Watching former Vikings starting players leave Minnesota is sometimes difficult. Watching them leave to play for the New Orleans Saints is tougher indeed.
Losing Latavius Murray last week to the villain Saints was unsettling. I had recently written an article arguing for the front office of the Vikings to resign the running back, and I was surprised at his quick departure, as well as the money he was given in New Orleans.
At $5 million a year, similar to the salary he was making in his original contract in Minnesota, Murray was rewarded by the Saints for his toughness, durability, and value to an NFL offense, things Rick Spielman decided to discount last season when they asked Murray to knock a few dollars off his deal.
This year they lost him to a true NFC rival, and one with which the Minnesota Vikings have a bad history, to say the least.
Days later, as the Saints’ Pro Bowl center Max Unger decided to retire at age 32, New Orleans moved quickly in free agency to fill the hole in the middle of their offensive line with former Viking Nick Easton.
Easton, a guard and center who spent the last part of 2017 as well as all of 2018 on the Vikings’ injured reserve list, was signed to a rather auspicious four-year, $24 M contract in South Louisiana.
Considering Easton has played in a mere 23 games in three NFL seasons, this news broke few hearts among the ranks of Viking fans. It was, of course, curious in the regard of Minnesota’s suspect plans concerning their 2019 offensive line.
And it was New Orleans again on the poaching end of a former Viking. Uncool to say the least.
Say It Ain’t So
Then on Thursday, the kid from Rochester, Minnesota, the Golden Gopher and nine-year Viking, special team specialist Marcus Sherels, decided to don the gold fleur-de-lis after not being offered a deal for 2019 by Minnesota.
This was a gut punch. Everybody loves Marcus Sherels.
And, exclusive of local affections, the guy was very good at what he did. I wonder what Rick Spielman was thinking. Will Mike Hughes, returning from a mid-season ACL injury, just take over? Ameer Abdullah?
Sherels had 23 returns for 276 yards for the Vikings in 2018, ranking seventh in the league. He also efficiently covered kicks and plugged in when there was a cornerback pinch.
"“The Vikings chose to go a different direction but I’m excited for my new opportunity,” Sherels texted the Minnesota press. “They have been nothing but good to me the last nine years. Big thanks to the entire Vikings organization and all the fans.”"
His new opportunity is to improve a New Orleans return game that ranks in the basement of the NFL.
That’s what we wanted!
Bitter One To Bitter Two: Come In
If anyone does not understand how evil (yes, I said evil) the “Saints” truly are, you folks need to take a short history tour. If you don’t remember that a guy named Gregg Williams was the one-time defensive coordinator of the Saints–hired by head coach Sean Payton–then you should be reminded.
Here’s a simple video from ABC News that explains things. It’s called “Bountygate”.
If you never watched how blatant and egregious was the intention of Saints defenders to injure Vikings’ quarterback Brett Favre in the 2009 NFC Championship Game, maybe you would also like to take a minute to look over this fan’s YouTube mix.
It may be fun, but it puts a flashlight on Sean Payton and the Saints organization.
For you younger fans, take note: Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely by the league for his part in “Bountygate”. Sean Payton was kicked out of the league for an entire season, their general manager was suspended for eight games, and New Orleans lost a second-round draft pick.
The Bayou was “Scumbag Central” in 2009.
Yeah, it still stings. Even past the ‘Minnesota Miracle’ and that delightful non-call for pass interference in the 2018 NFC Championship Game where the Rams stole a Super Bowl appearance from New Orleans.
Ten years after Vikings’ fans after answered “Who Dat?” with cheers of “We Dat!”, and saw a once-in-a-lifetime season pass away in the Superdome.
We all recognize that free agency has changed the game of professional football dramatically from decades ago. Fans still cheer for their colors, and against the colors of their team’s rivals, but the players that dress and play in these uniforms are now transient, a tough pill to swallow sometimes.
Especially when a few of your guys become New Orleans Saints.