Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft strategy in first round could focus on premium position that hasn't been considered previously
How the Minnesota Vikings approach the NFL Draft this upcoming April is a fascinating discussion topic. Everything starts with the quarterback position. Will it be Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy? Considering the Vikings have a projected $58 million in salary cap space, it's one that will have a major ripple effect on the rest of […]
How the Minnesota Vikings approach the NFL Draft this upcoming April is a fascinating discussion topic.
Everything starts with the quarterback position. Will it be Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy? Considering the Vikings have a projected $58 million in salary cap space, it's one that will have a major ripple effect on the rest of the offseason.
If they go with McCarthy, it will end up giving the Vikings peak flexibility when it comes to the NFL Draft. The amount of salary cap space the Vikings have will help them fill a lot of needs.
Vikings could prioritize edge rusher in NFL Draft
Right now, we are looking forward to the NFL Draft without the context of free agency. There are a lot of ways that free agency can play out. The likely scenario here is that the Vikings end up fixing the cornerback position in free agency in a similar way to how they prioritized edge rusher last year.
What is really intriguing here is what the Vikings do to try and fix the interior pass rush. The prevailing opinion is they will prioritize taking a defensive tackle. It's a solid opinion, especially with a super deep defensive tackle class like this one. However, it might not be how the Vikings chose to prioritize their interior pass rush.
What if the Vikings prioritize edge rusher over defensive tackle?
This theory is an interesting one and one that could be disproven by how the Vikings maneuver around free agency. As things currently sit, the Vikings haven't paid much attention to the interior of the defensive line.
Taking a look at the snap counts on defense, the Vikings had multiple edge rushers with over 450 snaps and Dallas Turner had over 300 snaps as their fifth-ranked edge rusher.
- Andrew Van Ginkel: 973
- Jonathan Greenard: 969
- Jihad Ward: 505
- Pat Jones II: 459
- Dallas Turner: 310
When you take a look at their defensive linemen (three starters), it's a different story.
- Harrison Phillips: 701
- Jonathan Bullard: 590
- Jerry Tillery: 482
- Jalen Redmond: 236
Now, there are layers to this. Did the Vikings intentionally ignore the defensive line, or was it just the cost of doing business based on the market?
We do know that the Vikings were in on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins before he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. When that didn't work, they pivoted. What's really interesting is how the usage of the Vikings' defensive fronts on pass rush downs. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores' love of the NASCAR package (four edge rushers) is why they could take an edge rusher.
In year one, that player would be EDGE4 and could play upward of 50% of the snaps while developing. Turner played so little because of the success of the players ahead of him. The NASCAR package got the fifth-most sacks in the NFL, with 48. Moving forward, that guy would be EDGE2/3, playing a major role in helping the Vikings take a step forward and potentially giving Greenard and Van Ginkel a few extra plays off a game.
Will that end up manifesting in taking another edge rusher high in the draft? It certainly could be. A lot of that will be determined by how the board falls. If a player like Shemar Stewart falls down to the Vikings, it could become a reality
There's a lot of things that could impact this theory. The aforementioned draft board, free agency, and how the Vikings want to move forward with their pass rush plan. Does Flores want to get a defensive lineman with a major pass-rush profile? If he doesn't, will that manifest in another high-profile edge rusher? Since 2007, the Vikings have only invested two picks in the top 64 in those positions:
- 2013: DT Sharrif Floyd
- 2024: EDGE Dallas Turner
Nothing is for certain with the Vikings, which is why edge rusher could be in play with how talented this class is. Needless to say, it's worth keeping an open mind when it comes to the NFL Draft.
