By: Grant Schwieger

When Minnesota Vikings’ fans hear the term “Achilles heel” regarding the team, regrettably there are a plethora of options that come to mind. The offensive line, Kirk Cousins’ contract, cornerbacks, even just bad luck are all viable Achilles heels for this team. That bad luck might stem from being “cursed,” which many fans have claimed the team has been over the years. That might have some juice to it now that the Zodiac Killer has supposedly been identified and that he was a Vikings fan.

If that all is true, and the FBI claims the Zodiac Killer case is still open and unsolved, then at least Vikings’ fans know the reason that they are cursed. When it comes to the play on the field, though, Minnesota has its own weakness that was not listed above. That would be the team’s ineptitude, on both offense and defense, in two-minute drill situations. This is not a new issue to the Vikings, and it is time for it to be addressed.

Offense

The Vikings’ offense has been better than the defense this year, but they are not without their problems. When it comes to 2-minute drill situations, both in the second and fourth quarters, they begin to get exposed. Let’s just face it. This offense is not designed to be a drop-back passing team for an entire drive. Klint Kubiak and Mike Zimmer want to be an outside zone, run-first team. While so far in 2021 the Vikings rank 13^th in first-down passing percentage according to teamrankings.com, that has mostly to do with the team spending a lot of time in their four games trailing. They were in the bottom ten in the league in that metric last year, despite regularly having success in the passing game.

This Minnesota offense is designed to thrive when opposing defenses are unsure of whether a run or a pass is coming. That was a big part of the Vikings’ success against Seattle in Week 3. That element of surprise goes out the window when it comes to 2-minute drills, as teams would love for them to run in those situations and are expecting the pass. Minnesota’s regular offense does not include a high amount of drop-back passing, either, as a lot of their passes come from screens, play-action (not as much this year as last, 20.4% to 28.7%), or quick game, which has been a bigger part of the offense this year. These elements just are not as effective in these hurry-up situations.

A big reason for this is because Zimmer and Kubiak want to protect a vulnerable offensive line. Life is much more difficult for offensive linemen when the defense and the pass-rush know a pass is coming and can pin their ears back and get after the QB. The result of those situations for Minnesota often look like this:

The lack of trust in the offensive line also has a direct impact on Kirk Cousins. He is a much better QB when free from pressure, as most are, but the difference for him has always been substantial. Two-minute drills result in more opportunities for Cousins to be under pressure, which means more chances for him to panic and bail on a play even if he has wide-open receivers downfield.

Zimmer has been afraid of Cousins making silly interceptions and getting strip-sacked ever since his first year in 2018, which is how we got to this offensive scheme in Minnesota. This inability to put full trust in his offense leaves Zimmer coaching scared when it comes to end-of-half cases. Look no further for an example of this than last week’s game against Cleveland. Minnesota got the ball back with 3:45 left, down by 7 on their own 12-yard line. The Vikings’ first three plays were all runs, totaling 17 yards while taking a minute and a half off the clock. All of a sudden there was only 2:15 left, and Minnesota still had to go 71 yards to score. In no scenario should a team needing to drive 88 yards for a touchdown be running the football, and simultaneously the clock. After a 31 yard pass to Justin Jefferson on third down, the Vikings followed it up with yet another run for an incredible 2 yards, bringing it to the 2-minute warning.

Sadly, the Cleveland game was not the first example of this, either. Looking back to the end of the first half of the Arizona game, Minnesota did this not once, but twice. Getting the ball with 3:15 to go in the second quarter, the Vikings ran the ball on 2^nd and 13 and 3^rd and 1, went 3 and out, and Dalvin Cook got hurt to top it all off. After a quick 77-yard TD to Rondale Moore, Minnesota got the ball back with 1:33 to go at their own 25 and still managed to sneak 2 runs in for 10 total yards on their way to stalling out for a 52-yard Greg Joseph field goal.

There may be another reason Minnesota tends to be inefficient at times when operating their offense during end-of-half opportunities. Not only is Zimmer scared of putting full trust in his drop-back passing offense, but he is also uneasy about giving the ball back to the opposing offense with too much time on the clock. That was obvious against Arizona, as their explosive offense had just scored in one play and Zimmer wanted nothing to do with giving Kyler Murray another opportunity to score before the half. The problem with that being, even with the Vikings mixing in a couple of runs on their drive, Arizona still got the ball back with 21 seconds left and got two plays off before a 62-yard FG to end the half.

The problem with that mindset is that if you are too worried about how much time the other offense will have, you are not operating your offense fully focused on scoring and being at your best. If you end a drive with a touchdown, however much time is left is much less important. The perfect world scenario for Mike Zimmer at the end of a half happened in the first half of the Seattle game. Minnesota got the ball on their 34 with 3:14 to go in the second quarter, and ran a 12 play, 66-yard drive, scoring a TD with only 20 seconds to go in the half. Unfortunately for the Vikings, it is incredibly rare for the team to successfully manufacture drives like that. It has been much more common to see the team go 3 and out and give the opposing team the ball back with time to score, which it did in both the Bengals and the Browns games. This issue goes both ways, and the defense shares a fair amount of blame with these concerns as well.

Defense

While the offense has managed to only score 10 points inside of two minutes in the second quarter through four games, the defense has given up 35 points during that same timeframe. Getting outscored by 25 points in 8 total minutes in 4 games is unforgivable.

While 14 of those points allowed came from when the opposing team was on the goal line when the two-minute warning hit (Cincinnati and Cleveland), that still leaves a sizeable negative point differential. With how the defense has performed when under the pressure of hurry-up situations, it is not hard to understand why Zimmer is so worried about giving the ball back to opposing offenses.

This has been a mess since Week 1 when the Bengals went 75 yards for a TD in only 36 seconds after the Vikings went 3 and out before that. It peaked when the Browns were backed up with a 3^rd and 20 with 35 seconds left in the second quarter on their own 26 and broke off a 33-yard run. That run, when Cleveland had all but given up on scoring to end the half, allowed the Browns to sneak in a last-second field goal to go up 11-7.

