***2020 Vikings Thread***

IcSyU

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It will be interesting to see which veterans will not be back in order to dent their money issues. Harris, most likely Rieff, and maybe Barr.
There's no way they're eating $8M to not have Barr play.

Reiff will be interesting to see what happens.

Kyle Rudolph I can see them eating the $4M.

Anthony Harris will be on a new team.

Cousins is the biggest decision to make. His cap hit next year isn't completely horrible but 2022 is. $10M in dead cap money isn't going to sit well if they cut him. I wouldn't be shocked at all if he ends up extended this offseason.
 
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Neptune78

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There's no way they're eating $8M to not have Barr play.

Reiff will be interesting to see what happens.

Kyle Rudolph I can see them eating the $4M.

Anthony Harris will be on a new team.

Cousins is the biggest decision to make. His cap hit next year isn't completely horrible but 2022 is. $10M in dead cap money isn't going to sit well if they cut him. I wouldn't be shocked at all if he ends up extended this offseason.

With the way their young TEs are playing, I would add Rudy to the list of expensive vets who will not be back.
 

Aclone

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I’m currently trying to figure out if the defense is injury riddled bad enough that we can manage to lose to a bad Lions team—and potentially wind up with a much higher draft pick.

At a very quick glance, looks to me like the swing could potentially be somewhere from #8 to #15–if some of the current 5 win teams win. That seems like a significant difference to me.
 

cyfan92

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I’m currently trying to figure out if the defense is injury riddled bad enough that we can manage to lose to a bad Lions team—and potentially wind up with a much higher draft pick.

At a very quick glance, looks to me like the swing could potentially be somewhere from #8 to #15–if some of the current 5 win teams win. That seems like a significant difference to me.

As a die hard viking fan, I agree.. You have to find a way to lose against the Lions. Look at te Tankathon Big Board. Take out the corners Surtain and Farley since we drafted two in the top 3 rounds last year, so you can't do that again with all of the wholes the roster has. That leaves 10 really solid players. Difference between drafting a project o-lineman at 13 or getting Jaylan Waddle at 10 is MASSIVE!!

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Mr Janny

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As a die hard viking fan, I agree.. You have to find a way to lose against the Lions. Look at te Tankathon Big Board. Take out the corners Surtain and Farley since we drafted two in the top 3 rounds last year, so you can't do that again with all of the wholes the roster has. That leaves 10 really solid players. Difference between drafting a project o-lineman at 13 or getting Jaylan Waddle at 10 is MASSIVE!!

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Agree with you, I would not shed a tear if they lose to Detroit on Sunday. That being said, I don't see them taking a WR even if one like Waddle is available. I'd be shocked if they didn't take either an offensive or defensive lineman with their first pick.
 
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cyfan92

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Agree with you, I would not shed a tear if they lose to Detroit on Sunday. That being said, I don't see them taking a WR even if one like Waddle is available. I'd be shocked if they didn't take either an offensive or defensive lineman with their first pick.

Theilen will be 31 and is expensive. With the cap concerns that Minnesota has. I like the idea of taking another Justin Jefferson and asking Thielen to take a pay cut. If he says no, you have two young studs that are cheap to go out and spend $10-$12M on a top guard, shutdown corner, or d-lineman
 

Mr Janny

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Theilen will be 31 and is expensive. With the cap concerns that Minnesota has. I like the idea of taking another Justin Jefferson and asking Thielen to take a pay cut. If he says no, you have two young studs that are cheap to go out and spend $10-$12M on a top guard, shutdown corner, or d-lineman
His dead money hit isn't too bad, so maybe, but I just have a hard time seeing them playing hardball with a guy that had 14 TDs on the year. Even at 31 he's been very productive and is clearly a favorite target of Cousins, who is very likely to be the QB again next year. (Doesn't matter if people like him or not, 41 million in dead money tells me he'll be here)

I think Rudolph, Reiff and Stephen are much more likely cut candidates. Those three alone would free up 13 million-ish.
 

AuH2O

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Agree with you, I would not shed a tear if they lose to Detroit on Sunday. That being said, I don't see them taking a WR even if one like Waddle is available. I'd be shocked if they didn't take either an offensive or defensive lineman with their first pick.
You know Zim is just praying for Surtain to slip to the Vikes. It’s about time for the annual college CB migration to Minneapolis.
 

cyfan92

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His dead money hit isn't too bad, so maybe, but I just have a hard time seeing them playing hardball with a guy that had 14 TDs on the year. Even at 31 he's been very productive and is clearly a favorite target of Cousins, who is very likely to be the QB again next year. (Doesn't matter if people like him or not, 41 million in dead money tells me he'll be here)

I think Rudolph, Reiff and Stephen are much more likely cut candidates. Those three alone would free up 13 million-ish.

For me, best case scenario is getting someone to trade for Cousins and trading up to get a top QB not named TL.

The more realistic best case 2.0 is:
Theilen takes a home town discount for 2021, Rudy (expensive), Harris (a second safety to pair with Harry isn't worth it), Stephon gets cut, Barr takes a huge pay cut (Zim's love child, so not likely) and Reiff takes another big cut like this year. Ezra Cleveland plays well enough to be the future LT he was drafted to be, Reiff slides in and plays LG. You sign a really solid RG and the line is pretty solid for Kirk in 2021. You then go draft Chase, Waddle or Smith and pair him with Theilen, JJ, Cook and Irv Smith. That's a top 5 offense in the NFL

Use your cap savings sign either a stud DT or end to then pair with a healthy Hunter, you get Pierce back from his opt-out year and you get 3 solid DL players (versus none in 2020). LB's just need to get healthier and hopefully cheaper with Barr (although if you want to keep Eric Wilson, it may cost). DB's have another year to get better and a full off season. Sign a cheaper safety and a decent nickel and the defense can be average versus near the bottom

Average to decent defense with a top 5 offense probably gets you to a wildcard spot unless you get hit with some tough injuries

Would love to see Eric Bieniemy (favorite for the Texans job) or Joe Brady get named the HC and have Zimmer taken out to pasture, but that isn't gonna happen
 

IcSyU

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The Vikings aren't going to alienate the fan base and play hardball with Thielen.

Reiff isn't going to take another pay cut after having a good year.

Barr is going to be an interesting decision. Cut him and resign Wilson? Restructure Barr?

Rudolph and Harris are gone.