My offseason plan

This is solid and very realistic. Do I personally think they'll trade Harry? No. But you make it palatable. Ezra Cleveland is one of my draft crushes along the O-line. His athleticism would be great in our scheme. I still wonder if they'll try to do more along the interior D-line than in your mock. Maliek Collins is a name I've liked for the Vikings but his durability is such a large question mark. 

@"Geoff Nichols" said: This is solid and very realistic. Do I personally think they'll trade Harry? No. But you make it palatable. Ezra Cleveland is one of my draft crushes along the O-line. His athleticism would be great in our scheme. I still wonder if they'll try to do more along the interior D-line than in your mock. Maliek Collins is a name I've liked for the Vikings but his durability is such a large question mark. 

I really like what we saw from Watts last year. You like to see a rookie flash and he definitely did that in very limited snaps. But of course you can't really count on that, so Collins competes with Watts at 3T and Jaleel competes with Fotu. Zuniga replaces Weatherly and gives us another guy who can move inside in sub packages. Outside is the same with Hunter, Griff and Odenigbo

Secondary is set for the long term with youngsters Hughes and Terrell outside and Alexander in the slot. Backed up by Hill. Safety doesn't look bad with Harris and Dugger, a league average player in Burris and Sendejo. 

I don't think we can expect "upgrade" here necessarily, but given where we were in terms of the cap, and how poorly our secondary played last year, there's some serious hope. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Geoff Nichols" said: This is solid and very realistic. Do I personally think they'll trade Harry? No. But you make it palatable. Ezra Cleveland is one of my draft crushes along the O-line. His athleticism would be great in our scheme. I still wonder if they'll try to do more along the interior D-line than in your mock. Maliek Collins is a name I've liked for the Vikings but his durability is such a large question mark. 

I really like what we saw from Watts last year. You like to see a rookie flash and he definitely did that in very limited snaps. But of course you can't really count on that, so Collins competes with Watts at 3T and Jaleel competes with Fotu. Zuniga replaces Weatherly and gives us another guy who can move inside in sub packages. Outside is the same with Hunter, Griff and Odenigbo

Secondary is set for the long term with youngsters Hughes and Terrell outside and Alexander in the slot. Backed up by Hill. Safety doesn't look bad with Harris and Dugger, a league average player in Burris and Sendejo. 

I don't think we can expect "upgrade" here necessarily, but given where we were in terms of the cap, and how poorly our secondary played last year, there's some serious hope. 

My offseason plan
Heavy Heineken consumption! B)

*unblock*

I like the draft picks...very similar to guys I have simulated multiple times.

I'm not sure I'm on board with a Reiff redo...

You know what I think about trading Harrison.

*reblock*

@MaroonBells thanks for working this up, very cool. And it does seem plausible.
But my question is, with your plan, do you see the Vikings being a better team next year than they were in 2019? About the same? Or a bit worse?
Even if your first 2 picks are studs (big if), I'm not sure I see a big improvement year over year with the talent you'd have us shedding. Maliek Collins would be the wildcard that could put your plan over the top I guess.
Again, nice writeup!

We're lucky to have Maroon here with his incredibly well thought and explained analysis. Now, let's attack him! JK

I will double down on my drunken rant from last night. There is ZERO percentage chance that Mac Ax is playing in the Slot next year unless Rick makes him the highest paid Slot in the League. He never wanted to move inside and still believes (rightly so, IMO) that he's an Outside Corner. He wants the chance that Zimmer never gave him.

Also, Terrell reminds of that Corner from Missouri from several years back that everyone was so high on and I said would be a bust. Justin something or other. Think he went to Cleveland and then busted.

No way do I think Terrell will bust. But to me he's meh. Henderson and Fulton are one rung above him, Diggs and Hall et al on the same rung. Hope you're right but I envy-watch a lot of Clemson and don't see it. 

I'm starting to think unless Henderson or Fulton falls or a LT is there that Blacklock might be the guy.

