Jan 1, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Jamarca Sanford (33) celebrates his fumble recovery against the Chicago Bears with safety Mistral Raymond (41) in the first quarter at the Metrodome. The Bears win 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

Saying they wish to give the safety “one more shot,” the Vikings are mulling whether to start Jamarca Sanford on Friday in place of Mistral Raymond. This is a move that begs to be dissected but let’s not read too much into it. On the basis of everything we’ve seen this preseason, Raymond is still the favorite to start alongside Harrison Smith. The very wording of the Vikings’ statement indicates how they feel about Sanford. You don’t give “one more shot” to a guy you have a ton of confidence in.

Then again, if the Vikings were entirely sure about Raymond and Smith as the starting tandem, why would they need to give Sanford one more shot? Is it possible Alan Williams and Leslie Frazier actually prefer Sanford, for some reason, and are hoping Sanford will show them enough to justify giving him the starting nod?

I’m trying to guess what in Sanford’s game might intrigue the Vikings’ defensive brain trust so much. It can’t be his smarts or coverage ability. Must be his physicality. If Sanford can do one thing well, it’s come up and stick a guy. Mistral Raymond showed better recognition and tackling technique last Friday but still is probably not as sure a hitter as Sanford. I’m guessing Raymond and Smith will still wind up the starters but I’m wondering if Frazier and Williams are entirely satisfied with that combo. Robert Blanton is in the pipeline but he’s still nursing injury and doesn’t look like he’ll be ready to make a significant contribution until well into the season if at all.

The secondary shuffle doesn’t end with Sanford. The Vikings are also working out whom to start in place of Chris Cook who will miss Friday’s game after failing to pass his concussion tests this week. Chris Carr and Josh Robinson are the candidates, and right now they’re leaning toward Carr with Robinson coming in on nickel. Carr is the veteran in that duo but Robinson has looked like the better player this preseason. Maybe the Vikings just want to give Carr one more shot.

One thing we know about Leslie Frazier? He won’t give up on a veteran until he’s totally satisfied that guy can’t play anymore. And even after the guy has proven he’s finished, Frazier may still hang onto him.

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Jul 27, 2012; Mankato, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end John Carlson (89) catches a pass as cornerback Josh Robinson (31) defends at training camp at Blakeslee Stadium at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

Looks like we’ll finally get to see 3rd round cornerback Josh Robinson on the football field Friday. Leslie Frazier says it’s unlikely Robinson will run with the ones against Buffalo – the plan now is to play all the healthy starters into the second quarter – but he does expect to get Robinson plenty of reps.

“We’ll try to get him a number of snaps so we can evaluate him and so he’ll be able to evaluate himself and find out what the pro game is all about,” Leslie Frazier said. “And he wants to win a starting spot, so we want to see him go out there and work and get some snaps against some good receivers and be able to gauge where he is at the end of this ball game. We’re looking forward to watching him play.”

The speedy Robinson was one of three cornerbacks the Vikings were apparently targeting with their 3rd round pick this year, the others being Casey Hayward (who went to the Packers after they traded up) and Trumaine Johnson (who was taken by the Rams a pick ahead of Robinson). Robinson came into camp with hopes of vying for the starting CB slot across from Chris Cook but a hamstring pull has hampered him and he was held out of the preseason opener Friday night.

Robinson has practiced all week however and it appears he’s over the hammy pull. He’ll be probably the most intriguing player to watch Friday night against Buffalo, since we haven’t seen him at all yet. Everyone knows the Vikings need to get a lot better in the secondary and for that to happen, Robinson and fellow rookies Harrison Smith and Robert Blanton will have to develop quickly.

The hope, at least from my end, is that Robinson and Smith will both be starting by the season opener. I’ve seen all I need to see of Mistral Raymond, so hopefully Smith can bump him permanently. Robinson probably has a ways to go to push out Chris Carr but it’s well within the realm of possibility, Carr being only a middling cornerback who is best suited to a nickel role. If Smith and Robinson quickly live up to the potential indicated by where they were drafted, the Vikings secondary will be better than last year and that will be a great relief.

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Dec 13, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Chris Carr (25) against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter at Reliant Stadium. The Ravens defeated the Texans 34-28. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE

Rick Spielman has done it again. The Vikings GM is all about identifying under-30 players who showed a flash of talent somewhere in their past but fell far enough down the ladder to lose most if not all of their free agent value. Former Ravens cornerback Chris Carr definitely fits this description, and he will now be a Minnesota Viking. Like former Bears cornerback Zackary Bowman, Carr is being brought in on a one-year contract.

Rick Spielman, King of the Show-Me Deal. If he signs enough guys to enough of these, a couple of them are going to pan out and he is going to look like a genius.

Like Mr. Bowman and everyone else the Vikings seem to have pursued this year, Carr is a couple years removed from his best season. In 2010 with Baltimore he tallied 61 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 picks and 8 passes defensed.  A solid year. But – and there’s a “but” with every Spielman FA target – he took a significant step back in 2011, struggling with a bad hamstring and playing in only nine games.

You have to like the potential with Carr. But you also have to be concerned that, at 28, he’s getting less likely to ever realize that potential. We’ll see what Leslie Frazier and Alan Williams can do with the young man. Any move that pushes Asher Allen farther down the depth chart is a good move.

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