Minnesota Vikings: Offensive brain trust set for success
By Luke Sims
The addition of former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur gives the Minnesota Vikings a powerful brain trust on the offensive side of the ball, setting themselves up well to keep competing for playoff berths.
The playoffs are the future for the Minnesota Vikings. An 11-5 season that was dominant at times widely proclaimed this to be so. Winning the NFC North title cemented it.
Yet there are still concerns surrounding the team, especially on offense.
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater did not make the leap in his second season, bringing back into the light the early critiques that he may have a high floor but a low ceiling. He is still an incredibly accurate passer and has been impressive at times (including two 300 yard games in 2015) but he has not shown he can carry the team in the same way that running back Adrian Peterson has in years past.
Related Story: Could Mike Zimmer join these 30 greatest coaches someday?
Other concerns linger at wide receiver, where there is no clear number one to dominate a game. The solution may be in free agency, it may be in the draft, or, as current Vikings wide receiver Charles Johnson argues, it may already be on the roster.
Steps won’t be taken to finally solve problems on offense until free agency and the draft later this offseason. What can be done now is setting the team up with the right people to organize everything behind the scenes and prepare for a 2016 of improvement.
More from Minnesota Vikings
- Minnesota Vikings look impressive despite loss in preseason opener
- Minnesota Vikings improve even after cutting important players
- Ranking the 5 best NFL uniform changes for the 2023 season
- 5 NFL teams that will definitely disappoint fans in 2023
- Could QB Kirk Cousins end up in the Hall of Fame one day?
The Minnesota Vikings have done just that by bringing in former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to coach tight ends and Tony Sparano to coach the offensive line. Both coaches are former head coaches in the NFL.
Shurmur and Sparano join offensive coordinator Norv Turner, also a former head coach, to form an offensive brain trust that can rival many of the best in the NFL. While this is no Team of Rivals per se, it’s definitely a group that brings diverse opinions on offensive growth and production and can, hopefully, get the best out of their respective responsibilities.
What is most appealing about bringing in so many different offensive minds is that it is clear the Minnesota Vikings are doing everything they can to create a beneficial, flexible approach to improving the offense. Guys like Shurmur, Sparano, and Turner all bring something different to the table and are able to craft a more masterful approach to creating an offense that can accommodate a growing quarterback and a stud running back.
The pieces are in place, at least partially, on the player side. The Vikings have decided they are behind Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson 100 percent. What they need now is to put the pieces in place offensively. Head coach Mike Zimmer, a defensive mind, has done well in adding to his coaching staff to ensure they leave no stone unturned in their quest to improve.
Even the ability to bring in former head coaches to help head up the group speaks volumes about the respect the Vikings have around the league and the way people view Zimmer as a head coach and leader.
More nfl spin zone: Teddy Bridgewater's development is critical for Vikings' success
Overall, the Vikings have set themselves up well to compete with a new offensive brain trust. They have the ability to turn this offense into something special going forward. Now they just need to put it all together.