Any time a team performs well, the conversation always shifts towards the future and how a franchise can continue the success it is currently having for years to come.
The Vikings are 10-2 and can take one step closer this weekend to earning home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That success is a sign of people doing their jobs at a very high level. That’s the case with Minnesota offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.
Do you think they sign Pat Shurmur and Case to new contracts?
— Sammy (@Skoldier80) December 7, 2017
Shurmur’s phone is about a month or so away from blowing up if the Vikings have a bye during wild-card weekend January 6-7. That’s the earliest he’ll be able to interview with teams for head coaching positions.
His name is generating a ton of buzz as a coaching candidate for teams needing a spark on offense, given what he’s done this year.
Facing some less-than-ideal circumstances with the loss of Sam Bradford and Dalvin Cook, Shurmur built the No. 5 offense in the NFL, modernized and revitalized a dormant run game and has taken Case Keenum from a backup to someone who is going to earn a big payday next season.
What I like most about Shurmur is how well his system adapts to the personnel at his disposal. Keenum’s skill set is different than Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater's. While the basis of Shurmur’s offensive philosophy remains the same regardless of who’s throwing the ball, he adjusts certain things based on the strengths of his quarterback, like how the Vikings have been able to utilize Keenum’s mobility in ways they might not have been able to with Bradford.
Keenum is 8-2 as a starter, ranks sixth in completion percentage (67.5) and seventh in passer rating (98.6). He’s experienced the greatest increase in QBR from last season to now (37.5 to 75.4). In the midst of an eight-game win streak, Minnesota’s offense is averaging 26 points and over 300 yards per game.
That’s a product of more than just Shurmur’s playcalling.
Shumur has built an environment that sets Keenum up for success. It started with revitalizing the offensive line with a group of athletic linemen to operate a zone-blocking scheme. That opened up things in the run game, which became a multi-dimensional attack with rushers capable of catching passes, as Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray have demonstrated. Adam Thielen is having a career season with Keenum at quarterback with 74 receptions and 1,056 receiving yards.
That is to say, enjoy this while it lasts, Vikings fans. Shurmur’s talents are going to be highly sought after during the offseason by teams like the Bears, Giants, Bengals and Bucs.
Of course, the Vikings want to keep him around as long as they can. In order for that to happen, Shurmur has to decide whether he wants to be a head coach again. He has head coaching experience with the Eagles (interim) and Browns (which is why I didn’t mention them above) but could be perfectly happy as an offensive coordinator. If he stays in Minnesota, he gets to name his number.
Another deciding factor for Shurmur is who the Vikings' quarterback will be next season. That brings us to Part II of the mailbag: Will Keenum get re-signed in Minnesota?
I’m fairly confident that we’re past the point of the Vikings trying to find a way to sign both Keenum and Bridgewater, who are free agents in 2018, next season. Keenum isn’t and shouldn’t resign himself to a backup role (and money) after what he’s done with the Vikings.
If Shurmur decides to stay, it’s possible that Keenum remains the starter. But my gut tells me given how much Minnesota has invested in Bridgewater’s return, he’ll be the quarterback next season and Shurmur will find his way to a big-time job.
If the latter pans out, there are plenty of quarterback-needy teams that will pounce at the opportunity to sign Keenum. He could follow a similar path as Mike Glennon or Brian Hoyer did in the offseason, earning a sizable deal on a team that’s likely to draft a quarterback in April of next year. They bring Keenum in as the experienced veteran to spark a change on offense, create a learning environment for younger QBs and a healthy competition at the position in camp.