The Viking Age » xavier adibi

Vikings Free Agent Roundup

Levi Satterlee — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:43 +0000

Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Erin Henderson (50) before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

NFL free agency starts on March 13, only 33 days away. So now is the time to dissect our pending free agents. After the resigning of Pat Brown, the Vikings have 17 free agents to be.

Since we’re all Vikings fans and in need of some good news, I’ll start there. There are only four starters on this list: EJ and Erin Henderson, Husain Abdullah, and Visanthe Shiancoe. So not to worry, the team that went 3-13 and tied for the worst record in Vikings history will almost completely return! Oh, wait. Well, it’s news anyway.

In that list of four starters, the only guy I see as a lock for returning is Erin Henderson. With two-thirds of the Vikings’ linebacking core set to be free agents, at least one will need to be resigned. It could get a little awkward if they split up the brothers, but the NFL is a business and Erin is younger and healthier.

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E.J. Henderson Misses Friday Practice, Will Probably Sit Vs. Bucs

Dan Zinski — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:53:38 +0000

E.J. Henderson was fine after the game on Sunday and fine in practice early in the week. Then on Thursday morning he woke up with swelling in his knee and was held out of practice. An X-ray on Thursday showed no structural damage. Nonetheless Henderson was held out of practice again on Friday, and will likely be listed as doubtful on the injury report when it is released later this afternoon.

Mark Craig says Erin Henderson got the reps at middle linebacker in practice Friday in place of his brother, while Kenny Onatolu took the snaps at weak-side linebacker. The Vikings’ other linebacker options include Xavier Adibi, who was inactive last week against San Diego, and Larry Dean who is mostly a special teams guy at this point. The Vikings had expected to go into the season with Jasper Brinkley backing up E.J. but Brinkley is on IR after hip surgery.

Last year cornerback was the position that got all messed up because of injuries, this year it’s linebacker. The thing we’re hoping for now is that E.J.’s knee will get better with a week of rest. The X-ray showed no structural damage so hopefully this is just a minor thing that will clear up.

It’s pretty obvious the defense will be without E.J. on Sunday which will be good news for LaGarrette Blount and the rest of the Bucs offense. Erin Henderson will be sorely tested in the middle, a position of much more responsibility than the weak-side. The big question will be, how does Erin hold up in nickel situations where instead of standing on the sideline he will be trying to deal with guys like Kellen Winslow?

Update: Leslie Frazier says E.J. will be a game-time decision. Maybe he’ll play after all.

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Vikings Sign Xavier Adibi, Waive Allen Reisner

Dan Zinski — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:02:42 +0000

Allen Reisner was a big UDFA Cinderella story this preseason, rising from nobody status to claim a spot on the 53-man roster after Saturday’s cut-downs. But that was Saturday – today is Sunday, and Allen Reisner is no longer a member of the 53-man roster, having been waived by the Vikings to clear room for newly-signed LB Xavier Adibi. A day after the excitement of seemingly making an NFL roster, Reisner finds himself in limbo waiting to see if he will be claimed by another team or clear waivers and land on the Vikings’ practice squad.

Such is the life of a fringe NFL player. But despair not for Mr. Reisner: He has shown enough talent in his short time with the Vikings to warrant a longer look somewhere down the road, either from Minnesota or someone else. For now, the Vikings feel they need the extra linebacker depth more than the tight end depth. As things stand this minute, the Vikings have three tight ends on the roster and six linebackers. And no fullbacks.

Three tight ends and no fullbacks? If that isn’t a break from the Brad Childress era, I don’t know what is.

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