Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart 2020 Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart

Do the Vikings Have Enough Offensive Line Depth?

One of the biggest issues for the Vikings last year was their unimpressive offensive line. Kirk Cousins often had to make quick throws as time in the pocket was rarely there for him, while open running lanes for the Vikings running backs were even rarer. The Vikings recognized that issue and drafted center Garrett Bradburry to alleviate their problems. They also poached Josh Kline away from the Tennessee Titans to be their new right guard. There is reason to think that the Vikings offensive line will play much better this season than last, as there were some special circumstances last year. The first was the amount of injuries they suffered, as the Vikings started 8 separate linemen, making chemistry harder to develop for the unit. The second was the tragic death of the Vikings offensive line Tony Sparano coach two days before the season, which no doubt cast a dark cloud over the unit. The Vikings should be better equipped to aid their quarterback and running back this year, but it’s still a relatively shallow unit. If they have bad injury luck again, a repeat performance of last year could be in the cards.

How Much Depth Do the Vikings Have on Defense?

Although the Vikings division rival Bears got all the attention for their league leading defense last year, the Vikings defense quietly put out another top 5 defensive season. In most defensive positions, especially in their secondary, the Vikings have an abundance of talent. At cornerback, the Vikings are starting Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, but also have starting caliber talents like Mike Hughes and Holton Hill. The ever-reliable Harrison Smith locks down things at the safety position once more. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks round out a solid linebacker core. Meanwhile the Vikings defensive line is as fearsome as ever, with Linval Joseph, Danielle Hunter, and a hopefully healthy Everson Griffen leading the way. This defensive unit appears to be deep and doesn’t really have one major flaw. While the Vikings’ offense may be a wild card, count on their defense once again showing out.

Who is Their Third Receiver?

The Vikings have one of the best receiving duos in the league, with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, but their depth chart after those two is complicated. In an ideal world, Laquon Treadwell would’ve reached his potential as a first round pick and become a worthy receiver to group with Diggs and Thielen. Unfortunately for both him and the team, he hasn’t been able to put it again, and it now appears his tenure on the team is on thin ice. After Treadwell, the other options don’t get much better. There is one name that appears to have gotten some buzz, and that’s Jordan Taylor. Taylor, who was with the Broncos for 4 years, didn’t get much playing time in Denver but is still easily the most experienced of the competition. He’s apparently impressed in training camp, so keep an eye out for him as the potential WR3. A solid third receiver isn’t a necessity with Diggs and Thielen, but it would definitely help, as there’s no such thing as too many weapons in an offense.