Dec 6, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) warms up before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings front office has done a remarkable job this offseason. With the signing of wide receiver Dede Westbrook, the Vikings look to be all-in on a legitimate Super Bowl this coming season. There appear to be no gaps at any position especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Of course, there are still a few question marks regarding the offensive line (there always is), but a lot will depend on how rookie Christian Darrisaw can settle in at left tackle and replicate the play of Brian O’Neil on the other side. Interior line play will still need to play at a higher level but there are definitely positive signs.
The Minnesota Vikings are arguably the most complete roster top to bottom in the entire league. There could be an argument to be made, the Vikings almost have no excuse not to get to a Super Bowl with a roster that is this stacked and this deep in almost every position on both sides of the ball.
2 of the best defensive players in the entire league have requested a trade out of their current teams. The Vikings are one of the teams that have the cap space and can make a play for either player (perhaps both if they really wanted but let’s not get carried away).
Chandler Jones would complete this team. Can you just for a second, imagine Danielle Hunter coming off one edge and Chandler Jones coming off the others? That is 2 All-Pro level players getting after the quarterback. That would be a nightmare for any team, from their coordinators to the offensive linemen tasked with dealing with these guys and the quarterback who is the target.
The 2nd edge position is the only real question mark, the rest of the defense pretty much picks itself. With All-Pro caliber players on all 3 levels and adding the player who has the most sacks since 2012, even though he missed an entire year, the signing would take the Vikings from a potential Super Bowl contender to the team to beat and the favorite in the NFC.
Xavien Howard is a ballhawk in every definition of the word. Arguably the best cornerback in football. Howard led the NFL in interceptions 2 of the last 3 seasons with 18 sacks in that period. Howard is 28 and only just entering the prime years of his career. The type of cornerback that will follow your number 1 receiver throughout the game while also making game-changing plays. Adding a guy like Howard to an already stacked defensive back room. The Vikings have already added veterans Patrick Peterson, Breshaud Breeland, Mackensie Alexander, and Tye Smith. However, none of these would have the impact that Howard would. A lockdown corner to go with all those other pieces that the Vikings already have, it would be fun to watch the say the least.
With or without any of these signings, the Vikings have made their intentions very clear this offseason. They are in win-now mode. They have strengthened in every meaningful position and even added depth with players that are more than capable of coming in and off being starters. Adding one of these 2 guys would take the Vikings over the top and take them to unchartered territory, being favorites in most games they will play.
There is a possibility that Trader Rick has one more trick up his sleeve that could shock us all but as of right now it seems most likely that the Vikings front office is content with the work they have done and will focus on tying down some of their own. Either way, the Vikings have maneuvered this offseason exceptionally well and have put themselves in the best position to make a run at the coveted Lombardi Trophy.
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Well that was a hot load of crap. Vikings need to sign a KICKER! A reliable kicker. Next a little more Oline depth, cause lord knows somebodies gonna suck, & hopefully not multiple somebodies. They get that done, they can spend rest on whatever they want for the D. D wins championships, but the offense needs to be able to hold up they're end!
Couldn't agree more
Kickers are replacable at every turn. You need to get lucky more than anything....The offense is not nor will be the problem this year.
I agree this team is built to make a run. I have seen some of comparison to the 98 team and this years. So lets looks at that. 2 great wrs. Check. Capable 3wr. Check. Good to great RB. Check. Decent QB play... Cunningham was sitting behind an all pro O line. 3 all pros right side to center and a guy named Corey Stringer bookending the Left. Give that to Cousins and see what happens. The 98 defense was not that good and gave up on average 25+pts a game. But they had a beast DE that scared every QB. I dont think we put up the numbers the 98 team did. But with decent O line play we have the weapons on offense to make a run and a defense with all pros everywhere and built to dominate if we can get DE power opposite Hunter. Kicking is a worry but if this team has to rely on perfect kicking to win games then somethings not right.
Homers will say the offense was just fine with the terrible pass protection of Dozier and Samia and Bradbury. Seems like the FO and Zimmer lean that way too.. They craftily ignore that not every team has great DL and deficiency shows up against better DLs like GB and Chicago as well as the playoffs (see '17 at PHI, '19 @SF). Dozier, Bradbury, and even O'Neill shit the bed then. There will be times when playaction is null cuz we're behind and need plays through the air. Let's hope Bradbury is improved as a pass blocker and Davis helps us forget Dozier.
