The Vikings seem to be stuck in football purgatory. 

Yes, the team won the NFC North in 2022, but it was on the back of some unsustainable metrics. For example, the team had 11 one-score games, which set an NFL record. Additionally, the team won 13 games despite having a negative point differential, which is ridiculous. 

One former NFL GM recently detailed why he is concerned about the Vikings' future.

Randy Mueller has been the GM of the Saints and Dolphins, and now is a featured writer for The Athletic. Mueller is going through each division and identifying his biggest concern for each team. 

When it comes to the Vikings, Mueller is concerned about the future more than anything. Mueller elaborated with the following:

I am not the biggest Kirk Cousins supporter but I do think he showed enough functional skills to see this year through. What I worry about is the quarterback plan for the future. I would have loved for the Vikings to have drafted Hendon Hooker (who went to the Lions in the third round) to redshirt for a year and not be held hostage by another contract standoff by Cousins, who turns 35 in August and has a contract that voids next year. The future at this position is uncertain, to say the least.

As Mueller points out, the Vikings seemingly do not have a plan for the QB position post-Cousins. Former BYU QB Jaren Hall was drafted in the fifth round this year, but he figures to be a project. 

Mueller mentioned Hendon Hooker as a prospect that would've fit in well in Minnesota. Hooker would've benefitted from sitting behind Cousins for a year before handling the position in 2024. 

The Vikings got rid of several veterans this offseason including Patrick Peterson, Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Cook, and Za'Darius Smith. These moves leave the team in the precarious position of having a young, rebuilding roster, while still having an aging QB with a $20M+ cap hit. 

Mueller ended the piece by saying there's not much else the Vikings can do for now. It seems apparent that the team is headed for a down year, and it will be interesting to see what the team does after the season. 

"The Vikings’ willingness to pivot and change after a 13-4 season is admirable," admitted Mueller. "It does not make me nervous. What could happen? They have a defense that gives up more than 25 points a game? Been there, done that. At this point, I don’t have much anxiety for this group. They have done what they can, for this year."

Featured image via © Jeffrey Becker | 2023 Jan 15