What Michael Floyd Could Mean to the Vikings Offense

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May 6, 2017

As has been widely reported (By us, too, but we moved the site to a new server and lost about a months worth of articles) the Vikings are close to signing Cretin-Derham Hall alum and former Arizona Cardinal Michael Floyd…

The reason the Vikings haven’t yet signed Floyd is because there is a formula that dictates which teams end up get compensatory picks in each draft. The formula takes into account not only a teams record but also the players they’ve added in free agency (It’s almost like the waiver wire system in fantasy football). That formula only takes free agent signings into account for players taken before May 9th, so it looks like the Vikings are waiting to sign Floyd after that deadline.

Now Floyd has his fair share of baggage (Multiple DUI’s), and while that’s a concern it’s also (And I understand how awful this is going to sound) something that will benefit the Vikings. Floyd has played behind future Hall of Famer and fellow Minnesota product Larry Fitzgerald his entire career, and has reaped the benefits of the coverage that Fitz has received to the tune of a thousand yard season (In his sophomore campaign way back in 2013) and back to back 800 yard campaigns in 2014 and 2015. Those types of numbers for a number two receiver would typically garner a large amount of money in free agency, but because of Floyd’s DUI’s, the Vikings will be able to sign him for next to nothing (In NFL contract terms, anyway).

So, what does this mean for the Vikings offense? A lot, actually. Now, when a number two receiver comes to mind, at least for me, one typically thinks of a Stefon Diggs type player. In Today’s NFL, most teams have (Or at least try to have) a big, down the field threat, type receiver as their number one. Think Julio Jones, AJ Green or Calvin Johnson. Number two receivers are typically possession receivers, like the Vikings have in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Floyd isn’t that type of player. He’s 6’3″ and he ran a 4.4 40 yard dash at the 2012 Combine. He’s essentially built to be a number one receiver and essentially, as Fitzgerald got older and slowed down a bit, became a 1A receiver in Arizona.

That’s exactly the type of receiver that the Vikings need. I’ve been a huge fan of Stefon Diggs since the Vikings stole him in the fifth round. He’s great, an amazing route runner with great yard after the catch potential, but he’s not a true number one receiver. Teams that want to compete in today’s NFL need someone that can go down the field and come up with the ball, Floyd can do that. He can stretch the field and provide massive opportunities for both Diggs and Thielen in the process. Then there’s the effect that that’ll have on the running game. By stretching the field the Vikings will draw defenders out of the box and open things up for newly added Vikings Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray (I’m not forgetting you, either, Jerick McKinnon!).

People that have followed the site know that I’m a sucker for deep threat receivers, so I don’t want to overstate Floyd’s value. He does have an issue with drops (Like Cook), which is something he’ll have to work on. But the fact that he’s 27 means that he’s still young and just about to enter his physical prime. So, this move makes a ton of sense and could really help the Vikings in multiple ways.

I couldn’t be more excited. But what do you think? Let us know in our Message Board! 

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