By: Brock Wells

Kevin O’Connell has the Minnesota Vikings in first place in the NFC North with a record of 5-1 thus far in the 2022 season. In a division that has belonged to the Green Bay Packers for the last several seasons, the Vikings have shown themselves to be the better of the teams this year. With the always dependable Kirk Cousins at quarterback, the incredible Justin Jefferson at wide receiver, and the veteran Vikings Adam Thielen and Harrison Smith, this team is primed to make a serious run to the postseason.

This is all the more impressive when you consider the issue the Vikings have had the past couple of seasons with clashes between coaches and players. It’s no secret that Cousins had plenty of problems with former coach Mike Zimmer, and that that reverberated throughout the rest of the locker room. With a similar looking roster to this year’s Vikings, the team went just 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs. O’Connell has this team feeling good about themselves, and his ability to connect to players who aren’t too much younger than he is makes up some of the reason.

O’Connell is just 37. He’s able to connect with this generation of players easily. Sometimes that’s what this comes down to for rosters. The ’22 Vikings know they can win, and currently have the largest lead of any division leader in the NFL. With as poorly as the Packers and the Lions are playing, there’s no reason to think they’ll be any threat to them. As for the Bears, they do look better than they have in recent memory, but they’re nowhere near the Vikings at this point.

Essentially, O’Connell has the picture-perfect opportunity to win NFL Coach of the Year because of this divisional makeup. That being said, it isn’t going to be easy for them outside the division going forward. In the coming weeks, the Vikings have games against the Bills, Cowboys, Jets, and Giants. If they can even go .500 in these games, it’ll be more than enough for them to shore up their hold on a playoff berth. But there’s more than just holding on for this team and all of its offensive talent.

O’Connell could win Coach of the Year even with the Philadelphia Eagles playing the way they are because of the size of the step made by the Vikings. Yes, the Eagles are the better of the two teams right now, but the Eagles were also a playoff team last season. There’ll be a lot of support for Nick Sirianni for this award, but O’Connell has arguably the clearest cut chance to win it if the Vikings continue to dominant their division on their path to playoffs the way they’ve done so thus far.

The post Why Kevin O’Connell can win COTY appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

The Minnesota Vikings’ 2021 season is essentially over. Barring a miraculous primetime victory at Lambeau Field, a Week 18 win over Chicago, as well as losses from other NFC Wildcard teams, it is officially time to turn our attention towards the 2022 offseason. It has been another disappointing football season in the state of Minnesota, which has uncomfortably begun to feel like an annual tradition.

After years of wondering whether or not big changes were coming to the Vikings, it appears they have finally reached their breaking point. Rick Spielman, Mike Zimmer, and Kirk Cousins all might be approaching their final days in Minnesota. With big changes on the horizon, that means it is officially mock draft season.

The Vikings will enter this critical offseason with a lot of holes to fill on the roster. There are obvious gaps in their cornerback room, as well as a pass-rusher opposite Danielle Hunter, that is if Hunter is even in purple next season. There is still at least one position along the offensive line that needs to be addressed at right guard. We could go on all day about these holes, though. Let’s get to the mock.

7-Round Minnesota Mock Draft

For the sake of this mock, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft machine, which you can find here. While there was some consideration given to how Minnesota has drafted in years past, there might be new brass running the show in April, so all of that might be moot.

Round 1 (Pick 19) ”“ David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

David Ojabo has spent 2021 in the shadows of his pass-rushing partner Aidan Hutchinson, who most certainly will hear his name called very early in round one in April. Ojabo has lept onto the scene after registering only 26 snaps in 2020.

Ojabo has a top-20 PFF pass-rush grade and pass-rush win rate among all edge defenders this season. He would fill a big need on this Vikings’ defense. While Everson Griffen performed better than most expected before battling some mental health issues, there is no reason to expect Griffen to be back and also perform at that level again next season.

Danielle Hunter’s contract is set up to make Minnesota make a big decision on his future by March, so come the 2022 NFL Draft we will know even more about how badly this team needs another edge defender. Either way, it is a huge need along this defensive front. The latest game against the Rams was the Vikings’ worst game rushing the passer all season, registering no sacks, and giving Matt Stafford all day to throw.

There will be pushback against this pick in the name of DJ Wonnum. Do not listen to it. Wonnum is on pace to play nearly double the snaps he did as a rookie and is grading worse by PFF in overall grade and run-defense grade this season. He struggles mightily setting the edge against the run and gets most of his sacks/pressures either unblocked or cleaning up 4+ seconds into the play.

There are no good edge defenders guaranteed to be on this roster next season. Minnesota would be wise to take advantage of a strong draft class in that regard.

Round 2 (42) — Carson Strong, QB, Nevada

You like that? The beginning of the post-Kirk Cousins era begins with the selection of Carson Strong.

If Strong truly lasts until pick 42 like what happened in this simulation, Minnesota just has to pounce. He may not have played against the strongest competition in college, but he has shown a lot of the traits you would like to see in an NFL QB.

He has the arm strength you want to see and has improved each year. After bursting onto the scene in 2020, he upped his overall PFF grade and passing grade in 2021, while maintaining his 6.1% Big Time Throw % and keeping his Turnover Worthy Play % fairly low around 2%.

The big wall to climb in this scenario of course is Kirk Cousins. Will the Vikings be able to move on from his monumental $45 mil cap hit for 2022? It is a possibility that whoever is tasked with running this team will want their own QB and do what they have to in order to move on from Cousins.

Kirk Cousins is who he is at this point. He is a very capable QB that can certainly benefit the next team he plays for, but the Vikings have been stuck in neutral with him leading the charge. As a wise man once said, “It’s time for a new beginning.”

Round 3 (76) ”“ Phidarian Mathis, iDL, Alabama

At this point of the draft, it would not be smart to pigeonhole one position to take as you open up the possibility of reaching for need instead of taking the best player available. An interior defender on the defensive line may not be the biggest need with Dalvin Tomlinson and Michael Pierce still under contract through 2022. Depth is very important, however, and either one of those could be shed for cap space (though the team would eat some dead cap in that case).

Mathis has been an all-around player this year, ranking above a 77 PFF grade in overall grade, run-defense, tackling, and pass-rushing, ranking in the top-22 among all college DIs. That gives this team great value at the end of day two, which this team needs to hit on to turn things around sooner rather than later.

Round 5 (159) ”“ Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU

Yes, yes, I know. The last time the Vikings took a CB out of TCU, he was a huge bust and likely won’t play another snap in the league. That has nothing to do with Hodges-Tomlinson here, though. His coverage grade took a dip in 2021 after being elite in 2020, but coverage will always be volatile, and he has shown the ability to be a solid corner.

At 5’9” and 177 pounds, he likely will be limited to the slot in the NFL, but that works perfectly for Minnesota. Mackensie Alexander is on a one-year deal and has been the lowest-graded CB in the entire NFL for the Vikings while playing in the slot. If THT can perform well out of the slot he will provide great value to this team in round five.

Round 6 (183) ”“ Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada

The Vikings make their new QB happy by pairing him with his college buddy here in Doubs. He has produced over 2,100 yards and 20 TDs with Strong the past two seasons while posting one of the highest average depths of target (aDOT) in the country.

A highlight reel for Doubs is a highlight reel for Strong, and vice versa. When selecting a WR in the sixth round, you are rarely ever getting a complete pass-catcher, but Doubs possesses the deep speed that could benefit the Vikings. Justin Jefferson can also be a deep-threat but allowing him and Adam Thielen to work the short/intermediate areas with Doubs over the top sounds fun to me.

Round 6 (193) ”“ Jarrett Patterson, iOL, Notre Dame

“Helmet scouting” might not be a great idea most of the time, but if you are drafting an offensive lineman, Notre Dame is not a bad place to look. Patterson was college’s highest-graded pass-blocking center this past season and has a solid run-blocking grade as well.

We will know more after the combine and pro days, but Patterson looks to be a good athletic fit for this Minnesota team. He has played center the last three seasons and could be a potential Garrett Bradbury replacement. Vikings fans will not stop until they are satisfied with this Minnesota offensive line, and there might be a riot if the team waits this long to address the position in the draft. If they do, one will think free agency had already been used to bolster the unit.

Round 6 (208) ”“ Mike Jones Jr., LB, LSU

Mike Jones Jr. put forth an impressive display of versatility and coverage ability in 2020 at Clemson but transferred to LSU and had a bit of a disappointing season like many in Baton Rouge. Betting on Jones Jr. to rediscover some of his Clemson magic is a fairly low risk here after projecting to go much higher after the 2020 season.

Linebacker is a position that almost always goes through a lot of roster turnover, so throwing cheap resources at it will never be a bad idea. Besides, there are a few LSU Tigers on the Minnesota roster already so Jones Jr. should fit right in!