These types of embarrassments from the Minnesota defense just suck the life out of the team. In situations where opposing defenses know Minnesota will be throwing it on offense, the Vikings struggle to move the ball. When the roles are reversed and Minnesota is on defense and knows their opponent is passing, they cannot seem to get out of their own way. In just four games, Bashaud Breeland got burnt for a 50-yard TD against Ja’Marr Chase, Rondale Moore was left wide open with no one within 10 yards of him and scored 77 yards later, and the aforementioned 3^rd and 20 conversion. Heck, even in the Seattle game, which is the only game the Vikings have outscored their opponent inside of two minutes to go in the first half, Seattle managed to get in Hail Mary territory in only 16 seconds.

The Vikings’ defense has allowed 92 total points this year. That means that in those final two minutes before halftime, Minnesota has allowed 38% of their total points on the season. 38% in only 3% of their total minutes played. Who would want to put their defense on the field when they are getting torn apart time and time again?

The biggest reason for concern and why these struggles are Minnesota’s Achilles heel is because there is not a clear solution. Don’t want your defense to give up a lot of points so you try and run the clock out? Then your offense will struggle to score. If you try and be aggressive on offense and score, you run the risk of stalling out and giving the ball right back. The Vikings’ best way to avoid this conundrum is for the offense to be much more efficient so that there is not as much pressure on the defense to prevent any scores. If it were that easy, though, they would have done that already. Minnesota has an Achilles heel that has crippled them through four games and shows no signs of fixing itself soon.

The post The Minnesota Vikings’ Achilles Heel appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

The 2021 Minnesota Vikings season is a true make-or-break season. All signs have indicated that Minnesota is going all-in once again. Another lackluster campaign could prove to be the last straw for any of GM Rick Spielman, Mike Zimmer, and Kirk Cousins, or all three. A week ago, I predicted the Vikings would go into their bye with a record of 4-2. (predicting-the-vikings-record-weeks-1-6) How Minnesota performs after the bye will be imperative in the direction the franchise goes after 2021. Let’s take a look at each game one by one.

Week 8: Dallas Cowboys. Prediction: L

The Vikings continue their tough slate of home games when they host the Cowboys after the bye week. This will be a much different Dallas team than the one that Andy Dalton led to victory at US Bank Stadium last year now that Dak Prescott is back. This game has all the potential for an offensive shootout, with offensive playmakers all over the field for both teams. While Minnesota may have the better defense, Prescott is the better QB in this game and will pull it out at the end for the Cowboys.

Week 9: @ Baltimore Ravens. Prediction: L

While the Ravens have suffered injury after injury lately, they remain a class above the Vikings. Baltimore will deploy an offense unlike any other Minnesota will see unless Trey Lance is starting in Week 12. Zimmer is a defensive mastermind but slowing down Lamar Jackson is not something many teams can do. To pair Jackson with the seemingly always-solid Ravens defense, this is going to be a hard team for Minnesota to beat on the road. It would be a surprise if the Vikings could keep it close, but if they can, the recent loss of CB Marcus Peters for Baltimore might be detrimental for them. 

Week 10: @ Los Angeles Chargers. Prediction: W

Week 10 brings another matchup that will be flush with storylines. Vikings and Chargers fans went back and forth all offseason over who should have won the 2020 Rookie of the Year between Justin Herbert and Justin Jefferson and which wide receiver is better between Jefferson and Keenan Allen. For what it’s worth, Jefferson slotted higher than both of them on the NFL’s Top 100 players list. The last time Minnesota visited the Chargers, the stadium had more purple in it than blue, so this should make for a fun battle for both teams. Los Angeles has what looks to be a much-improved offensive line over what they’ve had in years past. It would not be a surprise if this game came down to who has the ball last as these teams look to be somewhat evenly matched. Minnesota gets back on the winning track in this scenario, though.

Week 11: Green Bay Packers. Prediction: W

Minnesota has to wait until Week 11 to face off with their division rival in 2021. Now that Aaron Rodgers has bought into playing in Green Bay for what appears to be his last season there, the Packers are a much more formidable opponent. Mike Zimmer almost always brings his best when it comes to facing the reigning MVP, and the Vikings have the advantage of playing at home in this one. Similar to the game against the Chargers, this one has all the potential to come down to the wire. If Patrick Peterson is playing like his old self and can help keep Davante Adams in check, that could prove to be the difference for Minnesota.

Week 12: @ San Francisco 49ers. Prediction: L

The Vikings head into San Francisco for the first time since Stefon Diggs’ last game as a Viking in the 2019-2020 playoffs sitting at 6-4. The 49ers got hit hard by injuries in 2020 but their 2021 roster looks to be a very competitive one. San Francisco is set up so well that they might not even have to play the 2021 3rd overall pick, Trey Lance, at QB and still compete for a playoff spot. I would like the Vikings’ chances better if they were at home in this one but going to the west coast for the second time in three weeks might hit Minnesota in this one. Kyle Shanahan’s offense will be able to put Minnesota away in this one and Nick Bosa will terrorize the Vikings’ tackles.

Week 13: @ Detroit Lions. Prediction: W

The 2021 Detroit Lions could be playing some inspired football by Week 13, or they could already have their eyes set on the 2022 QB class. Until Dan Campbell’s squad can prove it, however, any game against the Lions should be a Minnesota victory. A loss to Detroit here would put a fork in Minnesota’s season and put them at 6-6. That alone should inspire the purple and gold to come out in this one and take care of business. The Vikings start an important month of December with a win to put them at 7-5.

