5 strongest positions on the Minnesota Vikings 2020 roster
By Nik Edlund
![(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Kyle Rudolph (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Kyle Rudolph](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fthevikingage-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2018-2F08-2F1197714354-850x560-3e5730fabb3b886d3a2cefa49cf14e5b5712f3d422408eb0f3c127b49d4c2a63.jpg)
Linebacker
The Vikings’ starting linebackers are fantastic. Eric Kendricks is the best of the bunch in the middle. He’s coming off a great 2019 season where he racked up 110 tackles, two forced fumbles, and half a sack.
Where Kendricks was most impressive was in pass coverage. He did an excellent job covering running backs and tight ends and broke up an astounding 12 passes last year. Anthony Barr was solid again last season and Eric Wilson had a breakout campaign which should put him in position to start in 2020.
Minnesota’s linebacker corps was solid prior to this year’s NFL Draft. As mentioned previously, they have three very good starters, but they also had a couple of reliable backups last season and they didn’t need to use a draft pick to add to the position. Still, in the fourth round of the draft, Oregon’s Troy Dye fell to them and their already solid group got much better.
Dye is a big, athletic linebacker who plays with a ton of energy. He flies to the ball carrier and he delivers bone-crushing hits.
With Wilson in line to be a starter next season, but likely gone in 2021, Dye will be a backup and special teamer in year one. His addition to this group that already has players like Ben Gedeon and Cameron Smith as backups, make it a very strong position group.