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Speaker 3: Yo. What's going on?

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Speaker 4: Welcome to the Minnesota Vikings Podcast represented by PEPSI. My

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Speaker 4: name is Gabe Henderson from Vikings dot com and we

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Speaker 4: have a special special NFL Combine edition show for you guys.

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Speaker 3: Today. We have two guests.

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Speaker 4: One, the Minnesota Vikings VP of Football Operations, Dimitris Washington,

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Speaker 4: joins us. Then we have Brad Spielberger from Pro Football

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Speaker 4: Focus joining our show later today. Also so a start

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Speaker 4: study cast, some very valuable information and I'm sure you guys,

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Speaker 4: and I hope you guys enjoy everything that is on

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Speaker 4: tap for today's show. Let's get right to it right

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Speaker 4: here on the Minnesota Vikings Podcast, presented by pennasy Well.

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Speaker 4: The Vikings Entertainment Network has made its trip across the

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Speaker 4: Midwest and landed in Indianapolis, Indiana for the twenty twenty

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Speaker 4: four NFL Combine. As we welcome you inside the Indiana

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Speaker 4: Convention Center for the Minnesota Vikings podcast. My name is

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Speaker 4: Gabe Henderson. I am alongside Vikings dot Com Tatum Everett,

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Speaker 4: and we are just.

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Speaker 3: In the trenches.

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Speaker 2: I love that's good.

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Speaker 4: Many would say when it comes to talking to analysts

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Speaker 4: breaking down what's going on, how the Vikings should attack

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Speaker 4: free agency the quarterback position. But before we get into

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Speaker 4: some of the weeds, you and I have had an

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Speaker 4: opportunity to. I mean, you were on the CBS set

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Speaker 4: yesterday talking to a lot of those guys just trying

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Speaker 4: to understand what the Vikings can, should, will whatever you

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Speaker 4: want to put as an adjective there for this twenty

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Speaker 4: twenty four offseason. And what were just some of your

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Speaker 4: highlights that really stood out to you when talking to

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Speaker 4: some of those experts.

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Speaker 1: I think the experts really really enjoy talking about but

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Speaker 1: the Vikings right now. I think several of them have

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Speaker 1: the Vikings as some of the highest rated free agents

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Speaker 1: that are available. You know, there's twenty seven free agents

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Speaker 1: available on the Vikings. When that deadline comes up and

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Speaker 1: you know a few weeks and so they have a

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Speaker 1: lot of decisions to be made. And I think that

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Speaker 1: there are several experts who are trying to predict what

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Speaker 1: should happen and what can happen, so it's.

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Speaker 2: Been interesting to kind of hear them way in.

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Speaker 1: We had a great conversation with Pete Prisco and Daniel

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Speaker 1: Jeremiah just to highlight a few. It's funny because I

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Speaker 1: think one thing that's really shown to me a little

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Speaker 1: bit more here, even though it is the combine, I

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Speaker 1: feel like the free agency talk has been way more

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Speaker 1: popular for the Vikings than it is talking about these prospects,

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Speaker 1: which is interesting. Maybe it's because you know, they just

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Speaker 1: start talking at the podium today and they go through

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Speaker 1: the drills later this week, but it has felt like

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Speaker 1: free agency has been more of the hot topic around

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Speaker 1: here for it for the Vikings at least.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean when you look at just Kirk Cousins

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Speaker 4: has been a Vikings quarterback for the past few years,

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Speaker 4: just him being the hottest player in the market, I

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Speaker 4: believe the Vikings, at least in my opinion, and to

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Speaker 4: your point of it being like the the I guess

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Speaker 4: the hottest storyline.

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Speaker 2: Around here really fails that way you want to do.

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Speaker 4: I know you've probably felt the same way, but there's

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Speaker 4: been people like just pulling me off to the side

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Speaker 4: of them.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's like, we really don't know.

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Speaker 4: And if you go back to Kevin's press conference or

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Speaker 4: Causey's press conference, the Vikings want him back.

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Speaker 1: And it sounds like from their perspective, Kirk wants to

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Speaker 1: be back in Minnesota and be a Viking. So I

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Speaker 1: think it's I think it's just trying to see you know.

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Speaker 1: I mean, there's so many different opinions about how this

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Speaker 1: can unfold and unveil itself, and it will in time.

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Speaker 1: I can't wait to figure it out. But it just

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Speaker 1: sounds like that's their guy and they really want they

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Speaker 1: really want to keep them, which is the message that

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Speaker 1: they relaid here. You know, I think they addressed a

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Speaker 1: lot of the bit the big topics Quacy talking about

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Speaker 1: trading Justin Jefferson has not been on his mind. He

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Speaker 1: did the best non quarterback in the league and he

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Speaker 1: deserves he paid his side.

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Speaker 2: Some of the comments from his presser were.

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Speaker 1: Very, uh deliberate, and and I think that they did

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Speaker 1: a great job of communicating that. So, you know, I

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Speaker 1: don't know if if what they said has been any

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Speaker 1: different than what we heard at the end of the

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Speaker 1: season for the same questions. Now, it's just seeing how

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Speaker 1: it plays out in the next month, right.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean when when when asked yesterday, when do

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Speaker 4: fans when should fans expect a decisional Kurky game win

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Speaker 4: by the deadline? The greatest answer I've ever heard him, Like, dude.

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Speaker 1: What props to Quacy? Because Mike McDaniel is standing right

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Speaker 1: next to him, and because he's short or shorter, and

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Speaker 1: he was like in the microphone, like his face was

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Speaker 1: in the microphone and he enjoyed. But Quaycy's taller, also

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Speaker 1: soft spoken, but he had to stand next to him

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Speaker 1: and concentrate on his answers while Mike McDaniel is so

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Speaker 1: loud next to him.

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Speaker 2: I was like, I don't know if I could have

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Speaker 2: concentrated and.

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Speaker 4: Done that that And he said, I guess Quaycy and

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Speaker 4: Mike are really close from their time in San Francisco.

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Speaker 4: So it was like, if there's anybody that would make

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Speaker 4: my job living hell at the podium, it would be

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Speaker 4: Mike McDaniels. And yeah, you could barely you could hear

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Speaker 4: quay but it's really hard. It goes to the point

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Speaker 4: of like I was just I took a step back

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Speaker 4: when I saw those coaches up there and well general

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Speaker 4: managers at the podium. I think four or five the

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Speaker 4: interviews went on the same time as Quays when he

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Speaker 4: was going and it was like, dude, these are you know,

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Speaker 4: leaders of these organizations simply putting their philosophy behind. These

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Speaker 4: are the guys that we want and this is how

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Speaker 4: we can We feel like we can lead this team

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Speaker 4: to Ultimate championship. And going into year three for Quacy

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Speaker 4: and Kevin together, I think that the vision will be

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Speaker 4: a lot more clear this year. The first two years

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Speaker 4: we're still trying to figure out what the identity of

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Speaker 4: this team will be. And just from talking to Quasy,

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Speaker 4: I really think the adversity last year that the Vikings

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Speaker 4: faced has I guess forced them to look internally one,

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Speaker 4: but also look from a schematic standpoint of how do

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Speaker 4: we want addressed certain positions if something happens in that position?

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Speaker 2: So wow, I mean that you nailed it on the head.

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Speaker 1: The finding the depth to face that adversity that you

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Speaker 1: know you're going to face. You know, not every season

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Speaker 1: is going to be a charm season with thirteen wins,

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Speaker 1: and I think they felt that this year and realize

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Speaker 1: that that's how they want to they want to build

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Speaker 1: the roster.

