6 edge rushers the Vikings could select in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Chris Schad
The Minnesota Vikings need to improve their pass rush. Does the NFL Draft have a prospect that can put them over the top?
One of the priorities for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason was to improve their pass rush. The Vikings finished second in the NFL last season with 51 sacks. But that doesn’t show their inability to get consistent pressure on the quarterback.
According to Pro Football Focus, D.J. Wonnum led the Vikings with eight sacks and 42 pressures. But he needed all 17 games to reach those numbers. By comparison, it took Everson Griffen nine games to collect 33 pressures and five sacks. It took Danielle Hunter seven games to generate 31 pressures and six sacks.
To rectify the situation, the Vikings are counting on Hunter to return to his 2019 form. That season, Hunter posted 14.5 sacks and 97 pressures. While it was the last healthy season of his career, it was a reminder of what he can do when he’s on the field.
The Vikings drove the point home by signing Za’Darius Smith in free agency. Playing with the Green Bay Packers, Smith led the NFL with 105 pressures during the 2019 season. He also recorded 26 sacks in his first two seasons in Green Bay.
The additions of Smith and Hunter would make some believe the Vikings should be done adding edge rushers. But with the depth of this year’s class and some health concerns, they should consider adding one of these players to their defense.