The Minnesota Vikings are in a position where their defensive line is a rather large weakness. It has been for a couple of years and there hasn't been a lot of major changes to improve it. Is this the right strategy for the Vikings?
Are the Vikings doing the right thing by not investing in DT market?
That's the biggest thing right now. The market for defensive tackles has been exploding with Chris Jones breaking the $30 million barrier. Players in the league are taking notice after the Carolina Panthers extended Derrick Brown on Friday.
DT market crazy 📈
— DeForest Buckner (@DeForestBuckner) April 5, 2024
Y’all better start teaching your kids to put their hand in the dirt 😂😎
It's not like the Vikings haven't tried to address the position. In free agency, they made a run at Christian Wilkins but weren't willing to go to the same dollar amount as the Las Vegas Raiders. It's a fair point to consider, as $27.5 million per year feels insane.
The biggest issue is that they haven't done enough in the NFL draft to get that guy. The Vikings haven't addressed the position in the top two rounds since they selected Sharrif Floyd at 23rd overall in 2013. Last year, they selected Jaquelin Roy and in 2022 they selected Esezi Otomewo with both players coming in round five. That's not conducive to building a stout unit, especially when you consider where the top players at the position have been drafted.
If you want a potentially dominant DT, you better take one early. Chris Jones (2nd), Justin Madubuike (3rd), Javon Hargrave (3rd) and Dre’Mont Jones (3rd) are the only four not drafted in the first round that are among the top-15 highest paid at the position.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 5, 2024
That's likely not going to be fixed this year, as picks 11 and 23 overall are probably going to be packaged together in a trade up for a quarterback. If they can't trade up for a quarterback, then it is possible that the Vikings could get a Byron Murphy II or Johnny Newton.
Is it the right strategy to not put as much of a priority on the defensive line? Well, the Vikings will be testing that theory as they put their resources into fortifying their edge rushers and will be using multiple replacement-level players in their rotation. If that works, then the Vikings will have been justified in doing so.
With the position becoming more and more of a premium one, it's a bet the Vikings have chosen to make and only time will tell if it's a good one.