to bring back the excitement of the Randy Moss age.

Patterson ran a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash and led all receivers in the vertical jump with a leap of 37 inches. Although he is a raw receiver, Patterson is a very talented athlete and will help fill the kick returning void that left with Percy Harvin. In his senior year Patterson totaled 671 yards on 25 kick return attempts. Patterson will need to soak up the offensive like a sponge as Greg Jennings will be mentoring him through his young career.

Projection

The Minnesota Vikings schedule will consist of a match up against the AFC North, NFC East, and of course the six games against division rivals in the NFC North.

This years schedule for the Vikings will consist of highs and lows with encounters against elite teams such as the Seahawks, Packers, and the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Minnesota will have plenty of opportunity for success and they need to take full advantage against the struggling teams like the Lions, Browns, and Eagles. Out of the 13 teams that the Vikings will match up against in 2013, only five of them played in the postseason last year. The combined winning percentage of Minnesota’s opponents in 2012 was .509 with seven of the teams finishing at or below the .500 mark.

The Green Bay Packers still appear to be the favorite in the NFC North simply because of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the dangerous vertical attack. The Packers were one of the top rated offenses in 2012 and have to capability to pick apart any defensive alignment. They are, however, still a liability at offensive line and could struggle to keep Rodgers on his feet. Last season the Packers offensive gave up the second most opponent sacks in the NFL with 51. The Packers made sure to address their need at the running back position drafting Eddie Lacey of out Alabama as well as running back Johnathan Franklin out of UCLA.

Minnesota should be able to compete for the division title along side the Packers and could potentially give Green Bay a run for their money. With the Lions still finding themselves in a rebuilding stage and Chicago still in question with their offense, the Vikings will need to utilize their division games and try and get a leg up on the Pack. The two rival games against Green Bay this year could be the deciding factor on who pulls off the division banner. The Vikings bruising defensive line should have leverage over the Packers offensive line and could force Rodgers to make risky throws into the improved Minnesota secondary. If Adrian Peterson can continue to be the monster he is and Christian Ponder can make big throws to his receiving core, the division title could be up for grabs.

The post Where the Vikings rank in the NFC North appeared first on MinnesotaSNN.

Shortly after the draft the Vikings worked quickly, nabbing as many talented undrafted free agents as they could. Although most of these players will never play a down at the NFL level, these players should not be overlooked as many talented players have gone undrafted. Notable undrafted free agents that went on to make a name for themselves include: Arian Foster, Wes Welker, James Harrison, Antonio Gates, and the Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer John Randle. Here are five undrafted free agents to watch.

Rodney Smith: WR, Florida State

The Vikings added a lot of depth to the receiver core over the off-season with the signing of former Packer Greg Jennings and first-round pick Cordarrelle Patterson. Last year the Vikings posted one of the worst passing games in the league as the averaged only 171.9 receiving yards per game. Acting quickly to change that trend, the Vikings made major moves by trading Percy Harvin, releasing Michael Jenkins, and letting Devin Aromashodu walk.

With Greg Jennings, Jerome Simpson, Jarius Wright, and Cordarrelle Patterson likely to be locks to make the team, the Vikings will seek a maximum of two more roster spots for receivers. Rodney Smith brings to the table a big frame with speed; an important presence to any football organization. Listed at 6’4″ 225 pounds, Smith has the ability to be a deep threat in addition to being a red zone threat. Vikings lacked any sort of deep threat last year as they had only three passing plays go for more than 40 yards.

In his career at Florida State, Smith recorded a total of 10 touchdowns on 1,540 receiving yards. At the combine Smith preformed well with a 40-yard dash of 4.51 sec as well as quick times in the 20 and 60-yard shuffle where he finished in the top 10 among all wide receivers. Smith also has a great leaping ability as he posted a 10′ broad jump and a 34.5″ vertical.

Mark Jackson: OL, Glenville State

The Minnesota Vikings have secured their starting left and right tackles for years to come when they resigned Phil Loadholt in the offseason. But the Vikings might be looking for some guard help in the near future. The Vikings drafted two offensive lineman – Travis Bond and Jeff Baca – in the 6th and 7th rounds of the 2013 NFL draft to help beef up the offensive line. Charlie Johnson and Brandon Fusco both struggled at times during the 2012 season and an upgrade, or at least backup plan, seems like a good idea.

