Jan 3, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Dakota Dozier. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report offered grades on each NFL team’s free-agency moves to date, including the Minnesota Vikings. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, and New England Patriots were among the league’s top squads amid the last three week’s free agency period — most getting universal As in some capacity.
Bleacher Report‘s panel was composed of analysts Gary Davenport, Brad Gagnon, and Brent Sobleski. Davenport classified the Vikings moves with a C grade, Gagnon a D, and Sobleski a C. Those compiled for an overall C-.
As a group voice, the men spoke on Minnesota’s free-agent moves:
“The Minnesota Vikings are attempting to rebound from a disappointing 7-9 season. If free agency is any indication, that won’t be especially easy to do. There were additions of note. The Vikings badly needed to upgrade on the back end, and while cornerback Patrick Peterson might not be the player he once was, he’s still an improvement. Dalvin Tomlinson provides a lane-clogging presence in the middle of the defensive line, and Nick Vigil could offer improvement at linebacker on the cheap (one year, $1.75 million). But there were losses as well. Offensive tackle Riley Reiff departed for Cincinnati. Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph left for New York. And safety Anthony Harris signed a free-agent deal to join the Philadelphia Eagles. For Davenport, that’s the issue: For every hole that was filled, another opened. “Peterson will help on the back end, but there’s a big hole opposite Harrison Smith at safety. The Vikings O-line was the seventh-worst in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus, before Reiff left. The third receiver spot and No. 2 edge-rusher are question marks. It’s going to take an excellent draft for me to even consider Minnesota as a challenger to the Packers in the NFC North.”
The primary grievance is the Vikings lack of wherewithal to — once and for all — field a team with a better-than-garbage offensive line. If the 2021 season started today, the Vikings offensive line would resemble something akin to:
(LT) Rashod Hill, (LG) Mason Cole, ( C ) Garrett Bradbury, (RG) Ezra Cleveland, (RT) Brian O’Neill.
And most Viking heads do not feel that is sufficient. Hell, the team even re-signed Dakota Dozier on Tuesday — who was one of the NFL’s worst guards during the pandemic season.
General Manager Rick Spielman’s defensive moves are juicy, though. The Vikings signed cornerback Patrick Peterson from the Arizona Cardinals and Dalvin Tomlinson from the New York Giants — moves that virtually no Vikings enthusiast foresaw.
Oddly, Bleacher Report didn’t seem to acknowledge the acquisition of Dallas Cowboys safety, Xavier Woods. He joined Minnesota last weekend and will fill the hole left by Anthony Harris’ exodus to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Minnesota’s defense was terrible in 2020, and an emphasis on rectifying it was issued during the 2021 offseason. No new faces on the offensive side of the ball have entered the Vikings orbit, aside from the aforementioned Mason Cole via trade with Arizona. Spielman sent a 6th-Rounder to the desert for Cole.
Either Spielman has robust, last-minute plans for the offensive line here in free agency, or the Vikings are about to have an offensive-line frenzy in the 2021 NFL Draft. To remain “as-is” in the offensive trenches for 2021 would be emblematic of a dunce.
Names like Rashawn Slater, Christian Darrisaw, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Samuel Cosmi have all been mentioned as potential offensive linemen poised to join the Vikings in 2021 via the draft.
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I question how knowledgeable some of these pundits really are about a particular team. Reading their comments/articles shows me they have only a limited knowledge of the Vikings situation. They often fail to acknowledge that Pierce should be on the field next year and, combined with Tomlinson, should represent a big upgrade. They fail to point out that having 3 strong DL will make it harder to double team players. The young Vikings' CBs will have more experience and a more robust training camp and should fare much better with a reinvigorated pass rush. Very few pundits seem to realize the Vikings need help at LB or even S and TE. The FO has reworked several contracts and cut people that will be missed but couldn't realistically be paid what they wanted. I think the FO moves have reduced the team needs from several critical to one critical--OL. In the draft, I see the Vikings now looking at best available players at most positions and going after future replacements for aging players like Smith. I think the Vikings will draft an OL in the first and third rounds, a DE in the 2nd (if they trade down in the 1st) or 3rd rounds, a S, LB, TE and DI in the middle rounds and a WR (probably a big target) and RB (to replace Boone) in the later rounds. Since it's Zimmer, there will probably a CB selected somewhere.