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Speaker 2: It's it's still a competitive rebuild.

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Speaker 1: They're just trying to put in the pieces so that

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Speaker 1: when those adversity moments unfortunately too many, this is here, whitch,

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Speaker 1: you just need to be ready to go.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: I think the highlight for me was just how Quasy

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Speaker 4: and Kevin values to back up quarterback. Now, let's say

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Speaker 4: the Vikings do address the quarterback situation in the draft.

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Speaker 3: Earlier or later.

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Speaker 4: I believe you want to have a guy that or

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Speaker 4: at least you want to have a guy coached up

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Speaker 4: a little bit more to be able to go in

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Speaker 4: and win you some games. I mean, Josh Dobbs won

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Speaker 4: some games. Nick Mullins won a game. So it's just

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Speaker 4: interesting just just hearing just I guess some of their thoughts.

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Speaker 1: On I think that's what Yeah, I think that's what's

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Speaker 1: interesting is the topic that Kirk is the most coved

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Speaker 1: free agent, Yeah, because of position here right now, and

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Speaker 1: then you compare that to one of the better quarterback

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Speaker 1: drafts that have ever been You see that side by side,

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Speaker 1: and I think that's what makes this offseason so appealing.

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Speaker 4: And a lot of people have said it's very interesting

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Speaker 4: that the Vikings are letting Kirk want to test free

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Speaker 4: agency before or saying Okay, this is the number we're

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Speaker 4: going to give you, or this is what we're going

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Speaker 4: to do and you're not going to test. So I

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Speaker 4: think it's a lot of people doubt. Chris Sims, who

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Speaker 4: I talked to yesterday from a Pro Football talk, has said,

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Speaker 4: you don't see many teams letting their quarterback go and

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Speaker 4: talk to other teams. So the film is mutual, but

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Speaker 4: I think there's a respect level between the Vikings and Kirk,

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Speaker 4: which ultimately will be the final decision between if he's

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Speaker 4: a Viking this upcoming year.

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Speaker 2: Or not going to be interesting.

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Speaker 4: Well, before we talk more, I guess National Network Media

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Speaker 4: Demitrious Washington. He is the VP of football Operations for

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Speaker 4: the Minnesota Vikings. He stopped by after the normal meetings

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Speaker 4: for the Vikings a couple of days ago and gave

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Speaker 4: us some time and a really cool conversation just hearing

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Speaker 4: just the Vikings philosophy on how they're attacking the twenty

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Speaker 4: twenty four offseason and Vikings fans. I think it's a

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Speaker 4: treat and a really cool perspective on what the Vikings

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Speaker 4: plan on doing this upcoming off season.

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Speaker 3: So check it out.

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Speaker 4: All right, Rebecca, this is the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. I

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Speaker 4: am sitting inside the Indiana Convention Center with the VP

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Speaker 4: of Football Operations, a really good friend of the show,

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Speaker 4: really good friend of the brand, our guy, mister Demetrious Washington.

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Speaker 4: To meet Demetrius. I know you have been in a

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Speaker 4: lot of these meetings so far, You've I don't know, like,

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Speaker 4: I don't know what these nights are like for you, guys.

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Speaker 4: All I know is, you know when every team get

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Speaker 4: gets together at their favorite restaurant in the middle of

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Speaker 4: the night, you guys start to stroll in at about

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Speaker 4: eleven PM, eleven thirty talking about how I wouldn't say

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Speaker 4: crazy the meetings were, but how informative the meetings were

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Speaker 4: so for you. What are those foremos like and this

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Speaker 4: process been like for you going into year two with

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Speaker 4: the Vikings.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, no, thanks for having me on the show too, gay,

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Speaker 5: But it's awesome, man. It's a great, great opportunity for

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Speaker 5: us to get to know the prospects a little bit more,

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Speaker 5: get to sit down talk to them in person, learn

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Speaker 5: what makes them tick, learn why they love the game.

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Speaker 5: Of football, why they played the game of football, learn

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Speaker 5: a lot about their background. So for us, it's like

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Speaker 5: very informative in terms of just learning about the potential

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Speaker 5: guys that we want to bring into the building.

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Speaker 4: When you because it's a long process. A lot of

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Speaker 4: people think that the free agency or off season period

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Speaker 4: begins once the season ends. For you, guys, when does

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Speaker 4: that start when you start going through your initial evaluations

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Speaker 4: of Okay, this guy may come out of this guy

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Speaker 4: may not come out to getting to this point.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, for a free agency.

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Speaker 5: We have a great pro department in house led by

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Speaker 5: Sam DeLuca, and that process kind of starts throughout.

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Speaker 6: It's throughout the season.

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Speaker 5: It starts ramping up for the rest of us around December,

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Speaker 5: but they're putting in all the work working throughout the season,

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Speaker 5: looking at potential free agents, the upcoming class, some free

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Speaker 5: agents as we go throughout the season. But December is

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Speaker 5: when we kind of have our first free agent type meetings.

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Speaker 5: But yeah, that group is awesome and they're working.

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Speaker 4: Throughout understanding that. I mean before we you know, get

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Speaker 4: more into the details. A lot of people they saw

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Speaker 4: you last year for the first time. It was your

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Speaker 4: first year with the Vikings. You were with San Francisco

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Speaker 4: forty nine ers before you got here and just understanding

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Speaker 4: your your role now is VP of Football Operations and

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Speaker 4: year two, how has your role evolved to where it

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Speaker 4: is right now?

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Speaker 5: It's been a learning curve, very steep or strong learning curve,

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Speaker 5: I would say, but yes, you've just been learning a lot,

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Speaker 5: picking up new ways to do things, new things to do.

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Speaker 5: Back in San Francisco, I was only in data for

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Speaker 5: the most part, and now just expanding my role here

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Speaker 5: has been awesome to learn, awesome to just pick it up.

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Speaker 4: How have you seen data information growth the game of football?

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Speaker 5: I feel I feel like teams are just making more

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Speaker 5: informed decisions. I would say, there's a lot of talk

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Speaker 5: about game management type situations, whether and also player evaluations,

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Speaker 5: but the data is helping make more informed decisions as

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Speaker 5: the game continues to progress.

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Speaker 4: I mean understanding that there's so many metrics that goes

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Speaker 4: into drafting a player or getting somebody in free agency.

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Speaker 4: When you're going through that process. I asked Krazy this

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Speaker 4: question earlier. When you're going through the process, how do

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Speaker 4: you make sure that you don't overthink it, because, like you,

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Speaker 4: guys gather so much information, So like, how do you

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Speaker 4: not ever think the entire process when it comes to

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Speaker 4: making a firm decision.

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Speaker 6: No, it's a lot, I would say.

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Speaker 5: Personally my background doing the analysis and stuff, I was

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Speaker 5: always cautious of that. I didn't want to give out

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Speaker 5: too much information. I just wanted to give out the

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Speaker 5: pertinent information, things that we found significant and things that

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Speaker 5: needed to be known, and not things that didn't need

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Speaker 5: to be known. So I would always try to wheedle

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Speaker 5: the information down. I think there's a famous Mark Twain

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Speaker 5: quote of I would have made it short if I

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Speaker 5: had more time, And that's kind of how I look

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Speaker 5: at my previous job. That's how I try to interpret

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Speaker 5: the data now, to try to not get overloaded with

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Speaker 5: the information, but to make sure I get the information

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Speaker 5: that is pertinent.