Round 7 (230) ”“ Peyton Hendershot, TE, Indiana

Hendershot has gotten run in Indiana’s offense each of the past 4 seasons, giving him some valuable experience at the tight end position.

Minnesota loves taking shots in the dark on late-round TEs, so why not take one on a guy who just put forth an elite receiving grade in 2021? He has never been a standout run-blocker, so counting on him to come in on 2 or 3 tight end sets might not be his role right off the bat.

Summary

That concludes the first mock draft for the 2022 NFL Draft for Minnesota. Change is on the horizon at TCO Performance Center, and mock drafts might be one of the few sources of hope for Vikings fans over the next few months. Stay warm, Minnesota.

The post 2022 Vikings 7-Round Mock Draft appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

The Minnesota Vikings have been in a treacherous cycle of disappointment since being blown out by Philadelphia just one game from a Super Bowl in their own stadium in January of 2018. Kirk Cousins was brought in to lead a team that went 13-3 with a backup QB the year prior, so a Super Bowl was in the minds of everyone involved. The result? Missing the playoffs completely that year, and one playoff win in the three seasons since, soon to be four.

2021 was supposed to be a big bounce-back for the Vikings, and instead, it has been as disheartening as one could imagine. It all came to a head in Week 8, as Minnesota, fresh off a bye, lost at home, on primetime, to a Dallas Cowboys team led not by their MVP candidate QB Dak Prescott, but by Cooper Rush and all of his three career pass attempts. Rush spent most of the game being unable to hit a moving target, yet with his back to the wall, led a game-winning drive in front of the entire country. It was the perfect storm of embarrassment for Minnesota and appears to be the tipping point for many fans. Rick Spielman, Mike Zimmer, and Kirk Cousins are all in the crosshairs of fans’ anger, and rightfully so. But who really is to blame for the Vikings’ perpetual letdown year after year? The answer is everyone.

Kirk Cousins

We start with what is Kirk Cousins’ fault. In the eyes of many fans, everything is his fault. He is paid too much money, checks down too much, the whole nine yards. Many other fans do not fault Cousins at all. The reality is somewhere in the middle. Kirk Cousins did not pay himself $84 million to play in Minnesota. In fact, he has been a much better QB in Minnesota than in his time in Washington. That being said, he certainly is at fault for some of the Vikings’ woes. Let’s look at how that is the case.

The first issue with Cousins is his general obliviousness to many things around him. That goes for situations both on and off the field. His “If I die, I die.” quote about coronavirus is one example, as is his suggestion that he surrounds himself with plexiglass wherever he goes in the Vikings’ facility to prevent contracted COVID-19.

Cousins also appears to be oblivious of what is expected of him when he is paid like a franchise quarterback. He is only the 8^th-highest paid QB now per overthecap.com, but one would expect such a handsomely-paid QB to have control over timeouts during two-minute drills. And yet, he let the clock run out in the final seconds of the first half last Sunday because he thought it was best to leave that decision to Mike Zimmer.

Cousins was asked after the game about his performance and the offense overall not being very aggressive. This was his response:

Blaming a conservative offense on a “combination of coverage and pressure” might be one of the most tone-deaf quotes of all time. There is coverage and pressure on literally every snap where a pass is attempted. That is the point of defense in football. Any time a defense has a good pass-rush and coverage, to just throw your hands up and say “well shoot! They got us!” is frustrating for fans to hear, to say the least. Defenses play well sometimes. It is up to the special players at the QB position to overcome that.

Kirk Cousins has long been considered to lack that “it” factor that a lot of professional athletes possess, including most, if not all, franchise QBs. His impressive start to 2021 almost tricked a lot of football savants, including myself, into thinking he had turned the corner in that aspect. The scary excuse of an offense he led on Halloween was a reminder to all that he is the same old Kirk Cousins.

Ignoring the blatant cluelessness, there are other faults to Kirk Cousins’ game that hinder the Vikings. In his first year in Minnesota, Cousins was often criticized for checking the ball down far too often. His average depth of target (aDot) in 2018 was 7.9 yards downfield. After bumping his aDot above 8.0 yards in 2019 and 2020, Cousins is back down to 7.0 this year, ahead of only Jared Goff.

There can be many reasons for this. Play callers can call plays where there are no deep options, a lot of quick game, and screens to lower a QBs aDot. While it can be difficult to parse out who is truly at fault for a lack of passes downfield, the availability of All-22 film from the NFL allows many to rewatch games and see the whole field. Luke Braun of Zone Coverage and Locked on Vikings charted 11 times in the Dallas game alone where Cousins threw the ball short when he had a window to throw the ball farther downfield.

Cousins did not throw the ball past the first down marker ONCE on Minnesota’s 13 3^rd downs in that game. This is not some anomaly either, as time and time again Kirk Cousins has failed to make a big difference on 3^rd down.

Per Arjun Menon of PFF, Cousins has the 20^th best EPA/play on 3^rd downs in the NFL. Minnesota also on average has the farthest to go on both second and third downs this year. Cousins might not be to blame for that (more on that later), but he does not do much to help his case, either.

The chart above looks at the difficulty of NFL QBs’ throws and if their situations are harder or easier on average. Cousins is in the “hard situations, easy passes” group, which means he typically is faced with difficult situations, yet makes the easy pass, such as a check down. No matter how you draw it up, it is never good to be grouped with Davis Mills, Jared Goff, and Jacoby Brissett.

Now, earlier I mentioned that Cousins is not really to blame for Minnesota often being well behind the sticks on second and third downs. That leads us to the next culprit who is to blame for the Vikings’ struggles”¦

Mike Zimmer

Mike Zimmer took over a Minnesota Vikings team in 2014 that was fresh off 3.5 mostly uninspiring seasons under Leslie Frazier. Frazier was well-respected, a genuinely nice guy who took over for Brad Childress halfway through 2010 after being Minnesota’s defensive coordinator since 2007. His defenses while head coach were never good, however, leading to Mike Zimmer taking over as another defensive-minded coach.

The Zimmer tenure has generally been pretty successful. His teams have never had a record worse than 7-9, always at least fighting for playoff contention. The pre-Zimmer era had some hideous teams, so a constantly competitive team was a breath of fresh air for Minnesota fans. Unfortunately, Mike Zimmer appears to have reached the end of his leash in Minnesota.

The first issue many will point to when it comes to Zimmer’s shortcomings is his general lack of accepting that the NFL is a passing league now. The only thing worse than thinking a running game is the key to success in the modern-day NFL is having that belief while possessing one of the highest-paid QBs in the league. Zimmer is an old-school football head in the biggest way. He would prefer to win every game 16-10 by playing hard-nosed defense and running the ball down his opponent’s throats.

John DeFilippo was ran out of town as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2018 because he did not run the ball as much as Zimmer wanted. Every coordinator the team has had since has been Zimmer’s puppet, doing as he says and making sure that Dalvin Cook is run into the ground whenever possible. The one coordinator who managed to be extremely successful in the face of these guidelines, Kevin Stefanski, was the NFL Coach of the Year last year in Cleveland. Before the Vikings’ seemingly improbable playoff victory in New Orleans after the 2019 season, there was a lot of talk coming out of TCO Performance Center in Eagan about the team wanting to promote Stefanski to head coach and potentially even trade Mike Zimmer to Dallas. Instead, Minnesota shocked the world, won on the road in the playoffs, and earned Zimmer, Rick Spielman, and Kirk Cousins extensions, even though the team laid an egg in San Francisco the very next week.

Speaking of laying eggs when the season is on the line, that has been a common theme recently under Zimmer. Needing one victory over a backup QB to get to the Super Bowl in 2017, Zimmer’s team looked like they had not practiced all week and embarrassed Minnesota fans everywhere. Then in 2018, the Vikings needed a Week 17 victory at home over Chicago to make the playoffs and proceeded to once again not show up, culminating in a shouting match between Cousins and Adam Thielen on the sideline. Then the 2019 season ended in lackluster fashion in San Francisco. 2020 was a disappointing season no matter how you look at it, and yet a home victory over Mitch Trubisky and the Bears could have put Minnesota in good shape to make the playoffs. Instead, they gave Trubisky his second-to-last career win as a starter and shrunk into the shadows.

The excuse of a football game that Zimmer’s team put forth against Dallas in Week 8 was the final straw of fiascos under Zimmer. As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic noted, Zimmer is responsible for how the team played even if he was not the one telling Klint Kubiak what to call. Cousins blamed his head coach when it came to why the team did not call a timeout on their final first-half possession. Even if it is comical that a team’s QB does not have authority to call timeout if it really is up to Zimmer, then why did he let his team run out the entire clock?

