So, What Are the Vikings Doing on the Line?
Ted Schwerzler
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When the Minnesota Vikings started their spending spree this offseason through free agency, they targeted plenty of different defensive positions. They looked to fill holes left by long-standing veterans and sought to acquire players with upside. One thing they didn’t do was to find an answer on the line at the defensive tackle position.
So, What Are the Vikings Doing on the Line?
It remains to be seen how Minnesota will handle the defensive tackle role. It has been a problem for a bit now, and Brian Flores could use a difference-maker in that spot for his defense. The problem is that the Vikings don’t have a clear path to acquiring that sort of player.
So far, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has sat out of the defensive tackle position on the free-agent market. The organization made a run at Christian Wilkins, but he chose to sign elsewhere. The Vikings have been pretty quiet on the free agent front for days now, and it stands to reason they may be awaiting to see their draft results before jumping at someone.
Drafting a defensive tackle, though, could prove relatively fruitless, especially with how their picks line up.
Minnesota does hold the 11th and 23rd overall picks in the first round, but it looks highly likely that they won’t make a selection at either of those spots. If they trade up for a quarterback, it will undoubtedly require parting with both picks and then the Vikings wouldn’t have another selection until the 4th round.
It makes a good deal of sense for Adofo-Mensah to find a way to acquire a 2nd, or at least, 3rd round pick in any deal where he moves up. This would allow Minnesota a chance to get their quarterback of the future while also not having to sit out of critical middle rounds in the draft.
By acquiring a middle-round pick, the Vikings could still realistically land a defensive tackle who should have starting chops either now or in the foreseeable future.
Should Minnesota pass on tackles during the draft, it will be back to free agency they go, and the dollars they spend will be at the mercy of the market. The need is clear and must be addressed, but how they handle it is yet to be seen.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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