Eric Fisher to Vikings Rumors are Out in Full Force
Dustin Baker
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On Monday, the full details of Anthony Barr’s contractual restructure hit the light of day, and the glimmers indicated that the Vikings have more free-agent money available than was once believed.
That is a big deal for a team that has gaping roster holes at both offensive guard positions.
Indeed, the Vikings have slightly over $10 million in cap space per OverTheCap.com. With this “newfound” sum of cash, general manager Rick Spielman can address the aforementioned guard spots, acquire a bonafide starting defensive end, fill the safety position opposite Harrison Smith, ink a WR3, extend an allegedly disgruntled Danielle Hunter, bring back Eric Wilson, or save the money for the heck of it (unlikely).
But the rumor mill is littered with new gossip. It affirms that the Vikings have serious interest in Chiefs left tackle, Eric Fisher.
In this scenario, second-year offensive lineman, Ezra Cleveland, would move back to the guard spot he played as a rookie in 2020, Fisher would [at some point] solidify the left side of the Vikings line, and the team would then have just one guard to pluck out of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Catch all that?
Here’s all the hubbub:
There are more, too.
So, to the extent a rumor can be “real,” this one has legs.
The Need for a LT
Spielman said sayonara to left tackle Riley Reiff earlier this month. Much like long-time tight end Kyle Rudolph, Reiff was too expensive for a 2021 redux. The Vikings released Reiff, and he landed with the Cincinnati Bengals in a gig protecting Joe Burrow’s blindside.
And that means the Vikings have no left tackle for 2021 – unless the plan is to move Cleveland back to his collegiate, LT roots. If head coach Mike Zimmer has Cleveland pegged as a true-blue guard, then Minnesota is left tackle-less — or has plans to start Rashod Hill on the left side.
Based on Fisher’s recent performance, he has developed into a sturdy left tackle. Fisher was good-not-great for his first few seasons but has since earned Pro Bowl honors – twice — in 2018 and 2020.
He was trusted to protect boy-wonder Patrick Mahomes’ backside; he can reasonably be expected to do the same for Kirk Cousins.
But – the Achilles
There is a large but.
Fisher suffered a torn Achilles in the 2020 AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills – a hell of a time for a career-altering injury. The Chiefs released Fisher a couple of months later, hence his presence on the open market.
Therefore, the Vikings would gamble a bit on the Fisher move. With “today’s medicine,” he can very likely return to form and excel for the Vikings. Yet, there is the “what if” on his return to normalcy. If Minnesota can get the Pro Bowl version of Fisher on Sundays, well, this transaction is a gloriously good deal – particularly for a Vikings offensive line that is routinely subpar.
Too, there is the element of when he will return to full health. Not long ago, an Achilles injury mandated a year away from on-the-field action. Now, though, players recover significantly quicker – which bodes well for the Vikings-Fisher rumors.
The working theory is that Fisher will be ready by summer, no matter the team he joins. We shall see.
1st Overall Draft Pick Job Resume
What’s with the continual pizazz that follows Fisher? He was the 1st overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. He’s “got it in there somewhere” to be one of the best offensive linemen in the world. If he was a bust, he would have fizzled from the NFL long ago.
Fisher has matured and developed – like most NFL players. Because he was considered the best football player in the 2013 NFL Draft, expectations placed on him skyrocketed from the onset. His Pro Football Focus score from his rookie campaign was a middling 57.8. During the pandemic season, his grade was 80.0 – an upper-echelon tier of offensive line performance.
The intoxication of Fisher-to-the-Vikings is based on pass-blocking. He is a better pass-protector than run-blocker – a rarity for the recent editions of Vikings offensive lines. Most of the time, Minnesota’s personnel is better at run-blocking than pass protection.
Fisher would flip that pervasive tendency on its head – and finally grant Kirk Cousins some damn pass protection.