Not only was that a malicious form of clock mismanagement, even worse was the delay of game penalty he received from calling back-to-back timeouts on Dallas’s game-winning drive. That gave the Cowboys 5 extra yards that led to them winning the game as opposed to kicking a field goal and going into overtime. Almost weekly, Mike Zimmer botches a two-minute drill in some capacity. Whether it is putting his below-average CBs on an island against elite WRs, or not even trying to score when given 30+ seconds and multiple timeouts.

Mike Zimmer is incredulously afraid of letting Kirk Cousins loose. Whether right or wrong, his team is paying Cousins enough money where he should be expected to be a difference-maker on the team. Instead, he coaches games against backup QBs where HIS QB looks like the one who is a backup and cannot be trusted. Let’s face it, Stefon Diggs was right. He was always right. Zimmer would make a great defensive coordinator, but at this point in time, he is unfit to lead an NFL locker room. He is too stubborn to accept the hand he has been dealt, instead wishing every night before he goes to sleep that Teddy Bridgewater was still his QB. Besides, did Zimmer even want Kirk Cousins in the first place”¦?

Rick Spielman

General Manager Rick Spielman is the hardest one to assign a level of blame to when it comes to Minnesota’s woes. Mike Zimmer clearly has a lot of power over the Vikings, and no one outside the building will ever know who was really more in charge. However, Spielman has made his fair share of mistakes in his time in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

His biggest mistake will have to be the signing of Kirk Cousins. The Vikings were at a very important crossroads in March of 2018, fresh off an NFC Championship Game with a backup QB. The decision of who should be the QB in 2018 was a difficult one. The team made the right decision in letting Case Keenum go, as incredible as his 2017 was. However, bringing in Kirk Cousins obviously divided many inside the team’s front office. In Everson Griffen’s string of tweets last year, he called Cousins “booty” for lack of a better term and said, “ask ZIMMER if he ever wanted Kirk?” This infers that Zimmer was never a Cousins fan, meaning Spielman must have been the one lobbying hard for him.

Now, Kirk Cousins was the best available QB in free agency, so based on talent alone he was the right choice. That signing aside, Spielman has lost his magic touch as of late. After a solid stretch of drafting starting in 2012 and ending with the all-time draft class that was 2015, the Vikings’ drafts since 2016 are a sore sight. I will save my readers the pain of listing off their choices, but if Justin Jefferson had not been selected in 2020, Spielman might already be gone.

The NFL Draft is largely a crapshoot, though, and no team has shown that they are better at drafting than their peers over an extended period. This recent stretch might just be Spielman and Minnesota’s luck evening out. Spielman has not made up for that in other areas, though. While showing loyalty to your players is not a bad thing, sometimes a GM needs to know when to take a stand. Minnesota seemingly always pays their players, often too much. The latest being an unnecessary extension of Harrison Smith for three additional years. When guaranteeing your QB as much money as Minnesota is, you need to be smart with how you manage the cap surrounding him.

There is also the issue with Spielman’s panic trades he has made these last few years. First, there was the trade of a second-round pick for Yannick Ngakoue, only to turn around and trade him away after six games. Sure, Minnesota had a hole to fill with Danielle Hunter’s absence in 2020, but Spielman and Zimmer should have been wise enough to notice they were not one player away from being competitive. This year brought the trade for Chris Herndon and a sixth-round pick for a fourth-round pick in the wake of Irv Smith Jr’s injury. At least Ngakoue was a good player. Herndon has been a net negative for the team thus far.

Spielman’s toxic trait of panicking in the wake of an injury of a player and overpaying via trade will only harm the Vikings in the long run. Does Spielman largely manage draft-day trades well? Yes, but those will only take the team so far. In fact, the team’s two biggest weaknesses, the offensive line and the secondary, are two of the most heavily invested in positions in the draft lately.

No one is absolved of blame when it comes to how Minnesota got to this point. All three of these men are somewhat responsible and likely need to be employed elsewhere in 2022 if the Vikings are going to get the state of their franchise turned around.

Bonus: The Wilf’s

The Wilf family, led by Zygi and his brother Mark and cousin Leonard, have been in ownership of the team since 2005. They inherited the team at a tough time after Minnesota had made nothing out of Randy Moss’s tenure. It has mostly been an upward trajectory since, but the team has gotten complacent in their ownership. Brad Childress was fired mid-season but only once he had a power surge and thought he could dismiss players from the team on his own. Besides that, the only coaches that have been let go came after the season ended.

The Minnesota Vikings are the only NFL team in the top-15 in all-time win percentage that does not own a Super Bowl trophy. While that dates back well before the Wilf’s tenure, it is a perfect summary of their time as owners. They are happy that the team is competitive each season and are content even though the team is rarely true Super Bowl contenders. They lack the true desire to bring a championship to Minnesota. Here is to hoping the latest Minnesota Meltdown changes their mindset on that.

The post Who is to Blame for the Minnesota Vikings? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

Mike Zimmer has alternated playoffs and non-playoffs seasons ever since becoming the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. He has led his team to the playoffs in every odd-numbered year in 2015, 2017, and 2019 with each team having a different starting QB.

If that trend is to continue, that means the Vikings will find themselves in the playoffs come this January, though likely again with Kirk Cousins. The team surely has expectations for that to be the case, and with there being an extra playoff team in each conference similar to last year, they have a higher chance of reaching that goal. 2021 is the first NFL season with 17 regular-season games. One would think a record of 10-7, or better, would be enough to secure a spot in the postseason. Will Minnesota reach that benchmark? The start of their schedule looks to be much more favorable than the middle/end, so they will need to get off to a hot start. Let’s take a look at predictions for each game until the bye week in Week 7.

Week 1: @ Cincinnati Bengals. Prediction: W

There will be plenty of storylines heading into the Week 1 Vikings-Bengals matchup. Justin Jefferson against his college QB Joe Burrow, Burrow’s first game back from a knee injury that ended his rookie season, and Mike Zimmer coaching in Cincinnati for the first time since leaving the Bengals to become Minnesota’s head coach. The Vikings should have the advantage even on the road, and they enter as 3-point favorites. As woeful as the Vikings offensive line has been in years past, the Bengals may have had it even worse. Expect the Minnesota defensive line to feast, and the Bengals defense to be unable to get enough stops to give them a chance to win. The Vikings start the year off with a road W.

Week 2: @ Arizona Cardinals. Prediction: W

Minnesota starts its season off with back-to-back road games, with the second of the two being a tougher test. Arizona has good weapons on offense and a defense that should be improved from last year after the addition of JJ Watt. This will also be a revenge game of sorts for Patrick Peterson after he spent 2011-2020 in Arizona. Zimmer’s revamped defense will not be able to completely slow down Kyler Murray and company, but they should be able to do enough to give Minnesota’s offense a chance to pull it out. The Vikings’ schedule starts with some very vulnerable defenses, so look for Minnesota’s offensive weapons to start the year on a high note.

Week 3: Seattle Seahawks. Prediction: L

Russell Wilson has never lost to the Minnesota Vikings. He has often had the benefit of playing at home, though, and the Seahawks finally visit Minnesota for the first time since Blair Walsh went wide-left in the 2015 NFC playoffs. Will the Vikings finally playing Wilson at home give them the advantage they need to overtake him? Probably not. He has some elite weapons, and the Vikings can never seem to quite bottle him up. It might come down to how much Minnesota’s offense can keep up. A win against Seattle would be huge, but do not count on it. Minnesota should be happy to be 2-1 through 3 weeks, though.

Week 4: Cleveland Browns. Prediction: L

Week 4 brings another week full of storylines. The main one being former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski returning to coach against Minnesota, fresh off the AP NFL Coach of the Year award in his first season as a head coach. Many people in Minnesota wish the Vikings had moved forward with Stefanski as their head coach after 2019. There are also debates over whether Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins is the better QB, and this game might give us a look into the answer to that question. While the QBs may be similar, the Browns boast a substantially better offensive line and a stronger secondary as well. These differences will prove to be the deciding factor as the Vikings fall to 2-2.

Week 5: Detroit Lions. Prediction: W

When the Minnesota Vikings need a bounce-back game, there is nothing better than a home game against the Lions. Kirk Cousins has yet to lose a game against Detroit while with Minnesota, and the last time we saw these teams square off we saw Cousins hitting the griddy in the endzone. The Lions do have a new head coach in Dan Campbell, so they could be much improved over their previous teams. Their roster does look like they are in for a long rebuild, however. Anyone reading this could likely start at receiver for the Lions this year. Detroit just has too many weaknesses to be able to beat Minnesota on the road. The Vikings get back on track with their first home win of the season.

