Vincent Jackson Possibility Accruing

Vincent Jackson Possibility Accruing

Vincent Jackson in purple makes sense. The Vikings only have 4 receivers on their active roster, their star receiver, Sidney Rice, is out for the foreseeable future with a hip injury, and Percy Harvin showed up on this week’s injury report. It appears that Minnesota’s ailing wide receiver corps could use an upgrade.Having said that, it sounds like Vincent Jackson’s future in Minnesota hinges on an arbitrator’s interpretation of the “roster-exempt” designation the San Diego Charger’s placed on the sixth-year wideout.
Vincent Jackson will miss the first three games of the season due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Chargers also punished Jackson for missing the team’s entire offseason by placing him on the “roster-exempt” list. With that designation comes an additional 3 game suspension. However, in a 9:00 a.m. hearing today, the NFL’s player’s union is expected to argue that should Vincent Jackson be traded, that additional three game suspension should not be enforced because Jackson would no longer be a member of the team that handed it down.

  
   Should an arbitrator be swayed by the NFLPA’s case for Jackson, it’s looking more and more likely Jackson will be catching passes from someone other than Charger’s quarterback Phillip Rivers.
One possible trade partner would be the Minnesota Vikings. Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune does a nice job of breaking down the likelihood of a trade between the two teams, but writes that it may be difficult to decide on the proper compensation for the 6-foot-5 receiver.
Lee Hamilton of XX Sports Radio in San Diego reported that if the suspension is reduced to three games, the Vikings are prepared to make a trade offer. Rumors have been swirling in Minnesota as well, but both teams as well as Jackson’s agent have been quiet on the matter.
The arbitrator has 5 days to rule on the case, but it’s possible Jackson’s fate will be decided by the weekend. Whether or not Vincent Jackson is catching Brett Favre’s passes remains to be seen.

Percy Harvin Confirms Sleep Apnea

Percy Harvin Minnesota Vikings WR

Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin confirmed to reporters Monday that he is being treated for sleep apnea, a condition that might have triggered his increasing frequency of migraine episodes this summer. Harvin said the diagnosis came when he was hospitalized after an Aug. 19 collapse during a Vikings practice.

Harvin (via Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press): "They'd just barge in the room and be like, 'Harvin, you OK?' I'd say, 'I think so.' [They said] 'Well, your heart just wasn't beating.' I was like, 'What do you want me to do?'"

Indeed, doctors determined his heart was stopping and then re-starting during the night, a common symptom of sleep apnea. He now sleeps with an oxygen device and said he feels a "100 percent difference" when he wakes up in the morning.

Whether this cures his migraines, slows them down or merely helps him sleep better, Harvin appears to be in a better place than he was a month ago.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings owner Zygi Wilf's enthusiasm hasn't dampened following a Week 1 loss at New Orleans. According to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune, Wilf said: "We built a team that we expect to go all the way. We're not holding back right now. ... We pretty much feel that we're all in. We're going to try our best to fulfill our goal."
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "Sidney Rice expects to remain on crutches for a couple more weeks, and the Minnesota Vikings' top receiver said on Monday he hasn't set a target date for returning to practice following last month's hip surgery."
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel lists these veteran agent running backs as available if the Green Bay Packers look for outside help to replace Ryan Grant (ankle): Willie Parker, Ahman Green, Justin Fargas and J.J. Arrington.
• Because the Packers spent the entire game at Philadelphia in the nickel, A.J. Hawk did not receive a single defensive snap, notes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Inside linebackers coach Winston Moss: "If I was in that same situation, I would be upset if I didn't play and I was going into an opening game ... and I had a very good preseason. I would have wanted to play. I'm sure a highly competitive guy would have wanted to play. I would use it as -- if I have to do whatever it takes and do more to stay on the field as much as possible, I've got to do whatever it takes. That would be my attitude."
• The Packers plan to re-sign defensive lineman Jarius Wynn to replace the injured Justin Harrell (knee), confirms Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with former Chicago Bears cornerback Nate Vasher, notes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. Vasher could replace injured nickelback Aaron Berry.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz called backup quarterback Shaun Hill "one of our biggest offseason acquisitions," writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on his series of injuries in the NFL: "Pretty perfect hits. Guys dropped me on my shoulder pretty hard both times. I'd call them weird, freaky injuries more than anything." Michel Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is willing to gain yards on the ground, notes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com questions the Bears' decision to match Lions receiver Calvin Johnson in single coverage on the play that nearly beat them Sunday.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz made a number of concessions Sunday for his still-developing offensive line, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Devin Aromashodu started the 2010 season the way he ended the 2009 season: as the Bears' hottest receiver."

