Vikes break out Bieniemy to help keep Taylor from going to a rival

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on March 5, 2010, 11:22 AM EST

Though it appears that the Bears plan to pay running back Chester Taylor to become a featured player in the new Mike Martz offense, the Vikings haven’t given up yet.

According to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Vikings have enlisted running backs coach Eric Bieniemy to attempt to convince Taylor to sign a new deal.

Taylor joined the team four years ago, and he was the top man on the depth chart until Adrian Peterson arrived.

But money is going to drive this process, and it doesn’t matter whether the message is sent by Eric Bieniemy or Eric the Clown.  If the Vikings will match what the Bears will pay, they’ll have the best chance of keeping Taylor from leaving the team.

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51 responses to “Vikes break out Bieniemy to help keep Taylor from going to a rival”

  1. Haha, Eric the Clown. Funny stuff, Florio. Might be lost on a few though, especially the younger set.

  2. I heard on Chicago’s radio station 670 The Score that Taylor will get $8 million guarantee .

  4. Bears need a WR and O Line before another RB. What the hell is wrong with Forte ?

  5. I don’t think it’s any big deal. The Vikes are deep at the RB position and will have better oprtions in LT or Westbrook, if not the draft.

  7. Getting away from Favre has to be worth something in itself.

  8. Ok I can’t help this joke. So they got Eric to keep Chester from “Sleeping with the (Bi) Enemy! Cha Ching!

  10. It is of the utmost importance that the Vikings resign Taylor. He is the ying to Adrian Petersons yang. He can pass block and is a great pass catching back. He just constantly picks up first downs in the system he is in and never bitches about money or playing behind the greatest back in the NFL. I don’t care if the Vikings don’t make any other move in free agency, they just have to sign Taylor.

  11. Bienemy is a great coach and the RBs really respect him. Hopefully he convinces Chester to Resign.

  12. As a Vikings fan, I think this would be money well spent….Chester is a class act and a top 10 Back…He is superior to many starting backs in the league..Only issue , he is fastly approaching the career ending age of 30 yrs young!
    Good luck. Skol!!!!!!

  13. The Vikings will miss Chester Taylors attitude. His style of play and his work ethics are in top form. My only hpoe for Chester is that he’s happy wherever he decides park his cleats.

  14. With the other available third down backs on the market around the same age, there really is no reason for the Vikes to pay Taylor starter money to back up AP. I would much rather see them talk to LT or Westbrook, as both would thrive in that role and I think would jump at the chance to team with AP and Farve.

  15. I’m really not all that concerned if he stays or goes. I think its time to draft a guy in the 3rd or 4th regardless.
    My personal preference would be for him to stay AND draft a young guy to eventually take his place.

  16. “If the Vikings will match what the Bears will pay, they’ll have the best chance of keeping Taylor from leaving the team.”
    Holy Christ…what a profound statement! lol

  18. So is Forte going to now join the Olsen chorus and demand a trade? Isn’t one of Forte’s specialties catching passes out of the backfield — the same as Taylor? So the Bears are giving up on two of their highest offensive draft picks to accomodate Martz’s offense? Yeah, dump the few good young offensive players you have and mortgage the future to win now. That will really help the Bears 2 years from now. I suppose this is good news for other NFCN teams.

  19. Is Brent Favre aware of this and did you approve of such a strategy?
    Childress kick ass offense is highly dependent on holding on to the football and clearly that attribute is something Chester Taylor does better than the other featured back.
    The Vikings need to fumble less so Favre can throw more ill timed INT’s.

  20. Featured player?? dont the have Matt Forte as well? pretty sure they will share time

  21. If the Bears sign Taylor, can the Colts have Matt Forte. I love that guy; he was misused in the Bears offense in ’09.

  22. Wow! Nothing says, “We Really Want You To Stay”, like sending in a position coach.
    Good Luck In Chicago!

  24. Let him go. He deserves to be the #1 back on a team. He’s better than “All Day”.

  25. Aren’t Eric Bienemy and Eric the Clown the same person? What RB coach sits around and lets his RB lead the league in fumbles and vows not to try to change the way he secures the ball?
    Let’s not forget that AP tried to give the Saints 7 turnovers and not just 5.

  26. I’d love to have Taylor sign with the Eagles as a #2 because he’s already familiar with the West Coast offense, but I dont see that happening. I think Chester and Green Bay would be a good match. They run a similar offense and he would get to play his old team twice a year.

  27. I say we get rid of Taylor and hire a guy who’s job is to shadow peterson and dive on balls that peterson drops.

  28. The Vikings are in a tough position, being that they cant sign a FA until they lose one.
    Chester is an important piece to the team, even with who is on the wire. I’d hold onto Chester over bringing in LT or Westbrook.
    The only guy that might be better than Chester in Thomas Jones, and Jones wouldn’t go to Minny to be a backup.
    And Bears fans, Chester will be your starter. They wont give Chester that type of money to be a bench guy. He will teach your soon-to-be franchise RB in Forte for a year or 2.

