Pro Football Focus Breaks Down Vikings Depth Chart

Today’s depth chart breakdown by the ever-controversial Pro Football Focus reveals two things about the Vikings’ roster as it stands with free agency and the draft still looming.

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1. There’s talent on this team, by God.

2. There is probably not enough talent to contend in the division…yet.

PFF breaks the Vikings down this way:

As you can see, the D generally grades out better than the O, with 10 defensive players at good, very good or elite compared to the offense with only 4. The offense also has more below average or bad players.

Obviously, one big name is missing from this chart: Adrian Peterson. If Peterson returns this year and performs at an elite level as in the past, it changes things dramatically.

The one thing that stands out here is the lack of “good” skill position players on the offense. A bunch of players grade out at average, even fan favorite Charles Johnson, and some below that. This breakdown would tend to support the idea that the Vikings need to address wide receiver in the draft and possibly running back (but that depends on whether Peterson returns, of course).

The other thing that stands out is the number of “unknown” players. Those gray spaces paint a picture of a depth chart that is still very much in the process of being built. Which if any of those players will step up this year and claim starting spots or at least become solid backups? Obviously, many of them will not be back this year as free agents and draft picks are added to the picture.

Defensively, the only glaring holes would seem to be at LDE and CB, with both Brian Robison and Josh Robinson grading out in the average-to-below-average area. PFF is very generous in giving Audie Cole a “good” grade at Mike linebacker but that doesn’t mean Cole is the answer at that position (we haven’t seen enough of him on the field to know that one way or the other, plus he is not generally thought of as a Mike). Gerald Hodges’ “good” grade would seem to suggest he can slide in at the Will in place of Chad Greenway who graded as one of the Vikings’ four “poor” players.

So if you’re using this breakdown to set up your “needs” chart for the Vikings, start with wide receiver, go to left guard and running back, slide over to the defense and pick up defensive end and cornerback. And I still say at least one good linebacker, either a Will or a Mike, and a safety. All due respect to Robert Blanton.

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