TAKING STOCK: 2022 MINNESOTA VIKINGS

BY ADAM GREENE

Mike Zimmer’s tenure as Minnesota Vikings head coach ended pretty much par for the course. His team finished around .500 and could never string more than a couple of wins together at a time. They beat the teams they should have been able to beat, but anytime they faced a real test, they failed most of the time.

They did manage a big win over the Green Bay Packers and one over the Los Angeles Chargers, but in the end all they managed to was mess up their draft position with those. Zimmer is now unemployed and the Vikings have hit the coaching and front office reset button.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

2021-22 Record: 8-9, second place NFC Northt

Playoffs: N/A

NOW WHAT?

Super Bowl Champion offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell of the Los Angeles Rams has been tapped to take over as the Vikings’ new head coach. They’re forgoing any rebuild for a reason. This is a team loaded with offensive talent with two of the league’s best wide receivers in Justin Jefferson (108 catches, 1,616 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Adam Thielen (67 catches 726 yards, 10 touchdowns) as well as running back Dalvin Cook (249 carries, 1,159 yards, six rushing touchdowns), a top 10 pick in every fantasy football draft on the planet.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins can put up the numbers, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Those look like winning stats, but Cousins has a knack of only showing up when it matters the least.

O’Connell coached Cousins in Washington and likes him. If it’s going to work in Minnesota, and this is the last year it can, then the Vikings hired the right man to get it done.

FREE AGENCY

The Vikings are, as of this writing, $14.725 million over the cap. That’s not insurmountable, but the problem is it takes some restructuring and you only do that with players you’re sure you want to keep in the long term. When they get that together, they need to focus on serviceable and affordable offensive line and the defensive backfield A guy like Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff, Alex Lewis or Lakim Tomlinson would fit the bill up front.

At corner, players that have toiled away on losing teams could be more than willing to jump on a Vikings team that should contend for a playoff spot. Justin Coleman and Desmond King should be affordable starters to fit that role. O’Connell could also snipe a former Rams player in Darious Williams.

DRAFT

Speaking of the Viking’ need at corner, I had them taking Ahmad Gardner out of Cincinnati with the No. 12 overall pick in my mock draft. Minnesota is in good shape in that they already have so many of the high value skill positions covered, so they can really focus on grabbing pass rushers and maybe even a quarterback if one falls to them in the second or third round.

NFC NORTH

With Aaron Rodgers’ future in Green Bay up for grabs, there’s a chance the Packers’ iron grip on the division will be significantly loosened. If the reigning MVP does jump ship, Minnesota is the team best position to claim the top spot. Cousins is an NFL starter, but he needs help. O’Connell can do it with his playcalling, but regardless this team tops out at best in the 2022-23 Divisional Round.

But considering their recent history, that’s not a bad thing.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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