What does a look into the Vikings' future tell us about the 2022 season?

One of my most notable character traits — a flaw or a boon, depending on the situation — is that I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the future as it pertains to the present.

In a personal sense, relying too much on thoughts about what my "future self" will want can lead to decisions that might seem prudent or the byproduct of good planning on balance but that detract from the ability to be "present" and actually live in the moment. My future self eventually becomes my present self, but by that point I'm thinking about another version of my future self.

In a professional sense, it's probably a healthier trait that still makes me no fun at parties. Musing about "what if Y happens as a consequence of X" before a situation has had a chance to play out can be good analytical thinking that flags potential problems and suggests a course-correction before the ship hits the iceberg.

But I also understand that it can drain the fun out of things like sports. Experiencing the joy of moments and actually approaching things one game at a time — as players say they do, and as fans used to do more frequently — is probably healthier even if there is an element of blissful ignorance to it.

With that as a preamble, let's talk about the present and future Vikings — as I did on Thursday's Daily Delivery podcast.

There are certainly competing forces at play when thinking about this team, a notion that was punctuated by a recent ESPN evaluation (Insider required) of how every NFL team is set up over the next three seasons.

The Packers, in the report, were deemed to be tied for the No. 3 overall set-up over the next three years when factoring in their quarterback, the rest of their roster, their coaching and their front office. In every category, Green Bay was in the top 10 — yes, even No. 6 in their non-QB roster strength.

The Vikings, meanwhile, were No. 19 overall. They were mediocre-to-bad in every category, never rising above No. 17 in any single area.

Does that gap between the teams, particularly over a three-year stretch, seem wider to you than expected? It does to me.

Hence the competing forces: Can you be simultaneously excited about a regime change that could bring about stylistic and systemic differences that boost the Vikings' overall performance and outlook ... while still being realistic about the idea that a more thorough roster overhaul seems to be necessary after the 2022 season unless small changes really do bring about big results?

And would the Vikings' future (collective self) have been better off if they had started the process four months ago — or is there value in the Vikings' present (collective self) being given a chance to exist and excel in this moment?

Those are tough questions that don't have definitive answers because we only get to experience one true reality even as we vicariously imagine several different realities by trying to predict the future.

Perhaps the simplest and most grounded conclusion is this: However 2022 plays out for the Vikings feels quite important for both the present and future, and the only option now is to see what happens instead of just dreaming it up.