NFL Power Rankings, Week 1: Opinions Vary on Vikings Heading Into 2020
As I've said all offseason long, the Vikings are one of the tougher teams in the league to predict for the 2020 season.
It's easy to look at all of the veteran talent on this roster (including recent addition Yannick Ngakoue) and imagine this team getting back to the playoffs this year. Throw in the wide variety of intriguing young players who could emerge and the presence of two respected coaches running things in Mike Zimmer and Gary Kubiak, and that only adds to that case.
However, it's just as easy to point out some major question marks (most notably at cornerback and guard) as well as a number of areas of potential regression, and to be legitimately concerned about the Vikings finishing with a losing record for the first time since 2014.
Here's the fun part: after months upon months of talking about it, we're about to start finding out how good this team really is. Football is finally here.
Ahead of a massive Week 1 clash with the Packers, let's take a look around the internet and see where national experts place the Vikings in their power rankings.
SI.com MMQB: No. 13
Right off the bat, the MMQB staff gives us a great example of the wide range of opinions people hold on the Vikings. One of the six voters had them at No. 6. One had them down at No. 19. That's a pretty massive gap.
The Vikings were another polarizing team in our rankings, coming in anywhere between sixth and 19th. We’ll learn plenty from a Week 1 game against the Packers.
Sheil Kapadia, The Athletic: No. 10
They retooled their roster in the offseason with an eye on the next three years. The loss of Stefon Diggs is going to hurt, and the offense very well could take a step back. But the best thing going for the Vikings is that they have two of the league’s smartest play-callers in Mike Zimmer and Gary Kubiak. The Yannick Ngakoue trade should give the Vikings a big boost up front, and Zimmer has earned the benefit of the doubt with his track record of developing young cornerbacks. This team probably doesn’t have a Super Bowl ceiling, but the Vikings should be a competitive playoff team.
Bleacher Report: No. 7
The Minnesota Vikings made a huge splash last week, swinging a trade with the Jaguars to pair edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue with Danielle Hunter. The Vikings also have a proven veteran quarterback in Kirk Cousins and skill-position weapons such as tailback Dalvin Cook, veteran wideout Adam Thielen and rookie first-round pick Justin Jefferson. Minnesota has the ingredients for a deep playoff run. But a secondary that lost its top three cornerbacks in the offseason could derail that postseason trip.
Dan Hanzus, NFL.com: No. 10
Kudos to general manager Rick Spielman, who waited out the market and then pounced on Yannick Ngakoue, landing a young, proven pass rusher via a trade in which the Vikings didn't have to a) surrender a premium draft pick (a second- and conditional fifth-rounder went to Jacksonville) or b) pay Ngakoue at the salary he was slated to make under the franchise tag. Granted, that last part has almost nothing to do with Minnesota (Ngakoue was desperate to escape the Jags), but good on the Vikes for seizing on a huge opportunity to get better. Ngakoue – who has had at least eight sacks in each of his first four seasons – effectively replaces Everson Griffen and eliminates the most glaring flaw on the defense. Smart football teams do smart things.
ESPN.com: No. 13
While Minnesota lost a host of staples on defense this offseason, Mike Zimmer's unit is still backed by the likes of Harrison Smith, Anthony Harris, Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr and Danielle Hunter. These elite players will be tasked with bringing along a young group of cornerbacks and a handful of new faces on the defensive line while raising the level of play around them.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: No. 19
They will have a new-look defense, which might be a good thing. The challenge will be fitting it all together. Kirk Cousins and the offense should be fine.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: No. 18
The trade for Yannick Ngakoue was a much-needed addition for the Vikings in an offseason that saw mostly departures. Danielle Hunter and Ngakoue give the Vikings a strong 1-2 pass rush duo.
Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk: No. 12
Yannick Ngakoue gives the pass rush a boost. The question ultimately becomes whether the Vikings will be able to throw when they can’t run.
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