The Minnesota Vikings’ current situation reminds Randy Mueller of the spring of 2006.
At the time, Mueller was the Miami Dolphins’ general manager. The team, coached by Nick Saban in their first year together, had just won nine games. A positive start energized the masses, but roster questions abounded.
Uncertainty at quarterback dominated the conversation. Newspaper articles, penned for outlets like the Miami Herald, outlined the options. In one story, an anonymously sourced executive was even quoted as saying: “When you take the approach of just getting by at quarterback, you’re not going to win long term.”
Other needs occupied Mueller’s day-to-day planning sessions. The Dolphins sought cornerbacks, outside linebackers, defensive ends, offensive linemen and more. Mueller juxtaposed the number of resources he had and the amount of holes that had to be plugged.
“We knew we had some hard calls to make,” Mueller said. “It was going to be hard.”
The Dolphins won seven games combined over the next two seasons, 2006 and 2007. Saban departed for Alabama after the 2006 season. The memories are not Mueller’s fondest, but that’s where his mind goes when he thinks about Minnesota’s paths toward contention.
“They are in a tough spot,” Mueller said.
Mueller, who last worked as a senior executive in the Chargers’ football operations department from 2008 to 2018, now writes for The Athletic. He pens analysis from a decision-maker’s perspective and recently ranked the top 150 free agents. Mueller also studies team direction and this week dissected the Vikings’ offseason circumstances.
