How can the Vikings not take a step back in 2020? Here are five things the team needs to do.
Minnesota’s strong suit in the past has been its defense, but this offseason, the biggest free agency losses have come from that side of the ball.
Cornerbacks Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes and Mackensie Alexander are all gone. Waynes and Rhodes were starters and Alexander was the team’s nickel corner in 2019.
Minnesota also lost defensive end Stephen Weatherly. Everson Griffen announced he was leaving, but he has yet to sign anywhere.
At safety, the team lost two reserves: Andrew Sendejo and Jayron Kearse.
Minnesota also saw defensive tackle Linval Joseph sign elsewhere.
It will be tough to replace all that talent, but the Vikings will have to in order to not take a step back in 2020.
Let the young corners adjust to the NFL
Minnesota can go about replacing Rhodes Waynes and Alexander with some draftees, as well as players still on the team.
The Vikings took TCU’s Jeff Gladney, Mississippi State’s Cameron Dantzler and Temple’s Harrison Hand in the draft this year, all of whom are cornerbacks.
Gladney is a physical corner who is the most likely of the three to play right away, but I think Minnesota should be reluctant to give him or any of the rookies the starting reigns for the first game, unless the team is blown away by their progress.
Gladney could be the nickel corner, with Mike Hughes and Holton Hill starting out wide, until the TCU product develops more. It will be tempting to see the first-round pick out wide in a slightly bigger role right away, but this is as unconventional an offseason as they come, and putting Gladney in too big of a role too early might not be wise.
As for Dantzler, he needs to put on a lot of weight if he wants to be more than a reserve for 2020. I know he’s always played small in the past, but I don’t see him being physical enough to consistently play unless he adds weight.
Hand will compete for a reserve role, and could be successful at it.
The Vikings will have to temper expectations with their rookies early, and rely on Hughes and Hill as the three cornerback draftees get acclimated.