Early this morning the Minnesota Vikings signed their three 1st round picks of the 2013 draft. CB Xavier Rhodes, WR Cordarrelle Patterson, and DT Sharrif Floyd signed rookie deals with the team and are ready for work. The monetary details of the contracts have not been disclosed at this point.
The timing is perfect with players reporting to camp this afternoon. All three first round picks have the ability to start right away. The 25th overall pick, Xavier Rhodes is already listed as a starter across Chris Cook and will have a lot to prove this season. Vikings fans have not been able to trust the secondary for years. Rhodes brings more youth to the corner position which lost sure-tackling veteran Antoine Winfield. Rhodes has potential to cover the bigger receivers, which is crucial in a division with Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall. His development is something to watch moving forward.
Perhaps, the biggest surprise in this years draft was the drop that defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd took in the first round. The Vikings grabbed him with the 23rd pick and are hoping the drop Floyd made was a mistake made by the teams who passed on him. The rookie out of Florida will be providing depth to a d-line that has been a staple of the Vikings defense. Floyd will learn from Jared Allen and Kevin Williams who are the face of the defensive line who have been getting after it for years. He won’t start any games unless there is injury this season but don’t be surprised if he gets rotated in for Williams and Allen this season.
The team really believes they stole a great player from the teams who hyped him up in the first place. I think Floyd’s drop in the draft was a wake up call for the rookie and may be added motivation for a guy who has a future in the NFL.
The 29th overall pick, Cordarrelle Patterson also signed a deal earlier today and is ready to learn from Greg Jennings. Patterson is a playmaker who can bring explosion to the offense. The past few years the team’s passing game has been selective and rather dull. This offseason has been a huge improvement for the passing game and Christian Ponder. Getting guys like Jennings and Patterson give the Vikings the ability to stretch the field. Patterson also gives the team a better return game which didn’t show much excitement with Percy Harvin out of the lineup last season.
The speed of Patterson’s development as a receiver is unknown, but he will make an immediate impact in the return game. Coaches will find a way to get him the ball and let his legs do the work. His route running will take some work, but it won’t be long before Cordarrelle Patterson is lighting it up on the field.
So far, Rick Spielman has been on point with his moves from the top. His drafts have been great and this season is shaping up to be another win for Spielman’s draft record. This is a positive step for the team. Vikings fans can look at these signings as step one in the process that is the 2013 season.
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