Nearly everyone who follows the Minnesota Vikings understood that the 2020 roster would look a lot different than the 2019 roster.
The Vikings entered this offseason in perhaps the worst salary-cap situation of any team in the NFL. A plethora of bad contracts plagued the Vikings and the front office needed to clear cap space just to stay eligible for the 2020 season.
The way in which the Vikings have created that sap space has been scrutinized to no end. Minnesota extended quarterback Kirk Cousins through the 2022 season, reallocating some of his 2020 cap hit to future years. The Vikings also gave fullback C.J. Ham a four-year deal worth over $12 million, an extremely lucrative deal for a fullback.
Meanwhile, the Vikings have lost key contributors that have made Mike Zimmer’s defense so great the past few years. Among them are Everson Griffen, Xavier Rhodes, Linval Joseph, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, Andrew Sendejo and potentially Anthony Harris.
And of course, the Vikings also fulfilled a trade demand by Stefon Diggs and sent him to Buffalo for a package of draft picks that included No. 22 overall.
The 2020 roster is far from finalized. However, we already know this team will look significantly different than it did in 2019. Can they contend for a playoff spot in 2020?
Yes, of course, they can. Football is too unpredictable to just write off any team. But several things need to happen for Minnesota to have a shot.
Cousins needs to become elite
Many readers will say, “Wait, he’s already elite!” He may be, depending on your definition of the word elite. But the 2020 season will be a huge test for Cousins. The players around him will not give him the support he’s had in the past. Diggs isn’t there to blow past defensive backs for 50-yard touchdowns. Josh Kline, the best interior lineman on the team from last season, is no longer there.
Meanwhile, unless Zimmer pulls off something extraordinary, Minnesota’s defense will take a step back.
Elite quarterbacks win games when the situation isn’t perfect. Russell Wilson has done this for years in Seattle. Aaron Rodgers has done it in Green Bay. Deshaun Watson has shown glimpses of it. Patrick Mahomes, too. Each of these guys has the innate ability to make the winning play when it matters most.
Cousins has not shown that ability consistently. However, he showed that ability sparingly in 2019, particularly against Denver and New Orleans. He’s got that trait somewhere. It’ll be put to the test much more frequently in 2020. If he can carry the team to those tough wins, that’ll go a long way to keeping the Vikings competitive.
Diggs Must be Replaced
Diggs didn’t get nearly the amount of targets he should have in 2019. And yet, he was probably the most valuable skill position player on the team. His ability to stretch the field paid dividends for the Vikings in a number of wins. Remember that clutch connection from Cousins to Adam Thielen in overtime against the Saints? Thielen was covered 1-on-1 because the safety shaded toward Diggs on the other side of the field. That presence cannot be defined by statistics.
Minnesota will need to find a way to replace the threat Diggs presents. This doesn’t mean that the Vikings need to find a receiver of Diggs’ ability or better. They simply need to pose a similar threat.
The Vikings have added Tajae Sharpe to the wide receiver group as a reliable possession-type option. But he’s not a game-breaker like Diggs. The Vikings will need to hit on a draft pick for a receiver who can contribute big right away. Thankfully, this draft class is loaded with talent at the wide receiver position. At the very least, the Vikings need to find a receiver that can stretch the field the way Diggs did in 2019. That won’t be easy to do.
The Offense Must Be Pass-Oriented
Dalvin Cook is a superstar; there’s no doubt about it. He’s electric with the ball in his hands and generally good things happen when he gets into open space.
With that said, passing is more efficient than running. That’s just a fact. Teams average more yards per play when passing the ball than running the ball. It’s a more efficient way to move the ball down the field. In 2019, the Vikings were one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL.
Part of the reason Diggs received such a small number of targets was that the Vikings were such a run-heavy offense. In particular, the Vikings ran the ball way too often on first down and second-and-long scenarios. Perhaps new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has taken note of this.
The most efficient offenses in the NFL move the ball by throwing. The Vikings need to play a little game of copycat and modernize their offensive philosophy.
The Cornerbacks Need to Exceed Expectations
Granted, expectations are quite low at the moment. Mike Hughes is the only cornerback returning that played a significant role in 2019. Rhodes, Waynes and Alexander are all gone. This is a complete overhaul of the position.
On the bright side, there may be no better coach for this situation than Zimmer. He has a history of quickly developing cornerbacks into stars. That type of coaching will be needed in Minnesota not just in 2020, but over the next couple of seasons.
Hughes will need to take a tremendous step forward as the top cornerback on the roster. From there, the Vikings will likely need to use a draft pick or two early in the draft on a cornerback.
Minnesota’s cornerbacks were clearly an issue in 2019, but it’s better than practically having none of them, which is where the Vikings are at right now. The peak of Zimmer’s defense in Minnesota was defined by exceptionally defensive back play. Harrison Smith and Harris (for now) are there at safety. But it would be nice to see the cornerbacks do their part.
Ifeadi Odenigbo Must take advantage of his new role
With Griffen out the door, the Vikings are suddenly without perhaps the best 1-2 pass-rushing punch in the NFL. Griffen and Danielle Hunter proved to be a lethal combo in 2019, both ranking among the best in the NFL in terms of pressures.
Hunter has thrived thus far in his career in large part because Griffen has been worth paying attention to on the other side of the line. Odenigbo is slated to take Griffen’s spot, and it’s likely he won’t receive the same attention from other teams.
Odenigbo will be given a nice opportunity to put up big numbers in what should be his first full season as a starter. If he can pose a Griffen-like threat, which is no small task, the Vikings pass rush can remain dangerous as it has the past few years.
