Vikings Corner Named “Secret Superstar”
K. Joudry
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The Vikings will need several players to step up if they’re going to make it into the postseason. Getting some improvement from Cameron Dantzler would certainly help, as a recent PFF article suggests.
The piece looks to one player per team to highlight how they’re overlooked despite being very good at football, describing them as “secret superstars.” The Minnesota Vikings see their third-year corner as the team’s representative:
Perennially in Mike Zimmer’s doghouse, Dantzler has been the best-performing Vikings cornerback in recent seasons and, given his youth, the one that would seem to have the most potential going forward. Since entering the league, Dantzler has allowed an 82.5 passer rating into his coverage and surrendered 10.6 yards per catch, with each number improving in Year 2. He has been flagged for only one penalty and has eight pass breakups to go along with three picks across 771 coverage snaps.
Throughout the offseason, there has been a fair amount of Cameron Dantzler enthusiasm. A large part of that optimism stems from his positive grades on PFF. Just watching the games, though, would leave one with a positive impression. He commonly challenges receivers when they’re trying to make a catch and he’s an excellent tackler.
Patrick Peterson, in all likelihood, will play at a CB2 level. In other words, he’ll be a strong starter but is unlikely to be a true shutdown option. At this stage, it seems that Dantzler has the highest ceiling. One thing that will help the entire corner group is the presence of Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, and Lewis Cine. The safeties will certainly make life easier for the other players in the secondary. An improved pass rush, moreover, will similarly make life less difficult for the corners.
Ideally, the Vikings defense will have a major bounce back in 2022. These past two seasons were far short of where the performance needs to be to compete for a Super Bowl. Many are expecting a step forward for the offense, largely due to the abundance of skill and the new offensive head coach. We ought not overlook Ed Donatell, though. The veteran coach worked with an impressive Denver defense last season. His scheme ought to allow the corners to play fast.
Seeing Dantzler become a superstar would be a welcome development for the team and its fans alike.
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