Jackson, a native of Columbus, Ohio, who had an offer from the Golden Gophers, left Illinois due to off-the-field issues. At 6’5″ and 328 pounds, Jackson is a monster that can play guard, center, and tackle. NFL.com graded Jackson a 61.0, which is a projected 5th or 6th round pick. He ultimately went undrafted and signed with the Vikings.

Although he underperformed in the speed categories posting a 40-yard dash time of 5.65 seconds, Jackson still has huge leverage with the potential to play any position on the offensive line. Coming out of high school he was ranked the 10th-best center. While at Glenville State, where he was a three year starter, Jackson was named captain and MVP in his final season.

Zach Line: FB/RB, Southern Methodist

It was a Pro Bowl season last year for the Minnesota Vikings starting fullback Jerome Felton as he plowed the way for Adrian Peterson. Running backs Toby Gerhart and Matt Asiata both had a minimal role in the 2012 season as they combined for a total of 53 carries and 178 yards (just over 3.3 yards per carry). None of these backs are legitimate third down backs and the Vikings are desperately trying to find a back that has good hands, can block, and can carry the ball if needed. Welcome Zach Line out of SMU. Zach’s strengths include his pass blocking ability, his ability to catch balls out of the backfield, and his north-south running style. In his senior year he carried the ball 277 times for 1278 yards and 13 touchdowns and also had 33 receptions for 229 yards.

Coming into a Vikings system that serves its attention around star running back Adrian Peterson will be a challenge for Line to overcome. If Line wishes to make the team he will need to prove himself as a third down back. Line has the size to play the fullback position as he is a sturdy 6’0″ and 230 pounds. Zach preformed well at the combine in several different areas finishing 6th among all running back in the bench press with 26 reps. Line has some quickness to his legs as he ran a 4.77 in the 40 yard dash and had a broad jump of 111″. Zach could be used as a fullback or running back, but will likely have to crack the team with his special teams play.

Adam Thielen: WR, Minnesota State Mankato

As the Vikings continue to gather the formula for their depleted wide receiving core of last year, they are even looking at the division-II level to find any hidden talent. Adam Thielen out of Minnesota State has the skills capable of being an NFL wide receiver. He was lights out in his senior year down in Mankato as he led the team in receptions (74),  receiving yards (1,176),  and receiving touchdowns (8). Thielen also made himself the primary punt returner, returning four kicks for touchdowns in his senior year.

Thielen has a size advantage against most defensive backs being 6’3″ 200 pounds. He has great hands in the deep field and is very skilled in winning most 50/50 jump ball situations. His speed and elusiveness have been proven with his 40-yard dash of 4.45 at a regional combine in March in Chicago. Being a D-II player, however, does serve as a disadvantage for Thielen being that he has never had to run routes or play against elite college talent. Adjustments will need to be made for Thielen if he wishes to wear horns on his helmet come week one of the regular season. It’ll be hard to imagine Thielen making the 53-man roster, but as a project he could likely be on the practice squad getting ready for the 2014 season. Needless to say it will be intriguing to monitor the progress of Adam this offseason.

Brandan Bishop: FS, North Carolina State

The Vikings defensive secondary has always been a question over the past few years and Rick Spielman and company are making strides improve the secondary every year. In the 2012 NFL draft Minnesota traded up to use the 29th pick on Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. After a great rookie season that included highlight plays and deflected passes, Smith established himself as a starting safety. Mistral Raymond suffered an ankle injury that kept him out most of the season and Jamarca Sanford took over as the other starting safety.

Brandan Bishop is a very quick and intuitive safety who can use his height to bat passes as well as his big body to make bone-crunching tackles. Bishop is a great open field tackler and he led the NC State Wolverines in tackles each of his last two seasons. His great tackling ability shows his likeliness to be a great special teams player for the the Vikings. Bishop is a major threat for Andrew Sendejo’s special teams position. It was last year when Sendejo snuck his way into the Vikings 53-man roster after preforming to the best of his ability in training camp and the preseason. If Bishop were to make the team he primarily would play special teams but could log in some minutes at the safety position. Brandon finished his collegiate career with 9 interceptions and 240 total tackles.

The post 5 Vikings Undrafted Free Agents to Watch appeared first on MinnesotaSNN.

Everyone seems to be jumping down the Vikings’ throat with the news of Kluwe being released. Media and fans alike seem to point the finger at Kluwe’s release solely due to his off-the-field fight for equality, constant unprovoked Twitter rants, and Ray Guy post-it note he wore in protest to no punter being voted into the Hall of Fame. Although this might have played a role in his release – Let’s be honest it was brought up during meetings – Kluwe was also in the bottom of the league in a lot of punting categories. It also doesn’t excuse the numerous shanked punts that occurred during the season, most notably a 20-yard punt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.

