Vikings should take a risk on Vick

Tarvaris Frerotte: two scary words for Viking fans that summarize the team's 2008 quarterback situation.

All-pro Atlanta Falcon and former ringmaster of "Bad Newz Kennels," Michael Vick, is due to be released from prison July 20 after serving time for fighting dogs and Falcon's general manager Thomas Dimitroff has said the team will trade Vick's rights.

The Vikings and Vick would be a perfect match.

Some naysayers would question Vick's long layoff and argue that a team cannot succeed with a player who has been out of the game for over a year and a half. Some would question weather dog-fighting would fit into owner Zigmund Wilf and head coach Brad Childress "Code of Conduct."

While NFL football is in an entirely different galaxy than the prison yard ball Vick has been dominating of late, Vick will come out of prison a better quarterback than both of the prospective incumbent Viking signal callers.

Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte combined for 21 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and four lost fumbles, guiding the team to a 10-6 regular season record in 2008.

These numbers do not appear to be too bad, but if you take away a 35-14 victory over a then hapless Arizona Cardinals where Jackson threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions, the two had more turnovers than touchdowns.

In addition to a poor statistical season the two can be credited for being the sole cause of at least three of the six defeats. Jackson gave the first game of the season away when he threw a strike to Green Bay's Atari Bigby on a game-ending drive resulting in a 24-19 Packers victory.

Frerotte followed up Jackson's performance with four interceptions in a 48-41 loss to the Chicago Bears. Frerotte's last toss ended up in the hands of the Bears' Zack Bowman.

Finally Jackson gave the Atlanta Falcons an early Christmas present on Dec. 21, losing two out of three fumbles. The third set up a next to impossible fourth and 16 on the final offensive play of for the Vikings.

When people thought the Vikings quarterback play couldn't possibly hurt the team more, T-Jack stepped up in a big way. Jackson gave away any hopes of a playoff victory with a perfectly thrown ball that the Eagles' Asante Samuel returned to the endzone for a touchdown.

Now back to that "Code of Conduct." While Ziggy and Chile have used the code to rid the team of players such as Dwight Smith and Koren Robinson, the Vikings brass has shown that they are willing to bend the code for the right talent level.

At a similar time last year the team moved a first round pick for the Kansas City's Jared Allen, even though he came with three citations for DUI and a horrid relationship with the Chief's front office.

Allen went onto have a All Pro season with the Vikings, finishing with 14.5 sacks and 54 tackles despite playing with knee and shoulder problems throughout.

The Vikings should not have to part with anything near a first round pick for Vick as the Falcons appear ready to move on with Matt Ryan and would most likely trade Vick below value. But Vick could have just as big an impact as Allen.

Vick's career statistics would be an upgrade over Frerotte and Jackson. Vick has thrown for 11,505 yards and rushed for 3,859. He has produced 92 total touchdowns while only turning the ball over 79 times.

Vick also knows how to play in the Metrodome. Vick set a single game NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 173 in 2002. Included in those 173 yards was a 46-yard overtime touchdown scamper that left the home crowd stunned, amazed and perplexed. For good measure, Vick threw for 173 yards and a touchdown and added a 28-yard TD rush in the game.

The addition of Vick's duel-threat capabilities to an already impressive Vikings ground game that includes Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor could pose significant matchup problems for any NFL defense. This should open up the passing game to Bernard Berrian and the rest of the receiving core.

It should be noted that aside from dog-fighting, Vick has been a model citizen. Along with his brother Marcus, Vick has run "The Vick Foundation," a nonprofit organization that provides after school activities for youths in downtown Atlanta. Vick donated $10,000 to families affected by the tragic shootings at his college, Virginia Tech in 2007.

While starting an ex-dog-fighter at QB might not be the best for public relations, NFL players are paid for one reason-to win. And that is not something the Vikings are going to do anytime soon with Jackson or Frerotte.