A Guess At the Minnesota Vikings Starters

The 2021 NFL Draft added 11 new players to the Minnesota Vikings roster. If things go as planned/hoped, two of those rookies will be immediate starters on the offensive line. A few more of those rookies might work their way into early starting roles. Other than the two rookie starters on the line and no Kyle Rudolph, the offense will look a lot like it did last season. That should be good thing. The defense will look nothing like the injury-decimated defense that was on the field most of last season. That’s a very good thing. Here’s an early guess at the Minnesota Vikings starters. 

Offense

WR	Justin Jefferson
LT	Christian Darrisaw
LG	Ezra Cleveland
C	Garrett Bradbury
RG	Wyatt Davis
RT	Brian O’Neill
TE	Irv Smith Jr.
WR	Adam Thielen
QB	Kirk Cousins
RB	Dalvin Cook
FB	C.J. Ham

First-round pick Christian Darrisaw and third-round pick Wyatt Davis should be immediate starters. In his first rookie practice, Davis took right guard reps. Until I hear otherwise, right guard is where he’ll be. It’s amazing what a couple of high-end draft picks can do to an offensive line and an offense. Now the line’s talent on paper has to translate to play on the field.

Defense

LE	Danielle Hunter
DT	Dalvin Tomlinson
NT	Michael Pierce
RE	D.J. Wonnum
LB	Anthony Barr
LB	Erick Kendricks
LB	Chazz Surratt
CB	Cam Dantzler
CB	Patrick Peterson
S	Harrison Smith
S	Xavier Woods
NB	Mackensie Alexander

Right end and the third linebacker are the defense’s most contested positions. There will be significant competition for the opportunity to start opposite Danielle Hunter. D.J. Wonnum started a couple games last season as a rookie. Stephen Weatherly is the veteran in the competition. He returns to Minnesota after a season in Carolina. Patrick Jones II and Janarius Robinson were third- and fourth-round picks in the draft. While I have Wonnum penciled in as the starter here I’m actually thinking one of the rookies emerges as the starter. Perhaps it’s a recency thing. As for linebackers, the third linebacker is a starter in name only. The Vikings have only two linebackers on the field for about 2/3 of the defensive snaps. Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr are those two linebackers. The competition for those third linebacker snaps might come down to free agent addition Nick Vigil, second-year Troy Dye, and third-round pick Chazz Surratt. Again, it might be a recency thing but I’m leaning Surratt. I really think that the rookie is going to make it difficult to keep him off the field. Perhaps it’s a Cal thing but I have high early hopes for Camryn Bynum. I’d imagine that the team’s decision-makers see him as an eventual starter. He has a lot to like. Starting with smarts, instincts, and work ethic. The only thing that he doesn’t have is time at safety. Again, perhaps it’s a Cal thing but I think that he could emerge as a starter as early as his rookie season. That’s less a knock on Xavier Woods as it’s faith in the ability of Bynum.