Which Minnesota Vikings players are fighting for their futures after disappointing starts to the 2020 season?
The Minnesota Vikings finally got an elusive first win of the 2020 season when they defeated the Houston Texans in Week 4. But this doesn’t detract from what a disappointing start it’s been for the Vikings this year.
For a team that had high expectations regarding a return to the playoffs, Minnesota ending the first quarter of the 2020 campaign with a 1-3 record is unacceptable.
The Vikings‘ chances of wrestling the NFC North title from the Green Bay Packers already seem like a lost cause when one considers how well quarterback Aaron Rodgers is playing and Minnesota’s pursuit of the postseason is also hanging by a thread.
There is a very real chance that the Vikings will be 1-4 after their next game. They make the daunting trip to face the undefeated Seattle Seahawks in Week 5 and judging by what we have seen from both teams so far this season, if Mike Zimmer masterminded an improbable victory, it would be considered a major upset in no uncertain terms.
Some Minnesota players have been at the top of their game this season. Dalvin Cook’s big contract extension already looks like money well spent and their draft selection of Justin Jefferson in the first round is another element that is sure to benefit the Vikings considerably for years to come.
Other individuals will be nervously looking over their shoulders regarding their long-term aspirations with the organization after failing to deliver the goods. Let’s take a look at four Vikings players who are fighting for their futures after the first four weeks of the 2020 season.
Holton Hill – CB
If Holton Hill was looking to hit the ground running in his first chance at securing a prominent starting role with the Vikings, then it hasn’t exactly got off on the right foot. The cornerback has struggled considerably through the first quarter of the season and it is going to take a monumental effort from the player to turn things around.
There is no disputing the fact that Hill went into the 2020 season with a big point to prove. He missed a significant portion of 2019 due to suspension and his efforts so far this time around have left plenty of concerns regarding his ability to become a reliable member of the Minnesota secondary going forward.
Hill has plenty of likable traits to call upon. But for some reason, this hasn’t translated to production on the field.
He has given up 15 receptions from 25 balls thrown his way. However, Hill’s performances have been littered with individual errors that are further reflected by his current Pro Football Focus grade of 42.6.
The former Texas standout is in the final year of his deal with the Vikings. Hill’s start to the season has thrown a big-money payday next spring out of the window and if things don’t improve, then Minnesota will have no other alternative other than to cut their losses.
Dru Samia – OG
Dru Samia has been given a substantial opportunity to make his presence felt in the starting lineup following an injury to Pat Elflein. But if what we have seen from the offensive lineman so far is any indication, Samia is clearly not ready for this sort of responsibility.
The Vikings have endured plenty of struggles regarding their interior protection this season. Center Garrett Bradbury has had some nice moments, but it hasn’t been good enough by any stretch of the imagination.
Samia needs to take the lion’s share of the blame for this. He has looked like a deer in the headlights for the most part and this bears more significance whenever quarterback Kirk Cousins drops back to pass.
He is one of the NFL’s worst-graded players this season according to Pro Football Focus, and with good reason.
Samia currently has a dismal grade of 30.4 after giving up three sacks in just 185 snaps and although he has two years remaining on his deal after the 2020 season, the cost to release the player would still be minimal despite Minnesota’s obvious salary-cap concerns next year.
The lineman has his work cut out in order to turn around this sort of start. Confidence is a big thing for players at the guard position and Samia might already be past the point of no return.
Jaleel Johnson – DT
Jaleel Johnson has an unenviable task ahead of him this season. Not only did the Vikings lose Pro Bowl defensive tackle Linval Joseph in free agency, but they were dealt another hammer blow when recent acquisition Michael Pierce opted out of his first campaign with the organization due to COVID-19 health concerns.
This piled more pressure on Johnson to deliver the goods, something that he has not done consistently as yet. The interior lineman has had some nice moments in his career, but more was expected when one considers just how much talent departed Minnesota’s defensive front during the offseason.
Johnson has the talent to turn things around. He is a big body who is hard to move off the block when he’s at the top of his game. But the player has found life difficult in pursuit of making the sort of impact Mike Zimmer was hoping for before competitive action got underway.
The former fourth-round pick has yet to register a sack or a tackle for loss over four games. This has earned Johnson a lowly 41.9 grade from Pro Football Focus and this is not the opening to proceedings that the player envisioned heading into the last year of his rookie deal.
If things trend in the same direction for Johnson in the coming weeks, then he is going to be looking for a new home in free agency.
Anthony Harris – S
Anthony Harris hasn’t been the worst performer on the Vikings. But when one considers the sort of impact he made during a breakout season, it is hard to deny that his contribution this time around has been a disappointment.
Harris was unbelievable alongside perennial Pro Bowler Harrison Smith in 2019. This saw Harris be in high demand in free agency earlier this year before Minnesota eventually placed him on the franchise tag, which allowed them to have the player for at least one more season.
A long-term extension has yet to be agreed upon between both parties. This is due in no small part to the current financial predicament that the Vikings find themselves in and this is a situation that might get even worse with a possible reduced salary cap in 2021.
If Harris is looking for a bumper new deal from the organization next spring, then he might be out of luck. Minnesota will probably think twice about allocating a significant amount of funds on the player given his level of play this season. Couple this with the decision-makers needing to be prudent in the way they spend available money and the safety’s future in the Twin Cities appears bleak.
Harris has the sort of skills to make a bigger impression. But there is no way the Vikings are going to tag him again in 2021 and it won’t take long for another team to snatch him up despite his regression through the first four weeks of the current campaign.