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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/Gallade3 on 2024-02-27 14:39:02.
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Division: NFC North
Record: 7-10
Playoffs: Hey, at least the Twins finally broke their streak!
Warning: there are a lot of words in this write-up. For those who prefer a more succinct analysis, important sections have been translated into “TL;DR” pieces made up of just a few sentences. Hit “ctr+F” and type in “TL;DR” to find them. Also, in the positional analysis section, names are in italics if you want to search for a specific player.
Key Departures:
A full list of departures can be found here under “signed elsewhere.”
WR - Adam Thielen
A time ago, Adam Thielen made the rare jump from “beloved local hero” to “legitimately dominant NFL force.” The peak of his powers came in 2017 and 2018 when Case Keenum and Kirk Cousins realized his speed wasn’t just a sideshow; the Detroit Lakes native could stretch the defense and open up lanes for Stefon Diggs and company. Back-to-back 1200+ yard seasons earned him a pair of Pro Bowl appearances and a second-team All-Pro selection—unheard-of accolades for a once undrafted special teams hero.
But those years were gone. Thielen lost steps. He suddenly became an elite red zone force in 2020 and 2021, hauling in 24 combined touchdowns, but his yards dropped, and the team no longer believed the 33-year-old could compliment their regal superstar with adequate production. The Vikings released Thielen on March 10th. He eventually signed with the Panthers.
LB - Eric Kendricks
Before Fred Warner established himself as the unrivaled inside-linebacking force in the league, Eric Kendricks was one of the many who staked claim to being the best in the business. His deft senses and quickness anchored the heart of some of Mike Zimmer’s classic defenses, providing needed support to the D-Line and secondary as the kind of fast-twitch linebacker who could do whatever Zimmer asked. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2019.
However—like Thielen—that was some time ago. Kendricks’ intelligence was clearly intact, but his athleticism continued to decline, and the Vikings released their second-round pick from 2015 before the season began. He signed with the Chargers.
EDGE - Za’Darius Smith
You’d be forgiven if you forgot about Za’Darius Smith’s one-year stint with Minnesota. The edge rusher shifted over one state when the team inked him to a pillow contract before the season. An odd falling out and a disappearance in production at the end of the year spurned Smith enough to demand out after just one year in purple (Minnesot’s purple, that is.) He went to yet another North team: the Browns.
RB - Dalvin Cook
Here’s the big one. Dalvin Cook was once a running back leviathan; his grace and surprising power made him one of the NFL’s top backfield options. His first 1000-yard season came in 2019, and it kicked off a string of four-straight Pro Bowl seasons leading up to his departure from Minnesota. He was good in 2022, but his movement dropped ever so slightly, and—knowing that all running backs must turn 27 eventually—the team released Cook after finding his trade market barren.
Cook signed with the Jets and proved the Vikings absolutely correct in their assessment; he ran the ball just 67 times all year and churned out 214 yards for a ghastly 3.2 yards per carry. His NFL career is likely over.
DC - Ed Donatell
“Key” as in notable, not necessarily painful. Ed Donatell went one-and-done as Vikings DC: his maligned “shell” defense couldn’t contain a team of sloths, and his unit finished 28th in points allowed per game. The worst of it came during Minnesota’s Wild Card matchup against the Giants, where his unit made Playoff Daniel Jones look like Regular Season Lamar Jackson; Jones threw for 301 yards and scampered for 78 more. That performance likely ended his tenure in Minnesota, and the longtime defensive coach sat jobless during the 2023 season.
CB - Patrick Peterson
The once Cardinal corner artist rebounded from the washed allegations to put together a legitimately great season. He looked a decade younger, snagging five picks while earning his best PFF grade since 2018. That excellent year gave Minnesota a conundrum: do they pay for the rebound or skeptically view the 32-year-old’s year as a fluke? They chose the latter, and Peterson signed with the Steelers.
Key Departures TL;DR
The Vikings let long-term veterans like Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Cook, and Adam Thielen leave the team in the hopes that shedding age would make the team more dynamic and athletic. DC Ed Donatell also exited following one poor season calling defensive plays.