@"pattersaur" said:

@MaroonBells thanks for working this up, very cool. And it does seem plausible. But my question is, with your plan, do you see the Vikings being a better team next year than they were in 2019? About the same? Or a bit worse? Even if your first 2 picks are studs (big if), I'm not sure I see a big improvement year over year with the talent you'd have us shedding. Maliek Collins would be the wildcard that could put your plan over the top I guess. Again, nice writeup!

I think even if we stand pat, our offense will be one for the ages, through organic improvement and continuity (Cousins 2nd-ish year in the same offense). However, we will add some pieces--likely a WR3 and an OL. Just adding those two positions should make it a very dangerous offense. 

I think we all expect a down turn on defense. But I'm not so sure shedding some vets who weren't really playing well (Trae, Linval, Xavier) and replacing them with high draft picks is necessarily going to be a downgrade. Zimmer will adjust scheme to suit personnel and we'll lace 'em up and see what we got. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"pattersaur" said:

@MaroonBells thanks for working this up, very cool. And it does seem plausible. But my question is, with your plan, do you see the Vikings being a better team next year than they were in 2019? About the same? Or a bit worse? Even if your first 2 picks are studs (big if), I'm not sure I see a big improvement year over year with the talent you'd have us shedding. Maliek Collins would be the wildcard that could put your plan over the top I guess. Again, nice writeup!

I think even if we stand pat, our offense will be one for the ages, through organic improvement and continuity (Cousins 2nd-ish year in the same offense). However, we will add some pieces--likely a WR3 and an OL. Just adding those two positions should make it a very dangerous offense. 

I think we all expect a down turn on defense. But I'm not so sure shedding some vets who weren't really playing well (Trae, Linval, Xavier) and replacing them with high draft picks is necessarily going to be a downgrade. Zimmer will adjust scheme to suit personnel and we'll lace 'em up and see what we got. 

@"FSUVike" said: We're lucky to have Maroon here with his incredibly well thought and explained analysis. Now, let's attack him! JK

I will double down on my drunken rant from last night. There is ZERO percentage chance that Mac Ax is playing in the Slot next year unless Rick makes him the highest paid Slot in the League. He never wanted to move inside and still believes (rightly so, IMO) that he's an Outside Corner. He wants the chance that Zimmer never gave him.

Also, Terrell reminds of that Corner from Missouri from several years back that everyone was so high on and I said would be a bust. Justin something or other. Think he went to Cleveland and then busted.

No way do I think Terrell will bust. But to me he's meh. Henderson and Fulton are one rung above him, Diggs and Hall et al on the same rung. Hope you're right but I envy-watch a lot of Clemson and don't see it. 

I'm starting to think unless Henderson or Fulton falls or a LT is there that Blacklock might be the guy.

I have no problem with you disagreeing. It's how we (um, you) learn. ;)

 Justin Gilbert. And I was warning everyone about him for weeks. He didn't have the head to play corner in the NFL. Terrell is nothing like that. 

What I like about him is ideal size, length, speed (4.37 at his Pro Day), good ball skills and body control, and he's a playmaker. Had 6 picks, 160 return yards, 44 yard TD. He also delivers a really violent punch in press. He's moved even with Diggs for me. I have him behind only Okudah and Henderson.  Yeah, he didn't fare well against LSU, but who did? And I think that game is being used against him too much.  I think Fulton is a little overrated, and he worries me a little. He used someone else's urine for a drug test. I like Hall a lot, but we need corners who can play right now. 

I do like Blacklock, and I wouldn't be upset if he were the pick at #25. I just chose to fill that in free agency. 

I could see the Vikings negotiating with Mac Al, telling him they're going to give him every opportunity to win one of the outside corner spots, and then drafting one. But you're right, he's not happy and he could be gone. If so, take his money and give it to Kendall Fuller or Darquez Dennard. Be about the same.