Minnesota Vikings: Most pressing needs entering 2021 NFL Draft

2. Defensive line

What was your favorite moment of the Yannick Ngakoue era for the Minnesota Vikings?

It seems as quickly as he was acquired he was sent off to the Baltimore Ravens as a sunk cost.

The Vikings had the 29th ranked scoring defense in 2020 and Ngakoue, who played in just six games with the team, led the unit with five sacks on the year.

Getting Danielle Hunter back for 2021 along with 2020 free agent acquisition Michael Pierce (opt-out) will be massive for the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive front but there is still work to be done up front here.

The team’s decision to acquire Ngakoue was an obvious indicator that they felt they had the pieces to compete in 2020 and with so many other issues facing the Vikings (and every team) in 2020, they moved on quickly and recouped what they could.

It cost Minnesota a second-round pick in the process, but they were at least able to get another top-100 pick back from the Ravens for Ngakoue, who is slated for free agency in 2021 anyway.

The pass rush must be addressed, and lucky for the Vikings, there will be ample opportunity to address on day two of the 2021 NFL Draft. In fact, day two of the draft this year could really be the sweet spot to find some day one contributors.

The defensive front also remains a strong contender for Minnesota with their top selection.