Tag: Stephen Weatherly

Six takeaways from the Vikings’ first unofficial depth chart

The Vikings’ unofficial depth chart was certainly interesting. Again, it’s unofficial, but here were a few things of note.

The Vikings released their first unofficial depth chart leading up to the team’s preseason opener. It should be pointed out that the front office and coaching staff are barely involved, if at all, in the construction of this chart.

OK, so an unofficial depth chart is just that — unofficial — but there are still some interesting things to glean from it.  This isn’t a depth chart set in stone, but it is the first impression of how the team could line up at times in 2021.

Here are a few key takeaways from the Vikings first unofficial depth chart of the 2021 season:

Report: Vikings DE Stephen Weatherly took most of 11-on-11 reps at spot opposite Danielle Hunter

Vikings fans, how would you feel if Stephen Weatherly ended up starting?

Minnesota has made strides this offseason to ensure that the Vikings defense improves.

The team has signed some established veterans, many of whom should lead to a mostly complete defense. The key word there being “mostly.”

There is still one spot that appears to be a big hole: the defensive end position opposite Danielle Hunter.

I mean, it’s training camp, so it’s early, but what better way to spend training camp than to overreact to bits of information?

Here’s something Vikings fans can overreact to: Weatherly took most of the reps opposite Hunter in 11-on-11 drills on Thursday, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.

Weatherly also got a “sack” on Kirk Cousins. In training camp, players aren’t supposed to hit the quarterback, but presumably Weatherly was in a position to get to the quarterback if he was in an actual game.

Weatherly will compete with D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II and others for the starting spot on the Minnesota defensive line. Weatherly did not impress when he was with the Panthers last year, but now that he’s back with the Vikings, he could be looking at a very important role.

Yes, the Vikings could still use a defensive end

The Minnesota Vikings could still use a defensive end in 2021 free agency.

Minnesota’s defense is almost complete. The unit struggled to get off the field in 2020, but with the Vikings signing players like Patrick Peterson, Dalvin Tomlinson and others, the group should be more competitive in 2021.

The team’s recent signing, Sheldon Richardson, should add a lot to the defensive line. Richardson should help the pass rush, but it bears repeating: there is no stellar defensive end opposite Danielle Hunter.

Stephen Weatherly had 0 sacks in nine games for the Panthers last season.  He tallied a PFF grade of 53.7. He rejoined his former team in the Vikings this offseason, but Minnesota can’t count on him to be a starter. The team can’t count on D.J. Wonnum, either.

Wonnum had three sacks in 14 games played (471 snaps) in 2020. Conventional wisdom would tell you that if Wonnum played something like 700 snaps, he could maybe land in the 5-7 sack range. But you have to consider that people thought Ifeadi Odenigbo would take a big leap for that same reason (decent production in a limited role) and that did not pan out.

Patrick Jones II and Janarius Robinson weren’t considered top prospects for a reason — the two have some things to work on in order to become starting-caliber NFL players. It would be great if Jones II became the next Hunter, but  a third-round pick like Hunter becoming an elite edge rusher is a rare occurrence.

As of now, the defensive end spot opposite Hunter is a big question mark. I wouldn’t be surprised if Weatherly or Wonnum started and only finished with like four or five sacks. That lack of production might affect Hunter, because teams would be able to contribute more attention to him in the pass rush. Also, Hunter is coming off a neck injury, so it’s not a given he will be back to his normal self from 2018 and 2019.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: that defensive end spot is an important spot on the defense. This Minnesota defense is pretty complete on paper. If the team can fill that void at edge rusher, they will be even better.

Ranking the Vikings’ biggest offseason needs after the Bashaud Breeland signing

The Minnesota Vikings still have some needs that the teams could address in the 2021 offseason.

The Vikings have shored up a lot of needs throughout this offseason.

Recently, Minnesota signed Bashaud Breeland. That gives the team four solid corners who can come in and play at a starting-caliber level. This will help them if the Vikings cornerback group struggles with durability.

However, the team still has some needs it can address. Sure, the Vikings aren’t made of cap space at this point in the offseason. But neither are a lot of teams, and there are still some enticing free agents who probably want to see the field in 2021.

Here are three positions of need for the Vikings:

Why adding another defensive end is still a possibility for the Vikings

Do you want the Minnesota Vikings to sign a defensive end in 2021 NFL free agency?

Minnesota made an interesting choice in the 2021 NFL draft. Despite needing a defensive end to thrive opposite Danielle Hunter, the Vikings waited until the third round to select an edge rusher.

It would be great if third-round pick Patrick Jones II took over the starting defensive end spot and thrived. It would also be great if Stephen Weatherly or D.J. Wonnum stepped up and produced big numbers to complement Hunter on the other side. But none of those things are certain.