Numerous reports and countless fans are causing a stir on Twitter and various other social media sites regarding the release of the now former Vikings punter. Talks rave about his consistent punting ability and how the move was politically based. The problem is Kluwe is actually getting older, on the decline, and came dead last in some major punting categories.

The simple truth is Kluwe ranked 30th, 29th, and 32nd in the league in longest punt during the 2010, ’11, and ’12 seasons, respectively. His longest punt in the past three seasons was 60 yards. Jeff Locke, the Vikings fifth-round draft pick, had longs of 81 yards (2009), 63 yards (2010),  70 yards (2011), and 64 yards (2012). Kluwe also ranked dead last in the 2012 season for punts inside the 20-yard line (18 – minimum 60 punts). On top of the failing stats the Vikings wanted to move on from a right-footed punter and look to draft a left-footed punter, which they landed in Jeff Locke.

When talking about equality, which I completely agree with, it is important that this trend goes both ways. Kluwe isn’t the first Viking and won’t be the last to be released due to age and decline in production. Michael Jenkins, for example, was cut from the Vikings with nowhere near the amount of controversy. Jenkins, 30, actually improved his production from the 2011 to 2012 season – He remained healthy, had more receptions, and more receiving yards in the 2012 season compared to the 2011 campaign. Nobody made a chirp when Jenkins was released because it was obvious Jenkins was declining as a football player. The same could be said about Antoine Winfield, whom the Vikings released back in March. As soon as the Vikings drafted a corner in the draft, all talk switched from ‘Why release Winfield’ to ‘Winfield was washed up, glad he got Xavier Rhodes’. Winfield, Jenkins, and Kluwe were all released on a business front, not politics. Jenkins was on the decline, Winfield was on the decline, yet somehow Kluwe, 31, is supposed to suddenly emerge as a better punter after a couple years of mediocrity. All of them were great people off the field, but in the business of the NFL, aging and declining players often get cut.

Last year the Vikings, specifically Mike Priefer, made a similar decision when they cut seasoned veteran Ryan Longwell and replaced him with Blair Walsh, a sixth-round pick from Georgia. Walsh went on to brake NFL history with most 50+ yard field goals made in a row, including a game-tying field goal in week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the end of the day, if Locke is able to produce on the field as good as (if not better than) Kluwe, all will be forgotten. The Vikings made sure to thank Kluwe for his work over the past eight seasons.

“Chris has meant a great deal to the Vikings both on and off the field in his eight seasons here,” said Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman. “He contributed to many victories and we wish Chris and his family the best and thank him for his contributions to the Vikings organization. Out of respect to Chris, we decided to release him now and allow time for him to sign with another team.”

Kluwe did say he would accept a league minimum offer which appears to be roughly $840,000 due to the number of years he has spent in the league. He also said he would like to play another 4-5 years in the league. Locke on the other hand will likely receive around $500,000 (give or take as he has not signed a contract yet). Maybe Kluwe will end up with former Vikings’ Percy Harvin and Antoine Winfield out in Seattle?

In the meantime I suggest all to follow Kluwe – @ChrisWarcraft – If you want to be entertained. Let’s just hope rookie Jeff Locke doesn’t pull a Matt Dodge.

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In recent years Kluwe has become more vocal off the field, particularly when it comes to marriage equality. His constant twitter rants and publicity stunts seem to be a distraction to both him and the franchise. Spielman has said publicly that any move has ‘nothing to do with Kluwe off the field.’

Kluwe had some terrible punts this season including a 20-yard punt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers resulting in a collection of boos at Mall of America Field. Kluwe, 31, had only 18 of 72 punts (25%) land inside the 20 yard line, his lowest percentage since his rookie year. To make matter worse, Kluwe  yielded only two touchbacks – 2.8% of his total punts – a stat that has declined in each of the past four seasons.

Kluwe, on the other hand, believes he is still the best punter in Vikings history.

“That’s the nature of the NFL,” he told the Star Tribune. “I have no idea what will happen. I’ve put my product out on the field. Statistically, I’m the best punter the Vikings have ever had. So we’ll see what happens.”

Kluwe was supposed to receive $1.4 million during the 2013 season, making him one of the top ten paid punters. The move frees the Vikings of around $1.45 million, an estimated $500,000 will then be used to sign rookie punter Jeff Locke, Kluwe’s replacement.

