5 biggest gifts of the Minnesota Vikings 2020 season
By Nik Edlund
Eric Kendricks – LB
Eric Kendricks has been the leader of the Vikings defense this season and the team had to be doing a happy dance when they opened up this 2020 package and saw the production he gave his team.
Kendricks has routinely made plays all over the field. He’s constantly the first man on the ball carrier whether that is on one sideline or the other. He has, again, been excellent in coverage, sticking stride-for-stride with tight ends, backs, and the occasional receiver, even following them down the field on longer routes.
Kendricks has displayed his ball skills this season as well, picking off three passes that have helped Minnesota get back into some games and shifted the momentum back in their favor.
He is doing all of this with a defensive line in front of him that is struggling to generate consistent pressure this season. He also doesn’t have Anthony Barr on his strong side this year, but that doesn’t seem to matter.
Kendricks’ injury has been a big lump of coal and it could have a major negative impact on the Vikings’ playoff hopes. The team will hope he can return to the lineup soon and if he does, it would be like opening up one gift and finding another inside wrapped in even shinier paper.