Tag: Gary Kubiak

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Vikings Should Be Much Better Next Season

Let’s Reid between the lines…

The Minnesota Vikings just had their first losing season in six years. Despite the disappointment fans are feeling right now, the future is bright for next year’s squad.

Before looking to the future, it’s important to understand what happened to the 2020 team. There was a massive amount of roster turnover leading into the year. Below is a partial list of player losses to free agency:

FREE AGENCY LOSSES: 

  • S Jayron Kearse
  • S Andrew Sendejo
  • CB Mackensie Alexander
  • CB Trae Waynes
  • CB Xavier Rhodes
  • DT Linval Joseph
  • DE Everson Griffen
  • WR Stefon Diggs

And if those free agency losses weren’t enough, the 2020 season brought boatloads of injuries.  Professional football teams are expected to prepare for and overcome injuries to some degree, but this was an abnormal amount of losses to account for. Below is a list of the more significant injuries, so this is just the tip of the iceberg:

INJURIES (SEASON ENDING OR SEVERAL GAMES MISSED)

  • DT Michael Pierce (covid opt out)
  • DE Danielle Hunter
  • DE Kenny Willekes
  • LB Anthony Barr
  • LB Eric Kendricks
  • CB Mike Hughes
  • CB Kris Boyd
  • CB Mark Fields
  • CB Cam Dantzler
  • S George Iloka

Besides the return of injured players next year, there’s plenty more to be excited for. Most notably is the continued development of the 2020 draft class. With so many vacancies on the starting roster, this year’s rookies saw more playing time than they usually would in the Mike Zimmer system. All things considered, they played pretty well for being fresh out of college. When they are called upon next year, they should be ahead of the game and will really be able to contribute in starting or relief roles.

Shifting away from players, it will be exciting to see what changes come to the coaching staff over the offseason. There are multiple openings on staff.

At offensive coordinator, Gary Kubiak has officially retired (for the second time). He helped orchestrate a top-ten Vikings offense in the category of scoring, but fans questioned his usage (or lack thereof) of quarterback Kirk Cousins. Others (myself included) believed he overly relied on running back Dalvin Cook. 

With Kubiak out, there is opportunity for an offensive facelift. Whoever fills the void will hopefully give the unit more balance between rushing and passing, and maybe introduce more modern concepts in each area.

Special teams coordinator is another seat that will need to be filled. The Vikings already released a statement saying they will not renew Marwan Maalouf’s contract. It’s no surprise considering Zimmer was caught on camera yelling at him numerous times this season.

I’m optimistic that the newcomer will bring stability to the kicking and return game. They can’t be much worse than coach Maalouf… The 2020 special teams unit was sixth to last in average kick return yardage, and dead last in field goal make percentage.

The Vikings first losing season in a while was no fun, but sometimes you have to get worse to get better. With coaching changes and continued development of last year’s rookies, the 2021 Vikings should be dangerous.

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Big Offseason Looming for Minnesota Vikings

After their season-ending loss to the Super Bowl bound San Francisco 49ers, many things are uncertain for the Minnesota Vikings. A long offseason awaits the purple and gold, but the coaches and front office will be plenty busy as there are many decisions to be made. Let’s take an early look at some of the looming questions and possible answers this offseason.

Coaching

It’s official, assistant head coach Gary Kubiak has been promoted to offensive coordinator. Given his experience and similar coaching style to head coach Mike Zimmer, it’s no surprise to see him promoted. With Kubiak fully behind the offense, there will likely be even more emphasis on building a sturdy offensive line in the coming months. That leads us into our next two topics:

Left guard

The most obvious weak spot to me (and many others) on the 2019 Vikings roster was at left guard. Unfortunately, Pat Elflein did not thrive when moved from center to guard, and his struggles in pass protection led to a lot of pressure on Kirk Cousins. That can’t happen again if the Vikings want to make a deeper playoff run, so I expect general manager Rick Spielman to shore up the position soon. The Vikings spent this season developing Dru Samia, but it’s tough to say if they trust him in a starting role next year. I would like to see the team invest a high draft pick in a guard with Samia continuing to learn as a backup. 

Left tackle

As things stand, the Vikings are not in dire need of a new left tackle. Veteran Riley Reiff still has two years left on his contract, and he played sufficiently last season. That said, Minnesota is currently strapped for cash, and cutting Reiff would save several million dollars to be used elsewhere. Left tackle is also a critical position on the offensive line, so Kubiak may be interested in investing a high draft pick or significant free agency money in the position. Another option is to develop a younger player already on the roster, such as Aviante Collins or Oli Udoh. Only time will tell, but Reiff could very well become a “cap casualty.”

