Minnesota Vikings: Most pressing needs entering 2021 NFL Draft
The Minnesota Vikings looked like they were on their way to being a consistent Super Bowl contender from 2015-17. Unfortunately, an injury to Teddy Bridgewater forced the franchise to change course at the quarterback position and they paid a hefty price to bring in free agent Kirk Cousins in the 2018 offseason.
The Vikings’ decision to bring in Cousins at the price required to do so has obviously had a ripple effect on the team, and after winning a playoff game in the 2019 season, the urgency is there for this team to compete and contend despite finishing 7-9 in the 2020 campaign.
Minnesota lost one of its key front office members in George Paton this offseason who took the general manager job with the Denver Broncos. Rick Spielman also watched longtime assistant (2006-19) Kevin Stefanski walk out his door in 2020 and win AP Coach of the Year with the Cleveland Browns.
This offseason and the 2021 NFL Draft will be crucial for the Vikings if they are going to compete for a championship in the window they have with Kirk Cousins as the quarterback of the team.
What are their most pressing needs?
Minnesota Vikings most pressing 2021 NFL Draft needs
1. Left side of the offensive line
The Vikings were rumored to have left tackle Riley Reiff on the trade block as of this past season. With Reiff under contract for 2021 at over $16 million with just $2.7 million in dead money, the Vikings may need to move on and add that cap space considering the league cap number is dropping in 2021.
The team did draft Ezra Cleveland in 2020, but he emerged as a legitimate option to start at the right guard position moving forward.
It’s possible the Vikings would look into moving Cleveland back to his college position of left tackle if that becomes a necessity, but there’s also a decent chance they will look to free agency or the loaded 2021 NFL Draft class to fill that slot.
Even if Cleveland is playing left tackle and the Vikings feel good about it, they are going to need to fill a hole at the left guard position (and right guard if Cleveland moves to tackle). Dakota Dozier is a free agent in 2021.
Kirk Cousins has been sacked 107 times in his three years with the Minnesota Vikings. Not all of those are on the offensive line, but obviously, the Vikings have to make sure that Cousins is well protected and that the offensive line is operating at a high level to keep things flowing for Dalvin Cook.