Key Players Returning:
QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook, FB C.J. Ham, WR Justin Jefferson, WR Adam Thielen, OC Garrett Bradbury, OG Ezra Cleveland, OT Brian O’Neill, DE Danielle Hunter, NT Armon Watts, LB Anthony Barr, LB Eric Kendricks, CB Kris Boyd, CB Cameron Dantzler, SS Harrison Smith and KR Ameer Abdullah.
Key Players Departing:
TE Kyle Rudolph (Giants), OT Riley Reiff (Bengals), DE Jalyn Holmes (Saints), DT Jaleel Johnson (Texans), DT Shamar Stephen (Broncos), LB Todd Davis (retired), LB Eric Wilson (Eagles), CB Jeff Gladney (UFA), FS Anthony Harris (Eagles), PK Dan Bailey (UFA) and PT Brandon Colquitt (UFA).
Key Players Added:
TE Christopher Herndon (Jets), OC Mason Cole (Cardinals), DE Stephen Weatherly (Panthers), DT Dalvin Tomlinson (Giants), LB Nick Vigil (Chargers), CB Mackensie Alexander (Bengals), CB Patrick Peterson (Cardinals), FS Xavier Woods (Cowboys) and PT Jordan Berry (Steelers).
Draft Picks
Round 1: Pick 023 – OT Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)
Round 3: Pick 066 – QB Kellen Mond (Texas A&M)
Round 3: Pick 078 – LB Chazz Surratt (North Carolina)
Round 3: Pick 086 – OG Wyatt Daivis (Ohio State)
Round 4: Pick 119 – RB Kene Nwangwu (Iowa State)
Round 4: Pick 125 – CB Camryn Bynum (California)
Round 4: Pick 134 – DE Janarius Robinson (Florida State)
Round 5: Pick 157 – WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (Iowa)
Round 5: Pick 168 – TE Zach Davidson (Central Missouri)
Round 6: Pick 199 – DT Jaylen Twyman (Pittsburgh)
2020 Results:
W01 PACKERS L 34-43
W02 @ Colts L 11-28
W03 TITANS L 30-31
W04 @ Texans W 31-23
W05 @ Seahawks L 26-27
W06 FALCONS L 23-40
W08 @ Packers W 28-22
W09 LIONS W 34-20
W10 @ Bears W 19-13
W11 COWBOYS L 28-31
W12 PANTHERS W 28-27
W13 JAGUARS W | OT 27-24
W14 @ Buccaneers L 14-26
W15 BEARS L 27-33
W16 @ Saints L 33-52
W17 @ Lions W 37-35
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 7-9 (3rd in NFC North)
Home: 3-5
Away: 4-4
North: 4-2
NFC: 5-7
AFC: 2-2
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer
Minnesota: 64-47-1
Career: 66-50-1
Playoffs: 2-3
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Kirk Cousins (349-516, 4265 yards, 67.6%, 8.3 avg., 35 TD, 13 INT)
Rushing: Dalvin Cook (312 car., 1557 yards, 5.0 avg., 16 TD)
Receiving: Justin Jefferson (88 rec., 1400 yards, 15.9 avg., 7 TD)
Yards After Catch: Justin Jefferson (450)
TD’s Scored: Dalvin Cook (17)
Sacks: D.J. Wonnum (3)
Tackles: Eric Kendricks (107)
Interceptions: Harrison Smith (5)
Pass Deflections: Harrison Smith (10)
Tackles For Loss: Eric Kendricks (4.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Ameer Abdullah (15 ret., 352 yards, 23.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: K.J. Osborn (7 ret., 27 yards 3.9 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Britton Colquitt (54 punts, 2435 yards, 45.1 avg., 11 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 8 Kirk Cousins
RB: 33 Dalvin Cook
FB: 30 C.J. Ham
WR: 18 Justin Jefferson
WR: 19 Adam Thielen
TE: 89 Christopher Herndon
LT: 71 Christian Darrisaw |R|
LG: 72 Ezra Cleveland
OC: 56 Garrett Bradbury
RG: 74 Olisaemeka Udoh
RT: 75 Brian O’Neill
KR: 31 Ameer Abdullah
PK: 1 Greg Joseph
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 99 Danielle Hunter
NT: 98 Michael Pierce
DT: 94 Dalvin Tomlinson
DE: 91 Stephen Weatherly
LB: 55 Anthony Barr
LB: 54 Eric Kendricks
LB: 59 Nick Vigil
CB: 7 Patrick Peterson
CB: 21 Bashaud Breeland
FS: 23 Xavier Woods
SS: 22 Harrison Smith
PR: 17 K.J. Osborn
PT: 2 Britton Colquitt
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/12 @ Bengals | Minnesota leads the series 7-6. The Vikings won (34-7) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
09/19 @ Cardinals | Minnesota leads the series 17-10. The Vikings won (27-17) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series loss (20-23) was in 2015.
09/26 SEAHAWKS | Minnesota trails the series 5-13. The Vikings lost (26-27) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (35-9) was in 2009.
10/03 BROWNS | Minnesota leads the series 11-4. The Vikings won (33-16) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
10/10 LIONS | Minnesota leads the series 76-32-1. The Vikings are 12-8 since 2011, and their last series home loss (7-14) was in 2017.
10/17 @ Panthers | Minnesota leads the series 9-6. The Vikings are 4-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (24-31) was in 2017.
10/31 COWBOYS | The series is tied 15-15. The Vikings lost (28-31) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (28-24) was in 2019.
11/07 @ Ravens | The series is tied 3-3. The Vikings won (24-16) the last meeting between teams in2017.
11/14 @ Chargers | Minnesota leads the series 7-6. The Vikings won (39-10) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
11/21 PACKERS | The series is tied 54-54-3. The Vikings are 7-13 since 2011, and their last series home win (24-17) was in 2018.
11/28 @ 49ers | Minnesota trails the series 18-19-1. The Vikings lost (10-27) the last meeting between teams in 2019, and their last series win (24-16) was in 2018.
12/05 @ Lions | The Vikings last series road loss (13-16) was in 2016.
12/09 STEELERS | The series is tied 8-8. The Vikings lost (9-26) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
12/20 @ Bears | Minnesota leads the series 58-51-1. The Vikings are 9-11 since 2011, and their last series road loss (6-16) was in 2019.
12/26 RAMS | Minnesota leads the series 21-14-1. The Vikings lost (31-38) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (24-7) was in 2017.
01/02 @ Packers | The Vikings last series road loss (16-21) was in 2019.
01/09 BEARS | and their last series road loss (6-16) was in 2019.
Prediction:
10-7 (2nd in NFC North – Eliminated in Wild Card by the Cowboys)
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game played in 2020, the game will be listed under the 2019 season.
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