Safety

Low and behold, all of the hype surrounding safety Anthony Harris was real. The former undrafted free agent thrived as the starting safety paired with veteran Harrison Smith this season, and he’s due for a big pay raise and new contract. Whether or not that happens in Minnesota remains to be seen, but it would seem silly to let such a talented home-grown player walk out the door. Harris tied the league-lead in interceptions this year, and he is only beginning to enter the prime of his career. Even with a limited budget, expect the Vikings to spend some serious money on the elite safety very soon.

Punter/Holder

This may not seem like a high-priority position to everyone, but it is to me. The Vikings special teams unit has seen punter/holder turnover for several years, and it’s about time for that to stop. Bringing in a reliable punter and top-notch holder like Britton Colquitt was a brilliant decision by Rick Spielman, as he worked well with Dan Bailey and brought much needed experience to the locker room. Bailey commented throughout the season how he felt more confident with Colquitt holding his kicks, and the punter also had great rapport with the players and coaches. It shouldn’t cost too much to bring Colquitt back, so let’s hope Spielman is ready to commit.

Quarterback

Whoa whoa whoa. The Vikings don’t need a quarterback, what’s this doing here? Well, although Kirk Cousins is under contract next year for no less than $29.5 million, his future in Minnesota is anything but certain. Much of the fanbase is ready to extend the veteran thanks to his impressive stats this season (and of course his first playoff victory), but many fans are ready to turn to the draft or free agency to breed a new signal caller of the future. 

Spielman, Zimmer, and Kubiak’s feelings about this position are somewhat unknown, and draft night 2020 will give fans some clarity. Personally, I would put money on Spielman at least drafting a quarterback, possibly in the middle rounds. That way, he could learn under Cousins, and possibly take the reins when Cousins’ contract expires. Regardless of if they intend this player to be the future starter, the Vikings are also needing a new backup, as Sean Mannion is entering free agency. 

Needless to say, this will be an interesting storyline to follow this offseason.

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A Bad Marriage for the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings seemed poised to win the NFC North last season, but a botched arranged marriage between John DeFilippo and Mike Zimmer quickly sent the team’s hopes south. With Gary Kubiak now at Zimmer’s side, the Vikings are poised to take back the north.

I was optimistic about the signing of “Flip” last year, but it ended up being a blind date gone wrong. John came to Minnesota with a short resume, and Rick Spielman’s gamble on the young offensive coordinator ended up costing the Vikings their spot atop the division. Gary Kubiak is more of an old-school coach and a much better match for Zimmer and the Vikings offense. He’s only listed as the “Offensive Advisor,” but I expect the veteran will be wearing the pants in this year’s offense.

You can already start to see Kubiak’s influence on the offense. Gary has an affinity for tight ends, and Minnesota opted to re-sign Kyle Rudoph after months of deliberation. I expect Kubiak to get a great season out of Rudy, even on the backside of his career. He also loves the ground game, so the Vikings spent a high draft pick on running back Alexander Mattison. Running the ball was a huge point of contention between Zimmer and DeFilippo last year. DeFilippo preferred a passing attack, while Zimmer wanted to control the tempo with the run. Obviously, Flip’s strategy didn’t work, and he’s still salty about his time in the north. The new Jaguars coordinator recently spoke to Jacksonville reporters about working for the Vikings:

“I’m not going to make a lot of comments about that, about some of the things that happened up there… Every play I’ve called in my tenure as an offensive coordinator has been what I think gives our team the best chance for success.”

Some analysts argue that the NFL is past the days of having a single “bell cow” running back. I agree that the Adrian Peterson era is gone, but juggernauts like the Patriots rode their running backs right into the playoffs last year. New England has one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Tom Brady, but they took pressure off of him by using an efficient committee of backs. You can expect Kubiak to replicate that this year with rookie Alexander Mattison and Dalvin Cook.

Any team looking to make a run at the Super Bowl needs to take care of business in their division. There will never be an easy path to the playoffs, but the Vikings now have the power couple capable of winning the NFC North.

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Barr and Carr Believe this will be a Bounce-Back Year

Based on past trends and the present roster, the Minnesota Vikings are poised to bounce back from the disappointing 2018 season. Several insiders including Anthony Barr and David Carr believe the Vikings are primed for a stellar year, but is it too early to be drinking the purple Koolaid?

