2022 Vikings Off-Season Thread

[Mike Sixel]

15 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

What tweets are you seeing? Hiring O’Connell signals to me that a rebuild is imminent. Which is a great thing. It was my biggest fear hiring Harbaugh instead - where we keep Kirk and continue doing patch jobs to fight for the 7th seed. 

Any of them about next year's team. Nothing specific....I have no idea what this regime is planning.

But if they are trading Kirk, they should trade a lot more players. 

[TheLeviathan]

How is it that everyone we consider for our coaching job has a connection with Cousins?  Makes it really hard to predict the path forward.

If it is O'Connell...dude was his OC in 2014.  I hope this signals a huge remake of the roster, but damn I hate hiring guys that have no play calling history.

[nicksaviking]

10 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

How is it that everyone we consider for our coaching job has a connection with Cousins?  Makes it really hard to predict the path forward.

If it is O'Connell...dude was his OC in 2014.  I hope this signals a huge remake of the roster, but damn I hate hiring guys that have no play calling history.

Maybe the plan is for him to hire an OC that does.

Chris Carter says that Harbaugh was asking the Bears for a Gruden-like deal so I'd assume he asked the same from the Vikings. If accurate, I think there is little ambiguity; the Vikings did the right thing by telling him to go back to Michigan:

 

 

[nicksaviking]

12 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Any of them about next year's team. Nothing specific....I have no idea what this regime is planning.

But if they are trading Kirk, they should trade a lot more players. 

Even without regard to salary or vaccination status, I think if you're able to trade a non-QB player over 30, it is more often than not a good idea in the NFL.

[yeahyabetcha]

It is based on nothing but a hunch, but with the expected O’Connell hiring, I think there is a better than a 50 % chance (not really going out on much of limb there) that the offense stays mostly intact, thru extending and restructuring contracts .  
 

The defense is where there will be the changes this offseason.

[Vanimal46]

The D Coordinator hire will be key, and I’m interested to see if there will be a scheme change to 3-4 as the base defense. 
 

We have a month to figure out what to do with Hunter before his massive roster bonus hits. And Kirk’s fate will be decided soon too. 

[Mike Sixel]

I could get behind either path....as long as they COMMIT to the path. Unlike the Twins, who never seem to commit to a rebuild or a go for it. Either be the Rams, or be Cinncy. But don't be middling.

[nicksaviking]

26 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I could get behind either path....as long as they COMMIT to the path. Unlike the Twins, who never seem to commit to a rebuild or a go for it. Either be the Rams, or be Cinncy. But don't be middling.

I don't really know how you can commit to the 'retain everyone' path though. Those guys are getting old; it's like a one or two year window. Is that really a commitment to anything other than 'Well play it by ear and see what happens next year'?

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

The D Coordinator hire will be key, and I’m interested to see if there will be a scheme change to 3-4 as the base defense. 
 

There's enough defensive turnover that if they were ever going to switch schemes, it should be now.

I can see it now too. Barr moves on to a team with a 3-4 defense at the same time the Vikings switch. Then we get to see that he actually was destined to be a superstar in that scheme all along.

[Mike Sixel]

11 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I don't really know how you can commit to the 'retain everyone' path though. Those guys are getting old; it's like a one or two year window. Is that really a commitment to anything other than 'Well play it by ear and see what happens next year'?

It might be......but if they can restructure Kirk and a few others.....they can do what the Rams did (I wouldn't.....but I can see others thinking they should).

Frankly, I'd blow it up, if the owners assured me they'd give me 4 years (2 to stink maybe, 1 to get better, 1 to be really good). It is hard to blow it up w/o some kind of assurance.....

[nicksaviking]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

It might be......but if they can restructure Kirk and a few others.....they can do what the Rams did (I wouldn't.....but I can see others thinking they should).

Frankly, I'd blow it up, if the owners assured me they'd give me 4 years (2 to stink maybe, 1 to get better, 1 to be really good). It is hard to blow it up w/o some kind of assurance.....

And to be clear, my thoughts on starting over isn't a whole new roster, just the expensive aging vets. I think Thelen, Smith, Barr, Pierce and Cook aren't exactly impossible to replace, so it's not like a rebuild is a huge undertaking if the team can find the right QB. Which obviously is easier said than done.

For me, I don't think Cousins is the right QB anyway though so it's an easy decision I guess. 

[Mike Sixel]

8 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

And to be clear, my thoughts on starting over isn't a whole new roster, just the expensive aging vets. I think Thelen, Smith, Barr, Pierce and Cook aren't exactly impossible to replace, so it's not like a rebuild is a huge undertaking if the team can find the right QB. Which obviously is easier said than done.

For me, I don't think Cousins is the right QB anyway though so it's an easy decision I guess. 

I'd not re-sign or trade all of those without blinking an eye. The QB and DE are tougher choices (if you can get a HAUL for Hunter).

[nicksaviking]

38 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'd not re-sign or trade all of those without blinking an eye. The QB and DE are tougher choices (if you can get a HAUL for Hunter).

Yeah, I think Hunter is still young enough that he could be part of the next competitive team if they rebuild.

But I'm more than open to listening to all offers for him. 

Kendricks is a bit different for me because of all the players on this team, he seems like the one guy who is actually a leader-type personality and he's top end talent too. But while LBs tend to age better than skill positions and DBs, I acknowledge that he's no longer young and he's not cheap. I could be talked into going either way on him.

[Mike Sixel]

39 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, I think Hunter is still young enough that he could be part of the next competitive team if they rebuild.

But I'm more than open to listening to all offers for him. 

