With two weeks until training camp, there is a strange feeling around the Minnesota Vikings.
Everyone is excited about what Kevin O’Connell can bring to the table, but they still have a roster that has spent over 900 days under .500. Everyone wants to be optimistic, but they have missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.
While people are usually chugging purple Kool-Aid this time of year, there’s a lot of uncertainty. That’s why this team feels a lot like the 2017 Vikings.
I know what you’re thinking. That team was one of the greatest in Vikings’ history. We’re talking about Stefon Diggs and the Minneapolis Miracle. We’re talking about Adam Thielen‘s ascent to superstardom. And we’re talking about peak Mike Zimmer defense. How could this team possibly compare to that?
Well, in the summer of 2017, there were a lot of uncertainties surrounding that team.
The Vikings were coming off a disappointing 2016 season. After starting the season 5-0, they limped to an 8-8 finish. Teddy Bridgewater‘s career appeared to be over. Sam Bradford was helpless behind a leaky offensive line. The defense was good but couldn’t put everything together to be a playoff team.
Then Norv Turner quit during the middle of the season. Zimmer had his eye nearly gouged out by a play sheet. The team plane went off the runway in Green Bay. The cornerbacks went rogue.
But despite everything that went wrong, there was a reason to believe that things could change in 2017.
The Vikings’ legendary 2015 draft class was entering its third year and beginning to contribute. With Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and Diggs, there was enough upside on the roster to take it to another level.
The Vikings also had created an elite coaching staff. Zimmer had already done tremendous work transforming the defense, Pat Shurmur had a full offseason to install his scheme, and Tony Sparano was beginning to build a rapport with the offensive line.
When the season arrived, everyone was on the same page. The offensive line jelled. Sam Bradford destroyed the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. Case Keenum took over, and the Vikings didn’t miss a beat.
The Vikings finished with a 13-3 record, an NFC North title, and the first playoff win of the Zimmer era. Although it ended short of winning a Super Bowl, Minnesota exceeded expectations and was ready to enter a championship window.
You’re probably still asking what all of this has to do with the current version of the Vikings. Well, this team has all of the tools to exceed expectations.
The offense has been held back in recent years but also ranked fourth two seasons ago. While Dalvin Cook, Thielen, and Kirk Cousins are entering the twilight of their careers, players like Justin Jefferson, Irv Smith Jr., and K.J. Osborn are just getting started.
That’s more than enough upside for O’Connell, who prides himself on putting his talent in advantageous situations. If O’Connell gives Cousins multiple ways to win, it could be enough to unlock the Vikings’ offense in the same way Zimmer unlocked the defense five years ago.
The more significant concern is on the defensive side. Several of the players ascending in 2017 are now approaching or over the age of 30. Kendricks and Harrison Smith fall into this category, as does Patrick Peterson, who is entering his age-32 season.
But the 2017 team also had a pair of declining veterans who became locker room leaders. Brian Robison platooned with Hunter to team with Everson Griffen, and Terence Newman helped a young secondary find its footing.
Who’s to say that someone like Lewis Cine or Camryn Bynum won’t step up? What if Patrick Jones III fills in for an injury on the edge? Can Andrew Booth Jr. or Akayleb Evans play a key role?
None of these things are for sure, but neither was a giant leap before 2017.
Of course, the 2017 team had some luck in its back pocket. Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone, which left the division wide open. A weak schedule also helped, and the Vikings even had the chance to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
Things aren’t as open for this team…but they could be.
How much will Rodgers miss Davante Adams? Can Tom Brady defeat Father Time again? Is Matthew Stafford‘s elbow a ticking time bomb? Are we sure Kliff Kingsbury is a good coach? Is Trey Lance for real? Will Mike McCarthy continue to hold down the Dallas Cowboys?
These are just some of the questions in a conference that is wide open.
The Vikings could finish with eight or nine wins. But they could also go on a run that rivals what happened in 2017. A lot will become clearer in the coming weeks, but everyone should prepare to enjoy the ride.
