All Things 2022 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

The Athletic: Minnesota Vikings: Why should they be optimistic looking ahead to the 2022 season?

Chad: I could look really foolish here since I’m starting with a 37-year-old who has never been a full-time play caller, let alone a head coach, in the NFL. But when I’m looking for reasons to be optimistic, I’m starting with Kevin O’Connell.

The Vikings are coming out of an era in which they were lapped by the rest of the league when it came to innovation on offense. They remained in a balanced scheme for far too long, one that didn’t integrate the concepts that were leading to success in Los Angeles and San Francisco and Green Bay. In a copycat league, the Vikings took far too long to copy the good teams.

Now, though, O’Connell is tweaking the playbook Sean McVay designed — one that led the Rams to a Super Bowl win — and tailoring it to Kirk Cousins and the strengths of the Vikings roster. If all goes according to plan, that should lead to improvements from the quarterback and a massive season for Justin Jefferson.

Though the Vikings will be more pass-happy than in recent years, I expect Dalvin Cook to play a massive role and for O’Connell to mesh McVay’s scheme with one that better utilizes the heavy formations the Vikings roster favors.

Perhaps I’m giving too much credit to a coach before Week 1, but I’ve been impressed by O’Connell and the way he has begun installing his scheme during practices. So when looking for reasons to be optimistic, I’m starting there.

Arif, what about you?


Skol Vikes!!
 



Sorry, had to go back and revisit some opinions from last offseason! OUCH!!!

Well, they're still missing a QB. Who thought Russ would be a worse version of Christian Ponder this season? If Denver just scored the 21 ppg NFL median this season, they'd be 10-5.
 
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Well, they're still missing a QB. Who thought Russ would be a worse version of Christian Ponder this season? If Denver just scored the 21 ppg NFL median this season, they'd be 10-5.
Broncos have damn good talent. They've lost 8, one score games.

That's because their qb is hideous. Who saw that coming?
 

I wonder the cost, especially with his propensity to get injured?
I would rather have Trey Lance vs. Jimmy G. Problem with Lance is you trade for him and he sits behind cousins next year. Then he takes over in 2024, but you only get him cheap for 1 year before you have to pay him. That’s not a problem if he’s bad, but it’s a problem if he’s good.
 





I would rather have Trey Lance vs. Jimmy G. Problem with Lance is you trade for him and he sits behind cousins next year. Then he takes over in 2024, but you only get him cheap for 1 year before you have to pay him. That’s not a problem if he’s bad, but it’s a problem if he’s good.
Could we sign him to a new "rookie deal", making 2023 like his first year being drafted again?

I'm sure that could technically be done? But he/his agent would never allow it, and probably would get very strong blowback or outright threats from players to not take a deal like that so as to not set that precedent.
 





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