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Speaker 4: I mean it is along the lines of lessons more, yes,

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Speaker 4: and just understanding that, like how has that process for

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Speaker 4: you evolved, you know, being when you're in San Francisco

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Speaker 4: kind of fresh into it, understanding learning from the guys,

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Speaker 4: like trying to gather the most information that you can

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Speaker 4: get to your point now of refining that process you're

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Speaker 4: in year out for less is.

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Speaker 5: More, Yeah, I would say, Previously I was on the

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Speaker 5: delivering end of that type of information. Now I'm on

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Speaker 5: the receiving end of that information. So actually sitting across

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Speaker 5: from the table hearing it from both or hearing it

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Speaker 5: from that perspective, but also knowing how it gets delivered

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Speaker 5: from the other perspective. I feel like it's giving us

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Speaker 5: some sort of an advantage in terms of knowing what

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Speaker 5: to use and why to use it.

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Speaker 3: So what is that process?

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Speaker 4: Like, like, is it I'm assuming you're a little bit

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Speaker 4: more empathetic when you're when you're getting the information, understanding

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Speaker 4: that you've been in that position, But like, what is that?

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Speaker 4: How is that decision making process for you? How does

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Speaker 4: that evolved to being the door versus being the listener

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Speaker 4: to ultimately helping make the ultimate decision.

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Speaker 5: I would say it's it's I guess. I guess in

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Speaker 5: the past I was I thought I was cognizant of

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Speaker 5: the person receiving the message, But now being on the

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Speaker 5: end of the other end of receiving the message, I

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Speaker 5: do understand how some of the methods that I use

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Speaker 5: worked and some of the methods I used didn't work,

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Speaker 5: And I understand how that process is playing out and

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Speaker 5: also understand from the person's perspective of delivering the message

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Speaker 5: on how difficult it can be, especially to be in

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Speaker 5: rooms with people who might disagree or not completely understand

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Speaker 5: this actual evaluation, because it isn't like there's a select

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Speaker 5: few people. There's only a couple of people whose background

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Speaker 5: this is it's the only language that they talk. So

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Speaker 5: if you're in the room with twenty people in the NFL,

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Speaker 5: you might have two people speak that language and then

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Speaker 5: the other eighteen you speak a different language. So I

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Speaker 5: am empathetic to that process and understanding how that cannot

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Speaker 5: breed the most comfortable environment.

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Speaker 6: But it's also something that we've think.

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Speaker 5: I mean, I think we're taking in stride and doing

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Speaker 5: very well with it, but I do understand the other

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Speaker 5: side of like if you speaking a different language than

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Speaker 5: everyone else in the room, how difficult that can be.

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Speaker 4: I think at the end of the day, whether in

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Speaker 4: my opinion, like if you're you know, got a data

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Speaker 4: background or just the traditional football background, numbers never lie

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Speaker 4: and when you look at the scoreboard, the team with

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Speaker 4: the most points is going to win the game. So

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Speaker 4: the fact that you guys can ultimately come to a

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Speaker 4: decision that makes the most informed decision for this team.

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Speaker 4: I think that that shows the level of teamwork that

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Speaker 4: kind of goes underrated when you start talking about the

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Speaker 4: front office perspective versus just playing on the field.

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Speaker 3: Yes.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, I always looked at it as signals, signals, and

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Speaker 5: I feel like the data can tell us what is happening.

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Speaker 5: It's our job, or the traditional evaluators job to tell

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Speaker 5: why it's happening, or the coaches like that's what That

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Speaker 5: was always the partnership that I looked at data as being.

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Speaker 3: Speaking about partnership.

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Speaker 4: I was talking to Quasi earlier and we're talking OKFA

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Speaker 4: and Vikings Radio Network right after his press conference that's

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Speaker 4: on Vikings dot com right now, And a question that

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Speaker 4: I asked them was going into year three, like when

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Speaker 4: you're in those meeting rooms because we see some of

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Speaker 4: the behind the scenes videos and some of the content

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Speaker 4: that we produce, and just understanding that Quasi is saying

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Speaker 4: now that he does a lot more listening than talking,

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Speaker 4: and basically him observing and listening ultimately empowers you guys,

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Speaker 4: you and Chismo Parr and other guys to lead those meetings.

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Speaker 4: So stepping into that role, what is that like having

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Speaker 4: that trust, but also being able to command a room,

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Speaker 4: which ultimately makes a really important step in making a

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Speaker 4: final decision.

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Speaker 5: Ye, huge credit to Quacy for recognizing that and also

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Speaker 5: leading the discussions, helping navigate those discussions. From my perspective,

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Speaker 5: it's been empowering. But it's also just like recognizing the

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Speaker 5: camaradership that we have in the room. Everyone's willing to listen,

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Speaker 5: everyone's open minded. It's not about being right or wrong.

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Speaker 5: It's not about an individual. So even like the Ryan

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Speaker 5: Grigson's of the world, much respect to him coming into

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Speaker 5: this role, coming into this team only who he was

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Speaker 5: and his status in the league, and how he's been

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Speaker 5: accepting the way that my mind works. And we have

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Speaker 5: great discussions and actually come to a lot of agreements

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Speaker 5: that I wasn't expecting us to come to because we

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Speaker 5: come from two completely different backgrounds football wise. But yes,

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Speaker 5: is everyone in that room ryan money is it.

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Speaker 6: It's a great room to be a part of.

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Speaker 4: I know you can't give you know and I don't

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Speaker 4: want you to give away too many secrets, but we

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Speaker 4: all know every team starts that quarterback like it's a

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Speaker 4: make or break for every team every year, and the

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Speaker 4: year out When you talk about your offseason priorities, where

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Speaker 4: does that start with this team?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, so as an organization, you know, we're following Quas

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Speaker 5: and Kevin's lead. So however they said the priorities, we

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Speaker 5: go out there and execute it.

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Speaker 3: I mean just understanding that.

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Speaker 4: I mean a lot of those will continue to unfold

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Speaker 4: as the offseason takes shape, but just understanding that this

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Speaker 4: combined period, Like, how do you define success when it

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Speaker 4: comes to just seeing these guys in formal meetings and

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Speaker 4: then just seeing them run a few routes and a

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Speaker 4: few drills that don't really equal up when you've simply

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Speaker 4: just put on the pads.

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Speaker 5: I would say success out of this week is leaving

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Speaker 5: here with more information that helps us make a more

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Speaker 5: a better decision or more informed decision. So that's what

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Speaker 5: we kind of look at as far as success. We're

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Speaker 5: not gonna pick a player solely off this week, this interview,

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Speaker 5: this drill, or anything like that, but as long as

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Speaker 5: we gather the right amount of the right information, the

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Speaker 5: accurate information to be able to make informed decisions.

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Speaker 4: Would you say like the combin period or like after

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Speaker 4: the informal so like early next week or like early

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Speaker 4: after the combine. That is a little too early to

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Speaker 4: have a guy to say like that's a must have,

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Speaker 4: or do you leave the combin saying okay, like we

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Speaker 4: need to put this guy pretty out on our board

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Speaker 4: just based off of what we conversed and discussed this weekend.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, I think for the most part, we either confirm

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Speaker 5: or deny some of our previous opinions. And if it's

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Speaker 5: a confirmation, that's cool. If we have more questions, then

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Speaker 5: we'll just go back to the film, go back to meetings,

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Speaker 5: go back to the evaluation, and just keep collecting more

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Speaker 5: information about the players. But as far as leaving here

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Speaker 5: next week with a a player in mind, I don't know.

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Speaker 6: If that's I don't know how possible that is, got

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Speaker 6: it because.

