Don’t Be Too Discouraged With The Cameron Dantzler News

Cameron Dantzler
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler (27) is shown during a timeout during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Vikings fans, by and large, had high hopes for Cameron Dantzler coming into the 2021 season. He performed admirably as a rookie third-rounder, especially given that he had to overcome both injury and pandemic. It looked like he could be a long-term CB1 in Minnesota.

Unfortunately, the offseason has currently put those plans on hold.

At Purple PTSD, we’ve addressed the Dantzler situation before. Henrique Gucciardi wrote about Dantzler’s struggles toward the end of August. More recently, Dustin Baker took on the topic over at Vikings Territory: “Dantzler’s stock plunged, usurped by players like Kris Boyd and Harrison Hand, men that could not hold a candle to Dantzler’s late-season performance. Dantzler is battling a sophomore slump before the sophomore games even happen.”

Indeed.

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Here’s the thing, though: players routinely struggle once expectations get adjusted. Last season, no one really expected him to emerge like he did. He was a pleasant surprise in what was largely a disastrous season. Coming into the year, we were all hoping for a lot from him, but there were warning signs. The team doesn’t go out and sign Bashaud Breeland, Patrick Peterson, and Mackensie Alexander for no reason. Minnesota’s leadership, quite evidently, felt like they needed more help at corner.

For what it’s worth, I predicted that Dantzler wouldn’t be the sophomore corner getting the hype by the end of the offseason. What I didn’t anticipate was him dropping so far on the depth chart. It’s surprising to see Dantzler drop below Kris Boyd and Harrison Hand, players who have some promise but who are best kept in a backup job. Dantzler is now a backup to the backups.

The key, then, rests in seeing how he’ll respond. He’ll need to show he can contribute on special teams. His tackling and physicality are underrated. Per PFF, Dantzler was in on 263 run snaps last year, finishing with a 68.5 run grade. He had 40 solo tackles. He’ll need to put those relatively impressive skills to use in special teams coverage.

From there, he needs to show the coaching staff that he can adjust to a more complex defense. Zim is a defensive mastermind, especially when it comes to his defensive backs; with the influx of veteran talent, Zim will be able to get much more creative on the back end of the defense. Dantzler needs to show that he can master the defense by showing that he has both the requisite physical and mental capabilities.

Playing corner in the NFL isn’t easy. The corner’s mistakes are supremely easy to see, even for the untrained eye. Dantzler has hit a rough patch, but it doesn’t need to be a damning moment for his career. He’s still only 23-years-old. He has the chance to learn a ton from Peterson and Breeland. If he can overcome this adversity, he’ll go on to be a far better player as a result. Corners need to be mentally tough; it’s difficult to go back out there and cover the WR who just roasted you for a long TD. Building resilience will serve him well in the future.

So, don’t get too discouraged. Dantzler has hit a snag, as many young players do. We’re fortunate to have the corner depth necessary for Dantzler to struggle in 2021. In 2022 and beyond, we’ll need Dantzler to once again show that he can be a CB1 for our Vikings.

Heck, we’re only one or two injuries away from Dantzler needing to get some legit snaps at corner, so perhaps his redemption may come sooner rather than later. In the meantime, don’t get too down. Dantzler will be fine.

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