Vikings Have a Secret Roster Strength
The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a 7-10 season in which the quarterback carousel played a large role in the team’s downfall. Kirk Cousins got hurt at 4-4, and none of the backup trio was efficient enough to guide the franchise to a second straight playoff appearance. Another problem was that they didn’t get any help from the subpar running game.
Vikings Have a Secret Roster Strength
On the other side of the ball, newly hired defensive coordinator Brian Flores fixed some issues, but others remained unsolved. He didn’t have enough talent to coordinate an even better group, although there were some improvements compared to 2022.
Once again, the Vikings have made some big personnel changes in the 2024 offseason, especially the departure of key players Danielle Hunter and Jordan Hicks could hurt the defense. The latter, however, has been replaced nicely if you’d ask Pro Football Focus. In the newest linebacker rankings, the Vikings landed on the tenth spot leaguewide.
Undrafted free agent Ivan Pace Jr. was one of the best stories of the 2023 season after winning a starting role in the Vikings’ defense and earning a 77.7 PFF coverage grade. They are pairing him with Blake Cashman this season, with the former fifth-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft coming off a career year in 2023 (82.1 PFF grade).
Gordon McGuinness
Nobody would call the linebackers a team strength, but perhaps they should. The Vikings will field a starting duo of Ivan Pace and Blake Cashman in the upcoming season, one change to last year’s duo Hicks and Pace. Eric Kendricks and Hicks formed the tandem in 2022.
Pace famously went undrafted, stole the hearts of Vikings fans, and took the league by storm. The rookie flashed some upside in the preseason and quickly usurped expected starter Brian Asamoah in training camp, but there were still some doubts that he would really have a full-time job rather than just be a pass-rush specialist.
He answered the size questions on the field, and it turned out that it wasn’t an issue for the most part. The former Cincinnati Bearcat excelled in coverage, run defense, and, most notably, his specialty as a pass-rusher from the second level. Flores unleashed the rookie, and he was a perfect fit for the blitz-heavy scheme. In his rookie season, Pace logged over 700 snaps on defense.
Cashman will be his co-pilot in the upcoming season. The former Jets’ fifth-rounder struggled badly with injuries in his first three seasons, but a change of scenery helped him explode in 2023. with the Houston Texans. He logged career highs in every category and became a full-time starter.
Minnesota hired a versatile defender with athleticism and the size of a three-down linebacker. He signed a three-year deal worth $22.5 million, showing that he is planned to be a starter in Minnesota. The acquisition has flown under the radar but deserves more buzz.
Hicks’ exit didn’t just open the linebacker spot but also the green dot duties. He was the player with the speaker in his helmet, receiving the play calls from Flores. That responsibility will fall to Cashman or Pace in the upcoming season. The latter took over that job during Hicks’ four-game absence and did a marvelous job. At least the coaches praised him for it.
Behind the two presumed starters, the Vikings employ 2022 third-rounder Brian Asamoah, free-agent addition Kamu Grugier-Hill, and the three undrafted players: Abraham Beauplan, Dallas Gant, and K.J. Cloyd.
The defense has some holes, especially at cornerback and the defensive line, but the linebacker duo might be underrated.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Vikings’ Tight End Can Be Considered the Winner of Spring
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt