What must the Minnesota Vikings make sure they do this offseason in order to have success when they return to the field in 2018?
Unfortunately, the Minnesota Vikings are not one of the two remaining NFL teams preparing to play in Super Bowl LII next Sunday. Instead, the Vikings are a little over a week into their 2018 offseason and beginning the steps necessary to get back to the NFC Championship next year.
Luckily for Minnesota, a majority of their starters from 2017 will be returning next season. However, one open spot on the offense happens to be a pretty important one.
As of right now, no one has absolutely any idea who the Vikings’ starting quarterback will be in 2018. Figuring that out is just one of a handful of priorities Minnesota must have this offseason if they have any hopes of returning to the playoffs next year.
Along with figuring out who will be starting under center next season, what are the Vikings’ top priorities for the 2018 offseason?
Figure out who will play nickel corner
After 15 seasons in the NFL, it seems more than likely that 39-year-old cornerback Terence Newman will retire this offseason. Newman has spent the past three years with the Vikings and his presence has been an important part in the transformation of the team’s defense since Mike Zimmer was hired as Minnesota’s head coach in 2014.
Last season, the veteran spent the majority of his time as the Vikings’ nickel corner. Newman would cover the opposing offensive player who lined up in the slot while fellow Minnesota corners Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes would defend the receivers on the outside.
If Newman actually does decide to hang it up this offseason, who will takeover his role in the slot next year?
Would Mackensie Alexander be the guy? Alexander also spent some time in 2017 covering opposing receivers in the slot and he flashed some signs that he could be the Vikings’ permanent nickel corner for the next few seasons.
This would likely be the route Minnesota would prefer to take when searching for Newman’s replacement this offseason. But the team could also add another veteran corner to the roster through free agency this year if they don’t feel Alexander is ready for a full-time role just yet.
Re-sign Nick Easton
Along with Terence Newman, the Vikings are expected to lose offensive lineman Joe Berger to retirement this offseason. Berger spent most of 2017 as Minnesota’s right guard and in addition to him likely calling it a career, the team’s left guard from last year, Nick Easton, is a scheduled to be a restricted free-agent this offseason.
The Vikings need to make sure Easton is back on the roster for 2018.
He is certainly not the most talented of Minnesota’s 2017 starting offensive line, but at 25-years-old he still has time to improve as a blocker. Re-signing Easton would also allow Minnesota to select an interior blocker in the upcoming NFL Draft to potentially be the team’s new starting left guard within the next few seasons.
Draft a quarterback and a safety
In addition to the Vikings having to figure out who their starting quarterback will be in 2018, it would also be smart of them to select a signal caller in this year’s draft. No matter who Minnesota decides to be their starter for next season, the team should add a quarterback through the draft.
It’s possible the rookie signal caller could develop into the Vikings’ next starter one day. But if Minnesota is still comfortable with their starting quarterback two or three years down the road, the team could also figure out a way to get some compensation for the rookie in the trade market.
During the few times Vikings backup safety Anthony Harris was on the field in place of Andrew Sendejo in 2017, one thing was made clear. Harris is not the guy that will be taking Sendejo’s spot in the starting lineup in the future.
Harris will be a restricted free-agent this offseason and there is no reason for Minnesota to bring him back. The Vikings would be better off selecting a safety during the first three rounds of the 2018 draft and molding him into Sendejo’s current backup and eventual replacement.
Re-sign at least one 2017 quarterback
Of the three quarterbacks that took at least one snap for the Vikings last season (Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater), all of them are scheduled to be free-agents when the new league year begins in March. Unless Drew Brees has a strange falling out with the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota’s best solution to their starting quarterback problem this offseason would be to re-sign Bradford, Bridgewater, or Keenum.
Of the three 2017 signal callers, Bradford seems as the least likely to be re-signed by the Vikings. Not only is the health of his knees a big question mark, but the veteran quarterback and his agent will likely be looking for one last big-money contract this offseason and Minnesota would be incredibly dumb to give that to him.
Even if the Vikings would like to re-sign Keenum for 2018, it may be easier said than done. For the first time in his NFL career, Keenum is going to have other teams pursuing him to be their starting quarterback this offseason. If Minnesota wants him to return in 2018, they may actually have to consider placing the franchise tag on the signal caller to prevent him from signing with another team.
Bridgewater would likely be the cheapest option of the three. The quarterback has not started a game in two seasons and there are still a ton of questions surrounding the health of his surgically repaired knee. If Minnesota is looking to save a little money this offseason, taking a risk on Bridgewater may be the decision to make.
Hire a new offensive coordinator
The Vikings’ offense under Pat Shurmur last season was one of the most balanced attacks the team has had in a long time. In the recent past, Minnesota’s offenses featured either a strong running game or a strong passing attack. With Shurmur as their offensive coordinator last year, the Vikings had both.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, Shurmur’s success led to him leaving the team to become the next head coach of the New York Giants. The Vikings’ most important action this offseason will be finding someone to fill his vacancy and become the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Based on the success of their scheme in 2017, Minnesota will likely want to run a similar offense next season. This could make it more likely that the Vikings will promote someone on their current coaching staff (Kevin Stefanski) rather than bring in someone completely new (Darrell Bevell).
Whoever Minnesota decides to be their new offensive coordinator could also have a big impact on who the team’s 2018 starting quarterback. If someone like Stefanski gets the job, Case Keenum or Teddy Bridgewater may be more inclined to sticking around with the Vikings rather than go elsewhere and learn a completely new offense.
Next: More than 15 Vikings will be free-agents in 2018
Minnesota’s new offensive coordinator should be known soon as the team reportedly wants to fill the vacancy within the next week.