Week 6: @ Carolina Panthers. Prediction: W

Minnesota goes back on the road in Week 6 to take on Sam Darnold and the Panthers. The Jets somehow managed to trick Carolina into trading second, fourth, and sixth-round picks for Darnold this offseason after he struggled mightily for three seasons in New York. Not only did Carolina make that trade, but it also made them pass on Justin Fields and Mac Jones in the draft. The Panthers have impressive skill players on offense in DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, Terrace Marshall Jr, and Christian McCaffrey, but not much else to scare Minnesota. They paid former Viking Pat Elflein a good chunk of money immediately in free agency this offseason. Minnesota should put up a lot of points on a young Panthers team and head into their bye week at 4-2.

The post Predicting the Vikings record Weeks 1-6 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

The Minnesota Vikings have set themselves up for a make-or-break year in 2021. They restructured the contracts of Anthony Barr, Adam Thielen, and Britton Colquitt to make more cap space for this season and push more money down the road. Every free agent they signed this year is on a one-year deal besides Dalvin Tomlinson, and even his contract has voided years in the future to create more space for this season. Kirk Cousins is set to have a cap hit of $45 million in 2022 so something likely needs to be done with him after this season as well. Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman need Minnesota to have a bounce-back year after a disappointing season a year ago. Everyone involved needs the Vikings to return to the upper echelon of the NFC this year, and there are five specific Vikings that need to step up for that to occur.

5. Anthony Barr

Anthony Barr has become a very polarizing player during his time in Minnesota. There are groups of fans who constantly bark about his contract being too much, and others, including Mike Zimmer, who will not hesitate to go to bat about the importance of Barr to the Vikings’ defense.

A lot of Barr’s value stems from intangible things that fans cannot pick up on just watching games on TV. He is the one Zimmer communicates with on game days and is vital in getting the rest of the defense lined up and positioned correctly. This allows his running mate Eric Kendricks to roam freely. Kendricks has made a name for himself over the last few seasons as one of the best linebackers in the NFL, however, Barr is scrutinized for being the most expensive LB on the team.

Zimmer’s defense will certainly benefit from having Barr back on the field in 2021 after he missed almost all of 2020, but there is no question Barr can take his play on the field up to the next level. He has shown he can be an elite LB in all aspects of the game, run defense, pass-rushing, and coverage. It has just been a few years since we have seen them all on display at once. Every healthy season of his career has seen Barr register 100+ snaps in run defense, pass-rushing, and coverage, and it has been documented many times that he is a player opposing offenses need to keep an eye on. If both numbers 55 and 54 can be problems for opponents this season, the Vikings’ defense should take a big leap forward.

4. Patrick Peterson

While the rest of the Vikings on this list are entering at least their second year with the team, Patrick Peterson’s role and impact on this team could not be left off the list. When his career wraps up, Peterson could be looking at induction into the Hall of Fame. However, if he was still playing like a Hall of Famer, he likely would not have hit the free-agent market. At age 31, Peterson may not be in his physical prime anymore, but he still is the same player mentally that he was when he was widely regarded as a true lockdown cornerback. Minnesota may have paid a little bit for that mental aspect when they signed him to a deal that was more expensive than most expected. That is not to say he is no longer able to perform well as a #1 CB, he has still shown flashes of that in camp.

Arizona played man coverage at one of the highest rates in the league the last few years, and Peterson has performed much better in zone than in man coverage.

The good news is Mike Zimmer has always run much more zone coverage than man, so there is reason to expect Peterson’s 2021 season to be better than his last couple. Minnesota desperately needs a true #1 CB again after Xavier Rhodes declined and then departed, and Peterson gives them the best chance for that in 2021. He likely will not play the 1,000+ snaps like he regularly did each season for the Cardinals, but 700-800+ snaps of good CB play would do wonders for Zimmer and his defense.

3. Irv Smith Jr

For the final three players on this list, it is not the case of a player returning to a previous form like Barr and Peterson, but more a young player needing to take the next step in their career. Irv Smith Jr has largely been in Kyle Rudolph’s shadow since he was drafted in 2019 but got a chance at the end of 2020 to show what he was capable of doing as a top tight end.

Smith had a top-five PFF receiving grade among all TEs after Week 5 last season, an indication that he can be a huge help to Kirk Cousins and the Vikings offense. The reason for this arbitrary cutoff, however, is that his first four weeks of the season were not good. If he can put together a full season that was like his last nine games, that would be beneficial for the Minnesota offense and for Smith himself as he works towards his second contract. The issue of who the Vikings’ third wide receiver will be would not be nearly as important if Swervin’ Irvin can break through and prove to be a competent TE1 and reliable receiving option.

2. DJ Wonnum

DJ Wonnum might be the player on this list that requires the biggest jump in performance to have a positive impact on this team. Many Vikings fan’s first thought when they hear Wonnum’s name is his strip-sack on Aaron Rodgers to seal the win in Green Bay. Unfortunately for Wonnum, he did not have many other highlights on the season. He had only 22 pressures on 273 pass-rushing snaps, which is a less than stellar rate.

The good news about Wonnum is that the reports out of camp thus far have been positive. He was listed behind Stephen Weatherly on the first Vikings depth chart, but in his sixth NFL season, we know what Weatherly brings to the team. It might not be awful, but it also will not be elite either. Wonnum has the athletic ability to potentially be a much higher impact player for this team, which is why he makes this list. Zimmer and Andre Patterson have been creative with Wonnum this summer, playing him standing up at edge rusher, with his hand in the dirt, and even a little off-ball linebacker.

Fans at US Bank Stadium last Saturday went nuts when Wonnum dropped back in coverage and secured a pick-six. There are no promises that he develops into a quality edge rusher this season, or ever, but he is the Vikings’ best bet to make a big leap this season. The Vikings defensive line is a Wonnum progression away from having a monster lineup all the way across with Danielle Hunter, Dalvin Tomlinson, Michael Pierce, and Sheldon Richardson all in the mix already.

1. Garrett Bradbury

The 2021 Minnesota Viking who undoubtedly needs to step up this year is center Garrett Bradbury. Not only would progression from Bradbury immensely help Kirk Cousins and the rest of the purple and gold offense, but it will also help Bradbury prolong his career. With another disappointing season, Minnesota could look to replace the guy they selected 18^th overall in 2019 to be their center of the future. The issue for Bradbury so far in his career has mostly been his pass blocking.

Plays such as the one above where he loses his rep almost immediately occur way too often and wreck the play before it can get going. His PFF pass-blocking grades in the last 2 regular seasons have both ranked dead last among centers in the NFL. An improvement to average or even slightly below average would be a massive stride for a team whose interior offensive line play over the last few seasons has been some of the worst the league has ever seen.

The good news is that Bradbury has shown signs of being a capable NFL center. His athleticism makes him valuable in the run game out in front of Dalvin Cook. After Week 10 last season, he was actually the fifth-highest ranked center by PFF and had the third-highest run-blocking grade. He fell off after that point in the season, but he exemplified the ability to be the player Minnesota hoped for in a first-round pick. Excelling in the run game and holding his own pass blocking for an entire season would be a massive leap and a step in the right direction for protecting Kirk Cousins and giving him time to find the elite playmakers he has around him.

The post 5 Vikings That Need to Step Up in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

Plenty of uncertainty surrounds the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans going into the 2021 season. Their quarterback situations are far from clear and their overall rosters are mediocre at best.

The same goes for their head coaches, with all three going into their first seasons at the franchise. Neither of Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, or David Culley has been a full-time head coach in the NFL. Campbell is the only one to have some experience, with his spell as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2015.

Here is why you should be expecting the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the three worst records in the league in 2021.

Saying Goodbye To A Franchise Legend In Detroit. Struggles For The Replacement

Matthew Stafford was the number one overall pick in 2009, with the entire city of Detroit hoping he would be the man to turn around the fortunes of the franchise. Despite three seasons of making the playoffs, the Lions and Stafford never won a single postseason game as the wait continues. The Lions remain the team with the second-longest period without a playoff win, their last taking place on January 5th, 1992.

Stafford had some great individual moments as a Lion, most notably his Mic’d up moment during his 2009 rookie season. In a week eleven game against the Cleveland Browns, he overcame injury to produce a moment of pure heroism. He played with a separated shoulder despite the efforts of the medical staff to keep him off the field, leading the Lions to a touchdown-winning drive.

Jim Caldwell guided the Lions to these playoff appearances but was not seen as good enough to take them to the next step. New England Patriots assistant head coach Matt Patricia was brought in but never took to life as head coach. The Lions had three consecutive losing seasons under the coaching of Patricia. They will hope that they have found their guy in Dan Campbell. His press conference was certainly not dull, with Campbell referring to “biting kneecaps”. As a former Lions player, he knows what it takes to play in the league. He also knows about the city of Detroit and his intentions are both positive and clear. If he is given time, he has the desire to bring the good times back to Detroit. However, he is inexperienced as a head coach and the roster is below average.

