Vikings Have Huge New Bargaining Chip for Free Agents
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings are the place to be. No other team in the NFL offers the facilities, player treatment, or coaches that the Vikings do.
That’s the word from NFLPA, as the association released its inaugural “team report cards” Wednesday, and the Vikings topped the list.
Vikings Have Huge New Bargaining Chip for Free Agents
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted, “The NFLPA is releasing its first-ever team report cards based on surveying roughly 1,300 players. Ranking No. 1 overall in football facilities, staff, and overall treatment of players: the Vikings, followed by the Dolphins at 2 and Raiders at 3.”
Over one thousand players were surveyed, and a sample collectively gave the Vikings an A+ grade, a mark only matched by the aforementioned Dolphins and Raiders. By these categories, Minnesota is the gold standard:
- Treatment of families
- Good service/nutrition
- Weight room
- Strength coaches
- Training room
- Training staff
- Locker room
- Team travel
The high grade is especially noteworthy because new leadership took over the Vikings just one year ago. The previous regime was known for prickliness down the stretch of its tenure, so the atmosphere and culture must’ve truly transformed in one offseason.
The NFLPA described the origins of the new report cards, “During the last two years, the board of representatives has discussed ways to improve the information available to free agents making decisions about their prospective clubs and decided to pursue the development of “club report cards” that, while not a scientific survey, would report the quantitative and qualitative opinions of NFL players about their respective clubs.”
“The club report card includes an overview, which is a summary of the players’ responses and opinions about the club workplace and specifically about how players perceived clubs’ commitment to workplace issues,” the NFLPA concluded about its new process.
The Washington Commanders somehow fetched an F- grade, a score most thought was only available via comedy skits and such.
“The questionnaire also sought to elicit the opinion of players on some issues that have a direct impact on the quality of life for NFL players,” according to the survey, so the Vikings evidently care enormously about players within their walls.
The entire NFC North actually faired well. The Green Bay Packers ranked 6th, the Chicago Bears 13th, and Detroit Lions 15th.
Other teams ranking near the bottom included the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, and of course, the Commanders with the unthinkable F-.
The reports cards were released just 12 days before NFL free agents can sign with new teams on March 13th, and the news that the Vikings are a class act cannot hurt the team’s wooing abilities.
Under Kevin O’Connell in his first year as head coach, Minnesota won 13 games for the third time in franchise history and the NFC North for the first time in five years.
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,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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