2022 Vikings Off-Season Thread

[Mike Sixel]

Too soon?

[Mike Sixel]

They have so many major decisions this coming year.

Fire the GM?

Fire the coaches?

Trade (if they can) Cousins?

Rebuild, or fix the D?

[RpR]

Either major changes are made, or next year will look like this one, at best.

[gunnarthor]

I, sadly, pretty much agree with all of this article by Souhan.

https://www.startribune.com/vikings-should-dump-kirk-cousins-covid-vaccine-positive-trouble-jim-souhan/600131692/

[TheLeviathan]

Every player they can cut they should.  Blow the thing up.  

Darrisaw, Cleveland, and Oniell are players.  So are JJ and Irv Smith.  Replace the rest.

Let Bynum play safety.  Let Surratt play.  Keep Wonnum and Hunter.  Replace the rest.

[Vanimal46]

On 12/31/2021 at 12:18 PM, Mike Sixel said:

They have so many major decisions this coming year.

Fire the GM?

Fire the coaches?

Trade (if they can) Cousins?

Rebuild, or fix the D?

Head Coach - We will 100% have a new coach for 2022. Not too hard to read through the tea leaves here. Every single one of his decisions for playing time is to solve a problem for today, not next year. Interview as many candidates as we can and hire someone who will run a modern offense. 

GM - I’ve been pretty neutral about Rick, but you know what? It’s probably best to clean house and start with a new perspective. I don’t trust Rick with identifying the most important positions on the team at QB and the trenches. 

QB - Part of me is curious what Kirk would look like with a coach who is not stuck in the 1970s. But it’s probably best to reset and see what Kellen Mond looks like in 2022. It’s a bad QB draft class, and plenty of QB needy teams. I’d try to trade Kirk to either Pittsburgh, NY Giants, Philadelphia, or Carolina. He should bring back a 1st round pick at the very least. And let the next team extend his loser ass. 

RB - What is Dalvin’s trade value? If he only brings back a 2nd or 3rd round pick, I guess I’d keep him as insurance for Mond. 

WR - Time to have a difficult talk with Thielen. If he wants to finish his career here, we need to discuss a pay cut. Father Time is not friendly to WRs in their 30s. Justin Jefferson is a stud. Full stop. 

TE - Conklin’s probably gonna get paid. Let someone else do it. Irv Smith hopefully is healthy next year to take the targets. 

OL - Darrisaw, Cleveland, and O’Niell are keepers. We need upgrades at C and RG. 

EDGE - The Hunter decision is a predicament now that he’s been hurt 2 seasons in a row. I’d try to extend him long term, but if we can’t get it done, he will fetch a 1st round pick, if not multiple 1st round picks in a trade. Total rebuild after that. 

Interior DL - So long Pierce and Richardson. Tomlinson probably makes too much money to cut outright. Lynch and Watts get an extended run to see if they can be long term pieces. 

LB - So long Barr. Good riddance. Vigil is fine, but not worth keeping long term. Kendricks is also getting long in the tooth. Trade him for a 2nd round pick?

DB - Total rebuild. I have zero interest bringing back Mack Alexander or Patrick Peterson. I still have faith in Cam Dantzler, but no doubt he’s taken a step back in his 2nd year. 

Safety - Harry the Hitman is no longer elite. What is his name trade value? Woods looked okay at the beginning of the year, but getting exposed more often as the year goes along. 

As I type this out, the defense needs a total rebuild. We have some tradeable assets that are getting old, but not too old. 

Trade Assets: Kirk (1st round), Hunter (potentially multiple 1st round picks), Kendricks (2nd?), Cook (2nd?), Smith (2nd?) 

[RpR]

37 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Head Coach - We will 100% have a new coach for 2022. Not too hard to read through the tea leaves here. Every single one of his decisions for playing time is to solve a problem for today, not next year. Interview as many candidates as we can and hire someone who will run a modern offense. 

