MIAMI -- To tide you over during media day, I grabbed a couple of questions out of the mailbag. Here goes:
Fred of Estherville, Iowa, writes: I know it is after the Pro Bowl, but isn't there supposed to be a rule that there is at least one representative from every team? Looking at the rosters you posted, there was never a mention of someone from the Detroit Lions. What's up with that?
Kevin Seifert: More than a few Lions fans have raised this point. The truth of the matter is no such rule exists. The NFL would love for someone from each team to participate, but it’s with some irony that the league has chosen not to “force” any undeserving players in this manner.
It’s ironic because there are multiple avenues for players of questionable credentials to get into the Pro Bowl. A mandatory representation rule isn’t one of them, however.
Other sports have used this rule in their all-star games, but not the NFL. The Lions were one of several teams that didn’t have a player on the field this year. Kansas City, Seattle and St. Louis all come to mind.
(And, by the way, I don’t think there was a Lions player who got overlooked, either. Receiver Calvin Johnson’s injury-plagued season saw to that.)
Chris of Kansas City writes: What do you think the chance of Bryant McKinnie being released are? We've all heard about the new culture of accountability, and I would definitely consider some of his earlier actions borderline for the Wilf regime. I never knew it was possible for a player to screw up a Pro Bowl selection, but this seems to be another embarrassment this team doesn't want anything to do with. I definitely think he's worth his money as a player, but such a show of disrespect towards the NFL and his teammates deserves more punishment than a league fine. Also, do you think he'll do any more campaigning in future years for another Pro Bowl vote?
Kevin Seifert: While I’m sure the Vikings aren’t happy with this latest drama, I don’t think it will rise to the level of getting released. Successfully replacing a left tackle requires the intersection of advance planning and opportunity. I’m not sure if the Vikings will be in either position this offseason, and their options behind McKinnie would probably diminish any desire to release him.
Like most teams, the Vikings don’t have a ready replacement on their roster. Left tackles are among the hardest positions to fill in the NFL. Because of the expected new offseason rules in an uncapped year, the Vikings won’t be able to sign a free agent unless they lose one of their own. And they won’t choose until the No. 30 overall position of the 2010 draft, when the best left tackles will already be off the board.
If McKinnie’s offense were more egregious -- damaging rather than just embarrassing -- we might be having a different conversation. But for multiple reasons, it would be really surprising if getting kicked off the Pro Bowl team would mark the end of McKinnie’s career in Minnesota.
As for campaigning, McKinnie would be wise never the mention the Pro Bowl again.
Fred of Estherville, Iowa, writes: I know it is after the Pro Bowl, but isn't there supposed to be a rule that there is at least one representative from every team? Looking at the rosters you posted, there was never a mention of someone from the Detroit Lions. What's up with that?
Kevin Seifert: More than a few Lions fans have raised this point. The truth of the matter is no such rule exists. The NFL would love for someone from each team to participate, but it’s with some irony that the league has chosen not to “force” any undeserving players in this manner.
It’s ironic because there are multiple avenues for players of questionable credentials to get into the Pro Bowl. A mandatory representation rule isn’t one of them, however.
Other sports have used this rule in their all-star games, but not the NFL. The Lions were one of several teams that didn’t have a player on the field this year. Kansas City, Seattle and St. Louis all come to mind.
(And, by the way, I don’t think there was a Lions player who got overlooked, either. Receiver Calvin Johnson’s injury-plagued season saw to that.)
Chris of Kansas City writes: What do you think the chance of Bryant McKinnie being released are? We've all heard about the new culture of accountability, and I would definitely consider some of his earlier actions borderline for the Wilf regime. I never knew it was possible for a player to screw up a Pro Bowl selection, but this seems to be another embarrassment this team doesn't want anything to do with. I definitely think he's worth his money as a player, but such a show of disrespect towards the NFL and his teammates deserves more punishment than a league fine. Also, do you think he'll do any more campaigning in future years for another Pro Bowl vote?
Kevin Seifert: While I’m sure the Vikings aren’t happy with this latest drama, I don’t think it will rise to the level of getting released. Successfully replacing a left tackle requires the intersection of advance planning and opportunity. I’m not sure if the Vikings will be in either position this offseason, and their options behind McKinnie would probably diminish any desire to release him.
Like most teams, the Vikings don’t have a ready replacement on their roster. Left tackles are among the hardest positions to fill in the NFL. Because of the expected new offseason rules in an uncapped year, the Vikings won’t be able to sign a free agent unless they lose one of their own. And they won’t choose until the No. 30 overall position of the 2010 draft, when the best left tackles will already be off the board.
If McKinnie’s offense were more egregious -- damaging rather than just embarrassing -- we might be having a different conversation. But for multiple reasons, it would be really surprising if getting kicked off the Pro Bowl team would mark the end of McKinnie’s career in Minnesota.
As for campaigning, McKinnie would be wise never the mention the Pro Bowl again.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Kevin Seifert
Seifert joined ESPN.com in 2008 after covering the Minnesota Vikings for the Minneapolis Star Tribune for eight years. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and children.
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