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Smoot Benched--Here comes the "we should sign Smoot!" crowd (merged)


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Smoot benched in lineup shakeup

Williamson's snaps also likely to be reduced

BY SEAN JENSEN

Pioneer Press

Vikings coach Brad Childress is shaking up his lineup after all.

Cornerback Fred Smoot has been benched and replaced by rookie Cedric Griffin, according to multiple people close to the situation, and the team also is giving serious thought to reducing the role of receiver Troy Williamson.

The status of Smoot, however, is clear, with Griffin slated to start opposite Antoine Winfield. Griffin is listed on the injury report as questionable after he injured his neck against the Dolphins. But the second-round draft pick's confidence has grown each week this season, and he has impressed coaches with his aggressive style.

The reason for Smoot's benching is murky. He has endured a rough month, starting with the death of his half-brother Nov. 5 in a car accident and continuing with a groin injury that limited him last week.

The primary reason could be the cushion Smoot is providing receivers at the line of scrimmage. Griffin appears superior in press coverage and is a more capable and consistent tackler than Smoot.

The move could foreshadow Smoot's departure from the team during the offseason. Signed to a six-year, $34 million contract in March 2005 that included $10.8 million in guaranteed money, Smoot has had a tumultuous run.

In 2005, he was slowed by injuries, most notably to his collarbone, and he could not regain his starting spot from Brian Williams late in the season.

Smoot, who clashed with former Vikings coach Mike Tice, welcomed the hiring of Childress, whom he was familiar with from their NFC East battles when Smoot was with the Washington Redskins and Childress was the offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles. But Smoot was benched for the first series against the Chicago Bears because he showed up late for a team meeting.

If the team cannot trade him, the salary cap hit for releasing him is minimal. Unlike most teams, the Vikings give most of their highest-paid players a roster bonus and opt not to spread out a signing bonus over the length of the deal. Because Smoot's deal included a $6.8 million roster bonus, the most his signing bonus could be is $4 million. Because he has played two seasons, the maximum cap hit would be around $2.66 million.

Smoot will continue to play a significant role for the Vikings over the final six games. He is expected to play in nickel situations.

But next season, the Vikings will welcome back cornerback Dovonte Edwards, who broke his arm in the final exhibition game against Dallas, and could add another cornerback via the draft or free agency.

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Yeah! What he said - we should resign Smoot! hehehe.

I keep hearing about how we shouldn't have let Ryan Clark, Antonio Pierce or even Walt Harris go. Well, Smoot is the one I want back in town. If for no other reason than he could liven up the team during the bye week. Let's make it happen!

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This is one of the rare times when I'd advocate going for a veteran player who is a cast-off from another team. We know Smoot and he knows Williams' scheme. He's not great, especially in run support, but he's good in coverage which is what we'd need. Better yet, he'd be a 3rd CB for us and wouldn't necessarily be expected to start for us, but would be valuable depth if the aging Springs was lost to injury again.

Smoot to us may be the team's prodigal son the way that Trotter was in Philly. It all comes down to what it would cost.

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I keep hearing about how we shouldn't have let Ryan Clark, Antonio Pierce or even Walt Harris go. Well, Smoot is the one I want back in town.

All true, except maybe Walt Harris, he was sketchy. Add to that Champ, I think after his first year in Williams' defense, he would have been happy again.

Springs, Bailey and Smoot as our DBs and Pierce on run support and just all around hassling the QB , our "D" wouldnt be near as bad as it is now, in fact it could be downright scary again. And all of those guys could have been kept for less than what was spent to try and replace them.

As far as bringing Smoot back? Too late, hes been ruined. Its time to focus on the future, look for good draft prospects and quality, consistant free agents .. not guys who had 1 good year 2 years ago out of a 7 year career.

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Yeah! What he said - we should resign Smoot! hehehe.

I keep hearing about how we shouldn't have let Ryan Clark, Antonio Pierce or even Walt Harris go. Well, Smoot is the one I want back in town. If for no other reason than he could liven up the team during the bye week. Let's make it happen!

No way. Smoot wanted a contract befitting a premier cover CB. In one of our smarter moves, we opted to let Minnesota make that mistake and we went a different direction (for once) by drafting Rogers in his place. Smoot is not a complete player much less an elite one, but he's certainly "good enough" to have on your roster and contribute to the team. That he's well-liked in the locker room is a bonus.