Time For The Vikings To Go Big At WR?

Vincent Jackson

   As rumors continue to swirl that the Vikings are in the market to trade for San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson, team officials spent the weekend setting up visits for four free agent receivers at Winter Park.
The Vikings plan to look at Sam Aiken (Patriots), Reggie Brown (Eagles), Ruvell Martin (Seahawks) and Demetrius Williams (Ravens) as early as Monday. The visits were first reported on Fox and ESPN's pregame shows Sunday and the door also appears to have been left open for veteran Javon Walker to return. Walker was let go in the Vikings' final roster cuts on Sept. 4 after he joined the team late in the preseason.
The flurry of activity came only two days after Vikings coach Brad Childress told reporters he was not thinking about adding to a wide receiver group that is only four deep and combined for four receptions in the Vikings' 14-9 season-opening loss Thursday night at New Orleans.
Quarterback Brett Favre attempted to take the blame for the fact that none of his wide receivers had more than one catch saying he wasn't sharp enough on some passes. But there was little doubt Favre missed the presence of the 6-4 Sidney Rice, who turned into the quarterback's favorite target last season as he had 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns.
Rice is expected to miss at least half the season after having hip surgery. Bernard Berrian, who is 6-1, has big play ability but had only one catch for 3 yards against the Saints.
Jackson would be the most attractive of any available receiver because he would give Favre a Rice-like presence. The 6-5 Jackson had a career-high 68 receptions for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns last season. However, there are questions regarding his availability that will need to be cleared up before any team pursues him.

    Jackson, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned and has not reported to the Chargers because he isn't happy with his contract situation. Things get murky because Jackson has been suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. San Diego also placed him on the roster exempt list, meaning he could end up missing six games to start the year.
The NFL contends that Jackson should have to sit out the entire six games even if he is traded; the NFL Players Association says the six-year veteran shouldn't have to miss those final three games if he is with a new team.
    There have been multiple reports that an arbitrator will hear the case Thursday morning and if the ruling goes in Jackson's favor he could be moved quickly. If he is forced to sit out six games, his attractiveness to the Vikings decreases in a big way because Rice might return shortly thereafter.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in August that the Vikings had made a call to check on Jackson's availability but "immediately balked" at his demands. That would be the same $50 million, five-year contract, with $30 million in guarantees, that caused Seattle to stop talking to Jackson's reps after they received permission to do so.
      The Jackson-to-Minnesota rumors picked up again when reports circulated that his agents had a deal completed Sept. 4 with a team they would not identify. The Union-Tribune said this time the agreement was believed to be for one year and $7 million plus incentives but that it fell through because the unknown team could not come to an agreement with the Chargers.
If Jackson had signed and reported by the 5 p.m. deadline Sept. 4, he could have served his suspension and his time on the roster exempt list concurrently but the league no longer sees it that way. The Vikings, who probably will have Favre for only the remainder of this season and are trying to make another deep playoff run, became the likely candidate as the unnamed team when the Rams and Seahawks were eliminated as the potential suitors by the Union-Tribune.
   One of Jackson's agents, Jonathan Feinsod, and Vikings officials have both declined to comment on whether the team is interested. Even if Jackson doesn't end up with the Vikings, it appears the team could have a fifth receiver on its roster when it plays its home opener on Sunday against Miami.

Get Your Brett Favre Jersey Or Minnesota Vikings Jerseys Below because the home game opener vs The Miami Dolphins is drawing near. Wear Vikings Purple and take pride in your team.

Vikings' corners see math problem

Which Corner backs Will Start? Winfield and Griffin like last year? Abdullah and Winfield? Sheppard and Winfield? Or Maybe a mixture of all four? We all know that Antoine Winfield is our number one corner back ,it just depends on who will win the second and slot covering positions?This is now the big focus on the Minnesota Vikings Roster Preparation for the regular season.

