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Minnesota Vikings' GM: 5-0 record is only a good start

By The Sports Xchange
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford. Photo by Matthew Healey/ UPI
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford. Photo by Matthew Healey/ UPI | License Photo

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn -- Rick Spielman's chance to gloat was just hanging there, ripe for a hearty swing when a softball question about last month's blockbuster trade for Sam Bradford was lobbed toward the Vikings general manager during his annual bye-week sit-down with local beat writers.

The Vikings are 5-0, the league's only undefeated team, at the bye. Bradford, who arrived eight days before opening day and started a week later, has been superb and turnover-free while posting the first four-game winning streak of his career.

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Go ahead, Rick. Slam the people who said you overpaid and mortgaged the future by sending the Eagles next year's first-round pick and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2018.

"We still have a long season left," Spielman said, totally deflating the moment. "But right now, I would say we're pretty happy with the returns we've got at this point. You're not going to know honestly until the end of the year."

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At this point, Bradford is No. 2 in the league in passer rating (109.8), No. 2 in completion percentage (70.4) and is running an offense that hasn't turned the ball over in 304 snaps this season.

The Vikings also have the No. 1 scoring defense (12.6), the No. 2 point differential (11.6) and a punt return unit that has scored twice. But Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer believe the Vikings can get better.

"That's what Coach Zimmer is working to figure out this week," Spielman said, referring to the self-evaluation process the coaching staff goes through during the bye week.

The Vikings, as Spielman points out, have taken on the no-excuses personality of their head coach. But there is a limit to how many injuries a team can sustain and still not flinch. Perhaps that's a factor in Spielman's cautiously optimistic approach to the final 11 games.

The Vikings have 10 players on injured reserve. They have their young franchise quarterback, their Hall of Fame running back and both starting offensive tackles on IR.

Altogether, there is $33 million of cap space sitting on injured reserve.

Spielman probably fired the last bullet financially in his battle to keep restocking the 53-man roster with top-shelf or potential top-shelf talent when he signed Jake Long, a former Pro Bowl and All-Pro left tackle, on Tuesday.

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Long, who was the No. 1 overall pick by Miami in 2008 when current Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano was Dolphins head coach, practiced mostly at left tackle and a few snaps at right tackle when the Vikings gathered Tuesday for the final time before scattering for the bye.

By the time they reconvene to prepare for their trip to Philadelphia, Long could be starting at left tackle, while T.J. Clemmings moves back to his more natural right tackle spot and Jeremiah Sirles goes back to his role as backup to all the tackle and guard spots.

"I think last week we were under $50,000 in cap room," Spielman said. "I think (Vice President of Football Operations) Rob (Brzezinski), with his little magic wand, was able to create some cap room so we can get Jake Long done.

"Again, we're pretty much strapped against the cap right now with the amount of money we have on IR and with what we're able to do going forward."

Strapped or not, the Vikings are shockingly perfect through five games. Whether they can weather what the next 11 games throw at them is something Spielman is waiting to see.

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--Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman gave kicker Blair Walsh a four-year contract extension before the 2015 season. It's been a struggle for Walsh pretty much since then.

After missing a 27-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds of last year's 10-9 playoff loss to Seattle, Walsh ranks 26th in field goal percentage (75.0) and has missed two extra points through five games.

But Spielman isn't panicking.

"I've been pretty patient, especially with these young guys, and last week he kicked the ball well," Spielman said. "We'll monitor that as well, but we don't have any plans of bringing in a kicker at this point.

"There is no question that it's not physical ability or leg strength or anything like that. It's just him getting his confidence back up to where it was and I think he'll be able to do that."

--Five games into the season and the Vikings have likely signed their third next man up at offensive tackle.

First, second-year pro T.J. Clemmings stepped up when left tackle Matt Kalil went on injured reserve because of a hip injury. Then Jeremiah Sirles stepped up when right tackle Andre Smith went down with a triceps injury.

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And, finally, on Tuesday, a day after Smith went on injured reserve, the Vikings signed Jake Long, a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro.

Long is 31 with a long history of injuries that include a bad back, torn triceps, torn biceps and two torn ACLs. But he has a connection to line coach Tony Sparano, who was Dolphins head coach when Miami selected Long No. 1 overall in 2008, and he's also apparently healthy again and two years removed from his last major injury, a torn ACL.

"Injuries happen, and, unfortunately, I've had my fair share," said Long, who spent 2015 with the Atlanta Falcons but played only 10 snaps on offense. "Through all of them, I've put my head down, I've rehabbed, worked hard and haven't given up.

"I know what I can do. I know the type of player I can be when I'm healthy. So I just put my head down and got through the frustration to get back. And now I got this opportunity and I have to thrive in it."

Long practiced on Tuesday, the last day before the Vikings scattered for their bye week. He spent most of his time at left tackle "just to knock the rust off," but also saw a few snaps at right tackle.

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"He hasn't had a training camp so he was relatively healthy when he came in for the physical," Spielman said. "He passed our physical or we wouldn't have signed him. I know he was a pretty good football player when he was healthy."

The Vikings haven't announced their intentions for Long. But he's expected to move quickly into the starting lineup at left tackle. That would allow Clemmings to move back to his more natural spot on the right side and Sirles to revert back to a backup at all of the guard and tackle positions.

NOTES: RB Adrian Peterson, who had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, remains a possibility to return from injured reserve, General Manager Rick Spielman said. Peterson would be eligible to return for the Nov. 20 game against Arizona. The Vikings haven't decided which player they'll choose to bring back from IR. ... QB Sam Bradford is No. 2 in the league in passer rating (109.7) and completion percentage (70.4). His career marks in those categories are 82.5 and 60.7, respectively. ...WR Stefon Diggs, the Vikings' leading receiver despite missing last week's Texans game because of a groin injury, is expected to heal in time for the Eagles game on Oct. 23. ... DEs Everson Griffen, Brian Robison and Danielle Hunter -- the top three ends on the team -- are tied for the team lead in sacks with four apiece. Griffen could have had two more on Sunday, but both were nullified by penalties. A holding call on cornerback Xavier Rhodes wiped out the first one on fourth-and-four. The second one was negated when Griffen was called for jumping offside However, replays show the ultra-quick Griffen might have timed his burst perfectly. ... TE Kyle Rudolph had a quiet game against the Texans. After catching a touchdown pass in three consecutive games, Rudolph was held to two catches for 15 yards and no touchdowns. He played through a clavicle and rib injury, but is expected to be back to full strength after the bye.

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