Opinion Monday: My Thoughts on Barr’s New “Hybrid” Role
Jhawthorn16
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Anthony Barr has had a solid career so far with the Minnesota Vikings. He and his former UCLA teammate/roommate have come together to make one of the best linebacker duos in football, and they play on the best defense in football. But, now all these young and talented starters on our defense, and some on offense, need to get paid. The Vikings have made headlines 3 times this offseason, giving Kirk Cousins a monster contract, Erick Kendricks a solid, top-tier middle linebacker contract, and most recently the team gave Danille Hunter a 74-million-dollar contract. All these key players on the defense are vital, because even when the offense has been, let’s say “sub-par,” the defense has led the Vikings to the playoffs. So now the two remaining “big name,” players the Vikings have to lock up are Stefon Diggs and Anthony Barr. I can’t speak for the Diggs deal, but I can say with confidence that Barr and his camp are wanting some SERIOUS, Vonn Miller type money. The problem with paying Barr that type of money is he hasn’t shown he deserves the big time pass rushing contract because in this system he is a coverage guy who gets sacks off the occasional blitz. He hasn’t proven that when its him and 3 other linemen going up against the 5-offensive lineman on the other side, he can win and get sacks. So today let’s look at the best, worst, and most likely scenarios for the Vikings’ linebacker, as he enters into a new path in his career.
I’m going to set the bar (no pun intended) pretty high for a guy who wants the big-time pass rusher deal. I want to see Barr get 8 or more sacks this season. I should throw in these 8 sacks can’t be from him blitzing, but when he lines up as a pass rusher, 8 sacks. Also, I want to see him (as a pass rusher) blow up running plays and get some tackles for loss. I’d also like to see his play as a linebacker not take a dip, and maybe even improve as the quarterbacks he plays should be flustered by whether he is coming at them or dropping back. This whole scenario interests me a lot, because the Vikings could have had Everson Griffen’s replacement sitting under their nose this whole time.
I’m starting with the worst-case scenario because it’s the easiest. I’m going to give 2 scenarios that derail not only Barr’s desired contract, but also cost the Vikings some games. Scenario 1 is easy. Barr gets hurt early in the season/in the preseason and we don’t get to see ANY of his abilities as a pass rusher. This could end up costing us Barr altogether as the Vikings definitely won’t give Barr the big deal he wants, and Barr will want to go elsewhere to get paid some decent money and start as a pass rusher. Scenario 2 is more complicated because of the limited snaps Barr will get as a pass rusher. Barr might not hit the sack number I want, but if Danille Hunter’s numbers go up when Barr is in as a pass rusher, did Barr do his job? If teams are leaving Danille Hunter in 1on1 to focus on Barr, that’s a good thing, right? I’d still like to see Barr get 4 sacks as a rusher, just to show he is a threat and deserves double teams. But this scenario is when Barr comes in to rush the passer, we get very low sack numbers, and Barr’s replacement linebacker isn’t great. This could be beneficial for the Vikings, as after a few weeks of this they could tell Barr the experiment is over, and they gave him his shot and then keep him at a lower price, but it could cost the Vikings some games early in the season, and eventually maybe seeding or, God forbid, a playoff spot! So, this is what could happen if nothing goes Barr’s way, and he just doesn’t have what it takes to rush the passer at the NFL level.
Now let’s tackle the best-case scenario. I don’t think the best possible scenario for the team is Barr getting 10 or 15 sacks. That would help Barr make his case for “I deserve a big payday,” but it wouldn’t be the best for the team. I think the best-case scenario is Barr, on limited snaps during this experimental season, getting 8 sacks and some QB pressures. But, on top of Barr getting those numbers and Hunter getting his, Everson Griffen breaks the NFL single season sack record and doesn’t end up exhausted come the playoffs. Last year Griffen was on pace for it early. He was dominating offensive lineman and he was punishing opposing quarterbacks. And then it all stopped. He had a case of plantar fasciitis, which definitely effected his sack numbers, but also later in the year he seemed to be a little worn down. Everson Griffen, in his 30s, needs someone to take some snaps for him so he can stay fresh for the post season. I believe the player to take those snaps is Anthony Barr. If Barr shows to be a good pass rusher, Everson can drop back and spy the quarterback, he can sit in the flat and bust up screens, all while Barr goes and fights for sacks. Then on 3rd and long situations, when we can let our defensive lineman pin back their ears and go get the quarterback, our line can be Barr, Griffen, Robison, and Hunter. 2 of these players have proven they are top-tier pass rushers, one player is an aging veteran who once was a very good pass rusher, and if Barr shows he belongs on that defensive line, he could turn into an elite pass rusher. Everson will be able to stay fresh all season, and continue dominating week after week, eventually breaking the sack record. Also, think about when we blitz! We bring Barr, Griffen, Hunter, and we have our two big men to occupy the middle? Plus, our secondary which looks to be the best in the league? This defense could be SCARY good if Barr can rush the passer.
Now let’s break down what I think will happen. I think Barr will be a decent pass rusher, and will probably reach 7 or 8 sacks this season as a pass rusher alone. He may end up with 12 or 13 sacks altogether, and show that he belongs in that top-tier, top-money linebacking group. Barr shows a willingness to learn, and has been outspoken about wanting to stay in Minnesota, so I expect him to get locked up on a contract that is similar to Danille Hunter’s. Probably a long-term deal that doesn’t completely empty the Vikings’ bank, but empties it enough that Diggs will have to take a serious pay cut to stay. Barr should do well against the run, as he is a linebacker and that is a key part of his job already. I think Barr is going to open some eyes this season though, and become one of the top pass rushing linebackers in the league.
The Vikings may have struck gold when they got the young duo of linebackers in Barr and Kendricks. However, the team may have struck gold TWICE with Barr, who could show that not only is he an elite coverage linebacker in the NFL, but that he is a formidable pass rusher as well. The Vikings could use Barr to add that extra piece of confusion on their defense, which could end up pushing the Vikings over the hump of a playoff contender, into the “Patriot-esque” tier of teams that are expected to make it to the Super Bowl and win it all. The Vikings are poised for big year in 2018-2019, and Barr should be a key piece for the team. SKOL!