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Speaker 4: I mean outside looking in there, the guys aren't wearing pads.

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Speaker 4: They're they're running, you know, certain drills that they've been

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Speaker 4: trained on for you know, two or three months, so

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Speaker 4: they have the I mean, they have it down. They

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Speaker 4: have a downpack to succeed at certain points, which ultimately

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Speaker 4: translates to the field because all you got to be

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Speaker 4: is all you got to do is be good for

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Speaker 4: eleven seconds on average, be good for eleven seconds and

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Speaker 4: that ultimately wins you games. But when you look at

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Speaker 4: just certain drills, are there certain drills that that that

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Speaker 4: stand out to you that that kind of translate to

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Speaker 4: what you could probably presume a person will be on

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Speaker 4: the field.

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Speaker 5: I would say there's a couple, but I wouldn't point

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Speaker 5: to any that could overrule the film.

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Speaker 3: Got You, Got You? I mean, the film never lies.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, films and film.

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Speaker 4: My last question for you just appreciate your time today,

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Speaker 4: just understanding that this is still kind of early in

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Speaker 4: this whole off season process as far as getting to

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Speaker 4: the ultimate decision of this is the guy we're going

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Speaker 4: to select?

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Speaker 3: A free aid you see versus the draft?

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Speaker 4: How do you view both of those free agency and

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Speaker 4: draft from a big picture standpoint for this team?

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Speaker 5: I think I think it's mostly commonly accepted that the

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Speaker 5: draft is the lifeblood of the organization.

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Speaker 6: Team try to build through the draft.

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Speaker 5: I think free agency is a great place to go

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Speaker 5: supplement and add parts to your team. But for me,

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Speaker 5: it's about just roster construction. How do you best feel

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Speaker 5: the roster that you want for now and in the future.

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Speaker 5: And to me, you need to use both tools that

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Speaker 5: are at your disposal of free agency and draft.

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Speaker 4: It's a lot of tempo dates coming up. This is

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Speaker 4: this is one right now of being at the NFL Combine.

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Speaker 4: This is for for us in the media once the

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Speaker 4: Super Bowl ends. This is for us where we're it

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Speaker 4: kind of all starts after the Senior Bowl and some

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Speaker 4: of those you know, other bowls and that that that

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Speaker 4: take place.

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Speaker 3: So I appreciate your time. You got a busy offseason.

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Speaker 6: No, I appreciate you.

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Speaker 4: I'm excited to see what you guys do. Man appreciate you,

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Speaker 4: all right, talk to you Lettergate. Well, Demetrice offered us

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Speaker 4: a lot there. When when you see and hear what

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Speaker 4: the Vikings are saying, uh these past couple of days,

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Speaker 4: it's like, what are some of your thoughts on how

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Speaker 4: the Vikings can move forward this off season.

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Speaker 1: I think that they do value the combine more or

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Speaker 1: less with their interviews and getting to know the players.

442
00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,720
Speaker 1: I think that so much of what Kevin talks about

443
00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:19,879
Speaker 1: with his motivating and leadership qualities is that you know,

444
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,960
Speaker 1: those guys make it easy for him and he appreciates

445
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,719
Speaker 1: the culture and that it's it's not just a cliche

446
00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,040
Speaker 1: that they I think he even said like they live it.

447
00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,920
Speaker 2: They breathe it, They it is.

448
00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,720
Speaker 1: It sounds crazy, but when you live it, it doesn't

449
00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,240
Speaker 1: feel that way. And so I think that they're just

450
00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:41,680
Speaker 1: trying to find guys that fit into that mold, and

451
00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,159
Speaker 1: the interviews mean a lot to them being able to

452
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,960
Speaker 1: connect with the with the players and people that they

453
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,479
Speaker 1: want to see. You know, they're going to stay here

454
00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,320
Speaker 1: obviously watch the drills and scouts, so have the people

455
00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,280
Speaker 1: they want to see and talk to or whatnot. But

456
00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:56,879
Speaker 1: I do think the interviews are very valuable to what

457
00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:57,600
Speaker 1: they're looking for.

458
00:20:57,880 --> 00:20:59,639
Speaker 4: I think it's the same thing and you hit that

459
00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,639
Speaker 4: right on ahead. You have those interviews and then you

460
00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:06,960
Speaker 4: have Vikings assistant coaches Keenan McCardell just I believe I

461
00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:08,880
Speaker 4: can't think of who it is on the defensive side

462
00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:10,480
Speaker 4: of the ball right now, but there's going to be

463
00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,960
Speaker 4: a position coaches at the combine. So the fact that

464
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,440
Speaker 4: you can put those interviews and then have your guys

465
00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,400
Speaker 4: evaluate them on the field in real time, I think

466
00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,960
Speaker 4: that makes for an ultimate team decision when it comes

467
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,600
Speaker 4: to what guy are we going to draft? And ultimately

468
00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,479
Speaker 4: we do know when drafting and selecting a guy, numbers

469
00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:31,000
Speaker 4: are involved, and a guy in Brad Spielberger from Pro

470
00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,600
Speaker 4: Football Focus. You talked to him earlier this year about

471
00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,359
Speaker 4: how those numbers can make sense for me.

472
00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,120
Speaker 2: Nobody numbers like Spilberg.

473
00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,600
Speaker 4: Oh my gosh, I mean he's talking about salary cap.

474
00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:43,119
Speaker 4: He's talking about for eight years. I mean it was

475
00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,600
Speaker 4: you guys had a really good conversation and he was

476
00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,480
Speaker 4: lucky enough to give us his time again at the combine.

477
00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,679
Speaker 4: And this is again, I think, another cool perspective on

478
00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,760
Speaker 4: how the Vikings can attack the offense and defensive side

479
00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,280
Speaker 4: of the ball from a numbers and salary cap perspective.

480
00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,439
Speaker 4: So Vikings fans here it is Brad Spilberger from Pro

481
00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:02,160
Speaker 4: Football Focus.

482
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,240
Speaker 3: All right, we are now joined.

483
00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:09,320
Speaker 4: By Brad Spilberger Pro Football Focus, a guy that if

484
00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:12,120
Speaker 4: you've been following the Vikings, you know that Brad used

485
00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:13,960
Speaker 4: to work for the Vikings as an intern in twenty

486
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,880
Speaker 4: nineteen and now he's just doing phenomenal things for Pro

487
00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:20,919
Speaker 4: Football Focus. But Brad, just being here, I've seen you yesterday.

488
00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,560
Speaker 4: I saw you yesterday just walking around just I guess

489
00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,199
Speaker 4: getting a fill of the building. But when I was

490
00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:27,840
Speaker 4: looking at you, I was like, well, I wonder where

491
00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,640
Speaker 4: his eyes are what his are objectives? Just walking around

492
00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,000
Speaker 4: getting a fill to the spot. So like, what was

493
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,280
Speaker 4: that like for you just being here the first day

494
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:37,440
Speaker 4: and then building on just I guess what you saw

495
00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:37,960
Speaker 4: in day one?

496
00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:39,879
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think that one's always interesting for me with

497
00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:41,639
Speaker 7: the new gms and head coaches, kind of get a

498
00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,240
Speaker 7: vibe for who these guys are. Like it's the first

499
00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,160
Speaker 7: media availability for a lot of teams. And then of course,

500
00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:47,679
Speaker 7: you know you're trying to map up for me the

501
00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,040
Speaker 7: free agent stuff. That's my big focus. So you're not

502
00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,480
Speaker 7: gonna get like you know exactly where people are going

503
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,280
Speaker 7: for what number, but just get an idea of what

504
00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,840
Speaker 7: markets look like, what teams position wise are interested in.

