The Minnesota Vikings are coming off their best season since 2017. Could the team turn to its division rivals to fix one of the NFL’s worst defenses?
Despite a 13-win season and an NFC North title, Kevin O’Connell’s Minnesota Vikings failed to win a postseason game. The next step may be to reach the playoffs for a second straight season, something the franchise hasn’t done since 2008 and ’09.
In 2022, the Purple Gang made good use out of a pair of former division rivals. Released by the Green Bay Packers this past offseason, the Vikings signed pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith. He rewarded the team with 44 tackles, 10.0 sacks, a team-high 24 quarterback hits and five passes defensed.
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At midseason, Minnesota was able to obtain tight end T.J. Hockenson from the Detroit Lions. In 10 games with the Vikings, he wound up finishing tied for third on the team with 60 receptions, good for 519 yards and three touchdowns. Hockenson also caught 10 passes for 129 yards in the playoff loss to the Giants.
Via Spotrac, the club has some work to do to get under the salary cap before 4:00 pm ET on March 15. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah may look for some help amongst his NFC North neighbors this offseason. So here are three suggestions.
3. DT Mike Pennel (Bears)
The well-traveled interior defender spent 2022 with the Chicago Bears, his fifth team in nine NFL seasons. He played in all 17 games for Matt Eberflus’ club, making two starts. The former undrafted free agent finished with 26 tackles, knocked down two passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
The Vikings’ defense could use all the help it can get, and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard (7 starts in 2022) could test free agency. Only the Detroit Lions gave up more total yards per game in ’22 and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell was fired after one season in the Twin Cities. Hence the hiring of new coordinator Brian Flores.
2. DE John Cominsky (Lions)
More help for the defensive front could come in the form of a four-year pro John Cominsky, who somewhat quietly had an extremely solid season for the rival Detroit Lions. After three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, the 2019 fourth-round pick wound up with Dan Campbell’s club in 2022
The 6-5, 285-pound performer missed time early in the season with a thumb injury. He would wind up playing in a career-high 14 games and making a personal best eight starts. Cominsky finished with 30 tackles, was third on the club with four sacks and led the Lions with a dozen quarterback pressures. He also knocked down three passes, forced a fumble and contributed on special teams with a blocked kick.
Granted, the Lions did allow the most total yards per game in the league this past season. Detroit ranked 29th in the league against the run and 30th vs. the pass. However, Aaron Glenn’s unit played better football as the season unfolded (minus that ugly 37-23 loss at Carolina in Week 16).
The Vikings could lose both the aforementioned Jonathan Bullard as well as talented Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency. Meanwhile, Cominsky could make for quite the bookend opposite talented edge-rusher Danielle Hunter in Brian Flores’ defense.
1. CB/KR Keisean Nixon (Packers)
Last March, the Packers signed former undrafted free agent Keisean Nixon away from the Las Vegas Raiders. It proved to be quite the move as the speedy performer added depth to the Green Bay secondary and also finished with six special teams tackles.
Where Nixon really made his presence felt was on those special teams. He would earn All-Pro honors for his work as a return artist as he accumulated a combined 1,149 yards on punt (140) and kickoff returns (1,009). He averaged 28.8 yards per kickoff return, a mark bolstered greatly when he took one back 105 yards for a score in a Week 17 victory over the Vikings.
Nixon played in all 17 games and made four starts. On defense, he finished with 17 tackles, to go along with a pair of passes defensed, one interception and a forced fumble.
Keep in mind that two-year running back Kene Nwangwu has excelled as a return artist for the club. The 2021 fourth-round pick from Iowa State has taken back three kickoffs for scores in two seasons. In Nixon, the Vikings would not only get some help for their beleaguered secondary and in the process hurt the Packers’ offense in terms of improving field position.