Life isn't easy being a Lions fan, especially the past few seasons. Up until the 2011 season we Lions fans had failure deeply rooted into our heads. We didn't expect anything from the team, and the team didn't expect much from us in return. Now that the Lions organization has finally built a team that has a chance to contend each year, losing is even more painful! Now, I finally understand what it's like to be a Vikings fan.
As a resident of Minnesota since 2007, I've watched almost every Minnesota Vikings game with many Vikings fans. One pattern that I've noticed is the expectation of brilliance followed by failure. Vikings fans expect their team to excel during certain parts of a season or game, but assume that the team will fall apart in the 4th quarter or the playoffs. Has this mentality been ingrained in fans heads due to the lack of Super Bowl victories or the shortcomings of incredibly talented teams? Arguably yes, and unfortunately, it doesn't allow Vikings fans to appreciate what they have. Like the Lions in the 1990's, the Vikings have been blessed with arguably the best running back in football for the past seven seasons. Just like the Lions, the presence of such a player hasn't led to as much success as the Vikings franchise and it's fan base would expect. So, as a rational observer, I think it's best for the Vikings to hit the reboot button and trade Adrian Peterson.
Considering I am not a Vikings fan, it's easy for me to proclaim that the team should trade it's best player. Some will argue that the Vikings are just a strong quarterback away from contention, as they did make the playoffs with Christian Ponder for the 2012 season. However, the Minnesota Vikings problems extend much further than the quarterback position, although it is definitely an issue. On defense, the Vikings ranked 31st against the pass and allowed the most points in the NFL. Even if the Vikings had Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they wouldn't get near the Super Bowl with that defense. Trading Adrian Peterson for several draft picks would allow the Vikings to draft some impact players and hopefully develop them into superstars.
In addition, the Vikings could take a chance on a younger quarterback with high upside. A common theme from Super Bowl champions within the past fifteen years is a younger QB or a core of young defensive players who are worth a lot more than the salary they earn: ex. Brady and Roethlisberger earlier in their careers, Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas this year. Would the Seahawks be able to put together a championship roster paying Wilson $15 million a year and a player like Sherman $10 million per year? Absolutely not. But they're young players who have developed into superstars on a manageable contract. I sincerely hope that the Vikings can follow this same model that teams like the Seahawks and 49ers have used to ensure for their success. If the Vikings trade Adrian Peterson now while he still has a few good seasons left in him, they might be able to draft a young core of players that can put the ball in motion to start building toward a Super Bowl contender in 2-3 years. Will Vikings management realize that one or two seasons of rebuilding followed by success is better than a few more mediocre seasons with arguably the best running back in football? Minnesota fans can only hope...
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