Vikings at 1st-Time-in-10-Years Crossroad
The Minnesota Vikings slid into a dreaded 0-3 hole to start the season on Sunday, losing to the Los Angeles Chargers 28-24 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Vikings at 1st-Time-in-10-Years Crossroad
Only six teams in NFL history have fixed an 0-3 start to a season and later reached the playoffs. And just 2.5% (four teams) have done so since the NFL expanded its playoff format to 12 teams in 1990. Of course, 14 teams now participate in the postseason, so more teams will eventually inflate the stat.
The team’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. has explained how his franchise is amid a “competitive rebuild” since he took over in January 2022, and the rebuild part of that slogan is transpiring before folks’ eyes through three weeks of 2023.
Meanwhile, at 0-3, with a low probability of morphing into a playoff contender and a high likelihood of netting a fancy draft pick, the Vikings are a foundational crossroad for the first time in 10 years. Here’s why.
A “Now What?” at QB
Above all else, Vikings fans do not know what the club will do at QB1 beyond 2023. In 2013, folks were realizing Christian Ponder had a limited ceiling, probably not the franchise quarterback that everyone desired. Matt Cassel was a short-term solution. Josh Freeman signed for an awful-but-memorable game.
Kirk Cousins has performed 1000% more efficiently than the Ponder-Cassel-Freeman sandwich, but it just isn’t making any difference. Plus, he’s playing on the final year of his contract, not attached to the Vikings books after 2023.
In theory, Minnesota could re-sign Cousins for 2024 and hope for the best, but does anyone truly believe 2024 or 2025 would be any different than 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023? Too, Cousins will likely cost about $45 million per season. That pricetag for a possible 0-3 start in 2024 is not appetizing.
Like 2013, Vikings faithful are wondering what’s next at quarterback, even if the 35-year-old passer looks pretty damn sharp on Sundays.
Some of the Personnel Pieces Are There
During the 2013 campaign, Adrian Peterson was still cooking, and no one knew the off-the-field transgressions would derail his 2014 campaign. Harrison Smith was a second-year defender who could be used to build a defense. Kyle Rudolph’s ascent to a Top 10 tight end was underway. Defensive end Everson Griffen would break out about a year later.
Now, Minnesota employs Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Christian Darrisaw — foundational cornerstones barring injury. With those three men, plus Jordan Addison on the rise, the Vikings offense has the ingredients to hum, but the path forward at QB1 — and everywhere else — is unclear.
“At least we have Jefferson” feels like a common sentiment among the team’s fans.
Generalized Mystery about Next Steps
One difference from 2013 is the leadership situation. The Vikings will remain committed to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell for the long haul, unlike 2013, when most knew head coach Leslie Frazier was on the way out.
Still, the organization’s direction is mysterious. Will they simply re-sign Cousins and hope for the best, maybe with enhanced offensive and defensive trenches? It might work. Does Adofo-Mensah swing for the fences in a rich quarterback draft, as Rick Spielman attempted in 2014 with Teddy Bridgewater? Or will the club seek the trade market for a QB1 like Kyler Murray, who could be available if the Arizona Cardinals pursue Caleb Williams in seven months?
There are more questions than answers about the 2013 Vikings, and such was the case for the 2013 Vikings. Talented players provide hope, but folks don’t really know what Minnesota will do next if Minnesota cannot defy history by fixing the 0-3 start.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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