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JAKE’S TAKE: Spielman needs to explore outside help for offensive line

MARSHALL – If you’re like me, you came away from the Vikings first preseason action on Saturday about as impressed as you can possibly be from a glorified exhibition game. Kirk Cousins was as advertised in his lone series under center, and the make-shift offensive line, in spite of the absences of the blue-chip starters, including recent IR addition Nick Easton, provided a clean-pocket for Cousins to deliver some impressive strikes to Stefon Diggs. It seems fair to say that all of the pieces are in place for a deep playoff run come January and perhaps all the way into February. However, if I’m General Manager Rick Spielman, I’m leaving nothing to chance and pushing all of the proverbial chips into the middle of the table to get a dependable offensive lineman who provides stability at the guard and center positions.

Now listen, I get it, the Vikings already broke the bank earlier in the offseason to get Cousins, and they just signed the likes of Diggs, Danielle Hunter and Eric Kendricks to long-term deals, so finding the requisite cap-space will be a challenge if the team does decide to go after a player via trade or free-agency. That being said, Executive Vice President of Football Operations and certified cap-guru Rob Brzezinski has proven time and time again that he can pull a rabbit out of a hat so to speak and get deals done even when the team is not in the best position financially. Look no further to this offseason as proof. Many fans and media members alike thought that the Cousins deal would prevent the team from keeping our core players in-house, and look where we are now–Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Riley Reiff, Kendricks, Everson Griffen, Hunter, Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes and Diggs are all signed through at least 2020. Add to the fact that the final cuts made after the preseason will free up even more space makes the goal of landing a dependable offensive lineman a realistic pursuit and one worth at least exploring.

Aside from cap-space, the question of what assets the Vikings would be willing to give up in order to obtain a starter-level offensive lineman is a question that needs an answer. A simple solution would be to trade away 2019 draft picks as the team currently has 10 of them stockpiled, including four compensatory picks that were obtained after parting ways with quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum that netted the team a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick. The Vikings also picked up three seventh-round picks after releasing cornerback Tramaine Brock and defensive tackles Shamar Stephen and Tom Johnson. In the past, Spielman may have been more inclined to hoard these picks and cultivate young talent, but with the Vikings having one of the best offensive and defensive cores in the NFL, these picks become a lot more expendable and worth shopping if the right deal comes along, especially if a Lombardi Trophy is hanging in the balance.

As I’ve broken it down, the Vikings have the assets in place to get a deal done if they want to, but finding the right player to target is obviously a crucial component in this discussion. After Easton went down with a season-ending injury, the depth at the guard and center positions has become an issue given Easton’s ability to play both positions at a relatively high-level, and the general lack of experience of the depth players behind him that are currently in line to take his place. With that in mind, finding a player or players with the flexibility to play both of these positions is critical. In order to find a player that fits the bill, the Vikings scouting department will undoubtedly be pouring over film in the weeks to come, including film from their upcoming joint-practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars and preseason games across the NFL. Once the games are played and the film is broken down, the team will likely come up with a list of targets in which they will pursue.

The 2018 season is shaping up to be a special one for the Vikings, with a roster as deep and talented as any I have ever seen, dating back to my first season of watching them in 1998. That’s why I believe that the front office should leave no stone left unturned to ensure that the team that takes the field week one against the San Francisco 49ers is the absolute best unit that they can possibly assemble, and if that means acquiring a player via a trade and giving up picks, I’m all for it.

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