Why the Minnesota Vikings Should Not Go After Michael Vick

Brett Favre has finally ended the drama surrounding his potential return, announcing that he’s going to stay retired and relax at his Hattiesburg, Miss. home.

Upon hearing this announcement, many football people, now free from the incessant ESPN coverage and rumors concerning Favre’s return, are taking a deep sigh of relief.

Except for the Minnesota Vikings.

Favre was supposed to step in and be the final piece to Minnesota’s puzzle, the guy who was finally going to take the Vikings to the promised land.

Now finding themselves back at square one, Vikings brass now have to deal with the fallout of this news. Every move that quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels make will be scrutinized under the finest of microscopes, with people wondering whether No. 4 would have done any better.

Maybe they should try another former star quarterback from the NFC—old No. 7, Michael Vick.

Could the Vikings, fresh off of a Hall-of-Fame quarterback snubbing, consider signing Vick?

Yeah, Vick might be worth a look—he has a reputation as quite a playmaker.

Should they?

Not if they’re looking for an upgrade at QB.

At first glance, Vick’s name alone would be a huge draw. He was a household name with Atlanta and led the Falcons to two playoff appearances. He’s also been named to the Pro Bowl three times.

No doubt, he has an impressive resume. And something that the Vikings may consider if they want to sell tickets and make a push for that new stadium they’ve been clamoring about.

But a deeper look at his numbers show that he isn’t what the Vikings are looking for. Let’s compare Vick’s numbers to Minnesota’s incumbent QB, T-Jack.

In 74 games, Vick has completed 930 of 1,730 passes for 11,505 yards and a 53.8 completion percentage, which is tied with the great Randy Wright for 134th all-time.

Jackson, on the other hand, has had very similar numbers to Vick’s—in 25 career games, he’s completed 306 of 524 passes for a 58.4 completion percentage.

The main difference is that Jackson has yet to hit his prime, while Vick is most likely past his prime.

Not to mention that Vick probably hasn’t even touched a football since his incarceration and won’t be able to play until Week Six of the season. There’d be quite a readjustment period for Vick, one that the Vikings wouldn’t want to have to deal with.

The only thing Vick truly has going for him is his speed, which might work on a team featuring Harvin and Adrian Peterson.

But Minnesota isn’t looking for another running back. They need someone who can throw the ball down the field efficiently, someone who can manage the air attack while Peterson carries the offense.

Remember why the Vikes wanted Favre in the first place—Jackson has been frustratingly inconsistent during his three years in the league, and Rosenfels has never played a full season under center. In theory, Favre would have been the ideal person to sling the ball to Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, and Bobby Wade.

That may be asking too much of Vick, who has always struggled with making accurate passes throughout his career.

For Minnesota, it would be better to either continue developing the 26-year-old Jackson or turn the reins over to Rosenfels, who showed flashes of success while subbing for an injured Matt Schaub last year in Texas.

One thing is certain, though: making a run at Vick would be a big mistake for the Minnesota Vikings.