If we start over with coaching

I doubt it will happen. 3 year extension that kicks in after this season...no way Wilfs pony up for that. A part of me thinks the team kind of had an idea it might be a tough go this year, but that's jmo.

@"PurpleCrush" said: I doubt it will happen. 3 year extension that kicks in after this season...no way Wilfs pony up for that. A part of me thinks the team kind of had an idea it might be a tough go this year, but that's jmo.

I doubt it will happen either, I was just asking what if.

Good question. At this point I'm just wondering if we're going to be bad enough to get one of the top QB's in next year's draft.

if there is a list I would hope Eric Bieniemy, would be near the top.  Only way anything happens is if Zim walks away, health, physical or mental, either would work.

@"BigAl99" said: if there is a list I would hope Eric Bieniemy, would be near the top.  Only way anything happens is if Zim walks away, health, physical or mental, either would work.

That is definitely one guy that I thought should have gotten a shot. I would be on board with that.

IT has come full circle for Zimmer. His team is resembling the one that he inherited from Leslie Frazier in 2014.

If the Vikings are able to draft a guy like QB Trey Lance next Spring, this HC job is going to look VERY attractive to young coaching candidates. Has a lot going for it: great stadium, excellent ownership, strong fanbase, amazing practice facility in a progressive city like Minneapolis. What would the cost be to shed Cousins contract starting in 2022? I think the dead cap hit would be $10M against a cap hit of $45M. Anyone in their right mind think the Vikings are going to pay Kirk that much money in 2022?? Getting rid of Cousins before 2022 makes zero sense because of the cap implications....it won't happen. Keep Zimmer next year also and then clean house. 

Draft a guy next Spring, let him sit behind Cousins and learn and start the kid in 2022 (even get him into the last 2-3 games as a starter in 2021 if the team stinks). Best case scenario. Its the perfect time to do so.

Good question. I would hope they look to attract a young mind to be HC as Kubiak and Zimmer are up there in age. Pair that with a young qb with a sponge like mind and that could be a nice recipe

The pressure will continue to rise for Zimmer and Kubiak. Putting the defensive struggles aside for a moment, his run first, ball control offense requires a great offensive line that can outexecute their opponent. This opens up the playaction game for Kirk which he is very good at. Only 3 teams have fewer rushing attempts than the Vikings after two games. Without an effective running attack that the defense has to account for, we will see more of the same ineptitude every week. Thielen will be doubled and that leaves the young Receivers to step up and make plays for Cousins which I don't have any confidence in at this point. Bisi is not a #2 receiver, Jefferson is still learning, the TE's are mysteriously not involved in the Game Plan, and Cousins isn't the type of QB who can put a team on his back like Rodgers and Wilson can when the offense has major issues like the Oline play. Hopefully Zimmer and Kubiak will get tired of this BS by the end of the season and decide to retire so we can get a fresh start with a new QB and Coaching Staff.     

@"BigAl99" said: if there is a list I would hope Eric Bieniemy, would be near the top.  Only way anything happens is if Zim walks away, health, physical or mental, either would work.

Can he count to 12 yet?  Y'all forget that 09 championship game already? It's only been 11 years now  :p

@"PurpleCrush" said: I doubt it will happen. 3 year extension that kicks in after this season...no way Wilfs pony up for that. A part of me thinks the team kind of had an idea it might be a tough go this year, but that's jmo.

I think owners rarely feel handcuffed by coaches’ salaries. They fired both Childress and Frazier less than a year after giving them extensions. I see estimates Zimmer makes about $5M a year - that’s about what Shamar Stephen makes this year, for perspective.

I fully expect Zimmer to be coaching next year. He won't be fired for this one bad year. But he'll be gone with 2 back to back. 

@"TBro" said: the TE's are mysteriously not involved in the Game Plan    

Seriously!
Is our O-line so bad that Rudolph can't run the same 10 yard curl route he's been running for us for the past decade?
I don't get it. Also, the WRs aren't good. Ok. So we put Dalvin out wide this week. Ok. The next logical step would be to, I don't know, throw it to him??? Really frustrating watching that offense yesterday.
At least we didn't dial up Tajae Sharpe at a critical moment, so that's progress I guess.

