With the 2020-2021 NFL Season fully in the rearview mirror, I thought it would be good to list out some of the things I have on my Vikings Wishlist for the 2021-2022 season that might help us win a Super Bowl. As a self-proclaimed Vikings and NFL expert, all of my opinions and thoughts are 100% correct and if you don’t agree then you’re wrong. Without further ado, here is my 2021 Minnesota Vikings wishlist.
1. A Competent Left Guard
Let’s get this out of the way now; Dakota Dozier is a steaming pile of shit. I am not sure if I have ever seen someone be so terrible and still consistently get started in the NFL. His backup, Dru Samia, was somehow worse. If you are even a casual Vikings fan, you definitely know how awful this dude is but here’s his actual PFF and pass blocking grades and ranks for some perspective –So as you can clearly see, the dude is a hot pile of garbage. I’m honestly convinced he has some serious dirt on Rick or Zim or maybe even the Wilfs because I just don’t understand how he’s still on the team. For the sake of our QB, cut this man and never let him back on the field wearing purple and gold.
2. A Consistent Pass Rush
This area of our team will improve DRAMATICALLY when we have #99 back on the field since he’s one of the best Edge Rushers in the NFL. That being said, Danielle being on the IR all season did show that we really don’t have much depth on the Defensive Line. Here is our following ranks in terms of Pass Rush for this season –- 28th in # of Sacks
- 29th in both # of Pressures and Pressure %
- 29th in # of Missed Tackles
Woof.
So how do we fix this? Well we have 3 options for the Vikings Wishlist:- Free Agency – as much as we like to dream, we ain’t signing JJ Watt and we also don’t have a whole lot of free cash to throw at the DL (better to use that to address the OL problem listed above)
- Hope the guys we have improve – DJ Wonnum showed some flashes of potential but he’s still a developmental guy right now and not ready for full-time play yet. He did give us this gem though –
So that basically leaves us with the 3rd option and that’s to solve this through the draft. There’s a few guys definitely worth taking at #14 in the 1st Round but I’ve always been firmly in the “Draft the Best Player Available” strategy so it would all depend on how the draft played out. If all the top-tier WRs, OTs, CBs are all gone by the time pick 14 comes around, absolutely draft Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan.
I mean this dude is basically the second coming of Everson Griffen. Put him on the opposite side of #99 with Michael Pierce in the middle and say a prayer for opposing QBs. We establish a consistent pass rush and our secondary will benefit immensely. I think we got an absolute stud in Cam Dantzler and I actually think Gladney is coming along.
3. Let Kirk be Kirk
This wouldn’t be a Vikings post without mention of Kirk Cousins right? Listen, I know Kirk isn’t perfect but this man gets a ridiculous amount of hate from Vikings fans.
Who the fuck are we to complain about QB play when we’ve trotted out some questionable guys. Christian Ponder, Donovan McNabb, Josh Freeman, Matt Cassel, Teddy Bridgewater, Shaun Hill, Sam Bradford and Case Keenum. What a shitshow. All of those guys are SIGNIFICANTLY worse than Kirk.Let me say something that may trigger a few people (or just one particularly shitty radio “host”)……KIRK COUSINS IN NOT THE PROBLEM.
Say what you want about him but the dude can fucking play. What we need is to have Zimmer not worry about the offense and focus more on the defense. I don’t want to hear him complaining in September about how crucial it is to establish the run. We don’t have the luxury of establishing the run when our defense is getting taken to Pound Town.
Oh and for love of God, STOP RUNNING THE BALL ON 2ND AND LONG.
I love Dalvin and actually don’t have a problem with us paying him, even if he was snubbed for All-Pro. But we have some pretty fantastic weapons in Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson and I think we should try and get them heavily involved in the offense before week 8 and we’re 2-5.
As I said earlier, I fully support the strategy of drafting the Best Player Available. Drafting for need causes teams to reach (example: LaQuon Treadwell). If somehow, either Ja’marr Chase, Devonta Smith, or Jaylen Waddle fall to #14, please take them so we can just try and score 40+. Having three great wide receivers has historically worked well for the Vikings.
4. Fix Special Teams
It seems like we’ve been cursed ever since Blair Walsh’s brain exploded in the Wild Card (editor’s note: Adam clearly doesn’t remember 1998). Since then our Special Teams have consistently been either sub-par or downright awful.
We brought in Dan Bailey, who, at the time, was the 2nd most accurate placekicker in NFL History, to help. In the 3 seasons that he’s been a Viking, he dropped to 12th on that list.
We did get rid of our Special Teams Coordinator, Marwan Maalouf to promote Ryan Ficken so there’s hope that this area will improve! It can’t be worse! That being said, I think Dan Bailey needs to find a new team.
5. Ultimate Vikings Wishlist Item: Win the Super Bowl
Please.
We need one.
The Vikings are the 7th winningest franchise in NFL History and yet we haven’t even been to the Super Bowl since the 70s. We are also now the only franchise with an above .500 W/L record that has never won the Super Bowl.
We have the pieces to get back into contention. If we do the first 4 things on this list, #5 is not as out of reach as we think. This might be me drinking the purple kool-aid, but life as a Vikings fan is a hell of a lot more bearable fun when you do.