Jones might need time to get acclimated to the league. Janarius Robinson, another draftee and another defensive end, is seen as a project. A rookie who struggles at defensive end in 2021 could affect Hunter’s production level.

Weatherly is coming off a 2020 where he played in nine games (358 snaps) and had zero sacks with the Panthers. He had a PFF grade of 53.7. Weatherly rejoined his former team in the Vikings this offseason, but Minnesota shouldn’t bank on Weatherly’s role being anything more than a useful reserve.

Wonnum had a promising rookie year. He tallied three sacks in 14 games played (471 snaps). It’d be asking a lot of Wonnum to up that production considerably with more snaps. He could become a starting-caliber edge rusher in the future, but he needs to win in the pass rush more consistently.

Add in the fact that Minnesota has a decent amount of 2021 salary cap space to work with and the team could go out and add another player to the starting defensive end competition. From Patrick Peterson to Dalvin Tomlinson, the Vikings have added veterans through free agency to try and fix the defensive problems from 2020. On paper, Minnesota’s 2021 defense is pretty complete. Now, it’s time to sign another defensive end.

Vikings DE Stephen Weatherly talks about why he won’t attend voluntary, in-person workouts

Vikings DE Stephen Weatherly explained his decision to not attend voluntary, in-person workouts.

Recently, the Vikings players announced through the NFL Players Association that many of them will not be attending voluntary, in-person workouts on account of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.

Vikings DE Stephen Weatherly talked about his decision not to attend with Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. 

“There’s a new variant that’s doing some really bad numbers in regards to spreading rate, and it’s affecting the low 40s, 30s and the highest 20s (age groups). I’m 27, so, yeah, I’m concerned,” Weatherly told Tomasson.

Weatherly added that the Vikings players made the decision to say “many of us” in the statement and not all, because they wanted to keep options open for players with workout bonuses and players who were injured and had to go to the facility.

Vikings to start virtual workouts on Monday

The Minnesota Vikings are set to start virtual workouts on Monday. Will in-person spring workouts follow suit shortly after?

Minnesota is set to start virtual workouts on Monday, but in-person workouts are still up in the air.

Vikings DE Stephen Weatherly said that Minnesota has yet to discuss the issue of spring in-person workouts as a team, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.

NFL players on the Seahawks and Broncos have stated that they will not be attending the voluntary in-person workouts amid the coronavirus pandemic. Weatherly told Tomasson that other teams could do the same:

“I think other teams will follow suit once they get to a point where they’re talking to coaches and have a better footing and then they can make a decision because I think it’s going to be very unique to each team,” Weatherly told Tomasson.

Weatherly said to Tomasson that the plan is for the Vikings to start virtual workouts next week and then maybe switch to in-person work later in the spring.

Weatherly is a recent signing for Minnesota, but he had a four-season stint with the Vikings before going to the Panthers in the offseason of 2020. Now, he has a chance to claim a big role on defense with his old team.

Three offseason moves the Vikings might come to regret in 2021

The Minnesota Vikings have made big offseason decisions in 2021. Will cutting Riley Reiff and signing Weatherly and Peterson be regrets?

Minnesota had to make some big changes this offseason. That’s what a 7-9 season will do.

The Vikings struggled to get stops and make blocks as the team fell out of playoff contention in 2020. Minnesota has tried to correct some of those problem areas this offseason, either through free agency or in a trade. To do so, the Vikings had to move on from some key veterans.

Vikings fans won’t know whether these offseason decisions worked out until the 2021 season is over. It’s still fun to hypothesize about what will and won’t work, though.

Here are some moves Minnesota may come to regret:

Former Panthers DE Stephen Weatherly admits he got ‘complacent’ in Carolina

Weatherly was a predictable early cut for Carolina this offseason and he’s since re-signed with the Vikings.

Every year NFL teams hand out bad contracts in free agency to players that quickly turn into busts. Last March, the Carolina Panthers signed a few of them. Tahir Whitehead was a total waste at middle linebacker, Pharoh Cooper flamed out quick as a kick return specialist and wide receiver Seth Roberts might as well have not gotten off the plane.

One of the worst of them was defensive end Stephen Weatherly, who signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal after flashing some potential as a backup with the Vikings the previous couple of seasons. Weatherly never made an impact, finishing the 2020 season with zero sacks and just nine pressures before a finger injury put him on injured reserve.

Weatherly was a predictable early cut for Carolina this offseason and he’s since re-signed with the Vikings. He now admits that he got complacent after signing that contract with the Panthers and vows not to let it happen again, per Courtney Cronin at ESPN.

It takes guts to say that kind of thing in this business. Competing in the NFL is hard enough even for the most motivated athletes. It’s a good sign for Weatherly (and Minnesota) that he’s willing to cop to it. It’s also another classic buyer-beware tale in free agency, which will begin next week.

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