Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player?

Purple Pain
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 12:07:21 GMT -6

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Post by Purple Pain on Aug 17, 2021 12:07:21 GMT -6

It's still the offseason, right?

Inspired by this piece:

Last week I wrote about the Marquee Unvaccinated Three — Kirk Cousins, Harrison Smith, and Adam Thielen. Being that the Minnesota Vikings cannot act like the United States military and require vaccination of their players, what can Zimmer and the organization realistically do to set a tone and bring about a culture shift on vaccinations within the locker room?

Once players receive the “distraction” label, it’s typically only a matter of time until they’re no longer employed by that particular NFL team. Unless, in this particular case, all three players donning the new distraction label are viewed as irreplaceable individual contributors in this critically important make-or-break season for Zimmer and Rick Spielman.

Still, the question remains: If the organization wants to take control and send a message on vaccinations, who’s most expendable of the Marquee Unvaccinated Three?

This piece explores more of the long view, but let's talk 2021 ... and how this relates to possible missed games.

It's been said there are other big names on the list, too. The following is who we can assume so far, as not all starters were seen at all, let alone their mask status.

Kirk Cousins
Adam Thielen
Harrison Smith
Dalvin Cook
Dalvin Tomlinson

and...

(Sheldon Richardson)

If one of these guys had to miss a couple of games, who is most expendable? Why?

Last Edit: Aug 17, 2021 12:08:57 GMT -6 by Purple Pain

andhesloose28 Franchise Player Posts: 3,034 Likes: 2,156	Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 13:02:13 GMT -6 vikingpwr and legendsofthenorth like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by andhesloose28 on Aug 17, 2021 13:02:13 GMT -6 I guess Sheldon Richardson. But this list is 6 of our top 10 players just off the top of my head lol so none ideally

Deleted Ghosted Member Posts: 0 Likes:	Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 13:11:19 GMT -6 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2021 13:11:19 GMT -6 None, Nate Stanley is unvaccinated so there you go on the unvaccinated being cut. Where did you hear that Cook not vaccinated?

Jor-El
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 14:20:00 GMT -6 legendsofthenorth likes this

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Post by Jor-El on Aug 17, 2021 14:20:00 GMT -6

It's probably Mond, but I had to pick Tomlinson from those listed.

Interesting how many say Cousins - he's pretty obviously far above any of his likely replacements, so is that just general dislike for him, or a desire to see this entire season crash and burn?

Danchat
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 17:35:20 GMT -6 legendsofthenorth likes this

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Post by Danchat on Aug 17, 2021 17:35:20 GMT -6

I don't like the idea that a player should be expendable because of their vaccination status and not their talent as a football player... and all 5 players are all incredibly important to this team. None of them are expendable.

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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 18:35:36 GMT -6 via mobile legendsofthenorth likes this

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Post by Funkytown on Aug 17, 2021 18:35:36 GMT -6

If I had to choose one to miss a couple games? It'd have to be Tomlinson. He's probably the easiest to mask (pun intended) and work around.

That said, it really is scary how many of our important players are at risk to miss a game or two if something goes wrong. We better hope they have their poop in a group and have truly learned from that last round.

Raptorman Hall of Fame Inductee Posts: 18,534 Likes: 8,274 Fan Since: November 6, 1966.	Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 21:20:37 GMT -6 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Raptorman on Aug 17, 2021 21:20:37 GMT -6 What about the Most expendable vaccinated player? After all, being vaccinated doesn't mean you won't miss a game.
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Funkytown
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 21:29:06 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by Funkytown on Aug 17, 2021 21:29:06 GMT -6

Aug 17, 2021 21:20:37 GMT -6 Raptorman said:

What about the Most expendable vaccinated player? After all, being vaccinated doesn't mean you won't miss a game.

Right, but you're at risk to miss more games by being unvaccinated, as vaccinated players are awarded quicker turnaround times and whatnot. This has been explained already.

EDIT - from WSJ:

A season after players had to slog through painstaking health and safety protocols—daily testing, questions from contact tracers, social distancing in facilities, mask wearing—the policies are now more lax for fully vaccinated personnel. They don’t need to get tested every day, and they won’t get pulled out of action by contact tracing if they’re identified as a “high-risk” close contact of an infected individual.

