PurplePTSD: A Single Vikings Player Makes The All-Collinsworth Team

Press release from the PurplePTSD:

K. Joudry

2022-02-14

Cris Collinsworth has both his fans and his critics. Be that as it may, he’s an interesting NFL commentator. If I’m understanding correctly, he’s the man in charge over at Pro Football Focus. His recent All-Collinsworth Team article included one lonely Vikings player.

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, the lonely Viking is sophomore phenom Justin Jefferson: “Jefferson finished third in WAR among wide receivers this year (0.60), generating 75 first downs on 109 catches for the Vikings.” It’s a brief snippet, one that’s used to justify his inclusion on this imaginary team. What it does illustrate, though, is how incredibly important Jefferson already is for the Vikings.

One could argue that the All-Collinsworth team underscores a crucial truth about Minnesota’s roster: currently, there is only one elite player. That’s a problem, folks. The Rams won the Super Bowl, and it’s probably safe to say they have at least three elite players. Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, and Jalen Ramsey are all in this category. One could argue that Andrew Whitworth and Von Miller ought to be tossed in there, as well.

For the Vikings to take a step, they’ll need players already on the roster to become elite. A fully healthy Danielle Hunter could do it, and so could either Eric Kendricks or Harrison Smith. On offense, it’s possible that Brian O’Neill continues his ascent. One should also be hoping for a fully healthy Adam Thielen (assuming he isn’t cut).

Only one other player gets some recognition in the All-Collinsworth team. Rookie returner Kene Nwangwu gets included as an honorable mention: “After starting the year on injured reserve, Nwangu scored touchdowns on two long kickoff returns this year for the Vikings and led the league with a 32.2-yard return average.”

Again, there is an important truth here. The Vikings were hoping for much more from their rookies. What they got was more than their fair share of injury troubles and underwhelming performances. Nwangwu performed really well when given the chance, though he had to begin by overcoming a tough injury. Hopefully he’ll be fully healthy for the full 2022 season.

Moving forward, the Vikings will need to hope for continued excellence from Jefferson and then some internal growth from their current players. If that occurs, the team has a shot to get back into relevance.

This press release was produced by the PurplePTSD. The views expressed here are the author’s own.