The center of attention in Minnesota

By Jonathan Mohr  |   Thursday, June 19, 2008  |  Comments( 8 )

Minnesota Vikings
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Since his release from the Cleveland Browns several days ago, there has been speculation that former Pro Bowl center LeCharles Bentley could eventually wind up with the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota's unwillingness to offer current starting center Matt Birk a contract extension coupled with Birk's own unwillingness to participate in the team's offseason training program has led many to believe that his days in purple are numbered.

If the Vikings truly believe Birk’s skills are on the decline and that he can no longer help the team, or that his contributions are no longer commensurate with the size of the checks he’s cashing, it’s possible they could bring Bentley in and let him and Birk battle during training camp for the starting spot.

But that possibility seems remote.

Signing Bentley would be the kind of slap in the face that would probably result in the end of Birk’s tenure with the team when his contract is up after the 2008 season, if not sooner. The Vikings are probably planning for that anyway, but the risk of further angering a proven veteran to take a chance on a player who hasn’t seen the field in two years would be considerable.

From the Vikings’ perspective, that would be a risk worth taking if it turned out Bentley is healthy enough to return to the pre-injury form that earned him two Pro Bowl appearances. However, if Bentley breaks down and Birk is irked enough by the franchise's lack of respect for the decade-plus service he has given it and decides to play elsewhere in 2009, Minnesota will be left with a big hole to fill. And the move would certainly do nothing to improve his morale during 2008.

It’s doubtful the two players could coexist on the same roster. Neither can really afford to be a backup at this point in their respective careers. Birk will be on the market again after ’08 and needs to see action to prove he can still make a difference as his playing days near their end. Bentley hasn't played a snap since 2005 and must also justify his worth if a team is to give him the kind of payday he must surely feel he deserves given his past success.

A one-year contract laden with incentives would give Bentley the opportunity he seeks to prove himself, but why would he want to come to Minnesota?

It does him no good to anchor a spot near the Gatorade table for 16 games while he sits behind a veteran who played in Honolulu this past February. And how happy would he be sitting out for the third consecutive season? A situation like that creates the sort of locker-room tension the Vikings just don’t need.

Vikings coach Brad Childress says the team already has a number of players who can snap the football, including John Sullivan, a rookie from Notre Dame Childress, in a recent story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, described as “unflappable” while getting many of the reps with the first team during Birk’s absence.

“Playing in there against guys like Kevin Williams. ... I just thought he did a great job of picking things up,” Childress said. “He has a good way about him. He has good demeanor in the offensive line."

While Sullivan may be a player who could eventually succeed Birk, Bentley is someone who needs to play now, and his presence would be a disruption of the team’s own making. It’s a disruption the Vikings will likely avoid by not bringing Bentley in.
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About Jonathan Mohr

A lifelong Vikings fan, I live in the Twin Cities area (about a mile from Winter Park) and work as an editor at a boating magazine. As with all long-suffering Vikings fans, I patiently look forward to the day when Minnesota finally breaks through and wins a Super Bowl. Until then I eat my ...
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CommentsComments: 8  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Mooch		03:58 AM
06/20/2008
Whether it is Birk, Bentley or whoever else, the Vikings need to figure this out quickly. Stability on the offensive line is ...
No.2
bardley80		06:27 AM
06/20/2008
I agree, they need to figure this out and the sooner the better. Bentley could be really good again, but he could also prove to ...
Avatar
No.3
07:23 AM
06/20/2008
Bringing in Bentley would be a big mistake. There is no reason to take the risk. Sullivan was drafted this season for a reason. ...
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