Key Additions:
A full list of additions can be found here under “agreed to terms.”
TE - Josh Oliver
Minnesota certainly made a strong bid for the WHO? signing of the season when they inked Josh Oliver to a three-year deal. You can’t blame people for raising their eyebrows: blocking tight ends don’t crack headlines.
EDGE - Marcus Davenport
Marcus Davenport joined Minnesota on a pillow contract to help him rewrite his label as a talented yet often-injured pass-rusher. The production was there; the Vikings were betting on the injury bug staying away for the first time in his career.
CB - Byron Murphy Jr.
Ever since Xavier Rhodes and old man Terence Newman ran one of the tightest secondary groups in the league, the Vikings have tried desperately to find their next lockdown star. Murphy wasn’t quite that, but he proved to be occasionally great and often competent with Arizona—a potentially relieving sight after fans watched Mike Hughes, Cameron Dantzler, and Jeff Gladney all fail to establish themselves at the pro level.
DC - Brian Flores
The Brian Flores hiring was a home run before any games were played. Perhaps that’s a sign of overanxious fans looking to latch onto anyone following the disastrous defense in 2022, but Flores brought real, unique defensive chops to the team. Would the man who favors amorphous blitz packages and relentless pressure take Minnesota’s unit into freshly-hired Mike Zimmer territory? We shall see.
Key Additions TL;DR
The Vikings opted for a tepid free agency. Players like Josh Oliver, Byron Murphy Jr., and Marcus Davenport either filled in a specific niche or were buy-low guys the team hoped could perform given a different situation. Brian Flores was the big move; his defensive mindset appeared to be the antidote to Ed Donatell’s venomous “let the offense do whatever they want” philosophy.
The Draft:
Round 1, Pick 23 - WR Jordan Addison, USC
Thielen’s departure created a chasm at WR, with the Vikings needing to add talent to complement Justin Jefferson. A run of WRs opened the door for them to take USC’s Jordan Addison with the 23rd overall pick. Addison didn’t possess the overwhelming physical dominance of a Quinten Johnston, taken two spots ahead of him; rather, he used tremendous body control and elegant route-running to make his bread. In broad strokes, his profile sounded a hell of a lot like Jefferson’s. Would he be able to translate like his LSU counterpart?
Round 3, Pick 102 - CB Mekhi Blackmon, USC
Minnesota dealt their second-round pick in the deal that netted them T.J. Hockenson, making pick 102 their next selection. They went back to the USC well with Mekhi Blackmon, an “aggressive man-corner whose physical play brings both passes defensed and penalties.” In a secondary lacking dominant corner talent, Blackmon seemed like a solid bet to quickly earn playing time.
Round 4, Pick 134 - S Jay Ward, LSU
With Harrison Smith continuing to age and Cam Bynum coming off an inconsistent year, Minnesota looked to LSU to provide some talent. Enter Jay Ward: the 6’1” DB could cover safety and nickel corner, providing quality run support and so-so coverage skills along with immense leadership.
Round 5, Pick 141 - DT Jaquelin Roy, LSU
The first two picks were USC guys; the next two were LSU. Jaquelin Roy was a former top-100 recruit coming out of high school. He wasn’t the best athlete on the field, but his production and stamina were unusual for a player at his position. And one of his NFL comps was Dalvin Tomlinson—a player the Vikings just had at their defensive tackle position in 2022.
Round 5, Pick - QB Jaren Hall, BYU
After whiffing hard on a QB with Kellen Mond, Minnesota tried once more to find a guy who could potentially supplement Kirk Cousins’ job in the future. Jaren Hall’s precision and touch made him intriguing to the Vikings, who haven’t shown much of a care for QBs with outstanding size or arm strength.
Round 7, Pick 222 - RB DeWayne McBride, UAB
That’s the University of Alabama at Birmingham—the alma mater of Roddy White and the legendary Joe Webb—if you were confused. Minnesota took a flyer on the explosive DeWayne McBridge, figuring he was as good a bet as any to become the next late-roun…
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