5 things Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer must get right in 2020

Fix the secondary issues

Another area that needs to be addressed this offseason is the Vikings secondary. The position group has more questions than answers despite elite play from the outstanding safety duo Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith in 2019.

The former is up for an extension, so his future is uncertain. Smith is also not getting any younger and his production in a Minnesota uniform may be in its twilight if the normal trend around the NFL is any indication.

However, it was the cornerback position that was a weakness of the Vikings’ normally standout defense, which continued to have a front seven to match with anybody in the league when they were firing on all cylinders.

There is the real prospect of Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Mackensie Alexander all being elsewhere by the time training camp comes around. The constant injury problems surrounding former first-round pick Mike Hughes is also another real worry.

This may be a completely new group next season and Mike Zimmer, together with Rick Spielman and the coaching staff, must ensure they find the right players to fit the defense’s particular scheme. Zimmer may even adjust his defense slightly if a player of interest become available either in free agency, the NFL Draft, or via trade.

Again, if Zimmer can make the right alterations to one of the most important areas of the field then there could be big things in Minnesota’s future. It is so finely poised that even the slightest error could mean the difference between success and failure when the business end of the NFL season comes along in the winter.