What did we learn about the current state of the Minnesota Vikings when head coach Mike Zimmer answered questions on Wednesday?
For the Minnesota Vikings, the 2020 season is not one that will be looked back on fondly. It seemed like it was going to be a humongous disaster at first after they began their schedule with a 1-5 record. But then Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was able to get his guys back on track and the team won six of their final 10 matchups to finish with a respectable 7-9 record.
Surprisingly, Zimmer’s bread and butter, the defense, is what let Minnesota down the most during the 2020 campaign. It was easily the worst performance by a Vikings defense since Zimmer was hired to be the team’s head coach in 2014.
The disappointment caused by Minnesota’s defense last year is exactly why the team has poured the majority of their resources this offseason into improving that side of the ball. The Vikings have signed six free-agents this year that weren’t a member of their 2020 roster and all of them earn a living by playing defense.
Zimmer is excited to utilize some of his new defensive weapons next season and this is something he mentioned during his virtual press conference on Wednesday. What were some of the other big takeaways from everything the Minnesota head coach discussed during his virtual presser?
Klint Kubiak similar to a former Vikings offensive coordinator
Continuity in every phase of the game is something that all teams around the NFL strive for. Unfortunately, the Vikings have had a revolving door of offensive coordinators during Mike Zimmer’s entire tenure with the team.
When Minnesota takes the field for their first game of the 2021 season, they will have someone new calling the offensive plays for the sixth year in a row.
This time, it will be Klint Kubiak running the offense for the Vikings. Kubiak has never been an offensive coordinator or a play-caller in the NFL, but this isn’t something that seemed to bother Zimmer when he was asked about it on Wednesday.
In fact, the Minnesota head coach compared Kubiak’s attention to detail during his preparation to Kevin Stefanski, who was the team’s offensive coordinator and play-caller in 2019. Hopefully, the comparisons to Stefanski continue for Kubiak once the 2021 season begins.
Vikings exploring backup quarterback options
In addition to adding several outside free-agents this offseason, Minnesota has also re-signed a few of their own free-agents. However, Sean Mannion is part of the Vikings’ current free agents that has yet to be re-signed by the team.
Currently, Jake Browning and Nate Stanley are the only two quarterbacks not named Kirk Cousins on Minnesota’s current roster. There’s a decent chance that the Vikings could have a new No. 2 behind Cousins for the first time since 2018.
However, Mike Zimmer shared on Wednesday that Mannion is still in the mix to be their No. 2 quarterback for next season, along with Browning, Stanley, and possibly a passing prospect from this year’s NFL Draft.
Minnesota not re-signing Mannion yet would seem to indicate that they are leaning more towards giving Browning or Stanley the role. But if the Vikings aren’t happy with their backup quarterback situation after the draft, bringing back Mannion feels like it’s still a possibility.
Zimmer reveals Minnesota’s 2021 draft strategy
Following all of the defensive moves the Vikings have made since the beginning of this year’s free agency period, some have wondered if the team will be looking to fill most of their offensive needs in the upcoming NFL Draft.
On Wednesday, Mike Zimmer shared that Minnesota won’t necessarily have their eyes on a specific offensive or defensive need for each of their selections in this year’s draft. Instead, Zimmer says the Vikings’ free agency activity this offseason should allow the team to be able to pick the “best player available,” when it comes time for them to make their 2021 draft selections.
Basically, Minnesota isn’t going to reach with any of their draft picks this year. If there’s a pass rusher available who is rated higher on the Vikings’ board than an offensive lineman that’s also still available, then the team is probably going to go with the pass rusher.
Vikings Draft 2021: Five-round immediate impact mock draft
What if the Minnesota Vikings approach the 2021 NFL Draft with the goal of adding players that can make an immediate impact?
Minnesota could go in a variety of different directions with their 2021 draft picks, especially with the early-round selections, and it sounds like they’re open to all of them.