Brad Childress Hired as Offensive Coordinator

The Cleveland Browns are taking a chance and have hired Brad Childress as their offensive coordinator. By hiring Childress, the Browns hope Pat Shurmur will have the support he needs to start a turnaround in Cleveland.

Childress is a former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Childress is a logical choice because he has roots in the West Coast offense, as well as connections to the Browns and an agent whose influence on the franchise is well documented. Bob LaMonte represents Childress, Shurmur, President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert, among others.

Shurmur has been juggling the duties of a rookie coach and an offensive coordinator, resulting in the Browns ranking 29th in offense, 20th in scoring and finishing the 2011 season with a record of 4-12.

Vikings Stadium Update

The Minnesota Vikings are really, really looking for a new football stadium. However, contray to the phrase 'beggars can't be choosers,' the Vikings are being pretty picky. Through all of these stadium talks, the Vikings have been adamant that the site at Arden Hills is their No. 1 choice, though Governor Mark Dayton has other plans.

Dayton would prefer to build on the current site of the Metrodome, which means the team would need to play at TCF Bank Stadium for three years or so while the new place is being built.

Not only are the Vikings opposed to the three-year timeline, but also to the lost revenues of not hosting games themselves and to the lack of potential development around the Metrodome location. The Arden Hills location offers a lot of surrounding area for potential development.

Judging by the ad campaigns the Vikings pushed towards the end of the season, the team really wants to have fan support behind them. Keeping that in mind, the Vikings have yet to directly oppose the Metrodome site because they don't want to come off as complainers by the level-headed fans of Minnesota. Basically the Vikings don't want to be blamed for their own stadium not being built.

Who will get the final word? It appears the NFL may use their power of veto to nix the Metrodome site because TCF Bank simply isn't an NFL stadium. This would mean that the Arden Hills site, among the other options, would be reconsidered.

Fran Tarkenton on an Outdoor Stadium

The former Vikings quarterback, Fran Tarkenton, remembers the days of playing in old Metropolitan Stadium. He wants those same kind of memories for future Vikings players. Fran Tarkenton wants Minnesota to have an outdoor Vikings Stadium.

He calls playing outside part of "the culture of Minnesota," according to TwinCities.com.

There still isn't a definite plan for a Vikings stadium. Stay tuned!

Round 3 and Round 4 Vikings Predictions

Round 3 and 4: These rounds often make or break a team because players picked up in the third or fourth rounds tend to exceed or fail to meet expectations.

Steve Huchinson, who is turning 34, is turning out to be one of those players who exceeded their draft number, being a better player that was passed up on by worse teams (higher draft teams).

The Vikings mostly seem set are ok at the guard position. The Vikings could look at cornerback in round 3 or 4 if they don't address it in round two. Kevin Zeitler, Brandon Jenkins and Xavier Rhodes could be postential players that the Vikings could pick up.

Vikings Adrian Peterson to Return in 2012

The Minnesota Vikings expect Adrian Peterson, their star running back, to be recovered from left knee surgery from two torn ligaments in time to start the 2012 season.

AP tore his ACL and MCL when he was hit in the side of the knee by DeJon Gomes in the third quarter Saturday in a 33-26 win at Washington. An MRI revealed the ligament tears and meniscus damage. Peterson will undergo surgery within the next seven to ten days.

Peterson signed a seven-year, $100-million contract extension before the first week of the season.

More Vikings Off Season Predictions

I love Toby Gerhart, but his talent is being wasted with the Vikings. With Adrian Peterson having torn his ACL, perhaps it is best to keep Gerhart not knowing Peterson's future. However, if Peterson were a guaranteed starter, Gerhart would be wasted as a Vikings player.

If the Vikings were able to trade Gerhart to a team for a second or third round pick, that would be ideal because those players would possess the talent needed to fulfill Gerhart's current role - a few smaller plays here and there.

Again, I love Gerhart, but he could give the Vikings more by leaving. Zebrie Sanders (OT, FSU), Reuben Randle (WR, LSU) and Stephon Gilmore (CB, South Carolina).

Vikings Off Season Predictions

Continuing from my last post, I am still discussing my off season predictions and draft hopes.

Round 1:
It appears that Andrew Luck is going to the Colts. The Rams are likely to have the second pick, with the Vikings getting (possibly) the third. The Rams and the Vikings both have the same needs: offensive line and wide receiver. Each team will need to decide the high priority and person available. Basically you don't draft a need player; you draft the player you covet.

The Vikings could take Matt Kalil of USC if the Rams do not. It appears that the Vikings would let the Dolphins or Redskins pick up Robert Griffin III, who seems to be a star on the rise.

My second pick would be Justin Blackmon, a wide receiver out of Oklahoma State. Blackmon appears to be an upgrade over Malcolm Jenkins and Devin Aromashodu.