The 2015 NFL Draft isn't even a week old, and we don't know how any of the players that teams brought in during the free agency period this year are going to fit with their new teams. . .if they're even going to fit at all. We really don't know how much things have changed from the end of the 2014 season to right now.
But that hasn't stopped a few outlets around the internet from putting together post-draft Power Rankings for the National Football League. We have four different sites that have done just that, so let's take a look around at some of them now and see what their (far too early) impressions of the Minnesota Vikings are. For the most part, the impressions of the Vikings seem to be relatively positive. . .so they've got that going for them.
Which is nice.
We'll start with Elliot Harrison over at NFL.com. He did Power Rankings after the opening week of free agency as well, dated 17 March, and since that time he's moved the Vikings up one spot to #18 on his list. . .though he seems to think that they have the ability to climb quite a bit higher.
Blast the horn thing no one can spell: Minnesota had a doggone solid draft! (Gjallarhorn -- looked it up on Wikieverything.) I provided my own "best and worst" of the 2015 NFL Draft here, and gave the Vikings multiple positive marks. A quality haul indeed. And while these rankings don't reflect it just yet, the space between the Lions at 11 and the Vikings at 18 is thisclose.
As we move on to Pete Prisco at CBS Sports, we see another slight bump up in the rankings for our favorite football team. I'm not sure when the last Power Rankings that Prisco put together were, but according to his rankings he's bumped the Vikings up a whopping six spots, all the way to #15.
GM Rick Spielman had another good draft (Trae Waynes, Eric Kendricks) and this team is loaded with young talent. If Teddy Bridgewater continues to grow, they could be a playoff team.
Over at Fox Sports, they also seem to like the Vikings a bit. The last set of 2014 Power Rankings they put together had the Vikings down at #23, and that was prior to their Week 17 victory over the Chicago Bears. That means that, with their move up to #17, they're up six spots over there as well.
After providing Teddy Bridgewater with the tools to succeed on offense during free agency, the Vikings used the draft to find several defenders who can wind up as contributors on day one in Mike Zimmer's defense. The offensive line is the key area of concern heading into 2015.
Alas, it isn't all sweetness and light for the purple and gold, and the dark cloud comes from exactly the place you'd expect it to. . .ESPN. The Vikings, who finished 2014 at #20 on the ESPN Power Rankings, find themselves down four spots to #24 because. . .well, because "Vikings," apparently.
Minnesota quietly went 7-9 last season and has now made 49 picks in the past five drafts. Can Teddy Bridgewater lead this young team back to the playoffs?
And that's your reasoning. Doesn't really do much to justify a drop like that, but hey. . .what else should we expect?
That's a quick look at some way too early power rankings from around the National Football League. Are there any we missed?