Vikings draft preview-ish

Finally we reach one of my favorite times on the sports calendar: no more mock drafts, no more uninteresting draft profiles, no more pre-whining about how the Vikings did the wrong thing with draft picks that haven't even taken place.

Yes, the NFL draft is here.

For the Vikings, this is phase 2 of their offseason rebuild. It's been clear to anybody paying attention that their strategy in free agency was to greatly prioritize defense. I think they've done a great job at adding pieces on that side of the ball.

Fans and media have whined incessantly about how they haven't done much about the OL. The only newcomer is Mason Cole, likely a backup. Resigning Dakota Dozier to the barest minimum of a bare minimum deal sent the fans into a meltdown.

Hello? Clearly their free agency approach has opened them up to be free to focus just as strongly on offense in the draft. And they should be in great position to have perhaps several linemen to pick from at 14. 

And I do think the odds favor them going for the best lineman available. Sure, best player available and all that, but in this case that BPA may also intersect with their greatest need. I won't name names. Any mock draft can tell you the names. I only know them AS names.

The overall OL plan is very much up in the air. O'Neill could be LT or RT. Cleveland could be a guard or tackle. Bradbury could maybe even move to guard.

No, the Vikings are not taking a QB at 14, even if one of the consensus 1st rounders fall to them. The Kirk Cousins Derangement Syndrome crowd won't accept this, but the Vikings are not in need of a new QB. If a QB falls you swing a trade down to a desperate team. I wouldn't mind a mid round QB just to ensure that Sean Mannion is gone for good.

Other high areas of need are secondary and pass rush. But only OL is a position group where 1 or even 2 draftees should be in line to start week 1.

With no 2nd round pick as of now, this draft really rests on what Spielman does with that 1st round pick. It's unfair to expect him to again nail a draft as much as he did last year, but he needs to hit on that 1st pick. This team doesn't have many gaping holes right now beyond the OL. Despite the tired and baseless narratives, Spielman knows this. I really do think he goes lineman at 14, and several other times during the draft.

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