Which current member of the Minnesota Vikings will step up their play in a big way and emerge as a solid contributor during the upcoming 2018 season?
For the past few seasons, a number of players have emerged from the practice field and found a way to become solid contributors for the Minnesota Vikings. Guys like Adam Thielen, Andrew Sendejo, and Everson Griffen all patiently waited in the shadows of players with more experience before they were each given an opportunity to shine.
Fast forward to now where Thielen, Sendejo, and Griffen have taken full advantage of their increased opportunities and are all now vital pieces of Minnesota’s chance at success in 2018. Who will be the next player to follow in their footsteps and provide the Vikings with another weapon for their arsenal this year?
Which member of Minnesota’s 2017 roster will step up their game like never before and be the team’s most improved player next season?
Mackensie Alexander – CB
If the Vikings intended to send a message with their selection of Central Florida cornerback Mike Hughes in the first round of last month’s NFL Draft, it was likely aimed at Alexander.
Minnesota drafted Alexander in the second round two years ago and the assumption, based on his size, was that he would eventually take over as the team’s nickel corner.
In 2017, he and Terence Newman began the season splitting the role pretty evenly. But by the end of the year, the Vikings tended to keep Newman out on the field in the slot for the majority of the time.
Both players are returning this season and Alexander has to deal with competition from Hughes now as well. Will the increased competition motivate Alexander to emerge as Minnesota’s next great defensive weapon in 2018 or will he just fail to meet his expectations once again?
David Morgan – TE
One of the Vikings’ recent sixth-round draft picks to actually still be on the team’s roster, Morgan has primarily been used as an extra offensive lineman during his first two seasons with Minnesota.
Perhaps the Vikings’ addition of quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason will make the young tight end a receiving threat once again like he once was during his college days at UTSA.
With Cousins as their signal caller, the Washington Redskins had two tight ends finish with at least 27 catches in each of the last two years. It’s not hard to imagine Morgan and Kyle Rudolph being able to help continue this trend for Cousins during the quarterback’s first season in Minnesota.
It’s possible that rookie tight end Tyler Conklin could emerge as the Vikings’ second-best receiving tight end in 2018. But with Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer not a big fan of rookies getting a ton of snaps during games, the opportunities to make plays could be there for Morgan to take advantage of.
Tashawn Bower – DE
Despite not getting drafted last year, Bower impressed the Vikings’ coaching staff enough during their 2017 training camp and preseason (10 tackles and two sacks in four games) that they gave him a spot on the regular season roster.
As a rookie last year, the young defensive end only appeared in two games. However, a full offseason in Minnesota should do wonders for Bower’s progression as pass rusher.
With Brian Robison on the brink of retirement and Everson Griffen not getting any younger, 2018 would be the perfect time for Bower to step up and become the Vikings’ next great sack machine.
Laquon Treadwell – WR
2018 will mark year three of the Laquon Treadwell Project in Minnesota. So far, the wide receiver has not been the player the Vikings were hoping for when they selected him with 23rd overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Despite appearing in 25 games over the last two years, Treadwell has only managed to haul in a total of 21 passes for 215 yards. And none of his catches in the NFL have ended up with him in the end zone either.
Minnesota adding quarterback Kirk Cousins to their roster this year could prove to be good news for Treadwell. Cousins is a passer known for spreading the ball all over the field, so the young receiver should benefit from the Vikings switching quarterbacks this offseason.
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Treadwell has shown flashes of his potential in the past (that one-handed catch against the Green Bay Packers was pretty nice last year), but 2018 might be his last chance to prove he belongs on Minnesota’s roster.