All Things 2023 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

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golf said:
Agree with above posters concerns about our defense.

Interior defensive line is arguably the worst in the league.
Inside linebackers possibly worst in league depending if Aasamoah can take a leap.
Have one cornerback we can feel certain about.
Safeties probly about league average.

If Addison is very good I will have no complaints, but this defense looks to be sorry at this point. Maybe Flores is a miracle worker.
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Really good article in The Athletic about how Kwesi continues to look down the road and not just what's immediately in front of them when it comes to drafting; particularly why they drafted a WR like Addison instead of going defense.

Why The Vikings Drafted Addison Instead of Defense

>>"Before Thursday night, the Vikings had three main pass catchers on their roster: Justin Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in the NFL; Hockenson, who was acquired and thrust into a role as the No. 2 option; and K.J. Osborn, who occupied a glue-guy position as a blocker and route runner who opened up multiple concepts. Jefferson is in line for a record-breaking extension. Hockenson is entering the final season of his contract and has also earned a hefty extension. Osborn, meanwhile, could hit free agency after the 2023 season.

>>"The short-term view, however, is only a fraction of Adofo-Mensah’s considerations. He knows the price tags that will come with Jefferson and Hockenson extensions. He is aware Osborn could become a free agent. Pool those factors together and Adofo-Mensah realizes that adding an impact player at a premium position — which is going to become quite cost-effective — will provide the Vikings the best long-term chance of building a sustainable roster.
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Really good article in The Athletic about how Kwesi continues to look down the road and not just what's immediately in front of them when it comes to drafting; particularly why they drafted a WR like Addison instead of going defense.

Why The Vikings Drafted Addison Instead of Defense

>>"Before Thursday night, the Vikings had three main pass catchers on their roster: Justin Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in the NFL; Hockenson, who was acquired and thrust into a role as the No. 2 option; and K.J. Osborn, who occupied a glue-guy position as a blocker and route runner who opened up multiple concepts. Jefferson is in line for a record-breaking extension. Hockenson is entering the final season of his contract and has also earned a hefty extension. Osborn, meanwhile, could hit free agency after the 2023 season.

>>"The short-term view, however, is only a fraction of Adofo-Mensah’s considerations. He knows the price tags that will come with Jefferson and Hockenson extensions. He is aware Osborn could become a free agent. Pool those factors together and Adofo-Mensah realizes that adding an impact player at a premium position — which is going to become quite cost-effective — will provide the Vikings the best long-term chance of building a sustainable roster.
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Correct, if Addison pans out there are no complaints. Fact is that we just have too many holes, mostly defensive, than can be fixed in one off-season. Especially considering our salary cap situation.
 

golf said:
Correct, if Addison pans out there are no complaints. Fact is that we just have too many holes, mostly defensive, than can be fixed in one off-season. Especially considering our salary cap situation.
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For sure, but one way to look at it is, from the defensive team that finished the season (abysmally, we should note), the Vikings will be adding:

- CB Byron Murphy
- CB Booth
- CB Evans
- CB J. Williams
- S L. Cine
- OLB Marcus Davenport
- DL Dean Lowry
- LB Troy Reeder

They've still got work to do, no doubt, but I don't think it's as bad is it might seem. Flores is supposed to be a very good DB coach. They lost PP in the D backfield but he's not what he used to be either. Murphy will be a major upgrade, one of the first CB #1's the Vikings have had in a while
 





Bob_Loblaw said:
the difference between a 1st round WR and a third round WR in this draft is much much greater than the differences in CB.
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Well, this is kinda the whole thing, isn't it?

Clearly, they agree with your assertion/conjecture here. So it's convenient for you to throw it out here, since you can just point to that they did it.


Not sure I buy that the other way around wasn't the correct play. Oh well, I don't get paid jack s__t for my thoughts.
 



Ope3 said:
You are acting as though the draft is over. There are several other selections to be made which can assist the porous defense.
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There are several other selections to be made which can assist the minor opening "need" in the WR corps.

I say defense 1st and WR 3rd round was correct. I can't be proven wrong.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
We should give the keys to the entire franchise over to the guy we just hired who sued his second to last employer. No questions asked.
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Lawsuit for being discriminated against in head coach hiring, not at all applicable to giving our defensive coordinator players he needs.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Personally, I wouldn't have hated a CB either but WR was our second biggest need. Our biggest need is still DT.

We spent a lot of draft capital last year on CBs and just signed Murphy. Our defense will stink next year, but it seemed pretty obvious to me that the staff (or maybe the front office) wants to roll out with Booth, Evans and Murphy.
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Oh. So not our biggest need, just the 2nd biggest need. OK. Then if you had said that, I wouldn't have replied that way.

