OpEd:Functional offensive line might be enough for Vikings
Functional offensive line might be enough for VikingsShould the latest injury cause Vikings fans panic to their usual level, or more?Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman has built one of the league’s best defenses. His first-round pick this season, Mike Hughes, looks like a spectacular athlete who could contribute quickly as a cornerback and returner.
He spent their second-round draft pick on tackle Brian O’Neill, who currently looks more like a project than a savior.
The signing of Kirk Cousins and the return of Cook give the Vikings more than enough talent at the skill positions to win big again. If the offensive line is functional.
Maybe that’s all it needs to be.
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Vikings’ latest crisis reminds why the later rounds of each draft are so important. Spielman deserves credit for building a powerhouse roster, but every GM has weaknesses. Spielman’s is the offensive line.
In 2016, he spent a fourth-round draft pick on Willie Beavers. He was the only offensive lineman Spielman picked in that draft. He chose poorly.
In 2015, Spielman chose three tackles, the best of whom was T.J. Clemmings. None of the three has been useful.
In 2014, Spielman chose one offensive lineman: guard David Yankey. He was of no use.
From the time Spielman chose USC tackle Matt Kalil with the fourth pick in 2012 to his selection of Pat Elflein with the 70th pick in 2017, Spielman might as well as chosen Tony Mandarich every time he picked an offensive lineman.
Those failures are why an injury to Easton can feel like an existential threat, whether it is or not.
http://www.startribune.com/functional-offensive-line-might-be-enough-for-vikings/490519831/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Fan's panic to their 'usual level'?? That's because every year some horseshit goes down. I mean, c'mon now. Do we need to discuss all the crap that Zimmer has had to deal with since becoming HC? Its not like the fanbase hasn't had more than enough reasons to be concerned about things.
And define 'functional' for me. Its discouraging that more attention wasn't given to this part of the team. As the NFL continues to institute more rules to help the offense and mitigate what a defense can do, you can't have a subpar offensive line and the rest of the team is stacked. Will this be their Achilles heel? I guess we'll find out.
Of course it's enough. Functional or league average offensive lines win super bowls all the time. It sucks, it's not ideal. I liked Easton more than most. I thought he was one of our best pass blocking linemen. And he was improving. But "ideal" would be not a single starter getting hurt. Wouldn't that be awesome? Yeah, how many teams in the NFL last year could say that? I'll wait...
I'm sure the Eagles would've preferred if Jason Peters didn't get hurt last year, too. But you just shuffle, adjust and move on. I won't try to spell the name of the guy who replaced him, but he's a lot like Compton. Late rounder, few years in the league, started a handful of games...and did OK. OK enough to win a Super Bowl. Heck Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl in Denver with the worst offensive line to ever put a ring on. Few years before that he did it with Charles freaking Johnson manning the blind side.
Cousins ain't no Manning, but this quick strike, RPO offense could make him look like one.
I fully expect the Vikings to make some moves regarding OL before the opener. I also expect that to be some kind of depth move. The starters for the season are most likely on the roster now.
@"purplefaithful" said: I fully expect the Vikings to make some moves regarding OL before the opener. I also expect that to be some kind of depth move. The starters for the season are most likely on the roster now.That's sort of what I expect too. They do have the depth, particularly at CB, DL and WR to at least consider some sort of long term answer there via trade if they wanted to go that route. I doubt they will.
@"StickyBun" said: Fan's panic to their 'usual level'?? That's because every year some horseshit goes down. I mean, c'mon now. Do we need to discuss all the crap that Zimmer has had to deal with since becoming HC? Its not like the fanbase hasn't had more than enough reasons to be concerned about things.And define 'functional' for me. Its discouraging that more attention wasn't given to this part of the team. As the NFL continues to institute more rules to help the offense and mitigate what a defense can do, you can't have a subpar offensive line and the rest of the team is stacked. Will this be their Achilles heel? I guess we'll find out.
I agree. Isn't it just our way. Functional is all we expect out of this unit of the offense. While I'm really happy about the defense Mike and Rick have put together. Isn't it kind of the Viking way to build a team around a aspect of the game the league seems determined to regulate out of it. With this "functional" line. I hope the new rules apply to Kirk as much as they will definitely to Aaron.
I think we can all agree that a functional line is probably good enough, but I also think we were hoping that the line we had was "functional", and that people are worried that the line we have now is not even going to be functional. We've had more non-functional lines than functional in the past 7-10 years. Some were complete trainwrecks and some were functional in rushing but not passing.
Maybe it's time to count on the young guys to step up or get rid of them.
@"twgerber" said: Maybe it's time to count on the young guys to step up or get rid of them.Yep
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