GM - I’ve been pretty neutral about Rick, but you know what? It’s probably best to clean house and start with a new perspective. I don’t trust Rick with identifying the most important positions on the team at QB and the trenches. 

QB - Part of me is curious what Kirk would look like with a coach who is not stuck in the 1970s. But it’s probably best to reset and see what Kellen Mond looks like in 2022. It’s a bad QB draft class, and plenty of QB needy teams. I’d try to trade Kirk to either Pittsburgh, NY Giants, Philadelphia, or Carolina. He should bring back a 1st round pick at the very least. And let the next team extend his loser ass. 

RB - What is Dalvin’s trade value? If he only brings back a 2nd or 3rd round pick, I guess I’d keep him as insurance for Mond. 

WR - Time to have a difficult talk with Thielen. If he wants to finish his career here, we need to discuss a pay cut. Father Time is not friendly to WRs in their 30s. Justin Jefferson is a stud. Full stop. 

TE - Conklin’s probably gonna get paid. Let someone else do it. Irv Smith hopefully is healthy next year to take the targets. 

OL - Darrisaw, Cleveland, and O’Niell are keepers. We need upgrades at C and RG. 

EDGE - The Hunter decision is a predicament now that he’s been hurt 2 seasons in a row. I’d try to extend him long term, but if we can’t get it done, he will fetch a 1st round pick, if not multiple 1st round picks in a trade. Total rebuild after that. 

Interior DL - So long Pierce and Richardson. Tomlinson probably makes too much money to cut outright. Lynch and Watts get an extended run to see if they can be long term pieces. 

LB - So long Barr. Good riddance. Vigil is fine, but not worth keeping long term. Kendricks is also getting long in the tooth. Trade him for a 2nd round pick?

DB - Total rebuild. I have zero interest bringing back Mack Alexander or Patrick Peterson. I still have faith in Cam Dantzler, but no doubt he’s taken a step back in his 2nd year. 

Safety - Harry the Hitman is no longer elite. What is his name trade value? Woods looked okay at the beginning of the year, but getting exposed more often as the year goes along. 

As I type this out, the defense needs a total rebuild. We have some tradeable assets that are getting old, but not too old. 

Trade Assets: Kirk (1st round), Hunter (potentially multiple 1st round picks), Kendricks (2nd?), Cook (2nd?), Smith (2nd?) 

Sounds like a good plan for losing with different people.

[TheLeviathan]

41 minutes ago, RpR said:

Sounds like a good plan for losing with different people.

Initially?  Sure.  Beauty of the NFL is you can turn around quickly with good decisions.  But this team will need to lose initially to reset the team.

To you @Vanimal46....I think you're right on Tomlinson, but the stupid Cook extension puts him in the same boat.  I think the team can get a 2 for Cousins and I would take it.  A 1st and a future 2 and 3 seem right for Hunter.  Smith could yield a 2.

The problem?  This draft feels like garbage.

[Vanimal46]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Sounds like a good plan for losing with different people.

As opposed to what, continuing to go 8-9 or 9-8? I see a lot of parallels to this organization and the Minnesota Wild. We need a fresh perspective on the roster, and someone who can make difficult decisions to move this team forward. 

I fully expect with my plan to take a step back in 2022. However, the team gets younger and we keep key players like Jefferson, Smith Jr, Darrisaw, Cleveland, O’Niell, etc. 

[Mike Sixel]

I'd see what buffalo would give for Cook and Hunter......

If I can get a first by eating some of Kirk's salary, I do that. I would trade him for an early second without eating money. 

I just don't see a way to fix the defense in one year. They went in the last few years, and it didn't work. Time to start over.

[Vanimal46]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

Initially?  Sure.  Beauty of the NFL is you can turn around quickly with good decisions.  But this team will need to lose initially to reset the team.

