There were many things that Minnesota Vikings needed to improve this offseason, but few were as important as finding some pass rushers. The Vikings ranked second in the league with 52 sacks last season. But with Mike Zimmer’s scheme generating many of those sacks, Minnesota needed to find more players who can consistently pressure the quarterback.
The front office started that process by paying Danielle Hunter an $18 million roster bonus. It continued when Za’Darius Smith signed a 3-year, $42 million contract in free agency.
But it wouldn’t be wise for the Vikings to roll into the season with what they have. With durability concerns and the lack of development on the roster, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah must find a way to add another edge rusher in the draft.
On the surface, that may seem preposterous after what the Vikings have done this offseason. In 2019, Hunter and Smith ranked first and second in total pressures according to Pro Football Focus. They’re both former Pro Bowlers. Ed Donatell will deploy them all over the field in his 3-4 scheme.
But the Vikings need to be realistic about their current situation. When Smith signed, Luke Braun highlighted the bulging disc in his back that limited him to two games (one regular season, one playoffs) last season. The Cliff Notes are that each vertebra has a small layer of padding similar to a jelly donut. When that disc slips, it causes pain, which eventually required surgery.
The most concerning part about this? Once the disc slips, that player is prone to aggravation. The Vikings know this because of how they structured Smith’s contract. In 2022, he’ll earn a bonus for each game played. This move not only limits his cap number to $3.3 million but also turns his three-year contract into a two-year deal.
If Smith produces, the Vikings will have no issue paying his $14.1 million cap hit for 2023. But his $21.6 million cap hit for 2024 contains just $1.6 million worth of dead money.
Having these outs in Smith’s contract is a sign the Vikings aren’t convinced Smith will stay healthy. If that’s the case, they should look to add reinforcements.
One of those will be Hunter’s return. Coming off a ruptured disc in his neck, Hunter recorded six sacks in seven games last season before suffering a torn pectoral muscle. These injuries could be dismissed as freak football injuries. But even if he stays healthy, this could be his last in Minnesota.
The Vikings put a Band-Aid over the situation when they decided to give Hunter his roster bonus. But by spreading out the $18 million, they put themselves at another deadline next offseason.
If Hunter’s injury woes pop up again, the Vikings aren’t going to want to pay his $13.1 million cap number for 2023. If he has a Pro Bowl season, he will want to be paid like some of the top edge rushers in the league. With the way the Vikings have pushed money down the road, it’s unlikely they will be able to afford the $72 million in fully guaranteed money that Joey Bosa got from the Los Angeles Chargers.
In a worst-case scenario, the Vikings could be entering 2023 without a proven pass-rusher on the roster. Wonnum led Minnesota with 42 pressures and eight sacks but registered 15 pressures and five sacks in two meetings with the Chicago Bears. If we take those games out, Wonnum graded 109th out of 130 edge rushers with at least 20% of the league lead in snaps.
The rest of the roster is a wasteland of Rick Spielman and Andre Patterson specials. Kenny Willekes graded better than Wonnum but looked like a rotational player. Patrick Jones II was part of a rookie class last seen on a milk carton. Things got so bad that the Vikings brought back Tashawn Bower.
This unit doesn’t just need an insurance plan. It needs depth. Thankfully, that’s what the Vikings could find in this year’s class.
PFF’s big board lists 10 edge rushers in the top 50 prospects in this year’s class. While Aidan Hutchinson will be off the board, George Karlaftis or Travon Walker could be excellent additions on the edge. Even if Kayvon Thibodeaux falls to them at 12, the Vikings can’t dismiss selecting him with their pick.
If they don’t take one in the first round, there are plenty of options in Round 2, with Minnesota’s Boye Mafe and South Carolina’s Kingsley Enagbare leading the pack. There should be one available wherever the Vikings want to take an edge.
Drafting one would address one of the Vikings’ most significant needs from last season. When a starter went down, there was nobody to replace him. While these players may not be ready to start, they may benefit from developing at their own pace. By the time Hunter and Smith are gone, they’ll have someone to step in.
