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First practice today.
First preseason game in about two weeks.
FOOTBALL IS BACK!
Will Vikings coach Mike Zimmer’s defense return to form in 2021?
You remember what happened as the Vikings crashed and burned into the finish line at the end of the 2020 season. One week after allowing the Bears to rush for 199 yards, the Saints' Alvin Kamara run all over them with 155 yards and six touchdowns. As a result, the Vikings tore the defense down to the studs and started over. The addition of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, their top priority in free agency according to general manager Rick Spielman, should help shore up the run defense. Tomlinson will clog up the middle of the defensive line next to nose tackle Michael Pierce.
Minnesota revamped its entire secondary by shelling out for cornerbacks Patrick Peterson, Mackensie Alexander and Bashaud Breeland and giving Harrison Smith a new running mate at safety in Xavier Woods. By the end of the offseason, the Vikings added 16 defensive players through free agency and the draft, making one last push to improve their interior pass rush by bringing in three-technique Sheldon Richardson. They also reworked the contract of Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Last season the Vikings allowed 475 points (third-most in franchise history), 393.3 yards per game (27th in the NFL), 7.65 yards per pass attempt (30th) and ranked 27th against the run by allowing 134.4 yards per game. Zimmer and his staff spent the past few months tinkering with schematic changes, studying different fronts, coverages and how they can adapt to the changes brought on by the evolution of offenses across the league. A once green group now boasts experience and returns players who missed considerable time due to injury, like linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. The Vikings believe this revamped group can take the weight off the offense and carry them back into the postseason.
“It’s probably going to look completely different on the defensive side of the ball than it did last year with the guys coming back and the additions that we made,” Zimmer said. “I am excited about that.”
What does the future hold for quarterback Kirk Cousins after the Vikings drafted Kellen Mond?
Cousins is not at risk of losing his starting status this season after the Vikings drafted Mond 66th overall. Mond, a four-year Texas A&M starter, has a long way to go before Minnesota could think about making a change at quarterback, which is why he ended up in the perfect spot given the time he’ll have to develop. Nonetheless, the Vikings have the building blocks of a contingency plan should Cousins, 32, underperform in 2021. That makes this a make-or-break season for Cousins, who has two years remaining on the $66 million extension he signed in March 2020, most of which is fully guaranteed.
Cousins has reached the playoffs once in his nine-year NFL career and has thrown 91 touchdowns to 29 interceptions in three seasons in Minnesota. He knows the ins and outs of this offense despite being on his fourth playcaller since he arrived. He’s in a great situation with playmakers like Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook and Irv Smith Jr. The Vikings' improvements in pass protection should serve him well, too. If Cousins excels, the Vikings can offer him an extension to lower the monster $45 million cap hit that comes with his contract for 2022. If he doesn’t play well, they’ll have to play some cap gymnastics next offseason and start the process of moving on.
There’s no pressure for Mond to overtake Cousins considering he first has to beat out Jake Browning, who took the majority of second-team reps this spring, for the backup job.
“Here’s what I’ve learned about Kellen Mond: He’s a hard worker, and he loves football," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said. "Football is his life, and he’s going to [die] before he’s not prepared for a practice or a meeting, so I appreciate that, but you’re not going to coach that into somebody. It’s something that’s built into them.”
Is this make-or-break season for Zimmer and Spielman?
Zimmer and Spielman are entering the first year of the three-year extension and get some benefit of the doubt for the way things played out in a 7-9 season. Neither of them could prevent the rash of injuries that dismantled the Vikings' defense. Because of significant roster turnover following the 2019 season, the Vikings had to rely on a lot of rookies to contribute in roles they weren’t ready for in a truncated season impacted by COVID-19. But now the pressure is on Zimmer and Spielman to get Minnesota back in contention.
The Wilf family has not been delivered a Lombardi Trophy since buying the Vikings in 2005. The closest they’ve gotten was the 2017 NFC Championship Game.
The Vikings recently signed Dede Westbrook to compete for the No. 3 receiver spot, but still have moves they could make to ensure this team is capable of winning big in 2021, like bringing in another defensive end to start opposite Hunter and possibly further shoring up the offensive line. The front office was aggressive in upgrading the roster to give Zimmer and his staff the right group to contend with the NFC’s best. Their challenge is putting all the pieces together to solidify their future beyond 2021.
