Rebuilding The Vikings Middle Class
K. Joudry
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In recent years, the Vikings have opted for top-heavy rosters. Kirk Cousins, of course, is the name that stands out, but he’s far from alone. Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Harrison Smith have all been among Minnesota’s high-class players. The Vikings budget has therefore been subject to no shortage of criticism and praise over the years.
Part of how they’ve made the numbers work has been by bringing in oodles of rookies. Keeping the team full of an unusually high amount of players on rookie contracts helped to balance the budget. Unfortunately, it didn’t lead to many wins.
Moving forward, the Vikings may look to adjust their budget by ensuring they have a less top-heavy roster.
One thinks back to the decision to move on from Jarius Wright. The veteran receiver provided the team with a steady, clutch WR3. He showed up in crucial moments, often by extending a drive with an impressive catch. Rather than keep him, though, the Vikings moved on to save a few bucks. Certainly there are several other players who could be tossed in with Wright.
The list of internal free agents may offer a clue for how the team will proceed in this area. One thinks of Sheldon Richardson, Xavier Woods, and Patrick Peterson. Far from elite and far from awful, all three could be valuable role players. Their contracts will thus land somewhere in the medium-sized range. Will the team make an effort to retain them?
Moreover, this year’s free agency list provides several tier-2 names who could make a sizeable difference. Bryce Callahan is a name to keep an eye on, as is Austin Corbett. What about Ben Jones, the veteran Titans center? Improving in the middle of the OL would be reason for enthusiasm.
Swinging for the fences in free agency may undercut the ability to find balance in the Vikings budget. Even still, we should expect the team to make an effort to rebuild the team’s middle class.
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