The Vikings released guard Pat Elflein on Saturday after three-plus disappointing seasons in Minnesota.
Considering the Vikings drafted Elflein in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, it’s worth wondering who the Vikings could have drafted instead of Elflein.
Before we do this exercise, it’s important to note that the Vikings really needed offensive line help in this draft. The Elflein pick was not considered a reach at the time.
George Kittle went in the fifth round, as did Aaron Jones, but let’s focus on players who were taken after Elflein in the third round to stay realistic with who was actually slotted to go at that point in the draft.
Chris Godwin or Kenny Golladay
It’s worth noting that in the 2017 draft, the Vikings did not need a wide receiver. In 2016, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph all had more than 900 yards receiving. Plus, the previous season, the team had drafted Laqoun Treadwell in the first round.
Godwin and Golladay both look like complete steals right now considering where they were drafted and this Vikings’ offense would be that much more dynamic with either of these two.
Kareem Hunt or James Conner
Again, the Vikings just drafted Dalvin Cook a round earlier in this draft, so it seems silly to draft either of these two a round later.
With that being said, the Vikings did draft Alexander Mattison in the third round of the 2019 draft, so maybe it wouldn’t be that crazy.
Had the Vikings drafted Hunt, it’s hard to imagine he’d still be on the team.
Dan Feeney
Feeney, also a guard, was picked right after Elflein by the Chargers.
Since being drafted, Feeney has started 49 games and is currently starting at center for the Chargers.
This would have been a better pick than Elflein, but the two players were both projected in the third round so it wasn’t a huge miss at the time for Rick Spielman and Co.
Either way, the Vikings gave up on yet another offensive line prospect. That has been Spielman’s biggest weakness during his tenure in Minnesota.
Other notable players that were available include tight end Jonnu Smith and safety John Johnson.
