Has Anthony Barr already reached his ceiling with the Vikings?
By Dean Jones
The Minnesota Vikings made a huge commitment to Anthony Barr in free agency last year. But has the outside linebacker already reached his ceiling?
After initially agreeing to sign with the New York Jets, Anthony Barr eventually decided to extend his stay with the Minnesota Vikings last year.
This was a demonstration of incredible loyalty from the linebacker, but Barr might have already reached his potential after a 2019 campaign littered with inconsistencies.
The former first-round pick out of UCLA was unable to get to the quarterback consistently last season despite playing 85 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. This is going to have to improve significantly in 2020 to justify his large salary.
The Vikings were in win-now mode last year and they were delighted to bring Barr back for an extended run with the franchise. However, they may now be regretting that decision somewhat given their current salary cap problems.
Barr remains an influential member of the Minnesota defense and he showed tremendous improvement in his tackling in 2019. His abilities in pass coverage also took an encouraging step forward.
It promises to be a vital year for Barr in 2020. He still has plenty to prove despite being a six-year veteran. More will be needed from the 27-year-old if he wants to avoid becoming a trade asset or a candidate for release soon.