Belisle’s Burning Takes: The Long View on Vikings Rookies
Austin Belisle
|
I’m an impatient person, always have been. Few things bother me more than arriving late, missing a deadline, or procrastinating to the last minute. Not only do I want to get things done well, but I want to finish them now.
Time, if you couldn’t tell, is a valuable, if limited resource in my life. I like to say there are never enough hours in the day, and most days, that old adage rings true. Between sleep, work, the Vikings, and my attempts at a regular social life, I’m constantly fighting the revolving hands on my wristwatch.
I think these stressors apply to most people, and in the context of Vikings Territory, to the Minnesota Vikings. When analyzing the Vikings, we often talk about championship windows and the likelihood that “this is the year” they win their first Super Bowl.
Franchises feel the pressure to beat Father Time, much as we do when we dart through rush hour traffic or scramble to turn in a last-minute assignment. Only, for the Vikings, the stakes are that much higher. An underwhelming draft class, veteran regression, or injury can mean all the difference between playoff contention and bottom-feeder status.
And unlike the real world, where time is concrete, the idea is an en ever-shifting enigma in the NFL. The addition of one or two top-flight rookies, for example, might push the window open ever so slightly. But an injury to a core contributor can just as easily slam it shut. Within the stretch of a 16-game regular season, a team’s run to the Super Bowl can begin or end in an instant, often times without their control.
This idea brings me back to the 2017 Minnesota Vikings, who on paper, look the part of a playoff dark horse. I’m encouraged by the team’s free agent signings and rookie selections, many of whom should open the season as starters. Injury remains a concern at key positions — offensive line, cornerback — but general manager Rick Spielman has built what is collectively one of the NFL’s deepest rosters.
If you ask me, the championship window has never been wider. That doesn’t mean the Vikings are in win-now mode, but the opportunity to return to the postseason is well within grasp.
On offense, Sam Bradford is set to face the league’s easiest passing schedule, and buoyed by a revitalized running game, could put up career numbers. Defensively, Zimmer’s most valuable starters — Xavier Rhodes, Linval Joseph, Harrison Smith — are locked into contracts through at least 2021, with more likely to follow in the coming years.
The time, as I mentioned above, is now.
Pat Eflein will be Minnesota’s most valuable 2017 draft pick
Speaking of now, the Vikings have two rookies — Dalvin Cook and Elflein — who should begin the 2017 season in the starting lineup. While both have been impressive in extended exhibition action, it’s Cook who sparks the most excitement for a starved fan base.
The decisiveness, short-area burst, and vision that made Cook a potential first-round talent are showing up early in Minnesota, giving hope he’ll step right in as Adrian Peterson’s long-term replacement. Cook is surely going to make a more immediate, tangible impact for the Vikings, but long-term, the selection of Elflein should pay dividends for the franchise.
This preseason, the offensive line has enjoyed its fair share of Elflein’s tenacity as a starting center and guard. He’s suffered the expected lumps of every rookie lineman, but he’s also shown a willingness to square up with above-average defensive lines in Buffalo and Seattle.
There’s no guarantee Elflein becomes the VIkings’ version of Travis Frederick, but the potential is certainly there for a future as Minnesota’s stalwart center. Waiting for that to happen, though, will require plenty of patience; playing once again on the idea of time.
Last season, the Vikings’ offense suffered in all phases, with the catalyst being an injury-riddled, underwhelming offensive line. A lack of depth doomed the unit, forcing the front office to bring in players like Andre Smith and Jake Long from off the street.
In Elflein, the Vikings now have in-house options if another interior offensive is lost to injury. Not only can he play center, but Elflein started games in college at both left and right guard. He’s a Swiss Army knife of sorts, capable of sliding to his right or left if Alex Boone or Joe Berger misses any time.
That’s not to say Elflein should be the offensive line’s puzzle piece; the team drafted him early to be the guy in the middle of the unit. But having a player with the skill set and ability to move around should give comfort to the franchise and fan base, alike.
His presence automatically creates depth at any of the three positions and allows the team flexibility in future drafts, if of course, he becomes John Sullivan 2.0. Cook and Elflein are valuable in their own right, but Elflein’s long-term prospects make him a key to the offensive future in Minnesota.
Benoit’s tweets were surprisingly accurate
Andy Benoit catches plenty of flack for his 140-character analysis, and deservedly so. Many of his takes don’t stand the test of time, as shown by the recent experiment conducted by our friends at Daily Norseman.
He once called Willie Beavers an ‘X-Factor’ and tweeted about Phil Loadholt’s future with the team, 11 days after Loadholt retired from professional football. I’ll admit, many of Benoit’s tweets make me cringe, but his long form analysis is much stronger fodder for the average football fan.
So, when Benoit’s most recent tweet storm on the Vikings began, I worried he’d continue the trend of way-out-of-left-field takes. Surprisingly, most of his thoughts and comments echoed my own ruminations on the team.
Benoit praised Stefon Diggs, lauded Adam Thielen’s work on fade routes, and complimented Bradford’s arm talent; all points I share with the maligned analyst. But when he proclaimed the tackle situation “fixed,” I had to stop myself from laughing.
Sure, Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers are upgrades over the Bad News Bears of 2016, but “fixed” is only applicable after a season’s worth of solid protection under their belts. Benoit also questioned Kyle Rudolph’s ability as an inline blocker, which comes as a head scratcher given Rudolph’s extended focus on that area of his game in recent seasons.
Other than those tweets, I couldn’t knock many of Benoit ‘s other notes. He heaped bunches of positivity on the defense while raising many of the questions those who follow the team have entering 2017. I can stand behind this iteration of Benoit’s own burning takes, but I have no doubt he’ll fire off a few mistakes as the season progresses.
We’re about four hours away from kickoff between the Vikings and San Francisco 49ers, giving you plenty of time to catch up on all things Vikings Territory. If my takes are too hot for you, let me know on Twitter!
Call me out at @austincbelisle, or leave a comment below.