505
00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,600
Speaker 7: Stuff like that. You know, that's that's the scuttle but

506
00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:00,919
Speaker 7: I'm looking for when I'm.

507
00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,760
Speaker 4: An Indy, when you when you talk about free agency,

508
00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,479
Speaker 4: there's the number that comes up now two hundred and

509
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,760
Speaker 4: fifty five million, and how that affects certain teams, Like

510
00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,120
Speaker 4: when you look at just that that jump is that

511
00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:13,720
Speaker 4: one or two players per team?

512
00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:14,080
Speaker 3: Is that?

513
00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:16,720
Speaker 4: Like what does that mean for the NFL as far

514
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:18,879
Speaker 4: as building having more money to build a roster?

515
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:19,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's interesting.

516
00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,720
Speaker 7: I mean I think the team side, they probably viewed

517
00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:23,640
Speaker 7: it as like a five million above what they thought

518
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,679
Speaker 7: they were going to have, and it is meaningful, right,

519
00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,200
Speaker 7: like you said, I mean that's two rotational pieces. Potentially

520
00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,840
Speaker 7: that is maybe a starting level guy at you know,

521
00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,119
Speaker 7: a non premium position. So I think it is interesting.

522
00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,160
Speaker 7: I think the best example I'm not saying I didn't

523
00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:37,879
Speaker 7: think they would do is without it, but like the

524
00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,000
Speaker 7: chiefs now tagging lugerious neat, like, I think after that

525
00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,240
Speaker 7: came through and they said, you know, it's not a

526
00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,800
Speaker 7: just cap, just cash available to you, I think it's

527
00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:47,800
Speaker 7: more amenable to do stuff like that. So it's probably

528
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:49,760
Speaker 7: like one decision. Really it's not this huge thing, but

529
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,359
Speaker 7: that's those one decisions can be massive decisions.

530
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:54,640
Speaker 4: Right and you just look at that's a really good point.

531
00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:56,720
Speaker 4: I think you tweeted that out yesterday of just the

532
00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:01,520
Speaker 4: Brat Spielberger situation, simply because Chris Jones, who's in Kansas City,

533
00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,359
Speaker 4: he's still there, the guy that they want back to

534
00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,440
Speaker 4: the most. So that's that's why it's interesting to see

535
00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,000
Speaker 4: that the number increased, because like, does that mean you

536
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,800
Speaker 4: can have more opportunities to have more bigger names in

537
00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:13,280
Speaker 4: your roster.

538
00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:14,160
Speaker 3: What does that mean?

539
00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,480
Speaker 4: But when you look at that number, you look at

540
00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,840
Speaker 4: the vikings offseason priorities, what does that mean for those

541
00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,359
Speaker 4: guys our guys.

542
00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,200
Speaker 7: Right of course, of course, yeah, I mean look, obviously

543
00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,200
Speaker 7: there's a lot of important pieces that are hitting free agency,

544
00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,520
Speaker 7: and you know Danielle and dj wanam on the edge.

545
00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:29,920
Speaker 7: You know both had great years last year where great

546
00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,560
Speaker 7: fits in brine Flora's system. You know, do you feel

547
00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:34,399
Speaker 7: more comfortable now about bringing back one or both of

548
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,920
Speaker 7: those players? Do you also want to go out maybe

549
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,720
Speaker 7: a little bit more aggressive and adding and going out

550
00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:40,640
Speaker 7: looking to get some guy in the interior or someone

551
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,240
Speaker 7: in the secondary. So you know, again it's not it's

552
00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,920
Speaker 7: not this like massive benefit, but I do think it does.

553
00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,639
Speaker 7: You know, like it's swings maybe a decision where you

554
00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,440
Speaker 7: didn't think you were in a market on a particular guy,

555
00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:52,320
Speaker 7: because I do think at a higher level, like the

556
00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:54,200
Speaker 7: top of market players, the Chris Jones of the world

557
00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:57,280
Speaker 7: are going to get more money now, like Daniel Hulter

558
00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,360
Speaker 7: might get more money now. I think the lower mid

559
00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,520
Speaker 7: tier guys still are going to struggle to get Hey,

560
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:02,920
Speaker 7: the cap one op so you should pay any more,

561
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,399
Speaker 7: like not really so you can maybe add a you know,

562
00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,680
Speaker 7: rotational gar or like a swing guar or stuff like that,

563
00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:09,680
Speaker 7: So stuff that will make an impact on the twenty

564
00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:10,560
Speaker 7: twenty four vikings.

565
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:15,320
Speaker 4: What do you make of rosters being built around the

566
00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:19,440
Speaker 4: team versus the quarterback? You look at I just look

567
00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,480
Speaker 4: at Pat Mahomes, this long term, ten year, five hundred

568
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,320
Speaker 4: million deal dollar deal that opened up more opportunities for

569
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,240
Speaker 4: other guys to get paid in that span, versus guys

570
00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,560
Speaker 4: that just want to be the highest paid I guess

571
00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,080
Speaker 4: quarterback or defensive line like you, what do you make

572
00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,919
Speaker 4: of roster construction with like winning roster construction with the

573
00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:37,880
Speaker 4: salary cap number?

574
00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:38,880
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean the quarterback.

575
00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:40,600
Speaker 7: Like when you get a ten year deal for Patrick

576
00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:42,720
Speaker 7: Mahomes or just a long term deal, you just you

577
00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,040
Speaker 7: are able to kind of get a better picture of

578
00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:46,800
Speaker 7: what you're dealing with going forward, how you can build

579
00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,240
Speaker 7: around it. You can spend around it when different cash

580
00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:50,760
Speaker 7: flows are going to hit in certain years and so

581
00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,840
Speaker 7: you're know, give a cash budget every year. We talk

582
00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:54,600
Speaker 7: a lot about the cap, but like you know, ownership

583
00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,879
Speaker 7: is saying you can spend X amountains, So when you

584
00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,840
Speaker 7: can work around when you know what the quarterback situation

585
00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:01,359
Speaker 7: is to be because it is at a high level, very

586
00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:03,240
Speaker 7: simple like are we paying quarterback or not?

587
00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:04,760
Speaker 3: How much are you paying him? And like what can

588
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:05,720
Speaker 3: we do you know outside of that?

589
00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,600
Speaker 7: So Mahomes deal has given so much, just like AMMO

590
00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,640
Speaker 7: and flexibility to Kansas City. But at the same time,

591
00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:13,880
Speaker 7: like I think we're talking about too like Minnesota where

592
00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,680
Speaker 7: you've built out this phenomenal nucleus on offense for example,

593
00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,800
Speaker 7: to now like drop in a quarterback like every quarterback's

594
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:21,480
Speaker 7: dream in the draft would be a joint of team

595
00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,200
Speaker 7: that has you know, the infrastructure in place there too.

596
00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:25,960
Speaker 7: So and then it's the other the other side of

597
00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:28,200
Speaker 7: the coin is the rookie contract quarterback. You can spend

598
00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,640
Speaker 7: way more on the rest of the roster. So yeah,

599
00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:32,520
Speaker 7: it's a huge balance and it honestly does come down

600
00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,280
Speaker 7: and just like are you spending a lot there or not?

601
00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,919
Speaker 4: Without getting too far into the weeds, what does what

602
00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,800
Speaker 4: do you think that roster construction looks like for the

603
00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,920
Speaker 4: Vikings with Kirk's contract limit, you got some some big

604
00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:44,680
Speaker 4: time free agents that you want to sign, and then

605
00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,960
Speaker 4: the draft upcoming with this new number.

