Poor offensive line play derailed the Vikings hopes of being a Super Bowl team in 2018. Will Minnesota find offensive help in Round 1 of this year’s draft?
When the Vikings made the decision to pay Kirk Cousins a small fortune to be their quarterback last offseason they hoped he could lead them to a Super Bowl title. The offensive line’s inability to protect the high-priced signal caller caused Minnesota to stumble to a 8-7-1 record. Head coach Mike Zimmer needs to correct that issue to guide his team to a successful 2019 campaign.
Signing Josh Kline should be a step in the right direction for the Vikings. He isn’t the answer to Cousins’ prayers, but he can capably man the right guard spot. That still leaves gaping holes at right guard and right tackle. It would be a major surprise if Minnesota doesn’t try to fill one of those two vacancies with their first round pick.
Of course, Zimmer is, at his core, a defensive-minded coach. All of the defensive talent in this draft may make it difficult for him to pass on adding some more punch to his front. The Vikings would still need to circle back and add multiple offensive lineman later in the draft, but it might be a gamble the team’s willing to take if Zimmer spots a potential Pro Bowl defender. Without delay, here are five guys that could be headed to Minnesota on Day One.
5. Erik McCoy
McCoy most played center during his collegiate career at Texas A&M but most scouts see his NFL future at the guard spot. The Vikings could see him as an immediate solution to their problems at right guard.
He isn’t anyone’s definition of a mauler, but he flashes above average ability as both a run blocker and pass protector. McCoy isn’t likely to develop into a Pro Bowler, but he should grow into at least an average starter pretty quickly. That represents a significant improvement for Zimmer and his coaching staff.