Minnesota Vikings: Replacing aging veterans through 2020 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
The Minnesota Vikings are nearing the end of a championship window. How can they use the 2020 NFL Draft to replace veterans and build for a new window?
The NFL is a league of spurts and short windows, with a few exceptions. The dynastic success of the New England Patriots is an outlier. For the rest of the NFL, championship windows come and go every so often. Aging rosters signal the end of what was once a promising outlook. Failed draft picks and expensive letdowns lead to roster overhaul. The Minnesota Vikings may find this all too familiar.
The Vikings have a handful of veterans who are at the end of their ropes in terms of their careers. They also have decisions to make in regards to upcoming contract situations. For every steal in the draft, the Vikings have their fair share of misses. At some point, the Vikings have to look at the future and make some changes.
At the very least, they have to consider moving on from recent draft picks who haven’t panned out. Going younger is always one viable option. Luckily for them, the 2020 NFL Draft is expected to be loaded with NFL talent across the field.
Minnesota has done a great job of managing the cap situation over the years. Despite the huge deal for quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Vikings have retained their core. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are locked up for the foreseeable future. Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks and Danielle Hunter are signed for the long haul as well. Still, it’s never too early to think about the future.
The 2020 NFL Draft has talent at the top. It also has a ton of value in the later rounds. Teams in need of immediate help have their solution. At the same time, those who want to grab help for the future can do the same. I’ve already looked at potential quarterbacks the Vikings could draft in 2020. Here are 2020 prospects who can replace other current veterans in Minnesota.