606
00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,800
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think the entire time since he's been there. Obviously,

607
00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,879
Speaker 7: the initial signing was I think a very good idea.

608
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,080
Speaker 7: Go to an MC championship game, know that quarterback is

609
00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,320
Speaker 7: the piece that probably would push you over the edge

610
00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,600
Speaker 7: twenty seventeen, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, and the

611
00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,440
Speaker 7: success extensions I think made sense for both parties along

612
00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,159
Speaker 7: the way. Clearly it was a good relationship, it was

613
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,040
Speaker 7: working even across regimes and coaches like, it was a

614
00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,280
Speaker 7: good fit. And obviously you got him and his kids shirtless,

615
00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,000
Speaker 7: you know, banging the horn and there. You know, obviously

616
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:13,400
Speaker 7: it was a great fit for a lot of different reasons.

617
00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,880
Speaker 7: But I do think they are an inflection point now

618
00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,679
Speaker 7: where you have to start thinking about the future. I mean,

619
00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,159
Speaker 7: obviously the Kurt's been playing goodball, probably will continue to

620
00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,720
Speaker 7: do so, but you have, you know, you're gonna start

621
00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,240
Speaker 7: paying justin Jefferson's you know, a whole lot of money

622
00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,160
Speaker 7: all that, and I think now is probably the time

623
00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,280
Speaker 7: in my eyes too. Even let's say that if you

624
00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:32,600
Speaker 7: do keep Kirk, but also even bringing a young guy

625
00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,640
Speaker 7: with a probably early draft pick and try to have

626
00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,720
Speaker 7: that succession plan, because there's a really good roster to

627
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:39,320
Speaker 7: work around.

628
00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:39,479
Speaker 3: With right now.

629
00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,640
Speaker 4: Yeah, and just understanding the offensive side of the ball,

630
00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,520
Speaker 4: how the offense has been built, and the upcoming contracts

631
00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:47,959
Speaker 4: that that could or could not be done, just depending

632
00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:49,760
Speaker 4: on how the front office sees it. And then you

633
00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:51,720
Speaker 4: look on the defensive side of the ball and it's like, well,

634
00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:55,879
Speaker 4: Brian Flores did what he did with this amount of

635
00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,480
Speaker 4: cap with the Vikings defense. So when you're addressing the

636
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,960
Speaker 4: defenses out of the ball, like, how do you factor

637
00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,760
Speaker 4: the money in on that side when you have a

638
00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:07,080
Speaker 4: guy and Brian Flores who's just gonna blitch you eighty

639
00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:07,960
Speaker 4: one percent of the time.

640
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,320
Speaker 7: Yeah, my coordinator of the year because what he did

641
00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,919
Speaker 7: was was insane. Yeah, you know, either drop eight or

642
00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,040
Speaker 7: blizz and just yeah, and it was incredible. Yeah, So

643
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,159
Speaker 7: that is the big thing, Like he is obviously a

644
00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,360
Speaker 7: first rate defensive coordinator, probably should be a head coach

645
00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,560
Speaker 7: again at some point in this league. And it complains

646
00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:26,920
Speaker 7: the wrong word, but I'm sure he's like, hey, I'd

647
00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:28,600
Speaker 7: love you if you threw some resources.

648
00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:28,760
Speaker 3: On my side of the ball.

649
00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:30,680
Speaker 7: I wouldn't hate it if you know, used early draft

650
00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,119
Speaker 7: capital or spent some money, you know, to bring some

651
00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,159
Speaker 7: new pieces in or you know, again retain some of

652
00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 7: the key guys like a Daniel Hunter. So, yeah, you

653
00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:38,760
Speaker 7: do want to balance both sides of the ball, and

654
00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,720
Speaker 7: only we're talking about like Christian darrisol Justin Jefferson could

655
00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,720
Speaker 7: swing that heavily another direction. So do you want to

656
00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,200
Speaker 7: add some free agents and and pay some guys now

657
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,400
Speaker 7: on defense before some of that money kicks in. Yeah,

658
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,600
Speaker 7: I think they need to add some more talent and

659
00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:54,080
Speaker 7: resources that's side of the ball.

660
00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,280
Speaker 4: And if that's the case, how do you see that

661
00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:58,440
Speaker 4: being prioritized.

662
00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,760
Speaker 3: Is that through the draft or free agency? A little

663
00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:01,240
Speaker 3: bit of both?

664
00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,560
Speaker 4: Like where do you see that that pendulum swinging when

665
00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,480
Speaker 4: it comes to putting this X amount of dollars into

666
00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:07,720
Speaker 4: the defensive side of the ball.

667
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:09,680
Speaker 7: Yeah, So the draft is very interesting. You know, if

668
00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,560
Speaker 7: they decide not to go quarterback, I do think at

669
00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,200
Speaker 7: eleven you might still get the number one defensive player

670
00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,560
Speaker 7: on the board. Like, I really think it's possible. For me,

671
00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:18,520
Speaker 7: it's probably Buyer Murphia, Texas, who I think would be

672
00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,400
Speaker 7: a perfect like addition to Minnesota.

673
00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,240
Speaker 3: I can't think of better. Yeah, yeah, we're getting e

674
00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:22,800
Speaker 3: sited over here.

675
00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,240
Speaker 7: Yeah, Like, and just immediately improve your interior. A pocket

676
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,280
Speaker 7: pusher that can make everything easier for the edge rushers

677
00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:30,760
Speaker 7: as well, So it could be that direction. And obviously

678
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:32,760
Speaker 7: there's more picks me on the first round, ye you know,

679
00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:34,880
Speaker 7: or yeah, I think when you go into free agency

680
00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:37,719
Speaker 7: for me and I keep harping defensive line and they

681
00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:39,840
Speaker 7: could go secondary as well, But I think it's a

682
00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,880
Speaker 7: very talented defensive line free agent class, you know, relatives

683
00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,000
Speaker 7: to other years. Yep, That's why I would be spending

684
00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:45,840
Speaker 7: my resources if I was that.

685
00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,320
Speaker 4: And just just understanding that you have so many bee

686
00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,040
Speaker 4: feuders up front and the defensive side of the ball

687
00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,720
Speaker 4: that could possibly come in and make plays early on.

688
00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,240
Speaker 4: What does that mean for the rest of your roster?

689
00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:57,880
Speaker 4: Do you try to build the rest of your roster

690
00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,440
Speaker 4: via free agency? Understand And to your point of when

691
00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,600
Speaker 4: you have those young rookie contracts, you have a little

692
00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,320
Speaker 4: bit more time to spread out Dallas to other guys

693
00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:07,160
Speaker 4: to I guess somewhat win now.

694
00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:08,560
Speaker 7: For sure, for sure, And I think a lot of

695
00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:11,160
Speaker 7: the young dB is like would benefit from, you know,

696
00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,760
Speaker 7: a defensive front coming in that can win with four

697
00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,880
Speaker 7: or maybe do win with five, and it would make

698
00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,120
Speaker 7: their lives easier where they have more players and coverage

699
00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:21,480
Speaker 7: on certain snaps or you know, just simplify what they're

700
00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,040
Speaker 7: doing on the back end. So like, I think you

701
00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:24,920
Speaker 7: saw a great play down stretch from a Kyle Blackman.

