All Things 2021 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

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So the Vikes are going to have another leaky offensive line playing in front of a statue who has an accurate arm but needs t-i-m-e. A recipe for another frustrating year.
 

jamiche said:
So the Vikes are going to have another leaky offensive line playing in front of a statue who has an accurate arm but needs t-i-m-e. A recipe for another frustrating year.
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It's pure guesswork and speculation but both writers have the Vikings signing G Kevin Zeitler who was released by the Giants, who the Vikings have been interested in before. One of them has Nick Easton returning for the other G spot and the other has Forest Lamp from the Chargers. Both see them keeping O'Neill at RT and sliding Cleveland to LT where he's more comfortable. Big shoes to fill for the young man, and a lot of wishing/hoping that his struggles last year were because he's not a Guard.

We'll see. Zeitler is fairly decent and would fill a huge gaping hole.
 


Gopher_In_NYC said:
Capologists, does this and the other cuts get us where we need to be with the new cap number released yesterday??

I'll hand up and listen - txs.
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I'm not sure where they are right now as it pertains to their 2021 cap of $187M (the Vikings have the league's $182.5 and $4.5 carried over from last year) but the article talks about possibly creating more cap space with potential moves like

- restructuring Harrison Smith
- cutting Shamar Stephen
- redoing the contract of someone like Thielen to convert bonus money/guaranteed money, etc
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
I'm not sure where they are right now as it pertains to their 2021 cap of $187M (the Vikings have the league's $182.5 and $4.5 carried over from last year) but the article talks about possibly creating more cap space with potential moves like

- restructuring Harrison Smith
- cutting Shamar Stephen
- redoing the contract of someone like Thielen to convert bonus money/guaranteed money, etc
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Thanks.
 


Saw some talk about signing this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Thuney

Pats franchise tag last year for about $15M. More than we paid Reiff. No idea if we can afford him.

Would still need to either move Cleveland to LT (which probably needs to happen anyway) and draft(? or sign) another guard.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Capologists, does this and the other cuts get us where we need to be with the new cap number released yesterday??

I'll hand up and listen - txs.
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They're like $8 million under the cap now. So technically yes. Practically, no. As they now need a LT and LG. They will have to do further restructures to have enough cap room to do anything meaningful. A lot of guys are being cut though, so there should be some decent players available at bargain rates.
 

howeda7 said:
They're like $8 million under the cap now. So technically yes. Practically, no. As they now need a LT and LG. They will have to do further restructures to have enough cap room to do anything meaningful. A lot of guys are being cut though, so there should be some decent players available at bargain rates.
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There's always that option of spending a high draft pick on an OL. I know, that makes Zimmer crap a brick at the mere thought.

Either gotta draft a franchise LT or move Cleveland there. Can't afford to sign a great free agent? I think Cleveland has been the plan.

But then no way we will be competitive with two guards being guys who were on last year's roster. Ain't gonna happen. Would be a major, major disappointment to see Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia as the starting guards.

If that happens, I guarantee right now that the season will be a failure, and then in which case I hope Zim and Spiel get canned.
 
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MplsGopher said:
There's always that option of spending a high draft pick on an OL. I know, that makes Zimmer crap a brick at the mere thought.

Either gotta draft a franchise LT or move Cleveland there. Can't afford to sign a great free agent? I think Cleveland has been the plan.

But then no way we will be competitive with two guards being guys who were on last year's roster. Ain't gonna happen. Would be a major, major disappointment to see Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia as the starting guards.

If that happens, I guarantee right now that the season will be a failure, and then in which case I hope Zim and Spiel get canned.
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Cleveland takes one spot, whether guard or tackle. But right now you have 3 starting OL, Cleveland, Bradbury and O'Neil. You need two more one way or the other. If Cleveland is LT, you need two guards. It's rare to use 1st round picks on interior lineman though.
 



howeda7 said:
If Cleveland is LT, you need two guards. It's rare to use 1st round picks on interior lineman though.
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I'm just saying, if they think Dozier and Samia are going to start at guard, then you might as well not even play the season and just fire everyone.

