When the Minnesota Vikings entered the NFL Draft, they had their eyes set on adding a developmental quarterback. While the Vikings had just picked up Kirk Cousins’ $45 million option for 2021, general manager Rick Spielman hinted that “all positions were on the board,” meaning that it wouldn’t be shocking if the Vikings were to take one in the first round.
Sitting at the 14th overall pick, the odds of having a quarterback fall to them were slim. However, when Justin Fields began to slide down the board, the Vikings sprung into action, calling several teams to trade up into the top 10. Ultimately, Spielman wasn’t willing to part with his later-round picks, and Fields was drafted by the Chicago Bears at 11.
But the Vikings dusted themselves off and traded down to the 23rd overall pick, where they picked up Christian Darrisaw. The Vikings selected Kellen Mond and Wyatt Davis in the third round with another pick in that trade. Suddenly, the Vikings had two cornerstones of the offensive line and potentially their future QB. Who needed Justin Fields?
Well, during the first week of training camp, it’s looking like the Vikings did.
By and large, things were going well at training camp. The players on the field look like a team that can make a return to the playoffs this year. But the camp has been more about the players who aren’t on the field.
Darrisaw has been sidelined with a groin injury he sustained shortly after the draft. While he could mix in with the second team during minicamp, Darrisaw hasn’t taken a rep with the first team during training camp.
With each day on the sideline, it’s looking like Rashod Hill will be Minnesota’s Week 1 starter at left tackle. In his Week 17 start last season, Hill allowed four pressures to a Detroit Lions defense that would have rather been ice fishing. When he was a starter in 2018, he allowed 27 pressures in eight games before being replaced by Brian O’Neill.
Hill is a coaching staff favorite and can be a serviceable tackle in a pinch, but he’s also better used in case of emergency.
While the Vikings have a serviceable option if Darrisaw isn’t ready, the same can’t be said about Davis. Draft analysts were floored when Davis was available with the 86th overall pick and penned him into the starting lineup at right guard.
The Vikings haven’t taken the same approach with Davis as he took reps with the second team during minicamp. Not much has changed during training camp, with Dakota Dozier and Oli Udoh taking reps with the first team.
The Vikings seem hellbent on letting the “Dakota Dozier Experience” play out despite the presence of Davis. Dozier ranked first in the NFL with 46 pressures allowed and graded 123rd out of 132 qualifying guards last season, but the Vikings keep sending him out there hoping for a different result.
Meanwhile, Udoh learned last week he would be taking reps at guard, having him compete with Dozier, Dru Samia, and Mason Cole while Davis recovers from an injury.
But the 11th annual “Can He Play Guard?” battle royale serves as the undercard because the Vikings’ plans at quarterback have been the main event.
When Mond tested positive for COVID-19, he took down almost the entire quarterback room with him. That includes Cousins, whose medical history was thrown into public with the same aggressiveness as his first read when he was pulled from practice on Saturday night.
Through league protocols, we learned that Cousins is unvaccinated, meaning he could be knocked out at any moment. Regardless of vaccination status, this could be a good time for a quarterback who could be ready to play this year to get some reps such as, ahem, Fields.
Fields has been inconsistent during the opening week of training camp, but the expectation is that he will play at some point this season. That can’t be said for Mond, who is still ironing out mechanics and learning the playbook behind Jake Browning.
This could all leave the Vikings in a world of trouble. If Davis and Darrisaw don’t ascend to the starting lineup, the offensive line could be an issue in front of a ridiculous lineup of pass rushers, including Trey Hendrickson, J.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, and Jadeveon Clowney. If Cousins is in and out of the lineup, the Vikings would be going to battle with Browning under center.
All of this isn’t ideal in a season where jobs could be on the line.
This could all turn around in the month before the regular season, and the Vikings could be just fine. But with all that’s happened during camp, it’s fair to wonder if they should have just taken Fields.