New quarterback Jared Goff has the potential to struggle. This is despite the drafting of offensive lineman Penei Sewell at seventh overall, a selection that had Campbell and new General Manager Brad Holmes very excited.

Despite his brilliant 2018 season that saw the Rams reach Super Bowl 53, Goff had a poor game and struggled in 2020 as he and head coach Sean McVay’s relationship deteriorated.

Goff struggled despite a plethora of offensive talent around him. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp form one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. He is going to a franchise that let go of their two best wide receivers and failed to replace them.

The Lions have a schedule that features the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. There are also two games against their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. The Lions do not have it easy.

Prediction: 3-14

Trouble In Philadelphia; Reason For Hope?

The Eagles have seen three years of gradual decline after winning Super Bowl 52. The 2017 season saw the Eagles lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time after two previous attempts.

Doug Pederson was the head coach to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl but was fired after the conclusion of the 2020 season. His decision to bench rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in order to lose and gain a higher draft pick appeared to be the final nail in the coffin.

Carson Wentz had an MVP caliber season before an injury derailed hopes of winning the award. Backup Nick Foles stepped in and guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl 52 win. He also stepped in a year later and guided the Eagles to a shock Wildcard Round win against the Chicago Bears, with thanks also going to a Cody Parkey missed field goal.

Both Foles and Wentz are no longer Eagles players. Out of the starters in that Super Bowl 52 win, only seven remain with the franchise. Their decision to draft Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson continues to be mocked by rival fans and nobody knows how new head coach Nick Sirianni will do in the role.

The schedule is mixed for Philadelphia. Whilst they face the New York Jets, Lions, and twice play the New York Giants, they also have to face the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.. This is as well as facing a rising Washington Football Team twice as well as playing the Dallas Cowboys both home and away.

Reports have surfaced in recent days of the Philadelphia Eagles being the favourites for Deshaun, with talks said to be “heating up”.

This could be a move that transforms the franchise. However, Deshaun Watson had his best statistical season yet the Texans only managed four wins all year. This proves that whilst it is very important to have a good quarterback, you need more around to be successful.

Unless the Eagles do something in what remains of the offseason, they will continue to be mediocre if their roster continues to be this poor. If they get offensive or defensive talent in the next one or two offseasons, then they are a team that will compete for years to come. Otherwise, the Eagles will fail to be a threat to both the NFC and NFC East.

This is why Deshaun should avoid the Eagles at this present time. He will be going into a situation no different to what he experienced in Houston.

Prediction: 4-13

What A Difference A Year Makes

Where do we start with the Houston Texans? The 2019 season saw them take a 24-0 lead against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. However, they allowed 41 unanswered points as they lost 51-31. What has unfolded since in the following nineteen months has been reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

Head coach Bill O’Brien, who also was general manager, made the unusual decision to trade star wide receiver, Deandre Hopkins. In exchange, the Texans received a running back past his sell-by date in David Johnson, one second-rounder and one fourth-round pick. O’Brien only lasted four games in the 2020 season as they finished the campaign with just four wins.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 season, franchise legend J.J Watt has left and there continues to be an uncertain future surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston’s quarterback requested a trade in January before allegations of sexual assault arose. These have lingered throughout the remainder of the offseason. It is unclear if Watson will play in the NFL at all in 2021 but even if he does, it is unlikely that he will be wearing a Texans jersey.

Houston has said they would listen to trade offers for Watson, with the franchise said to be wanting three first-round picks. They have also acquired Tyrod Taylor via Free Agency and used their first pick in the draft on Davis Mills in the third round. Even if the Eagles stick with Hurts, there will be plenty of other suitors.

Even with Watson, the Texans are light on the ground when it comes to elite talent. Linebacker Zach Cunningham and Laremy Tunsil are talents and despite adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram to the running back room, the roster is one of the league’s worst.

David Culley has developed somewhat of a worrying reputation after his time with the Eagles, Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. During his fourteen-season spell with the Eagles, his four seasons with the Chiefs, and two years with the Ravens, he had 0 wide receivers earn a PFF grade of 80 or above.

The Chiefs wideouts went an entire season without a touchdown under Culley. With a wide receiver room featuring Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins and Anthony Miller, this is not exactly a position of strength for the Texans. Culley is unlikely to see any of these receivers score high PFF grades.

Whilst the Texans might be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars twice and the Jets, they have a tough schedule. They will face the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. Houston will also play the Los Angeles Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers as well as the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans twice.

They are unlikely to win many of these games. Fans should be expecting a difficult season.

Prediction: 2-15

The post Expect the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the worst records in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

by: Grant Schwieger

Over the last three months, Vikings fans have been in some sort of state of euphoria. When news broke on draft day that Aaron Rodgers wanted out of Green Bay, Minnesota (and Detroit and Chicago) erupted in jubilation. Was this finally it? Had Green Bay’s run of constantly possessing an all-time great QB to come to an end?

The next 90 days saw the Vikings bring home a potentially solid draft class, continue to bolster their defense, and add another wide receiver. Aaron Rodgers did nothing over that timespan to indicate he was excited about returning to the Packers either. Then rumors of Davante Adams being unhappy with his contract started spreading. The purple Kool-Aid was flowing faster than the Amazon River. Unfortunately, to the dismay of the rest of the NFC North, Rodgers was able to work it out with Green Bay and did indeed report to Packers training camp this week. So, what does all of this mean for the Vikings and their fans?

Without Rodgers, Green Bay likely would have been expected to finish behind Minnesota in the standings, and the betting markets reflected that when it appeared the reigning NFL MVP was on his way out. However, a season with no Rodgers in the division may have given the Vikings a “false sense of hope”.

With a Rodgers-less Packers team likely not posing much of a threat, the only NFC teams clearly ahead of Minnesota would be Tampa Bay and whichever teams make it out of the NFC West between Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. The Vikings very well could be able to compete with these teams but would certainly not be favored in any game against them. Now that the Packers have Rodgers back under center, the Vikings have their own litmus test right in front of them in the division. If Minnesota is unable to compete with Green Bay during their two matchups in 2021, then they already know that any Super Bowl dreams are just that, a dream.

That is not to say that the Vikings cannot go toe to toe with the Packers, because they can. They managed to win in Green Bay in 2020 with 50% of their defense being “practice squad” players, and Zimmer’s defense is undoubtedly better this season. Nonetheless, In the event that Rodgers is still on another level and the Packers run away with the NFC North, however, the Vikings then know that they do not stand a chance to compete with the Bucs, Chiefs, and Bills of the world and can temper their expectations accordingly. Vikings fans know plenty about having a false sense of hope and how much that can sting, so being realistic is the best way to combat that.

So, Aaron Rodgers is back in Green Bay for what he insinuated was his “Last Dance.” The rift between him and the Packers organization has not gone away, and he has made it clear he still does not want to be there long term. Vikings fans have been obsessed with the latest update on that saga since April, but now should focus solely on the team in Minnesota. If the Vikings cannot take care of their own business, what happens across the border in Wisconsin will not matter. If Minnesota is to have a successful season, they would need to beat teams of Green Bay’s caliber no matter what, and now they will have that chance twice, or maybe even three times, this coming season. Should Vikings fans be happy Aaron Rodgers is going to be in green and gold again in 2021? No, but what would be sweeter than Minnesota being the team to bring an end to the Rodgers era with The Pack?

The post What Vikings Fans Should Think About Aaron Rodgers’ Return appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Christopher Thomas

The NFC playoffs are almost impossible to predict because there are so many teams in the middle of the pack that can easily sneak into the playoffs if they get hot towards the end of the year. Last year’s team who snuck into the NFC playoffs was the Chicago Bears who were led to the playoffs by their starting running back David Montgomery. This year that team could very also be from the NFC North.

The Minnesota Vikings are at an interesting crossroads with the way their current roster is projected. They have some elite talent spread throughout their roster. But they also have a combination of veterans past their prime and inexperienced young players filling out the rest of their roster. Head coach Mike Zimmer is one of the best and most respected at his position around the league. However, this current Vikings roster could have the Vikings finishing anywhere between picking in the top-10 and potentially winning the NFC North. Here is a deep dive of the Minnesota Vikings roster. 

Quarterbacks

Much like a majority of teams in the NFL the Minnesota Vikings playoff hopes are reliant on the play of their quarterback. During the 2017-18 offseason, the Vikings signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a 3 year $84 million deal. Since signing Cousins the Vikings have made the playoffs once over the last three seasons and have a 25-21 -1 record when he is the starter. This offseason Minnesota gave him a two-year $66 million extension that will keep him in Minnesota until 2022. He has played at a borderline Pro Bowl level every season but has not played up to the expectations that the Vikings had when they signed him. Minnesota believed Cousins was going to be the piece to get Minnesota over the hump and into Super Bowl contending territory. Instead, the team has been stuck in between playoff contention and a restart. In the two seasons Cousins has thrown double-digit interceptions. The only season in Minnesota where Cousins did not throw double-digit interceptions he did not reach 30 passing touchdowns or 4,000 yards passing. This wouldn’t be a major issue except Cousins is being paid like one of the premier quarterbacks in the league. 

