Vikings Offseason Discussion

Quarterback Sam Bradford was heavily affected by the lack of blocking up front, as he rarely had time to throw intermediate-to-deep passes and finished 33rd in average depth of target, as Matthew Coller of 1500 ESPN details. An offensive line that performed at just a mediocre level would have done wonders for the Vikings offense, so the club attacked the weakness by bringing in free agents Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers.Riley Reiff (vertical)

Both deals were overpays, to be sure, as Reiff and Remmers both graded in the middle of Pro Football Focus‘ offensive tackle rankings (Nos. 48 and 51, respectively, among 78 qualifiers). Reiff, specifically, is now the eighth-highest-paid left tackle in the NFL, and received the third-most guaranteed money. That’s an exorbitant sum for a middling lineman, especially one who didn’t even play on the blindside a year ago.

Remmers’ contract is a bit more manageable, but the fact remains that Minnesota spent large to ensure a baseline level of production — and that’s not a bad idea. With the emergence of quick passing games, it’s more important than ever to simply not be terrible up front. Not every team needs to employ a Tyron Smith or a Joe Thomas to enjoy success, as it’s weak links — instead of All Pro performances — that often differentiate between offensive lines. The Vikings are also paying for availability, as Reiff has only missed three games during his five-year career, while Remmers has played in 32 consecutive contests since becoming a full-time starter.

Kalil isn’t the only offensive lineman who won’t return to Minnesota, as Brandon Fusco, Mike Harris, Jake Long, and Andre Smith all saw their ties with the Vikings severed. Fusco and Harris were both released, although the pair’s 2017 contributions were vastly different. Fusco, a Viking since 2011, played nearly 80% of the club’s snaps last year, while Harris didn’t appear in any games while dealing with an undisclosed illness. Long, meanwhile, retired after playing four games for Minnesota in emergency duty.Cordarrelle Patterson (vertical)

Most of the Vikings’ other offensive defections were bit players, as wide receiver Charles Johnson, running back Matt Asiata, and fullback/tight end Rhett Ellison all played on less than 40% of the team’s offensive snaps. But wideout Cordarrelle Patterson‘s loss will be felt, as the 26-year-old posted a career high in receptions last season. His most important role, though, was on special teams, where Patterson had scored five kickoff return touchdowns over the past four years while leading the league in yards per return in three of those four campaigns.

Defensive back Captain Munnerlyn earned middling grades from PFF in 2016, but the Vikings ranked fifth in DVOA against slot receivers (per Football Outsiders), the pass-catchers that Munnerlyn solely covered. A solid player for Minnesota, Munnerlyn landed a four-year, $17MM contract from Carolina that contains $6.9MM guaranteed. Given that Munnerlyn is now 29 years old — and the fact that the Vikings have internal slot options such as Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, and even Terence Newman — the club made the right call in not matching the Panthers’ offer.