Over a short period of time in April, the Vikings restructured defensive tackle Kevin Williams’ contract in a way that will make him a free agent after the 2013 season and then drafted defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd with one of their three first-round picks.
It wasn’t hard to connect the dots in a way that led to Floyd replacing Williams as the starter in Minnesota come 2014. It’s even easier now that coach Leslie Frazier has outlined the team’s plans for Floyd during his rookie season.
The team will have Floyd serve as Williams backup this season instead of trying him at the nose tackle spot next to Williams on the defensive line. They have Letroy Guion and Fred Evans at that spot and Frazier said things will stay that way unless Guion and Evans show that they can’t handle the job.
“I don’t foresee such a dropoff with Letroy or Fred for that to happen,” Frazier said, via Ben Goessling of the Pioneer Press. “That would be optimal if [Floyd’s] able to get in the rotation, have success, and we can gradually add more to his plate as the season goes on.”
Williams is one of four impending free agents up front for the Vikes, including defensive end Jared Allen, so it makes sense that they’d be trying to think about starting options for 2014. If Floyd proves up to the task, it’s a plan that can bear fruit for the Vikings now and in the future.