Daily Clips Sunday, March 29, 2020
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DAILY CLIPS SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 LOCAL NEWS: Sunday, March 29, 2020 Star Tribune Compressed NFL season would hinder relocated quarterbacks By Jim Souhan https://www.startribune.com/compressed-nfl-season-would-hinder-relocated-quarterbacks/569193122/ Terry Tausch goofed around with his Vikings teammates but was dependable on the field By Patrick Reusse https://www.startribune.com/terry-tausch-goofed-around-with-his-vikings-teammates-but-was-dependable-n-the- field/569195952/ Pioneer Press Against backdrop of coronavirus challenges, pressure on Vikings’ Rick Spielman to have quality draft By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/03/28/against-backdrop-of-challenges-related-to-coronavirus-pressure-on-vikings- rick-spielman-to-have-quality-draft/ With re-signing of three reserve offensive linemen, Vikings at least maintain some depth there By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/03/28/with-re-signing-of-three-reserve-offensive-linemen-vikings-at-least-maintain- some-depth-there/ SKOR North Vikings have free agent options to replace Griffen with veteran rusher By Matthew Coller https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2020/03/vikings-have-free-agent-options-to-replace-griffen-with-veteran-rusher/ NATIONAL NEWS: Sunday, March 29, 2020 USA Today Minnesota Vikings re-sign veteran guard Dakota Dozier By the AP https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/03/28/minnesota-vikings-re-sign-veteran-guard-dakota- dozier/111469080/ Maven Media The Cases For and Against the Vikings Trading For Trent Williams By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/nfl-rumors-vikings-redskins-trent-williams-trade Yahoo Sports How Vikings' Kyle Rudolph is staying in shape: 250 push-ups a day, some with kids on his back By Terez Paylor https://sports.yahoo.com/how-vikings-kyle-rudolph-is-staying-in-shape-250-pushups-a-day-some-with-kids-on-his- back-235530532.html VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Sunday, March 29, 2020 Guard Dakota Dozier Returning to Vikings By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/dakota-dozier-re-signs-guard-returning-to-vikings PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 3/29/20 Compressed NFL season would hinder relocated quarterbacks By Jim Souhan If the NFL resumes this fall, the league might do so without the usual official offseason workouts and practices, and without the informal work that so many players do at team facilities and with each other during the summer. One possible schedule, if American sports can get back on its feet in time, would feature a shortened training camp and a normal regular season. If that or anything like it becomes reality, the Vikings could benefit. Bud Grant always said that durability was the greatest ability. This NFL season, stability might become the greatest ability. Is it possible that the Vikings’ signing of Kirk Cousins will pay off in 2020 because of his durability and stability? While seemingly half the league is changing quarterbacks, the Vikings have one who will remain in the same offensive system and who hasn’t missed a game because of injury since he became a full-time starter in 2015. By opening day, it’s likely that seven quarterbacks who have taken teams to the playoffs will be wearing new helmets. Those changing ZIP codes already include perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time (Tom Brady), one of the most prolific passers of all time (Philip Rivers), the MVP of Super Bowl LII (Nick Foles) and former Viking Teddy Bridgewater. The 2015 league MVP (Cam Newton), longtime starter Andy Dalton and last year’s NFL passing yardage leader (Jameis Winston) are still on the market. This is remarkable turnover at the most important and celebrated position in American sports, and it will test the long- held theory inside the NFL that continuity and repetitions are key to winning teams. Can Brady, who turns 43 in August, adapt to a new team on a short schedule well enough to produce what the Bucs signed him to do, which is to at least make the playoffs and hopefully win a Super Bowl? As improbable as that sounds, the Vikings might provide the best argument that Brady could succeed. During the season he turned 40, Brett Favre played perhaps his most efficient season in the NFL in his first year with the Vikings. And he did so without an offseason of acclimation. The Vikings signed Favre on Aug. 18. On Sept. 13, he started the season opener at Cleveland and led the Vikings to a 12-4 record and within one play of the Super Bowl. Given that there is no way modern NFL officials would let an opponent brutalize Brady the