4 thinnest positions on the 2021 Minnesota Vikings roster

Defensive End

This position being a weakness for the Vikings really depends on whether or not Danielle Hunter shows up for the 2021 season.

Right now it appears he’s playing hardball with the club after refusing to participate in any of the team’s OTA practices during the last few weeks. Even if he does show up in time for the 2021 season, the depth at this position is still full of question marks, making it a weakness.

Currently, it’s a strong bet that Stephen Weatherly will start opposite Hunter when the 2021 campaign begins. Minnesota tends to go with veterans where they can, even if the younger players have outplayed them in the preseason.

Weatherly may get the early starts, but the fact he hasn’t produced when given the chance in the past means that could be a brief stint. The depth behind him is full of young guys who are hungry to prove themselves. But they are also riddled with question marks.

D.J. Wonnum flashed quite a bit as a rookie last year, but he faded down the stretch. He could beat out Weatherly for a starting job, but he could just as easily take a step backward.

Patrick Jones II is an exciting rookie addition to the team, but his production in college was sporadic, and he has a long way to go before he’s counted on to produce week in and week out for Minnesota. Janarious Robinson is another rookie who’ll need to develop and it’s unclear if Kenny Willekes or Jayln Holmes will even make the roster this year.

So while the Vikings defensive end group has plenty of talented young players, the inexperience that riddles this depth chart also makes this a shaky position overall.