Fans of the Minnesota Vikings should not need to worry about the future of their team as long as Rick Spielman is leading the front office.
The seat of Minnesota Vikings general mananger Rick Spielman is comfortably tepid.
When considering the Vikings’ run to the NFC Championship, it’s certain the Pro Football Weekly NFL Executive of the Year has played an irreplaceable role in Minnesota’s ascent to the upper-echelon of the NFC.
Through the draft and free agency, Spielman, along with help from Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, has completely revamped the defense, building one of the top units in team history. And despite a flurry of misfortune the last few years from the quarterback position, the offense has been proven, at the very least, as competent.
Not too long ago, Spielman’s job security was in far less secure standings.
Coming off a 5-10-1 season in 2013, Minnesota was in dire need of a culture change. Questions were being raised if that change needed to come in the form of front office realignment.
But the Vikings’ ownership granted Spielman another season, along with the task of finding the team’s next long-term head coach.
Four seasons later, it’s fair to say Mike Zimmer has established himself as just that, and quite possibly saved Spielman’s job in the process.
However, it hasn’t always been pretty with Spielman.
So far, he’s whiffed on finding the team a stable franchise quarterback (though he was technically not named the general manager until 2012, he was partly responsible in the drafting of QB Christian Ponder).
Not every first-round draft pick has panned out the way Minnesota would’ve liked. Names like Sharrif Floyd, Cordarelle Patterson, Matt Kalil, and Laquon Treadwell all seem to carry that “bust” label.
But as they say, nobody’s perfect.
Spielman’s draft day success is painted much clearer by taking a look at this year’s defense.
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Eight out of the Vikings’ 11 starters on defense in 2017 (Harrison Smith, Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, Ben Gedeon, Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen) were drafted by Spielman, All the unit did last season was lead the NFL in yards allowed and points per game.
As for the offense, it’s always been about maneuverability. Unfortunate injuries have become commonplace along the offensive line and at quarterback, inarguably the two most important units when it comes to sustained offensive prosperity.
Spielman has been charged with difficult circumstances over the past few years and overall, he has given Minnesota a fighting chance to compete in this league.
The 2018 offseason is a decisive one for those who bleed purple and Rick Spielman is all too aware of that.
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Critical decisions are on the docket, but he has proven himself to be a more-than-competent executive. As a fan base, Minnesota has to feel safe placing the foreseeable future in Spielman’s hands.