4 Former Vikings Who Are Balling Out
The Minnesota Vikings conducted a 2024 offseason filled with change, as several players departed for new teams and newcomers joined the roster.
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Elsewhere, players from recent Vikings teams are actually performing quite well.
So, these are four former players from 2020-2023 Vikings teams who have caught fire to start the season. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best player).
4. Eric Kendricks (LB)
Kendricks boasts a respectable 65.9 Pro Football Focus grade through four games as a starter down in Dallas with Mike Zimmer’s defense.
The Zimmer defense hasn’t been totally solid out of the gate, but it found its footing against the New York Giants in Week 4. Kendricks has 20 tackles in four games with 2 sacks for gravy. During his final season with the Vikings, his skill set appeared a bit diminished, but that might’ve been his fit in Ed Donatell’s scheme.
At age 32, Kendricks is performing well as a starter for the playoff-contending Cowboys.
3. Ezra Cleveland (OG)
Cleveland’s 67.8 PFF grade is more than passable, and he’s locked in as a starter on the Jaguars offensive line for the long haul. He’s also morphed into one of the NFL’s best pass-protecting guards.
Minnesota traded him away last year because it had Ed Ingram and Dalton Risner on the roster, enabling Cleveland to latch onto the Jaguars’ depth chart. Blake Brandel has since taken Cleveland’s spot at left guard in Minnesota.
2. Danielle Hunter (EDGE)
Some will point to Hunter’s low sack total — just 2 through 4 games — and that’s somewhat fair. Yet, his quarterback pressures are there, tallying 16 out of the gate for his new team.
He also boasts a 74.4 PFF mark, ranking him a Top 25 pass rusher. He’ll continue to nestle into DeMeco Ryans’ defense, and the sacks will hop into the box scores. The guy is still one of the NFL’s top EDGE defenders.
1. Kirk Cousins (QB)
Cousins delivered a 500+ yard passing performance on Thursday Night Football, helping his Falcons subdue the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a shootout.
The 36-year-old also had to deal with the distraction of Michael Penix Jr. nipping at his heels, which he’s done beautifully because nobody is talking about Penix Jr. as the QB1 at the moment.
Cousins is on pace for a typical Cousins-esque 4,000+ yard season with 27 touchdowns. And his team is in the hunt for the NFC South — exactly why they signed the pocket passer in March.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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