The 2021 rules for coaches and other personnel are even stricter than they are for the players: in order to continue to interact with players, those staffers have to get vaccinated if they don’t have a religious or medical exemption. The NFL says nearly all clubs have 100% of those staff members vaccinated. At least one assistant coach with the New England Patriots has parted ways with his respective team, reportedly because of those rules.

While vaccination rates have stagnated across the country, the NFL is seeing interest in the vaccine continue to rise as these policies make life increasingly difficult for those who were hesitant. Of the league’s 32 teams, 28 have 95% of players fully vaccinated or in the process.

But there still are apparent holdouts. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who said his vaccination decision was a private health matter, missed several recent practices after being deemed a close contact of a teammate who tested positive—a situation that wouldn’t have arisen if he were fully vaccinated because players who get the shot aren’t subject to those same contact-tracing restrictions.

Then a July memo from commissioner Roger Goodell said that if players don’t get the shot, they’re not only endangering themselves. They also risk forcing their team to accept a loss.

The memo states that if a team suffers a Covid outbreak among nonvaccinated players and it can’t be rescheduled within the season’s 18 weeks, then the club with the outbreak will forfeit the game.

For the team last in the league as far as vaccinated players is concerned, ... not good.

Last Edit: Aug 18, 2021 1:06:17 GMT -6 by Funkytown

HarryHits22 Hall of Fame Inductee Posts: 14,518 Likes: 966	Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 22:29:19 GMT -6 via mobile Funkytown likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by HarryHits22 on Aug 17, 2021 22:29:19 GMT -6 Cook is confirmed vaccinated

Funkytown Owner Purple Pain Big Dog Posts: 67,661 Likes: 31,587 Fan Since: 1998	Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 22:31:53 GMT -6 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Funkytown on Aug 17, 2021 22:31:53 GMT -6 Aug 17, 2021 22:29:19 GMT -6 HarryHits22 said: Cook is confirmed vaccinated Where did you see that? Maybe he's just one of the cautious ones, then. One would hope!

HarryHits22
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 17, 2021 22:47:12 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by HarryHits22 on Aug 17, 2021 22:47:12 GMT -6

Aug 17, 2021 22:31:53 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

Aug 17, 2021 22:29:19 GMT -6 HarryHits22 said:

Cook is confirmed vaccinated

Where did you see that?

Maybe he's just one of the cautious ones, then. One would hope!

There was talk because he wore a mask on the sideline Saturday that he was unvaxxed, but that was proven wrong. I read in multiple comments over on reddit, but can't actually find the source now that confirms he's vaccinated, so maybe not. With that said, there's 0 evidence to suspect he isn't vaccinated.

It's the same thing with Tomlinson and Richardson, the only evidence to support the three of them as unvaxxed is the fact they wore masks on the sideline Saturday, which is not evidence since it is advised that those vaccinated where masks indoors as well. There are literally signs in the stadium that suggest so. Peterson and Jefferson were also seen wearing masks on the sideline and they are self confirmed vacvinated

Last Edit: Aug 17, 2021 22:55:11 GMT -6 by HarryHits22

Funkytown
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 18, 2021 0:27:47 GMT -6

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Post by Funkytown on Aug 18, 2021 0:27:47 GMT -6

Aug 17, 2021 22:47:12 GMT -6 HarryHits22 said:

There was talk because he wore a mask on the sideline Saturday that he was unvaxxed, but that was proven wrong. I read in multiple comments over on reddit, but can't actually find the source now that confirms he's vaccinated, so maybe not. With that said, there's 0 evidence to suspect he isn't vaccinated.

It's the same thing with Tomlinson and Richardson, the only evidence to support the three of them as unvaxxed is the fact they wore masks on the sideline Saturday, which is not evidence since it is advised that those vaccinated where masks indoors as well. There are literally signs in the stadium that suggest so. Peterson and Jefferson were also seen wearing masks on the sideline and they are self confirmed vacvinated

I hope you're right. The article basically talks about the big three: Cousins, Thielen, and Smith. But there have been reports that there are at least five projected starters who aren't. If it's not these guys, then who? We're missing a couple more here, unless they've come around...

