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The Vikings had a decent chance of grabbing a playoff spot in 2020. But their inconsistency, especially during the first few weeks of the season, meant they finished with a losing record and third in the NFC North.
Mike Zimmer said that "it was the worst defense he ever had". The Vikings were the NFL's most disappointing team in 2020, considering the talent they had on the roster and what they presented on the field. Now, they must focus on the 2021 season.
The Vikings will hold their training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan, MN, with 14 open practices for the fans. There will be joint practices with the Denver Broncos on August 11 and 12 and a scrimmage at the US Bank Stadium on August 7.
Minnesota Vikings off-season news roundup leading up to training camp
The Minnesota Vikings allowed 475 points, the third-highest total in franchise history, in 16 games last season, conceding almost 30 per game. As a result, Mike Zimmer rebuilt his entire defense, as the humiliation the Vikings suffered during Christmas against Alvin Kamara was too much to handle.
The Vikings are now a completely different team in defense. New faces like Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland signed as free agents. Meanwhile, Sheldon Richardson and Mackensie Alexander are returning after playing for other teams in 2020. Talent was a problem last season, so the Vikings made sure to fix that.
It hasn't been a perfect off-season for the defense, though. After a disappointing rookie season in 2020, Vikings' first-round pick Jeff Gladney is facing felony assault charges. It now looks like he won't be playing with the team next season. Minnesota have signed three new cornerbacks, so if Gladney is out, that won't be a problem.
On the offensive side, things are on the way up as well. The Vikings had an incredible draft, as they traded down and still got a steal on Christian Darrisaw with their late first-round pick to play left tackle. The line got even better when Wyatt Davis fell to them with the 86th pick, a guard from Ohio State who has a solid production floor and will start on day one.
While the team focused on defensive depth in the subsequent rounds, it's worth noting the Vikings used the 66th pick on Kellen Mond, a quarterback from Texas A&M who has enough upside to push Cousins if he doesn't play well. Mond will be the first back-up, as Jake Browning and Nate Stanley compete for the last quarterback roster spot.
Chazz Surratt, a third-round linebacker, will have the golden opportunity to learn from Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, two stars in the position. Surratt has a high upside, and if he develops as expected, he would be a solid player soon.
Training Camp predictions and who to watch
How will the new defense look like? That will obviously be the focus after many declarations from Zimmer over the last few months and the complete turnover in the group. The offense did fine in 2020, as Kirk Cousins was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league for the second straight season.
Patrick Peterson is a player to focus on, as his level has dropped the last two years and a change of scenario might help him return to the elite. There will also be an interesting battle for cornerback no. 2, as Cameron Dantzler showed flashes of promise in his rookie season. Meanwhile, Bashaud Breeland has been a solid player since his Washington days.
It'll be interesting to see how the Vikings handle the interior of the defensive line. Sheldon Richardson is the best defensive tackle on the roster, and Dalvin Tomlinson, who arrived from the Giants, is the best run defender.
But what about Michael Pierce? He signed a 3-year contract for $27 million, and that's not money you pay a backup. He'll be competing for a starting spot with Richardson and Tomlinson and has enough quality to push them.
Wide receiver depth is also something to focus on. The starting jobs are set with Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, but the rest of the depth chart is anyone's guess. Rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette will likely have every chance to be the first back-up.
