What is the biggest positional hole on the Minnesota Vikings’ roster? A friend asked the question earlier this week. It got me thinking.
Cornerback seemed like the right place to start. Shaq Griffin? Experienced. Byron Murphy Jr.? He’s athletic and could still have some untapped potential. But after those two guys? Uncertainty. Mekhi Blackmon, Akayleb Evans and Khyree Jackson are a bundle of hope, inconsistency and inexperience.
Secondary depth is the most obvious answer to the question. Or is it?
There are several other contenders for this unfortunate category. How about the defensive line? The Vikings geared up in free agency for Christian Wilkins, but the Las Vegas Raiders stretched the market further than Minnesota was willing to go. The Vikings also liked Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II in the NFL Draft, but the Seattle Seahawks snagged him at No. 16. Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard are reliable run-stoppers. Neither is a pass-rushing force.
The interior of the offensive line is another area of need. If the Vikings were over the moon about their options, they may have opted against signing Dalton Risner for additional depth. Depending on which side of the bed you woke up on this morning, you could convince yourself about Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel’s potential.
These are all “ifs,” spots that generate some consternation. None, though, are surprises. For years, the Vikings have whiffed on cornerbacks with premium draft picks. They have not used any such picks on defensive linemen. And the offensive line? These are the Vikings we’re talking about. What more needs to be said?
When presented with these positions, my friend replied: “What about their third wide receiver?”
In past years, this roster spot was as mindless as writing your name on a test. Scribble K.J. Osborn, then move on. Osborn, though, is no longer in Minnesota. A free agent this spring, he signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the New England Patriots.
The departure felt inevitable at the time. Osborn, who had the fourth-fewest targets per routes run among NFL receivers last season, wanted to play more of a primary pass-catching role. The Vikings, meanwhile, recognized they were massively invested in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson.