  29. I don’t think it’s any big deal. The Vikes are deep at the RB position and will have better oprtions in LT or Westbrook, if not the draft.
    ———————————————–
    Those are not better options. Taylor has far less milage on him than those two. Westbrook is past it, especially combined with his injury/concussion history.

  30. Matt Forte played injured in 2009, and had no blocking in 2009.
    It didn’t seem to bother the vikes too much a couple years ago when they signed bernard berrian from the bears. what goes around comes around

  32. You Favre haters are too funny! You must have watched the Late Show last night in anger as my man Brett schmoozed it up with Jay. you all must have been really pissed at the whole retired/coming back for another year gag. That was classic Brett.

  33. The Vikings have two good young running backs in Albert Young and Ian Johnson, they need to get the chance to play.

  35. JimmySmith says:
    March 5, 2010 11:45 AM
    Is Brent Favre aware of this and did you approve of such a strategy?
    Childress kick ass offense is highly dependent on holding on to the football and clearly that attribute is something Chester Taylor does better than the other featured back.
    The Vikings need to fumble less so Favre can throw more ill timed INT’s.
    ——-
    Well said Jimmy

  36. It would be great to keep him. As long as they don’t break the bank to keep him.

  37. what makes u think some lil running backs coach will be keep this guy from leaving?
    cmon man!!!

  38. # Vikes#28Owns says: March 5, 2010 12:17 PM
    JimmySmith is a no talent motherless Douchebag.
    —————————————————-
    That’s an understatement.

  39. in his current role, Chester can last far longer than the average RB and put up great numbers, the Vikes would be foolish to let him go

  40. Let him go. We need help on Defense before we can start worrying about second string offense

  41. The bears would sign a 30 yr old RB to a big contract… some great front office moves the last two years. I can’t wait until they go on the FA binge and next year when there is a cap again they will cutting players just to get under.

  42. Typical Bears move: Sign a middle-of-the-road veteran, then watch as they end up sucking Vikings and Packers party butt. What is this? Revenge for Bernard Berrian? An admission that the Packers will continue to out-draft, out-play and out-coach you? It’s laughable.
    Third-place in the NFC Norris is Chicago’s natural-born home. It’s their birth rite, and with Jay Cutler and Chester Taylor leading the way, the Bears will have sole possession of third for a decade.
    Have fun trying to beat the Lions!

  43. What’s with you dinks that think the Bears would deal Forte if they sign Taylor? They both have such big egos that there’d only be room for one of them, right? No, you idiots! Taylor may have three years left at the most. They wouldn’t get rid of their young feature back. Ever watch the NFL. Some teams use two running backs. No, I swear, they do!

  44. “The bears would sign a 30 yr old RB to a big contract… some great front office moves the last two years.”
    Weren’t the Vikings the team that threw out $30+ million at Bernard Berrian? And something like $24+ million at Madieu Williams? And look at what they have done so far.

  45. I like chester and all but I guess for 8 mil gauranteed chicago can have him, 8 mil less they have to spend on other players 🙂 Besides an overpaid RB will go nicely with their overpaid QB

  46. Hey Viking Wolf – There’s no cap this year and the Bears have money. It’s not like they will take away 8 mil earmarked for other players. Ya Nitz! How’s that overpaid Berrian working out for ya?

  47. First off, the poison pill only works for restricted free agents. Unrestricted free agents don’t need to give their former teams a chance to match, they can sign whenever and whereever they please.
    As far as Taylor goes, his loss will hurt the Vikings. He is 30, but is very talented and only has the mileage of a 25 year old back. Yes, he will slow a bit. He’s always had decent speed, but he was never a “burner” guy to begin with. He was always a hands, power and agility guy. If they were able to retain him, There’s no reason he couldn’t play at a similar level for the next 4 -5 years.
    If the Bears sign him, he would be a great addition for Martz’s “pass at will, run if you must” offense. His blocking ability and hands out of the backfield are just what that type of system needs. The only thing I don’t understand is that they seem to be going after everything but their biggest need, offensive linemen.

  48. What’s with the story and the Vikings “matching” the offer? Taylor “was” an unrestricted free agent. I say was because the deal is done.
    Taylor is a perfect fit for Martz offense- good blocker, great hands, still some gas in the tank.
    Chicago is brilliantly taking advantage of the new rules- all these contracts are front-loaded so that there will be no cap problems in the next couple of years.

  51. Ian Johnson has talent, and should not have become an UFA, but he’s raw and needs about another year to develop. I think he’ll make the squad this year.
    However, even though I’m a big Iowa fan, I don’t think Albert Young has what it takes at this level. He simply lacks the burst necessary to beat NFL defenses.
    So, the Vikings now have a huge hole at the RB position, and if anything happens to AD (not AP people, AD, as in All Day) the Vikings are screwed unless they can pick up a guy like Thomas Jones on the cheap.

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