Offseason Thread

[Cliff]

Sooner or later Addison will need to be dealt. You can't invest most of the cap on one side of the ball. Could you imagine 70+ million in 2 WRs? Plus a high paid TE. The Bengals are going through that now. How many teams would give up a 1st rounder? Of course if we draft some guys for the OL there isn't a problem you could cut the high paid guys. That hasn't been the case so far.

Not sure what will happen with Addison. He had some good games and made an impact and probably can get even better if he works at it. But as it stands he can't command a top-flight contract on par with JJ any more than the Vikings could get a 1st rounder in trade for him.

I think when JJ McCarthy lines up under center next year I want him to have as much offensive talent around him as possible. I think he'll be able to take full advantage of it.

I don't think it's a given McCarthy lines up under center next year. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the plan is to keep him on the bench for another season unless he's just doing so well behind the scenes his play demands it. When the team was trying to sign Cousins I think the plan was for him to play the 2025 season as well. Now with JJ having to sit an entire season due to an injury they may well want him to have more time to heal up in addition to learning. I think there's a very good chance Jones or Darnold will be starting next season.

Either way the point of having as much offensive talent around the QB as possible stands, but I think they might be able to replicate Addison's production via free agency. If Addison does draw enough in the draft to move him you now have to get someone in FA to replace him which costs against the cap, but on the other hand you may be able to fill in a different spot on a rookie contract.

I know something needs to happen at RB but the consensus best free agent is Aaron Jones. That means if there is any chance to "upgrade" it'll be in the draft. So Jones may be back for another season. Or we should hope he is, otherwise we'll likely be even worse off at the position next season.

[CharVike]

Not sure what will happen with Addison. He had some good games and made an impact and probably can get even better if he works at it. But as it stands he can't command a top-flight contract on par with JJ any more than the Vikings could get a 1st rounder in trade for him.

I think when JJ McCarthy lines up under center next year I want him to have as much offensive talent around him as possible. I think he'll be able to take full advantage of it.

I don't think it's a given McCarthy lines up under center next year. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the plan is to keep him on the bench for another season unless he's just doing so well behind the scenes his play demands it. When the team was trying to sign Cousins I think the plan was for him to play the 2025 season as well. Now with JJ having to sit an entire season due to an injury they may well want him to have more time to heal up in addition to learning. I think there's a very good chance Jones or Darnold will be starting next season.

Either way the point of having as much offensive talent around the QB as possible stands, but I think they might be able to replicate Addison's production via free agency. If Addison does draw enough in the draft to move him you now have to get someone in FA to replace him which costs against the cap, but on the other hand you may be able to fill in a different spot on a rookie contract.

I know something needs to happen at RB but the consensus best free agent is Aaron Jones. That means if there is any chance to "upgrade" it'll be in the draft. So Jones may be back for another season. Or we should hope he is, otherwise we'll likely be even worse off at the position next season.

This will be an interesting deal to see how they handle the QB situation. Darnold has fallen on the bad side with most Viking fans. But he had one hell of a season for us. What he accomplished stat wise you won't see very often. Even what he showed sealing victories and having late drives was great. I thought the guy was much worse than the player I saw this year. He had a few bad games but there are very few if any QBs who don't. Ever since his teammates lifted him up things changed. But those players were hyped for him which was great to see. They all know he was labeled a bust and that's a tough spot to get out of. But he did it. That shows something right there. Plus he played tough and never used getting hit, sacked or chased around as an excuse. Hopefully they get a feel for what type of action he will get during the FA period before it begins. A tag and trade seems like a wish but look who's playing QB right now around the league. At RB Jones and Akers did fine. But that will be another position to watch.

[J. Kapp 11]

Here’s an interesting proposal that Judd Zulgad has made on Purple Daily:

Trade Jordan Addison for draft assets.

His reasoning.

1. Addison is a good player with solid trade value since he still has 3 years left on a rookie deal.
2. He’s good but not irreplaceable.
3. He’s had off-field problems the past two seasons and may face a 2 or more game suspension.
4. He’s could be replaced with a relatively low-cost veteran.
5. Long term, it’s unlikely the Vikings will ever sign him to a big extension because of Jefferson’s huge deal.

One such name mentioned was Cooper Kupp. He’s got one year left on his contract but might find himself as a cap casualty, and of course he has history with Kevin O’Connell. Addison could be worth a high second-round choice or more.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Vikings need assets. Addison has been good, but rarely great. And with all the gravity and attention Justin Jefferson demands from a defense, almost any decent receiver can have success. At the same time, Addison has flashed superstar potential, and he’s Kwesi’s best draft pick thus far (not saying much).

