Roster Moves for a 3-4 Vikings Defense
Mitchel Massman
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With the Vikings hiring Ed Donatell as defensive coordinator, it appears we are entering a new era. Donatell’s experience is primarily running a 3-4 defense. If he brings the same scheme to the Vikings, they will need to adjust the roster.
Donatell’s defense, like all defenses, requires quality players on all levels. The defensive tackles will need to two-gap frequently, which Pierce and Tomlinson are capable of.
The outside linebackers need to be good at rushing the passer, and middle linebackers need to defend the run. As of now, Kendricks is the only linebacker capable of this.
Cornerbacks, especially in the Fangio defense, will be required to play man-to-man frequently. The cornerbacks on the team have not shown themselves capable of being on an island.
The team doesn’t have the players to execute this scheme at a high level. They will need to make significant investments during free agency and the draft. However, with how many holes currently exist, it’s not likely to be fully addressed in one year. So, what positions should they make a priority?
Defensive Line Roster Moves
The Vikings have a good starting rotation in place along the defensive line. However, depth is a serious issue. They have several young players, like Patrick Jones and James Lynch, who showed flashes throughout the year. They will also get back Janarius Robinson and Jaylen Twyman from the injured reserve in 2022. These young guys could develop under a new coaching staff.
The Vikings could look to the draft to add depth. This year’s draft is very deep with quality edge rushers. Drafting a quality guy on day two is plausible — although the depth on the defensive line is not great. But definitely not the primary concern this offseason.
Linebacker Roster Moves
The linebacker room for the Vikings is about to see some changes. Anthony Barr and Nick Vigil are free agents. This leaves Eric Kendricks and several young players in the room.
The Vikings could address this early in the draft if Devin Lloyd or Nakobe Dean drop. Although, they would need to decide if a linebacker is more important than a cornerback.
Overall, the linebacker position outside of Kendricks is not very good. Addressing the departure of Barr should be high on the priority list. However, the secondary is still the most significant issue this offseason.
Secondary Roster Moves
The secondary is a mess, to say the least. Three-fifths of the starting secondary for the Vikings are entering free agency. They will need to decide if bringing back Xavier Woods, Patrick Peterson, and Mackenzie Alexander is the right decision. Are they capable of playing the defense that Donatell will want to run?
Ed Donatell’s defense requires playing man-to-man frequently. Right now, this roster does not have the horses to run this defense. Resigning Peterson and Woods would be a good start to improving the secondary.
Overall, the secondary is in a dark place. The Vikings need to be aggressive in free agency to add some veteran players who are decent in single coverage. They should spend some draft capital to address this group if they want to run Ed Donatell’s defense. The secondary group should be the primary group to address this offseason.
Revamping the defense to be a 3-4 comes at the perfect time. There are holes on all three levels to address, so they can build the team how they see fit. The defensive line has a solid starting core with Danielle Hunter, Michael Pierce, and Dalvin Tomlinson. The linebacker group has Eric Kendricks but needs a Barr replacement. However, the secondary is in the worst position. The Vikings have Harrison Smith but will need to add a couple of quality corners.
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