The Vikings 6-Part Offseason To-Do List
The offseason is here for the Minnesota Vikings, arriving a week or two too early per fans’ estimations.
Vikings Offseason: The 6-Part To-Do List from the People’s Perspective
Free agency is less than eight weeks away, and the NFL Draft will occur in late April.
So, we asked Vikings fans about the team’s top business items this offseason, hoping to create a to-do list.
Here’s that list.
Question to all: What is the Vikings’ most important offseason item? A priority, order of business, player to target, guy to sign or re-sign, guy to draft.
1. Keep Brian Flores or Construct Similar Defense
Who Said It?
Ivan, Czar of Bohunks
@Up4Discussion_7
The Vikings’ most important offseason item is to retain Brian Flores and, if not, replace him with someone who can operate a similar defense.
It’s not exactly up to the Vikings, but if Flores gets hired as a head coach, getting the right conductor to orchestrate a chaotic scheme many of our returning players will be used to is paramount. Without a defense to rely on, the KOC offense — at full strength or not — depends on its defense often while hunting the big play.
2. Sign Trey Smith (OG)
Who Said It?
Steve Berglund
@VIkesin18
Vikes have to make Trey Smith the No. 1 priority. It’s the perfect fit. One of the best RGs in the NFL, only 25, and fills the biggest hole on the team.
3. Promote J.J. McCarthy as Unquestioned QB1
Who Said It?
Tadd
@ST7cubs
The top priority is to make it clear that J.J. McCarthy is the guy. Give him the keys, and build around that decision accordingly.
4. Find a Starting CB + Re-Sign Byron Murphy
Who Said It?
Chris
@Skol227
A top priority is a starting CB and locking up Murphy (just not for top mone). I’m hoping they somehow grab a stud DT via trade!
t5. Upgrade OL and CB
Who Said It?
Thee … Mr. Legend
@DRTerry7
We need to bolster our OL and DBs, so those would be my two targeted areas. Getting a decent RB would be a nice option, but I don’t want it to cost one of our key positions or players.
t5. Fix the Offensive Line
Who Said It?
Bruce Johnson
@sachikojohnson
They need to address the offensive line in free agency. There are other needs, of course.
t5. Fix the Interior Offensive Line
Who Said It?
Legend of Corra
@cmaek09
Fix these areas:
- Interior Offensive Line
- Murphy and Another CB
- RB
t6. Extend Kevin O’Connell
Who Said It?
RedNPurple (from Norway)
@rednpurple77
Obvious: KOC. I’ll argue he’s one of the most important signings in Vikings history. Locking him up for a long time is of utmost importance. Just imagine how dejected we’d all feel if we somehow lost him. Splash the cash, Wilfs!
Low-key: drafting a young stud RB. I want to get excited about the RB again, like early Dalvin. Not the patchwork we’ve done the last few years. I’d love to keep Jones, too, to teach the young bull. But give me an explosive back who has some untreated anger issues.
t6. Extend Kevin O’Connell
Who Said It?
Eric Horstman
@EHorstman23
As silly as it might sound, I think item 1A for the Vikings to take care of this offseason is extending KO. It is hard to say if the Glazer report was a distraction during the last 2 weeks of the season, but this needs to be done ASAP.
Premier free agents want to go to stable organizations and be paid a lot. The Vikings will finally have both of these things working in their favor, especially after extending KO, which leads to item 1B, Trey Freaking Smith!
t6. Extend Kevin O’Connell
Who Said It?
Skol Tom
@SKOLfromWI
The Vikings’ top priority this offseason should be resigning KOC. Who knows if any trade rumors were true, but extending his contract can quickly put them to bed. A huge focus must also be placed on ensuring that J.J. McCarthy is healthy and ready to start Week 1 next season.
But before he becomes QB1, the team has to put bodies on the line’s interior to ensure he stays upright as much as possible. Bradbury, bye-bye. Risner, bye-bye. Ingram, bye-bye. Rework it. Fix it. Spend as BIG as you need to, but get it done and finally get it done right.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.