Countdown to the Vikings Season Opener: 7 Days
Ali Siddiqui
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The Minnesota Vikings season opener at Cincinnati is only seven days away. The wait is almost over. Fans are excited to watch this team again.
No. 7 is worn by cornerback Patrick Peterson, who was among many new free agents signed by the team this offseason.
Peterson is no longer the same player he once was, but will still help both as a player and as a mentor. Last season Pro Football Focus gave him a 60.8 grade in zone coverage and 49.4 in man coverage. The Vikings ran the 28th most man coverage plays, while the Arizona Cardinals ran the fourth most. The change of scenery should help him.
The Vikings defense struggled mightily last season, ranking 27th in the league overall and their 29.7 points per game allowed was 29th. If he even plays average, it will greatly help the team. He will also benefit from all the talent around him.
He certainly is out to prove his doubters wrong.
In addition to signing Peterson, they also signed Dalvin Tomlinson, Sheldon Richardson, Nick Vigil, Bashaud Breeland, Mackensie Alexander, Xavier Woods and Everson Griffen. They also get Danielle Hunter and Michael Pierce back. Barring numerous injuries, this unit will be leaps and bounds ahead of last year. They have a great chance to be a top-10 defense, perhaps top-five.
Anthony Barr missed the final 14 games of last season. It is unknown how long he will be out with his knee injury, but on the bright side he was not placed on injured reserve, so he may not be out for very long. They still have Eric Kendricks and Harrison Smith too. Both are among the best at their respective positions.
Given that Mike Zimmer is a defensive coach, it is certainly no surprise they made big changes to the unit. This team has a chance to go pretty far if they can mostly stay healthy. They did already lose Irv Smith Jr. for the season, which is very unfortunate but if they can avoid more critical injuries, they could be very good.
Since Zimmer took over as head coach in 2014, the Vikings have been known more for their defense. This year the defense should once again be amongst the best in the league.