The Vikings defense is going to look a lot different in 2020. With the losses of players such as Linval Joseph, Xavier Rhodes, Mackensie Alexander, Trae Waynes and the uncertain future of Everson Griffen, the defense is going to have to rely on some new faces.
Since Mike Zimmer took over as the head coach in 2014, the Vikings defense has been the team’s strong suit. The main reason for the defense performing so well year over year was mainly because of continuity, but that is set to change this upcoming season.
The team added Michael Pierce in free agency to attempt and replace Joseph but the team’s secondary is going to be full of new and unproven players. Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler will be paired up with Mike Hughes and Holton Hill, giving Zimmer a lot of young talent at the cornerback position.
It’s unlikely that the Vikings will have a cornerback up for Defensive Player of the Year, and due to the lack of reps, other players who have been in the system longer will have to step up. Here are three players on the Vikings roster that have the potential to be named Defensive Player of the Year at the end of the 2020 season.
Danielle Hunter
The obvious choice for the award would be Danielle Hunter, who broke the record for most sacks recorded before turning 25 last season with his 46th career sack. He finished 2019 with 14.5 sacks for the second season in a row, getting his total career sack count to 54.5.
There is still a small chance of an Everson Griffen return to Minnesota, but with the limited cap space and Dalvin Cook reportedly holding out, the Vikings aren’t in the best position to re-sign their former defensive end. This should give Hunter more of an opportunity to be the primary edge rusher moving forward.
Although it’s the obvious choice picking the team’s best all-around player, Hunter is on pace for a Hall of Fame career. If he continues to put up 14-plus sacks a season, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.
Eric Kendricks
There seems to be a recurring theme when it comes to Vikings defenders. No matter how talented of a player they are, they still seem to get overlooked by the national media. Both Hunter and Eric Kendricks are among the league’s most underrated players and neither get the national attention they deserve.
Kendricks is coming off his best season with the Vikings, leading the team with 110 total tackles and 13 pass breakups. Ever since he entered the league he’s had a nose for the football and seems to lead the Vikings in tackles year over year.
Becoming one of the best coverage linebackers in the league should help boost him towards another All-Pro season, even without making it on the Pro Bowl roster.
Anthony Harris or Harrison Smith
The headline to this article suggests that there are three players on the Vikings with a chance at winning the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year award. However, at the safety position, the Vikings have two of the league’s best so it would be wrong to only mention one of their names.
Speaking of underrated, Anthony Harris was tied the NFL lead in interceptions last year but he’s still hardly talked about nationally. He finished the 2019 regular season with six interceptions and picked off Drew Brees in the playoff game against the Saints. Maybe he goes under the radar because he was an undrafted free agent, but that shouldn’t change the fact that he was one of the best safeties in the league last season.
Leaving Harrison Smith off this list would have been a crime. His statline in 2019 was 85 total tackles, one sack and three interceptions. The versatility that Smith brings to Zimmer’s defense is critical and he makes everyone around him better because of how talented he is.
The pairing of Smith and Harris at the safety position should help take some of the pressure off the young cornerback group on the Vikings roster. Zimmer is going to have to learn to trust a lot of young players on his defense, but having Smith and Harris on the back half will help ease the transition.
The term underrated is the best term to use when describing the stars of the Vikings defense. Although they can go unnoticed at times, these players all have a chance to keep the Vikings defense great and be in the contention for Defensive Player of the Year.