Cedric Griffin

Antoine Winfield

Husain Abdullah

Lito Sheppard

     

       The Saints like to use four receivers at a time, so being shorthanded could be an issue in the defensive

backfield    The Vikings have only three healthy cornerbacks on their active roster. The New Orleans Saints like to use four wide receiver sets.

It doesn't take a math whiz to realize the numbers don't work in the Vikings' favor.
But that is the predicament they face in their season opener Thursday against a Saints team that finished No. 1 in total offense and No. 4 in passing last season.
"It could be tough," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "Of course we're kind of short-handed, but that's football. We'll go out there and play with the guys that we have."
That group consists of Winfield, veteran Lito Sheppard and second-year player Asher Allen, the team's primary nickel back. Rookie Chris Cook was poised to start at right corner, but he suffered a knee injury in the third preseason game and could miss several games.
Their shortage of healthy corners forces the Vikings to explore different options. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier didn't even rule out getting some help from Cedric Griffin, who returned to practice this week after missing all of training camp while recovering from anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Griffin injured his knee covering a kickoff against the Saints in the NFC Championship Game in January. The team put him on the 53-man roster and he has practiced on a limited basis this week.
"The fact that he's out here practicing gives us some hope," Frazier said. "We're just trying to ascertain over the next couple days is it a real possibility. We're going to give it another day and see how he does [Tuesday]. But he has already done far more than we expected when we decided to put him on the 53."
Frazier admitted it's probably too late in the week to sign another cornerback, so they need to find the solution inside their own locker room. One possibility could be safety Husain Abdullah, who got limited playing time as the nickel corner last season.

It wouldn't be surprising if Abdullah plays a significant role, possibly even as a starter at safety. Abdullah said he's done "a little bit of everything" this week in practice.
Safety Jamarca Sanford is bothered by an ankle injury and is better suited in run support. And last season's No. 1 strong safety, Tyrell Johnson, expressed doubt that he will start.
"I don't really know, I doubt it though," he said. "But all you can do is handle your job, your responsibilities."
Sheppard admittedly didn't make many plays in preseason games, but he blamed it on a lack of opportunities. That shouldn't be a problem Thursday.
"You know what you're in store for," he said. "We know what the situation is going into this game. We just have to be professionals and be prepared for it."
The Vikings are hoping a consistent pass rush on quarterback Drew Brees will help their secondary. The Vikings were credited with one sack and four quarterback hurries against Brees in the NFC title game.
"[Pressure] is always important when you're playing against that guy," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "I think he's one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league. If we're going to win any kind of way -- whether we have 100 [defensive backs] -- we have to make him move and not let him get settled in the pocket."
The Vikings also need to be effective on third down. The Saints converted only three of 12 third-down opportunities in the playoff meeting. The Vikings can't afford to give that offense extra chances.
"They have so many weapons and can put up so many points on you so fast," Winfield said. "If we can get off the field like we did last year, we'll be good."
If not, their depth problem at cornerback could get magnified. The Vikings fully expect New Orleans to come out throwing the ball with their four-receiver sets.
"I'm sure they are reading the papers and looking on the Internet, seeing we have only three corners," Winfield said. "So we can expect that."

   Get Your Brett Favre Jersey The Season Opener Vs The New Orleans Saints is on September 9 only, four days from today. Below are jerseys of all the vikings players on the 2010 Roster.

Vikings Deal Rosenfels And Reynaud To Giants

Sage Rosenfels

Madieu Williams

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Giants have acquired QB Sage Rosenfels and RB Darius Reynaud from the Minnesota Vikings for undisclosed draft picks.

A person within the league who is familiar with the trade confirmed the Giants have dealt for Rosenfels to back up Eli Manning. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not officially been announced.

The Giants lost backup Jim Sorgi with a shoulder injury and he was placed on injured reserve, leaving untested Rhett Bomar as the only other quarterback.

Rosenfels was third string behind Brett Favre and Tarvaris Jackson in Minnesota. He is entering his 10th NFL season as a backup quarterback.

The Vikings acquired Rosenfels from Houston in a trade before last season and signed him to a two-year deal worth $9 million to compete with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job.

At the time, Rosenfels was thrilled to be coming to a team giving him a legitimate shot at winning the job for the first time. After an offseason of working out and learning the system, however, Rosenfels' big shot was dashed when Favre waltzed in to take over.