Jeff Locke, 23, was the first punter drafted in the 2013 NFL draft which came as a surprise as most experts didn’t rank Locke the top punter in the draft. In Locke’s time at UCLA he averaged 44.0 yards per punt, and in his senior year he totaled 22 punts inside the 20 yard line. One of the reasons the Vikings drafted Locke above any other punter was due to him being a left-footed punter. A left-footed punter creates a different spin on the ball, making it more difficult to catch for return specialists.

This isn’t the first time that Vikings general manger Rick Spielman has made a sudden but major change regarding special teams. Last season the Vikings ousted Ryan Longwell after drafting Blair Walsh. Walsh ended with a historic season, breaking the record for the most field goals of 50+ yards in a single season.

So long, Minnesota, and thanks for all the fish!

— Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft) May 6, 2013

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New additions were made this offseason for the Minnesota Twins starting rotation as they warmly welcomed Vance Worley, Mike Pelfrey, and Kevin Correia. Minnesota felt it was necessary to add depth to the starting pitching staff as they took the punishment of shipping Denard Span to Washington in return for Worley. Sadly for the Twins, Worley has yet to record his first win in six total starts. He has a total ERA this year of 7.22 and is allowing an opponent batting average of .362. Worley, 25, is still a young pitcher with a lot of potential. In 2011 Worley finished with a record of 11-3 and has a 3.01 ERA, proving he can produce at the MLB level.

Mike Pelfrey, 29, doesn’t have the best stats as he is sporting a 2-3 record with a 7.66 ERA, but he gives the Twins a needed veteran presence. Granted the Twins offense have been given most of the credit in his two wins, Pelfrey still has shown some bright spots in his pitching. In two games against Detroit, who leads the AL in batting average, Pelfrey has pitched at total of 10 and 2/3 innings and has given up four earned runs. Pelfrey suffered a tough outing against the Kansas City Royals in Comerica Park where he gave up six runs (all earned), in 2 innings pitched. Pelfrey has shown deficiency against left handed hitters who are hitting .395 against him.

One of the biggest surprises to the Twins roster has been the emergence of Kevin Correia. In his six starts for the Twins, Correia is 3-2 with a team low ERA of 2.83. He has not been giving hitters the satisfaction of solid contact on the bat as he currently has a 1.14 WHIP, lower than his career average of 1.40. This was the first season in his 10-year career that Correia, 32, has played for an American League team. To start the season Correia is recording career highs in ERA, WHIP (walks per innings pitched), and opponent batting average.

The Twins bullpen has done a solid job all season keeping the Twins in games. Josh Roenicke, Jared Burton , and Anthony Swarzak all have an ERA of under 2.00 and are pitching phenomenally for the Twins. Former starter Glen Perkins now finds himself as the Twins closer and he has started the season 6 for 6 on save opportunities. As a whole the entire Minnesota putting staff is 6th in the AL in ERA with 3.92 but find themselves 14th in opponent batting average at .278. As opposed to last year the Twins have seen much improvement in the way they handle things around the pitching mound.

Minnesota made it clear this season that they were solely committed to attempt to bring the fans a pitching staff that could win games. After all pitching wins games – or so it’s said. The Twins as of right now are playing around .500 baseball which is great improvement from last year but not enough for postseason berth. Obviously the season is still young and no real determination on playoffs has started.

Here is a comparison of the Twins pitching staff from the 2012 season compared to the 2013 season. The only thing that has

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At 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, Hodges has the measurables to play outside linebacker at the NFL level. Most fourth-round picks make the team based on special teams and roster depth.

“For sure,” Hodges told 1500espn.com regarding playing special teams. “I’ll do whatever I can. I’m just going to continue working hard with two of the greatest linebacker coaches.

Playing special teams usually signifies a backup role due to the high level of intensity and injury risk. Hodges wouldn’t mind playing special teams if that secures him a roster spot, but he is aiming to be a day one starter for the Vikings.

“But my mindset isn’t to come in and be a backup,” Hodges said.

Hodges went to Penn State expecting to play safety which gives him unique coverage skills for a linebacker, something the Vikings require for linebackers in their cover-2 defense. He was often lined up with receivers and tight ends in his senior season with the Nittany Lions.

“Playing safety and learning how to flip your hips, I feel I’ll be able to run with the guys who aren’t as fast as receivers or slots,” Hodges said. “I’ve got a pretty good feel for covering tight ends, I covered them all last year.”

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