You'd think but they seem extremely dead set on Linder being our C. 

 

If Joeckel has a complete burnout game (or two)  at LG - I would not be surprised to see Linder go to L guard and Shatley go to Center. 

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Surely the better situation would be Sullivan at Center, Beachum at LT and move Linder back to Guard?

 

 

You'd think but they seem extremely dead set on Linder being our C. 

 

 

The Center is the 2nd most important position on the OL behind LT, and there are those who consider it the most important. Having a pro bowl caliber player at the position, provided he can play it well, makes me a little giddy. I know he had an illegal snap penalty against the Bengals, but I think it's rather telling that the penalty was like the only mistake we've seen out of him so far. Linder at C is working incredibly well, so why break what's not yet broken. You can plug in a G. You don't just plug in a C. You can really tell how ugly it can get without him by watching Shatley try to play C. 

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'02

If Joeckel has a complete burnout game (or two)  at LG - I would not be surprised to see Linder go to L guard and Shatley go to Center. 

 

 

So you'd actually consider taking our best OL out of the C spot and replacing him probably our worst OL should he make the final 53. I've seen some ugly, ugly stuff out of Shatley at Center. Heck, I've seen run plays that remind me of watching Mike Pearson when he'd play next to Manuwai. That is, you'd see Manuwai bull dozing his guy downfield as Pearson is stood up.

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'02

So you'd actually consider taking our best OL out of the C spot and replacing him probably our worst OL should he make the final 53. I've seen some ugly, ugly stuff out of Shatley at Center. Heck, I've seen run plays that remind me of watching Mike Pearson when he'd play next to Manuwai. That is, you'd see Manuwai bull dozing his guy downfield as Pearson is stood up.

 

Edit for civility: 

 

I thought Shatley played better at center vs the Jets than Joeckel played LG vs the Bengals.  Atkins does factor in to that, I realize. 

So it's about using Linder at a position of need and plugging a patch at C. 


Shatley's nothing special, but if Joeckel Flames out at guard, Linder at LG and Shatley at C may actually be an upgrade. It's a hypothetical. Plug in any other possible center substitution you like better than Shatley.

I'm just trying to see possible outcomes should Luke fail at LG.


Shatley is defaulted because he ran with the ones vs the Jets. That's all. I'm not anointing the guy.

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For one it wasn't just "push." When a guy is tripped he tends to fall down, but Joeckel appeared to be violently thrown to the turf. Now, Linder might have tripped him up and made it even worse, but that at most was only part of it. As I said, Atkins blew him up.

Agreed. I see the same thing. He also completely whiffed against Atkins on one play

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I know Geno Atkins is a very good player. I also know something is wrong if a player is not putting forth the effort to push him back. Perhaps Luke Joeckel is just not strong enough for Atkins, but that will be a problem against other DTs.

+1

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If Joeckel has a complete burnout game (or two)  at LG - I would not be surprised to see Linder go to L guard and Shatley go to Center. 

The only way Linder goes back to LG is if he fails at center.

 

They aren't going to hold back Linder's long term development at center for a short term fix at guard.

 

If LG is an issue, they will address it with someone else besides Linder.

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The only way Linder goes back to LG is if he fails at center.

 

They aren't going to hold back Linder's long term development at center for a short term fix at guard.

 

If LG is an issue, they will address it with someone else besides Linder.

Agreed.

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So you'd actually consider taking our best OL out of the C spot and replacing him probably our worst OL should he make the final 53. I've seen some ugly, ugly stuff out of Shatley at Center. Heck, I've seen run plays that remind me of watching Mike Pearson when he'd play next to Manuwai. That is, you'd see Manuwai bull dozing his guy downfield as Pearson is stood up.

For Shatley no. For Sullivan if he might be back to pro bowl form, yes I would strongly consider it. 

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The only way Linder goes back to LG is if he fails at center.

 

They aren't going to hold back Linder's long term development at center for a short term fix at guard.

 

If LG is an issue, they will address it with someone else besides Linder.

 

If they truly intend to keep Linder there beyond 2016, then you're correct.  It would be a weird shuffle in that case. 

 

I suppose in that case we are looking at Reed or Bernedeau stepping in should Joeckel not hold up - and no position shuffle. 

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Kind of hard to be back to pro bowl form if you've never been a pro bowler. Although anchoring the line when Favre had his amazing season and Peterson's 2k season is an impressive resume.

For Shatley no. For Sullivan if he might be back to pro bowl form, yes I would strongly consider it.

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“Motivation alone is not enough.  If you have an idiot and you motivate him,now you have a motivated idiot.” Jim Rohn

 

For Shatley no. For Sullivan if he might be back to pro bowl form, yes I would strongly consider it. 

 

Sullivan is 31, hasn't played in a year and a half and was just released in the first wave of cuts. I wouldn't expect much from him.

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;

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So you'd actually consider taking our best OL out of the C spot and replacing him probably our worst OL should he make the final 53. I've seen some ugly, ugly stuff out of Shatley at Center. Heck, I've seen run plays that remind me of watching Mike Pearson when he'd play next to Manuwai. That is, you'd see Manuwai bull dozing his guy downfield as Pearson is stood up.

The original point I made did not involve putting Shatley at C. We know Joeckel is a weak link (occasionally), LT's are hard to find but we have one in Beachum, but that means Joeckel fills in at Guard, if we took Sullivan , a capable C, Linder could take Joeckel's place. Surely that is a stronger line than any line involving Joeckel?

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Kind of hard to be back to pro bowl form if you've never been a pro bowler. Although anchoring the line when Favre had his amazing season and Peterson's 2k season is an impressive resume.

 

Sullivan is 31, hasn't played in a year and a half and was just released in the first wave of cuts. I wouldn't expect much from him.

1. That's yet another indictment on voters then, cause he's been a monster over his career. Deserves multiple pro bowls.

 

2. He had two back injuries, and his replacement Berger also happened to be an elite center. Apparently they believed Sullivan is a center only after trying him at guard a little and his salary wasn't an option as a backup. If he's healthy, and both he and the team said he was, I believe he would be the best option to try to fix the interior oline if they were willing to switch Linder back to guard. 

 

<a class="" href='https://twitter.com/PFF'>Pro Football FocusVerified account ‏@PFF </a> <a class="" href='https://twitter.com/PFF/status/586300337570652160' title="6:51 PM - 9 Apr 2015">9 Apr 2015</a>

<p class="">Shrewd move by the <a class="" href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vikings?src=hash'>#Vikings</a> to extend John Sullivan. His +81.7 grade the last 4 seasons is the highest of any center.

<p class=""> 

<div><a class="" href='https://twitter.com/PFF_Sam'>Sam MonsonVerified account ‏@PFF_Sam </a> <a class="" href='https://twitter.com/PFF_Sam/status/770651350694764544' title="11:56 AM - 30 Aug 2016">Aug 30</a>
<p class="" style="font-size:1px;">Sam Monson Retweeted Tom Pelissero


<p class="">A healthy Sullivan is one of the league's best centers.


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