Drew Radovich & Dan Mozes

i just thought this was good info that i pick up about OL just wanted to share those that didnt fined this ...also wanted to get some of your opinions ...while were in this part of the boring off season... 

One of the more interesting free agents signed this year is Drew Radovich, who was an outstanding starting offensive lineman for Southern California.

After the Vikings selected USC quarterback John David Booty in the NFL draft, I was talking on the phone to Trojans coach Pete Carroll. At the time he'd had 10 players drafted in the early rounds, and he was shocked Radovich hadn't been drafted.

Carroll told me the 6-5, 305-pound Radovich was one of the better offensive linemen he had coached, and he thought some team was going to get a real bargain if he wasn't drafted and signed him as a free agent.

And I wonder if Carroll, being close to Vikings director of college scouting Scott Studwell, might have recommended him to the team.

"We thought Radovich was a draftable player," Morris said. "As we went through the draft, he slipped through the cracks like some guys do. I think maybe because all of those people from USC were drafted. But I think he's got a great chance [here] at right tackle and right guard.

"He knows how to win, he's played with winning teams, he's played with winning quarterbacks. He has practiced against good people, so we're looking forward to him possibly competing for a position."

Mozes, a 6-3, 293-pound lineman who was making a good impression in training camp last year as a free agent until he tore an ACL in his right knee in a scrimmage with Kansas City in August.

"He was making a lot of progress playing both center and guard," Vikings offensive line coach Pat Morris said. "Most of these OTA [organized team activities] days, he's going to be playing basically center and maybe a little spotting at left guard. He showed some potential but obviously he got hurt.

"We saw him as a good athlete that can play both positions. He's quick, he's done a great job in the offseason in recovering. The key is going to be how he comes off that knee. According to our trainers and everything, he's fully recovered."

just to add some more to this

"Another lineman the Vikings signed as a free agent who was on their draft board was Tim Mattran, who went to Chaska High School and played center and left tackle at Stanford. They also drafted Notre Dame center John Sullivan in the sixth round."

i think when you look at what we did in the draft was shore up alot on that line ...as you can see we picked up guys from some great college team from good systems ...and as i see it mount macs time is ticking ....imo

Strengths:

Good size and a large frame...Really strong and tough...Decent range and can get to the second level...Has a terrific motor...Pretty quick...Nice footwork...A excellent pass protector...Smart with great awareness...Hard worker...Has some versatility.

Weaknesses:

Not very athletic or agile...Does not always play with proper leverage...Might lack a killer instinct...Struggles to recover when he's beat...Does not get a great push in the run game...Has to use his hands better...Isn't overly powerful or dominant.

Notes:

Father Mark was a linebacker at Arizona State...Has experience at both guard and tackle...A good all-around player who doesn't have one thing he hangs his hat on but does everything well...At worst a valuable backup and could conceivably start.

dribbz my brother , You may be right about Darren Sharper and Matt Birk . . . But I sure hope not . Matt Birk personifies the Minnesota Vikings , and it would be a shame to see him any where else . I'd like to see him smoothly morph from starting center to mentoring backup to the Vikings O-line coaching staff . . . Unlikely , but I think the Vikings would do well to consider going this route . Of course , Birk would have to agree as well , and he may have other plans . ( damnit )