Souhan: Vikings are just a few tweaks from going even further

[bleedspeed]

http://www.startribune.com/vikings-are-just-a-few-tweaks-from-going-even-further/365078691/

Blair Walsh's missed field goal did the Vikings one favor: It provided a distraction from their other flaws.

To win another NFC North title, and to repeat or improve on 11 victories in 2016, the front office and coaching staff will have to make improvements and alterations over the next seven months.

Here are nine they should consider:

1. Find a quality big receiver

Stefon Diggs should develop into a fine all-around player. Jarius Wright is an efficient slot receiver. What the Vikings need is a big receiver who can become a go-to option in the red zone and a bail-out option for Teddy Bridgewater. In the modern NFL, good teams have a receiver who can win a jump ball.

2. Shuffle the secondary
Terence Newman is too valuable to let go in free agency, and Trae Waynes is a first-round pick who made dramatic progress as a rookie. Re-sign Newman with Waynes at corner and move Newman to safety and you have the makings of a world-class secondary.

3. Draft offensive linemen
Even if John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt return, and return to form, the Vikings offensive line will need youth, and help, and depth. One reason Bridgewater faltered this season was the strong inside pass rush that threw him off rhythm repeatedly, and Adrian Peterson was hit far too often at or behind the line of scrimmage.

4. Keep Chad Greenway
Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks are phenomenal young players. Greenway proved this season that he can still play, that he's a valuable mentor and leader. With Barr and Kendricks playing every down, Greenway is a logical fit as the third linebacker. The Vikings should take advantage of his desire to play one more year without moving his family, and sign him up for one more year.

5. Draft another cornerback
One of the reasons for the Vikings' dramatic improvement on defense was this: In 2015, they had little choice but to start Josh Robinson. In 2016, they rarely needed him to play. They need to continue to build depth at one of the NFL"s most important positions.


6. Get the ball to McKinnon
Late in the season Jerick McKinnon emerged as perhaps the Vikings' most daunting threat to defenses. Norv Turner should spend the offseason looking for ways to feature McKinnon, and to have him on the field at the same time as Peterson.

7. Go to the spread
Given where they are in their careers, it's most important and logical for Peterson to adapt to what serves Bridgewater best rather than the other way around. Bridgewater looks much more comfortable and efficient throwing out of shotgun formations. Peterson looks like he's running in a sack race out of those formations. But he's got to adapt if he wants to lengthen his career. He should spend the offseason training to accelerate from a dead stop, and watching film of backs who have excelled in spread formations.

8. Develop Pruitt
We've waited five years for the promised breakout season from Kyle Rudolph. He has never reached 500 receiving yards in a season. His claim to near-fame is the nine touchdown catches he made in 2012, when he was Christian Ponder's red-zone security blanket. His career yards-per-catch average is 9.8. He's a quality player but miscast as a big-play threat. MyCole Pruitt has the speed and athletic ability to beat defenses downfield. He, like McKinnon, could make a big difference in what has been a plodding offense.

9. Give Bridgewater permission to fail
Bridgewater is such a responsible, studious young player that he has thought himself into a box. He has come to believe that he is not allowed to put passes at risk. He needs more time and better receivers. He needs to firm up his mechanics. He also needs to understand the modern NFL, where every downfield pass could be caught or produce a pass-interference penalty.

Mike Zimmer's coaching and Rick Spielman's roster got the Vikings to 11 victories. Bridgewater will have to play better if the Vikings are going to improve on that.

[bleedspeed]

I think next year is the key year for this team. I think it will be very tough to match what this did this year, but they have a young enough core, but over achieved to a degree. I like this list and think it is pretty solid. The only thing I would add is I would love to see a new OC and QB coach. I think Norv was a good hire at the time, but think the game has passed him up a little and would like to see someone else work with Teddy next year other then his son at a minimum.

[Monster]

I think this roster is pretty legit and if Loadholt can come back healthy the oline suddenly looks a lot better and Clemmings should be better if they need him and hopefully can develop before taking over that spot down the road. The Vikings have done a good job (other than oline partly because of injuries at every level of depth) of building up this roster. They are in a good place going into the draft where they can keep doing that. What I like about the Vikings is Speilman and Zimmer seem on the same page on what they like to look for and that's a really good thing to have going.

