Are the Vikings Super Bowl contenders after acquiring Yannick Ngakoue?

Should the Minnesota Vikings be considered a legitimate contender now?

Following the departures of multiple longtime contributors this offseason, there were plenty of people who felt like the Minnesota Vikings would take a step back this year compared to their performance in 2019.

However, the Vikings still have a number of talented players returning from their 2019 team and they were also able to add a bunch of young talent during this year’s NFL Draft that could contribute in a big way this season.

To top things off, Minnesota recently went out and acquired one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in Yannick Ngakoue. Following the trade for Ngakoue, some believe the Vikings might actually be even better this year than they were in 2019.

Does Yannick Ngakoue give the Minnesota Vikings a better chance at a Super Bowl?

The guys over at Bleeding Purple recently went over their thoughts on if Minnesota’s newest addition to their defense vaults the team into now being regarded as a top Super Bowl contender this season or not.

Both agree that adding Ngakoue to their defensive line should make the Vikings a better team in 2020. However, they don’t think that the trade automatically transforms Minnesota into a bona fide Super Bowl contender.

At the very least, the previous concerns about the Vikings defense should have taken a hit with the addition of Ngakoue.

With him and Danielle Hunter as Minnesota’s two starting defensive ends, their pass-rushing excellence should have a number of ripple effects on the rest of the team’s defense this season. The quicker these two can get to the opposing quarterback, the less time the Vikings’ young secondary has to remain in pass coverage.

So while Minnesota should be able to be a bit more competitive in 2020 than they were before the trade for Ngakoue, the brakes might need to be pumped a bit before they start becoming a trendy Super Bowl pick for this season.

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