I don’t know. It’s an interesting idea. What do you guys think?

[CharVike]

Here’s an interesting proposal that Judd Zulgad has made on Purple Daily:

Trade Jordan Addison for draft assets.

His reasoning.

1. Addison is a good player with solid trade value since he still has 3 years left on a rookie deal.
2. He’s good but not irreplaceable.
3. He’s had off-field problems the past two seasons and may face a 2 or more game suspension.
4. He’s could be replaced with a relatively low-cost veteran.
5. Long term, it’s unlikely the Vikings will ever sign him to a big extension because of Jefferson’s huge deal.

One such name mentioned was Cooper Kupp. He’s got one year left on his contract but might find himself as a cap casualty, and of course he has history with Kevin O’Connell. Addison could be worth a high second-round choice or more.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Vikings need assets. Addison has been good, but rarely great. And with all the gravity and attention Justin Jefferson demands from a defense, almost any decent receiver can have success. At the same time, Addison has flashed superstar potential, and he’s Kwesi’s best draft pick thus far (not saying much).

I don’t know. It’s an interesting idea. What do you guys think?

The 5 things mentioned above will hurt his trade value. Plus KAM and draft pick isn't an asset. That's trading him for nothing. I would rather let him play out the deal. Air O’Connell needs bodies at wr.

[Cliff]

Here’s an interesting proposal that Judd Zulgad has made on Purple Daily:

Trade Jordan Addison for draft assets.

His reasoning.

1. Addison is a good player with solid trade value since he still has 3 years left on a rookie deal.
2. He’s good but not irreplaceable.
3. He’s had off-field problems the past two seasons and may face a 2 or more game suspension.
4. He’s could be replaced with a relatively low-cost veteran.
5. Long term, it’s unlikely the Vikings will ever sign him to a big extension because of Jefferson’s huge deal.

One such name mentioned was Cooper Kupp. He’s got one year left on his contract but might find himself as a cap casualty, and of course he has history with Kevin O’Connell. Addison could be worth a high second-round choice or more.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Vikings need assets. Addison has been good, but rarely great. And with all the gravity and attention Justin Jefferson demands from a defense, almost any decent receiver can have success. At the same time, Addison has flashed superstar potential, and he’s Kwesi’s best draft pick thus far (not saying much).

I don’t know. It’s an interesting idea. What do you guys think?

We've actually been talking about this a bit up thread and I think mostly it all depends on compensation and your view on how confident you are about the value of a draft pick in KAM's hands. Addison himself is a KAM draft pick but otherwise so far his record isn't terrific. Dallas Turner and JJ need to turn into really good or great players for that to change.

I do think getting draft value for Addison, picking up a replacement in FA, and then drafting another position that might be more expensive in the free agent market has merits, but considering KAM's record drafting I don't think I would make the move.

[VikingLord]

Here’s an interesting proposal that Judd Zulgad has made on Purple Daily:

Trade Jordan Addison for draft assets.

His reasoning.

1. Addison is a good player with solid trade value since he still has 3 years left on a rookie deal.
2. He’s good but not irreplaceable.
3. He’s had off-field problems the past two seasons and may face a 2 or more game suspension.
4. He’s could be replaced with a relatively low-cost veteran.
5. Long term, it’s unlikely the Vikings will ever sign him to a big extension because of Jefferson’s huge deal.

One such name mentioned was Cooper Kupp. He’s got one year left on his contract but might find himself as a cap casualty, and of course he has history with Kevin O’Connell. Addison could be worth a high second-round choice or more.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Vikings need assets. Addison has been good, but rarely great. And with all the gravity and attention Justin Jefferson demands from a defense, almost any decent receiver can have success. At the same time, Addison has flashed superstar potential, and he’s Kwesi’s best draft pick thus far (not saying much).

I don’t know. It’s an interesting idea. What do you guys think?

Kupp is getting up there in years. He's still productive but one wonders for how much longer.

I think it's pretty rare for teams to move on so quickly from a 1st round draft pick like Addison who has been productive and still has potential to improve. I understand the desire to acquire some draft capital to replace what was given up in last year's draft, but this type of move is one the Vikings do not need to make the way I look at it. They have a lot of salary cap space to make moves in free agency to address their most pressing player needs. Assuming they stick with their original plan at QB, they should be starting a player who will be on a rookie deal, so they can spend most of that money elsewhere and likely will pick up several immediate starters.