702
00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:26,719
Speaker 7: Like I think you're seeing a lot of growth from

703
00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,680
Speaker 7: young pieces. Josh Mattelis has taken this like no one's

704
00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:31,840
Speaker 7: talking enough about, you know, the steps he's taken. So

705
00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:33,080
Speaker 7: but I think at the end of the day, like

706
00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,920
Speaker 7: defense is a cohesive thing where like I would say,

707
00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:37,440
Speaker 7: I'm trying to help my young players in the in

708
00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:39,760
Speaker 7: the secondary, buy beefing up the front.

709
00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,000
Speaker 4: Like, yeah, offense, The first thing that came to mind

710
00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,959
Speaker 4: was TJ Howkinson his new contract, and then I mean,

711
00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,160
Speaker 4: it's the highest payed tight end in the NFL. And

712
00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,840
Speaker 4: then you look at last year's draft class, arguably the

713
00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,800
Speaker 4: best tight end draft class in NFL history. How do

714
00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,760
Speaker 4: you see the tight end market I guess evolving over

715
00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:00,479
Speaker 4: time with the I guess the rise of that position.

716
00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,120
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's the interesting thing is that like TJ's deal

717
00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:06,440
Speaker 7: would still probably be like thirtieth wide receiver money like right, like,

718
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:08,239
Speaker 7: which is crazy think about right? I mean, obviously he's

719
00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,240
Speaker 7: getting a ton of targets, he's making guys missing space,

720
00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:12,520
Speaker 7: he is important on third down, red zone, all these

721
00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:16,320
Speaker 7: key situations. So it's interesting. I still do think it's

722
00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,080
Speaker 7: just a very tough position. Like we talk a lot

723
00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:20,120
Speaker 7: about running back and other spots where it's been tough.

724
00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:20,800
Speaker 3: Tight end.

725
00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,000
Speaker 7: It's like it's a short shelf life. It's one of

726
00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:25,560
Speaker 7: the hardest shops to do in the NFL. And yeah,

727
00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:27,320
Speaker 7: like their market's been just as much of a challenge.

728
00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,520
Speaker 7: So I do think you'll see that push forward with

729
00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:31,520
Speaker 7: more of these hybrid type players. I don't cal pits

730
00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:33,120
Speaker 7: and was injured last year, kind of playing through an

731
00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,719
Speaker 7: injury last year, but a thousand yard rookie coming in

732
00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:38,040
Speaker 7: sat on the port obviously last year was incredible in Detroit.

733
00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:40,120
Speaker 7: So I think it will continue to push forward and

734
00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,120
Speaker 7: they'll just make the case more and more of we

735
00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:43,920
Speaker 7: should mirror the receiver market more.

736
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:45,560
Speaker 3: But it's been a battle.

737
00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,440
Speaker 4: So I mean, just my last question for you, just

738
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,240
Speaker 4: just speaking of markets, like is there a market or

739
00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,440
Speaker 4: position that you think is going to make that next

740
00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,440
Speaker 4: step of you know, kind of resetting the market. Is

741
00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,440
Speaker 4: there a position, I mean, you got quarterback, you have

742
00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:00,880
Speaker 4: receiver or running backs that the market just kind of fluctuates,

743
00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:02,720
Speaker 4: it goes up one year down the next. But is

744
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,560
Speaker 4: there a sneaky position that you think will evolve over

745
00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,400
Speaker 4: time and reset how these numbers are starting to get

746
00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:10,480
Speaker 4: distributed for the future.

747
00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:12,000
Speaker 7: Yeah, it's a good question. I think we're starting to

748
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,040
Speaker 7: see a little bit with the interior defenders. We saw

749
00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:15,200
Speaker 7: last offseason.

750
00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,320
Speaker 3: Already Hardgrave, right, YEI Ergrave was.

751
00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:18,680
Speaker 7: A big one for sure, and free agency and then

752
00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,200
Speaker 7: all the you know, Quinnan Williams, Jeffreys, Simmons, all those extensions,

753
00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,360
Speaker 7: Chris Joans. I think we'll get a massive number this year.

754
00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:25,040
Speaker 7: I think the one that needs to be reset is

755
00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:27,040
Speaker 7: corner too, though. I mean Jio Lexander's still the highest

756
00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,920
Speaker 7: PID corner in the NFL. He's probably as signed three

757
00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:31,760
Speaker 7: years ago and now at this point that's not normal, right,

758
00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,320
Speaker 7: So Jalen Ramsey came in and got twenty million per

759
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,960
Speaker 7: year at this point, like four or five offseasons ago,

760
00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:39,840
Speaker 7: and we're still there. You know, the Jalen Johnson's the

761
00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,240
Speaker 7: lagarious needs of the world is this offseason. But at

762
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:43,960
Speaker 7: aj Threll coming up in Atlanta, like there's a lot

763
00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:46,000
Speaker 7: of young Obviously, Saws is going to get a massive number.

764
00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:48,640
Speaker 7: So dere extingly played great in Houston. So that's one

765
00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,360
Speaker 7: where as the receiver numbers get bigger and bigger, which

766
00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,600
Speaker 7: they will like, I think they're going to mirror and

767
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:55,440
Speaker 7: kind of match who they're who they're going up against.

768
00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,160
Speaker 4: That that does make sense because you look at the

769
00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,240
Speaker 4: edge rush market and then and after you know, certain

770
00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,440
Speaker 4: guys reset that the offensive tackle market just kind of resembled.

771
00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:07,120
Speaker 4: So I could see, you know, it kind of mirroring.

772
00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:08,640
Speaker 4: But that that makes a lot of sense.

773
00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:10,840
Speaker 7: To classic agent argument is, Yeah, my guy's battling with

774
00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:13,160
Speaker 7: this guy who's not making more, why would my guy

775
00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:13,680
Speaker 7: also make it?

776
00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:15,760
Speaker 4: But you can argument, You can't. You can't argue with

777
00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,480
Speaker 4: the argument. Yeah, what can you say? Well, I appreciate you, Brad.

778
00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:21,280
Speaker 4: This was this was phenomenal. The fact that you, you know,

779
00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,800
Speaker 4: have the Minnesota tie. That just makes our fans a

780
00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,160
Speaker 4: little bit more excited just to hear your voice. So

781
00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,880
Speaker 4: Vikings fans expect more Brad this offseason and going forward.

782
00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:34,240
Speaker 4: Appreciate your time to man, Well, we were talking off here.

783
00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,920
Speaker 4: To understand the numbers the way Brad does you you

784
00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:39,200
Speaker 4: have to be really invested.

785
00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:40,200
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I would say so.

786
00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:42,560
Speaker 1: I think his law background really helpful because you know,

787
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:44,680
Speaker 1: nobody can read like that and just sit there and

788
00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,080
Speaker 1: absorb all that information quite like someone who enjoys it. Uh,

789
00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:52,160
Speaker 1: definitely not me, no, no, but but we were saying

790
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:52,920
Speaker 1: it's it's nice.

791
00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:54,760
Speaker 2: I understand it when he says it to me.

792
00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:55,440
Speaker 3: Yeah.

793
00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,080
Speaker 2: However, I'm not going to be able to find the

794
00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:57,800
Speaker 2: conclusion on.

795
00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,520
Speaker 3: My own explain this and explain how you got to ye.

796
00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,959
Speaker 1: Know, oh I heard it from Brad. I yeah, so

797
00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:06,920
Speaker 1: I really appreciate his insight. It's really cool that we

798
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 1: have someone who has so much like appreciation for the

799
00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,719
Speaker 1: Vikings after being in the building with us, and so

800
00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:14,759
Speaker 1: it's nice for him to come and help us out

801
00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:16,919
Speaker 1: with with with the big picture things and to see

802
00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,160
Speaker 1: and understand what the situations the front office.

