Fourth worst? Vikings’ offseason graded ‘C-‘ by NFL analyst

The defining message of the Minnesota Vikings offseason was change.

While most have praised or understood the reason behind the need for change, there remains a few that have criticized how the Vikings front office went about that change. ESPN’s Seth Walder is in that second group.

With the summer break in full swing, Walder recently ranked each teams’ offseason, dishing out a ‘C-‘ for the Vikings’ offseason overhaul. Only three teams — the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints — were given lower grades for their offseason work.

Walder labeled the decision to draft J.J. McCarthy, after Kirk Cousins’ departure, as the “biggest move” of the Vikings’ offseason. He wrote that the Vikings deserve credit for not making a big move up to get McCarthy.

Where the Vikings erred, according to Walder, is by trading up again to get edge rusher Dallas Turner. Shortly after free agency opened, the Vikings orchestrated a trade with the Texans to acquire Houston’s No. 23 pick in the draft. On draft night, the Vikings used that No. 23 pick in a package of picks to move up to No. 17 to select Turner, one of the best defensive prospects in the draft. Walder called the total package of picks the Vikings gave up in the two trades an “overwhelming price to pay.”

As the Vikings looked to rebuild the pass rush unit, they inked former Texans edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to a four-year, $72-million deal. Walder “loved” the move, highlighting Greenard’s “strong pass rush and run stop win rates last season.”

Minnesota also secured star receiver Justin Jefferson with a four-year, $140 million in early June, an amount that Walder said comes with “a little sticker shock” but that “it could have been richer” considering some of the other non-QB deals signed recently.