Your comment on the CB room seems perfectly fine ...... so draft Nolan Smith. Or a DL.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Even if KJ is better than Addison going forward, I imagine we'll run a lot of 3 WR sets. It was a massive need. I don't know if Addison is the guy, but WR was a glaring need.

Why hire Flores? I think he'll be okay. He is used to coaching teams that have WRs.
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Disagree "massive" "need". We do in fact have other WR on the team. Even a guy who was drafted before JJ! They were also high on Nailor. Oh well, sorry kid, it's just business.


So we used a first rounder on a guy who is .... what? Going to take targets away from Justin Jefferson??
 



on the defense - I would offer this note of caution before freaking out:

things on defense might look a lot different under Flores as opposed to Ed D.

granted, given a choice I would take "better players" every time - but changes in scheme, techniques and different coaching can make a difference.

So I am willing to wait and see what the defense looks like next season before proclaiming that everything is doom and gloom.

A good coaching staff can find ways to accentuate a player's strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. call me crazy, but I somehow suspect that might not have been happening under Donatell.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Man, every year, it's crazy how the team that drafts a guy is the only team out of 32 professional organizations that got it right on that guy. Every year.

Yep, Vikings outsmarted them all!
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How did you get that from the post? No is saying that. Teams have different schemes, this guy does pretty well in man and zone and could be a really good fit for this team.
 

GophersInIowa said:
How did you get that from the post? No is saying that. Teams have different schemes, this guy does pretty well in man and zone and could be a really good fit for this team.
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The guy was essentially saying what I was commenting on. Somehow, the Vikings outsmarted every other team, and snagged this such obvious guy all the way down at #102. What were the others thinking??

Whatever, all good. Happens every year. NFL is the world's biggest marketing/hype machine.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
on the defense - I would offer this note of caution before freaking out:

things on defense might look a lot different under Flores as opposed to Ed D.

granted, given a choice I would take "better players" every time - but changes in scheme, techniques and different coaching can make a difference.

So I am willing to wait and see what the defense looks like next season before proclaiming that everything is doom and gloom.

A good coaching staff can find ways to accentuate a player's strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. call me crazy, but I somehow suspect that might not have been happening under Donatell.
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How can adding good players on defense in the draft hurt that effort??

If it can't hurt, then it can only help ...
 



Gophers_4life said:
How can adding good players on defense in the draft hurt that effort??

If it can't hurt, then it can only help ...
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the point is - even if the Vikes do not add a 1st-round can't miss player on defense, there is still room for improvement on the defense through better coaching and different schemes.

I'm responding to the people who were bent out of shape because the Vikes went with an offensive player in the 1st round instead of addressing defensive concerns.

maybe - just maybe - the Vikes' brain trust thinks they have some players on defense who have room for improvement under a new coach and a different approach - which in turn means the Vikes' brain trust felt they could use a pick to help the offense.
 


Gophers_4life said:
The guy was essentially saying what I was commenting on. Somehow, the Vikings outsmarted every other team, and snagged this such obvious guy all the way down at #102. What were the others thinking??

Whatever, all good. Happens every year. NFL is the world's biggest marketing/hype machine.
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Yeah, you're reading too much into it. He just said he likes the pick and thinks he'll work well in the scheme.
 



Gophers_4life said:
There are several other selections to be made which can assist the minor opening "need" in the WR corps.

I say defense 1st and WR 3rd round was correct. I can't be proven wrong.
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Why would you go wide receiver in the third round when we don't need one?

And who was the defensive player we should have picked at 23?
 

Didn’t say no need, said need (far) less than all of defense.

Irreverent question. I simply would’ve said “Brian, who do you want? Done.”
 


Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
For sure, but one way to look at it is, from the defensive team that finished the season (abysmally, we should note), the Vikings will be adding:

- CB Byron Murphy
- CB Booth
- CB Evans
- CB J. Williams
- S L. Cine
- OLB Marcus Davenport
- DL Dean Lowry
- LB Troy Reeder

They've still got work to do, no doubt, but I don't think it's as bad is it might seem. Flores is supposed to be a very good DB coach. They lost PP in the D backfield but he's not what he used to be either. Murphy will be a major upgrade, one of the first CB #1's the Vikings have had in a while
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As you say, hopefully Flores can bring the best out of all those on your list. At this point the only ones I feel confident about are Murphy and maybe Davenport
 


We probably should now draft some people over 190 pounds.
 

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