Clemmings might have been better if he'd stayed on the right but he was awful on the right and I think they need a lot more from a starting tackle than not being as bad as he was in 2015.808vikingsfan wrote:How can you accurately grade each linemen since they were either playing out of position, or the player adjacent was always someone different? I think even TJ wouldn't look at bad if he had a second year on the right side instead of being thrown on the left.
Regarding grading: I understand the point you're making about continuity but last season didn't occur in a bubble. The intended starters all have previous history in the NFL which we can consider and even without the benefit of the same 5 players performing next to each other all season, we can still see how they each get off the line, how they set, move their feet, drive, sustain blocks, move in space, etc. There's plenty to analyze.
I don't think it's an exaggeration at all to suggest the Vikings need to put 4 new starters on the offensive line in the next 2 years. Consider their circumstances: as of right now they don't have a starting-caliber tackle under contract. That's 2 of 4 positions right there. It's pretty hard to make a case for Fusco to continue as a starter. He hasn't looked like a good starting guard for years now.
Berger will be 35 next year, the final year of his contract, and it seems unlikely he'll continue to start at center beyond that. Even if he does, the clock is obviously ticking on his career.
That's 4 of the 5 starting OL positions, 2 of which are currently open. I don't see clear replacements for any of them on the roster, although perhaps Easton can be the next center. I'm guessing that's the plan.
I'm discussing needs and team-building strategies, not likelihoods. Having quality depth at QB is hardly an impossibility so pointing to how many teams don't have it isn't a good reason not to pursue and develop that depth.Less important, no. Less likely, yes