If Cousins can limit his turnovers while maintaining the production he put up during his first and third seasons with the team Minnesota could have a shot at the playoffs. However if Cousins begins to falter, the Vikings took Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond early in the third round to potentially take his place and become the team’s starting quarterback of the future. If Mond becomes the Vikings starting quarterback early in the season it is unlikely that he has a Dak Prescott-like impact on Minnesota despite being the fourth highest-ranked quarterback on Chris Simms 2021 draft rankings. Minnesota needs Cousins to play at a Pro Bowl level to make the playoffs. 

Running Backs

There is an extremely valid case for running back Dalvin Cook to be considered the best player on the Minnesota Vikings. It also isn’t too farfetched to say Cook is the best pure running back in the league overall. Over the last two seasons, Cooks has put up career-high numbers in every major running back category. He has finished top-10 in rushing over the last two seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl every year as well. 

The Vikings’ offense could very well feature Cook as the focal point, but the major question about him is his health. Cook has dealt with multiple injuries that have not allowed him to play a full sixteen-game schedule over his first four seasons in the league. Cook has played in 43 of a potential 64 games since being drafted in 2017. Things did not look great for Cook early on after he missed 17 of his first 32 games he could have played during his first two seasons. However, Cook has been able to play in 28 of the last 32 games the Vikings have played.

If Cook is unable to play the Vikings have turned to 2019 third-round pick Alexander Mattison to lead their backfield. Despite being valuable in fantasy football as a replacement for Cook, Mattison is not as great of a runner as him and likely cannot be the focal point of the team’s offense. For Minnesota to make the playoffs next season Cook needs to play a majority of the team’s regular-season games. 

Pass Catchers (Wide Receivers and Tight Ends)

Even though Minnesota’s offense is based on the run, the Vikings have an extremely talented group of pass-catchers at their disposal. The Vikings have two Pro Bowl-caliber wide receivers in Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen along with a young talented tight end in Irv Smith Jr. 

A season ago Jefferson broke the rookie record for most receiving yards in a single season with 1,400. He did that off of 88 receptions and had seven touchdowns. Thielen fell 75 yards short of becoming the Vikings’ second 1,000+ yard receiver finishing the year with 925 yards in 15 games. However, Thielen was a scoring machine scoring 14 receiving touchdowns last season which was tied for fourth in the league. Smith Jr. finished the season with less than 400 receiving yards, but the former second-round pick looked more than capable of replacing Kyle Rudolph as the team’s primary receiving tight end at the end of last season. Over his last six games, Smith Jr. caught 19 of his 26 targets for 216 yards and all of his five touchdowns. Now that Rudolph is now a member of the New York Giants Smith Jr. can build on what he did a season ago, be the team’s starting tight end for an entire season, and become the team’s third receiving option on offense.

To make the playoffs Minnesota is going to need Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen to play the same level or better than they did last season. While it would be a major help if Irv Smith Jr. had a breakout season posting career highs in his first year as the team’s primary tight end. 

Offensive Line

For the last half-decade, it seems like the Minnesota Vikings have invested heavily into their offensive line. So far their investments have paid dividends. Some may say that the players they’ve drafted have not met the expectations Minnesota had when they drafted them. Minnesota has taken six offensive linemen in the first three rounds in the last five seasons. None of which have made a Pro Bowl in that time and outside of Brian O’Neill have been regarded as better than average. The Vikings took two offensive linemen inside the first three rounds this past draft that they expect to contribute right away. 

One of the biggest question marks on the Vikings offensive line is at left tackle. After trading down from 14th overall and passing on arguably the best interior offensive lineman in the draft Alijah Vera-Tucker, Minnesota took Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw 23rd overall. Darrisaw should be the Vikings starting left tackle from Day one. If he could anchor the offensive line and do a great job protecting the blindside of Kirk Cousins (or Kellen Mond, the Vikings’ offensive line could get the boost they need to remove themselves from the average or below-average territory it has been in for the last couple of seasons. Opposite Darrisaw on the right side is the most solid and best player along the Vikings offensive line Brian O’Neill. Since being drafted in 2018, O’Neill has entered the territory as one of the best young right tackles in the league. 

The interior of the Vikings offensive line starts with a player Minnesota took in the second round last year to potentially become their left tackle. After taking Darrisaw in the first round this past year it seems that Ezra Cleveland will likely stay on the interior for Minnesota. Cleveland was solid in his rookie season, if he progresses and develops into a better player this year that would go a long way to increasing the production of the Vikings line. Their center Garrett Bradbury has been a disappointment since being drafted in the first round in 2019. Bradbury was taken in the first round and has not played anything like the player many thought he would be coming out of NC State. Minnesota traded a sixth-round pick for former Arizona Cardinals center Mason Cole to push Bradbury for the team’s starting job. Cole was drafted in the third round by Arizona in 2018 and has started 32 of the 46 career games he has played in Minnesota. The biggest question mark along the Vikings offensive is at right guard. Minnesota is expected to have a competition for the right guard position between veteran Dakota Dozier and third-round pick Wyatt Davis. 

If Minnesota puts their best five offensive linemen out there to protect their quarterback and open holes for the running game efficiently that could very well be what the Vikings need to get back into the playoffs next season. 

Defensive Line

Last season the Vikings’ defensive line was atrocious. The lack of production from this unit impacted the rest of the roster. However, this unit has been almost completely revamped and could easily be the strength of their defense. Their sack leader from a season ago was Yannick Ngakoue who had five sacks in six games in Minnesota before getting shipped to Baltimore near the trade deadline. From there on out it is fair to say Minnesota had one of the worst defensive lines in the league last season.

A healthy Danielle Hunter is about as good as it gets at defensive end. If all goes well Hunter should have double-digit sacks for Minnesota, a Pro Bowl nob, and possibly recognition as an All-Pro. Opposite Hunter is expected to a rotation of a few players off the edge. Veteran defensive end Stephen Weatherly started all nine games he played in Carolina last season. He returns to the Vikings as the favorite to land a starting defensive end job. A rookie third-round pick out of Pittsburgh Patrick Jones could compete with Weatherly for the starting job and will likely rotate with him throughout the season. Janarius Robinson out of Florida State could get on the field this year as well. The fourth-round pick has all the traits to be an NFL defensive end but needs to be coached up. Robinson landed in an ideal situation getting coached by one of the better defensive coaches in the league Mike Zimmer. 

A dark horse candidate to take some snaps and potentially start at defensive end is former Pro Bowler and 2013 Defensive Rookie of the Year interior defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson. The Vikings reunited with Richardson a few weeks after being released from the Cleveland Browns. Since Minnesota has an elite duo on the interior of their defensive line they may experiment with lining up Richardson as a base defensive end. Richardson has always been a better pass rusher than run defender during his career. The opportunity to rush off the edge on an elite defensive line may be what Richardson needs to rejuvenate his career. 

Minnesota will get to see both their major free agent signings from the past two seasons playing for them for the first time this upcoming season. Last year Minnesota replaced Linval Joseph with former Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce. Minnesota signed Pierce for three years $27 million. The former Raven was an elite-run defender due to his size and ability to plug up holes created by opposing offensive lines. The Vikings did not get to see Pierce play last season due to him opting out of the 2020 NFL season due to Covid-19 concerns. This offseason the Vikings spent big again on the interior of their defensive line bringing in former New York Giants Dalvin Tomlinson on a two-year $22 million deal. Tomlinson was a part of a dominant defensive line in New York that almost singlehandedly carried the Giants defense and team overall to the playoffs last season. He has been an elite-run defender as well during his time in New York and also has been able to rack up 3.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons. 

There is a lot of talent on the Minnesota Vikings offensive line. If Mike Zimmer can coach each of these players to their potential it would put overwhelming pressure on opposing offenses. A defensive line this talented could be what carries the Vikings into the playoffs next season. 

Linebackers

Since 2015 the Minnesota Vikings have had one of the better linebacker duos in the league between Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr. Over the last couple of seasons, both have been to multiple Pro Bowls and have been major parts of the Vikings’ defense. Both missed time due to injury last season. Both need to remain healthy for the Vikings to contend next season. 

