A Peak At 2017

An effective general manager will always be thinking about now as well as the future. Lets take a peak at what Viking’s general manager Rick Spielman is preparing for this offseason.

If I were general manager, the moves I would make are in blue. Keep in mind things may change from now until the end of the season.

In-House Free Agents

• Matt Kalil LT – re-sign to 3 year deal
• Captain Munnerlyn CB – re-sign to 2 year deal
• Andre Smith RT – gone
• Shaun Hill QB – gone/retire
• Chad Greenway OLB – re-sign/retire
• Terence Newman CB – re-sign/retire
• Mike Harris RG/RT – gone
• Cordarrelle Patterson WR – re-sign to 2 year deal
• Rhett Ellison TE – re-sign to 2 year deal
• Zach Line FB – re-sign to 1 year deal
• Joe Berger C/G – re-sign to 1 year deal/retire
• Jake Long LT – re-sign/retire
• Matt Asiata RB – re-sign to 1 year deal
• Audie Cole ILB – re-sign to 1 year deal
• Justin Trattou DE – re-sign to 1 year deal
• Ronnie Hillman RB – re-sign to 1 year deal
• Adam Thielen WR (RFA) – re-sign
• Jeff Locke P – re-sign to 3 year deal
• Jeremiah Sirles OL (RFA) – re-sign
• Charles Johnson WR (RFA) – re-sign
• Zac Kerin OL (RFA) – re-sign

Free Agency

The 2017 free agent class is VERY weak. The players below are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

If I were GM, pending on what happens with my in-house players, I would target offensive and defensive lineman in free agency. OT/OG and DT/DE are the most glaring team needs.

Here are the top unrestricted free agents at those positions:

O-Line

• Andrew Whitworth (Age 34) LT
• Marcus Cannon (Age 28) LT
• Sebatian Vollmer (Age 32) RT
• Mike Remmers (Age 27) RT
• Jordan Mills (Age 25) RT
• Luke Joeckel (Age 25) G
• TJ Lang (Age 29) G
• Jonathan Cooper (Age 26) G
• Chance Warmack (Age 25) G
• Kevin Zeitler (Age 26) G

There is nobody worth mentioning available at tackle – that’s why I re-sign Kalil. There are some solid options available at guard that would undoubtedly be upgrades in pass protection over current RG Brandon Fusco. If I were GM I’d add a guard to solidify the line while adding depth and competition. Keep in mind Fusco can be released with a $1.6 million cap hit after the season, or for only $800K after the 2017 season.

D-Line

• Kawann Short (Age 27) DT
• Vince Wilfork (Age 35) DT
• Domata Peko (Age 31) DT
• Nick Fairley (Age 28) DT
• Dontari Poe (Age 26) DT
• Abry Jones (Age 25) DT
• Sylvester Williams (Age 27) DT
• Calais Campbell (Age 30) DE/DT
• Jason Pierre-Paul (Age 27) DE
• Jabaal Sheard (Age 27) DE
• Dion Jordan (Age 26) DE
• Glenn Dorsey (Age 31) DE/DT
• Margus Hunt (Age 29) DE/DT

If I were GM, I would add one of these players to bolster defensive line depth. There’s some quality veterans available, including some that have previously worked under Zimmer. The draft is not very deep with defensive lineman so I would look to add one via free agency.

I would also take a look at the top available free agents to gauge their salary demands and interest in coming to Minnesota.

Here are the best available:

• Le’Veon Bell (Age 24) RB
• Eric Berry (Age 27) S
• Chandler Jones (Age 26) OLB
• Jamie Collins (Age 26) OLB
• Dont’a Hightower (Age 27) ILB
• Manti Teo (Age 25) ILB
• Alshon Jeffery (Age 27) WR
• Michael Floyd (Age 27) WR
• Steven Hauschka (Age 32) K

Draft

Picks

• Round 2
• Round 3 (MIA)
• Round 3
• Round 4 (MIA)
• Round 4
• Round 5
• Round 6
• Round 7

Aside from drafting Matt Kalil #4 overall in the 2012 draft, Spielman and the Vikings have not used any priority picks on the offensive line. I believe that changes this offseason. Since the team traded a 1st round pick (and a conditional 2018 pick) to Philadelphia for Sam Bradford, Spielman may be forced to draft the best offensive line prospect with their first pick in the second round.

If I were GM, I would draft the best offensive lineman available with my first pick – not because I have to, but because there will likely be a top prospect available when I pick in round 2. Ideally one of the players below will be available. I would also look to address DT, OLB, S, CB, RB or QB.

O-Line Prospects

• Mike McGlinchey OT (6’7, 290lbs) Notre Dame
• Zach Banner OT (6’9, 345lbs) USC
• Cam Robinson OT (6’6, 325lbs) Alabama
• Conor McDermott OT (6’8, 280lbs) UCLA
• Pat Elflein C/G (6’3, 295lbs) Ohio State
• Dan Feeney G (6’4, 310lbs) Indiana
• Tyler Orlosky G (6’4, 295lbs) West Virginia
• Forrest Lamp T/G (6’4, 295lbs) Western Kentucky
• Colby Gossett G (6’6, 310lbs) Appalachian State
• Quenton Nelson G (6’5, 325lbs) Notre Dame
• Roderick Johnson OT (6’7, 305lbs) Florida State

D-Line Prospects

• Malik McDowell DT (6’6, 290lbs) Michigan State
• Jonathan Allen DE (6’3, 265lbs) Alabama
• Eddie Vanderdoes DT (6’4, 304lbs) UCLA
• Maurice Hurst DE (6’2, 270lbs) Michigan
• Nazair Jones DE (6’5, 250lbs) North Carolina
• Charles Walker DT (6’2, 300lbs) Oklahoma
• Caleb Brantley DT (6’2, 300lbs) Florida

Pass Rush Prospects

• Myles Garrett OLB/DE (6’5, 270lbs) Texas A&M
• Derek Barnett OLB/DE (6’3, 265lbs) Tennessee
• Charles Harris OLB/DE (6’3, 255lbs) Missouri
• Deatrich Wise, Jr. DE/DT (6’6, 270lbs) Arkansas
• Tim Williams OLB/DE (6’3, 250lbs) Alabama
• Dawaune Smoot OLB/DE (6’3, 260lbs) Illinois
• Devonte Fields OLB (6’3, 230lbs) Louisville
• Jarrad Davis OLB (6’1, 235lbs) Florida
• Jalen Reeves Maybin OLB (6’0, 230lbs) Tennessee
• Carl Lawson OLB/DE (6’2, 260lbs) Auburn

Salary Cap

• If I were GM, I release Adrian Peterson after the season. By doing so, I open up $18M in cap space without accruing a dead cap hit. Releasing Peterson ensures I have money to sign an impact player (or two) in free agency and it gives me an opportunity to pick up the options (and possibly extensions) for Sharrif Floyd and Anthony Barr.

That’s a quick peak at what will transpire after the season. A quality general manager will break down each period of the offseason to determine the best course of action to improve the team.

How would you improve the team?