Finding Internal Improvement on The Vikings Roster
Generally speaking, the offseason is about improving through talent acquisition. Free agency and the draft and the two primary methods, though trades do get sprinkled in. An overlooked, though still crucial, way teams can also improve is by getting more from talent already on the team. Do the Vikings have players on their roster who will do a better job in 2022?
Last season, K.J. Osborn performed better than the vast majority of Vikings fans believed he would. He followed a 0 catch, 0 yard rookie season with 50 catches, 655 yards, and 7 touchdowns. That’s not too bad, folks. Keep in mind that he put up those stats within an offense that features at least three weapons who get more attention than him: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook.
A new coaching staff certainly offers some hope. Perhaps Kirk Cousins finally takes that next step, and the offensive line may benefit from a new offensive mind. One also thinks of the various defensive depth options who could show positive growth under Ed Donatell. If, say, Patrick Jones II turns into an impact EDGE, how significant would that be? All of the sudden, the Vikings have three legit edge rushers on their roster. They could confidently rotate their top two.
Cameron Dantzler is perhaps the main name to keep in mind. It’s easy to forget that he received plenty of recognition for his strong play during his rookie season, earning All-Rookie Team honors. His ability to not only stay in the starting lineup but also thrive is massively important. The team desperately needs a CB1; filling that need with someone who is already on the team would be a huge win.
Keep an eye on how things shake out on the Vikings roster in the coming months. Workouts begin soon, so we’ll begin to get a glimpse of the new coaching staff working with their players. Having a handful take large steps forward would really help Minnesota’s effort to compete in 2022.
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