Week 14: Pittsburgh Steelers. Prediction: W

Minnesota has a short turnaround here with a Thursday Night Football matchup at home against Pittsburgh. The Steelers have been in a downward spiral since starting 11-0 last year, ending with an embarrassing playoff loss at the hands of the Browns. Big Ben is back at QB for one last go, but by Week 14 it wouldn’t be a surprise if his arm is shot. The Steelers still boast a very impressive defense led by TJ Watt and his new record-breaking contract. Their offensive line, however, is a big weakness entering the season. This could be a defensive battle on national television, and Kirk Cousins will pull out a rare victory under the bright lights.

Week 15: @ Chicago Bears. Prediction: L

The Vikings get a long break going from a game on Thursday to one on Monday night of the next week. It marks the second straight season Minnesota plays in Chicago on Monday Night Football. It is hard to imagine a world where Justin Fields is not starting at QB by this point for the Bears, and it would probably serve the Vikings better if they played Chicago earlier in the season. Alas, they do not, and Fields might have this Bears offense humming by this point. Even with a victory at Soldier Field last season, it just seems unwise to predict a Vikings win in Chicago with the whole country watching for the second straight week.

Week 16: Los Angeles Rams. Prediction: L

Minnesota finds itself back at home with a tough matchup once again. There are a lot of people high on the Rams this season after swapping out Jared Goff for Matt Stafford at QB this offseason. Stafford has rarely found success against Mike Zimmer’s defenses, but he is set with one of the best teams around him he has had in his career. Los Angeles’ depth took a hit this offseason as they continued their approach of prioritizing proven players over draft picks. That might not matter in this game, however, as Aaron Donald is good enough to single-handedly ruin the Vikings’ offensive gameplan. A loss here drops Minnesota to 8-7 with two weeks to play.

Week 17: @ Green Bay Packers. Prediction: L

A January contest at Lambeau Field just oozes of a Vikings loss. This game is currently scheduled for Sunday Night Football, which would be Minnesota’s third nationally televised game in four weeks. Pair all of that with the fact that in this scenario, Aaron Rodgers lost to the Vikings in Week 11, and this could be a Green Bay blowout. The Packers will not forget about Minnesota winning at Lambeau in 2020 and this game will be a revenge game of sorts for them. With all sorts of playoff-seeding implications in this one, Kirk Cousins and the Vikings fall to a record of 8-8, which the national media will certainly run with.

Week 18: Chicago Bears. Prediction: W

A tie in this game would do wonders for the “Kirk Cousins is a career .500 QB” narrative, but sadly that is unlikely. A 9-8 record might just be enough to sneak into the playoffs in the NFC, so Minnesota should still have plenty to play for here. Chicago does not have a good enough roster to beat Minnesota twice in one season, and the Vikings should be able to end the 2021 regular season on a high note. The Bears’ offensive line might be worse than Minnesota’s this year, and Danielle Hunter and company should feast. This puts the Vikings in a possible “wait and see” position to see if the chips fall in their favor when it comes to making the postseason. Regardless of if they make the playoffs, will a 9-8 season be enough for Rick Spielman, Mike Zimmer, and/or Kirk Cousins to remain in Minnesota in 2022? It could make for some incredibly difficult decisions and a franchise-defining offseason.

The post Predicting the Vikings record post-bye 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 wrapped up an 0-3 preseason with a 28-25 loss to Kansas City on Friday. While it was still a loss, there were plenty of positives to take away from the game as the team now looks forward to its Week 1 matchup in Cincinnati versus the Bengals. Before they get to that game, however, the team needs to cut its roster down from 80 players to just 53. That means 27 players will have to receive the heartbreaking news and receive the proverbial pink slip. Some will catch on with other teams, via the active roster or practice squad, and some will remain with the Vikings on their practice squad as well. For now, though, I’m going to tackle the difficult task that is predicting who will make the Vikings’ initial 53-man roster. A task so tedious even the Vikings’ play-by-play announcer never nails it (This obviously excludes any potential acquisitions via free agency/waivers/trades although there is a good chance that occurs).

Quarterback (2): Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond

Before the third preseason game, this projection would have included Jake Browning as well. However, Browning showed zero ability to operate an NFL offense against a live opponent this preseason, and if the team truly wants to keep him around, they should not have an issue getting him on their practice squad once he clears waivers. Cousins is the starter and Mond played well enough against Kansas City to potentially give Minnesota the confidence to make him the only other QB on the active roster. This is a position the team could look at addressing via another team’s roster cutdown or trade. No matter what, if Cousins misses extended time this year, the season is over.

Running back (5): Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, Kene Nwangwu, CJ Ham (fullback)

Dalvin Cook is the starter and will likely get one of the heavier workloads among all NFL RBs if healthy. Mattison is locked in as his backup and Ham will continue to be his lead blocker. There were thoughts that Abdullah’s time in Minnesota might have been up with the draft selection of Nwangwu, but with Nwangwu and Mattison battling injuries and Cook being held out of the preseason, Abdullah has improved his value to the team. He remains a core special teamer and likely makes the roster due to that. There is a chance Nwangwu’s injury lands him on the Injured Reserve to start the year, which would free up a roster spot elsewhere for the time being. AJ Rose Jr also deserves a shoutout for being the team’s battering ram this preseason. Hopefully, he can land himself on the practice squad.

Wide receiver (6): Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, Dede Westbrook, KJ Osborn, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Chad Beebe

The depth was murky behind Jefferson and Thielen heading into camp. Westbrook should make the team even with him being eased back in from an ACL injury, and Osborn likely solidified the Mr. Mankato award and a roster spot. Not all 5^th-round picks are locks to make the team, but Smith-Marsette did plenty enough to secure himself a spot as well. If the Vikings decide to go with six WRs, the final one may go to the WR with the most experience left on the roster in Beebe. Dan Chisena looked much better as a WR this year than last and has an argument for a spot over Beebe or if the team decides to keep seven. Due to the poor QB play in the preseason, Whop Philyor and Myron Mitchell were not able to do much to stick out and make much of an impact.

