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They retooled their roster in the offseason with an eye on the next three years. The loss of Stefon Diggs is going to hurt, and the offense very well could take a step back. But the best thing going for the Vikings is that they have two of the league's smartest play-callers in Mike Zimmer and Gary Kubiak. The Yannick Ngakoue trade should give the Vikings a big boost up front, and Zimmer has earned the benefit of the doubt with his track record of developing young cornerbacks. This team probably doesn't have a Super Bowl ceiling, but the Vikings should be a competitive playoff team.

They will have a new-look defense, which might be a good thing. The challenge will be fitting it all together. Kirk Cousins and the offense should be fine.

DE Yannick Ngakoue could be just the guy Minnesota needs given its pass rush may have to compensate for defense's young corners.

Can the Vikings' defense maintain its level of superiority while in the midst of a rebuild?

Courtney Cronin: While Minnesota lost a host of staples on defense this offseason, Mike Zimmer's unit is still backed by the likes of Harrison Smith, Anthony Harris, Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr and Danielle Hunter. These elite players will be tasked with bringing along a young group of cornerbacks and a handful of new faces on the defensive line while raising the level of play around them.

Kudos to general manager Rick Spielman, who waited out the market and then pounced on Yannick Ngakoue, landing a young, proven pass rusher via a trade in which the Vikings didn't have to a) surrender a premium draft pick (a second- and conditional fifth-rounder went to Jacksonville) or b) pay Ngakoue at the salary he was slated to make under the franchise tag. Granted, that last part has almost nothing to do with Minnesota (Ngakoue was desperate to escape the Jags), but good on the Vikes for seizing on a huge opportunity to get better. Ngakoue -- who has had at least eight sacks in each of his first four seasons -- effectively replaces Everson Griffen and eliminates the most glaring flaw on the defense. Smart football teams do smart things.