8 biggest battles heading into the Vikings 2021 training camp
By Adam Carlson
Defensive end
Top competitors:
- Stephen Weatherly
- Patrick Jones II
- Jayln Holmes
- D.J. Wonnum
- Janarius Robinson
It’s time to celebrate now that Danielle Hunter will be making his return to the Minnesota Vikings. The celebrated pass rusher is among the NFL’s elite defensive ends and should help out a defense that struggled mightily in 2020.
The team tried to find its other bookend last season by trading for Yannick Ngakoue, but that experiment failed and now the team is left searching for another pass rusher to pair with Hunter and the job is wide open.
Will the experience of Stephen Weatherly be a determining factor in who gets the job? Maybe last year’s fill-in starter Jalyn Holmes will retain the duties after switching over from the interior of the defensive line? Will be it a rookie Patrick Jones II or Janarius Robinson that catches the team’s eye? Or can a wild card like D.J. Wonnum grab the reigns and run with his physical talents?
It’s a bit scary that nobody seems to have a leg up in this battle at the moment. However, that also means that depth isn’t too much of a concern since there are several players with high potential that could step in if needed. However, for now, it’s hard not to go with the individual returning to the job from last year.
Projected winner: Jalyn Holmes