Over the past several years Minnesota Vikings the general manager Rick Spielman has displayed somewhat of a position fetish.
Four times in the past six seasons, Spielman has spent a first or second-round pick on a cornerback. Three of those corners have been first-rounders, including Mike Hughes in 2018.
The desire to stockpile corner talent makes sense given the position's importance in coach Mike Zimmer's defense.
Many in Minnesota, however, are sick of bulking up a position of strength while glaring needs elsewhere sit unattended too. Even Spielman's wife has had enough of the GM's corner-craze.
"Everybody has angst [this time of year]," Spielman said Tuesday, via the team's official website. "My wife ... she said, 'If you draft another corner, don't come home. You can just stay at the office.'"
Like every man with a habit, Spielman predictably left himself an out.
"Although there's some pretty good corners that we like in the first round," he noted.
The Vikings sit at No. 18 overall in Thursday's first round. They've widely been connected with offensive linemen, given the obvious need.
Spielman insisted, however, that he won't force an offensive lineman selection based only on need.
"I understand where everything is, but I also understand that if we have a guy that we think is a Pro Bowl talent, and for some reason that guy falls to us at 18, how do you not take that player? Plus, you have to balance out the depth at each position, too," Spielman said. "If there's a unique situation where a Pro Bowl-caliber player falls to you at 18 and you're taking a lesser-talent player, I think you're going to make a mistake."
Best player available is a standard draft practice that Spielman is touting. The GM had just better hope that Pro Bowl talent on his board Thursday night isn't a corner or he might be sleeping on a couch in his office for a while.
