For years, Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman raved about his team's depth. Then he got fired because his backups, including quarterback Sean Mannion, weren't good enough.
This year's Vikings' roster appears shallower than an Instagram model. For that you can blame Spielman, or question his replacement, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Spielman acquired a number of exceptional players, which is why the 2022 Vikings are loaded with stars. Safety Harrison Smith, cornerback Patrick Peterson, pass rusher Danielle Hunter and receiver Justin Jefferson could eventually make arguments that they belong in the Hall of Fame.
Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, Za'Darius Smith, Dalvin Cook are stars. Brian O'Neill is a standout. A handful of other players could develop into household names.
If they all stay healthy and Kevin O'Connell can coach, the Vikings could be quite good. If health or expertise is lacking, Mike Zimmer's final-season record of 8-9 won't seem so terrible.
This week, the Vikings corrected one of their problems by trading for backup quarterback Nick Mullens. That a player who could be acquired for a conditional seventh-round pick could be seen as a major upgrade at a position is an indication of just how weak the quarterback room became under Spielman, and how belatedly Adofo-Mensah recognized an obvious need.
There isn't a lot of obvious depth across the rest of the roster, either.
The Vikings' deepest position might be running back, as Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler have emerged as explosive players. But the running back position is not where you want or need maximum depth. What has been proven by many Super Bowl teams in recent years is that everyone has two or three backs who can perform.
