Today marks the opening of the Vikings 2009 training camp and it's off to an exceptional start. Rookie tackle Phil Loadholt, one half of the bookend tackles (opposite Bryant McKinnie), has inked a deal with the Vikings this morning. Terms of the agreement are still unknown to the public, but we hope to have more details as the day progresses.
UPDATE: Reportedly, the deal is a four-year contract, but the dollar amount is still a mystery.
This leaves wide receiver Percy Harvin as the only remaining rookie in Minnesota that hasn't signed a deal with the squad. With Loadholt now off the list, Harvin is one of seven other rookies in the NFC North still waiting on a contract.
Showing posts with label Bryant McKinnie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bryant McKinnie. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Cook Out, Hicks In
Chip Scoggins from the Minneapolis Star Tribune has just reported that Vikings coach Brad Childress announced today that Artis Hicks will be replacing Ryan Cook at right tackle.
Cook, now in his third season out of New Mexico, has been under heavy scrutiny from fans lately for numerous holding penalties and sub-par performance in the pass protection. He's been a weekly hot topic on KFAN's Vikings Fanline, with many fans begging for his replacement.
After eleven weeks of the regular season, Childress and Co. have finally answered these pleas.
“It’s a cumulative work,” Childress said. “You’re trying to put yourself in the best position to win games. That’s all I’m doing.”
Asked whether or not he was surprised by this decision, Cook said, "not really. My performance in the last two games wasn’t very good per se so I kind of saw it."
Hicks, who covered for LT Bryant McKinnie during his four-game suspension at the beginning of this season, says he is more comfortable on the left side, but is not worried about the shift to the right.
“I played right tackle a couple snaps," Hicks said. "I think like two or three snaps in a real game situation but I’m looking forward to it. It’s not that big of a deal to me. That’s not to say that I don’t feel comfortable on the right. Naturally, I feel a little bit better on the left. So, I don’t think it will be much of a problem at all. I’ve played the right before. The plays, it’s just a matter of flipping them in your head and just going with it.”
Hicks will get to prove himself as a starter once again this week on the road against Jacksonville's 18th-ranked defense.
-Dan Beer
Cook, now in his third season out of New Mexico, has been under heavy scrutiny from fans lately for numerous holding penalties and sub-par performance in the pass protection. He's been a weekly hot topic on KFAN's Vikings Fanline, with many fans begging for his replacement.
After eleven weeks of the regular season, Childress and Co. have finally answered these pleas.
“It’s a cumulative work,” Childress said. “You’re trying to put yourself in the best position to win games. That’s all I’m doing.”
Asked whether or not he was surprised by this decision, Cook said, "not really. My performance in the last two games wasn’t very good per se so I kind of saw it."
Hicks, who covered for LT Bryant McKinnie during his four-game suspension at the beginning of this season, says he is more comfortable on the left side, but is not worried about the shift to the right.
“I played right tackle a couple snaps," Hicks said. "I think like two or three snaps in a real game situation but I’m looking forward to it. It’s not that big of a deal to me. That’s not to say that I don’t feel comfortable on the right. Naturally, I feel a little bit better on the left. So, I don’t think it will be much of a problem at all. I’ve played the right before. The plays, it’s just a matter of flipping them in your head and just going with it.”
Hicks will get to prove himself as a starter once again this week on the road against Jacksonville's 18th-ranked defense.
-Dan Beer
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