Below are a handful of questions submitted for our Access Vikings podcast, which you can find on Apple podcasts and Google Play. You can submit questions on Twitter to Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand, or via email to Andrew.Krammer@startribune.com.
Q: In terms of decision making, how big an impact do the short-term nature of Spielman/Zimmer contracts have? Personally, I think Spielman should be contracted long term, so there is limited incentive to prioritize short-term over long-term success. — Neil Gleadall
AK: Good question. Every year, it seems more than half of NFL teams need to 'win now' to avoid calls for change. Both general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer are under contract through the 2020 seasons after one-year options were exercised for each this offseason. Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf said in late March the pair's contracts have been "synced up," and perhaps so are their futures in Minnesota. The question is one that may be applied to their latest decision in signing tight end Kyle Rudolph, who turns 30 in November, to an extension after making Irv Smith Jr. a second-round pick. It's reasonable to think Vikings brass needs to surround quarterback Kirk Cousins with as much talent as possible — and win — right now, not only to get the best possible evaluation of Cousins for 2020 and beyond, but to make the most of a core of defensive stars who aren't getting younger while chasing a playoff win (or two) for a franchise that has just one playoff win since 2009.
Pressure's effects lurched into view as early as Week 3 last season, when three roster moves were made in response to a road tie at Green Bay. Pressure again may influence decision making, but maybe it's only intensified Spielman's tendency to bet on homegrown talent, whether through extensions for Rudolph and linebacker Anthony Barr or re-signing a 2014 seventh-round pick, Shamar Stephen, to be the starting defensive tackle.
Q: How's the competition at three-tech [defensive tackle] looking? Who do you guys envision getting the lion's share of snaps this season? — Andrew Lowell
AK: Stephen got $6 million guaranteed on a three-year deal to return to the Vikings and replace the outgoing Sheldon Richardson. Stephen, lauded by coaches and teammates as a fundamentally-sound run stopper, will step into the starting role next to Linval Joseph and get the lion's share of snaps. But how will the Vikings manufacture the pass rush brought by Richardson? That's the intriguing question, especially with young players like second-year Jalyn Holmes and Hercules Mata'afa, who is essentially in his rookie season now recovered from a torn ACL. But the safe money would be on the Vikings incorporating either defensive end Stephen Weatherly or Everson Griffen more as an interior pass-rush threat. We saw glimpses of this throughout spring practices.
Q: When Shurmur ran the zone run he utilized an unbalanced line multiple times, especially in short yardage. Are you seeing this being used again, or expect to see it? — The Northern Defender
AK: Give some of that credit to the late Tony Sparano, who was the Vikings' run game coordinator as well as offensive line coach before his unexpected passing last summer. Sparano implemented an unbalanced line, either moving a tackle to one side or subbing an extra tackle into the game, while serving as Dolphins head coach. The Vikings tried to do this some last year, too, but simply didn't have the bulldozers up front to create room for running backs. It's certainly a possibility for a brief appearance or two in 2019, but this Vikings offense needed fresh talent such as center Garrett Bradbury. They hope a beefed-up Pat Elflein will make a difference at left guard as well.
