3 things Minnesota Vikings need to fix this offseason
By Mike Luciano
The Minnesota Vikings are out of the playoff hunt, and the reworking of this roster should begin as soon as possible.
The Minnesota Vikings were pounded out of the postseason hunt, as New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara’s historic day on the ground helped squash what little chances Minnesota had at a playoff run.
This roster, especially on offense given the likes of Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, and the two-headed monster of Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson at wide receiver, has some star power, but there are some huge holes that could prevent the 2021 season from taking off. GM Rick Spielman has some serious work to do in the spring.
If the Vikings are serious about contending in 2021, they need to fix these three issues
3. Get a backup quarterback for Kirk Cousins
The “Kirk Cousins is a bad quarterback” narrative is no longer a tenable position, as he is playing some of the best football of his career in 2020. Sure, he might have his boneheaded moments, but Cousins is completing 70 percent of his passes with 21 touchdown throws against just three interceptions since Minnesota’s bye. The Vikings don’t have a ton of protection behind him, however, as the job of conducting Gary Kubiak’s complex offense would fall to Sean Mannion, a 28-year-old who has yet to throw a touchdown pass in the NFL. Given how important Cousins has been to Minnesota this year, they need to get some protection behind him.
The Vikings can go several different ways as they look to get Cousins some help. They could add a veteran quarterback looking for a backup job, or they could take a chance on a young quarterback like Dwayne Haskins, as the structured environment that a coach like that which Mike Zimmer and the mentorship of both Kubiak and Cousins could help him get his career back on the right track. Either way, Minnesota needs to get a quarterback with a higher ceiling than Mannion, as the Vikings are one awkward turn of Cousins’ ankle away from seeing their season fizzle out.