Monday, February 23, 2009

Sage move?

So, Sage Rosenfels, eh?

This is more palatable than a Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte sequel.

I've been suggesting for weeks now that the Vikings should sign Jeff Garcia. But if this deal with Houston happens I'll be reasonably pleased. Rosenfels is eight years younger than Garcia. In the two years he's played a significant amount of snaps, he's completed well over 60 per cent of his passes. And the Vikings don't have to give up a longboatload of draft picks to get him.

Acquiring Rosenfels doesn't scream Super Bowl. But neither would signing Garcia. I was simply looking for the Vikings to get a quarterback who would be better than the quarterbacks the team already has, while also being realistic about the whole thing.

It would be nice to sign Kurt Warner or trade for Donovan McNabb (or even Matt Hasselback), but if those players aren't available, you have to look for something else. Sage Rosenfels is our something else.

And Rosenfels looked pretty good against the Vikings in 2008. He did throw an interception that cost Houston dearly in that game. He also completed a lot of passes and produced first down after first down against a very good Vikings defence. I don't know if Rosenfels makes the Vikings a Super Bowl contender. But I'm fairly confident he's better than Jackson or Frerotte, which means the Vikings will have improved themselves at the most important position in football and they didn't gut their 2009 draft in doing so.

Thoughts, anyone?
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6 comments:

Bismuth said...

Rosenfels: the poor man's Matt Cassell?

February 23, 2009 12:38 PM
Anonymous said...

Your right. This also improves the ability to improve in other key positions. If Birk gets locked up and Ryan Crook gets dumped for a real RT we will be in good shape. The only negative is another QB learning the KAO and another delay in opening up the playbook. We don't need a gunslinger. We need someone who can make the f@$%ing reads and can throw a medium range pass.

February 23, 2009 12:47 PM
Peter said...

He'll throw a lot of passes at Shiancoe and Taylor (and Peterson if he can improve his pass blocking and actually get on the field for non-running situations), but I doubt he'll take proper advantage of Berrian. That's a shame.

You did well to mention Rosen's completion percentage. That's the first thing I noticed about him. I don't like his TD-INT ratio, though, and the fact that he threw so many short passes in his time with Houston makes me suspect that comp.% is a bit inflated.

He makes a lot more sense than the Cassel/Anderson/Brennan talk I've been hearing, but I really would have loved to see a healthy Hasselbeck come to town. Warner would've been awesome, but I never seriously hoped he'd leave Arizona. Garcia, mmm, I wasn't as enthusiastic as many others that I've read. Sage? Time will tell. Hopefully he'll push Jackson into a quality starter. Part of me still wants to see that work. If not, then at least ol' Rosey can provide some stability over the next several years if he proves to be an adequate starter.

February 23, 2009 3:15 PM
DC said...

Bismuth:

I'm far from a believer in Cassel, especially when he had Moss and Welker to throw to. And for the price the Patriots were going to be asking for him (at least a first rounder and probably more), I feel better about getting Rosenfels for a fourth rounder.

February 23, 2009 3:15 PM
DC said...

Peter:

Welcome. Finally get the Internet hooked up at home?

I would have preferred Hasselback, too, but the Seahawks weren't trading him, so what do you do?

And I think Rosenfels can take advantage of Berrian and by that I mean he will be able to complete passes to him that don't travel 50 yards in the air. Every pass to BB doesn't have to be a long bomb.

P.S. – please give up on Jackson and save yourself a lot of grief. It is not going to work out.

February 23, 2009 3:41 PM
Bob said...

Take it from someone who has seen Sage play, he will be a great QB for the Vikings. As a Houstonian, I've hoped for him to be the ordained starter for years. We would have won many more games. This guy has all the tools, all he has lacked is the courage of the coaches to start the cheaper guy as Arizona did so well this year!
Texans' fan

February 24, 2009 8:26 AM

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