It was the summer of 2021 and the Minnesota Vikings had just finished their final preseason game. Irv Smith Jr. had just suffered what would become a season-ending injury, and Mike Zimmer took the podium to address reporters.
There was a sense of optimism that the Vikings weren’t the 1-5 team that began the previous year. However, they had one glaring weakness as they looked to forge their way back into contention.
“I’ve been very cautious about playing some of our guys due to injuries,” Zimmer said. “If the wrong guys get hurt, we’re going to struggle in a lot of ways.”
The following season was filled with injuries as the Vikings limped to a 7-9 record. Zimmer would stay in Minnesota for one more season, but the Vikings fired him after the 2022 season to make way for Kevin O’Connell.
Two years after Zimmer gritted through his teeth at that press conference, O’Connell is preparing for his second season as head coach. While he’s not on the hot seat after winning 13 games in his first season, the issues that plagued the end of Zimmer’s tenure remain. The Vikings continue to be a house of cards on the verge of a collapse.
You may believe I’m jumping to a conclusion because the Vikings completed another winless preseason. But the NFL has gone full “IDGAF” about the annual three-game slate. Coaches allow coordinators to run the team, sit their starters in favor of joint practices, and force fans to pay full price to watch fourth-stringers battle it out for a spot on the practice squad.
But the annual exhibition games can tell us something about the back end of the roster, and it signals the Vikings could be in trouble if the wrong players get hurt.
The most glaring example is at quarterback. Kirk Cousins has been the model of consistency, battling through a rib injury to lead the Vikings to eight fourth-quarter comebacks a year ago. But even with his flaws, Minnesota could be on a sinking ship if one big hit knocks more than a few life rocks out of his system.
The Vikings have hitched their wagons to Nick Mullens as the backup. He’s most notable for suggesting that Cousins listens to play calls in his car to learn O’Connell’s complicated offense. With a simple act, Mullens has become the new Sean Mannion. He’s a quarterback who is more of an assistant coach for Cousins as opposed to a quarterback who can win a game.
That isn’t to suggest that Mullens is as ineffective as Mannion, who has played in just 14 games since being drafted in 2015. However, it shows the drop-off from starter to backup. Even if Jaren Hall makes a big leap behind the scenes, his ceiling seems to be the next to seize the Mannion role.
It’s possible this could be the thoughts of a typical Vikings fan – fearing the worst-case scenario at every outcome. But having Cousins suffer one big blow is a reality considering their concerns along the offensive line.
The Vikings will return their starting five offensive linemen for the first time since 2012, but even that comes with uncertainties. While Christian Darrisaw appears ready to ascend to one of the NFL’s elite tackles, their other cornerstone Brian O’Neill is working his way back from an Achilles’ injury.
Although O’Neill is expected to be ready for the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there’s still the possibility of a midseason setback. After trading Vederian Lowe to the New England Patriots, the Vikings seem to be relying on Oli Udoh, who allowed four pressures and two sacks on 64 pass-blocking snaps.
Things are even worse when you look at the interior of the offensive line. Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury, and Ed Ingram are back for the second straight year. However, that still doesn’t eliminate the need for Pepto Bismol every time Cousins takes a shot in the ribs.
They’re bringing back Ingram, who ranked first in the NFL in pressures allowed last season, and Cleveland – who ranked third in pressures allowed. That only provides comfort in name, and the Vikings arguably have nobody behind them.
Blake Brandel is making the transition from tackle to guard. Alan Ali allowed eight pressures on 109 pass-blocking snaps this preseason. Austin Schlottmann is a serviceable center, and Chris Reed missed all of training camp after the Vikings placed him on the non-football injury list.
With a cavalcade of concerns, it could have a residual effect on the offense, which could suffer its own series of setbacks.
The Vikings got rid of Dalvin Cook in to get younger, cheaper, and more efficient in the backfield. However, nobody seems established outside of Alexander Mattison. Ty Chandler flashed in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, but the Tennessee Titans bottled him up the following week. Kene Nwangwu also missed training camp due to an undisclosed injury, and DeWayne McBride looks more like a practice squad candidate than the rookie contributor.
We haven’t even discussed the defense, who could have their own house of cards moment with an injury to a key player. Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport have lengthy injury histories, and the Vikings could turn to Patrick Jones II, D.J. Wonnum or even UDFA Andre Carter if either of them get hurt.
Byron Murphy missed half of last season with an injury while Akayleb Evans is coming off a year where he had three concussions. Mekhi Blackmon suffered a shoulder injury, and the severity is unknown. And Joejuan Williams didn’t play at all in 2022 due to injury.
Any injury to a key defender could make a defense that was bad last year even worse – even if Brian Flores is a success in his first year as defensive coordinator. It could put more strain on an offense that could find itself shorthanded, and we haven’t even discussed the ongoing contract drama involving T.J. Hockenson and Justin Jefferson.
This makes the Vikings’ depth situation similar to what it was a year ago. If the right people stay healthy, they’ll have a chance to make a run. If the wrong people get hurt, it could lead to a long season in Minnesota.
