The Vikings began transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in 2022, but we really shouldn't count that season. It was such a disaster under Ed Donatell that he was shown the door after just one year. Shortly after the final whistle of their playoff loss to the Giants in 2022, Donatell was fired, and Brian Flores was hired to replace him. About the only thing these two coaches have in common is using a 3-4 alignment in their base defense.
The Vikings' defenses had not done much blitzing under their two previous coordinators. That changed with the hiring of Flores who would send the water boy if it were legal. His defenses thrive on pressure and forcing mistakes.
The unit showed improvement in 2023, though there is plenty of room for more. Last year, they were 8th against the run and 22nd against the pass. Minnesota's 22 turnovers were middle of the pack, and they were 19th in sacks.
After a season of personnel evaluation and scheme installation, there will be a lot of new faces in this year's lineup. The Vikings made a lot of their defensive moves via free agency, bringing in eight veterans, many of whom will either start or have significant roles. The organization was not done there though, using two of their first three picks on defense, including the 17th overall on edge, Dallas Turner.
Not all of the additions are necessarily upgrades. The team had some cap issues that forced them to let some guys go that they would have been happy to keep. Overall, they look a little better, at least on paper.
Defensive Linemen
The Vikings' defensive line was overhauled, especially at the edge positions, where three of their top four in playing time from last year are gone. That includes Danielle Hunter, who led the team with 16.5 sacks, and D.J. Wonnum who was second with 8. Any team would love a player like Hunter, so these changes were more about money than performance. In going from Hunter and Wonnum to Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, the team saved about 8.7 million on the cap in 2024.
No team wants to lose a great player like Hunter, but if you have to let one go, getting a replacement like Greenard is a great move. Greenard is not only much cheaper, he is younger and has shown Hunter-like potential. As the 2020 third-round pick of the Texans, Greenard did not play much in his first year. His first significant playing time came in week three of 2021. Greenard went on to play more than 25 snaps in nine more games that year, finishing with 31 combined stops, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 batted passes on 413 plays.
Greenard earned the starting job at the start of his third season, but an early injury derailed what could have been his breakout year. He would not be denied, however. His breakout came in 2023 when Greenard totaled 36-15-12.5 with a turnover, and 2 batted passes in 15 games. Greenard is not Danielle Hunter but he's a rising star who should go a long way toward softening the blow of the loss for Vikings fans and IDP managers alike.
On the field, the swap of Wonnum for Van Ginkel looks like a push. In the box scores, it could be an upgrade. Wonnum was a steady contributor, working as the second starter in two of the last three seasons. Over that span, he totaled 20 sacks with 4 turnovers, 10 passes defended, and a score on 2373 plays. Wonnum turned in one good year in the tackle columns with 60 combined in 2023.
Over his last four years in Miami, Van Ginkel worked mostly in a backup role, though injuries elevated him for multiple games in two of those years. He played 2364 snaps, posting 16 sacks with 8 turnovers, 21 passes defended, and a pair of scores. In 2020, Van Ginkel combined for 48 tackles. In 2021, he had 71, including 50 solo, and last season, he finished 43-26 with a career-best of 6 sacks.
Van Ginkel's versatility and cover skills open up a lot of options for coach Flores and good speed allows him to chase down a lot of plays from the backside. The only thing that could keep Van Ginkel from being an IDP factor in 2024 is the presence of Dallas Turner.
Turner checks all the boxes. He is blazing fast, is highly athletic, has an explosive upfield burst, and has put up impressive sack numbers at Alabama. There is room for improvement in all aspects of his game though, especially versus the run. Turner added weight over his three seasons with the Crimson Tide but still checks in under 250 pounds. He can be manhandled as a point-of-attack defender and needs to add muscle to be effective on early downs at the pro level.
As a junior last year, Turner totaled 53 tackles, 10 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles over 14 games. He has the potential to be special but could start his career as a third-down specialist while working to improve as an edge-setter. Turner has some upside as a rookie and is a good taxi squad stash for dynasty managers.
In a league where most teams have at least one defensive tackle at 325 pounds or more, the Vikings are built for speed and disruption. At 307 pounds, Harrison Phillips is their biggest defensive player. In four years with Buffalo, Phillips produced marginal stats. Two seasons with the Vikings have made him a serious IDP contributor.
In 2022, Phillips totaled 59 combined stops with a sack-and-a-half and two turnovers. While not impressive, those numbers were the best of his career at that point and made him a good backup in leagues that start two tackles. Phillips blew those numbers out of the water last year. At 44-48-3, he was second to Derrick Brown in tackles and ninth in points at the position. His pass rush is limited but effective and Phillips is excellent versus the run. In a scheme that could easily help him find two or three more sacks, he is a good target for your DT1 if you miss out on the first-tier guys.
Phillips and Jonathan Bullard are the only returning starters from last year's starting five. Phillips is the nose tackle, while Bullard and free agent addition Jerry Tillery are penciled in as starters at the outside tackle positions. Free agent additions Jonah Williams and Jihad Ward might have something to say about that. The goal was to get more pressure from those spots. Minnesota got five sacks from their tackle positions last year: Harrison's three and two from Bullard. Between them, Tillery, Ward, and Williams accounted for nine. I expect a wide-open competition for the starting jobs and a relatively even rotation regardless of who gets the title.
- Edge Jonathan Greenard – Quality second starter with some upside
- Edge Andrew Van Ginkel – Top-20 potential at a bargain basement price
- Edge Dallas Turner – dynasty target with short-term upside
- Edge Patrick Jones – Injury sleeper at best
- Edge Andre Carter – Developmental player entering his second year
- DT Harrison Phillips – Low-end DT1 with good consistency
- DT Jerry Tillery – No impact expected
- DT Jonathan Bullard – No impact
- DT James Lynch – Potential depth
- DT Jihad Ward – DT2 potential
- DT Jaquelin Roy – No impact
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