Vikings have mounting task to overcome in 2019
The Minnesota Vikings were supposed to win the Super Bowl last year. They flopped, big time.
Minnesota had gone 13-3 in 2017 and reached the NFC Championship Game with Case Keenum under center. Despite Keenum playing well, the general consensus was with an upgrade at quarterback, the Vikings would take another step in 2018. In that vein, general manager Rick Spielman went all-in, signing Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million fully-guaranteed deal. For good measure, Spielman also signed defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson to a one-year pact, hoping to strength an already elite defense.
Incredibly, the result was a disaster. Cousins was solid statistically, putting up 4,298 yards and 30 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, but the team faltered. Minnesota finished 8-7-1 and out of the playoffs, leaving far more questions than answers for the purple and gold.
After the beginning to this offseason, that same line of logic can be applied.
While the Vikings lost Richardson to the Cleveland Browns, they’ve done little else in the way of headlines. Minnesota was able to retain linebacker Anthony Barr after almost losing him to the New York Jets, but cap space remains tight and so to does the NFC North.
Looking around the division, the challenge of getting back on top became significantly harder after watching what the Green Bay Packers were able to accomplish. After spending two decades away from free agency, general manager Brian Gutekunst aggressively pursued and landed edge rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, to go with safety Adrian Amos. While the Packers still have work to do around superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they are well-equipped with two first-round choices in their proverbial pocket.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions have tried to remake their roster as well. The Lions went out and spent $90 million on defensive end/edge rusher Trey Flowers while adding other pieces in slot corner Justin Coleman, tight end Jesse James and receiver Danny Amendola. Detroit also has the eighth-overall pick in the NFL Draft come April 25, giving it a chance to add another impact player.
The only team to also be relatively quiet in the division was the Chicago Bears, but they did replace Amos with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Chicago doesn’t have much draft ammunition either, so the gap between the two remains relatively the same from a personnel standpoint.
All told, the Vikings have a much larger hill to climb this year than they did in 2018. Minnesota needs more from its offensive line, from Cousins against elite competition, and certainly from a defense that bills itself as one of the game’s best.
