Ifeadi Odenigbo – Page 4 – Syndication Server

DE Ifeadi Odenigbo listed as Vikings’ best-kept secret

Do you think Ifeadi Odenigbo will start in Everson Griffen’s place on the defensive line next year? Or will someone else take it?

Bleacher Report recently compiled a list of each team’s best-kept secret, and the outlet picks a Minnesota player who could come in and start in 2020.

Bleacher Report tabbed defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo as a Vikings player who deserves a little more recognition. Here’s what it said about Odenigbo:

“[Everson] Griffen’s gone now. But it looks like the Vikings won’t miss a beat up front—because as it turns out, a more-than-capable replacement was waiting in the wings.

A seventh-round pick of the Vikings in 2017 who spent time with the Browns and Cardinals before re-joining the Vikings, Ifeadi Odenigbo barely touched the field in 2018. But in his second season, Odenigbo got a chance to show what he could do, playing about one-third (368) of snaps.”

I think Odenigbo could fit well into Griffen’s place on the defensive line. Griffen announced on Instagram he was leaving the team this offseason. However, he has yet to sign with a team.

Five keys for the Vikings defense in 2020

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.

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POLL: Who do you think will be the most-improved Vikings player in 2020?

Who do you think will be the most-improved player on the Vikings for 2020? Vote in the article!

Minnesota found success in 2019, but there are still plenty of players who could improve.

There are players who might improve by earning bigger roles, such as Mike Hughes and Ifeadi Odenigbo.

There are also some players who could find statistical production of year’s past, such as Anthony Barr and Riley Reiff.

Not only that, but there are players who could go from pretty good to great, such as Kirk Cousins and Kyle Rudolph.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks was picked as Vikings’ most-improved player by Pro Football Focus this season.

Below are some possible candidates who could be the most-improved on the Vikings. So, Vikings fans, what will it be? Who do you think the team’s most improved player will be in 2020?

[polldaddy poll=10551924]

Three Vikings reserves who might be starters next season

From defensive linemen to defensive backs, here are some Vikings players who might have to become starters in 2020-21.

The Vikings have lost a lot of talent this offseason, which means players from 2019-20 who didn’t play as much might have to step into bigger roles.

Everson Griffen reportedly announced on Instagram he was leaving. Both starting corners from last season reportedly signed elsewhere. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs was also reportedly traded to the Bills.

Sure the team has 12 draft picks and the rest of free agency to try and fill those holes, but some of the starters who left could be replaced by backups if those backups are good enough.

Here are some of the reserves who might be receiving more playing time next season:

Defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo

With Griffen reportedly leaving, filling a void at defensive end becomes crucial. Danielle Hunter is coming off a season in which he had 14.5 sacks, much thanks to Griffen, who kept opposing offensive lines from honing in on Hunter.

Griffen had eight sacks, and the team also reportedly loses Stephen Weatherly, who had three. That’s a lot of production to replace. Maybe the Vikings go to the draft to find an edge rusher, but Odenigbo might be able to step up into a bigger role.

Either way, Odenigbo will receive more playing time now that Weatherly is gone, and the Vikings might just find out that he’s ready to start.

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