What the Vikings can expect from Troy Dye in 2020

The Bad

Shedding Blocks

Troy Dye plays pretty slim for a linebacker and that costs him a lot against oncoming blockers. He struggled mightily to break free of blocks and get himself down on the line for tackles. Production was high, but it could have been higher if he worked on his strength.

Adding weight and working on his upper body strength will work well in Dye’s favor as he transitions to the NFL. Being a better run defender will help him get on the field and make a larger impact for the Vikings defense early in his career.

Physicality

Linebacker is not a position that you can afford to play softly. Dye is a fine tackler in space, but he rarely gets his clothes dirty by attacking down. He was caught sitting back and playing in the second wave of tacklers rather than coming down and congesting lanes.

I would like to see Dye play a little more aggressively in run support and not be afraid of early contact. However, early contact has not been all that kind to him, as you’ll see below.

Injuries

Injuries were a big concern for Dye during the pre-draft process and a reason Minnesota should be cautious of his game. He played the end of his 2019 season on a torn meniscus and he played earlier in the year with a broken thumb.

Now, Dye played through these injuries, which is a sign of his toughness. However, there should still be some concern with how his body will hold up, especially if he continues to play through painful injuries.