A Summer of Uncertainty Begins for the Vikings
Yesterday, mandatory minicamp officially wrapped up for the Minnesota Vikings, and now, a summer of uncertainty officially begins for the team. Here are some of the remaining question marks for the Vikings as we await training camp’s beginning in late July.
What Happens with Danielle Hunter?
This topic has really intensified in recent days with news breaking that the Vikings are getting interest in Danielle Hunter on the trade market. Then, days later, news broke that the pass rusher would be holding out of mandatory minicamp after he and the Vikings were not able to agree to a new contract extension.
Now, after already having traded away Za’Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns, the Vikings enter the summer leaving fans with little idea as to what will happen with one of the centerpieces of their defensive front. An extension is the hopeful outcome, but Minnesota may be forced to move Hunter if an agreement cannot be made.
How Much Will Justin Jefferson’s Extension Be Worth?
The biggest question of the Vikings offseason remains unanswered: Justin Jefferson’s next contract. How many years will he get? How much will it be worth? Will it reset the wide receiver market?
The positive here is that the lack of a new deal doesn’t seem to have fazed the reigning Offensive Player of the Year much as he appeared at and participated in the Vikings minicamp this week.
Who Starts at Cornerback?
Byron Murphy was signed in free agency this offseason to take over as one of the main cornerbacks in the Vikings defense, but it’s hard to read the room beyond that with the departures of Kris Boyd, Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley, and Chandon Sullivan this offseason.
Behind Murphy, the Vikings have a slew of young, unproven players on the roster, including four players selected by the team in the past two drafts: Mekhi Blackmon, Andrew Booth, Akayleb Evans, and Jay Ward. Obviously, this question will be sorted out once training camp rolls around, and we get extensive looks at each player on the field.
Where Do the Touches Go on Offense?
The Vikings lost four players this offseason that saw touches on offense, but those four put together a large chunk of the production for the team: RB Dalvin Cook, TE Ben Ellefson, TE Irv Smith, and WR Adam Thielen.
Together, these four touched the ball 402 times, and Dalvin Cook was the majority of Minnesota’s rushing attack last season. Now, these 400+ touches will be given to on a very young roster with only C.J. Ham, Johnny Mundt, and Brandon Powell being age-27 or older among RBs, TEs, and WRs on the Vikings roster.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.