The Minnesota Vikings took some chances at certain positions in the offseason and not many of those gambles have paid off this season.
The Minnesota Vikings had some tough choices to make in the 2020 offseason. They were strapped for cash and knew they’d be cutting plenty of veterans. They ended up letting go of players like Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Everson Griffen, and Linval Joseph. The team would’ve liked to have been able to keep the majority of these players but didn’t have much of a choice when looking at it from a financial standpoint
While those moves were necessary, what hasn’t been as concrete are the choices the Vikings made to move forward. In some cases, they’ve replaced experience with youth, and have flat out failed to upgrade certain positions altogether.
They’ve had to take some gambles as the 2020 season approached and not every risk they’ve taken has paid off. Here’s a list of five gambles the Vikings made heading into the 2020 season and where they stand after the first six games of the year.
Youth movement at cornerback
The Vikings had two first-round choices in the 2020 NFL Draft, and with one of those they chose cornerback Jeff Gladney from TCU. In the third round, they took another cornerback, this time it was Cameron Dantzler from Mississippi State. The Vikings used two of their first four picks on the position because they had an exodus of corners a month prior.
The Vikings knew they wouldn’t be able to pay Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander, and it was no shock they let Xavier Rhodes go after the horrible season and a half he had with the team. The thing that was surprising and what was the gamble was that the team didn’t bring in a single veteran. There were some veteran corners on the market that were had for cheap by other teams. Instead of signing one, the Vikings opted to go with Mike Hughes and Holton Hill as their veterans and planned to rely on Gladney and Dantzler to round out the depth and share nickel duty.
This youth movement was definitely a risk, as both Hughes and Hill lacked experience in addition to the rookies. Prior to the start of the season, Mike Zimmer brushed off the notion of these young corners struggling early in the season and said it wouldn’t be an issue with Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris playing safety behind them. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
These young corners have been a major liability this season and are a big reason why the team is 1-5 going into their bye. These guys look good one week and then look like they’ve never stepped on a football field the next. Their up and down coverage is killing the Vikings this season and the team will not improve until they level out their play and the defense quits giving up 40 points a game. The Vikings knew they were rolling the dice on this position heading into the season, and the gamble has come back and bit them in the ass.
Replacing Diggs with Jefferson
The Minnesota Vikings made a bold move last March when they shipped disgruntled wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills. In exchange for Diggs, they landed a first-round pick with some later choices thrown in for good measure.
There were some concerns and fears that this move could turn out the way the Moss trade did. The Vikings traded a star and then with the corresponding pick, took a receiver who ended up being a bust. After six games in the NFL, Jefferson has proven he’s definitely no Troy Williamson.
Jefferson has been on a tear and is lighting up the NFL with his electric play. This kid is already an exceptional route runner, has underrated speed, and can go up and high point the ball positioning himself in a spot where only he can get it. He’s racked up 537 receiving yards and three touchdowns and looks like he’s only just getting started.
Diggs is also having a solid year in Buffalo but there is no doubt the Vikings feel great about the choice they made in dealing him. This was one gamble that has definitely paid off for the Purple.
Not re-signing Griffen
When Everson Griffen opted out of his contract back in the Spring of 2020, many assumed he’d end up resigning with the Vikings. Even head coach Mike Zimmer expressed confidence that the longtime Vikings pass rusher would return.
Apparently, the team attempted to negotiate a new contract with him but were unable to come to terms. Griffen then said his goodbyes to the team and fans of Minnesota, and eventually signed with Dallas. The Vikings seemed more than content to move on with Danielle Hunter and Ifeadi Odenigbo as the starters. The initial gamble was the depth behind those two, as there was nothing but rookies and crusty veterans who haven’t exactly set the NFL on fire during their careers.
The Vikings couldn’t have foreseen the injury that was to come to Danielle Hunter, forcing him to be placed on I.R. and likely missing the entire season. This unfortunate turn led to the Vikings trading for Yannick Ngakoue and caused them to lose a second-round pick in the process. Fast forward a few weeks and even with Ngakoue’s five sacks, the Vikings’ pass rush has been anemic and Odenigbo has struggled to match last season’s production.
If the Vikings would’ve been more persistent in keeping their long time pass rusher in house, and not gambling on youth and nondescript veterans for depth, they may still be in possession of their second-round choice. Griffen could’ve started opposite Odenigbo and while he would’ve been a downgrade from Ngakoue, the team’s victory total would likely be the same.
Entering the season with no safety depth
The Vikings took a major gamble when they announced their final 53 man depth chart. They only decided to keep two safeties on the active roster. Two. Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris were the only safeties listed with zero-depth behind them.
This is a gamble that hasn’t burnt the team yet but there was an instance of how bad things could get if one of these studs goes down. Harrison Smith was ejected from the Houston game after delivering a helmet to helmet hit on a Texans’ tight end. George Iloka stepped in to replace him and the Texans immediately began attacking him. Iloka looked lost and clueless in coverage and that was because he was, and ended up giving up two easy touchdowns to the Texans which allowed them to get back into the game.
If Smith or Harris gets hurt, this secondary is even more screwed than it already is. Not only will there be inexperience at the corner position but the safety spot will have a new face and that will result in even more yards given up through the air. It’s shocking the Vikings didn’t sign an experienced veteran to have as insurance, but they’ve made it through six games so far and truly believe they can keep that streak going.
Not upgrading at guard
The biggest gamble and one that made about as much sense as betting on a one-legged horse, was the Vikings treatment of their guard position this offseason. First of all, they cut their best player in Josh Kline. They didn’t sign a veteran in free agency to fill that void, and the biggest sin of all was not drafting a starting-caliber guard with one of their fifteen draft choices.
This team rolled the dice that they’d be able to get by with Dakota Dozier and Pat Elflein as the starting guards and they couldn’t have been more wrong. The guard position has been a total mess this season and is easily the weakest component of a not so great offensive line. Pat Elflein struggled badly at right guard early in the season and then was replaced by Dru Samia. Samia did the unthinkable and proved to be even worse than Elfelin. The Vikings are now down to their third option which is rookie Ezra Cleveland. Cleveland is going to be the team’s left tackle of the future but has been moved to guard due to sheer need. He played alright in his debut and maybe will be able to hold that spot down the rest of the season.
The Minnesota Vikings had plenty of chances to draft or sign a guard who would at least perform at an average level. They took the chance that they could get by with sub-quality starters and that choice has badly backfired.