To you @Vanimal46....I think you're right on Tomlinson, but the stupid Cook extension puts him in the same boat.  I think the team can get a 2 for Cousins and I would take it.  A 1st and a future 2 and 3 seem right for Hunter.  Smith could yield a 2.

The problem?  This draft feels like garbage.

I haven’t gone in depth on the draft yet. All I know is there isn’t a QB I’d hitch my wagon to if I were a team looking for a QB. The veteran QB market could get hot with the teams I mentioned plus Denver and New Orleans needing a new QB. 

[gunnarthor]

8 hours ago, RpR said:

It is amazing that real Doctors have said getting the shot absolutely does not stop one from getting the Virus but doctor Souhan with his medical degree says they are wrong.

Getting the shot or not getting the shot has zero to do with this game, just another paranoid political line of bs way to blame some thing other than the fact the Vikings suck even when they win.

[gunnarthor]

5 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

As opposed to what, continuing to go 8-9 or 9-8? I see a lot of parallels to this organization and the Minnesota Wild. We need a fresh perspective on the roster, and someone who can make difficult decisions to move this team forward. 

I fully expect with my plan to take a step back in 2022. However, the team gets younger and we keep key players like Jefferson, Smith Jr, Darrisaw, Cleveland, O’Niell, etc. 

I think you're pretty much right. I hope whoever is in charge next rebuilds both lines.

On the plus side, I think both Bynum and Wonnan could be solid starters relatively soon and Irv Smith could be a real asset in the right offense.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

In the October game, Carolina got the ball on their own 4, down by 8, with just over two minutes and no time outs. This was the week after the Vikings blew a 10 point lead to the Lions in the last three minutes.

On the radio, Paul Allen said: “if Carolina drives down the field and scores and gets the two point conversion and ties the game? Just shut this whole thing down. Seriously. Shut it down.” 

False bravado is not serving P. A. well this season. Pete Bercich has turned into a complete referee-baiting homer now, and steps on all of P.A.’s big calls. Ron Johnson talks over everyone else on the fan line, hosts and callers alike. The whole thing does need to be shut down and rebooted beyond just Speilman and the coaching staff getting their pink slips. Put Ben Leber in the booth with P.A. and let Meatsauce be the voice of the fan lines, he speaks for the fans better than anyone else in that whole group. 

As far as the players, I don’t have strong opinions on what to do with them, or which ones, so I will just follow along with what you all have to say.

The new facility is outstanding. Put some new people in charge who will put it to good use. Please!

That’s my vent.  

[TheLeviathan]

If we're gutting the whole presentation it should start with Paul Allen.  KFAN has pretty god awful coverage all around and Allen is a terrible human being who isn't good at his job or remotely entertaining.

I like Bercich.  I definitely wouldn't fire him, in part, for being a homer and then keep Paul Allen.  That makes zero sense to me.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I don’t know Paul Allen personally so will not comment there. Nor do I really mind Bercich or Johnson that much—although they do have some bad habits to clean up. I’m just throwing out some ideas.

But yeah the whole presentation suffers these days. I think it gets so difficult at that station to pretend to get excited every August and every week of the season after so many years of underachieving. The Wilfs are long overdue to change it up.

[Mike Sixel]

I will be very disappointed if Zimmer has this job next year. How the F did they lose to Detroit? 

[TheLeviathan]

19 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

I don’t know Paul Allen personally so will not comment there. Nor do I really mind Bercich or Johnson that much—although they do have some bad habits to clean up. I’m just throwing out some ideas.

But yeah the whole presentation suffers these days. I think it gets so difficult at that station to pretend to get excited every August and every week of the season after so many years of underachieving. The Wilfs are long overdue to change it up.

I can't listen to Paul Allen for more than 10, 20 minutes at a time.  And every time I try I end up saying "Ew" at least 3-4 times.  Especially on Fridays.

The guy is a creep.  For some MST3K-like fun I tried his football and faith podcast once......good gravy.  I couldn't even make it through it to make fun of it.

