Vikings Should Make the Call to One Former Player
The Minnesota Vikings have a special teams problem. It’s not the only problem the team has, but it is an area that should be easier to fix than others, especially with the news that an old friend is available to assist.
Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels looked to be in hot water with a visibly upset Kevin O’Connell on Sunday. Having rallied to take a one-point lead with just 50 seconds left on the clock.
The Vikings’ kickoff coverage unit allowed Devin Duvernay to break off a 56-yard kickoff return that landed the Bears on the Vikings’ 40-yard line. Just like that, the game was gone. With no pressure to move the ball any significant distance, Chicago ran the ball three times and then kicked a 48-yard field goal for the win.
VikingsTerritory looks at the possibility of the Vikings signing a former player to help with a problem area following their release from their current team.
Mistakes and penalties have become an all too familiar sight when the Vikings’ special team unit trots out on the field. Myles Price looks like a dynamic kickoff/punt returner, but he has had so many good returns called back because of penalty markers – including what would have been a 99-yard touchdown.
Vikings Should Give Trent Sherfield a Jingle
Price hasn’t been without his own gaffes, with three fumbles this season, but the rookie’s explosive playmaking ability makes him worth sticking with for now.
The Vikings’ special teams unit is quite young, especially when you consider veteran leader CJ Ham has missed much of the season through injury. Adding a veteran presence like Trent Sherfield, who has just been released by the Denver Broncos, would be a good move. Sherfield was with the Vikings last season and excelled on special teams, but a two-year, $6 million contract whisked him away to Denver.
What Sherfield Can Bring to the Vikings
Sherfield would be a signing with special teams in mind, and he would improve that unit as he did last season. His impact as a wide receiver would be minimal, but he is a safe pair of hands when called upon. Last season, Sherfield caught 8 of 9 targets for 83 yards and a touchdown.
This year in Denver, he caught 3 of 4 targets for 21 yards, nothing spectacular, but already knowing the offense from last year, Sherfield should be able to slot right in.
The veteran WR is also a good blocker, and the message seems to have finally gotten to coach O’Connell that the Vikings need to run more heavy personnel and lean on the rushing attack. Sherfield’s skill set would be advantageous on offense as well. He just looks like the right fit at the right time for Minnesota. I would be surprised if the team isn’t already touching base about the possibility of a reunion.
Some might ask whether it’s worth signing a 30-year-old special teamer in a season that looks lost. Fans might be ready to write this season off already, but coaches and players are competitive animals and won’t be doing that yet. Even so, the Vikings have several problems that need fixing next year, and if you can make a move to address them now, do it.
There’s no need to wait until next year. Even if Sherfield isn’t a long-term solution on the unit, an experienced head will be valuable for the young guys who have been playing sloppily this season.
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