Adam Thielen, Harrison Smith, and Sheldon Richardson all said they were not vaccinated back in mid-June, but that could have changed since then.

Remember this also:

KFAN's Paul Allen said on his show on Monday morning that he knows of at least three Vikings players who would rather quit football than get the vaccine.

Graff confirmed players are wiling to sit out, as well.

Last Edit: Aug 18, 2021 0:57:41 GMT -6 by Funkytown

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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 18, 2021 0:56:30 GMT -6

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Post by Funkytown on Aug 18, 2021 0:56:30 GMT -6

Aug 17, 2021 22:47:12 GMT -6 HarryHits22 said:

It's the same thing with Tomlinson and Richardson, the only evidence to support the three of them as unvaxxed is the fact they wore masks on the sideline Saturday, which is not evidence since it is advised that those vaccinated where masks indoors as well.

Definitely a fair point, but if we are to believe the reports about a handful of projected starters, then there has to be more than the big three that we know of. You're suggesting that Cook is vaccinated (good), but what about Tomlinson and Richardson? We know the unvaccinated have to wear masks, and that some of the vaccinated choose to wear masks. If some of the confirmed vaccinated players are wearing masks, isn't it still easier to speculate who the remaining unvaccinated are by those who are masked? Again, if you buy the original report. Arif is generally pretty dialed into this stuff, but maybe he was just speculating here, but it appears to be a bit more than that. Time will tell.

Last Edit: Aug 18, 2021 1:22:17 GMT -6 by Funkytown

Jor-El
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 18, 2021 9:26:53 GMT -6

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Post by Jor-El on Aug 18, 2021 9:26:53 GMT -6

Aug 18, 2021 0:27:47 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

Remember this also:

KFAN's Paul Allen said on his show on Monday morning that he knows of at least three Vikings players who would rather quit football than get the vaccine.

Graff confirmed players are wiling to sit out, as well.

This opinion may be unpopular, but there is a fair argument to be made about the threats of Cousins, Thielen, and Smith to retire:
Go ahead.

When the next rebuild of this team actually starts, in 2022 or 2023, 2 of those (Cousins and Smith) will not be here, and maybe not Thielen either. If they want to retire immediately, yes the 2021 season is probably flushed. (Spoiler alert: it's not going to be that good anyway.) But those 3 will eat over $60M of cap space next season, so 2022 will be a bad season regardless. OTOH, getting them off the books would make this team far more attractive to GM/Coach candidates. Something to think about.

Last Edit: Aug 18, 2021 9:27:18 GMT -6 by Jor-El

andhesloose28
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Most Expendable Unvaccinated Player? Aug 18, 2021 11:32:37 GMT -6 Funkytown likes this

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Post by andhesloose28 on Aug 18, 2021 11:32:37 GMT -6

Aug 18, 2021 9:26:53 GMT -6 Jor-El said:

Aug 18, 2021 0:27:47 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

Remember this also:

KFAN's Paul Allen said on his show on Monday morning that he knows of at least three Vikings players who would rather quit football than get the vaccine.

Graff confirmed players are wiling to sit out, as well.

This opinion may be unpopular, but there is a fair argument to be made about the threats of Cousins, Thielen, and Smith to retire:
Go ahead.

When the next rebuild of this team actually starts, in 2022 or 2023, 2 of those (Cousins and Smith) will not be here, and maybe not Thielen either. If they want to retire immediately, yes the 2021 season is probably flushed. (Spoiler alert: it's not going to be that good anyway.) But those 3 will eat over $60M of cap space next season, so 2022 will be a bad season regardless. OTOH, getting them off the books would make this team far more attractive to GM/Coach candidates. Something to think about.

I get what your saying and never really thought of this and it actually intrigues me, but I disagree that 2021 is worth being flushed. I see talent that could compete with anyone possibly. Not to mention I believe Thielen and Smith at the very least still have a few great seasons in them.