Raining like hell here this am - and boy do we need it....
1st day will be inside.
The battles that matter most Starting right defensive end: D.J. Wonnum vs. Stephen Weatherly vs. Patrick Jones II
The Vikings' defense, at least on paper, is stacked with talent. They've got All-Pro-type players at all three levels and plenty of depth after complimenting the return of several stars who missed 2020 with an offseason free agent bonanza. However, the one area that is still a serious question mark is the pass rush. Danielle Hunter is back and it sounds like he's healthy and ready to go, and Sheldon Richardson will make things happen from the interior on passing downs. But who else is going to step up and put pressure on quarterbacks? The competition for the DE spot opposite Hunter is an important one.
Wonnum might be the favorite after a solid rookie year in which the long, explosive fourth-rounder posted 22 pressures and three sacks. He still has a lot of growth to do in order to be capable of being a productive full-time player, so he's someone to watch during training camp. The upside is certainly there, but Wonnum missed plenty of tackles last year and is still developing as a pass rusher. Weatherly is the safer option as a veteran who knows the system and can play against the run. Then, behind Door 3, there are middle-round rookies Patrick Jones II and Janarius Robinson. Of the two, Jones is definitely more pro-ready and could be a legit factor in this competition with a big-time camp. The third-rounder had 17.5 sacks and four forced fumbles over his last two seasons at Pitt. It would be very surprising if Robinson — who is oozing with potential but needs a lot of molding — or a fringe player (Hercules Mata'afa, Jordan Brailford, Jalyn Holmes, etc.) won this job.
Starting outside cornerback: Cameron Dantzler vs. Bashaud Breeland
I'm going to operate under the assumption that Patrick Peterson has one of the outside cornerback spots locked up. He wasn't particularly effective last year, but he's a future Hall of Famer who Mike Zimmer says had a "really good spring" and seems rejuvenated by a change of scenery. Zimmer will also use him differently, putting him in more zone situations instead of having him shadow elite receivers across the field.
With Mackensie Alexander in the slot, that leaves Dantzler and Breeland battling for the other outside spot. Both players will surely see the field plenty this year, but one of them will earn a significant playing time advantage to start the season. They both dealt with some injuries this spring, which means they'll start training camp on a level playing field. Dantzler was more up than down as a rookie, putting together some incredible games in December after a slow start and a couple minor injuries. Still just 22 years old, his length and stickiness give him the chance to become a really good player. Breeland is legit, though. The 29-year-old has excellent ball skills and has seen a thing or two in the league, which Zimmer might value. This will be a good one.
No. 3 linebacker: Nick Vigil vs. Troy Dye vs. Chazz Surratt vs. Cameron Smith
Although the 4-3 is called "base" defense, the Vikings' true base is nickel with Alexander out there as the fifth defensive back. There will still be plenty of downs where they need a third linebacker, particularly early downs where the threat of the run is much higher, so this competition is worth watching even if it's not quite as critical as the first two I've discussed. Vigil is the favorite because of his experience playing under Paul Guenther and his all-around skillset, but he'll be pushed by the young guys. I just don't know if raw youngsters Surratt and Dye — or Smith coming off missing a year due to open-heart surgery — will be able to show enough to win this battle. The most interesting player here is Surratt, the ultra-athletic QB-turned-LB who was the Vikings' top draft pick on defense this year.
The battles for depth roles No. 3 safety: Camryn Bynum vs. Josh Metellus vs. Myles Dorn
It's always important to have players who are ready to step in if someone goes down. The Vikings would be in trouble if either Harrison Smith or Xavier Woods had to miss time this year, so they'd need whoever wins this competition to help keep them afloat while the starter is out. Bynum is the team's highest-drafted safety since Smith nine years ago, although he played corner in college and needs as many reps at his new position as he can get. The Vikings have praised his intelligence and instincts, so that helps in an adjustment like the one he's making. Metellus and Dorn are mildly interesting second-year guys, although Dorn has some catching up to do as well considering he lost all of his rookie season to injury.
