It Might Be as Bad as Expected for the Vikings’ Secondary
You have undoubtedly heard not to overreact to a single preseason game. That may be true in a grandiose sense. It probably is true if you’re making blanket statements. You may draw pause when it’s a situation you have seen before, and that’s where the Minnesota Vikings defense checks in.
It Might Be as Bad as Expected for the Vikings’ Secondary
There has been plenty of talk about the Vikings’ defense all offseason. Maybe the most questionable group is the cornerback group. Khyree Jackson, Minnesota’s only cornerback taken in the draft, tragically passed away. A group of undrafted free agents is in the mix. Shaq Griffin was the first veteran free agent to be signed. Since then, Fabian Moreau and Duke Shelley have joined him.
If there was anything to take away from the first preseason game, the defense leaves plenty to be desired.
Aidan O’Connell drew the start and completed 7-of-9 passes for 76 yards. He made multiple chunk passes, and a handful of wide receivers were simply standing uncovered. While Gardner Minshew went just 6-of-12 through the air, he threw for 117 yards and a touchdown. A pair of quarterbacks that would be considered amongst the doldrums across the league made it look far too easy against Brian Flores’ group.
There has been talk about Minnesota’s ability to add players with salary cap room for weeks. Multiple veteran cornerbacks are available on the open market, and nabbing one has seemed like a must. Finally, the Vikings will bring Stephon Gilmore in for a visit, but they can’t afford him to leave.
It stands to reason that the longtime veteran may be looking to land somewhere he can win a ring. It would be a massive upset if the Vikings challenged for the Super Bowl this season, but crazier things have happened. It also stands to reason that Gilmore hasn’t been adequately engaged by the teams he thinks have the best chances. There is a level of rapport with Flores from their time together in New England, and he would quickly vault to the top of the depth chart.
Plenty of Minnesota’s defensive issues this season will be addressed as the unit comes together. The edge rushers need to get to the quarterback. Dallas Turner recorded a sack during his professional debut. Blake Cashman needs to settle in next to Ivan Pace Jr. It’s fair that all of that needs to work, but the reality is that the cornerbacks and secondary require a lot of help.
When that is evident against the Raiders, without Davante Adams, that’s not a great reality.
5-Time Pro Bowler to Meet with Vikings
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
You must be logged in to post a comment.