When training camp begins for Minnesota Vikings rookies on July 24 and veterans on July 28, expectations will be high for 2017’s top-ranked defense. The stingy unit ranked second against both the run and pass while also finishing with the highest third-down defense ever (25.2 percent) since the stat began being tracked in 1991.
Many fans and experts believe that although the defense will likely be strong again in 2018, it may not replicate its dominance throughout last season. However, after some number-crunching and looking at line-up changes, it is very possible for head coach Mike Zimmer‘s defense to improve in the upcoming season.
Can the Minnesota Vikings Top-Ranked Defense Improve in 2018?
A New Face Up Front
While the free agent acquisition of Kirk Cousins dominated the off-season storylines, the Vikings also picked up former New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. The one-time Pro Bowler replaces the void left by new Seahawk Tom Johnson. Johnson, 33, started at three-technique next to nose tackle Linval Joseph the past two seasons. While formidable, Johnson was an overachiever who wasn’t quite the disruptive force former Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd was in 2014 and 2015.
However, Richardson, whose attitude has been called into question at some points in his career, has a chance to shine in Zimmer’s scheme. At 27, Richardson has youth and explosiveness that will hopefully give the inside of the defense an edge. With Joseph eating up double-teams at nose tackle and talented defensive ends Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter on the outside, Richardson will get many favorable match-ups one-on-one.
If Richardson meets expectations, the Vikings will likely improve on their 37 sacks from a year ago. That was tied for 17th in the league, and in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the lack of a serious pass rush aided in the defense’s collapse.
Everson Griffen’s Health
While pushing the pocket up the middle will be important for Richardson, the star of the defensive line will impact the pass rush more than anyone. Griffen, who led the defense with 13 sacks in 2017, returns after playing the second half of the season with plantar fasciitis. After picking up at least one sack in each of the season’s first eight games and accumulating 10 total at that point, Griffen only managed three sacks the rest of the regular season. A near-missed sack in the NFC Championship resulted in a long touchdown pass by Nick Foles. If healthy, it’s hard to imagine Griffen missing a sack like that.
Despite reports of being recovered from the injury, Griffen did sit out most of the off-season activities with an undisclosed injury. This is likely just a precaution, and when training camp begins this week, the seriousness of the injury will be much more clear. Assuming he’s healthy, though, Griffen brings not only a strong pass rush but also a fiery attitude to a defense that doesn’t have many boisterous personalities. He’s also very strong against the run, using a combination of strength and speed to wall off the edge and to run down runners who think they can turn a corner for a big gain. The level of dominance the defense reaches will rely heavily on Griffen’s impact.
The Rookie in the Secondary
A secondary that boasts the likes of Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Harrison Smith wouldn’t appear to be high on the lists of off-season priorities for Zimmer and the Vikings. But when former Central Florida product Mike Hughes fell to pick 30, Minnesota snatched the talented rookie up. Standing 5’10” and 190 pounds, Hughes is smaller than the two starting outside cornerbacks on the roster. But he is a prime candidate to win the team’s slot cornerback position, and in today’s NFL, a slot corner sees the field almost 75 percent of the game.
With the investment of being a first-round pick, the Vikings will give Hughes every chance to win the job at some point this season. He would take over the spot held on mostly by long-time veteran Terence Newman, who turns 40 prior to the season. Newman played most of the slot corner snaps, sometimes leaving the field as third-year corner Mackensie Alexander entered. If Hughes eventually wins the job, he would almost surely see almost all of the snaps.
Hughes drew rave reviews from Zimmer during the off-season. His ability to learn and absorb information stood out, and he plays with more physicality than Newman and Alexander. If Hughes can show his skills on the field, he would bring a versatile weapon at the slot that the team hasn’t had since Antoine Winfield. The ability to cover, tackle, and blitz would give Zimmer and the defense more flexibility to keep teams off guard. He also had a knack for finding the football, intercepting four passes last year, returning one for a touchdown. Together, Newman and Alexander only intercepted two passes in 2017 and as a team, the Vikings only forced 21 turnovers.
Finally, even if things go wrong out of the gate for Hughes, he still stands a good chance to seize the team’s punt and kick return duties that Marcus Sherels has held. While Sherels has been effective as a punt returner for years, last season he didn’t provide much in the kick return game, normally opting to take touchbacks. Hughes, meanwhile at Central Florida, returned two kicks and a punt for touchdowns last season.
Last Word on the Vikings Defense
Entering their fifth season in Mike Zimmer’s scheme, most of the defense is and has been intact for years now. But with some fresh faces coming in to provide more production than some aging veterans, an already great unit still has room to grow. More splash plays can help turn momentum in games, and a strong presence in the middle with Richardson should make the Vikings defensive line one of the best in the business once again. Expectations for the team are sky-high, and to meet those, the defense will need to repeat its masterful 2017 performance.
