Questions Answered: New Starters, New Numbers, Will Patience Be a Virtue?
Dustin Baker
|
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the September 4th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1087684″ player=”26281″ title=”All%20about%20the%20Vikings%202022%20Roster%20Cuts” duration=”1711″ description=”Dustin Baker and Josh Frey present the Vikings 2022 Roster Cuts show.” uploaddate=”2022-08-31″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/19439/snapshot/1087684_th_1661967515.jpg” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/19439/sd/1087684.mp4″ width=”16″ height=”9″]
Q: How many new starters will the Vikings have in 2022?
A: The 2022 Vikings will have eight new starters unless they zig and zag plans this week:
- Irv Smith (TE)
- Ed Ingram (RG)
- Harrison Phillips (NT)
- Jonathan Bullard or Ross Blacklock (DE)
- Za’Darius Smith (EDGE)
- Danielle Hunter (EDGE)
- Jordan Hicks (LB)
- Camryn Bynum (S)
Of course, the Hunter mention is interpretive because he certainly isn’t new, in general. But he did miss the months of November, December, and January last season. His presence makes the defense feel “new” or at least rejuvenated.
Q: After the Vikings added the new players via trade last week, what are everyone’s new numbers?
A: Great question. Let’s run down the newbies’ numbers:
- Ross Blacklock (DT) = No. 96
- Tay Gowan (CB) = No. 31
- Jalen Reagor (WR) = No. 5
- Travis Toivonen (WR) = No. 87
- Jaylen Twyman (DL) = No. 51
- Ryan Wright (P) = No. 14
Twyman isn’t new-new, but he did switch his number this week. David Blough should have a number next week.
Q: Do you think fans will have patience with Kevin O’Connell if the Vikings start 0-2 or so?
A: No. Absolutely not.
Levelheaded people will have patience, but, no, not on the whole. Sports are win-now entities in today’s age of mass and digital media. Fans will grimace and bellyache if the Vikings start 0-2. You can take that to the bank.
The good news? You don’t have to be one of those people. It isn’t mandatory to bemoan the Vikings. Indeed, there’s always a chance it takes O’Connell a few games — perhaps a full season — to find his footing. Thankfully for his sake, the former head coach isn’t revered in Vikings lore at the moment. Very few fans will bang the “should have kept Zimmer” drum.
Maybe the Vikings can simply beat the Packers next weekend, and this can all be moot.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
Purple PTSD: Armon Watts Ends Up with a Division Rival