Five Simple Steps to Success

Despite a mediocre 2007 season and "expert predictions" sending the Vikings once again to the NFC North cellar, I believe that the purple uniforms from Minnesota have a bright future ahead of them.

If they don't screw it up.

For the record, I am one of the few Tarvaris Jackson supporters left out there. I believe that he is the quarterback for 2008 and beyond. Because of my support, I will not address the so-called "quarterback need" of the Vikings.

Just in case Vikings owner Zygi Wilf forgets everything at the start of the free agency period, I have taken the liberty of creating a five-step guide to success for his, and your benefit.

1. Draft safety Kenny Phillips...by whatever means necessary

They need Phillips. They need Phillips badly. The Vikings were dead last in 2007 defending the pass. They allowed the opposing quarterback to throw an average of 264.1 yards a game. Pathetic! Dwight Smith is high on methamphetamines on every other down, and Darren Sharper is 32 years old and has lost a step.

While cornerback may also be a situation to be addressed in the future, Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield aren't bad right now.

I know there are bigger needs than the secondary (namely: wide receiver), but the 2008 NFL Free Agent class is surprisingly weak in the secondary department.

I realize that we will most likely have to trade up in the first round if we expect to draft Phillips, but they need to do whatever they need to in order to have a shot at the young safety.

I wouldn't be totally devastated if Minnesota drafted someone like wide receiver DeSean Jackson. I like Jackson, he's a good kid that shows promise in the NFL. (Even though at 166 lbs he looks more like a model...an extremely fast model...)I think the better plan is covering the wide receiver need via free agency, rather than through the draft. There are better wide receiver options in free agency, such as Bryant Johnson, Bernard Berrian, Devery Henderson, Drew Carter, and possibly Randy Moss.

If the Vikings choose to address the secondary on draft day, they will not have to worry about lack of options when dealing with wide receivers later.

2. Sign wide receiver Bryant Johnson to a cheap three-year deal

Johnson has gone almost unnoticed during his five years in Arizona. Amidst hot shots Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, Johnson has quietly been putting up solid numbers. He has scored at least once every year since he was drafted in 2003, including four scores in 2006.

Johnson probably won't re-sign with the Cardinals, as he will be looking for a different offensive system. He hopes for a team where he can be at least the No. 2 option. If Wilf has any sense at all, he should at least start negotiating with Johnson.

Johnson would be the perfect compliment to Sidney Rice. They will both produce right away, but imagine them two or three years from now. Could we be looking at a future Harrison-Wayne combination?

Minnesota has given the speedy yet clumsy Troy Williamson the green light to talk to teams where he might like to be traded. The Vikings might even be able to salvage a top draft pick out of the lackadaisical receiver.

3. Sign an offensive lineman

There are plenty of offensive line free agents available this year, and the Vikings would be idiotic not to pick somebody up.

Viking's personal chief Rick Spielman is on the record saying that Minnesota may be more aggressive this offseason.

"We may be more aggressive if we feel there is a blue-chip guy out there that we go out and take a swing at. We were pretty aggressive trying to go after some guys last year. But also I think there comes a point where you have to [say] enough ... a breaking point."

I don't know how aggressive they plan on being, but almost anything would be better than the annual hibernation Minnesota goes through.

I would like to see a player like Flozell Adams, Jake Scott, Max Starks, David Steward, or Ruben Brown with Minnesota next year. Any of these players would solve our problem, as it isn't crucial whether or not we sign a veteran or rookie.

We can always draft somebody else in the coming years when the Vikings are a superpower...right?

4. Sign a defensive end...or tackle

With the recent news of Kenechi Udeze's leukemia, Minnesota's already average defensive ends only got worse. With almost nobody left in the depths of the Vikings' roster, they need to find somebody to play along side Ray Edwards.

There aren't many good options available through free agency. Tommy Kelly is probably the best option, along with Justin Smith and veteran Mike Rucker. While one of these guys might help, the team may be better off securing this need in the draft.

Quentin Groves or Lawrence Jackson might make good second-round picks. If Calais Campbell, Derrick Harvey, Philip Merling, or Kentwan Balmer dropped to our slot in the second round, they would all be great options.

5. Don't touch either Adrian Peterson or Chester Taylor

Just leave them alone. Don't even offer Taylor the option of being traded if he wanted. I think he likes the "backup" role he has been given, but even if he doesn't, he is not moving.

I don't like the term "backup" at all. Taylor is not Minnesota's backup running back. He might be the second starter, but not the backup. Most of the time he has just as many carries as Peterson, with maybe a few yards and scores less than his rookie counterpart.

As long as both Peterson and Taylor are somehow in the backfield in 2008, they almost guarantee the Vikings at least seven wins by themselves.

Do I really believe that Minnesota can reach the Super Bowl in 2008? Probably not. I do believe that they can go fairly deep into the playoffs, though.

That is, of course, unless Minnesota suffers through another devastatingly quiet offseason.