The Vikings’ Top 5 Deepest Positions as the Draft Appears on the Horizon
K. Joudry
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Earlier in the week, there was a consideration of the Vikings’ top 5 roster needs. Fittingly, we’ll cap things off with a consideration of where the talent is abundant.
Basically every team’s front office notes that they opt for the best player available when it’s their turn to pick. And while there’s both merit and truth to that sentiment, a team’s roster exercises considerable influence on who gets scooped up in the NFL Draft. The Vikings are no different. Expect them to approach the draft with a thorough understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses, thereby allowing them to better navigate who should get chosen when they’re on the clock.
The Vikings’ Top 5 Deepest Positions
If there was no knee injury for T.J. Hockenson, the debate would be over. Tight end would be the most loaded position on Minnesota’s roster.
Josh Frey offers up a similar thought in his earlier take on the team’s depth: “Had T.J. Hockenson not suffered a major knee injury back in December, the Vikings’ tight end group would have a very valid claim to the No. 1 spot on this list.”
But while it’s best to be cautious with Hockenson’s recovery, the basic reality still stands: the tight end position has an excellent blend of high-end talent and depth. There’s a good range of ages (Hockenson is 26, Oliver is 27, Mundt is 29, and Muse is 25) and abilities (few have better hands than Hockenson; few are better blocking bullies than Oliver). When healthy, Hockenson is an All-Pro level talent. Standing behind him are rock solid players who deserve to be on an NFL field.
So, let’s leave TE in pole position. Where do the other positions land? Take a look:
- Tight End
- Safety
- Running Back
- Linebacker
- Edge Rusher
Truth be told, the list couldn’t be taken very seriously if the safety position wasn’t coming in at #2. Losing Harrison Smith in March — something that didn’t happen due to a hefty pay cut — would have made things a bit dicey. Seeing The Hitman return means that the Fellowship has Gandalf back to lead on the journey to Mordor (so to speak).
And then one thinks of running back with its recent addition of Aaron Jones. Legitimately, Jones could be one of the steals of free agency. Yes, he’s older and coming off a season with some injuries, but he’s going to be playing alongside Ty Chandler, someone who inspires a lot of optimism among Minnesota’s leaders. And then there’s C.J. Ham to keep clearing lanes, DeWayne McBride as an upside sophomore, Kene Nwangwu as a speed demon, and Myles Gaskin as veteran insurance.
Kicking things over to linebacker offers a similar balance of veteran talent and youthful upside. Blake Cashman is being brought in to replace Jordan Hicks. Doing so will put the pass coverage in a better spot while further freeing Ivan Pace to be his attacking, hard-hitting self. Brian Asamoah has been a bit of an afterthought lately but he’s 24 and a super athlete.
Bringing up the rear is edge rusher, one of the game’s most important positions. As I’ve said about 5,000 times (give or take), GM Joudry’s approach to the purple personnel would involve loading up on edge rushers like my team’s life depended on it. The Vikings don’t push things to that extreme.
Jonathan Greenard — who is being tasked with bringing the “juice” — and Andrew Van Ginkel — who is getting a lot of hype — are the main pair. Jihad Ward is sitting in the EDGE3 spot. Andre Carter II and Patrick Jones II are more youthful upside options, though there’s reasonable skepticism about how high they can soar. If the Vikings somehow land one of this year’s best edge rushers — Dallas Turner, Jared Verse, Laiatu Latu, etc. — then the position could become the engine that makes this defense go.
The NFL Draft is going to take place in less than three weeks. While you wait, consider Josh Frey’s articles covering his thoughts on Minnesota’s main roster weaknesses and strengths.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.