803
00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:20,840
Speaker 3: Is in off topic.

804
00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:23,799
Speaker 4: I don't really think it's cool that we have guys

805
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:26,200
Speaker 4: so like Brad work for the Vikings. Jordan reed as

806
00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:27,880
Speaker 4: he grew up a Vikings Fanily, there are a lot

807
00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:30,520
Speaker 4: of national media that are like really invested into this.

808
00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:32,640
Speaker 1: Dam I did not realize this, but we are about

809
00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:34,719
Speaker 1: to post an interview with Eric Eager. He's like so

810
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:37,600
Speaker 1: into the analytics and stuff, and when he gave me

811
00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:39,839
Speaker 1: his phone number, I should have known six ' five

812
00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,799
Speaker 1: to one, like, hello, he's Minnesota and so like he

813
00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:44,719
Speaker 1: comes over, he's like, my dad's a fan I go

814
00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:47,479
Speaker 1: to games. I'm like, there are so many like.

815
00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:50,359
Speaker 4: Jeremy Fowlers six to one two area code. Recently, Hey,

816
00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:52,279
Speaker 4: I used to cover the Vikings for ESPN back in

817
00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,560
Speaker 4: the day. Is here we go, so six ' five

818
00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:57,440
Speaker 4: to one like it's I think it's very unique just

819
00:34:57,719 --> 00:34:59,560
Speaker 4: hearing people's perspectives and.

820
00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:02,040
Speaker 2: How they're ties to us, and you can.

821
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:05,200
Speaker 4: Feel like their vikings fandom coming out when they're explaining

822
00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:07,360
Speaker 4: from x's and o's or a number of standpoints.

823
00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,879
Speaker 3: I think that that makes our content better ultimately, oh

824
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:10,520
Speaker 3: for sure.

825
00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,719
Speaker 1: For sure, because you feel like you can have them

826
00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:16,879
Speaker 1: on and they aren't just giving you the media car

827
00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:20,160
Speaker 1: wash yep, scrambled answer right, like they actually know what

828
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:21,799
Speaker 1: they're talking about, which is super helpful and.

829
00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,959
Speaker 2: Not saying that some people don't you know, but there

830
00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:24,360
Speaker 2: you know.

831
00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,200
Speaker 1: I mean I sometimes when I'm caught off guard with things,

832
00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:27,520
Speaker 1: it's like.

833
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:29,279
Speaker 4: Me, I think, And it makes it easier for our

834
00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,880
Speaker 4: fans to understand just what it means for our organization

835
00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,719
Speaker 4: and how the Vikings can ultimately get to that ultimate goal,

836
00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,800
Speaker 4: and just being here the past three or four days

837
00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,799
Speaker 4: with you, we've learned a lot, We've seen a lot,

838
00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:43,160
Speaker 4: and I think my question for you just as we

839
00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:47,040
Speaker 4: close is what do you want to see when we

840
00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,800
Speaker 4: get back. By the time we get back to Minnesota,

841
00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:51,640
Speaker 4: when it comes to hey, the Vikings did this at

842
00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:52,120
Speaker 4: the combine?

843
00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:55,680
Speaker 2: Can't put me on the spot there, I.

844
00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:57,560
Speaker 3: Don't like, but I guess there's no there's no wrong

845
00:35:57,600 --> 00:35:58,040
Speaker 3: answer to me.

846
00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know if there's anything in particular I

847
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:05,399
Speaker 1: need to see. I just I know that a lot

848
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:10,600
Speaker 1: of my opinions on draft need will really depend on

849
00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:14,880
Speaker 1: the free agency period and with that being, you know,

850
00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:16,000
Speaker 1: within the next couple.

851
00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:17,640
Speaker 3: Of peeks moving right.

852
00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,719
Speaker 1: So, I I just think we're're going to understand what

853
00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:24,480
Speaker 1: this front office wants to do and is going to do,

854
00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,360
Speaker 1: and just have a much clearer picture of what this

855
00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,359
Speaker 1: team will look like in the next couple of weeks,

856
00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:30,920
Speaker 1: which is crazy to say because I feel like we've

857
00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,880
Speaker 1: been talking about it for months, but this is a

858
00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:37,560
Speaker 1: very pivotal time and once I think we see what

859
00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,200
Speaker 1: they do with the free agents and what the moves

860
00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:43,480
Speaker 1: the Vikings make in that time period, then I think

861
00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,880
Speaker 1: you'll start to see like, okay, so they'll have to

862
00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:48,680
Speaker 1: get picks for here, and oh you know, now, let's

863
00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:51,120
Speaker 1: really focus on this position. How did they do in

864
00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:54,640
Speaker 1: the combine? Almost like a retro active look if that

865
00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:55,280
Speaker 1: makes sense.

866
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:57,480
Speaker 4: That that makes complete sense. And I think that's the

867
00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,520
Speaker 4: number one like answer for a Vikings fans. It's like,

868
00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:02,359
Speaker 4: what are the Vikings going to do if your free

869
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:03,480
Speaker 4: agency versus the draft?

870
00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:04,480
Speaker 2: And yeah, I mean it.

871
00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:06,680
Speaker 1: That's half the answers you get from a lot of

872
00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,399
Speaker 1: these experts are well, we don't know what they're going.

873
00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:10,120
Speaker 2: To do with this yet, so I can't really tell you.

874
00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:11,560
Speaker 2: So agreed, we will see.

875
00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:14,160
Speaker 4: We will see a long way until the draft. I believe.

876
00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:16,400
Speaker 4: Someone the other day tweeted, I can't think of what

877
00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:17,640
Speaker 4: day it was, but he said, we were less than

878
00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:19,960
Speaker 4: sixty days away from the NFL Draft. And when you

879
00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:23,080
Speaker 4: think about that, it tells you that this business to

880
00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,200
Speaker 4: tell you, right, did you go anywhere in this off season?

881
00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:27,480
Speaker 3: Did you do anything?

882
00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:29,400
Speaker 2: I've tried to That's.

883
00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:31,719
Speaker 4: How this thing works. But guys, this was a very

884
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,520
Speaker 4: fun show. I hope you enjoyed it. We have a

885
00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:37,560
Speaker 4: talented crew back in the Twin cities helping us get

886
00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:39,600
Speaker 4: this show out to you guys. But Tatum and I

887
00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,920
Speaker 4: we've been boots on the ground getting you guys content

888
00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:44,640
Speaker 4: and a lot of that, if not all of that,

889
00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:46,399
Speaker 4: is on Vikings dot com, so make sure you stay

890
00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:47,000
Speaker 4: tuned to that.

891
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:49,439
Speaker 3: In the meantime, we'll talk to you next week.

892
00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,040
Speaker 4: We'll have another insider for the Minnesota Vikings, chisholm Opar

893
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,680
Speaker 4: as the guests for next week. We'll record that inside

894
00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:58,839
Speaker 4: the TCO studios. I'm sure he'll be happy to get

895
00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:02,879
Speaker 4: back to Mennesota after a long nine days here at

896
00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:05,879
Speaker 4: the Combine. So for Tatum, Everett, J. Nelson who wasn't

897
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:07,880
Speaker 4: on the show today, and our producer Eric Davidson.

898
00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:08,960
Speaker 3: My name is Gabe Anderson.

899
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,640
Speaker 4: Thank you guys again for tuning into another edition of

900
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Speaker 4: the Minnesota Vikings podcast. Presents it by PEPSI. Eighty seven

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