No. 5 cornerback: Harrison Hand vs. Kris Boyd vs. Tye Smith
This might be selling Hand short, honestly. He got a chance to see a bunch of reps with the first team in the spring when Dantzler was hurt and Breeland wasn't on the team yet, and he took full advantage of that opportunity. The second-year player was starting to seem like a legitimate player to watch before Breeland was signed, but he still might be. At the very least, he'll look to hold off guys like Boyd and Smith for the No. 5 spot, which could come with playing time this year due to the potential for injuries higher up the depth chart. Boyd, Smith ( a semi-interesting pickup) and guys like Parry Nickerson and Amari Henderson will be fighting for roster spots.
No. 4 defensive tackle: Armon Watts vs. James Lynch
The Vikings' top three DTs are set with Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Richardson, but the fourth guy will be a factor in camp due to Pierce's calf injury. Rookie Jaylen Twyman would've been involved in this competition, but he was shot four times in June and is now on the Reserve/NFI list. Watts and Lynch are both recent Day 3 picks who need to show improvement this year to have a chance at seeing the field.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all season long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
First practice today.
First preseason game in about two weeks.
FOOTBALL IS BACK!
Bring on '21. From this day until the Super Bowl, there will be Viking news pretty much every day.
Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
The battles that matter mostStarting right defensive end: D.J. Wonnum vs. Stephen Weatherly vs. Patrick Jones II
The Vikings' defense, at least on paper, is stacked with talent. They've got All-Pro-type players at all three levels and plenty of depth after complimenting the return of several stars who missed 2020 with an offseason free agent bonanza. However, the one area that is still a serious question mark is the pass rush. Danielle Hunter is back and it sounds like he's healthy and ready to go, and Sheldon Richardson will make things happen from the interior on passing downs. But who else is going to step up and put pressure on quarterbacks? The competition for the DE spot opposite Hunter is an important one.
Wonnum might be the favorite after a solid rookie year in which the long, explosive fourth-rounder posted 22 pressures and three sacks. He still has a lot of growth to do in order to be capable of being a productive full-time player, so he's someone to watch during training camp. The upside is certainly there, but Wonnum missed plenty of tackles last year and is still developing as a pass rusher. Weatherly is the safer option as a veteran who knows the system and can play against the run. Then, behind Door 3, there are middle-round rookies Patrick Jones II and Janarius Robinson. Of the two, Jones is definitely more pro-ready and could be a legit factor in this competition with a big-time camp. The third-rounder had 17.5 sacks and four forced fumbles over his last two seasons at Pitt. It would be very surprising if Robinson — who is oozing with potential but needs a lot of molding — or a fringe player (Hercules Mata'afa, Jordan Brailford, Jalyn Holmes, etc.) won this job.
Starting outside cornerback: Cameron Dantzler vs. Bashaud Breeland
I'm going to operate under the assumption that Patrick Peterson has one of the outside cornerback spots locked up. He wasn't particularly effective last year, but he's a future Hall of Famer who Mike Zimmer says had a "really good spring" and seems rejuvenated by a change of scenery. Zimmer will also use him differently, putting him in more zone situations instead of having him shadow elite receivers across the field.
With Mackensie Alexander in the slot, that leaves Dantzler and Breeland battling for the other outside spot. Both players will surely see the field plenty this year, but one of them will earn a significant playing time advantage to start the season. They both dealt with some injuries this spring, which means they'll start training camp on a level playing field. Dantzler was more up than down as a rookie, putting together some incredible games in December after a slow start and a couple minor injuries. Still just 22 years old, his length and stickiness give him the chance to become a really good player. Breeland is legit, though. The 29-year-old has excellent ball skills and has seen a thing or two in the league, which Zimmer might value. This will be a good one.
No. 3 linebacker: Nick Vigil vs. Troy Dye vs. Chazz Surratt vs. Cameron Smith
Although the 4-3 is called "base" defense, the Vikings' true base is nickel with Alexander out there as the fifth defensive back. There will still be plenty of downs where they need a third linebacker, particularly early downs where the threat of the run is much higher, so this competition is worth watching even if it's not quite as critical as the first two I've discussed. Vigil is the favorite because of his experience playing under Paul Guenther and his all-around skillset, but he'll be pushed by the young guys. I just don't know if raw youngsters Surratt and Dye — or Smith coming off missing a year due to open-heart surgery — will be able to show enough to win this battle. The most interesting player here is Surratt, the ultra-athletic QB-turned-LB who was the Vikings' top draft pick on defense this year.