In order, our two biggest mistakes by way of decisions not to re-sign players were Pierce (a true defensive captain and an above-average LB in his own right) and Clark (another defensive captain whose leadership of the defense and mentoring of Taylor were both underestimated, especially for his price). Smoot isn't up there because of the price he was demanding (and got from Minny).

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All true, except maybe Walt Harris, he was sketchy. Add to that Champ, I think after his first year in Williams' defense, he would have been happy again.

Springs, Bailey and Smoot as our DBs and Pierce on run support and just all around hassling the QB , our "D" wouldnt be near as bad as it is now, in fact it could be downright scary again. And all of those guys could have been kept for less than what was spent to try and replace them.

As far as bringing Smoot back? Too late, hes been ruined. Its time to focus on the future, look for good draft prospects and quality, consistant free agents .. not guys who had 1 good year 2 years ago out of a 7 year career.

No way. Smoot wanted a contract befitting a premier cover CB. In one of our smarter moves, we opted to let Minnesota make that mistake and we went a different direction (for once) by drafting Rogers in his place. Smoot is not a complete player much less an elite one, but he's certainly "good enough" to have on your roster and contribute to the team. That he's well-liked in the locker room is a bonus.

In order, our two biggest mistakes by way of decisions not to re-sign players were Pierce (a true defensive captain and an above-average LB in his own right) and Clark (another defensive captain whose leadership of the defense and mentoring of Taylor were both underestimated, especially for his price). Smoot isn't up there because of the price he was demanding (and got from Minny).

You two are both forgetting Smoot was a playmaker in DC. You know, the exact opposite of Carlos Rogers these last two seasons.

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And why did he leave in the first place? :rolleyes: :doh:

Because the Redskins prefer to give money to other team's players instead of their own. Now that Smoot is a Viking, it will all work out and they'll pay him the money they woulda/coulda/shoulda paid him before he left.

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And why did he leave in the first place? :rolleyes: :doh:

Money. And bully for him because he got that money he wanted.

I wouldn't have been offended by the idea of re-signing Robert Royal, but he left for the same reason to Buffalo. Leaving for that reason doesn't embitter me, and you'll notice that Smoot (and Royal for that matter) have never bad-mouthed the team and were certainly not forced out of here.

Given our paucity of draft choices and our needs to address problems on both lines (and at multiple places on the o-line) through the draft, where exactly can we address our depth needs at CB any better than by talking to Smoot about returning, assuming he becomes a free agent.

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Unless Smoot comes back for the bare minimum and agrees to wash all of the players laundry after games, I don't want him back. Some people seem to forget, like Champ, that Smoot wanted to leave. It was all about dollar signs. Look how things have been for him since he left. He has been so awe inspiring :doh: I'm sure he would be welcomed back with open arms by the team mates that he trying dissing after he left. Well, maybe he could throw a boat party for them.

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Unless Smoot comes back for the bare minimum and agrees to wash all of the players laundry after games, I don't want him back. Some people seem to forget, like Champ, that Smoot wanted to leave. It was all about dollar signs. Look how things have been for him since he left. He has been so awe inspiring :doh: I'm sure he would be welcomed back with open arms by the team mates that he trying dissing after he left. Well, maybe he could throw a boat party for them.

This is why I compared him to Trotter. Both guys got a little full of themselves and chased the $$$ to another team, only to get burned. The hardest lessons are the ones best learned, and Smoot may be very grateful to return to a team that likes him and doesn't remember him primarily for the Lake Minnetonka incident.

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Couple things:

Smoot leaving for the money didn't really bother me. When you aren't a top 10-15 pick in the first round, you often only have one chance in your career to get the big money. Chances are, you're 26 or 27 years old and that second contract is the one that has to set you up for the rest of your life. So I don't begrudge them that. Ditto Pierce...though I don't know why he never passes on the chance to take a shot at the team that was the springboard to his big payday.

Minny runs a lot of cover-2 now and that's a real poor fit for Smoot's skill set. If we stick with this same scheme and defensive coaching staff, I'd be highly in favor of bringing back Smoot because he excells at the coverage we run almost exclusively - backed off man-to-man.

Then there's the intangibles. Our defense used to have a swagger - especially our defensive backfield. Smoot has swagger in spades. We need more of that.

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