Rosenfels spent all of last season as the No. 3 quarterback behind Favre and Jackson.

``If it's true sad to c you go sage good QB great teammate,'' Vikings receiver Greg Lewis tweeted on Friday night. ``Good luck in new York.''

There was a brief glimmer of hope for Rosenfels this summer when Favre was considering retirement. Once again, that ended after the first preseason game, when the Vikings flew three high-profile teammates to Mississippi to persuade Favre to return for one more year.

Time was running out for the 32-year-old Rosenfels, who clearly grew more frustrated with his position on the team.

He had an impressive preseason opener at St. Louis, completing 23 of 34 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns. But he was just 8 for 17 for 92 yards with one TD in the next three games combined, and coach Brad Childress said after the preseason finale that Jackson would be Favre's backup again this season.

The move means that the Vikings likely will keep rookie Joe Webb as the third quarterback.

Sorgi signed with New York as a free agent after six seasons as Peyton Manning's backup in Indianapolis.

Vikings announce cuts

The Vikings have announced their full cuts to get down to the 53-man roster. With the trade of Sage Rosenfels and Darius Reynaud, the Vikings needed to cut 20 players today. They announced them shortly before 5 p.m.

CUT LIST
FB Ryan D’Imperio: Is an ideal candidate for the practice squad with athleticism but raw skills as he makes the transition from linebacker to fullback.

DT Tremaine Johnson: He was trying to make it at a very deep position for the Vikings.

CB Marcus Sherels: Size matters at cornerback and Sherels lacked it. He flashed at time, but was also beaten at times.

CB DeAndre Wright: Had a decent preseason, but the numbers weren’t in his favor.

RB Ian Johnson: Didn’t stand much of a chance to make the 53-man. Might be considered for the practice squad again.

WR Freddie Brown: He was just a camp body from the time he was called into Mankato.

G Thomas Austin: He might be able to start his pursuit of the ministry early, if he isn’t the running for a practice-squad spot.

TE Garrett Mills: His inability to stay healthy has ultimately cost him. Flashy pass catcher, but undersized blocker.

T Chris Clark: His very obvious pass-protecting troubles early in the preseason came back to bite him.

DE Mike Montgomery: Signed in the offseason from the Packers, he never got past the third unit on the depth chart and it was obvious he wasn't going to make the team.

G Adrian Battles: A long shot from the start, since the Vikings drafted Chris DeGeare to be the primary backup at guard and replacement for the departed Artis Hicks, who signed with the Redskins in the offseason.

WR Logan Payne: He caught everything in sight in training camp, but a rib injury sidelined him the last week-plus -- opening the door for veterans Greg Camarillo and Javon Walker to jump past him on the depth chart. Don't be surprised if he's signed to the practice squad if he clears waivers.

PK Rhys Lloyd: He was given a $200,000 signing bonus, which led many to believe he would make the team. But lack of consistent deep kickoffs cost him a roster spot.

WR Javon Walker: Had the Vikings kept Walker on the roster, his entire 2010 salary would be guaranteed. Don't be surprised if he gets re-signed so the team can have the flexibility to release him again when Sidney Rice comes back at midseason.

OT Drew Radovich: Not a huge surprise, since he's been cut each of the last three seasons after Vikings training camp.

S Colt Anderson: He seems like an ideal candidate to bring back on the practice squad.

WR Taye Biddle: Even with a receiving corps depleted by injuries, he didn't show quite enough to make it.

T Patrick Brown: The Vikings opted to keep Ryan Cook over Brown. Cook has a little more versatility, but Brown could be a practice squad guy again.

WR Marquis Hamilton: He was probably one of the easier decisions. Despite relative consistency, he didn't flash often enough.

LB Nate Triplett: If the former Gopher comes back on the practice squad, it will be because of special-teams promise.

The Vikings didn't make any announcement yet about the status of CB Cedric Griffin, so he may be ready to start practicing Sunday and would be eligible to play if that's the case.

The Vikings can start forming their eight-man practice squad Sunday afternoon, but it wouldn't be surprising to continue shaping the 53-man. Surprising cut are Jevon Walker and Logan Payne but nothing is ever definite in Minnesota is it now?!