According to Profootballtalk.com, the Vikings and Steve Hutchinson have put provisions into their contract that will make it extremely difficult for Seattle to match the offer. Also according to Profootballtalk.com (one of my favorite sites, by the way), "the Seahawks are livid at Hutchinson and agent Tom Condon with this development. It's one thing, as they see it, for a guy to get the best offer he can on the open market. It's another thing to huddle with the new team in an effort to come up with an offer that the Seahawks can't or won't be able to match."
To which I say...WHAT?!?!?
First of all, everything that Hutchinson and the Vikings have done so far is strictly within the rules set up by the NFL system. Second of all, those rules are SO LIMITING TO THE FREEDOM OF THE INDIVIDUAL NFL PLAYERS, it is utterly ridiculous to begrudge a man for playing within the rules to exercise his own freedom.
Players have no control over who drafts them; if they want to play pro football, they have no choice over where they play (and when a player tries to exert some control over who can draft him, he is universally lambasted). Once drafted and signed, a player can be traded at any point against his will (and if the player tries to exert some will over being traded, again, he is universally lambasted). A player must play several years before becoming an unrestricted free agent, who can decide to go and play wherever he wants. However, once becoming a free agent, a team can use a Franchise or Transition tag to limit the player's ability to sign with another team.
I am fine with these restrictions. They are somewhat necessary for the competitive balance of the NFL, and therefore necessary in the long run to providing these players with more money. However, we can't deny that the NFL system provides rules that are quite restrictive to the freedom of the individual player. So why on earth would anybody be angry at a player for attempting to exert his own freedom WITHIN THE RULES OF THAT SYSTEM? If Hutchinson wants to join the Vikings, and doesn't want the Seahawks to match the offer, why on earth should we judge him for taking legal steps to assure that he can play where he wants to play?
Man, I really hope the Seahawks don't match. I think it is structured really well for us. Have you heard of any backup plans if Seattle does match?
ReplyDeleteDaunte is gone. What moves would you like to see the Vikings take in the direction of quarterback, not only this season, but for the future.
ReplyDeleteI like Brad Johnson at backup, but I would also like to see a bit of planning for the future, given that we have made some long term commitments to some pretty decent players in the past week. I also think the Vikings are too close to being contenders to start from scratch at quarterback. Really were does that leave us? The move I really would like to see the Vikings make is to acquire Matt Schaub from Atlanta. I've really liked what I've seen from him. I think he's worth a third round pick, maybe even a second. We could also throw in Brad Johnson (with the way Vick plays the Falcons have to have a viable backup) and maybe pick up Gus Ferotte again to prod Schaub along.
That's what I think about that.
Brad Johnson should be the starter in 2006. He's a quality veteran who can win games with this team. I don't see a better 2006 option--Schaub would be like starting over. However, clearly the Vikes need a plan for the future. Whether that means trading for a talented young QB, or drafting one, or building one out of clay, I don't know. They must have a plan for what to do after their 36 year old quarterback can't do it anymore.
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