Ed Donatell Needs More Talent for His Defense
Bill Parcells one time feuded with a team due to his inability to have more say on the talent being brought in: “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” The Minnesota Vikings, to their credit, seem to be doing their best to bring in players who fit the Ed Donatell scheme, with Za’Darius Smith being the main name. That being said, they could be doing more.
Usually, I publish a Donatell Diary entry on Sunday mornings. This week, though, I’m offering a more general take on the defensive talent. My journey through last year’s Denver games leaves me feeling both encouraged and worried. On the one hand, the Broncos put forth an exciting defense. The front seven plays with aggression and the safeties are super involved. On the other hand, a single weak spot in the secondary can cause some pretty serious issues. Kyle Fuller got roasted on various occasions.
Now, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has done a nice job of raising the defense’s floor. The team could play tomorrow with a reasonably talented group. Far from elite, but solid. The front seven looks like the strength, largely due to the return of Danielle Hunter and the Za’Darius Smith signing. They’ll partner those two with a strong LB duo – Eric Kendricks & Jordan Hicks – alongside a strong DT group: Dalvin Tomlinson, Harrison Phillips, and Armon Watts.
Not too long ago, I asked Arif Hasan of The Athletic about whether he thought some of the depth players could take a step froward due to the scheme change. To his mind, any improvements we’ll potentially see will have more to do with individual coaching rather than scheme differences:
I think the individual coaching will end up mattering more than any scheme change in terms of effectiveness. Getting the most out of an individual pass rusher will translate more than a switch in 3-4 versus 4-3, especially with so many similar schemes being run across the NFL despite the different fronts. While it could chance assignment responsibilities that will change the statistics of individual players, I fundamentally don’t think the scheme was the issue with Zimmer. Those depth players won’t have such substantially different roles in this scheme than in this one, so I don’t anticipate any chances beyond what they would already have accomplished through development. The one thing that makes the most sense is the man coverage vs zone coverage — but given how much man coverage technique was employed by Zimmer’s zone scheme, it’s a little less material.
I, for one, am most excited about seeing Harrison Smith in the Donatell scheme. Denver’s safeties did a ton last season. Smith has always been of the utmost importance, but it’s possible we’ll notice him even more.
The rest of the secondary is a work in progress, but it looks far better now than when free agency first began. Bringing Patrick Peterson back makes sense, and the Chandon Sullivan deal gives Minnesota a vet to hold down the slot. Currently, it looks like Camryn Bynum will get his shot beside Smith.
That being said, there is a lot of defensive talent left in free agency, and the NFL Draft is mere weeks away. One thinks of Bryce Callahan, Kareem Jackson, and Justin Houston as vets who could make a difference. Jackson looked like he was shot out of a cannon at various points last season, regularly bursting toward the line of scrimmage for a huge hit. In the draft, the team has been linked to defensive studs like Jordan Davis, George Karlaftis, Derek Stingley Jr., and Trent McDuffie (among others).
If the team’s leadership wants to put Ed Donatell in a better position to succeed, then they might think about offering him a couple more high-end players. Bringing in a bit more talent could really push this group over the top.
Editor’s Note: Purple PTSD extends a sincere thanks to Arif Hasan for taking the time to provide insight for this piece. Readers can find his work on The Athletic and on Twitter. You can also find his thoughts on the offense’s scheme in a previous piece on Purple PTSD.
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