way the officials in the NFC Championship Game allowed the Saints to brutalize Favre, the 2009 Vikings provide a template for what Brady could accomplish, if the Bucs can build a strong enough team around him. The downside of the Brady Plan is there aren’t many precedents besides Favre to provide optimism. Joe Montana was just 36 when he went to the Chiefs and took them to an AFC title game. Most quarterbacks who change teams late in their careers just play like old, broken-down quarterbacks. The image of Johnny Unitas as a Charger is as sad as that of Willie Mays as a Met. There is another Vikings angle to this year’s quarterback shuffle, and he is the subject of the nostalgic question, “How’s Teddy looking?’’ Turns out, about five years after suffering the catastrophic knee injury that would eventually lead to the Vikings signing Cousins, Bridgewater is looking pretty good. He went 5-0 as a starter in relief of Drew Brees last year with the Saints, and recently signed with the Carolina Panthers. The NFC South next year will feature these starting quarterbacks: Brady, Bridgewater, Brees and Matt Ryan. Years after a missed 27-yard field goal cost Bridgewater his first playoff victory, he will wage home-and-away duels with two of the greatest passers in NFL history, while trying to prevent Brady from becoming a latter-day Favre. PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 3/29/20 Terry Tausch goofed around with his Vikings teammates but was dependable on the field By Patrick Reusse Tim Irwin was a second-year right tackle from Tennessee trying to replace Hall of Famer Ron Yary in the Vikings lineup. Wade Wilson was a second-year quarterback from East Texas State trying not to get cut. Linebacker Robin Sendlein and guard Terry Tausch, both from Texas, were backups to established standouts. "What we had in common for a couple of months in 1982 is that we were on strike and none of us had any money,'' Irwin said. "We were living in the Shadow Green apartments in Eden Prairie. For entertainment, we would buy a case of beer, put it on the shore of this little lake, and throw hooks in the water. "Never caught anything, but we told tales and finished off the beer.'' On Wednesday, Tausch died suddenly at 61 while doing yardwork at his home in suburban Dallas. A year ago, on Feb. 1, 2019, Wilson died at age 60 from diabetes complications, also in suburban Dallas. Irwin, now a juvenile court judge in Knoxville, Tenn., said: "Wade was my roommate for 11 years. Terry was my left arm on the line for a long time. We lost another teammate, Chris [Doleman], recently … losing good men at these ages is tough.'' Irwin was pleased to have missed one escapade with the Texas Longhorns — a hunt that produced a deer for Tausch and Sendlein. "They brought the deer back to the apartment building, pulled it up the side with a rope, and cleaned it in Sendlein's bathtub,'' Irwin said. Tausch, a second-round draft choice in 1982, spent two years waiting for Wes Hamilton to vacate right guard. He took over in 1984 and started 70 games next to Irwin. A broken ankle caused him to miss out on the strong finish to the 1987 season. In 1988, all-time great Randall McDaniel came in as a rookie left guard. Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman was the left tackle, Kirk Lowdermilk was the center, and Tausch and Irwin were the reliable right side on a superb offensive line. Tausch was replaced by Todd Kalis after the season. He signed with San Francisco for 1989 and collected a Super Bowl ring. "He wasn't an All-Pro, but he was a good player,'' Irwin said. "There were some guys he liked to play against, and some he didn't, just like the rest of us, but I can guarantee this: "Terry Tausch never backed down from anybody, never gave it anything but his best effort.'' Irwin laughed to himself and said: "You know Burnsie [Jerry Burns], he was an offensive genius, but he would get rolling and tangle up his words. One day we're watching film, and Burnsie sputters to our line coach, Johnny Michels, 'What is that big guy doing there?' "Johnny says, 'Which big guy?' And Burnsie says, 'Terry, Terry … Terry, er, LaTouche?' "I called him LaTouche for about the next three years.'' PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 3/29/20 Against backdrop of coronavirus challenges, pressure on Vikings’ Rick Spielman to have quality draft By Chris Tomasson No pro days. No opportunities for prospects to visit team facilities. A lack of physicals on players who did not attend the scouting combine. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there will be challenges for every team in the April 23-25 NFL draft. However, an argument could be made that there might be more of an immediate impact on the Vikings than most teams.