Adrian Peterson: Vick is key to playoffs

[Cotton]

Peterson: Vick is key to playoffs
Updated: March 6, 2014, 12:22 PM ET
By Ben Goessling | ESPN.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the Minnesota Vikings head into free agency in search of a veteran quarterback, their franchise player has an idea about what they should do next.

Running back Adrian Peterson is interested in the team bringing Michael Vick to Minnesota to be the team's starter. The 2012 NFL MVP tweeted his thoughts Wednesday night.

Vick, who will turn 34 in June, started just six games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season before losing his job to Nick Foles after a hamstring injury. Vick hasn't started more than 13 games in a season since 2006, and it wouldn't seem like he is the best fit for new offensive coordinator Norv Turner's offense.

But considering the Vikings' quarterback situation, it's difficult to rule anything out.

Christian Ponder is the only Vikings quarterback under contract, after Matt Cassel opted out of his 2014 contract in February. Josh Freeman, whom the Vikings signed to a one-year, $2 million deal and used in one game last season, also is a free agent.

Vick might be one of the more credible options in a thin free-agent market that includes Josh McCown and David Garrard in addition to Cassel and Freeman.

The Eagles signed Vick in 2009, after he had served his 21-month federal prison sentence and was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The move was controversial among fans who objected to Vick's dogfighting activities and also because the Eagles already had Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb on their roster.

Vick played sparingly in 2009. In 2010, after the Eagles had traded McNabb to Washington, Vick took over the starting job when Kolb was sidelined by a concussion. Vick played some of the best football of his career that season, leading the Eagles to a playoff berth. He was rewarded with a long-term contract but was plagued by injuries (missing nine of 32 games) and interceptions (24) in 2011 and 2012.

In his career, including his six seasons with Atlanta, Vick has played in all 16 games only once, in 2006.

ESPN.com Eagles reporter Phil Sheridan contributed to this report.

 

[Genghis Khan]

lulz

 

[L.T. Fan]

Vick will make the Vikings a frustrated team just like he has done with all the rest he has played on.

 

[Clay_Allison]

I don't like to be the guy to bring this up, but does any white person think Mike Vick is a relevant QB? Vick's fans are all black guys who are still attached to the dream of over a decade ago, hoping Mike Vick would be the first elite black QB since Warren Moon, and be able to do it without "acting white" (since pocket passing is the NFL equivalent of getting good grades). It's like the pallet swapped equivalent of the Great White Hope in boxing. Before Vick it was Kordell Stewart and while Vick was in jail it was Donovan McNabb.

They need to move on to Cam Newton.

 

[skidadl]

I am pinning my hopes on the new black guy entering the draft. He is the new hero to be revered.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Bridgewater? He could be good if he gets bigger.

 

[Bob Roberts]

I don't like to be the guy to bring this up, but does any white person think Mike Vick is a relevant QB? Vick's fans are all black guys who are still attached to the dream of over a decade ago, hoping Mike Vick would be the first elite black QB since Warren Moon, and be able to do it without "acting white" (since pocket passing is the NFL equivalent of getting good grades). It's like the pallet swapped equivalent of the Great White Hope in boxing. Before Vick it was Kordell Stewart and while Vick was in jail it was Donovan McNabb.

They need to move on to Cam Newton.

So you are not relevant unless white people think you're relevant? Reid thought he was relevant, so did Kelly (before Vick got hurt). And whatever coach he starts for next will probably be white too.

Besides, I don't see anyone trying to get Vince Young a job.

 

[Clay_Allison]

So you are not relevant unless white people think you're relevant? Reid thought he was relevant, so did Kelly (before Vick got hurt). And whatever coach he starts for next will probably be white too.

Besides, I don't see anyone trying to get Vince Young a job.

So, some white guys play Samuel L. Jackson's character in Great White Hype?

 

[Clay_Allison]

Also, it's not every black QB, and it's not that a Black QB can't be great. It's that Vick has an aura of hype around him that people identify with. He's a terrible NFL QB. He's short, injury prone, has a strong arm but little touch, and is not adaptable to a system not built specifically around him. He's like a more talented Tim Tebow with a different built in audience.

 

[data]

Vick has street cred that made him popular than chunky soup McNabb. Just like Allen iverson had that street cred that Kobe didn't.

But don't discount Vick as just another black guy. Vick was the #1 pick overall. Similar to Jeff George, who kept getting signed team after team after team.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Vick has street cred that made him popular than chunky soup McNabb. Just like Allen iverson had that street cred that Kobe didn't.

But don't discount Vick as just another black guy. Vick was the #1 pick overall. Similar to Jeff George, who kept getting signed team after team after team.

That's the thing though. That's why Vick is a coach killer. He's got as much talent as anybody. So coaches keep thinking they are the one that can make it work with him.

And then he fails again.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

They need to move on to Cam Newton.

So the official ruling is that Wilson isn't black? Or at least isn't black enough?

 

[1bigfan13]

I am pinning my hopes on the new black guy entering the draft. He is the new hero to be revered.

That's pretty much all it is with Vick. Many in the African-American community still hero worship him based on the dazzling highlights from earlier in his career. They overlook the fact that most of those highlights were Vick ad-libbing and/or creating something with his legs.

Also, a lot of these guys tore it up with Vick back in the day on Madden which has further blurred the lines between fantasy and reality.

As a passer Vick had 1 good year in Philly but other than that he's been average to slightly above average during his entire career.

In this day and age where the NFL has tailor made rules to allow QBs to excel and put up gaudy numbers, Vick has only managed to put up pedestrian numbers across the board.

I seriously don't get why AD and many others still consider Vick some elite talent who's capable of carrying a team on a deep playoff run. Vick should be getting the same crap that Romo gets for his failures. Vick's got 2 playoff wins to his credit over the span of 13 years. Have these morons not looked at Vick's resume?