4 reasons why it’s time for the Minnesota Vikings to panic

Minnesota is giving up a 73.9 percent completion rate

Letting Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Mackensie Alexander leave in free agency was a bold move by the Minnesota Vikings. It left them with a young group who are relatively devoid of NFL starting experience and this has really come across over the last two weeks.

This problematic area is something that opposing offenses have exploited with success. Aaron Rodgers was surgical in his demolition of the Vikings’ secondary in Week 1 and Philip Rivers did the same, albeit to a lesser extent, for the Colts last weekend.

First-round pick Jeff Gladney is getting a crash course in covering elite wideouts at the next level. Having no preseason games to acclimatize has clearly had a detrimental impact on this group and things need to start trending on an upward curve at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Vikings are giving up a 73.91 percent completion percentage over the first two weeks of the campaign. One cannot put this on the cornerbacks alone, with a distinct lack of pressure from the defensive line enabling Rodgers and Rivers to pick apart a secondary who need their pass-rushers firing on all cylinders.

Alexander’s presence from the slot has been sorely missed. Allowing Waynes and Rhodes walk was the right call, but there may be some regret that Minnesota didn’t do more to keep their nickel corner around.