Kendricks has been a tackling machine over the last couple of seasons averaging 106.5 combined tackles a season since being drafted. He is also no stranger to creating turnovers when factoring in his four career forced fumbles and seven career interceptions. Three of Kendricks’ career interceptions came last season. Over a couple of year stretch Barr was considered one of if not the best 4-3 outside linebacker in football. However, there has been a slight decline for the former 2014 first-round pick. Prime Anthony Barr does a little bit of everything. He not only can rush the passer like a defensive end, but he could also tackle and play in coverage as well as a linebacker on the inside. If Barr can play similar to how he did during his stretch of four straight Pro Bowls Minnesota’s defense could look similar to how it did in the late 2010s when it was considered one of the best in the league. 

The play of Minnesota’s linebacker duo is so important to their success. Not only do they need to stay healthy, but Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr need to play at a high level for this defense to have done their part to get this team in a position to contend for the playoffs. 

Secondary

The biggest question mark about the Vikings’ defense coming into this season is their secondary. Mike Zimmer is known for spending high draft picks on cornerbacks and developing defensive backs extremely well. In the last couple of seasons, it has become clear that Zimmer prefers to build his defense from the back forward. 

The Vikings gutted their cornerback room and drafted two cornerbacks with their first four picks in 2020. They took Jeff Gladney Jr. in the first round and Cameron Dantzler in the second round. Gladney was the team’s starting slot cornerback last season and Dantzler covered the team’s number one cornerback on the outside last season. It is fair to say that they struggled to defend pass catchers last season. This is not necessarily a knock on Gladney and Dantzler as players, a lot of cornerbacks struggle early in their careers in the NFL regardless of how high they were drafted. But in year two in the same defense, both are expected to take a leap forwards and play at a solid level if not better. The Vikings also made two major moves to their cornerback room. First, they signed former Pro Bowler and Arizona Cardinal Patrick Peterson to a one-year $10 million deal. Then Minnesota traded 2018 first-round pick, Mike Hughes, to the Kansas City Chiefs for a sixth-round pick in 2022. 

The dynamic duo of safeties that Minnesota has had over the last two seasons will not return this season. Free safety Anthony Harris left Minnesota in free agency and shockingly signed a cheap one-year $5 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings replaced Harris with former Dallas Cowboy Xavier Woods and fourth-round pick Camryn Bynum. However, Harrison Smith will be returning to Minnesota for his tenth season. Smith has been one of the best and most important players to this franchise over the last decade. His production has been extremely reliable for the Vikings including last season when the team’s defense played awful as a whole. Smith finished last season with five interceptions and 89 combined tackles. 

Minnesota’s secondary can very well tie this defense together and return it to the juggernaut it was only a few seasons ago. If the young defensive backs that are expected to have feature roles in this secondary can play up to their potential and the veterans continue to play at a high level, Minnesota could have one of the best secondaries in the league. However, if Gladney and Dantzler do not improve from last season and Peterson plays like how he did last year, that could be enough for the Vikings defense to underperform and hold the team out of the playoffs. 

Final Verdict 

After evaluating this roster it is fair to say that a major component of this roster is health. A lot of vital pieces across this roster got hurt last season and Minnesota paid the price for it falling out of playoff contention early in the year before trying to play catchup towards the end. There is so much talent spread across this roster the veterans need to continue to play at a high level and possibly develop into better players, while the young guys need to make a major impact for Minnesota early in their careers.

It is fair to say the biggest component that will decide the fate of the Minnesota Vikings this season is the status for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. If Rodgers decides to hold out or is traded the Vikings have the roster to surpass Green Bay as the favorite to win the NFC North. At that point, all four teams in the NFC North would be rebuilding or retooling their roster likely making the winner a team with a close to .500 record and the race to determine the winner very ugly much like the 2020-21 NFC East. If last season’s MVP does not play in Green Bay and his replacement Jordan Love doesn’t have a breakout season Minnesota has what it takes to make the playoffs next season as long as their team can stay healthy and none of the vital or young players on this roster majorly disappoint. 

The post Do the Minnesota Vikings have a playoff contending roster appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Kirk Cousins is currently the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings and it will be his job heading into the 2021 NFL season. He has had mixed results in this role and will have to prove his worth if he wants to keep it moving forward. He is still only 32 years old so time is on his side as he is still in the middle of his prime. He is not racing the clock but he is playing for his future with the team. Let’s take a look at whether or not he is the long-term answer at quarterback for the Vikings.

The Contract

Cousins is under contract with the Vikings for the next two seasons, through 2022, and is set to make a ton of guaranteed money. He is owed 76 million dollars guaranteed including salary cap hits of 31 million n 2021 and 45 million in 2022. This massive contract and the way that it is structured means he will almost definitely remain with the team until it concludes at the end of the 2022 season. That does not necessarily guarantee his starting job but it does keep him on the payroll.

The Production

After being the starting quarterback for 3 years in Washington, Cousins has now been the starter for the Vikings for 3 consecutive seasons and has only missed one game since arriving in Minnesota. In his 3 seasons with the Vikings he has accumulated over 12000 passing yards and 91 passing touchdowns against 29 interceptions. His completion percentage has decreased each year with 70.1 in 2018, 69.1 in 2019, and 67.6 in 2020. On the other hand, his total QBR has impressively improved each season with 59.5 in 2018, 60.4 in 2019, and 63.2 in 2020.

His numbers as a whole have not been bad but not exactly spectacular either. He has been fairly consistent and definitely does his best work out of the play-action passing game, which makes Dalvin Cook extremely valuable to the success of their offensive scheme. When Cook is rolling, it allows Cousins to get into his rhythm and operate at his best. Cousins has shown consistent chemistry with veteran Adam Thielen and great promise with the young stud Justin Jefferson.

Besides just the individual statistics, it’s also very important to look at the results of the team since Cousins took over as the starting quarterback. Since his arrival, the Vikings record is 25-22-1 in the regular season. They have only made the playoffs one time out of the three years as a wild card and have never won the NFC North division. While this is not a terrible record over three seasons it still leaves much to be desired. If the Vikings do not at the very least make the playoffs this upcoming season then Cousins could be in big trouble in terms of his job security. This may be his last chance to receive a contract extension beyond the 2022 season.

The Replacement

Through the first three years that Cousins was with the Vikings, there wasn’t any real threat on the roster to challenge him for the job including both the present and the future. It was really always his job alone but now things may be different after the organization used a third-round draft pick this year on quarterback Kellen Mond out of Texas A&M. Mond is definitely not going to start right away and is considered a little bit of a developmental project for now but he does have real talent and true potential. After spending some time with the Vikings coaching staff while also serving as the backup quarterback to Cousins, he could blossom into a solid starter eventually.

As a starter in all four years at college, Mond was a legitimate dual-threat quarterback with dangerous rushing abilities to go with arm talent that continuously improved from one year to the next. His accuracy, which was a weakness initially, started to become a strength as he matured and became more comfortable with how the quarterback position is played. He excelled greatly in a zone-read style of offense because of his elite athleticism and effective scrambling. In his college career, he accumulated an impressive 9661 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns, 1609 rushing yards, and 22 rushing touchdowns.

What makes Mond a good fit with the Vikings is the similarity in styles between what they do as a team and what his strengths appear to be. With Cousins as their quarterback, the Vikings offensive scheme features a ton of play-action passing as well as RPOs. That is exactly the style of attack where Mond found his most success at the college game. Compared to Cousins, Mond is definitely more athletic and dangerous with his legs but not as efficient and accurate of a passer, especially the deep ball.

The Coach

Mike Zimmer has been the head coach of the Vikings since the 2014 season so that of course also includes the entire three years that Cousins has been the quarterback. He has a career record of 66-50-1 as the head coach of the team and it seems as though his job is on the line this year also. If the Vikings do not have a successful campaign this season and at a minimum make a playoff appearance then it is very likely that Zimmer will be fired. Often times when a team brings in a new head coach, it also means that it is time to make a change at quarterback as well, preferably to a younger option to develop chemistry between coach and player while growing together. This situation is another serious threat to the future of Cousins, especially with Mond lurking behind him.

The Verdict

All things considered, the plan for the future of the Vikings at the quarterback position seems pretty clear based on multiple factors. Financially, it would make the most sense to move on from him after the 2022 season when his contract officially expires and he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The potential successor is already on the roster in Kellen Mond, who is an exciting young prospect with a style of play that very well fits the modern NFL game. Unless Cousins does something spectacular this season and not only makes a deep postseason run but is also the main reason for that success, it seems his days as the starting quarterback are numbered in Minnesota.

Though nothing is impossible, it is highly unlikely that Cousins can take such a leap at this point in his career. He can still improve his game but who he is as a quarterback has mostly been defined already. By the 2023 season, if not sooner, expect to see a new combination of a head coach and quarterback for the Vikings. The Cousins era in Minnesota was not a failure and still has a little time to be written, but it was not good enough to this point to justify another very expensive contract extension. As long as he continues to show promise, Kellen Mond is up next for the Vikings and even has a chance to take over the job this year if Cousins struggles at all.

