Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
Posted: March 31, 2006
Kevin Seifert
Minneapolis Star Tribune
The team plans to enter training camp with journeyman Mike McMahon as its backup to starting QB Brad Johnson. McMahon was not the team's first choice -- QB Craig Nall's price tag got too high when he signed with Buffalo -- but McMahon has extensive experience in the West Coast offense and played for coach Brad Childress last year when Childress was the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. McMahon's most notable difficulty during his career with Detroit and Philadelphia has been accuracy. Even playing in a relatively short-yardage passing game, his career completion percentage is about 45 percent. Most scouts attribute that poor percentage to poor decision-making and lack of patience rather than a physical flaw. McMahon hopes to learn how to play smarter and be more patient while watching Johnson, who is known for those traits. Johnson always is satisfied to take positive yardage, which is something McMahon will have to learn. . . .
DL DeQuincy Scott was signed thanks to the connection between him and vice president of player personnel Fran Foley, both of whom were in San Diego last year. Scott is expected to provide third-down pass rushing from the end position. He has played some at tackle, but the team's coaching staff and scouts see him as an edge rusher. Veteran Lance Johnson filled that role in 2005, but it is unclear whether he will return now. Scott's arrival also is insurance for DE Kenechi Udeze, who underwent microfracture surgery on his knee last fall and will need time to recover. Darrion Scott and Erasmus James likely will be the starting ends heading into spring drills. . . .
One player who has stood out to coaches during the offseason conditioning program is TE Richard Owens, whose versatility should be important in Childress' offense. Owens has the ability to play a traditional tight end position but also will be tested at fullback. Such swing ability is crucial to making a roster. Owens also plays all four special teams and was the leading special teams tackler in 2005.
SCOUTING REPORT: Childress has referred to WR Troy Williamson as a "bullet" and was pleasantly surprised by his performance during the early part of the offseason conditioning program. Williamson has better catching skills than advertised, Childress said, and is as fast as adverstised. One skill Williamson needs to work on is getting off the line of scrimmage. If he can master that, the team believes he will make a big jump between his first and second seasons and should earn a starting job.
DRAFT BUZZ: The team has made clear it plans to draft a quarterback, but he will be a "developmental guy." That phrase has suggested the team will not trade up to take one of the blue-chip quarterbacks in the draft -- Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Jay Cutler -- but it certainly has the firepower to do so if it chooses. But Childress, known for his abilities to develop quarterbacks at the University of Wisconsin and with the Philadelphia Eagles, might want to target a lesser-known player and spend 2006 and possibly 2007 molding him into a starter. Players such as Brodie Croyle and Charlie Whitehurst might fit that bill.
