Improving Secondary Should Be Vikings’ #1 Offseason Priority

What must the Vikings do in order to take the next step and become legitimate contenders in the NFC North? The team has several areas they must address in order to get better, but for me the #1 priority has to be improving the secondary.

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The Vikings last year showed major improvement in their pass defense over the garbage Leslie Frazier threw out there in 2013, ranking 7th in pass yardage allowed after finishing 31st in that area the year before. The improvement is less dramatic when you look at the advanced stats provided by Football Outsiders, who ranked the Vikings 30th against the pass in 2013 but 18th in 2014, but there is still no doubt they got better.

Though the Vikings did indisputably put up a lot more resistance against the pass last year vs. the Frazier years when they were completely helpless, there is still room for the team to improve. A lot of room.

Much of the Vikings’ improvement in pass defense last year can be attributed to a solidified defensive line, which at certain times during the season was utterly dominating. More consistency from the front line could make the Vikings’ pass defense even stronger in 2015. Anthony Barr should also grow as a pass rusher which will only make the Vikings more fearsome.

Another major factor in the Vikes’ defensive uptick was the emergence of Xavier Rhodes as a genuine lock-down corner. Rhodes needed some time to pick up Mike Zimmer’s system but once he got it down he excelled, performing at a top level down the stretch of the season.

Though Josh Robinson did not improve nearly as much as Rhodes, he did have some decent games in coverage. However, Robinson proved to be vulnerable against larger receivers like the Bears’ duo of Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall.

The one true weak link in the secondary was Captain Munnerlyn, who seemed completely lost at times and reportedly did not always follow Mike Zimmer’s instructions to the letter. Munnerlyn was responsible for numerous coverage breakdowns that resulted in costly big plays, and by season’s end it was apparent the Vikings made a mistake signing Munnerlyn and trying to use him as an every-down corner.

At safety, Harrison Smith developed into a Pro Bowl-level player (even if he ended up being left out of the Pro Bowl), showing amazing versatility and playmaking ability all over the field. Robert Blanton did an adequate job lining up alongside Smith but, like Robinson and Munnerlyn, occasionally displayed a lack of physicality.

If there’s one common theme that emerges when considering the Vikings’ remaining weaknesses in the secondary it’s that lack of physicality.

Xavier Rhodes may not be the most physical of corners but he has enough strength to deal with bigger, stronger receivers. Both Captain Munnerlyn and Josh Robinson are undersized and simply can’t deal with big tight ends and wide-outs. Robert Blanton has enough size but lacks the strength to stand up against powerful players.

As the Vikings go through the process of identifying corners and/or safeties who might help them get better in 2015, size and strength have to be high on the list of attributes they’re looking for. The Vikings’ secondary will not take the next step until Blanton and Robinson or Munnerlyn are replaced with players who can match up more effectively against the Alshon Jeffery and Jimmy Graham types.

Who is out there who might help the Vikings take that next step?

If you want to go the draft route, safety seems a better bet than cornerback right now. Few corners are making waves in early draft prognostication, and many of these are smaller players like Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu who figure to be slot corners at the next level.

For the Vikings to get a quick upgrade at the cornerback position they will likely have to dip into free agency. Seattle’s Byron Maxwell is one player a lot of fans will have their eyes on, for his Legion of Boom credibility if nothing else. Rick Spielman will have to dig deep into Zygi Wilf’s pockets if he wishes to sign Maxwell, however.

A player like San Francisco’s Chris Culliver may make more sense for the Vikings financially, but Culliver comes with some character issues. One lower-cost player who could be intriguing is Packers cornerback Devon House, a 26-year-old who fits the profile physically and might take a big step under Mike Zimmer’s guidance.

The draft route is a little more interesting if you’re looking at the safety position. If you’re willing to spend the #11 overall on a safety, a player like Alabama’s Landon Collins would seem to provide the perfect combination of instincts, technique and physicality. A player like Michigan State’s Kurtis Drummond might be a good option farther down the board.

There’s no doubt in my mind that the Vikings mean to target cornerback either in free agency or the draft. Rick Spielman’s comments about Captain Munnerlyn being a nickel corner make it a slam dunk that Minnesota will pursue more help at that position.

Safety is clearly an area of concern for the coaching staff as well. Despite Blanton’s occasionally solid play last year, Mike Zimmer still experimented with using Andrew Sendejo at the end of the year. Though Sendejo is a harder hitter than Blanton he is not as good in coverage and his tackling technique is not as sound.

Spielman and Zimmer, in their own ways, sent clear messages that they are not satisfied with the talent in the secondary. You can rest assured that neither man will be happy until the defensive backfield is stocked with players who are able to compete every week and make the Vikings’ defense even better than it was in 2014.

Improving Secondary Should Be Vikings’ #1 Offseason Priority

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