Saturday, September 04, 2010

A good pass

The Vikes evidently aren't too interested in T.J. Houshmandzadeh (PFT), and that's the right thinking, in my view. Houshmandzadeh is a possession receiver (last three seasons: 10.2, 9.8, and 11.5 yards per reception), and I'm honestly not sure he does anything that Greg Camarillo can't do. It's not that Housmandzadeh couldn't be useful, but I don't really see him filling a big need. The Vikes have people they can throw to for short passes (Camarillo, Visanthe Shiancoe, Percy Harvin, Adrian Peterson). Without Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian and Harvin need to be effective deep threats, but the Vikes have people they can throw short passes to, and don't really need Houshmandzadeh.

I continue to think the Vikings are fine with the pass catchers they have; their potential problem areas are the secondary and the offensive line.

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:26 PM

    one reason Housh's recent numbers aren't so good is that he was playing for the seabags. Anyone playing for that godawful offense would look bad. Having said that, I'm glad the Vikes didn't bother with Housh. He doesn't offer anything the Vikes don't already have.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:53 AM

    if we have a shot at Housh we should go for him. right now we only have 4 recievers and, to be honest, two of those guys could go out for an extended period at any moment. if camarillo is starting for the vikings for any extended period then we are in serious trouble. i had held out hope that walker wasn't full of hot air, but he apparently was. i'm an optimist but i can also see this going the wrong direction very quickly. plus, in an "all or nothing" year it seems that you should load up.

    rk

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous2:54 PM

    You are right, who needs a possession receiver who has gotten 70+ catches the past 6 years when we have Greg Camarillo who has two seasons of 50 receptions (55 and 50) under his belt. TJ may not be the greatest but his 9.8 and 11.5 seasons were mostly with QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick and Seneca Wallace.

    It isn't like he would cost anything. Seatlle is on the hook for his contract so if the Vikes signed him for the minimum (and you know he would do that), Seattle is paying the balance up to the 7 million.

    Of course, Brad Childress agrees with you (the same idiot who clings to Tarvaris Jackson like he is some pro-bowl QB)!

    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/05/childress-vikings-arent-interested-in-houshmandzadeh/

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really think that the difference b/w Houshmandzadeh and Camarillo at this point is a) name recognition and b) number of targets. That Houshmandzadeh has more receptions might mean he has more ability to get open, or it might mean that he was a bigger part of the team's offensive game plan. But Camarillo is evidently a reliable possession receiver (zero drops last season), so why wouldn't he be able to do what Houshmandzadeh does, given more targets?

    The Vikes might be lacking a deep threat without Rice (though Berrian and Harvin can provide that); they're not missing people who can catch short and intermediate routes, which is all Houshmandzedah provides. It's not that he couldn't be useful and effective, it's just that I don't see him filling a major need for this team right now.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I will say that right now the Vikes might be regretting trading for Camarillo: they gave up Bennie Sapp to get him, and after Chris Cook's injury they're extremely thin at CB, and now they could have got a possession receiver without trading Sapp (or, had they not already acquired Camarillo, they might have desperately made a trade for Houshmandzadeh before Seattle cut him, so who knows). But it's done: I'm fine with Camarillo. It wouldn't be terrible if the Vikes did get Houshmandzadeh, but I just don't see it as a big need.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now Tony Richardson, there's a guy the Vikes should sneak in and get: he was a really good blocker for us in '06 and '07, and I've never been sold on Tahi.
    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/05/jets-cut-tony-richardson/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous10:08 AM

    i think every vikings fan in the world is clammoring for tony richardson... or, at least, most of us are hoping it happens. if only, if only.

    rk

    ReplyDelete