| Carlson didn't catch a pass in 2011, but he still got $25 million from the Vikes.(Getty Images) |
John Carlson, our 74th-ranked free agent and a former second-round pick, drew a lot of interest this offseason, visiting with a number of different teams. But he ultimately settled on the team that offered him $25 million: the Vikings.
According to Adam Caplan of TheSidelineView.com, Carlson signed a five-year deal worth $25 million overall and $11 million guaranteed. Caplan also reports the Chiefs did "all they could" to land Carlson, but the Vikings offer overwhelmed the former Notre Dame product.
The Vikings decision is a little curious here, though. First of all, Carlson's not exactly a road-grader by any stretch of the imagination. He's a pass-catcher first, and a pass-catcher only. And he's absolutely injury prone: Carlson missed the entire 2011 season.
Also, the Vikings just drafted Kyle Rudolph with a 2011 second-round pick. Rudolph, by the way, replaced Carlson at Notre Dame when Carlson was selected with the 38th-overall pick in 2008 by the Seahawks.
So their decision to bring Carlson into the fold means that either the Vikings think that a) Rudolph is already a bust, b) they've landed two elite tight ends to help their young quarterback and are creating a Patriots-like setup for Christian Ponder, or c) they are hopelessly devoted Notre Dame fans.