Minnesota Vikings News 8/26/92
John Ganske
Minnesota Vikings news from the Minneapolis StarTribune for Wednesday August
26, 1992. The following is from an article by staff writer Jim Souhan
titled "Vikings cut Anderson, Fenney; make minor deal with Redskins".
If Vikings coach Dennis Green has proven anything since taking
over in Janurary, it is that he sheds few tears when making
difficult decisions on established veterans, and that he enjoys
the art of the deal.
Green and the Vikings released veteran running backs Rick Fenney
and Alfred Anderson on Tuesday, the deadline for reducing their
roster to 60, and later consummated a deal they began discussing
in early August when they traded a draft choice to the Washington
Redskins for defensive end George Hinkle and receiver Joe Johnson.
One source with knowledge of the deal said the draft pick was a
sixth rounder in '93 that would improve to a fifth-rounder if
either player plays 50 percent of the Vikings' offensive or defensive
plays.
Hinkle can play any position on the line, and Johnson could become
the Vikings' fourth receiver and is a good kickoff returner.
Hinkle started 13 games for the Redskins last season before being
sidelined because of an injury. Johnson has only 31 catches in three
seasons for a 9.6 yards-per catch average, but was the Redskins
special-teams MVP in '89.
In all, the Vikings waived 16 players and placed three others -
defensive tackle Lorenzo Freeman, tight end Luke Fisher and running
back Mike Gaddis - on injured reserve, meaning they will remain with
the team but will not be eligible to play this season.
The final cutdown to 47 players occurs Monday, two days after the
Vikings play their final preseason game, at Washington.
Of all the players released, Fenney's case offered the most intrigue.
The five-year veteran out of the University of Washington did not play
in any preseason games because of a severe hip injury. He practiced
the first three days of training camp, then complained of hip pain,
which doctors told him was due to a congenital condition that could
necessitate hip replacement surgery.
Fenney said Green told him that the team's medical staff had said
that he was able to play, and therefore eligible to be released
without any liability to the team.
"I said that's not true," Fenney said. "He said, 'You'll have to
talk to them about that.' ...As far as I'm concerned I'm hurt and
they had no right cutting me. If I need to pursue it (in court),
I will."
"I would like to continue playing, if I can get my hip right. I
feel I've been treated a little unfairly."
The Vikings' four backs figure to be Terry Allen, Roger Craig,
Darrin Nelson, and Ronnie West, a standout in the Vikings' 56-3
victory at Cleveland on Monday. West's emergence - and the
potential availability of other talented backs on the wavier
wire - led to the release of Anderson, a hard-working, eight-year
veteran who was the Vikings' third-round pick in 1984, when he
was the NFC's leading rookie rusher with 773 yards. But Anderson
never again gained more than 347 yards and became a role player
who didn't have a role with the new Vikings.
The case of linebacker Ivan Caesar also was interesting. When
Ray Berry missed two weeks of camp while unsigned, Caesar started
in his place. But Caesar played poorly in the first preseason
game and was demoted when Carlos Jenkins became a starter at
strong-side linebacker and Mike Merriweather moved to Caesar's
spot on the weak side. Caesar also overslept and missed team
meetings one day late in training camp, which probably did not
sit well with the new coaching staff's businesslike approach.
"We drafted an outstanding young player in Eddie McDaniel who
plays extremely well," Green said. "Carlos Jenkins deserves to
start and he has, and Mike Merriweather deserves to start and
he is doing well. Ray Berry came back (from being unsigned).
Competition can do that, and it's unfortunate because Ivan's
a good, hard-working guy."
The other players waived by the Vikings: receiver Kendal Smith,
defensive end Brian Smith, running back Lydell Carr, quarterback
Chris Cochrane, cornerbacks Irvin Smith and Curtis Banks, offensive
tackle and Minnesota-Duluth product Brent Griffith, running back
Lorenzo Graham, punter John Jett, kicker Roman Anderson, offensive
lineman Eric Wenzel and linebackers Ed Sutter and Brian Dahl, who
was paid an injury settlement.
With Irvin Smith being waived, it appears Mike Mayes will be the
team's fourth cornerback, since starter Najee Mustafaa (Reggie
Rutland) has a back problem that could keep him from playing this
season. Besides Mustafaa, players who eventually could wind up
on injured reserve are running back Chuck Evans, defensive lineman
Roy Barker and linebacker Mark Dusbabek.
Notes/ Green did not rule out trying to pick up a player off the
wavier wire in the next week. ...He said defensive tackle John
Randle (sternum) should be back to practice today, and that he hopes
Randle will play Saturday. Randale probably will have to make a
dramatic reentrance into the lineup to win back the starting job from
rookie Brad Culpepper, who has 4.5 sacks in three (me: PRESEASON
FOR HEAVANS SAKE!) games.
John Ganske -------------------------
a readheaded dad, vegetarian, cyclist, runner, volleyball player,
programmer, and all-around good guy, glad to be back in Minnesota
and soon to become small-time (very small-time) farmer
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Unisys Corp. j...@unislc.slc.unisys.com
Roseville, Minnesota 612 635-7545
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