Kendricks is a bit different for me because of all the players on this team, he seems like the one guy who is actually a leader-type personality and he's top end talent too. But while LBs tend to age better than skill positions and DBs, I acknowledge that he's no longer young and he's not cheap. I could be talked into going either way on him.

I ONLY trade Kendriks if you are utterly blowing it up, and he asks to be dealt (or someone offers a first). You need some grown ups in the room, and he seems like one. 

[gunnarthor]

I think the Vikings could go several ways even if they are committed to winning next year. They could just go all in on offense. With the #12 pick, grab one of those high end wide receivers, restructure Theilen as he slowly becomes our #3 WR, and we'd have an insane receiving group to go with Cook and, hopefully, a far more wide open offense. Aim to score 30 points every game. It'd be fun to watch. Draft defense after that. I think Jefferson and Treylon Burks would be a devastating receiving duo for several years.

[Vanimal46]

On 2/1/2022 at 4:35 PM, gunnarthor said:

Wow. Flores just hit the NFL with a heck of a lawsuit. 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33194862/brian-flores-sues-nfl-others-former-miami-dolphins-coach-alleges-racism-hiring-practices

First, his lawyers are really, really good. Second, the allegations against the Dolphins owner might be enough to force him to sell the team. Flores alleges that the Giants interview with him was a sham because they had already planned on hiring a different, white, coach. He has texts from Bellichek to support that. I'm sure Bellichek will love to be deposed in this lawsuit. There's a link to the complaint in that article, for those who are interested. 

Adding onto this with an update:

I imagine the NFL will step in very soon now that bribery was involved to intentionally lose games. 

[TheLeviathan]

5 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Adding onto this with an update:

I imagine the NFL will step in very soon now that bribery was involved to intentionally lose games. 

That's going to be hard for the NFL to do considering they dismissed it as frivolous within 15 seconds of it going public.

[gunnarthor]

6 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Adding onto this with an update:

I imagine the NFL will step in very soon now that bribery was involved to intentionally lose games. 

Yeah, Ross is going to have to sell and they're going to get hammered by the league. Lose some draft picks at a minimum. This is serious. 

[nicksaviking]

"What's the bid deal?"

[cHawk]

I was in utter shock when the Dolphins fired Flores. Truly and utterly shocked.

They’re definitely going to regret that decision.

[Danchat]

Apparently Flores is still a finalist for the Texans job... sounds like it's between him, Gannon, and McCown (lol).

The Jaguars reportedly offered Leftwich the job, but he said no because Baalke is their GM. The only other finalist who is still left for their job is Pederson. On a related note, Spielman is interviewing for a job in their front office (not GM).

The Dolphins job appears to be up for grabs between Moore and McDaniel.

One thing has been very apparent in the HC hunt - teams want young OCs. Only the Bears have hired a defensive-minded coach (because of course the Bears would do that!).

[nicksaviking]

New Orleans still needs a HC too. Sounds like they're talking to Bieniemy. 

That's got to be a crappy job though because the HC knows if Peyton comes back next year he'll be out of work. I suppose since Bieniemy can't snag a job after all these years, getting a one year audition might be attractive.

[Danchat]

Looks like the Dolphins are hiring 49ers OC Mike McDaniel as their HC after missing out on Daboll. Every team looking for a new HC [minus the Bears] has jumped onto the offensive coach bandwagon.

The Texans are reportedly down to choosing Flores or McCown as their HC... either choice will be highly interesting (hiring a guy who is suing the league vs hiring a guy with zero experience in coaching).

[TheLeviathan]

3 hours ago, Danchat said:

Looks like the Dolphins are hiring 49ers OC Mike McDaniel as their HC after missing out on Daboll. Every team looking for a new HC [minus the Bears] has jumped onto the offensive coach bandwagon.

The Texans are reportedly down to choosing Flores or McCown as their HC... either choice will be highly interesting (hiring a guy who is suing the league vs hiring a guy with zero experience in coaching).

Until Lovie Smith pulls a WWE move and comes out of nowhere with a chair!

[Danchat]

2 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

Until Lovie Smith pulls a WWE move and comes out of nowhere with a chair!

Yeah... how do you go Smith over Flores, even with the latter's situation? There are better defensive coaches out there (NE Mayo), and if you have to hire a crusty one, might as well hire Zimmer or Fangio. That'd be yet another underwhelming hire for Houston.

[nicksaviking]

8 hours ago, Danchat said:

Yeah... how do you go Smith over Flores, even with the latter's situation? There are better defensive coaches out there (NE Mayo), and if you have to hire a crusty one, might as well hire Zimmer or Fangio. That'd be yet another underwhelming hire for Houston.

Houston is so dysfunctional, I'll bet there were a ton of coaches that declined interview offers that didn't get reported.

Honestly, if congress gets involved and spanks the NFL and forces them to clean up their act, the NFL should embrace it. Houston, Jacksonville, Miami and Washington are  embarrassing the league and need to kick their owners to the curb. Not just on the field embarrassing, but actually incompetent and/or criminally corrupt. I know billionaires are hard to get rid of, but the league would be in a better place if it ripped these band aids off all at once.

[Vanimal46]

In the latest Access Vikings podcast, Andrew Krammer and Ben Goessling report that Kirk Cousins is “not in the charity business” in regards to his upcoming contract negotiation. That should eliminate the idea he would take a discount to surround himself with better talent. It’s his prerogative to only chase the money while he’s in the NFL. It’s also my prerogative as a fan to wish he was not the QB of my favorite team.  

[Mike Sixel]

The myth that Cousins causes sacks appears dead....

 

[Mike Sixel]

Also, dang, the OL sucked last year.

[Vanimal46]

Seems strange that Kansas City would let him walk away? What am I missing?