So now Ben Tate is a Viking??

[JP Z]

That was a lot of salary to take on, had they waited to see if he cleared waivers I don't think the Vikes would have had to pay it, it would have been on the Browns. I guess with Asiata down with a concussion and the coaches not big on McKinnon this makes sense. I do think it kinda shows that AP isn't coming back anytime soon.

[mrklean]

Looks like both the Cards and Colts had a claim on him but the Vikes had priority with the worse record.

[TR21HP]

jpz, you're not going to see Peterson in a Vikes uniform again IMO. Tate is just a body to fill the position.

[JP Z]

Yeah, I'm not holding my breath. But I just mean the vikes actually jumped on him before he cleared so that means they are willing to pay his contract. The others Cards/Colts waited so they wouldn't have been on the hook for his big contract he signed this offseason.

And yeah, AP isn't coming back to MN.

[nofishfisherman]

From what I've read both he Colts and Cards put in a claim on him meaning they would have been on the hook for his salary as well if their claims had gone through. The vikes just had the worst record of the three so we got him.

Given our two current backs both have injury issues its not a big surprise they brought in warm body. Even if AP wins his appeal and plays in the next couple weeks Tate may still be needed as a back up if Asiata and McKinnon aren't 100%.

I wouldn't look at Tate as anything more than a fill in for this year. They'll likely look to find a permanent solution in the off season whether that be AP, another free agent, or someone through the draft.

[nofishfisherman]

Looks like the Vikings will owe Tate a base salary of $352,941 plus $46,875 for each game he's on the roster. Thats $634,191 for the rest of the season, not really that much money if he is your starting RB.

Tate's contract isn't guaranteed in 2015 so they could dump him and owe him nothing after the season.

[JP Z]

Well I stand corrected, thanks nofish. So not a bad investment I guess.

[nofishfisherman]

Purely by the numbers it doesn't seem terrible but I guess time will tell. If he puts up more numbers like his last game (2 carries for -9 yards) then $1 would be too much to spend on the guy. If those kind of numbers are what the vikings need I can say with confidence that I can run for -5 yards every play, simple as taking the hand off and immediately curling up in the fetal position hoping that no one over 300 pounds falls on me.

[pikestabber]

I can say with confidence that I can run for -5 yards every play, simple as taking the hand off and immediately curling up in the fetal position hoping that no one over 300 pounds falls on me.

I can say with confidence that Matt Kalil, having been blasted back on his rear, WOULD fall on you on a consistent basis, and he's listed at 308. It was okay to dream, though

[FISHINGURU]

Tate is better then Asiata that's for sure. We pretty much got him for dirt cheap and if we wouldn't of got him off waivers he would of never cleared anyway.