Free Agency or Draft: How should the Vikings fill their needs in 2021?

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How the Vikings should fill this need: Free Agency

The Vikings have to improve the interior of their offensive line, otherwise, Kirk Cousins won’t make it through the 2021 season. Cousins has proven to be extremely durable, but something has to give if he continues to take the types of hits he has in recent memory.

Minnesota would be wise to address this need in both free agency and the draft this year. But when it comes time for finding a starter, the Vikings should look to free agency.

The biggest reason for this is simply because of the track record of Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman when it comes to drafting interior offensive linemen, which is putrid.

Spielman missed on Pat Elflein and Dru Samia looks like a bust as well. The jury is out on Garrett Bradbury and Ezra Cleveland could end up at tackle. There’s no reason to think that Spielman will suddenly turn this habit around in a crucial draft. So the Vikings will be better off going the veteran route.

Minnesota could go with a cheap, but proven, option and there are quite a few who fit this mold in free agency this year. Kelechi Osemele, D.J. Fluker, Ethan Pocic, and Michael Schofield are a few names they could consider.

Schofield is especially intriguing since he played in a similar blocking scheme during the early years of his career with the Denver Broncos when Gary Kubiak was the team’s head coach. He’s coming off a very light $1.5 million contract and he should be well within the Vikings’ budget. Of the veterans who aren’t too expensive, he’d probably give Minnesota the best chance of upgrading their offensive line in 2021.