Get. It. Done.
 

MplsGopher said:
There's always that option of spending a high draft pick on an OL. I know, that makes Zimmer crap a brick at the mere thought.

Either gotta draft a franchise LT or move Cleveland there. Can't afford to sign a great free agent? I think Cleveland has been the plan.

But then no way we will be competitive with two guards being guys who were on last year's roster. Ain't gonna happen. Would be a major, major disappointment to see Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia as the starting guards.

If that happens, I guarantee right now that the season will be a failure, and then in which case I hope Zim and Spiel get canned.
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From all the mock drafts I've seen, they'll grab a D-Lineman with their pick and address OL in second round - makes sense as they had the worse overall interior pressure in the league (stat measures DTs pass rush).
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
From all the mock drafts I've seen, they'll grab a D-Lineman with their pick and address OL in second round - makes sense as they had the worse overall interior pressure in the league (stat measures DTs pass rush).
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They don’t have a second rounder due to the Ngakoe trade. Spielman will probably package up the two third rounders for about 5 6th rounders.
Even if a stud OL falls to them in the first, I think there is about a 99% chance they go DE in the first.
 

MplsGopher said:
I'm just saying, if they think Dozier and Samia are going to start at guard, then you might as well not even play the season and just fire everyone.

Get. It. Done.
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This is likely to happen anyway. There is little chance with the room they have cap-wise and draft assets that they can fix their OL and DL this offseason.

How much is Hunter going to cost? All indications are he’ll hold out. I would say the market should be in the Vikes favor, but teams love to overspend on rush ends, so I don’t think it’ll matter.
 



forever a gopher said:
This is likely to happen anyway. There is little chance with the room they have cap-wise and draft assets that they can fix their OL and DL this offseason.

How much is Hunter going to cost? All indications are he’ll hold out. I would say the market should be in the Vikes favor, but teams love to overspend on rush ends, so I don’t think it’ll matter.
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Trade Hunter for two 1sts.
 

forever a gopher said:
This is likely to happen anyway. There is little chance with the room they have cap-wise and draft assets that they can fix their OL and DL this offseason.

How much is Hunter going to cost? All indications are he’ll hold out. I would say the market should be in the Vikes favor, but teams love to overspend on rush ends, so I don’t think it’ll matter.
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Maybe it's wishful thinking but from a few things I've read/listened to, it SOUNDS like the Hunter situation is not one they are that concerned about. By all accounts Zim and Spielman aren't worried about it, I hope they're right.

Still plenty of smoke around the Vikings picking up Zeitler in free agency. That would be a pretty good move, and shouldn't break the bank. A lot easier to fill one hole at G than two.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Maybe it's wishful thinking but from a few things I've read/listened to, it SOUNDS like the Hunter situation is not one they are that concerned about. By all accounts Zim and Spielman aren't worried about it, I hope they're right.

Still plenty of smoke around the Vikings picking up Zeitler in free agency. That would be a pretty good move, and shouldn't break the bank. A lot easier to fill one hole at G than two.
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Getting Zeitler would be big. Assuming, of course Cleveland is good at OT.
 


Gopher_In_NYC said:
From all the mock drafts I've seen, they'll grab a D-Lineman with their pick and address OL in second round - makes sense as they had the worse overall interior pressure in the league (stat measures DTs pass rush).
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Because our OG play, other than Cleveland when he was able to play, was disgustingly awful.
 


forever a gopher said:
They don’t have a second rounder due to the Ngakoe trade. Spielman will probably package up the two third rounders for about 5 6th rounders.
Even if a stud OL falls to them in the first, I think there is about a 99% chance they go DE in the first.
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My bad - the one I read on The Athletic a few weeks ago showed them having one.

Being a GM is a tough job - SMH .
 


