5 worst moves of the Minnesota Vikings 2021 offseason
By Chris Schad
Trading for Mason Cole
Had the Vikings not drafted Wyatt Davis this year, this move would have been higher on the list. Minnesota also brought back Dakota Dozier as a main backup so Mason Cole moved even further down the depth chart. It seems picky to complain about a fourth-string guard, but trading for him was still a questionable decision.
Cole played center for the Arizona Cardinals, but Minnesota believes he could be a depth piece at guard. His overall performance suggests otherwise as he finished 47th (2018) and 42nd (2020) in Pro Football Focus’ overall grades in the two seasons he had enough snaps to qualify.
Part of his time on the field during those years with the Cardinals included getting blown away by his new teammate, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson.
The good news is that the Vikings only gave up a sixth-round pick to acquire Cole. If they can get him to perform well as a guard, he could be good insurance for Davis or Ezra Cleveland next season.
The bad news is Cole doesn’t seem to be that good, fitting in with the prototype of Minnesota offensive linemen over the past decade.