The past 3 years.....only 1 rookie defensive starter

This is mostly about going three straight drafts without a 2nd rounder. Typically, in three drafts you’d have nine top-100 players. We had four. Of the four, only one played defense (Turner). And even that player didn’t start as a rookie (mostly due to sitting behind two All Pros). Good years from TJ Hockenson and Dallas Turner will take a little sting off of this fact. 

I thought for sure Lemon was going to be a Viking as our pick came up.

Looking back, I should have anticipated a very D heavy draft this past spring. Maybe you didnt, but I totally missed on that.

Not necessarily rolling the dice on Banks, but at least someone like Woods being on the team today.

purplefaithful wrote:

I thought for sure Lemon was going to be a Viking as our pick came up.
Looking back, I should have anticipated a very D heavy draft this past spring. Maybe you didnt, but I totally missed on that.
Not necessarily rolling the dice on Banks, but at least someone like Woods being on the team today.

I was calling for it but I was so pleasantly surprised to see it happen. Way overdue. Fingers crossed on Dallas Turner, Caleb Banks, Big Orange and Golday kicking into some big contributors with Jakobe Thomas getting there eventually as well. Probably too much to ask, honestly, but I'm asking for it! 😆

And the Vikings cap spending on defense was 28th? of 32.. IMO makes what Flo's done even more remarkable

StickierBuns wrote:

I was calling for it but I was so pleasantly surprised to see it happen. Way overdue. Fingers crossed on Dallas Turner, Caleb Banks, Big Orange and Golday kicking into some big contributors with Jakobe Thomas getting there eventually as well. Probably too much to ask, honestly, but I'm asking for it! 😆

I don't think it was overdue. I think it was a pretty good plan. Surround your young QB with studs, then worry about your defense later, especially when your DC is Flores.

But I like our draft this year.

It’s sick Flores hasn’t gotten any help. I like KOC , I think he’ll figure it out . Flores has been making chicken salad out of chicken crap. Flores gets no resources or picks and his unit way out performs KOCS every year . Seems like Flores adapts and KOC doesn’t

Skolerooni wrote:

It’s sick Flores hasn’t gotten any help. I like KOC , I think he’ll figure it out . Flores has been making chicken salad out of chicken crap. Flores gets no resources or picks and his unit way out performs KOCS every year . Seems like Flores adapts and KOC doesn’t

I love Flores but statistically before last year, in 2023 and 2024 his D ranked right in the middle of the NFL (16th). He likes to blitz when his D is lesser-than and it can patch some deficiencies that way. Bend but don't break. Back in 2019, he had the worst ranked D in the NFL in Miami. My only point is he's a very good D coordinator, but he's certainly not the best....and he needs good players like anyone does.

Tough to say KOC doesn't adapt: how many different starting QBs has he had to deal with? And when he has one that can stay healthy, you get 13 and 14 win seasons. The challenge for KOC this season is to take a QB like Murray and utilize him optimally....because he's not a pocket passer that drives the football down the field, its not his game. Not consistently. IMO, the top deceiving stat that K1 has is his completion percentage. That may be more legit in Minnesota because guys are going to get open, he won't have to toss those 50/50 balls that he loves to do.

StickierBuns wrote:

I love Flores but statistically before last year, in 2023 and 2024 his D ranked right in the middle of the NFL (16th). He likes to blitz when his D is lesser-than and it can patch some deficiencies that way. Bend but don't break. Back in 2019, he had the worst ranked D in the NFL in Miami. My only point is he's a very good D coordinator, but he's certainly not the best....and he needs good players like anyone does.
Tough to say KOC doesn't adapt: how many different starting QBs has he had to deal with? And when he has one that can stay healthy, you get 13 and 14 win seasons. The challenge for KOC this season is to take a QB like Murray and utilize him optimally....because he's not a pocket passer that drives the football down the field, its not his game. Not consistently. IMO, the top deceiving stat that K1 has is his completion percentage. That may be more legit in Minnesota because guys are going to get open, he won't have to toss those 50/50 balls that he loves to do.

Flores modified his scheme based on stuff he picked up in Pittsburgh and has had the league off balance. Doing more with less for sure. Without him last year this was a 4-13 squad.

Murray's height makes the middle of the field stuff that KOC likes hard to do unless he moves first. Short QBs need run to find throwing lanes. Russell Wilson was very good until his legs gave out. I'd say Kyler has probably 3-4 more years of effectiveness but he has already had an ACL which has slowed him a bit.

If KOC doesn't adapt it won't work and despite the constant noise about how beloved he is at TCO I'd be surprised if he could survive a meltdown with a new g.m. looking on. I think they both have lots of reasons to be highly motivated this coming season. Will that be enough? We'll see.