GophersInIowa said:
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More evidence to the obvious; they are structuring the team to win what they can in 2021. I can't say it's the BEST move, but I can't exactly say they're screwed in the head. Teams with worse QB's than Cousins have won a lot of postseason games.

As shown by last season, they just don't have a lot of margin for error when it comes to injuries, etc. Losing someone again like Pierce or Hunter or even O'Neill or something would be catastrophic.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
More evidence to the obvious; they are structuring the team to win what they can in 2021. I can't say it's the BEST move, but I can't exactly say they're screwed in the head. Teams with worse QB's than Cousins have won a lot of postseason games.

As shown by last season, they just don't have a lot of margin for error when it comes to injuries, etc. Losing someone again like Pierce or Hunter or even O'Neill or something would be catastrophic.
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The vast majority of the ones that have won with worse QB play have had elite defenses. The Vikings no longer fall under that category.

I like Barr as a player- not as consistent as Kendricks, but has high athleticism that allows him to make some exciting plays. But for the way he is employed here, he is grossly overpaid. He is either better suited to be used in a 3-4 defense, or paid more like a traditional 4-3 OLB and use him in that way. It was posited that after we gave him is big payday after the filtration with the Jets that Zim would use him in a little different way to maximize his abilities. Of course, Zim is Zim, and he was used in the exact same way.

I'm guessing he'll be snatched up and paid in 2022, but I'd like to see him back in '22 under a contract more in line with how we use him. If he doesn't re-sign here, it just gives the new GM/coach more flexibility, so either way is probably a win.
 

forever a gopher said:
The vast majority of the ones that have won with worse QB play have had elite defenses. The Vikings no longer fall under that category.

I like Barr as a player- not as consistent as Kendricks, but has high athleticism that allows him to make some exciting plays. But for the way he is employed here, he is grossly overpaid. He is either better suited to be used in a 3-4 defense, or paid more like a traditional 4-3 OLB and use him in that way. It was posited that after we gave him is big payday after the filtration with the Jets that Zim would use him in a little different way to maximize his abilities. Of course, Zim is Zim, and he was used in the exact same way.

I'm guessing he'll be snatched up and paid in 2022, but I'd like to see him back in '22 under a contract more in line with how we use him. If he doesn't re-sign here, it just gives the new GM/coach more flexibility, so either way is probably a win.
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Yup. Everything I've heard is that Barr kinda wants to be more of an EDGE player (meaning, get paid for a premium position instead of LB). That's what the Jets were willing to let him do last year before he changed his mind and stayed with the Vikings. This is a chance for Barr to stay with the Vikings, increase his value, and hit the open market next year when teams are willing to spend a lot more money.

Here's hoping he has a massive year and gets paid somewhere else next year. Vikings need to draft for LB next month to prepare to fill holes at LB coming very soon, maybe not their 1st rounder, but mid-rounds for sure.
 

forever a gopher said:
But for the way he is employed here, he is grossly overpaid. He is either better suited to be used in a 3-4 defense, or paid more like a traditional 4-3 OLB and use him in that way.
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Could you elaborate on this (or post a link that does), please? Thank you!
 

Yeah, seems like 2021 deep run or bust. They better get some guards, is all I have to say.

If Hunter and Pierce come back and have great years, and like was said if we get really lucky with injuries .... we do have a chance to have another 2017 like run, I guess?
 

Well, there goes one domino or potential piece the Vikings could have added; Ravens re-signed OG Kevin Zeitler apparently. That sucks. The market just got thinner for adding to the OL
 

MplsGopher said:
Could you elaborate on this (or post a link that does), please? Thank you!
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This link lumps all DE and OLB in 3-4 as "edge rushers", which basically leaves all non-rushing LB in their LB category. Currently, Barr is the 7th highest paid LB in the league. He is currently making about $1MM less than Hunter.

https://overthecap.com/position/linebacker/
 


Chiefs got former Pats guard Joe Thuney.

Better draft some guards (at least one solid one) then, or we're F'ed.
 

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