Tight end (3): Irv Smith Jr, Tyler Conklin, Brandon Dillon

Irv Smith Jr just had surgery on his meniscus that will result in him missing at least a few weeks. Tyler Conklin missed two weeks due to a hamstring injury this preseason. Between Brandon Dillon, Zach Davidson, and Shane Zylstra, none of them have pulled away as a TE3 on this roster. There were discussions about whether the team will bring in another TE, and with Smith’s injury, the chances of that happening have increased drastically. Dillon gets the nod as the third TE due to his familiarity with the team. Davidson and Zylstra could both be practice squad candidates.

Offensive tackle (4): Rashod Hill, Brian O’Neill, Christian Darrisaw, Blake Brandel

Hill and O’Neill are going to be the Week 1 starters at tackle against the Bengals. Darrisaw will make the roster as a first-round pick, but the real question will be about his health. Minnesota would prefer to see Darrisaw on the field sooner rather than later but rushing him back from injury could only make things worse. Brandel should make the team as their swing tackle. The only other tackle on the roster is Zack Bailey and he has not done much to stand out this preseason. If the team decides to cut Brandel, a move for another tackle would likely follow.

Interior offensive line (6): Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury, Oli Udoh, Dakota Dozier, Mason Cole, Wyatt Davis

The starting interior OL will be Cleveland, Bradbury, and Udoh from left to right. Cole had an awesome preseason as the backup center and Davis’s roster spot is not in danger as a third-round rookie. Davis showed some promise in preseason games one and two before struggling a bit in game three. As for Dozier”¦ just accept it Vikings fans. The team is infatuated with him. They moved him to left guard, where he started 16 games last season, for the third preseason game. This signals that they trust Davis to be the backup right guard and the team likely has seen enough of Dru Samia, who has been injured recently anyways.

Edge defenders (6): Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, Stephen Weatherly, DJ Wonnum, Kenny Willekes, Patrick Jones

Which edge rushers make the roster is one of the toughest positions to figure out. Hunter, Griffen, and Wonnum should be considered locks. Weatherly might be starting opposite Hunter, or he could end up as a veteran cut. Either of those scenarios seems possible. I think they keep him around as an experienced vet at the very least. If Minnesota keeps just five edge rushers, Jones, Willekes, Hercules Mata’afa, and Jalyn Holmes have to battle for the last spot. Rookie Janarius Robinson has already been placed on IR or else this decision would be even more difficult. The Vikings have kept 6 edge rushers in years past so let’s assume they do so again. Jones makes it as a mid-round rookie, and Willekes makes it over Mata’afa. Willekes and Mata’afa both had strong preseasons, but this would be Mata’afa’s third season on the team and he has yet to make a huge impact. The unknown of former 7th-round pick in Willekes is appealing and gives him the tiebreaker and a chance to be a rotational player along the defensive line. Holmes has yet to make a positive impact in his three seasons with the team and is all but gone.

Defensive tackles (4): Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, Sheldon Richardson, Armon Watts

Pierce, Tomlinson, and Richardson are all locks. Reading those three names as DTs for the Vikings this year should make fans swoon after the atrocity they saw across the defensive interior last year. Watts should make the team as well and has shown enough promise in his first two seasons to keep him rostered. James Lynch has garnered some praise this summer, but he may be the odd man out if Minnesota keeps only 10 total players along the defensive line.

Linebackers (5): Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, Nick Vigil, Troy Dye, Chazz Surratt

Kendricks, Barr, and Vigil will all make the team without a sweat as the three starters in the Vikings’ base package. Dye has shown some improvements from his rocky rookie season and the team will not give up on him this soon, so he should be a lock as well. The team took Surratt in the third round, which was a reach, but they obviously view him as a future piece of this team. If the team keeps only five LBs, which I expect them to, that leaves Blake Lynch, Ryan Connelly, and Tuf Borland the odd men out. Lynch and Connelly made a few plays this preseason and the team could try and stash them on the practice squad. Borland was always just a camp body. In the event Barr needs to go on IR, however, Lynch might find himself on the roster.

Cornerbacks (6): Patrick Peterson, Bashaud Breeland, Mackensie Alexander, Cameron Dantzler, Kris Boyd, Harrison Hand

Peterson and Breeland will be the starting outside CBs with Alexander starting in the slot. Even with a less than ideal training camp and preseason, Dantzler will still make the team as well. If the team keeps six CBs, that leaves Boyd, Hand, Tye Smith, and Parry Nickerson left to battle out the last two spots. Boyd has the experience and has played well for most of the preseason, even starting at outside CB in the last two games. Hand has not done that much in camp and this preseason, but his rookie campaign last year was encouraging. The Vikings likely do not want to expose him to the waiver wire. Smith and Nickerson had two of the team’s five highest PFF defensive grades this preseason, so this decision will not be an easy one for Vikings brass. Zimmer will forever love his CBs, so it is easy to envision him pitching to keep seven of them.

Safety (3): Harrison Smith, Xavier Woods, Cam Bynum

Minnesota went into 2020 with only three safeties on their active roster, and 2021 could be no different. Smith just received a lucrative extension and will be starting with Woods. The team liked Bynum enough to draft him in the fourth round and move him from CB to safety. He is not ready to be a full-time safety right now, though, and his competition this offseason has left a lot to be desired as well. Myles Dorn, Josh Metellus, and Luther Kirk have not done much to impress, leaving the Vikings left to once again roster only three safeties. An acquisition for another safety would be no surprise, the team would just have to make a cut elsewhere on the roster to make it happen (I’m sure Harrison Smith still has Andrew Sendejo on speed dial).

Specialists (3): Greg Joseph, Britton Colquitt, Andrew DePaola

Colquitt bounced back from a shaky punting performance against Denver to perform well enough in the next two games to be back as the Vikings’ punter. DePaola has had no issues as a long snapper and has that locked up as well. Then there is Greg Joseph. Minnesota and kickers are like cats and cucumbers, so he already started at a disadvantage. If you don’t know what I mean, just go on YouTube, it will make sense immediately. Joseph seemingly beat out Riley Patterson in camp, who was hurt, came back and kicked seemingly pretty well, and then waived with an injury designation anyways. Joseph has not been terrible, but a few misses on kicks over 50 yards have not necessarily eased Minnesotan’s concerns when it comes to kicking. However, barring a move for another kicker, which is common and would not be a huge surprise, Joseph will be the Vikings’ kicker for the time being.

