Questions Answered: The Draft Pick Kerfuffle, Tampering Outcome, Bold Prediction
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the May 8th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: The Draft Pick Kerfuffle, Tampering Outcome, Bold Prediction
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: Do you think the Vikings bungled the compensatory draft pick outcome for 2025?
Answer: No. We believe Minnesota’s calculations are different than popular internet websites.
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling tweeted Wednesday, “I’m told the team was always expecting one (and only one) third-round pick next year, from losing Kirk Cousins. The Vikings figured Jonathan Greenard’s deal would cancel out Danielle Hunter’s contract; they never expected two 3rds. As I understand it, the Shaq Griffin signing on March 19 came after the Vikings had already estimated they’d get only one (not two) 3rd-rounders next year. They’d determined he wouldn’t cost them a second 3rd, because they never expected to have one in the first place.”
We agree with this.
It’s unlikely that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — a numbers guy with a finance background — just forgot or messed up the compensatory formula.
Goessling added, “If Griffin plays enough, it’s possible he’d factor into the calculations for a later-round comp pick. But the Vikings’ projections had already ruled out the possibility of a second 3rd before they signed Griffin.”
Griffin really never factored into the equation, as folks thought, and Greenard might’ve effectively canceled the would-be second compensatory pick.
There’s essentially a discrepancy between Minnesota’s evaluation and OverTheCap.com.
Q: When it’s all said and done, will Minnesota actually get a draft pick because the Atlanta Falcons tampered with Kirk Cousins?
Answer: No. The best-case scenario is a pick swap, and even that’s unlikely.
There is very little precedent for the affected team to get goodies as the result of a tampering investigation (see Andrew Krammer’s thoughts). At best, Minnesota could see that pick swap with Atlanta, probably in the middle rounds.
The tampering investigation will result in the Falcons maybe losing a draft pick, not the Vikings benefitting.
Q: Do you have any bold predictions yet for the Vikings 2024 season?
A: Absolutely. Blake Brandel will be a good starting left guard.
We’ll have plenty more in the coming months, but let’s start there. Since Kevin O’Connell took over the coaching staff, his offensive line vastly improved from the Mike Zimmer era. We owe O’Connell and staff the benefit of the doubt regarding offensive line decision-making. Just because Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman were poor at scouting offensive guards doesn’t mean the purple team is doomed at the position eternally.
If O’Connell and friends trust Brandel at left guard — they must because Dalton Risner hasn’t been re-signed — let’s let it play out until proven otherwise.
We’ll predict Brandel becomes a solid starter and that the plan all along will make sense.
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 MIN 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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