The battles for depth rolesNo. 3 safety: Camryn Bynum vs. Josh Metellus vs. Myles Dorn
It's always important to have players who are ready to step in if someone goes down. The Vikings would be in trouble if either Harrison Smith or Xavier Woods had to miss time this year, so they'd need whoever wins this competition to help keep them afloat while the starter is out. Bynum is the team's highest-drafted safety since Smith nine years ago, although he played corner in college and needs as many reps at his new position as he can get. The Vikings have praised his intelligence and instincts, so that helps in an adjustment like the one he's making. Metellus and Dorn are mildly interesting second-year guys, although Dorn has some catching up to do as well considering he lost all of his rookie season to injury.
No. 5 cornerback: Harrison Hand vs. Kris Boyd vs. Tye Smith
This might be selling Hand short, honestly. He got a chance to see a bunch of reps with the first team in the spring when Dantzler was hurt and Breeland wasn't on the team yet, and he took full advantage of that opportunity. The second-year player was starting to seem like a legitimate player to watch before Breeland was signed, but he still might be. At the very least, he'll look to hold off guys like Boyd and Smith for the No. 5 spot, which could come with playing time this year due to the potential for injuries higher up the depth chart. Boyd, Smith (a semi-interesting pickup) and guys like Parry Nickerson and Amari Henderson will be fighting for roster spots.
No. 4 defensive tackle: Armon Watts vs. James Lynch
The Vikings' top three DTs are set with Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Richardson, but the fourth guy will be a factor in camp due to Pierce's calf injury. Rookie Jaylen Twyman would've been involved in this competition, but he was shot four times in June and is now on the Reserve/NFI list. Watts and Lynch are both recent Day 3 picks who need to show improvement this year to have a chance at seeing the field.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all season long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
Wonnum (I think Wonnum starts but he and Jones rotate often)
Dantzler (Breeland gets a lot of play, but Dantzler starts)
Vigil (Vikings seems to be going in a more athletic direction at WLB, but Vigil will give Zim peace of mind with his experience in his system).
Metellus (Again, experience will win the day)
Hand (No comp. Hand is a future starter in this league)
Lynch (Tough call against Watts, but Lynch has the better pedigree and might be the most ideally suited 3T on the team).
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@"BarrNone55" said:
The battles that matter most Starting right defensive end: D.J. Wonnum vs. Stephen Weatherly vs. Patrick Jones II
The Vikings' defense, at least on paper, is stacked with talent. They've got All-Pro-type players at all three levels and plenty of depth after complimenting the return of several stars who missed 2020 with an offseason free agent bonanza. However, the one area that is still a serious question mark is the pass rush. Danielle Hunter is back and it sounds like he's healthy and ready to go, and Sheldon Richardson will make things happen from the interior on passing downs. But who else is going to step up and put pressure on quarterbacks? The competition for the DE spot opposite Hunter is an important one.
Wonnum might be the favorite after a solid rookie year in which the long, explosive fourth-rounder posted 22 pressures and three sacks. He still has a lot of growth to do in order to be capable of being a productive full-time player, so he's someone to watch during training camp. The upside is certainly there, but Wonnum missed plenty of tackles last year and is still developing as a pass rusher. Weatherly is the safer option as a veteran who knows the system and can play against the run. Then, behind Door 3, there are middle-round rookies Patrick Jones II and Janarius Robinson. Of the two, Jones is definitely more pro-ready and could be a legit factor in this competition with a big-time camp. The third-rounder had 17.5 sacks and four forced fumbles over his last two seasons at Pitt. It would be very surprising if Robinson — who is oozing with potential but needs a lot of molding — or a fringe player (Hercules Mata'afa, Jordan Brailford, Jalyn Holmes, etc.) won this job.