It’s that time of year — when football fans are busy making bold predictions about the upcoming season. While I don’t give much credibility to armchair quarterbacks, I do put stock in actual NFL analysts like David Carr. The former quarterback and number-one overall pick predicts Zimmer, with the help of Gary Kubiak, will win his first ring this year. “This offense will undoubtedly be better with Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski running the show,” Carr said on NFL.com. “Cousins played some of his best football in Washington under Kyle Shanahan, whose offense is a clone of Kubiak’s. Kubiak won a ring as Denver’s head coach in 2015, and now he helps Zim get his.”

Carr isn’t the only one who expects big things from the Vikings, as team captain Anthony Barr recently raved about Minnesota’s budding offense and agreed that the team is on the brink of a successful season. “Every year that we’ve had a down year, we’ve always bounced back,” Barr said on Good Morning Football. “The masterminds they have on the offensive side are going to pay dividends.” As a player, Anthony is closer to the team than a reporter could ever be, and I trust him when he says this will be a better year. It’s also worth noting that during the offseason, Barr turned down more money from the New York Jets to stay with the Vikings. He obviously sees more potential in his coaches and teammates here in Minnesota, or he would have left for greener pastures.

Endorsements from respected players aside, past performance also indicates the Vikings will bounce back in 2019. From a historical perspective, the team performs better during odd years. Here’s a brief rundown of the past few seasons under Zimmer’s leadership:

2014: 7 wins, 9 losses, missed playoffs

2015: 11 wins, 5 losses, made playoffs

2016: 8 wins, 8 losses, missed playoffs

2017: 13 wins, 3 losses, made playoffs

2018: 8 wins, 7 losses, 1 tie, missed playoffs

Let’s hope history repeats itself. I think Spielman’s draft picks, along with Kubiak’s coaching, will propel us into the postseason. So grab a glass folks, it’s time to drink some purple propaganda.

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Fran Tarkenton, Bart Starr, and a Lesson for Kirk Cousins

A football legend was lost today with the passing of former Packers quarterback Bart Starr. The Hall of Famer didn’t play for the Vikings, but Minnesota’s own star in Fran Tarkenton recognizes him as one of the greats. The late quarterback may even have a lesson for Kirk Cousins.

Tarkenton spent several years playing against Starr and the Green Bay Packers during the 1960’s and 70’s. They may have been competitors on the gridiron, but there was a mutual respect between the two signal-callers. Fran was as devastated as anyone about the passing of Starr: “This is a very sad day… Bart Starr passed away. Bart Starr is the greatest human being ever to play in the National Football League.”

Years have passed and football has evolved since Starr last put on a helmet, but the legacies of the past live on. Fame, and especially fortune were certainly different in that era, even when accounting for inflation. When Starr won back to back Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967, he was earning $100,000 per year. Today that would equate to about $765,000, which is far short of the monstrous deals that quarterbacks currently receive. The highest paid player of 2019 should be Russell Wilson at $35,000,000. I’m all for players maximizing their earning potential, but I also respect Starr for playing for less in a time where there was greater risk of injury.

He didn’t set a gaudy standard for how much money franchise players should make, but Starr did set a more important standard off the gridiron. As a player, head coach, and member of the community, Bart is remembered as being humble and kind. Troy Aikman remarked on Twitter: “Bart Starr was a true gentleman and one of the kindest people I knew. I had elbow surgery following our ‘95 Superbowl in Birmingham and Bart made a visit to the hospital. To this day, not sure how he even knew I was there.” Even as a division rival, he was undoubtedly a classy competitor.

How does Kirk Cousins stack up to Starr? When it comes to being a team player and stand-up guy, I don’t think it should be viewed as a competition. Cousins does a great deal of work for those in need with The Julie & Kirk Cousins Foundation, and there are many other selfless individuals around the NFL. What’s important is that Starr led by example and left a legacy for others to follow.

Bart’s personal stats speak for themselves (24,718 career passing yards), but one must not forget that he had the best coach he could’ve asked for in Vince Lombardi. If Kirk Cousins wants to prove his haters wrong by winning a championship, he should try to follow in Starr’s footsteps. Leading a team to the Super Bowl is a ton of pressure to put on yourself, and Cousins needs to stay humble. To find ultimate success with the Vikings, he’ll have to lean on experienced head coach Mike Zimmer and his new veteran assistant Gary Kubiak. The two are well respected in the league, and their guidance can help Cousins become a star.

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