Vikings Snag Modest Position in PFF Roster Rankings
K. Joudry
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Many Vikings fans are feeling hopeful, but the folks at PFF still put the team in a modest position in their roster rankings. According to the analytics website, Minnesota has the 19th-best roster. Green Bay is 5th, Detroit is 25th, and Chicago is 30th.
The team’s main strength, per the article, is the receiver pair:
When both are healthy, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen make up one of the better receiving tandems in the league. The only player with more red zone touchdown receptions than Thielen over the past five seasons (33) is Davante Adams, and Jefferson has quickly become one of the league’s top receiving threats in all situations. Jefferson’s ability to beat press is particularly impressive, as his 3.3 yards per route run against press coverage ranks second among all qualifying wide receivers since 2020.
In contrast, the main concern is the offensive line (something we’ve discussed recently). They ought to find some success as run blockers, but the pass blocking portion of things is where many of us are nervous. PFF agrees: “It finished last season ranked 27th as a unit in PFF pass-blocking grade, and it is expected to return the majority of that group.” One area where I may disagree, though, is in their suggestion that Jesse Davis is the starting RG. It’s possible he takes that job, but Chris Reed looks like the favorite. Reed finished the 2021 season with a 67.2 score, 38th among guards.
The Vikings section concludes with PFF considering the team’s x-factor on the roster. In their mind, it’s Za’Darius Smith:
Across his first two seasons in Green Bay, Smith recorded 144 total pressures (fourth in the NFL) with PFF pass-rushing grades above 85.0 in both seasons. However, he played just 18 snaps in 2021 before his season was cut short by back surgery. It remains to be seen if the soon-to-be 30-year-old can get back to his pre-injury form in Minnesota.
A healthy Smith will certainly make a massive difference. He’ll partner with Danielle Hunter, someone who may end up being the team’s most important player.
A lot will need to go right for the Vikings to make to the playoffs, as the PFF evaluation of the roster suggests. They identify three important areas of the team, with perhaps the main remaining concern being at QB. If Kirk Cousins can elevate his game for an entire season, this team will have a shot.
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