Which Minnesota Vikings are glad to see the back of the 2020 season?
Another eventful season is officially in the books for the Minnesota Vikings. It was full of ups and downs before finishing in inevitable heartbreak, which is something every fan of the organization has come to expect over the years.
What comes next during the offseason for the Vikings could determine the shape of the franchise both in the short and long term.
Minnesota is expected to be really fighting against some pretty substantial salary-cap difficulties in 2021 that will ensure some bold and perhaps harsh decisions in the coming months to ensure the team remains competitive.
As for the 2020 season, it started with a dismal 1-5 record, and then it ended with the Vikings narrowly missing the playoffs. Minnesota deserves some real credit for getting back into contention, even if they still left themselves with a little too much work to do down the stretch.
With the 2020 campaign now over for the Vikings though, who are a few members of the organization that are glad to see the back of the recently concluded regular season?
Viking No. 1
Dan Bailey – K
It was a season to forget for Dan Bailey.
The kicker failed to reach the sort of level that earned him a new deal this offseason and this has cast some significant doubt as to whether he’ll be part of Minnesota’s plans moving forward.
Bailey ended the 2020 campaign with a 68.2 percent success rate on field goals – down 24.9 percent on the previous year – which simply isn’t the standard required.
What comes next for Bailey is unclear. Mike Zimmer has stated his confidence in the veteran kicker to turn things around, but when one considers he also missed six extra points, the writing seems to be on the wall in no uncertain terms.
Danielle Hunter – DE
Danielle Hunter came into the 2020 season looking to further establish himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass-rushers. His level of dominance over recent years has been there for all to see and there is little doubting his credentials at this juncture.
However, it has been a campaign that Hunter will want to forget in a hurry.
This had nothing to do with his production on the field, but rather due to a substantial injury that ended his season before it even began.
The former LSU standout suffered an injury prior to training camp that Mike Zimmer described as a “tweak,” but it was clear something was seriously amiss with the defensive end.
As it turned out, Hunter suffered a herniated disc that required season-ending surgery and an extensive period of rehabilitation. The Vikings are hoping their best edge rusher will be firing on all cylinders by the time competitive action rolls around in 2021 as they missed him terribly in 2020.
This past season, Minnesota’s defensive front managed to average just 1.4 sacks-per-game, which ranked 28th in the NFL and it is further proof of just what a vital cog Hunter is to the team’s defensive machine.
A few months ago, there was some speculation regarding Hunter’s displeasure with his current contract. But it appears unlikely there will be any movement in this regard with the player coming off such a serious injury and the Vikings’ expected salary-cap predicament.
Mike Zimmer – HC
Mike Zimmer has seen it all throughout his storied career. The respected head coach deserves an endless amount of credit for turning things around after the bye week when all hope seemed lost for the Vikings, even though it didn’t end with another postseason berth.
A period of rest and reflection will be welcomed with open arms by Zimmer, who endured his fair share of bad luck regarding injuries to key personnel this past season.
There was also the departure of several established veterans during the 2020 offseason that saw the roster look completely different – especially on defense – and this was always going to come with its share of growing pains.
Zimmer was rightfully given a new contract for all he’s done for the organization in recent years. But it’s hard to look at Minnesota’s efforts in the 2020 season and not come to the conclusion that much more will be needed to return to contention next time around.
This is a critical offseason for the Vikings. They face some big decisions in order to remain competitive despite their expected financial turmoil and the front office needs to bring the right players to Minnesota with their bounty of 2021 NFL Draft selections.
There is also Zimmer’s age to consider. He isn’t getting any younger and at 64-years-old, the coach is quickly coming to the end of the road.
The strain and frustration began to show late in the campaign, especially with an underperforming defense that didn’t fit the mold of Zimmer teams from the recent past. So it will be interesting to see how this is addressed in the coming months.
Anthony Barr – LB
Anthony Barr had a real opportunity to increase his influence in 2020. The Vikings lost some prominent figures on defense and the onus was on the linebacker and others to raise their level of performance accordingly.
As has been the case for most of Barr’s career, this didn’t pan out. The injury bug struck again after just two games and it resulted in the former UCLA star spending the year on injured reserve due to a torn pectoral muscle.
Not exactly the campaign Barr and Minnesota had in mind.
The veteran is among those that are facing an uncertain future with the Vikings as financial sacrifices need to be made. Barr is set to count $15.5 million against Minnesota’s salary-cap in 2021 and the team would free up almost $8 million in cap space if he is released this year.
This seems like a no brainer in the grand scheme of things. Barr went back on his decision to join the New York Jets in 2019 before signing a new deal with the Vikings. But considering the need to cut back, his name should be one of the first on the chopping block.
4 Minnesota Vikings players who won’t be missed in 2021
Which Minnesota Vikings players will not be missed when they are inevitably moved on from the organization after the 2020 season?
If Barr does end up moving on, he ends his career in Minnesota with 15 sacks, 423 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 38 quarterback hits, eight forced fumbles, 26 passes defended, and two interceptions.