The post Projecting the Vikings 53 man roster appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

Unlike in years past, the 2021 NFL preseason only has three weeks as opposed to four. This means that the Minnesota Vikings have just one last game to sharpen things up before the games start to count. Through two games, the Vikings have a plethora of things that they need to improve on in each facet of the game. While the defense performed much better against the Colts than they did against the Broncos, the offense has yet to score a touchdown through eight quarters.

The special teams performed much better in week 2 than in week 1 but have yet to perform perfectly. Is preseason performance a guaranteed indication of how the team will perform in the regular season? Absolutely not, but Mike Zimmer and his staff surely want to see their team execute at a much higher level against Kansas City this week. Here are 5 things that the team and fans should hope to see this Friday.

5. Solid LB play from those not named Eric Kendricks

Eric Kendricks is one of the best linebackers in football, hands down. He played 11 snaps this past week but should not need to play any additional snaps until the regular season. Minnesota knows what they have in him. The same cannot be said for the LBs behind him on the depth chart. Anthony Barr appears to be this year’s version of Danielle Hunter last year, where he is missing from practice, the coaching staff downplays his absence, and then his status for the start of the regular season is up in the air.

Whether Barr is ready for Week 1 or not, he will not be playing this Friday. That means the rest of the LBs on the roster need to step up, whether that be for depth positions on the final roster or potentially taking Barr’s spot on the defense should he miss time. Nick Vigil is the most experienced LB of those remaining on the roster and would replace Barr according to Adam Zimmer.

Cameron Smith was in line to potentially get some playing time after missing last season after having open-heart surgery. He sustained a concussion in the first preseason game and decided to retire in a move prioritizing his long-term health. That leaves Troy Dye, Chazz Surratt, Blake Lynch, Ryan Connelly, and Tuf Borland to fight it out for the third LB spot and backup positions. Getting positive play from any of those players would be an encouraging development for a team that was very weak at LB by the end of 2020.

Troy Dye has the only TD for the Vikings so far this preseason, albeit on a pass that was tipped up in the air right to him. He still made the play and owns the biggest highlight for the team thus far. Lynch, Surratt, and Connelly all made good plays last week as well. If the position group can continue on an upward projection that will be good news for the team in 2021.

4. Backup QBs showing something (anything?) positive

Through two preseason games, Jake Browning and Kellen Mond are a combined 23 of 53 (43.4%) for 227 yards. They both have one “Turnover Worthy Play” each per PFF with Browning’s resulting in an ugly pick-six.

During the first week of training camp, Browning found himself as the only QB available to practice and made the most of it. Coaches, players, and fans were all singing his praise after how he kept things afloat. Since he has had to face live competition, however, he has not been as successful.

Browning currently owns the 17^th lowest PFF passing grade among preseason QBs with 20% of dropbacks. Kellen Mond has the 11^th lowest. With the starting QB Kirk Cousins being unvaccinated, there is a chance that the Vikings’ backup QB position might be more important than it has before. In the third and final preseason game against the Chiefs, the Vikings need to see some positive play from Browning, Mond, or both to get a sense of who is capable of filling in if need be. Leading a touchdown drive would be a good place to start.

3. The Cameron Dantzler we saw to end the 2020 season

Justin Jefferson was easily the crown jewel of the Vikings’ 2020 draft class, but Cameron Dantzler’s performance in his rookie season gave Minnesota reason for optimism as well. Once he came back from a concussion, he was easily the team’s best cornerback and played well enough to rank among the best CBs in the NFL over that time.

What we have seen from him so far in the 2021 preseason, though, has not mirrored his performance down the stretch last year. At times he was splitting reps with Bashaud Breeland as the second outside CB opposite Patrick Peterson in training camp, but just last week saw Kris Boyd start the game against the Colts over Dantzler.

In the opening preseason game against Denver, Dantzler gave up an 80-yard TD to KJ Hamler where Dantzler looked like he did not even stand a chance. His athletic profile is the reason he slipped to the third round in 2020, so it was not pretty to see him get blown by so easily. He has shown he has what it takes to stick with NFL WRs, and the team needs to see more consistency out of him. Peak-performance Dantzler is a huge boost to this Vikings secondary. A good showing from him this week can help him secure the CB4 position, otherwise, he might be seeing most of his snaps on special teams this season.

2. Continuous OL improvement

The Minnesota Vikings offensive line will always be a hot topic for fans, and this year will be no different. So far this preseason, there have been some encouraging signs out of the OL play. The entire offensive line has only allowed 12 QB pressures through two games, with 5 of those coming from Blake Brandel against Indianapolis. Wyatt Davis has been facing mostly third-stringers, but he is PFF’s 6^th highest ranked guard so far this preseason. Backup center Mason Cole has been a top-five ranked center in overall grade, pass-blocking, and run-blocking so far.

Last week I outlined how the right guard would be Minnesota’s biggest wildcard on the OL, and on Saturday’s game against the Colts, all three RGs played well. This does not necessarily mean we should expect that to continue, but it is uplifting for fans and coaches alike to see the quality play come from the RG spot.

Garrett Bradbury and Dru Samia, two Vikings offensive linemen who have struggled in pass protection in the past, have yet to allow any QB pressures as well. Their competition might not resemble who they would face in the regular season, but you would much rather see them perform well against backups than poorly. There may not be high expectations for the Minnesota OL group, so any positive signs will be welcomed with open arms. Another quality performance from the Minnesota Moving Company this Friday will give them solid momentum heading into real games. Look specifically to see how they perform against Chiefs DT Chris Jones should he play at all.