Starting outside cornerback: Cameron Dantzler vs. Bashaud Breeland
I'm going to operate under the assumption that Patrick Peterson has one of the outside cornerback spots locked up. He wasn't particularly effective last year, but he's a future Hall of Famer who Mike Zimmer says had a "really good spring" and seems rejuvenated by a change of scenery. Zimmer will also use him differently, putting him in more zone situations instead of having him shadow elite receivers across the field.
With Mackensie Alexander in the slot, that leaves Dantzler and Breeland battling for the other outside spot. Both players will surely see the field plenty this year, but one of them will earn a significant playing time advantage to start the season. They both dealt with some injuries this spring, which means they'll start training camp on a level playing field. Dantzler was more up than down as a rookie, putting together some incredible games in December after a slow start and a couple minor injuries. Still just 22 years old, his length and stickiness give him the chance to become a really good player. Breeland is legit, though. The 29-year-old has excellent ball skills and has seen a thing or two in the league, which Zimmer might value. This will be a good one.
No. 3 linebacker: Nick Vigil vs. Troy Dye vs. Chazz Surratt vs. Cameron Smith
Although the 4-3 is called "base" defense, the Vikings' true base is nickel with Alexander out there as the fifth defensive back. There will still be plenty of downs where they need a third linebacker, particularly early downs where the threat of the run is much higher, so this competition is worth watching even if it's not quite as critical as the first two I've discussed. Vigil is the favorite because of his experience playing under Paul Guenther and his all-around skillset, but he'll be pushed by the young guys. I just don't know if raw youngsters Surratt and Dye — or Smith coming off missing a year due to open-heart surgery — will be able to show enough to win this battle. The most interesting player here is Surratt, the ultra-athletic QB-turned-LB who was the Vikings' top draft pick on defense this year.
The battles for depth roles No. 3 safety: Camryn Bynum vs. Josh Metellus vs. Myles Dorn
It's always important to have players who are ready to step in if someone goes down. The Vikings would be in trouble if either Harrison Smith or Xavier Woods had to miss time this year, so they'd need whoever wins this competition to help keep them afloat while the starter is out. Bynum is the team's highest-drafted safety since Smith nine years ago, although he played corner in college and needs as many reps at his new position as he can get. The Vikings have praised his intelligence and instincts, so that helps in an adjustment like the one he's making. Metellus and Dorn are mildly interesting second-year guys, although Dorn has some catching up to do as well considering he lost all of his rookie season to injury.
No. 5 cornerback: Harrison Hand vs. Kris Boyd vs. Tye Smith
This might be selling Hand short, honestly. He got a chance to see a bunch of reps with the first team in the spring when Dantzler was hurt and Breeland wasn't on the team yet, and he took full advantage of that opportunity. The second-year player was starting to seem like a legitimate player to watch before Breeland was signed, but he still might be. At the very least, he'll look to hold off guys like Boyd and Smith for the No. 5 spot, which could come with playing time this year due to the potential for injuries higher up the depth chart. Boyd, Smith ( a semi-interesting pickup) and guys like Parry Nickerson and Amari Henderson will be fighting for roster spots.
No. 4 defensive tackle: Armon Watts vs. James Lynch
The Vikings' top three DTs are set with Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Richardson, but the fourth guy will be a factor in camp due to Pierce's calf injury. Rookie Jaylen Twyman would've been involved in this competition, but he was shot four times in June and is now on the Reserve/NFI list. Watts and Lynch are both recent Day 3 picks who need to show improvement this year to have a chance at seeing the field.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all season long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
Wonnum (I think Wonnum starts but he and Jones rotate often)
Dantzler (Breeland gets a lot of play, but Dantzler starts)
Vigil (Vikings seems to be going in a more athletic direction at WLB, but Vigil will give Zim peace of mind with his experience in his system).
Metellus (Again, experience will win the day)
Hand (No comp. Hand is a future starter in this league)
Lynch (Tough call against Watts, but Lynch has the better pedigree and might be the most ideally suited 3T on the team).
Wonnum fan boi, but I've got Weatherly penciled in here.
The Tiny One for sure.
LB3? Don't care.
Wanna say Bynum, really, really wanna, but Metellus is the guy
Disappointed with Watts last year, and Lynch to a lesser extent. My SEC bias leads me to the Hawg.
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