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While it's technically still the offseason in the National Football League, the majority of player movement is over and done with, and pundits everywhere can make reasonable evaluations of what teams across the league have done since February to improve themselves. Over at USA Today, Nate Davis has ranked the offseasons of all 32 NFL teams, and he apparently thinks pretty highly of what the Minnesota Vikings have done.
Of the 32 NFL teams, Davis has the Vikings down as having the 6th-best offseason in the league.
They didn't make much noise and that's OK. New G Alex Boone should be a boon to RB Adrian Peterson while departed WR Mike Wallace won't be missed, especially with highly touted first-round WR Laquon Treadwell inbound. Overall, the Vikes quietly added depth to solidify a roster that should be ready to defend the NFC North crown.
Well, the Vikings didn't need to make a whole lot of "noise" when it came to the offseason, coming off of an 11-5 record and their first division title since 2009. The Vikings knew that they had to address the offensive line, and they did that with the signings of Boone and Andre Smith. The potential returns of center John Sullivan and incumbent right tackle Phil Loadholt should prove helpful on that front as well. As Ted pointed out yesterday, there aren't a whole lot of openings to be had on the Minnesota roster at the present time.
Davis only has one NFC team on his list ahead of the Vikings, that being the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings will also face the top three teams on Davis' list during the upcoming season, as they all hail from the AFC South. . .the Jacksonville Jaguars (#1), the Houston Texans (#2), and the Tennessee Titans (#3). As far as the NFC North is concerned, Davis has the Green Bay Packers' offseason ranked at #9, the Chicago Bears at #22, and the Detroit Lions at #24.