1. First-team offense getting some rhythm

The Vikings’ first-team offense (or defense for that matter) did not play at all in their first preseason game. They then played for 15 snaps over 3 drives against the Colts. Those drives resulted in 3 total first downs, 2 punts, and a missed field goal.

The entire starting OL played, as did Irv Smith Jr, but Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson did not play, and Adam Thielen only played four snaps. Judging Kirk Cousins without his top-three weapons would be unfair, but it would be nice to see some more cohesiveness out of the top offensive unit on Friday should they get some run against Kansas City. The absolute number one priority for this team on all sides of the ball should be health, so if the first team ends up staying on the sideline, that would be a smart idea.

It is becoming more and more common across the league for teams to rest their starters throughout the preseason. The Vikings have not fully jumped on that train yet, however. The performance of Minnesota’s first-team offense in the preseason is not an indication of how they will play week one against the Bengals, but as is always the case, you would rather see successful play and execution over the opposite. The word out of training camp has been the starters on offense have not looked exactly sharp there, either. So, Minnesota collectively will let out a sigh of relief should the Vikings trot out Kirk Cousins and company on Friday and execute well, and maybe even lead the offense on a TD drive if we are lucky.

The post 5 things the Vikings need to see against Kansas City appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

The words “Offensive Line” have become synonymous with many terms in the minds of Vikings fans in recent history. Garbage, embarrassment, abominable”¦ the list can go on and on. If you ever need to insult someone who roots for the Vikings, just bring up their OL and they will be unable to form a rebuttal. The Minnesota pass-blocking unit has been unable to crack the top half of the league in PFF pass-blocking grade in Mike Zimmer’s entire tenure with the team.

From 2008-2013, the lowest the team’s pass block grade ranked was 18^th. This is a team and fan base that was spoiled with offensive line play for years and is now apparently paying the price for it. Minnesota used to boast the likes of Bryant McKinnie and Phil Loadholt at tackle, recent Hall of Fame inductee Steve Hutchinson at guard, and had Matt Birk for years at center before transitioning into John Sullivan. Looking back at it now, regression was going to hit the Vikings’ offensive line eventually, but one would hope it would not hit quite this hard.

There is more to OL play than pass blocking of course. Run blocking is the favorite part about the position for many linemen as they get to go right at defenders and be more physical. The bad news for Minnesota is their OL has not been any good at that lately, either. During Zimmer’s time as head coach, the Vikings’ offensive line has never ranked higher than 12^th in team run-blocking grade (in both 2014 and 2019). You can debate why exactly it is the team has struggled to put together a complete unit across the offensive front over the last 7+ years, I am only here to tell you that 2021 is sadly shaping up to be another year of disappointment in that department.

Let’s take a look at the 2021 Minnesota Vikings offensive line position by position as it stands now from left to right. Left tackle, long considered the most important position on an OL, is currently a ginormous question mark. The long-term solution is still very much in play with first-round rookie Christian Darrisaw, but he is not yet healthy and on no pace to play at the beginning of the season. His outlook for the future can still be bright but expecting him to be a huge plus this year when he will already be well behind his peers once he gets healthy would be foolish.

That leaves long-time swing tackle Rashod Hill next in line to start the year at LT. The team has trusted him to start at both LT and RT over his time in Minnesota, so at least they will not be throwing an inexperienced player into the fire that is the pass rushers Minnesota plays early this season.

Hill got banged up last week which led to Blake Brandel, a 2020 6^th round pick with 0 career regular-season snaps to this point, getting 1^st team reps. Hill seems to be fine, so it should hopefully be safe to assume he will stay as the starter at LT for now. Assuming good health for Hill and recovery for Darrisaw, the two scenarios at LT for Minnesota in 2021 are either Hill playing all-season or Darrisaw coming in for Hill once healthy with no training camp or preseason reps to speak of. While those might not be disasters, they are not necessarily the brightest outlooks for the OL’s premier position.

We now move on to left guard. This time there is not much debate at all about who will be playing LG. It will be Ezra Cleveland. The question is how much, if at all, will he improve off of his rookie season at RG. He was drafted as a tackle out of Boise State, and most draft experts pegged him to stay at tackle in the NFL. The Vikings, as they have become accustomed to doing, decided they knew better and moved him to guard. Moving linemen to positions they are unfamiliar with has been a theme, whether it is flipping Pat Elflein from center to LG to RG (he had experience at both guard and center in college to be fair), Mike Remmers from tackle to guard, Cleveland from tackle to guard or now Oli Udoh from tackle to guard (more on that later). Former Vikings’ OL Jeremiah Sirles has said on Matthew Coller’s Purple Insider podcast that he is not a fan of switching linemen’s positions all the time, so take it from a player who has been in that situation himself.

All position-changing issues aside, Cleveland has the LG spot locked up, which the Vikings indicated when they held him out of the first preseason game along with many other starters. He did not blow anyone away with his performance during his rookie year, but he was much better than the Vikings’ other guards. He performed much better in run blocking than pass blocking, as most Minnesota linemen tend to do. Offensive linemen coming into the NFL from college very rarely hit the ground running and often take at least a year or two, sometimes more, to hit their stride. For this reason, any optimism surrounding Cleveland’s future is warranted. A 2021 performance at or above league-average should be considered a win but expecting anything higher than that would be giving yourself false hope.

Garrett Bradbury is going to be the starting center for Minnesota in 2021. Whether that will be  positive or negative remains to be seen. He has been an overall negative for the team in his first two seasons, with his league-worst pass blocking massively outweighing his athletic ability in the run/screen game. I outlined why Bradbury needs to step up in 2021 here: http://profootballmania.com/2021/08/12/5-vikings-that-need-to-step-up-in-2021/. He has his work cut out for him every day in practice going against Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Sheldon Richardson.

Bradbury has shown the ability to be a quality NFL center, he just needs to be able to string together a full season of it. Plays like this show the positives Bradbury can bring to a Kubiak offense.

