Will There Be “Mintze” Magic in Minnesota?
LeeAnn Lowman
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The Minnesota Vikings announced that they signed former Denver Broncos outside linebacker, Andre Mintze, leading fans to wonder if he will bring some “magic” to Minnesota.
Making the Magic
Andre Mintze was signed in 2021 by the Broncos as an unrestricted rookie free agent after playing at Vanderbilt University. During his time in college, he displayed potential but it was not at the level that attracted scouts’ attention. He had:
- 75 tackles (44 of which were solo)
- 8.5 sacks
- 3 forced fumbles
- 1 fumble recovery
- 1 pass defended
While those stats weren’t mind blowing, Mintze does display a lot of dedication to his craft. He ran a 4.59 40-yard dash. His quickness and hard work earned him a spot on the Broncos roster. The coaches in Denver clearly saw something in Mintze worth investing in. The 2021 Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is now with Minnesota. It makes sense that he is at least partly responsible for bringing Mintze to the Vikings.
It seems likely that Mintze will have a similar role in Minnesota to the one he had in Denver. He won’t be earning a starting spot. With the changes in coaching in Minnesota, the defense is transitioning to a 3-4 scheme. They will need OLBs that can rush the passer and set the edge in run defense. It makes sense for Minnesota to add depth.
More Than Just A Quick Set of Feet
Mintze was exceeding expectations in Denver prior to his injury. Part of what was helping him to find success was his smarts in both football and books. He graduated from Vanderbilt with a double major and has since received his master’s degree. He puts the same energy into studying football.
In watching the film on Mintze you see that he has a few plays that he performs really well. He takes a skill, like the two-hand swipe, and practices it over and over until he masters it. Once he masters a skill he moves on to a new one. This allows him to continue to add moves to his repertoire and improve his craft.
Mintze has so many assets – he is hardworking, smart, and a vocal teammate. He is very adaptable and is willing to do what has to be done to help his team. He has proven to be an asset to both his team and his community.
It will be exciting to see if Mintze brings the magic to training camp and earn himself a spot on the roster.
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