5 candidates to be the Vikings starting right guard in 2021
By Adam Carlson
Dakota Dozier
An extremely polite person would say that Dakota Dozier had a rough season in 2020. Less optimistic people would say that his 16 starts last year were a big reason the offensive line couldn’t get Kirk Cousins time in the pocket.
Minnesota must have liked what they saw from the 6’4, 312-pound offensive lineman because they brought him back on a one-year deal worth $1.075M. This re-signing should set the floor for the starting guard spot.
The good news is that Dozier has been better in previous seasons than he was in 2020. In fact, his limited play in 2016 and 2017 had him looking as though he had the potential to be a starter at the NFL level.
Dozier has started 27 games over the course of his six NFL seasons and has seen action in 70 contests between his four years with the Jets and two seasons with the Vikings. This year could be a bounce-back year for him, but that needs to be seen before it can be believed.