Vikings Territory: The Vikings Next Big Roster Battle Is Here

Press release from Vikings Territory:

Dustin Baker Dustin Baker

2021-08-17

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman completely reconditioned the team’s defense this offseason, notably adding names like Patrick Peterson, Dalvin Tomlinson, Sheldon Richardson, and Bashaud Breeland. In 2020, head coach Mike Zimmer’s squad embarked on an uncharacteristic nosedive that ended with the Vikings ranking fourth-worst in the NFL per points allowed. Zimmer is loudly a defense-first coach, so the departure from the norm was rather outlandish.

Of all areas on the defensive depth chart, most seem set for the who’s-who pecking order. The cornerbacks might fluctuate from CB2 and CB3, but Patrick Peterson, Bashaud Breeland, Cameron Dantzler, and Mackensie Alexander will get ample snaps.

Heading into training camp, the job was up for grabs between Stephen Weatherly, D.J. Wonnum, and rookie Patrick Jones. Here’s the full slate of DE power per the Vikings first unofficial depth chart:

RDE1: Stephen Weatherly
RDE2: D.J. Wonnum
RDE3: Kenny Willekes
RDE4: Patrick Jones II

August 16, 2021

And if Patterson is naming it a two-horse race, then consider that gospel.

Weatherly is the “safe” option. His one-year vacation down to the Carolina Panthers was underwhelming – he wanted to be the guy down there. It didn’t work out. However, in Zimmer’s system, Weatherly is pretty effective. During the ill-fated 2018 season, Weatherly filled in for Everson Griffen, playing 50% off all defensive snaps that year. All in all, Weatherly has registered six sacks in 58 career games, never grabbing more than three sacks in a single season.

The safest prognostication is probably Weatherly. The team knows him, and he can perhaps wreak some havoc with Danielle Hunter back causing problems for quarterbacks. Hunter frees up a lot of pass-rushing space for others.

And that’s all if they don’t orchestrate another Yannick Ngakoue-like trade for somebody like Chandler Jones, who is allegedly unhappy in Arizona.

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