[LVTwinsfan]

59 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I will be very disappointed if Zimmer has this job next year. How the F did they lose to Detroit? 

All a prevent defense does is prevent you from winning —John Madden 

[gunnarthor]

This is probably better for the 2022 thread - list of potential head coaches from dailynorseman.

Off their list, Mayo seems intriguing. 

[TheLeviathan]

Daboll is my top choice.

I do like Bowles and Mayo too.

[nicksaviking]

Bowles would interest me if he didn't seem almost exactly like Zimmer. The defensive coaches actually seem more intriguing, but, still, I really think they need an offensive guy.

[gunnarthor]

17 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

Daboll is my top choice.

I do like Bowles and Mayo too.

Daboll? Interesting, why? 

[TheLeviathan]

7 hours ago, gunnarthor said:

Daboll? Interesting, why? 

A lot of people thought Josh Allen was an atrocious draft decision who didn't know how to play QB.  Early on he definitely struggled, but people in Buffalo credit Daboll with roughing out the edges and turning him into a gem.  On top of that....it's a team that will call plays to their strength.  If they feel it best....they simply don't run the ball.  Other times, they're run heavy.

He runs an offense that has transformed a QB and plays to it's best strengths.  That's exactly what I want in the next coach.

[wabene]

On 1/2/2022 at 5:11 PM, TheLeviathan said:

I can't listen to Paul Allen for more than 10, 20 minutes at a time.  And every time I try I end up saying "Ew" at least 3-4 times.  Especially on Fridays.

The guy is a creep.  For some MST3K-like fun I tried his football and faith podcast once......good gravy.  I couldn't even make it through it to make fun of it.

There was a time when I thought he was goofy good times. He really did hit a peak with his bit. He now has gone off the deep end. I also tried the football and faith podcast and don't believe I lasted the introduction. It surprises me that the station has such good ratings in spite of PA's epiphanies. I know many athletes in the US are very into their Christianity and use it to get outside of themselves and let go of their pressures. In baseball, we have so many Latin players and catholicism is very strong in those cultures, so there is a wide spectrum of religiosity from the casual to the extreme fundamentalist. What I don't understand is how PA can go so over the top and still retain his ratings. Personally I can't listen anymore. I could never listen to the Common Man. Barreiro, on the other hand, has grown on me once I got past the shrill. Can I get a witness?

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, wabene said:

There was a time when I thought he was goofy good times. He really did hit a peak with his bit. He now has gone off the deep end. I also tried the football and faith podcast and don't believe I lasted the introduction. It surprises me that the station has such good ratings in spite of PA's epiphanies. I know many athletes in the US are very into their Christianity and use it to get outside of themselves and let go of their pressures. In baseball, we have so many Latin players and catholicism is very strong in those cultures, so there is a wide spectrum of religiosity from the casual to the extreme fundamentalist. What I don't understand is how PA can go so over the top and still retain his ratings. Personally I can't listen anymore. I could never listen to the Common Man. Barreiro, on the other hand, has grown on me once I got past the shrill. Can I get a witness?

Barreiro has a bit, but at least it's tolerable and the conversations are good. 

[Danchat]

I'll do my favorite HC candidates by tier:

Top Candidates:
Byron Leftwich
Doug Pederson
Jim Harbaugh (not happening, I know)

 

2nd Tier:
Nathanial Hackett
Greg Roman
Kellen Moore
Eric Bieniemy

3rd Tier:
Todd Bowles
Jerod Mayo
Brian Daboll
Matt Eberflus
Kevin O'Connell
Raheem Morris

[TheLeviathan]

I like Doug Pederson too.  Forgot about him.

 

Cousins for Mayfield....who says no?

[TheLeviathan]

Sign me up for David Culley as OC.  That team WAY overperformed for him.

[cHawk]

Welp, season over. 8-9.

Zimmer better be fired…