But even if KAM were to get say, a high 2nd rounder for Addison, what then? Who is likely to be available when that pick rolls around that would make the trade reasonable? Is KAM targeting a player he feels will fly under the radar or otherwise would deserve to be drafted higher if he played a different position? Just having a high 2nd rounder to have a high 2nd rounder isn't enough in my view, especially when they know what they have in Addison and they used a 1st rounder to get him.

I still think the best pay for KAM is to bite the bullet in the draft this year. Hold position and make good picks. Use the salary cap space to address the areas on the team that need the most immediate improvement. KAM was lauded this year for his acumen in free agency last offseason. If his is a free agency savant, prove it. Go out and make the moves needed to beef up the interior offensive line and secondary.

I think that is his best play unless someone offers him a screaming deal, be that for Addison or someone else.

[CharVike]

Here is a G we should look at. Mekhi Becton the Eagles signed him as a FA last year after he failed as a T with the Jets. KAM missed this signing. The guy is a monster at 364 lbs and has a cool nickname "Big Ticket". You won't see him pushed into the backfield because he'll be doing the pushing. Every needed team will be going after Trey Smith and in our division looks like us and the Bears. I'm sure there are others so the cap number will easily be low 20 millions. I like bigger players at the LOS so he probably don't fit whatever we are trying to do/prove.

[VikingLord]

If a team needs interior OL, this is a good draft to pick one up. A couple of players I like that will likely be available at or near the Vikings first round pick are:

- Tyler Booker, Alabama. 6'5", 352. Booker is a guard who looks like he could be a star in the pros. He's likely to be gone well in advance of pick 24, but then again, IOL is a position that tends to fall in most drafts as teams chase the bright, shiny players who play the "skill" positions. If, by some stroke of good fortune, Booker makes it to the Vikings at 24, KAM would be foolish to allow him to fall further or trade out of the position. From what I've seen Booker has the potential to not just be a 1st year impact starter at guard, he could be among the best guards in the entire league year one.

- Kelvin Banks, Texas. 6'4", 320. Banks is a bit of a tweener prospect as a guard as he has played and can play tackle. He's a player who displays what I can best describe as "football smarts" and is very consistent. While not a dominant player, he is very tough and capable. I personally think Banks might be available as late as the compensatory pick in the 3rd, while #24 might be too high for him, but if Booker were gone when 24 rolls around and KAM doesn't like his options there, a trade back into the top half of the 2nd might be a good place to pull the trigger on a player like Banks.

- Donovan Jackson, Ohio State. 6'4", 320. Jackson put some good games on tape this year. Injuries to others forced Ohio State to move him to tackle for substantial portions of the year, but is natural position is guard and he's very good there. Like Banks he might not be dominant at the pro level, but he's the type of person and player who will instantly improve the play of those around him. Like Banks, #24 might be a touch high for him, but depending on who else is available at that spot, I wouldn't be upset if KAM pulled the trigger on him.

Here's a dark horse candidate for me:

- Luke Kendra, Cincinatti. 6'4", 323. Kendra is just the definition of a pit bull. He is super tough and plays to the whistle. He's definitely not a 1st round pick (although I suppose that could change if he goes off during the pre-draft evaluation period), but he'd be excellent value with one of those two 5th rounders.

The way I see it, KAM will have to look at adding one guard in FA and one in the draft and he has to hit on both. As far as the draft portion of that equation goes, I'd be happy with any of the above 4 prospects.

[J. Kapp 11]

If a team needs interior OL, this is a good draft to pick one up. A couple of players I like that will likely be available at or near the Vikings first round pick are:

- Tyler Booker, Alabama. 6'5", 352. Booker is a guard who looks like he could be a star in the pros. He's likely to be gone well in advance of pick 24, but then again, IOL is a position that tends to fall in most drafts as teams chase the bright, shiny players who play the "skill" positions. If, by some stroke of good fortune, Booker makes it to the Vikings at 24, KAM would be foolish to allow him to fall further or trade out of the position. From what I've seen Booker has the potential to not just be a 1st year impact starter at guard, he could be among the best guards in the entire league year one.

