Defense has been the trademark of the Minnesota Vikings over the past several years. It drove them to their recent playoff successes in 2017 and 2019 and figured to be the biggest hope for getting to a Super Bowl. However, the business of the NFL appears to have caught up to them in a big way. As quickly as GM Rick Spielman constructed that unit into one of the best in football, he somehow managed to tear it down in a matter of just seven days.
It truly was a sight to behold. One that raises questions about how they can possibly rebuild it back to its customary level in a short enough time to be competitive in 2020. It started with the release of former All-Pro cornerback Xavier Rhodes.
At one point in time, he was one of the best cover corners in the league. His play though took a major dip the past two years and finally the team lost patience. He wasn’t alone though. Fellow starter Trae Waynes was allowed to hit free agency, signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was quickly joined by valuable reserve Mackensie Alexander.
Has to be over, right? Nope.
Following Rhodes out the door was former Pro Bowl nose tackle Linval Joseph, an integral part of their run defense for the past several years.
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Adding to the confusion is the situation with Anthony Harris. The breakout safety looked like he would hit the market last week but at the last second the Vikings chose to franchise tag him. Most thought they wanted to keep him. That is until rumors surfaced they actually did it to try trading him. A move that hasn’t yielded the desired results.
Yet amazing as all of this sounds, the toughest blow was the last one.
Vikings have to replace Everson Griffen somehow
When the Vikings cut Everson Griffin a few weeks ago, some felt it was simply a procedural move. The two sides both had an interest in working out a new deal that would keep the defensive end in purple for the rest of his career. Days went by and nothing happened. Then in a major surprise, Griffen announced on Instagram that he would be leaving Minnesota to pursue an opportunity elsewhere.
Suddenly a man who has 57 sacks since 2014 including eight last season is gone. This leaves a gaping hole on the edge opposite Danielle Hunter. To say nothing over how barren their secondary looks as well. While Spielman is a great GM, it feels like he has his work cut out for him in trying to replace all of that in one offseason.
The Chicago Bears offense might see smoother sailing than normal. At least for this year.
