5 Vikings players entering the last chance saloon in 2021
By Dean Jones
Xavier Woods – S
According to reports, Xavier Woods has made an impressive start to the offseason. What comes next for the player will be equally as important during training camp as he looks to reignite his career with the Vikings in 2021.
The safety endured some real difficulties with the Dallas Cowboys last season. Woods was sluggish in coverage and made some costly errors on a defense that once again flattered to deceive after receiving plenty of preseason hype.
Minnesota obviously feels they can get Woods back to the form of old. Putting him alongside one of the NFL’s best in Harrison Smith will mean there are no more excuses where the player is concerned.
Woods has done well to emerge from being a late-round pick into a potential starter. However, if the same complications arise in a different environment, then he’ll be relegated to a backup role wherever he ends up next.
The Vikings didn’t get any real production from Anthony Harris last season, meaning they were right not to give him the lucrative extension he was after. But with Smith now approaching the end of his career, some contingency plans need to be in place in the event his performance levels also subside in the coming months.
There is definitely something to go off where Woods is concerned. Whether he can put last season behind him is another matter entirely.