However, plays such as this that completely wreck the offense’s chance to succeed happen way too often.

Eliminating at least half of his reps where he gets man-handled like that is essential to keeping his job as the Vikings’ center. The issue is that expecting that to magically happen would be silly. One can hope Bradbury takes the year-three leap other linemen around the league have taken, but the expectations should be low until he can show a massive improvement protecting the QB.

Minnesota’s right guard position has been an open competition for much of the offseason, but Oli Udoh has seemingly snagged the driver’s seat as of now. To start the offseason, many assumed third-round pick Wyatt Davis would be a starter at guard. He was hurt during training camp much like Darrisaw and has been working mostly with the third team since returning. It has been a two-way battle between former tackle Oli Udoh and last year’s abomination of a guard in Dakota Dozier.

No disrespect to Oli Udoh but beating out Dozier should not be a difficult task. He gave up the most pressures of any guard in football last year and Minnesota’s most shocking offseason move was bringing him back. The fact that it was even a competition should scare all Vikings fans. As for Udoh, it is tough to know what to expect should he start. He has played in one NFL game, and it was at right tackle in a game where Minnesota sat most of its starters against Chicago. If your mindset is “it can’t get worse than Dakota Dozier!” I raise you the 272 snaps from Dru Samia last season. Be careful what you wish for. While Udoh may very well end up being impressive, the big question would be why have we not seen him sooner then? The Vikings’ best-case scenario at RG might be Wyatt Davis continuing to improve and snatching the job and running with it at some point in the season.

The Minnesota RG position will be the team’s biggest wildcard in 2021, and unfortunately, scenarios, where the position is a big plus to the team, seem unlikely.

Brian O’Neill wraps up the 2021 Vikings OL as their right tackle. Finally. Time for some positivity. O’Neill has been what feels like the only offensive linemen the Vikings have hit on in the draft in the last decade (Yes, Christian Darrisaw and Wyatt Davis, this is an invitation to change that). He has improved each of his first three years in the league and was a top-10 graded run blocker among all NFL tackles last season per PFF. Minnesota’s joint practices last week with Denver led Von Miller to sing some high praise about the young Vikings RT.

The only issue involving Brian O’Neill is that the Vikings have yet to sign him to a contract extension, although one is surely coming. If the Minnesota OL is yet again a thorn in the Vikings’ side, it certainly should not be O’Neill’s fault.

A starting five of Rashod Hill, Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury, Oli Udoh, and Brian O’Neill across the offensive line screams mediocrity at best. The Minnesota OL does have pieces to potentially be solid in the future, but for this year it is looking as if the team and fanbase are in for another four (maybe five?) months of discouraging play along most of the offensive line. But hey, things should turn around eventually, right?

The post Why the Vikings OL will be bad… again 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: Grant Schwieger

The 2020 Minnesota Vikings defense was largely an overall dumpster fire. From the pass rush to the run defense to the coverage on the back end, there really were not many positives to take away from the defense last season. This was caused by a multitude of reasons. The Vikings were fairly strapped for cash and lost Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, Linval Joseph, and Everson Griffen, all key defensive players from 2019, as a result. Minnesota suffered from a lack of depth to begin the season, and that combined with covid opt-outs (Michael Pierce) and injuries (Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, Mike Hughes, and eventually Eric Kendricks) made the defense borderline unwatchable by December 2020.

Before the 2020 season started, Mike Zimmer stated “I’ve never had a bad defense. So I don’t anticipate that changing.”

This contributed to many Minnesota faithful having an unreasonable amount of optimism, only to realize Week 1 they needed to tone it down a notch, or five. Zimmer went into the opening game against Green Bay with Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, and Cam Dantzler as his top three CBs. The Vikings gave up 43 points. Hughes and Hill played a combined 428 snaps all season. By season’s end, the top four CBs in terms of snaps played for Minnesota were Jeff Gladney (958), Cam Dantzler (601), Kris Boyd (343), and somehow Chris Jones (267). If you need a second to run to the bathroom to throw up, go ahead. Those four entered 2020 with a combined 374 career NFL snaps. That is far from ideal, and Minnesota spent 2021 making sure that would not be the case this time around.

Entering the 2021 season, the clear top four Vikings CBs are now Patrick Peterson, Bashaud Breeland, Mackensie Alexander, and Cam Dantzler. Those 4 have combined for 18,910 NFL snaps to this point. Just a slight difference from last season! There was a clear emphasis in the offseason to make sure this year’s Vikings squad doesn’t give up the 6th highest success rate on opposing dropbacks (per rbsdm.com) like they did last season. Even the rest of the current 90-man roster has some NFL experience, with Kris Boyd (442 career snaps), Harrison Hand (163), Tye Smith (613), and Parry Nickerson (251) all in camp boasting familiarity in NFL secondaries. Secondaries are mostly a weak-link system, meaning you are only as strong as your weakest player, so it is important for Minnesota to make sure whoever their weakest link is in 2021 is not a deer in headlights. 

The most important part of a weak-link system, however, is to do your best to make sure that your “weakest” link is in fact not weak at all. Not only were none of the Vikings CBs last season experienced, but almost all of them struggled immensely. The good news is that the only one who received a lot of playing time and showed signs of potentially being a quality NFL CB is still looking to be in the rotation this year in Dantzler. He had the 3rd highest PFF grade on the Vikings defense last season, trailing only Eric Kendricks and Harrison Smith. 

In even better news, the Minnesota coaching staff currently does not view Dantzler as a lock to even start, as he has been rotating in with Breeland with the starters so far in camp. Peterson has been locking up one of the outside CB spots and Alexander should likely be the main slot CB to start the season. This should come as good news to Vikings fans because it means the defense once again has solid depth in its secondary. The third and fourth corners on a team will find themselves still being very important to the team, whether it be rotating in during the game or needing to jump in in the case of an injury. So, there is no need to worry about Dantzler’s spot on the depth chart as he will still find plenty of time to make an impact on the field.