To expand what you said they didn’t mention the safety woods or Alexander who is coming back and knows zims defense! A healthy Barr kendricks hunter pierce and Tomlinson should be a more than capable front 7. Also didn’t we pick up a guard for a 6th rounder from the cardinals?? That’s another botch. And losing our left tackle was almost addition by subtraction let’s be real. Losing Kyle sucked but more from the perspective him as a person and red zone/blocking threat. Outside of that smith and Conklin have the athleticism and tenacity to easily replace him on the field. Off the field and locker room leadership maybe room to grow. So if we can get a competent guard and a solid left tackle in the draft with an elite running back and recievers. Cousins stepping up his pocket presence last year we should fair decently. Also let’s not forget how many games are special teams cost us or almost cost us. Case and point if we had a kicker we prolly beat Dallas and or Tampa bay.
Minnesota has killed it this offseason. Patrick Peterson alone coming in to mentor Gladney and Dantzler will be huge. I feel like he wants to be in Minnesota and he will return to pro bowl caliber. Dalvin Tomlinson along side Michael Pierce will be a run stopping force. I think Wonnum and a healthy Danielle Hunter will apply good pressure on quarterbacks. Xavier Woods replacing Anthony Harris is another great addition. Dakota Dozier wasn’t a great resign but he knows the system and can compete for playing time but I think Rick acknowledges we need O line help in the draft. Maybe one more FA signing for O line depth. I personally would like to see us draft Christian Darrishaw. I think he will lock down that LT position for 10 years. Let Mason Cole compete for the LG spot, with Bradbury at Center, Ezra at RG and O’Neill at RT. We need to address QB2 in the third round. I would love to see David Mills if he’s there. Kyle Trask is another good option. All this said, Bleacher Report is a ridiculous site. It’s all opinion, no fact. We lost a 32 year old TE and replaced him with a young stud in Irv Smith Jr and Tyler Conklin in the run game. We “lost” Anthony Harris but was replaced with a guy who can easily fill those shoes. The draft needs to focus on O line depth, QB2 and perhaps a receiver or two to find that solidified WR3 unless of course they want to offer a one year deal to Larry Legend. If I were Rick, I’d give him a call. Minnesota is his childhood home, he has past connections to the team, and he would play for very little to compete for a Championship. Minnesota deserves an A in Free Agency and Rick is a genius in the draft (Minus Christian Ponder and Laquon Treadwell).
I'm telling you all, once Sewell goes the run on tackles will begin..the Vikings must get one of the tope 4 tackles package a trade and sacrifice 3 draft picks to move up and get the 2nd rounder back and pray they can get Wyatt Davis...they do that and the team will compete this year... guaranteed. If they trade back too far late twenties they will miss out on the 1st tier tackle....be prepared to be disappointed it's in Rick's nature to do what we all know he does best trade backwards and leave top tier on the board for other teams to swoop on.
Bleacher saw the moves made by MN in the beginning of March and then wrote them off. Pure and simple. They only care and pay attention to the teams that make them money to cover. MN sports is always over looked. The Twins, the Wild, the Vikings will be contenders this year and they will give 2 minutes of total coverage to these teams. Even the Lynx get looked over and they are one of the most successful franchises in sports.
Fact!
these idiots will spend five days talking about the PP deal, and completely overlook what the Dalvin Tomlinson addition does to the returning line. So many analyst look at their 2020 grade and assume that is where they are starting from. Fine, then also factor in that they are getting the best edge player in Hunter back as well as a stout nose tackle in Pierce as well. These guys are just lazy.