[JasonIsDaMan [enjin:7981157]]

When did Souhan become so positive? Is it too soon for him to start bashing St. Joseph of Randolph Avenue?

[northernhoops [enjin:9491634]]

I'd like to see the Vikes run some plays out of the pistol, because I think it'd serve Teddy and AP better

[TAFKASP]

I like all his points short of number 7. If we learned anything this season it's that AP is worthless when not lined up deep. When they go spread with Teddy in the shotgun and AP beside him you can bet money on either a pass or AP running for no gain or less.

AP is not a great receiver, he can catch the ball, but he's not dangerous after. AP doesn't block well, so he's a negative in that aspect of the passing game. AP is a great I-formation back, the best, beyond that not so much. As much as I would love to see AP spend his entire career with the Vikes he just doesn't fit this team IMO. The problem is at his age you're not getting much in return for him and his salary so he will remain a Viking.

[Monster]

I like all his points short of number 7. If we learned anything this season it's that AP is worthless when not lined up deep. When they go spread with Teddy in the shotgun and AP beside him you can bet money on either a pass or AP running for no gain or less.

AP is not a great receiver, he can catch the ball, but he's not dangerous after. AP doesn't block well, so he's a negative in that aspect of the passing game. AP is a great I-formation back, the best, beyond that not so much. As much as I would love to see AP spend his entire career with the Vikes he just doesn't fit this team IMO. The problem is at his age you're not getting much in return for him and his salary so he will remain a Viking.

I blasted AP the first half of the season for his work on passing downs but he got better as time went on. Is he a 3rd down back? Not really but he picked up the blitz at a much higher rate and he can make you pay by getting some decent yards by catching the ball. If you are running a 2 minute drill type no way you have him in there I'd rather have JMC (McKinnon) or Asiata but AP was not the total liability he was earlier in the season. Keep in mind he didn't actually really play in this offense last year and doesn't get those real game reps in preseason in this offense. He could still get a bit better in that regard. He will never be a 3rd down back but I think he can be good enough not to be a liability or completely tip the hand of what they are going to do.

Can Teddy and AP work together? IDK that's a bigger more difficult to answer question. Both guys need to give a little or get better at playing in the preferred formations of the other guy. AP isn't going anywhere but JMC is pretty dynamic especially his ability to line up as a WR can make him an interesting guy to be on the field with AP.

[TheGrey08]

wow, an article where I actually agree with most of what Souhan said. I really really like the Newman to Safety idea. He played well there in 1 game and it also gives us an extra guy we know can be plugged in at CB in a pinch. Playing McKinnon with Peterson is something I've been wanting as well. It might even help Peterson get a little more room to run. Especially with an improved OL next year which hopefully involves being healthy and a high draft pick.

Greenway is the reason I wouldn't draft a LB in the first few rounds unless one slid and was a monster value. They can pick up a LB in the middle of the draft to groom a season or 2. Greenway is a really good fit on this team.

[TheGrey08]

I blasted AP the first half of the season for his work on passing downs but he got better as time went on. Is he a 3rd down back? Not really but he picked up the blitz at a much higher rate and he can make you pay by getting some decent yards by catching the ball. If you are running a 2 minute drill type no way you have him in there I'd rather have JMC (McKinnon) or Asiata but AP was not the total liability he was earlier in the season. Keep in mind he didn't actually really play in this offense last year and doesn't get those real game reps in preseason in this offense. He could still get a bit better in that regard. He will never be a 3rd down back but I think he can be good enough not to be a liability or completely tip the hand of what they are going to do.

Can Teddy and AP work together? IDK that's a bigger more difficult to answer question. Both guys need to give a little or get better at playing in the preferred formations of the other guy. AP isn't going anywhere but JMC is pretty dynamic especially his ability to line up as a WR can make him an interesting guy to be on the field with AP.

Agreed, especially the bold part. He played better in the passing game during the second half and it'll be another year for Zimmer to make an impact on him. I think he'll be on him to improve in his weaker areas.