The Vikings had a lot of veterans leave this offseason, but a lot of younger players have taken their place.
Some of those younger players could come in and start at a position left open from free agency.
But what about the younger players who have returning starters at their position? Well, some of those starters could be moved to the bench if a younger player thrives in their role.
Here are some Vikings starters from 2019, who might be in trouble by the time the 2020 season starts.
Riley Reiff
Reiff was the starting left tackle for the Vikings last season, but if Ezra Cleveland plays well enough, I could see Reiff losing that spot.
However, there’s always the chance that the team could move Reiff to guard after he loses out on tackle. There’s also a possibility that the team could put Cleveland at guard, keeping Reiff at the position he started at for the Vikings.
I would prefer to keep Reiff on the roster as opposed to cutting him at this point, considering what’s available for a cash-strapped Vikings team this late in the offseason. However, just because he can stay on the team, doesn’t make him the 2020 starting left tackle.
Shamar Stephen
Stephen started alongside Linval Joseph in 2019. Now, Linval Joseph has signed with the Chargers, and the Vikings have brought in Michael Pierce.
There are some parallels between Pierce and Joseph, so it makes sense to have Stephen complement Pierce on the interior of the defensive line. However, I think there might be a better fit for the other defensive tackle.
I think Armon Watts could give Stephen a run for his money for that spot. I also think rookie James Lynch could be a solid fit at that position. We’ll see.
Kyle Rudolph
This one might be a little too crazy — with Rudolph being a serviceable tight end for the Vikings. Also, it wouldn’t be dire for Rudolph, who would still earn playing time due to the Vikings running two-tight-end sets.
But what if Irv Smith Jr. starts to thrive in the passing game? He could be poised for a breakout season.
Also, Rudolph seems like more of a red zone threat than a tight end who can beat you up and down the field. He had 367 receiving yards in the regular season. However, he did have some timely touchdowns — such as the ones against the Broncos, and of course against the Saints in the first round of the playoffs.
Rudolph has shown that he can be great for the Vikings at times, but Smith Jr. is efficient and now has a year of NFL experience under his belt. Anything can happen.
