Which Minnesota Vikings players won’t be missed in 2021?
With the 2020 season now drawing to a close, attention is quickly turning to what promises to be another eventful offseason for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings are in the midst of some serious salary-cap complications as the financial resources available are set to come down in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, so some difficult decisions need to be made by the organization in order to remain competitive next time around.
This is the nature of the beast, unfortunately. Minnesota backed themselves into a corner with lofty contracts and they are now paying the price. But they do have plenty of 2021 NFL Draft picks at their disposal despite giving up their 2021 second-rounder to acquire Yannick Ngakoue for just six games before he was eventually shipped off to the Baltimore Ravens.
It’s been a season full of ups and downs for the Vikings, who will miss the playoff after reaching the divisional round in 2019.
Defensive woes have been the key to Minnesota’s demise for the first time in Mike Zimmer’s reign and their lack of reliability protecting Kirk Cousins on the interior is another notable takeaway from the campaign that shouldn’t be overlooked.
When it comes to 2021, who are a few Vikings players that won’t be missed when they inevitably moved on during the upcoming offseason?
Player No. 1
Dakota Dozier – LG
If Dakota Dozier was hoping to stake a claim for a bigger role next season, then things haven’t worked out as anticipated. The offensive lineman has struggled in 2020 and there appears little doubt he’ll be moved on from once his contract expires.
The former fourth-round pick has given up six sacks and he’s been flagged for nine penalties during 1,083 snaps this season. Dozier has been flustered throughout the campaign on the interior and his lowly 44.6 grade from Pro Football Focus is a further indication of just how he’s underperformed.
There should be a complete overhaul to the interior protection in Minnesota during the 2021 offseason, which should leave Dozier on the outside looking in.
Rashod Hill – OT
Rashod Hill is another who probably won’t return to the Vikings this offseason. The offensive lineman hasn’t been the worst of a bad bunch by any stretch of the imagination. But the team’s need for substantial reinforcements in this area of the field despite their lack of financial resources is glaring.
Hill has been a relative afterthought for the Vikings this season, which is a damning indictment of what the coaching staff thinks of him.
Brian O’Neill and Riley Reiff have operated well at the tackle positions, which has played a leading role in his lack of involvement. But considering how much Minnesota has struggled with their interior protection, it does seem strange that the former Southern Mississippi standout hasn’t been given an opportunity to make a transition to guard.
However, it might also just be something he simply isn’t capable of.
The lineman appeared in 120 snaps this season and he does have a creditable 72.4 grade from Pro Football Focus to show from limited reps. This won’t be enough for the player to earn a longer-term stay with the Vikings and Hill faces a real fight to prolong his career in the NFL should this eventuality come to fruition.
Anthony Harris – S
Anthony Harris was given the franchise tag by the Vikings after a 2019 campaign that was littered with memorable highlights. The safety was a revelation alongside Harrison Smith at the backend which led to plenty of speculation surrounding his future before the organization decided to keep him around.
What’s happened this season has been less than impressive. Harris has looked like a shell of the player we saw turn out last year and his dismal performance against the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Day was further proof that he has already checked out.
Another team will probably give him money that Minnesota cannot afford in free agency this year. And that is absolutely fine by them.
Harris hasn’t lived up to the $11.44 million in base salary he made this season, to put it mildly. Playing on the franchise tag cannot be easy, but the simple fact of the matter is that the Vikings and the player need a fresh start.
It’s unlikely he’ll be missed. Safety is a position that should be one of Minnesota’s top priorities in the 2021 NFL Draft – especially considering Smith’s age and contract status. One only has to look at how well the cornerback duo of Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler has done of late to see the benefits of a youth movement.
Sean Mannion – QB
The time is fast approaching for the Vikings to look at potential long-term successors to Kirk Cousins. After a disappointing start to the season, the quarterback has been at the top of his game since the bye week and although the team’s failure to reach the playoffs isn’t on him, the signal-caller isn’t getting any younger.
This could mean Minnesota drafts a development project in the 2021 NFL Draft, which would be the smart way to go. One thing is for certain, Sean Mannion is not the answer to this particular question and it would be a massive surprise if he was given another new deal beyond this season.
Mannion’s limitations are there for all to see, which is something the Vikings were fully aware of. Cousins is under contract for another two years, so unless Minnesota takes the bold decision to find a trade partner for him, their best avenue to success is to build around the veteran passer.
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However, if injury or a distinct drop-off in form befalls Cousins in 2021, then the Vikings need a better contingency plan to come in and ensure that the playbook doesn’t have to alter a tremendous amount. Mannion does not fit the bill and if Minnesota moves on as they should, his shoes aren’t exactly the biggest to fill.