The Minnesota Vikings face a predicament on offense that will only be figured out with time.
With just 15 months on the job, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell are attempting to build their brand of offense but the opportunities to do so have been limited.
This free agency has signaled a significant step in that direction, though. After releasing wide receiver Adam Thielen and signing tight end Josh Oliver, it seems like the Vikings will shift to more two tight end sets. This is a far cry from how the offense operated last season.
While such a move should help boost the Vikings’ chances on the ground, significant work has to be done. The Vikings won’t live in 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) all game and will have to run the ball out of 11 personnel eventually.
Currently, the Vikings are operating incompletely in this sense, and it seems like they’ll continue to struggle on the ground when they head into 11 personnel.
There is a solution, however, and it involves embracing a shift in football: power slots.