How come the Vikings haven’t extended Mike Zimmer yet?
By Dean Jones
The impact of insecurity for Zimmer in 2020
If the Vikings do not offer Mike Zimmer an extension before the 2020 season gets underway, it is going to leave a huge cloud over the head coach.
Things will not be easy for Zimmer if he is doing his job on the premise he might not be around in 2021. He would need to fight for a new deal and the only way to get that is by helping the Vikings earn their way back into the postseason and at least equalling the achievements of 2019.
That is easier said than done with so many changes on the roster. New players need time to blend in and familiarise themselves with the system. This is time they might not have with COVID-19 threatening OTAs and possibly even training camp depending on its severity in the months ahead.
If Zimmer can remold this roster and return to the postseason in 2020, then an extension will not be far behind. The head coach might not even want that at this point due to Minnesota’s lack of conviction in not offering a new deal before it ran its course.
Should the Vikings fall below .500 and go into rebuilding mode, they would not be on the hook for any more financial outlay where Zimmer is concerned. They will be hoping this is not the case though. But the last thing Minnesota wants is to give the head coach a parting gift and shell out big bucks for his replacement.
This is a knife-edge situation and one that could shape the long-term ambitions of the organization.