Vikings Roster Ranked 17th-Best in NFL by PFF

According to PFF's Ben Linsey, the Vikings' overall roster doesn't rank in the top half of the NFL in 2020. Linsey recently ranked all 32 rosters, and the Vikings came in all the way down at No. 17.

For the last five or so years, the Vikings have clearly had one of the more talented all-around rosters in the NFL, with their major shortcomings being the quarterback position and the offensive line. They've now got a QB in Kirk Cousins coming off of a fantastic season, but gone is Stefon Diggs and the O-line remains an issue. More noticeably, Mike Zimmer's vaunted defense has finally undergone a transformation with the departures of three starters at cornerback and two on the defensive line.

The exodus of veteran talent could be a good thing in the long run, as the Vikings have a stable of intriguing young players to develop, including several rookies from a strong 2020 draft class. However, it's understandable that they would drop in this type of ranking.

Linsey listed the offensive line as the Vikings' biggest weakness, which is hard to argue with. For all of the draft capital Rick Spielman has spent on that area in recent years, it's still currently a liability, especially in pass-protection.

The Vikings did address the offensive line by selecting Ezra Cleveland in the second round of the 2020 draft, but it was really the interior pass protection that hamstrung the unit last season. That doesn't project to be significantly better in 2020. Garrett Bradbury (41.4 pass-blocking grade in 2019) will need to take a big step in his second season even to be average for the position in pass protection. Meanwhile, both guard spots are up in the air, including a potential move to guard for either Cleveland or Riley Reiff. There are still a lot of things to work out leading up to next season.

For the Vikings' 2020 X-factor, Linsey went with the cornerback position. That's different from a weakness, as there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Vikings' young CB group. They could have a rough season, but they could also quite possibly be better than last year's CBs were.

Minnesota underwent a wholesale change at cornerback this offseason, saying goodbye to starters Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes and Mackensie Alexander while selecting Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler in the 2020 draft. Last season's starters struggled overall, but that is still a lot of turnover in one offseason. Gladney is the rookie to watch when it comes to making an impact early. He was tested heavily downfield in the Big 12, but he stood up to that test. Gladney's 47% completion percentage allowed ranked first among FBS cornerbacks with at least 1,000 coverage snaps from 2016 through 2019.

Despite those two areas (and the loss of Diggs), 17th feels a little too low for the Vikings' roster, in my opinion. They still have elite talent at all three levels of the defense with Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, and Anthony Harris. If players like Ifeadi Odenigbo and Mike Hughes break out, that could be a strong unit once again. Offensively, the Cousins-Dalvin Cook-Adam Thielen trio is still quite strong, and young players like Brian O'Neill, Irv Smith Jr., and Justin Jefferson are all highly skilled.

Linsey lists the Vikings' incredible safety duo as the team's greatest strength.

It's not hard to spot the strongest position on Minnesota's roster. The safety duo of Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris is comfortably one of the best tandems in the NFL. Over the past two seasons, Smith and Harris rank fourth and first, respectively, in PFF grade at the position. Their ability in coverage, coupled with a career year in coverage from linebacker Eric Kendricks, was able to mask some of the deficiencies Minnesota had at cornerback. They'll likely have to do the same thing again in 2020.

Personally, I think somewhere in the 12 to 15 range makes more sense for the Vikings at this point. If their young players keep developing, I can see Zimmer's squad getting back inside the top ten or even the top five very soon.

The Ravens, Saints, and 49ers lead the way in PFF's roster rankings. The Packers are best in the NFC North at No. 12, while the Lions come in just behind the Vikings at No. 19. The Bears are last in the division at No. 21.

Again, you can see the full rankings right here.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here.

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