The post Is Kirk Cousins the future QB of the Vikings? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chris Thomas

Now that the NFL is in the midst of their mandatory minicamps, quarterbacks competitions around the league have officially begun. Every year a couple of teams will have two (or three in rare cases) quarterbacks compete for the starting job. Quarterback competitions could be between two veterans, a veteran & a younger player, or an incumbent starter & a rookie. Every once in a while, a quarterback who many believe will lose the quarterback competition has a great camp and can be awarded the starting job.

There are a couple quarterbacks who may seem like long shots to win the starting quarterback job, but may end up being the Week One starter. Here are three quarterbacks who can surprise the league and be the Week One starter for their team.

Washington Football Team: Taylor Heinicke

The quarterback situation for the Washington Football team is not as open-and-shut as many believe it is. According to ESPN staff writer John Keim, Washington will still have a quarterback competition after signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year $10 million deal. The competition will be between Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, and Steven Montez.

After Fitzpatrick, the favorite to land the starting job is Taylor Heinicke. The former Old Dominion quarterback was back at school prepping for finals when Washington signed him to their practice squad. He was eventually promoted to the active roster and saw game action Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers. He completed 12 of his 19 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in relief of Dwayne Haskins. Then when Alex Smith was ruled out for their playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke was named the team’s starting quarterback. During that game, he completed 26 of his 44 passing attempts for 306 yards and one passing touchdown. On top of that, he had six rushing attempts for 46 yards and a rushing touchdown. The most impressive part of that game was the fact that the Heinicke-led Washington team was within eight points of taking down the eventual Super Bowl champions in the first round.

After coming into the year as the team’s fourth quarterback last season he is the favorite to be the team’s backup behind Fitzpatrick. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if Heinicke was named the Week 1 starter. After his performance in the playoffs, the team has rallied around Heinicke. He also showed that he is capable of taking control of an NFL offense and will lay it all on the line for his team. If Heinicke outshines Fitzpatrick in training camp, he could be Washington’s starter Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston Texans: Davis Mills

The first draft selection of the Nick Caserio/David Culley era was former Stanford quarterback Davis Mills. Houston took Mills with the 67th overall pick in the third round. The selection was not a popular one because many thought Houston would have been better off taking a potential starter for another position of need with this selection over a project quarterback. But by selecting Mills in the first round the Texans administration feels that he could be their long-term starter and could even be their starter at this point this year. The Texans’ current quarterback room is made up of Mills, Tyrod Taylor, and Jeff Driskel. The belief is that former Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson will not play for the Houston Texans this season or ever again after his trade demands and his off-the-field concerns.

In a deep 2021 quarterback class Mills was considered a candidate to be the sixth quarterback drafted and the first one selected out of the first round. He ended up being the eighth quarterback drafted behind now-former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask who was taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 64th overall and former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond who was taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 66th overall pick. According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, the Texans were prepared for select Mond with the 67th selection before Minnesota took him with the selection before.

Mills was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top quarterback coming out that year. However, Mills only had 11 career starts at Stanford. Mill redshirted his freshman year and only had two passing attempts his sophomore season. During his junior year, he completed 65.6% of his passes throwing for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games. He took a slight leap forward during his senior year completing 66.2% of his passes throwing for 1,508 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. Mills also had three rushing touchdowns during his senior year.

It isn’t certain that Mills will become the Texans quarterback of the future. It is very possible that the team takes a quarterback in the first round next year and Mills becomes a high-end backup. However, after taking Mills with a high selection the Texans must give him starting reps at some point this season. He was taken as high as he was because of his upside. If Mills shows why he was such a highly regarded high school recruit and has flashes of the upside Houston saw in his tape during training camp, he could easily supplant Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starting quarterback next season as early as Week 1.

Philadelphia Eagles: Joe Flacco

After the 2020-21 NFL season it was believed that the Philadelphia Eagles would have a quarterback competition between Carson Wentz and 2020 Second Round pick Jalen Hurts to determine the team’s starter for this upcoming season. But instead, Philadelphia decided to trade Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for a package of draft picks. Even with Wentz off of the roster new head coach Nick Sirianni still wants to have a quarterback competition to determine the starter for this upcoming season. The veterans that Hurts will have to compete with for the starting job are recently signed former 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens and former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.

It has felt like a long time since Joe Flacco was considered a borderline Pro Bowl quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Eight years has passed since Flacco won the Super Bowl MVP winning Super Bowl XLVII against the San Fransisco 49ers. Since that point Flacco had been very average and then was replaced by Lamar Jackson late in the 2018-19 season after a neck injury.

He was traded to the Denver Broncos the following season for a fourth-round pick. He went 2-6 in eight games for the Broncos completing 65.3% of his passes and throwing for 1,822 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. After injuring his neck Brandon Allen and 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock started the rest of the Broncos games that season.

Flacco was then released by Denver the next offseason and picked up by the New York Jets to be the backup to Sam Darnold. When Darnold missed four games due to a shoulder injury, Flacco played decently well as the starter. He completed 55.2% of his passes and throwing for 864 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions during that time.

After how Hurts played during his four starts last season it would be shocking if he was not the teams starting quarterback in year one. But if he has a rough camp and doesn’t show improvement in a new system with a healthy offense around him, Nick Sirianni may feel that the 13-year veteran may give them a better chance to win early on. It is important to note that Nick Sirianni has done a lot of more work with veteran pocket passers versus younger mobile quarterbacks like Hurts.

More backup QBs who can become starters later in the year

Minnesota Vikings: Kellen Mond

One of the biggest surprises of the 2021 NFL Draft was the Minnesota Vikings selecting Kellen Mond with the 66th selection in the third round. According to Mike Florio of ProFootball Talk, the Vikings were prepared to move up to the eighth overall selection to take Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to eventually replace Kirk Cousins as the team’s starting quarterback. That didn’t work out and Fields ended up with division rival Chicago Bears. So their plan B was the take Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round to potentially fill that void. Similar to Fields, Mond is a mobile quarterback that may be rawer than Fields but has the upside to become an NFL starting quarterback.

In 2016 the Dallas Cowboys did not land Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round and settled for Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth round. It is fair to say that their plan B worked out for them extremely well. That is what Minnesota could hope for in Mond. If the Minnesota Vikings struggle early in the 2021-22 season, they could turn to Mond and see if he could potentially be the team’s long-term future at quarterback.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mason Rudolph/Dwayne Haskins

After the Pittsburgh Steelers crushing playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns the biggest question surrounding the team was how would the team be constructed and whether Ben Roethlisberger would return for another season. Roethlisberger decided to return for his 17th season after taking a pay cut. He is expected to be the team’s starter in Week 1, but at this point of his career, Roethlisberger may not be capable of competing at a high level for a 17 game regular season and potential postseason play. Pittsburgh may have to evaluate their options in the house and make the tough decision of replacing Roethlisberger midseason with one of the younger quarterbacks on their roster.

Their quarterback situation this season may be similar to what the Super Bowl 50 Champion Denver Broncos’ was during the 2015-16 season. 2021 Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning only played in ten games during his finals season in Denver and was relieved by Brock Osweiler midway towards the season. But Manning returned as the team’s starter right before the playoffs and had enough in the tank to win the Super Bowl. That should be the blueprint for the Pittsburgh hopes to achieve this season with their aging quarterback and the younger quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart.

The battle for the backup job in Pittsburgh is between Mason Rudolph and 2019 first round pick Dwayne Haskins. Both have underachieved throughout their careers, but feel that they could be the Steelers long term option at quarterback if Roethlisberger decides to retire after this season. In 2019 Rudolph went 5-3 as a starter, but only threw for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Last season Rudolph threw for 324 yards two touchdowns, and an interception in five games (only one start).

Haskins spent his first two seasons in the league in Washington and was thrown in as the starter about midway through the season when he clearly wasn’t ready yet. In his first season, he went 2-5 as a starter, threw for 1,365 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The following season new head coach Ron Rivera made it clear early on that Haskins would have to earn the starting job and showed signs of not believing in him long term. Due to the lack of depth in the quarterback room, Haskins was named the starter and started six games for Washington last season. He went 1-5 as a starter, threw for 1,439 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions. After a photo leaked of Haskins breaking COVID-19 protocol and attending a party with strippers, he was stripped of captain and later released after a brutal start against Rivera’s former team the Carolina Panthers. This offseason he signed a futures contract with the Steelers.

An interesting transaction that occurred this offseason is that the Steelers did give Rudolph a one year extension after this season worth $5 million. That is a sign that they view him as the potential replacement for Roethlisberger long-term or is comfortable with him competing for the job with Haskins or a rookie next season. It would be hard to imagine one if not both of these quarterbacks getting a shot at being the teams starting quarterback for a couple games this season to preview what their quarterback situation could look like next season and beyond.

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