The TE's either cant get any separation or they are being left in for max pass pro.

Maybe both?

Bisi or Jefferson has to step-up. Asking that of JJ with no to little pre-season is a bit much.  

Bisi has been a huge disappointment so far - either that or KC isn't looking his way. Which I dont know why he wouldn't with D's rolling coverage to AT like they are. 

P.J. Fleck would be my choice.

With all the roster turnover, I think they knew that taking a step back this year was a possibility. I think they thought they would still field a good team, but having Pierce out, Hunter and Barr on the IR, your best receiver force a trade, & the fallout from Covid has upped the difficulty. I still want to see the team make progress over the season, but there are enough extenuating circumstances, that I don't think a potentially bad season leads to a change.

@"Carl Knowles" said: P.J. Fleck would be my choice.

His schtick wouldn't transfer to the NFL. 

@"StickyBun" said:

@"Carl Knowles" said: P.J. Fleck would be my choice.

His schtick wouldn't transfer to the NFL. 

@"Tyr" said: With all the roster turnover, I think they knew that taking a step back this year was a possibility. I think they thought they would still field a good team, but having Pierce out, Hunter and Barr on the IR, your best receiver force a trade, & the fallout from Covid has upped the difficulty. I still want to see the team make progress over the season, but there are enough extenuating circumstances, that I don't think a potentially bad season leads to a change.

That's definitely possible, but there have been a lot of seasons where some excuse was given: Peterson suspended, our OL has too many injuries, Cook is hurt...all teams have injuries, at some point you have to win regardless.
As for this being a "planned" semi-rebuild year, I don't see it. If that was the case, why trade for Ngakoue, who is on a one-year deal and might leave next winter if he didn't like his sample of the Vikings? Why sign Pierce? Why give Cook a deal that just pushes more cap space into future years? Why give Cousins an extension that makes it hard to part with him before 2022? These are "win in 2020" moves. I think Spielman has always pushed the Wilfs with the idea they can be competitive this year, and it's why he traded for Bradford instead of taking a rebuild year when Bridgewater got hurt, and why he convinced them to sign Cousins.

As for Covid: every team is dealing with it, what's different for the Vikings? And I have to ask why many people think NFL owners like the Wilfs will see this as a year that can be forgiven/ignored. They are losing money on attendance - don't you think they want playoff money? Don't you think they want to have a good 2020 record to encourage people to return to the stadiums in 2021? I do not know ANY business that is openly saying, "it's ok to be bad this year". Accepting it when necessary, yes...but the NFL is aiming to send some teams to the playoffs and Super Bowl, so how is there an excuse for not being competitive in 2021?

@"Tyr" said: With all the roster turnover, I think they knew that taking a step back this year was a possibility. I think they thought they would still field a good team, but having Pierce out, Hunter and Barr on the IR, your best receiver force a trade, & the fallout from Covid has upped the difficulty. I still want to see the team make progress over the season, but there are enough extenuating circumstances, that I don't think a potentially bad season leads to a change.

I don't think so either, but it's hard to say two games in. I'm not a look-behind-the-curtain type, but a a few things that make me wonder about the possibility of tanking....

* Vikings knew Covid could have a big impact on the 2020 season. Would players get sick? Opt out? Would the season be played or even count? And even if it did, what is the lost revenue going to mean for the salary cap in '21?
* Vikings traded Diggs and maneuvered several picks in 2020 to get 5 extra picks in 2021, 3 of which are 4th rounders. 
* Did the Vikings sign Yannick to complement Hunter or replace a player who would bring a Brinks truck in trade? 
* Cousins whopping $35M base salary for 2022 becomes fully guaranteed if he's on the roster when the league year starts in March of '21
* Vikings 0-2 and inexplicably noncompetitive in both games
* Trevor Lawrence and Trey Lance