Vikings Claim Best Ranking in the NFL at One Spot
The Minnesota Vikings ended the 2024 campaign with a 14-3 record, an unexpected outcome after sportsbooks pegged the club for seven or eight wins.
Vikings Claim Best Ranking in the NFL at One Spot
Behind a reclamation season from quarterback Sam Darnold, the team sprinted to the postseason, where it found a rotten outcome, losing to the Los Angeles Rams, 27-9, in the Wildcard Round.
So, the offseason, through three months, has been all about improving the depth chart. And the team has done precisely that — so effectively that one position spot is the best in the NFL, according to SI.com: the Vikings’ linebackers.
SI.com Says It’s the Linebackers for Vikings
SI.com‘s Gilbert Manzano and Matt Verderame ranked each position in the league, assigning a best team per spot, and Minnesota made the cut as the franchise with the best linebackers heading into 2025.
“Minnesota essentially built its linebacking corps in one offseason and did an impossibly top-notch job. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah brought in Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel to serve as the outside linebackers while Blake Cashman roamed in the middle,” the duo explained.
For context on the rankings, SI claimed that the Cincinnati Bengals employ the best wide receivers in the sport, with the Buffalo Bills the top dog at quarterback.
“The result was one of the league’s best defenses under coordinator Brian Flores. Van Ginkel had a year worthy of Defensive Player of the Year consideration, totaling 11.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 18 tackles for loss and two pick-sixes,” Manzano and Verderame concluded.
“Greenard starred with 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss as well, while Cashman made a team-high 112 tackles with 4.5 sacks.”
A Loose Definition of “Linebackers”
Generally, when an outfit like SI ranks the league’s top positions, linebackers entail the off-ball variety — men like Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman. For some reason, Manzano and Verderame lassoed linebackers by job title, in general, including outside linebackers, who are often classified as “defensive ends” in 4-3 defenses.
There’s nothing wrong with the classification, but teams that utilize 4-3 schemes would be all but disqualified from the Manzano and Verderame linebacker rankings.
No Mention of Dallas Turner
Interestingly, Dallas Turner received no mention in the Vikings’ linebacker supremacy rankings. He’s the guy who became a Viking in 2024 during the NFL draft — the “other” 1st-Rounder after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spent the 10th overall pick on quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Why is this important? Well, Minnesota’s linebacking crew can climb to even grander heights when Turner starts to experience regular playing time. In 2024, because the players ahead of Turner were so productive — Greenard and Van Ginkel — the rookie didn’t see too much action.
When Turner hit the field, however, he made an impact almost every time, firing up a notable interception at the Seattle Seahawks in December, along with some momentous sacks as a rookie.
The rankings also didn’t mention the aforementioned Pace Jr.
It’s a roundabout way of confirming that Minnesota’s broad LB corps is pretty fantastic.
Projection for 2025
The Vikings’ linebackers should suffer from limited or no regression. The unit should only improve.
Greenard and Van Ginkel reached their first Pro Bowls last season — that’s why Turner didn’t see too much action as a rookie — Turner’s snaps will increase, and Cashman won’t slow down anytime soon. Pace Jr. enters Year No. 3, and he could take the next step as well.
It’s worth noting that Minnesota also has a couple of promising undrafted linebackers on the roster: Bo Richter and Gabriel Murphy, who would represent an embarrassment of riches at outside linebackers if they began making splashy plays.
Another Defender from the Draft?
Most don’t foresee the purple team drafting an EDGE rusher or off-ball linebacker. Yet, a defensive player in Round 1 — or Round 2 after a possible trade back — is a common mock-draft choice for Minnesota.
Cornerback may lead the way for the most probable Round 1 draft outcome, with Jahdae Barron, Shavon Revel Jr., Trey Amos, Maxwell Hairston, and Azareye’h Thomas in a territory near the Vikings’ pick range.
Safeties Nick Emmanwori and Malaki Starks are popular mock-draft selections.
Defensive tackle, too, would check some boxes. Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen, Derrick Harmon, or Darius Alexander could be on Minnesota’s draft menu.
Dalton Risner Might Have a New Team Soon
You must be logged in to post a comment.