While the potential quarterback competition between veteran Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy is intriguing, I’m skipping it here. Quarterbacks already get so much of the attention. They don’t need any more of it for this little exercise.
Intriguing Minnesota Vikings Position Groups
Receivers
Justin Jefferson
Jordan Addison
Brandon Powell
Jalen Nailor
Trent Sherfield
N’Keal Harry
Trishton Jackson
Lucky Jackson
Thayer Thomas
Malik Knowles
Jershaun Jones
Ty James
Devron Harper
I’m always drawn to the receivers. The Vikings group is topped with excellence. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison could emerge as the best pass-catching duo in the league. After them, there’s a lot of questions. If he can stay healthy, unlike last year, I believe that Jalen Nailor can step up as an impactful #3. Brandon Powell is probably penciled into that role right now. He made some key plays in key moments last year. Trent Sherfield was an interesting offseason addition. He’s bounced around a bit in his six years in the league. He’s a physical receiver, an accomplished blocker, and makes an impact on special teams. When given the opportunity, he’s contributed as a receiver. Sherfield might be the receiver that intrigues me the most. I’m curious to see what Kevin O’Connell and the offensive coaches have planned for him. The only sure thing with the Vikings receivers is two players at the top. I can easily see Powell, Nailor, and Sherfield rounding out the receiver group. I can almost as easily see someone like Trishton Jackson or undrafted free agent Jershaun Jones surprising and making the final 53.
Outside Linebackers
Jonathan Greenard
Andrew Van Ginkel
Dallas Turner
Patrick Jones II
Andre Carter II
Jihad Ward
Gabriel Murphy
Bo Richter
Owen Porter
No Vikings position group changed more from last year to this year than the outside linebackers. Only Patrick Jones II and Andre Carter II return. It’s difficult and somewhat painful to imagine a Vikings defense that doesn’t include Danielle Hunter. I miss him already. D.J. Wonnum also departed. So did Marcus Davenport. He won’t be missed as he did pretty much nothing in his single year in Minnesota. While I’ll miss Hunter, I do really like the overhaul of the outside linebackers. Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner are outstanding additions. I can not wait to see what Brian Flores has planned for the defense, in general, and the outside linebackers, in particular. The positional versatility of Van Ginkel and Turner are especially intriguing. While Patrick Jones II probably has the edge for one of the remaining roster spots due to his experience, I think the competition is pretty wide open after Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Turner. I could easily see the team going with the youthful, and intriguing, potential of Carter and Gabriel Murphy.
Cornerbacks
Byron Murphy Jr.
Mekhi Blackmon
Shaq Griffin
Akayleb Evans
Andrew Booth Jr.
Najee Thompson
Khyree Jackson
A.J. Green III
Jaylin Williams
Dwight McGlothern
The cornerback position wasn’t overhauled quite like the outside linebackers. There’s still a lot of change going on with this position. OTAs have presented Byron Murphy Jr. and free agent addition Shaq Griffin as the starters on the outside in the base defense. Murphy moves inside with Griffin and Akayleb on the outside in nickel. I have doubts that’s how it shakes out when the games count. I get that Griffin was brought in for a reason. I just have a feeling that the Vikings top three corners will be Murphy, Mekhi Blackmon, and Khyree Jackson. I expect to see six corners on the final 53. Right now, I think those six will be
Byron Murphy Jr.
Mekhi Blackmon
Khyree Jackson
Shaq Griffin
Akayleb Evans
Najee Thompson
I could even see a scenario in which undrafted Dwight McGlothern emerges and takes the spot of Griffin or Evans. The unfortunate thing is that 2022 second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. might be fighting for his roster life.
Defensive Linemen
Harrison Phillips
Jaquelin Roy
Jonathan Bullard
James Lynch
Jerry Tillery
Jonah Williams
Levi Drake Rodriguez
Taki Taimani
Tyler Manoa
This group is probably best described as “workman-like.” Harrison Phillips is probably the only player of the group that can be considered established. He probably doesn’t keep opposing coaches up at night scheming ways to slow him. Jonathan Bullard was a solid contributor last year. He likely continues as such this year. Free agent addition Jerry Tillery was a one-time first round pick. That was several years and two teams ago. If he plays to the talent that got him selected in the first round, he might be the steal of the offseason. His best year in the league was last year so maybe he’s on the upswing. At 6’6” and about 300lbs, he looks the part of an impactful defensive lineman. Personally, it’s Jaquelin Roy and seventh-round pick Levi Drake Rodriguez that make defensive line an intriguing position group. The Vikings really need, at least, a couple players to take a huge step forward. Several huge steps forward. I like Roy and Rodriguez to be those players. Roy has the talent to be an impact player. He showed some flashes of that last season. Hopefully, it can be more than flashes this season. Rodriguez is one of those underrated, high energy players that are so easy to like. Like John Randle before him, I want to see this small-school Texas football player become a Tasmanian Devil-like blur on the defensive line.
It’s obvious that I find the Vikings defense intriguing. I could’ve included safety and inside linebacker on this little list as well. Safety goes five-deep with starter-level quality. The biggest question about inside linebacker is the number of snaps in which both Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman are on the field together. The Vikings offense is easy. Other than quarterback and receiver depth, that side of the ball is pretty straightforward.
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