Vikings' Draft Moves: Hidden Gems and Bold Surprises That Could Change the Game

But Harrison Smith, if he returns for another season, is 37. Aaron Jones will be 32. Brian O’Neill will be 31. Andrew Van Ginkel will be 31. Eric Wilson will be 32. Blake Cashman will be 30. Isaiah Rodgers, Byron Murphy Jr., and James Pierre will all be 28 or older, which is the age of decline for most cornerbacks. That’s a lot of starters that will need to be replaced in the coming years. And the interior defensive line could use a high-end starter though this is the youngest position group on the team. And then there is the question of quarterback… if Kyler Murray proves worthy of an extension that won’t come cheap.

The Vikings won’t be able to replace all these starters when the time comes with quality free agents- they won’t have the salary cap to do so even if they can find all the willing free agents they need. They need to start hitting on draft picks and develop them. Otherwise, roster decline is inevitable.

A Big Draft with a New Interim GM

The Vikings enter this year’s draft with an interim GM in Rob Brzezinski who doesn’t have a background in scouting and player evaluation. He’s mainly a numbers guy- salary cap guru and contract negotiator. But it’ll be up to him to manage the draft including draft trades- and it’ll be his first time in that role. He should be fine. He’s been in the draft war room for the past couple decades and has handled draft trade negotiations in the past.