Photo By Brian Curski
Written By Chris Schad
If there was one unit that vastly improved with the arrival of Mike Zimmer, it had to be the Minnesota Vikings’ secondary. One year after having one of the worst secondaries in the league, the back end of the defense improved dramatically with a more aggressive scheme.
Although the Vikings have improved with the return of Harrison Smith and the late-season emergence of Xavier Rhodes, the team still needs to find that missing piece to turn a solid defensive unit into the lights out one that Zimmer imagines.
It’s something they’ll have to make a priority this offseason with the Vikings facing Matthew Stafford (338 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT in two games vs. MIN this season) and Aaron Rodgers (365 yds, 5 TD, 0 INT) four times a year for the conceivable future.
How The Vikings Envisioned 2014
The Vikings weren’t sure what to think of their secondary under the new regime. They had been decimated in 2013 and it was time to put up or shut up for many of their personnel, especially Xavier Rhodes and Josh Robinson.
Fortunately, the Vikings would rely on a couple of additions to shore up their leaky defense in safety Harrison Smith (returning from a 2013 lost to turf toe) and free-agent newcomer Captain Munnerlyn. While the unit would likely be far from one of the worst in the league, it couldn’t have been as bad as 2013’s blood bath.
How 2014 Actually Played Out
The first five weeks of the season were key to the Vikings’ evaluation of their secondary, and they came out unscathed outside of a beatdown by the Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 2 along with Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
While they had moments of weakness during that stretch, the secondary improved as the season went along. Smith regained his All-Pro potential, and Rhodes was one of the league’s best cornerbacks in the final six weeks of the season. Munnerlyn didn’t bring the shutdown aspect to the unit, but he was a decent upgrade over Josh Robinson in the slot.
The Current Situation
Heading into the offseason, the Vikings will have strength in numbers as Zimmer loves to have several defensive backs on his roster. However, there’s still room for improvement via free agency and possibly the draft.
Offseason Plan & Targets
The first order of business for the secondary will be to pick up the fifth-year option for Smith. As a player with All-Pro potential, he remains a player that can be a leader of the Vikings defense for years to come. If it’s not a formality, something is seriously wrong at Winter Park.
Outside of the obvious, the Vikings need to search for the one missing piece that will take them from being a decent secondary to one of the best in the league. The top option would be to take the free-agent route and throw a ton of money at New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty.
While Smith provides the physical in-the-box presence, McCourty could bring the coverage aspect that has been lacking in the back end of the defense. The only negative to this is that his price tag is rising with a solid playoff performance, but the Vikings could be able to make this happen by cutting salary elsewhere (see Greg Jennings and Chad Greenway for starters).
The other option is to find a starter opposite of Rhodes. While the free-agent crop isn’t appealing (unless the Vikings convince Darrelle Revis to leave New England), they can tap into a draft class to get fellow Florida State product P.J. Williams or Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes.
The defense is beginning to take shape under Zimmer’s guidance, and obtaining a missing piece for the secondary could make the difference between just missing the playoffs and sneaking in the side door.