Frederick: Vikings are rebuilding, but it could be short

That word, rebuild, has such a
negative connotation, especially here in Minnesota, where the
Timberwolves have “rebuilt” four or five times over a 15-year span
without ever actually “building” toward anything.
But there are proper ways to rebuild.
One
key to a good rebuild is starting it on time. Minnesota hit the mark
there. Spielman and Mike Zimmer could’ve looked at this past season, one
in which the Vikings knocked a Super Bowl contender out of the
playoffs, and said, “Hey, we’re close, let’s do our best to run it
back.”
With the past few seasons
tabbed “Super Bowl or bust,” and Zimmer’s job security was questioned
late in last year’s campaign, that would have been the easy answer. The
pressure to contend is high.
But in
the week that followed Minnesota’s humbling divisional-round loss to San
Francisco, Zimmer acknowledged football is “a young man’s game” and the
Vikings quickly began dumping underachieving veterans making too much
money.

Gone are Xavier Rhodes, Everson Griffen (as
of now, anyway), Linval Joseph, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander and
Stefon Diggs, among others. Here are free agent signees such as Michael
Pierce and Tajae Sharpe, and a host of draft picks, expected to contend
for starting roles.
The general
consensus is the Vikings’ draft was a home run. They tackled their needs
and often seemed to do so by selecting one of the best players
available, a general manager’s dream.
Justin
Jefferson, Jeff Gladney, Ezra Cleveland and Cameron Dantzler all figure
to contend for starting jobs this season. Perhaps one or two
later-round picks will, as well. But while a good draft often means a
good future, it doesn’t guarantee a good following season.
Jefferson
likely won’t match Diggs’ production in Year 1. Asking Gladney and
Dantzler to be as good as Rhodes, Waynes or Alexander as rookies seems
unfair. Most agree that Cleveland won’t be Minnesota’s starting left
tackle Week 1.
All four early
selections could very well have great careers in purple, in due time. To
simply assume any will be great as rookies — particularly following
what will likely be an offseason with reduced hands-on training and
instruction — is unwise.

But, long term, they could be perfect fits to
grow and build around Minnesota’s younger core, the one that features
Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, Brian O’Neill, Garrett Bradbury, Mike
Hughes, Irv Smith Jr. and maybe even Dalvin Cook.
That’s
a strong young group that can lead the Vikings into the future under
the guidance of talented veterans like Adan Thielen, Kirk Cousins,
Harrison Smith, Anthony Harris and Anthony Barr, all of whom are in
their primes.
In the next year or two,
the Vikings may determine Cousins is not the quarterback to lead them
to the top. If that’s the case, they should still have a quality roster
with which the next quarterback can work, and win.
In
one offseason, the Vikings’ roster moved from aging to well balanced.
Such a transformation may cause a few early bumps, but there’s no reason
to panic if that’s indeed the case. Struggles figure to be short-lived
and could be immediately followed by another extended window of
contention beginning as soon as 2021.
A properly executed rebuild doesn’t last forever.