It could be a make-or-break year for a few players on the Minnesota Vikings’ roster this season. Will they step up to the challenge?
With every season comes a new set of obstacles to overcome and 2017 will be no different for the Minnesota Vikings. After a disappointing season in 2016 that ended with no playoffs despite starting the year 5-0, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is going to do his best to prevent a similar scenario from happening again during the upcoming season.
When Minnesota takes the field in 2017, their roster is going to look a bit different than it has in the past few seasons. 16 members of the 2016 Vikings are no longer with the team, meaning Minnesota will be turning to a bunch of new faces to lead them back to the postseason this year.
Some of these players expected to see more time on the field in 2017 have already been given the chance to shine before, but were still unable to prove they were ready for their increased involvement.
Heading into the 2017 season, which members of the Vikings’ roster have the most to prove to the team?
5. Mackensie Alexander, CB
Entering his second season in Minnesota, Alexander has a big opportunity in 2017 to fill the void left by Captain Munnerlyn (now with the Carolina Panthers). Munnerlyn had been the Vikings primary slot corner for the past three years and now Minnesota needs to find a player to take his place.
When Alexander was drafted in the second round last year, many assumed he was going to eventually be Munnerlyn’s replacement. But the young corner struggled a bit during his limited snaps on defense in 2016 and now some are questioning if he is actually ready for an increased role this season.
Luckily for Alexander, he has a head coach in Mike Zimmer who has become known for his skills in getting the most out of his team’s defensive backs. Will Alexander be able to use Zimmer’s guidance and take a step in the right direction in 2017?
4. Jerick McKinnon, RB
During the 28 games that Adrian Peterson has missed in the past three seasons, McKinnon was called upon by the Vikings time and time again to be the leader in their offensive backfield. Despite his increased involvement, the running back still has yet to break out of his shell.
Or has he and his peak is just not as high as Minnesota was hoping for when they drafted him in 2014?
His best season actually came in 2015 when he was Peterson’s backup. That year he averaged 6.1 yards per touch, compared to the 4.8 he averaged in 2014 and the 3.9 he averaged last season.
With the addition of Latavius Murray this offseason, McKinnon could go back to a role similar to the one he had in 2015. Will it lead to a more productive year for the young running back?
3. Laquon Treadwell, WR
After being the first wide receiver drafted by the Vikings in the top 25 picks since Percy Harvin in 2009, big things were expected out of Treadwell in 2016. But his rookie year could not have gone much worse.
The rookie only appeared in a total of nine games and managed just one catch for 15 yards. As frustrating as it was for Minnesota’s fans to see their team’s top draft pick riding the bench, it was likely even more more frustrating for Treadwell.
Now he will have to deal with a full offseason of fans and talking heads claiming he is already a bust. Will his forgettable rookie season only motivate him to work harder this year and prove his doubters wrong or will he still struggle to make a difference on the field for the Vikings in 2017?
2. Trae Waynes, CB
When Waynes did not see much of the field during his rookie season in 2015, it was brushed away with excuses relating to Zimmer having a history of not giving his rookies a lot of playing time. Well then what was the excuse for Waynes not being able to overtake Terence Newman as Minnesota’s number two corner in 2016?
The Vikings signed Newman to a new contract this offseason and that may speak volumes to how the team feels about Waynes’ current progression. If the veteran corner is able to beat out Waynes for a starting spot yet again in 2017, Minnesota is going to have a big problem on its hands.
He did have some bright spots in 2016 (a certain game-sealing interception in Week 2 should ring some bells), but Waynes has definitely not even come close to living up to the expectations he was given when the Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2015 draft.
Will this finally be the year that he can earn enough of Zimmer’s trust to name him a full-season starter on Minnesota’s defense?
1. Sam Bradford, QB
Wait, Bradford? He is coming off a season in which he just set the NFL single-season record for completion percentage. What does he have to prove?
Well, a lot actually.
Despite his underwhelming, record-breaking season in 2016, the quarterback still has to prove to the Vikings that last year was no fluke. Will a full offseason with Minnesota’s coaching staff prove to help the quarterback continue to have success in the Twin Cities?
If Bradford is actually going to take the next step in his career, he his going to have to improve in the clutch. During his time in the NFL, the quarterback has always seemed to struggle when his team is trailing late in the game.
Next: Detailed look at the Vikings' 2017 schedule
Perhaps a certain Mr. Bridgewater can offer Sam some advice on how to complete a successful two-minute drill?