- Kelvin Banks, Texas. 6'4", 320. Banks is a bit of a tweener prospect as a guard as he has played and can play tackle. He's a player who displays what I can best describe as "football smarts" and is very consistent. While not a dominant player, he is very tough and capable. I personally think Banks might be available as late as the compensatory pick in the 3rd, while #24 might be too high for him, but if Booker were gone when 24 rolls around and KAM doesn't like his options there, a trade back into the top half of the 2nd might be a good place to pull the trigger on a player like Banks.

- Donovan Jackson, Ohio State. 6'4", 320. Jackson put some good games on tape this year. Injuries to others forced Ohio State to move him to tackle for substantial portions of the year, but is natural position is guard and he's very good there. Like Banks he might not be dominant at the pro level, but he's the type of person and player who will instantly improve the play of those around him. Like Banks, #24 might be a touch high for him, but depending on who else is available at that spot, I wouldn't be upset if KAM pulled the trigger on him.

Here's a dark horse candidate for me:

- Luke Kendra, Cincinatti. 6'4", 323. Kendra is just the definition of a pit bull. He is super tough and plays to the whistle. He's definitely not a 1st round pick (although I suppose that could change if he goes off during the pre-draft evaluation period), but he'd be excellent value with one of those two 5th rounders.

The way I see it, KAM will have to look at adding one guard in FA and one in the draft and he has to hit on both. As far as the draft portion of that equation goes, I'd be happy with any of the above 4 prospects.

This is good research, but I am not convinced there is a guard out there with a consensus first-round grade. Vikings will not go guard in the first. It would be bad value, and Kwesi is all about value.

I’ll go even further. I don’t think Kwesi & company will draft a guard at all.

The reason is simple: I believe KOC is going to win all free agency battles. He’s fed up with the IOL holding this offense back, so he’ll get his guard, maybe two of them. If the Vikings stay at 24, I believe they’ll take either a CB or DT. If they trade back, don’t be surprised if they go RB. That would also be a position to draft in that 3rd round comp pick slot. This is the best and deepest RB class in years, and it’s a position of need. We all love Aaron Jones, but he can’t stay healthy. After him, there’s nothing. The team’s red zone woes won’t get fixed until the Vikings can run the ball.

[J. Kapp 11]

Here’s an interesting proposal that Judd Zulgad has made on Purple Daily:

Trade Jordan Addison for draft assets.

His reasoning.

1. Addison is a good player with solid trade value since he still has 3 years left on a rookie deal.
2. He’s good but not irreplaceable.
3. He’s had off-field problems the past two seasons and may face a 2 or more game suspension.
4. He’s could be replaced with a relatively low-cost veteran.
5. Long term, it’s unlikely the Vikings will ever sign him to a big extension because of Jefferson’s huge deal.

One such name mentioned was Cooper Kupp. He’s got one year left on his contract but might find himself as a cap casualty, and of course he has history with Kevin O’Connell. Addison could be worth a high second-round choice or more.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Vikings need assets. Addison has been good, but rarely great. And with all the gravity and attention Justin Jefferson demands from a defense, almost any decent receiver can have success. At the same time, Addison has flashed superstar potential, and he’s Kwesi’s best draft pick thus far (not saying much).

I don’t know. It’s an interesting idea. What do you guys think?

Kupp is getting up there in years. He's still productive but one wonders for how much longer.

I think it's pretty rare for teams to move on so quickly from a 1st round draft pick like Addison who has been productive and still has potential to improve. I understand the desire to acquire some draft capital to replace what was given up in last year's draft, but this type of move is one the Vikings do not need to make the way I look at it. They have a lot of salary cap space to make moves in free agency to address their most pressing player needs. Assuming they stick with their original plan at QB, they should be starting a player who will be on a rookie deal, so they can spend most of that money elsewhere and likely will pick up several immediate starters.

But even if KAM were to get say, a high 2nd rounder for Addison, what then? Who is likely to be available when that pick rolls around that would make the trade reasonable? Is KAM targeting a player he feels will fly under the radar or otherwise would deserve to be drafted higher if he played a different position? Just having a high 2nd rounder to have a high 2nd rounder isn't enough in my view, especially when they know what they have in Addison and they used a 1st rounder to get him.

I still think the best pay for KAM is to bite the bullet in the draft this year. Hold position and make good picks. Use the salary cap space to address the areas on the team that need the most immediate improvement. KAM was lauded this year for his acumen in free agency last offseason. If his is a free agency savant, prove it. Go out and make the moves needed to beef up the interior offensive line and secondary.

I think that is his best play unless someone offers him a screaming deal, be that for Addison or someone else.

