Minnesota is coming off a season where it went 10-6 in the regular season and won a playoff game. Despite that, a lot of people think the team will take a step back.
That’s because of offseason departures. Stefon Diggs, the team’s leading receiver, went to the Bills in a trade. There’s also Everson Griffen, who announced he was leaving the team in free agency. Griffen has yet to sign with another team, though.
Though players like Diggs and Griffen were big contributors on the 2019 Vikings — with the young talent the team added this offseason — Minnesota has a chance to still be very good.
At least, that’s what Greg Patuto of NFL Analysis Network thinks. Patuto listed the Vikings as a dark-horse Super Bowl contender. Here’s what he said about Minnesota:
“Minnesota had one of the best drafts in 2020. They traded Diggs to Buffalo and needed a receiver. That receiver was Justin Jefferson at No. 22 in the 2020 NFL Draft. Xavier Rhodes was let go leaving a hole at cornerback. The Vikings used the 31st pick on Jeff Gladney. Minnesota added Ezra Cleveland in the second round.
The Vikings are a team that has endured plenty of heartbreak in it’s history. It is time to change the narrative and it could begin as early as this year.”
Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander signing elsewhere offseason leaves the cornerback position wide open. If Minnesota corners Holton Hill, Mike Hughes and Jeff Gladney are serviceable, that will be a big key to the team’s success.