We’ve all played Jenga. Maybe it was around the kitchen table with the family or on one of those giant sets they have at bars that spice things up by adding alcohol and a bit of danger to your physical safety.
Either way, we all know what that integral piece feels like. You poke at it with your finger, and it doesn’t budge. That piece you try to jiggle, and the whole tower shakes. It’s one that, if you’re bold enough to attempt to move, the tower will almost certainly fall. You also know that removing it would absolutely hose the person going after you with an impossible situation – if the tower survives.
As Kwesi Adofo-Mensah attempts to construct the Jenga tower that is the 2022 Minnesota Vikings, who is that integral piece? Who is the piece that, if removed, likely brings the whole roster collapsing in on itself?
It’s too easy to say the quarterback. Regardless of what you think of Kirk Cousins, the Vikings are likely doomed if Cousins gets knocked out of the lineup next year. So let’s all acknowledge that a Kellen Mond or Sean Mannion-led Vikings team would be lucky to win two or three games and move on.
But of the non-quarterbacks on the roster, which player is so essential that losing them would lead to ruin? It could be because of their own talent and impact or the crippling lack of depth on the roster behind them. Who truly is the most “valuable” player?
Dalvin Cook
There’s certainly a case to be made for Dalvin Cook.
Cook has been one of the most productive players at his position since the day the Vikings drafted him, so long as he’s been on the field. He’s a master of the wide-zone running scheme and has developed into an excellent pass-blocker. Cook also has the blend of speed and power that makes him an elite threat in the open field.
He has already been a bit of a Jenga piece in previous seasons because the Vikings built their offense off play-action. Minnesota has found production from Alexander Mattison and others in Cook’s absence. But that impact has often looked better in someone’s fantasy lineup than it has on the field.
There’s been no comparison on the gridiron. Cook’s vision is on another level compared to the rest of the running back room, and he functionally unlocks so much of how Minnesota has run its offense in years past.
But will he still be as crucial in Kevin O’Connell‘s offense?
O’Connell has his own spin on the wide zone scheme that’s become trendy across the league. And as Luke Braun pointed out in a breakdown of O’Connell’s scheme, O’Connell will likely be deemphasizing the Kubiak tree’s running/play-action game in favor of a quick, rhythmic passing game.
That makes the reports of Cook taking reps at wide receiver in OTAs all the more sensible — and exciting. It could be more than just buzzy news for those looking to draft Dalvin in PPR Fantasy leagues because it could add a new dimension to the whole offense.
But it could also mean that Cook steps away from being the focal point of the offense. And for the sake of our exercise, the serviceable depth behind him and changing role could mean he’s not the most crucial Jenga piece. As hard as it would be to imagine, there may be a path to the playoffs for Minnesota even without Dalvin Cook.
Harrison Smith
Harrison Smith has been a franchise stalwart since the Vikings drafted him in 2012. He’s been flying around the field for a decade as a physical force and unquestioned leader on the defense.
“Harry the Hitman” has shown tremendous versatility to play interchangeably in the box or deep middle of the field. Even as he’s lost a bit of burst in recent seasons, he’s more than made up for it by being two steps ahead on every play.
Smith is a dream fit in new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell’s scheme in many ways. It’s a scheme that asks for a lot of versatility, deception, and interchangeability from its two safeties. Both safeties need to be able to disguise their role on a given play and surprise the opposing quarterback by doing the opposite. That requires both safeties to come up in run support just as well as they play deep.
Smith does this exceptionally well. He is a perfect fit for a young secondary that needs someone to coordinate traffic and fill multiple roles.
However, the depth behind Smith is my biggest argument against him as the Jenga piece for the 2022 Vikings. The Vikings won’t expect first-round pick Lewis Cine or promising second-year player Cam Bynum to play at Smith’s level next year. Still, they are talented players who can replace enough of what Smith brings to the table to survive.
Losing Smith would certainly shake the foundation, but the Vikings should be able to hold it together in his absence.
Honorable Mentions
Several other key players deserve to be mentioned in this conversation.
Adam Thielen has proven to be an essential piece to the Vikings’ offense, especially on third down. Cousins is not a stellar intermediate-range passer, especially without Thielen in the lineup as his safety net. He’s an integral piece of this team. But with the emergence of K.J. Osborn and the return of Irv Smith Jr. at tight end, there are other options to fill in opposite Justin Jefferson in a pinch.
Eric Kendricks is a backbone of the defense, and the Vikings will need quality linebacker play if they move to more of a 3-4 defense in 2022 and beyond. Kendricks’ ability to make plays in coverage and attack the ballcarrier in space is elite. His absence is always felt when he misses time. But if there’s a position group on defense that the Vikings can afford a dropoff, it’s probably at linebacker more than the defensive line or secondary.
Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith also deserve mention for similar reasons. They’re both elite players at an integral position without a ton of proven depth. For the Vikings’ defense to be good in 2022, they’ll need Hunter and Smith on the field and producing. That said, the team may be able to endure losing one of the two if the other is still able to perform at a high level.
My final honorable mentions go to Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw, who are essential to making any of O’Connell’s offensive plans possible. With a shaky interior, it’s hard to imagine a world where the Vikings are winning games after suffering multiple injuries at tackle. That said, similar to my argument with Smith/Hunter, they may be able to stomach a singular loss if need be. Ezra Cleveland could potentially move to tackle, and O’Neill may be able to flip sides in a pinch. Out of all the honorable mentions, the tackles feel most deserving to be in the conversation.
The Jenga Piece: Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson may seem like an odd choice considering the Vikings’ skill-position talent and depth at receiver. And in a way, I suppose I’m betraying my exercise a bit.
A team without Jefferson could still find a way to win a few games. There’s enough talent in different segments on the offense that O’Connell could absolutely scheme something up with the likes of Cook, Thielen, Osborn, and Smith Jr. But to me, Jefferson is irreplaceable for one reason.
The 2022 Vikings have no hope of contention without him.
Even with Jefferson in the lineup, the Vikings may not be viable playoff contenders, but it’s almost impossible to envision otherwise.
Jefferson’s ability to make plays at all levels of the field opens up whole new pages of O’Connell’s playbook. He’s a singular threat so lethal that opposing defenses have to change how they defend this passing attack. Otherwise, the former LSU Tiger will be doing the Griddy in their endzone all afternoon.
And we haven’t even seen him reach his ceiling yet.
O’Connell’s rhythmic, pass-first approach could put Jefferson in a whole new strata. It’s not hyperbolic to project a Cooper Kupp-esque season from the NFL’s best receiver under 25.
Without Jefferson, this tower will fall. It may not crumble instantly. But the second a stiff wind out of Green Bay blows or a stout team on wild card weekend nudges the table, those blocks are crashing down.
Justin Jefferson will be the focal point of this new offense and is the superstar this team will need to rally around to have any level of success in 2022.