While Patrick Peterson’s days of being an elite NFL CB may be behind him, he will certainly still provide value to Mike Zimmer’s defense. His knowledge of the game is top-notch and he is now able to share that with Minnesota’s less-experienced DBs. He was seen on Saturday at the Vikings practice coaching up Dantzler on the best way to strip the ball from the running back. Little things like that veteran players provide were not very common in Minnesota last season and this team should surely benefit from him.

Breeland and Alexander are clear upgrades over what Zimmer had to work with last year as well. Breeland is fresh off of one of the best seasons of his seven-year career and has a Super Bowl ring from 2019 as well. Alexander spent the first four years of his career in Minnesota before a stint in Cincinnati last season. The fact that he decided to return to Minnesota after a year away is a testament to the reputation Zimmer has built here and is a good sign. He has been one of the better slot CBs in the NFL the last few years and hopefully can keep that trend continuing.

While the remaining CBs on the current Vikings roster has a bit of experience, a few of them also have been fairly solid when given the opportunity. Harrison Hand only had 163 snaps as a rookie last season, but he did not get embarrassed on the field which is something not many other 2020 Minnesota corners can say. Tye Smith has also played limited snaps for Tennessee in 3 of the last 4 years and has been reliable when called upon. Coverage can be quite volatile, and there is a key element to this year’s Vikings defense that will hopefully give all of Minnesota’s coverage defenders a boost compared to last season.

The debate between whether coverage or pass rush is more important to an NFL defense can go back and forth forever. One thing that most everyone can agree on, though, is that they both have a direct impact on each other. Good coverage can allow the pass rush more time to get to the QB, and a good pass rush allows those in coverage to cover for a shorter amount of time. With Danielle Hunter back on the field and the additions of Sheldon Richardson and Dalvin Tomlinson among others, the Vikings pass rush should certainly improve. In fact, it really cannot get much worse than it was in 2020. This should take some pressure off the Minnesota secondary and put them in more situations to succeed.

At the time when Mike Zimmer boldly stated he had never had a bad defense, he was not that far from the truth. Of course, once that quote backfired on him he got roasted for it, but there is no doubt he is going into 2021 ready to get his defense back to where it usually is, at the top of the league. He clearly wanted to spend this past offseason emphasizing improving his defense and it appears he has done so. Zimmer is considered a “CB guru” by many and his defense’s success will start and stop with his bread and butter. Between their upgraded skills, depth, and experience at the position and the improved pass rush, there are a plethora of reasons for optimism in the Minnesota defensive backfield for 2021.

The post Why you should be optimistic about the Vikings CBs 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: Jake Rajala

The professional football league showcases many elite groups of weapons and more talent is undoubtedly being displayed on the field in 2021 than in any previous time period. Bill Barnwell, who is an iconic staff writer for ESPN, recently put out a list of the 32 groups of NFL offensive weapons. At the very top of the list, he marked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers skill group as the utmost best unit in the league. 

I believe the defending Super Bowl champions carry players with elite talent and prominent depth all around, but I believe it’s far-fetched to put them at number one. In my opinion, the true number one group is clear. The top offensive skill group is none other than the Minnesota Vikings. To further state my case, I will give three reasons why the Vikings and not the Bucs display the top weaponry in the NFL. 

• Vikings have a stronger WR duo 

The stories and myths surrounding Vikings WR Adam Thielen may have started to slowly fade, but he can still operate at a high playing level. The Bucs number one WR in Mike Evans may have hauled in a whopping 13 touchdowns last season, but the Vikings number two WR unveiled 14 receiving touchdowns on the table. Thielen’s career-high touchdown count and 926 yards clearly show he’s one of, if not the best WR2 in the league.

Chris Godwin may have been a stat machine in the days of Jameis Winston leading the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and then interceptions, but he hasn’t shown to be a dominant force of late. Godwin had 840 yards and likely would have been floating around 1,000 yards if he stayed healthy for the long season, but his touchdown count was just half (7) of what the freakish Thielen was showing. It’s fair to say that Thielen’s resume and talent is a step ahead of Godwin and he’s been playing in a far less explosive passing attack. As far as the number one WR spot between the Bucs and Vikings, the honors actually go to Vikings Justin Jefferson. 

Jefferson was fourth in the whole NFL last season in receiving yards (1,400). The Vikings WR was just a rookie last season and didn’t get into sync until a short period into the season. Going into year two, Jefferson could realistically show he’s the best WR in the NFL. Evans screams consistent high-level play, but he’s not quite rubber-like when it comes to route running, nor can he take the top off a defense as the second-year Vikings WR can. Buccaneers Antonio Brown is a very quality number three WR, but I believe the Vikings WR duo can take over games individually. Thielen’s clutch ability and Jefferson’s explosion with any route concept deep down the field make them very reliable and hard to cover with one or two defenders.

• Dalvin Cook is significantly more impressive than the Bucs running game

The Bucs have an admirable duo with all-purpose back Ronald Jones and 2021 playoff hero Leonard Fournette, but both of them combined don’t match Dalvin Cook’s playmaking ability. Dalvin Cook was second in the league in rushing yards (1,416) and rushing touchdowns (16). It’s worth noting that Cook put this damage on defenses despite missing two games. Leonard Fournette compiled 367 rushing yards and six touchdowns during the span of the 16 game season, while Ronald Jones captured a stout of 978 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. The Bucs RB duo is a nice assist to Tom Brady’s passing game, but they don’t stack up to the production that Cook lays out with even a combined effort. 

All in all, the Buccaneers should be labeled as a Top 5 offensive group of weapons. Yet, I believe an overrated factor of the defending Super Bowl title on their nameplate combined with the fact that these slightly dissolving household players like Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette just happened to make their biggest plays in the most recent game (Super Bowl), helped them garner the number one spot. The Vikings may have been a 7-9 squad with no impressive number three wideout, but I believe the talent is above and beyond to earn them the first place standing.

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