The guy who wrote this is from the uk ?? and loner. Lol
Mostly a lot of "ifs" and "hopes" but not like normal with this team. We don't have to hope a starting WR doesn't get hurt anymore if Zimmer and Spielman don't get cute with this WR3 competition nonsense. Westbrook should be the hands down starter there bc Bisi and Beebe can't compare. Someone will shine out of Wonnum, Jones II, and Robinson if we don't get Chandler Jones. The CB play should be improved and Peterson will be reinvigorated by teams being forced to pass due to our new run stuffers. No more hope that Cousins doesn't get hurt with Mond behind him.
A small hope is that a 3rd difference making LB emerges in case Barr or Kendricks get hurt. We should have kept Wilson bc it looks like a bunch of Ben Gedeons behind those 2.
Lastly, and the main thing, is RG. Zimmer and Spielman have given into their buddy Dennison too long with letting his buddy Dozier start and play poorly for 16 games THEN even bringing him back. Now they're talking about him starting again even. Really? The 4th worse pass blocking guard has a chance to start again?
Totally disagree about Wilson, whose run defense was terrible in 2020, and neither Surrat nor Dye bear any resemblance to Gedeon. We need both Gedeon types (Smith and Vigil, though Vigil might be serviceable in coverage) to play the run (staying in their lanes and directing the runners into the D would be a nice change from last year) and Wilson types (Dye and Surratt) to play pass defense (Dye looked good in the last game against Detroit) and blitz the passer (Surratt's biggest strength from the hour or so of college film I watched after the draft).
You have a lot more faith in Mond being ready to play as a rookie than I do. I'd still like to re-sign Griffen. Agree with you about Dozier.
I hope that the Vikings at least add CJ. The pass rush might be phenomenal.
I am sorry but this was written by someone who only sees reality through purple classes! There isn’t even a point in analyzing the whole team, they don’t have a winning QB! It would take a mini miracle to even imagine Cousins even reaching a super bowl let alone winning it! Look at this team critically and realistically, that should bring everyone back to reality! It may challenge for a playoff spot, that’s it!
You lost all credibility when you chose to rant about the QB. That shit is so outdated and not at all original. 99 percent of the QBs that ever live fail to do exactly what you claim Cousins can never do. You cant tell the future. you just spew an almost certain take and attach it to a guy that does the job better than 20 of the Starting QBS in the league. There isn’t 20 guys on this planet that are better than Cousins at this moment in time. GETOVER IT!!!!
Just so everyone knows hill is not the answer for the o-line he clearly proved that when he was younger and let the philly defensive rusher but throuhg for sack and fumble that changed the game complety get rid of him before the vikings are forced to play him again in a big game and he lets them down again
If you look at the past few years it has always been the scary QB and an okay line, not to mention Zimmer is so stuborn that he will run the ball no matter what, which means when the team has to pass and the opposing teams knows it they just pin the ears back and destroy the vikings 3 and out 2 things good peices on the O-line and find better passing play catered to the talent on the team, oh yeah and zimmer get over yourself and let the O-coordinator call the plays sometimes.
"The Minnesota Vikings are arguably the most complete roster top to bottom in the entire league" - And I would counter The Vikings are inarguably not the most complete roster top to bottom in the league. I would say that distinction would belong to the Cleveland Browns, for teams on the rise, or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who last I checked, return every starter from a dominating Super Bowl performance. Look, the hype is great and Im glad u r excited about our Vikings, but let's walk back the rosy outlook just a tad there tiger, as I could go on for a little while with more NFL teams with better and proven rosters. KC. GB. The LA Rams might sneak into that elite level now. Then there's another tier that return very solid rosters, and maybe the Vikings can reach that level, if the majority of this off-seasons moves pan out. Sadly, the majority of any teams off-season moves rarely pan out, and if you were to hit on half of them you'd really be doing something. Fact is, this was an absolutely atrocious defensive football team last season, and they were getting gashed practically on every play, especially towards the end. Tough to watch quite honestly. Yes, I'll be watching and rooting them on, my friend, its just that my expectations lie a great deal behind yours, and I'll be waiting there as your expectations come crashing back to the middle.
Y’all know this is all Zimmer’s fault right? Why did he pay that much for a mediocre qb. Yeah, I know he is in the top 20 qbs but he will never be a superstar. Trade him to the Pats for Cam and some picks. Mond is the future and we don’t want him turning into Cousins.