The term competitive rebuild is going to be shoved in the faces of Minnesota Vikings fans until the season finally kicks off on September 10th. It’s a term used both inside and outside of the building and is the goal when your team is not yet in their Super Bowl window, so to speak. Despite an implausible 2022 campaign, this team is not ready to compete with the best in the NFC.
So, if that is the case, how competitive can this competitive rebuild be? According to Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame, the Vikings will be competitive regardless of the rebuilding mindset put in place this off-season.
The Vikings were the latest team discussed in his 32 Teams in 32 Days article series. Verderame discussed the Cousins conundrum as the future of the quarterback position remains the elephant in the room in this team-building process.
“This may prove to be the correct decision by Minnesota, but it remains a risky one. Cousins turns 35 years old in August, and while nobody is clamoring for him to be given a four-year deal, keeping him around for a few more seasons is reasonable…At some point, the front office either needs to extend Cousins at a respectable number or find his replacement in the draft while potentially playing a bridge option in 2024.”
On a more positive note, left tackle Christian Darrisaw and the receiving targets were recognized as two aspects of this team to look forward to next season.
Verderame states that a fully-healthy campaign for Darrisaw puts him in the conversation “in the tier only below men like Trent Wiliams of the 49ers and Lane Johnson of the Eagles.” Last season, Darrisaw earned a 90.3 grade from Pro Football Focus.
The passing game in Minnesota will be placed under a microscope with Kirk Cousins going into his last season before the void years in his contract. Cousins will be under the lens even further because of those catching the football next season. The conversation, of course, starts with the uber-talented Justin Jefferson. Then, there is the former Biletnikoff award winner in Jordan Addison, who looks to have an immediate impact in O’Connell’s offense. There are the tertiary options, K.J. Osborn and T.J. Hockenson. Running backs Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler are both dangerous in the screen game. This passing game has the potential to again crack the top ten in production.
On the other side of the football, Verderame designates Brian Flores and his impact as the X-factor. After a disappointing showing from the Vikings’ defense last season, Flores has a chance to flip this defense on its head. Both metaphorically and schematically. It will be interesting to see how quickly Flores’ impact will show itself on the field come September.
Overall, Verderame has the Vikings winning nine games and being second in the NFC North, something that shouldn’t come as a surprise. With the Detroit Lions being the apple of the public eye, most projections will have Minnesota below the burgeoning brand that is Dan Campbell’s Lions.
However, nine wins in the NFC this season should be enough to snag a wild-card spot. If not, they’re definitely in the conversation. With as many changes as the Vikings have made over this off-season, another playoff berth is a good sign for the direction of this team as they continue to rebuild this roster.
