The Minnesota Vikings report to training camp this weekend without the blind optimism that accompanied the honeymoon phase of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell‘s new era. Coming off a 13-win debut season, this team still warrants expectations — even with the cluster of question marks hanging over the defensive side of the ball (which has suddenly turned into an annual occurrence over the past few years). While upgrading with Brian Flores over Ed Donatell at defensive coordinator should yield immediate results, it wouldn’t hurt if the front office used some of that $18 million in cap space to acquire another piece for Minnesota’s new defensive play-caller.
The biggest elephant in the room remains the status of three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter. The Vikings’ sack leader from last season is still holding out for a new contract. The former LSU Tiger is currently set to make $5.5 million in the final year of his contract, despite carrying a $13.1 million cap hit on Minnesota’s books.
Do the Vikings offer an extension to arguably the shiniest gold star of the Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer era? Or do they forge ahead with their Better To Be a Year Early Than a Year Late competitive rebuild plan by trading away their best defensive player heading into 2023? The standoff between both sides will be one of the loudest recurring storylines throughout the early part of training camp.
Regardless of what the future holds for the soon-to-be 29-year-old Hunter, the Vikings could stand to benefit from adding another proven pass rusher via free agency. And although edge rushers like Jadeveon Clowney and Melvin Ingram are viable options, Yannick Ngakoue is exactly the kind of 11th-hour addition who could bring stability and much-needed depth to Minnesota’s defensive line.
Year after year, Ngakoue gets the job done with his consistent pressure rates and production when getting after quarterbacks. Below are Ngakoue’s career numbers:
- 2016
- 47 pressures
- 10.0% pressure rate
- 8.0 sacks
- 2017
- 82 pressures
- 14.0% pressure rate
- 12.0 sacks
- 2018
- 64 pressures
- 12.9% pressure rate
- 9.5 sacks
- 2019
- 51 pressures
- 10.5% pressure rate
- 8.0 sacks
- 2020
- 44 pressures
- 9.3% pressure rate
- 8.0 sacks
- 2021
- 63 pressures
- 10.8% pressure rate
- 10.0 sacks
- 2022
- 44 pressures
- 10.1% pressure rate
- 9.5 sacks
While the idea of Marcus Davenport opposite of Hunter is intriguing with his encouraging pressure rates — despite recording just 1.5 and 0.5 sacks in two out of the past three seasons — he’s still spent most of his career as a rotational player. Even though Davenport played in a career-best 15 games last season with the New Orleans Saints, he was on the field for just 50% of his team’s defensive snaps. For context, Vikings backup edge rusher D.J. Wonnum played 52% of Minnesota’s defensive snaps last season across 16 games.
With just an 8.0% pressure rate throughout this three-year career, are the Vikings really content with Wonnum as their top backup edge? Considering Davenport’s limitations as a player with 53% or fewer snaps in three out of his five seasons in the NFL, Minnesota’s defensive line is begging for a proven commodity like Ngakoue, especially after trading away 2022 Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith.
If the Vikings can get Hunter in the fold for 2023, Ngakoue’s ability to consistently play 73%-plus of his team’s defensive snaps as the starting edge rusher would allow Flores the flexibility to kick Davenport inside on obvious passing situations, similar to what the Vikings did with Za’Darius Smith last season. But instead of Wonnum as the edge opposite Hunter when Davenport gets kicked inside, the Vikings would experience a substantial upgrade with Ngakoue. And in non-obvious passing situations, Flores could keep Hunter and Ngakoue fresh over the course of a game and 18-week regular season by rotating them with Davenport and Wonnum.
The reigning NFC North champions are hanging on by a thread with their defensive line amidst this contractual standoff with Hunter. If the Vikings and Hunter can’t come to an agreement, a starting edge rusher tandem of Davenport and Wonnum would provide little to no confidence as a tandem that could string together enough wins as a pass-rushing duo for a team that wants to be taken seriously in 2023. Especially when you consider that both Davenport and Wonnum have yet to prove that they can be relied upon as near-every-down edges rushers.
Signing Ngakoue checks both boxes for the Vikings. If Minnesota decides to prioritize winning in the short-term and gets Hunter back for 2023, then pairing him with a proven dude like Ngakoue would provide this team with one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFC. And if Hunter isn’t back this season, Ngakoue would give this defensive front some desperately needed stability as its anchor.
As currently constructed, the Vikings are asking Brian Flores to overcome talent deficiencies at all three levels of his defense. And although Flores has proven capable of such a task with his successful blitz rates, it’s a heck of a lot easier to do so when you have reliable pass rushers like Ngakoue pinning their ears back for you.
