The Viking Age » larry dean

Larry Dean and Joe Webb Help Kids (Video)

Dan Zinski — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:50:45 +0000

The Vikings are taking a day off from training camp today, so there won’t be any news unless someone gets arrested. To help tide you over until camp cranks up again on Monday, here’s a video of Larry Dean and Joe Webb helping kids.

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Vikings Claim Linebacker Xavier Adibi

Dan Zinski — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:23:33 +0000

The Vikings have made a move to bolster their thin linebacker corps, claiming former Texan Xavier Adibi off waivers. Adibi was an outside linebacker in Houston before being moved inside when the team switched to a 3-4 defense. Adibi impressed early in the preseason, notching two sacks in Houston’s game against the Jets, but nevertheless he ended up being cut, a move ESPN AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky labeled “a surprise.” The Vikes may have claimed Adibi based partially on what they saw from him Thursday night in the preseason finale when he had five tackles and a QB hit.

Maybe the Texans cut Adibi because they wanted to get younger (as Kuharsky says), or maybe they finally didn’t think he fit in their new scheme. Either way he is headed to the Vikings where he will be able to move back outside. Someone will have to be cut to make room for him on the roster, possibly Kenny Onatolu or Larry Dean. It wouldn’t shock me to see Adibi end up challenging Erin Henderson for the starting weak-side linebacker spot. Henderson’s really not that good and Adibi has some experience.

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Vikings Cut Long-Time Veterans Jeff Dugan, Heath Farwell

Dan Zinski — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:58:33 +0000

Jeff Dugan said it well in his statement upon hearing the news of his release: ”In the end the reaper is going to come for everybody and it was just my time.”

Today the time came for Dugan and fellow Viking veteran fixture Heath Farwell. Dugan was actually thought to be fairly safe after the Vikings dumped fullbacks Ryan D’Imperio and Matt Asiata, the thinking being that Dugan and Jim Kleinsasser could pick up reps at fullback along with their tight end work, but obviously the coaching staff had different ideas.

The Farwell release is less surprising given his inflated 2011 cap number and the fact that, with the new kickoff rules, return team specialists like him are not valued as highly as in previous years.

These two moves also make it clear that the Vikings are committed to getting younger. The Farwell release opens the door for UDFA Larry Dean to make the squad as a back-up linebacker/special teamer, while Dugan’s dismissal clears a spot for UDFA Allen Reisner (though the Vikings could still opt to use Dugan’s slot on a free agent fullback and slip the talented Reisner onto the practice squad).

A lot of fans are probably feeling a little pang of sadness over the losses of these two well-liked blue-collar guys, but the truth is that neither man had huge value on the team. The younger players taking their places have a lot of promise, and I think the time was right for both Dugan and Farwell to move on.

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