5 things to know about Vikings rookie CB Cameron Dantzler
By Dustin Baker
What are some things to know about Minnesota Vikings rookie Cameron Dantzler?
Since 2014, the Minnesota Vikings passing defense has ranked seventh (2014), 12th (2015), third (2016), second (2017), third (2018), 15th (2019) in terms of passing yards allowed.
That’s right, Mike Zimmer’s passing defense in 2019 was the least effective bunch of any year since he arrived to coach the Vikings six years ago.
If you take a gander at the personnel in Minnesota’s secondary and the subsequent statistics and grades for each part of the team’s defense, you will find the defensive line, linebackers, and safeties were unequivocally not the issue. The dilemma that beset the 2019 Vikings was the pass coverage, and in particular, third-down pass coverage.
Minnesota’s third-down efficiency on defense dipped to being the 19th-best in the NFL last season, a disturbing departure from a unit that ranked tops in the business in 2017 and 2018.
Indeed, it was the heavy production decline of the Vikings cornerbacks that created mortality on defense last season.
In response, Minnesota severed ties with three of their veteran cornerbacks in Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackensie Alexander. The team then used the draft to replenish the position and notably selected Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler.
We already know some facts about Gladney, so let’s find out some things about Dantzler.