If you’ve noticed that the Vikings have started 0-2, you may have also picked up on all the photoshopped Trevor Lawrence photos of him in purple and gold.
With the way the season has gone so far, it’s tempting for Minnesota fans to foresee a future where Lawrence coming to the Vikings is actually possible.
However, the Vikings may be just too good to land the No. 1 overall pick, yet not good enough to make the playoffs.
So who should the team actually prioritize in the NFL Draft? A defensive tackle, says Chad Graff of the Athletic. Here’s what else Graff said in a recent mailbag:
“Defensive tackle. There will be a lot of areas to address and we’ll get to all of that once the season ends.
But the most disappointing area for the Vikings has been defensive tackle. There’s a legit argument to be made that they have the worst interior defensive line in the NFL. Shamar Stephen isn’t as good as they think and Armon Watts and Jaleel Johnson aren’t as good as they hoped.
If Michael Pierce returns next season, that will help. But they need a young, talented defensive tackle that they can develop, too.”
The Vikings coaching staff has defended Shamar Stephen in the past, saying that what he does on the field doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet. That said, the team has struggled to get pressure from the three-technique defensive tackle and Stephen has looked overmatched, especially against the Colts. Granted, the Colts have an excellent offensive line.
I think if Minnesota ends up with a pick outside the top 10, I could see them going with an interior defensive lineman. That said, a quarterback or cornerback that panned out would give the Vikings a lot more value.