Jeff Garcia thinks he's done in Tampa Bay.
I think this is good news for the Vikings, if Garcia is correct.
The Vikings top priority is improving the quarterback position. So if you can't sign Kurt Warner away from the Cardinals (which probably/definitely isn't happening), can't convince the Eagles to trade Donovan McNabb (also not happening), Brett Favre's retiring, and you're not willing to pay a Somali pirate's ransom to acquire Matt Cassel, Garcia's the best option out there.
I have a soft spot for Garcia because of his year's spent toiling in the Canadian Football League. But that doesn't change several facts: he's an accurate passer, he doesn't make a lot of mistakes and he's mobile (a must with this offensive line). Yes, he's 39, he'll get hurt and his arm isn't the strongest, which may or may not impact Bernard Berrian's effectiveness, but if you're looking for a veteran with a proven track record of success in the NFL, Garcia more than qualifies.
The only thing I question is whether the Vikings are all that interested in Garcia. They weren't in 2007.
The blog
Regular readers will notice most of my post lately have been short. Work is one reason for that but the other reason is that my wife has taken the home laptop on the road, so I can't write at home. She's attending a workshop in Berkeley, California (That's my life right now. My wife takes trips to California. I take trips to Iqaluit, Nunavut).
However, I am still planning to start my "State of the Union" posts on the Vikings this week, starting with the defensive backs. Look for the first installment on Thursday.
In the meantime, Vikings fans await to see who the team will cut. Gus Frerotte is a shoe-in. But it may not happen until after free agency and the Vikings have found someone who can take Frerotte's roster spot.
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3 comments:
Even though it makes perfect sense to pick up Garcia, I doubt the Vikes will do it. For unknown reasons they just don't like the guy. However, I feel that he's the best realistically attainable QB for 09'.
Unfortunately, Chilly and the brain trust probably want the same staff as last year if they can pacify Gus for another year.
Perhaps a Derek Anderson trade, but the Browns probably want too much.
I could also see a Chris Simms / Rex Grossman in camp if the Vikes lost Gus and were desperate.
Garcia wouldn't be my first choice at QB, simply because his age means he's a very very short term solution, but I have to say I wouldn't be opposed to having him start if the Vikings had something else in mind for the future. I think Garcia probably still has a year or two left, and he played just fine this past season.
http://minnesotavikings.contentquake.com
Guys:
Thanks for the comments. Garcia's age is a worry but I also think he has two years left in him, which gives the Vikings more time to groom a replacement – whether that's Jackson somehow developing into a quality QB (unlikely) or Booty or someone the Vikings draft in this year's draft (Nate David, Josh Freeman) or the 2010 draft developing into a quality QB.
What worries me is that the veteran pickings at QB are so slim, that if the Vikings don't try to sign Garcia they are going to be forced to make a deal for Cassel because Frerotte is definitely gone. I'm not going to be impressed if the Vikings trade two first-day draft picks for Cassel.
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