Fair points.

Not arguing in favor of … just playing devil’s advocate.

What about long term? Addison will want to start talking extension after next year. Are you giving him a second contract at any point down the road when you’ve already got Jefferson on the books for $35 million a year? If not, then why not trade him now?

How about his off-field issues and potential suspension?

Could your opinion change if he gets in trouble a third time? What if his dad ramps up his criticism of the Vikings?

Again, I’m not sure about this. But it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vikings entertained offers. And I think I’d be OK if they did it, as long as they got at least a 2025 second-rounder in return. I only threw out Cooper Kupp as an example. There are others out there. And if the plan is to move on from Addison one or two years down the road, then who cares if a guy like Kupp only has a year or two of productivity left?

[CharVike]

If a team needs interior OL, this is a good draft to pick one up. A couple of players I like that will likely be available at or near the Vikings first round pick are:

- Tyler Booker, Alabama. 6'5", 352. Booker is a guard who looks like he could be a star in the pros. He's likely to be gone well in advance of pick 24, but then again, IOL is a position that tends to fall in most drafts as teams chase the bright, shiny players who play the "skill" positions. If, by some stroke of good fortune, Booker makes it to the Vikings at 24, KAM would be foolish to allow him to fall further or trade out of the position. From what I've seen Booker has the potential to not just be a 1st year impact starter at guard, he could be among the best guards in the entire league year one.

- Kelvin Banks, Texas. 6'4", 320. Banks is a bit of a tweener prospect as a guard as he has played and can play tackle. He's a player who displays what I can best describe as "football smarts" and is very consistent. While not a dominant player, he is very tough and capable. I personally think Banks might be available as late as the compensatory pick in the 3rd, while #24 might be too high for him, but if Booker were gone when 24 rolls around and KAM doesn't like his options there, a trade back into the top half of the 2nd might be a good place to pull the trigger on a player like Banks.

- Donovan Jackson, Ohio State. 6'4", 320. Jackson put some good games on tape this year. Injuries to others forced Ohio State to move him to tackle for substantial portions of the year, but is natural position is guard and he's very good there. Like Banks he might not be dominant at the pro level, but he's the type of person and player who will instantly improve the play of those around him. Like Banks, #24 might be a touch high for him, but depending on who else is available at that spot, I wouldn't be upset if KAM pulled the trigger on him.

Here's a dark horse candidate for me:

- Luke Kendra, Cincinatti. 6'4", 323. Kendra is just the definition of a pit bull. He is super tough and plays to the whistle. He's definitely not a 1st round pick (although I suppose that could change if he goes off during the pre-draft evaluation period), but he'd be excellent value with one of those two 5th rounders.

The way I see it, KAM will have to look at adding one guard in FA and one in the draft and he has to hit on both. As far as the draft portion of that equation goes, I'd be happy with any of the above 4 prospects.

From PFF
INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE: SCARCE
The 2025 class may churn out some starting NFL interior offensive linemen, but it is a tougher group to find players you are confident in.

At least one center has been selected in the top 50 in every draft since 2017, but there is a good chance that streak ends in 2025.

As for guards, Tyler Booker, Tate Ratledge and Donovan Jackson seem to be getting the most hype. However, it's currently a long shot that we see any of them drafted in the first round. For that reason, look for NFL teams to hit free agency hard at center and guard in March.

[VikingLord]

This is good research, but I am not convinced there is a guard out there with a consensus first-round grade. Vikings will not go guard in the first. It would be bad value, and Kwesi is all about value.

Well, I checked a site that tracks mocks and this is what they have for Tyler Booker: https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/pl ... ler-booker

He's generally trending up and I expect that to continue throughout the pre-draft evaluation period. He's a very good prospect at guard.

I’ll go even further. I don’t think Kwesi & company will draft a guard at all.

The reason is simple: I believe KOC is going to win all free agency battles. He’s fed up with the IOL holding this offense back, so he’ll get his guard, maybe two of them. If the Vikings stay at 24, I believe they’ll take either a CB or DT. If they trade back, don’t be surprised if they go RB. That would also be a position to draft in that 3rd round comp pick slot. This is the best and deepest RB class in years, and it’s a position of need. We all love Aaron Jones, but he can’t stay healthy. After him, there’s nothing. The team’s red zone woes won’t get fixed until the Vikings can run the ball.

