NFL Power Rankings 2020 preseason: Where do LA Rams fall?

Team 13 – Minnesota Vikings (10-6)

The Minnesota Vikings are deceptively good. Deceptively as the team enters each off-season as a team somewhere between a bad Detroit Lions team and a good Green Bay Packers team.  I believe the Vikings can challenge the Vikings for the NFC North crown this year.

2019 summary

Minnesota Vikings 2019 was a bit of a disappointment, as the team finished firmly behind the Packers. But the Vikings are back at it in 2020. The Vikings story from 2019 can be told by the fact that the team was swept by both the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The other two losses were on the road at Seattle and at Kansas City, both tough places to win.

Players lost

The Vikings lost CB Trae Waynes, DT Linval Joseph, DE Stephen Weatherly, CB Xavier Rhodes, and CB Mackensie Alexander, S Andrew Sendejo, and S Jayron Kearse. Of course, the team traded away WR Stephon Diggs.

Players added

The Vikings added DE Michael Pierce, and then thanks to the trade with the Bills, drafted WR Justin Jefferson, CB Jeff Gladney, OT Ezra Cleveland, LB Troy Dye, and many more rookies

2020 outlook

As much as I want to say the Vikings got better in 2020, they got younger. And the 2020 season is not turning out favorably to teams that get that young that quickly.  The NFC North overall got worse, so the Vikings may be able to tread water as they win more games in their division. But the exodus of Diggs takes away the Vikings only 1000-yard receiver from 2019. The pressure is critical for WR Justin Jefferson to deliver instantly.  Big if.