The top FA at guard is probably the guy from KC (forget his name right now), and I've seen estimates he'll command upwards of $20 million a year. KAM does have some cap space to work with, but he's also got to think about the secondary. If he were to make plays for two 2nd-tier IOL prospects in FA this year he's looking at between $20-30 million of that cap space gone.

I'm not convinced it's possible for him to solve the problem solely through FA, even assuming the Vikings have McCarthy as their starting QB next year on a rookie deal.

[VikingLord]

What about long term? Addison will want to start talking extension after next year. Are you giving him a second contract at any point down the road when you’ve already got Jefferson on the books for $35 million a year? If not, then why not trade him now?

How about his off-field issues and potential suspension?

Could your opinion change if he gets in trouble a third time? What if his dad ramps up his criticism of the Vikings?

Addison can start talking about extensions all he wants, but his play on the field and his behavior off the field has to merit it. My opinion would definitely change if he continues to get in trouble. Heck, the trouble he's found himself in to this point is one of the reasons I already doubt the Vikings could get very much in trade for him.

Again, I’m not sure about this. But it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vikings entertained offers. And I think I’d be OK if they did it, as long as they got at least a 2025 second-rounder in return. I only threw out Cooper Kupp as an example. There are others out there. And if the plan is to move on from Addison one or two years down the road, then who cares if a guy like Kupp only has a year or two of productivity left?

I'm always in favor of any move that improves the team. If the Vikings can deal Addison for more on net than they gave up to get him, that is a good trade in my view.

From where I sit, WR is not an area of need on the team. The Vikings could afford to swap Addison for a defensive secondary player, for example, or the equivalent in the draft, and that might be a very good trade on net for the team. But Addison is on a rookie deal now and really isn't in a position to make any demands or throw any hissy fits about his contract. He simply hasn't put himself in a position to do that, and I think the best net move for the Vikings, at least for this upcoming season, is to hang on to him and see if he can play his way into a position where he can do that, because if he does that it will mean he had a very good season, and if he had a very good season that will mean the Vikings starting QB likely had one as well.

[VikingLord]

As for guards, Tyler Booker, Tate Ratledge and Donovan Jackson seem to be getting the most hype. However, it's currently a long shot that we see any of them drafted in the first round. For that reason, look for NFL teams to hit free agency hard at center and guard in March.

I don't know if I agree with this conclusion. I think it is very likely (90% or so) at least one guard goes in the 1st round, perhaps in the first 15 picks. Teams are watching Philly and KC. It's a monkey-see, monkey-do league, and both teams have had good IOL play that has been a huge part of their success on offense. The Lions also had good IOL play. While there isn't a bumper crop of top prospects at center for sure, the guard position might be deeper than what you quoted indicates.

[StumpHunter]

As for guards, Tyler Booker, Tate Ratledge and Donovan Jackson seem to be getting the most hype. However, it's currently a long shot that we see any of them drafted in the first round. For that reason, look for NFL teams to hit free agency hard at center and guard in March.

I don't know if I agree with this conclusion. I think it is very likely (90% or so) at least one guard goes in the 1st round, perhaps in the first 15 picks. Teams are watching Philly and KC. It's a monkey-see, monkey-do league, and both teams have had good IOL play that has been a huge part of their success on offense. The Lions also had good IOL play. While there isn't a bumper crop of top prospects at center for sure, the guard position might be deeper than what you quoted indicates.

Ironically, Philly and KC were both starting backups on the interior in the conference championship and both did just fine. KC in particular had two great interior players in that game, and then arguably below average to bad players in the other 3 spots on the Oline. It didn't matter because Buffalo's front 5 isn't very good at getting to the passer, but if Mark Andrews doesn't sell last week, Baltimore does take advantage and probably keeps KC out of the Super Bowl. Houston just manhandled that line the week prior, they just didn't have the offense to make KC pay.

As for following Philly's approach, the Vikings would need to fire Kwesi and hire a GM who is competent at drafting to come close to what they did. They aren't just good on the interior of the Oline, they are top 5 at nearly every position group outside of maybe QB, and even he arguably among the top 5 QBs in the league, definitely top 10. In fact, you replace any our position groups outside of the pass catchers with Philly's and it would be a massive upgrade. That is true for most teams in the league too. In other words, it isn't just the IOL, it is everything.

Roseman is honestly on his way to becoming the greatest GM of all time and doesn't get nearly enough credit for what he has done with that team. Or at least he is great when he isn't being asked to pick between Reagor and Justin Jefferson that is.