Harris, Cook playing for big deals
Will Justin Jefferson replace Stefon Diggs?
This offseason, Minnesota lost its leading receiver from 2019 when the team traded away Stefon Diggs for draft picks. The Vikings drafted a wide receiver in the first round – LSU’s Jefferson – who could replace some of the production Diggs left behind.
Jefferson thrived in the slot for the Tigers, and Minnesota offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said that he will play inside quite a bit for the team.
The Vikings still have their leading receiver from 2016-18, Adam Thielen. He saw a dropoff in his numbers last season after suffering a hamstring injury and playing in just 10 regularseason games. However, Thielen seemed to hit a stride toward the end of the season, and he had 129 receiving yards in a playoff game against the Saints.
Diggs had 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdown catches in 2019. If Thielen can stay healthy, he can help replace Diggs, but it’s going to likely take more than just Thielen.
Besides Thielen and Jefferson, Minnesota also has Bisi Johnson, Chad Beebe and free agency signee Tajae Sharpe, all of whom can be a by-committee answer to the Diggs problem. If Thielen stays on the field, Jefferson has a big rookie year and some wide receivers step into bigger roles than what they’re used to, the Vikings won’t drop off in the passing game.
Since at least some of those projections are speculative, there will be some uncertainty at wide receiver heading into the 2020 season.
What is Anthony Harris’ long-term future?
The safety was franchisetagged by the Vikings this offseason, so it will be interesting to see whether he and Minnesota work out a new deal down the road or if Harris isn’t in the longterm plan.
Harris is coming off a season where he had six interceptions, tied for an NFL best. He also had 11 passes defended. Both his interception and pass deflection numbers were career bests. Harris went from nine starts in 2018 to starting 14 games in 2019.
However, the team already has safety Harrison Smith, who hasn’t missed a Pro Bowl since 2014. The Vikings also have a lot of veteran players who require large contracts.
What will the team do about Dalvin Cook?
The running back is coming off a season in which he rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns,
both of which were career highs. Cook is quite the bargain for the Vikings, earning more than $1.7 million in 2019.
His contract runs out after the 2020 season, and the Vikings will have a decision to make: extend him and risk spending too much money on a running back, or let him walk and move on without a big part of the offense.
A lot of teams have learned the hard way when it comes to giving big extensions to running backs. The most recent example has been the Rams, who gave Todd Gurley a four-year, $60 million extension in 2018, only to cut him this offseason.
If Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey – who signed a four-year, $64 million extension recently – is any indication of the market for running backs, the Vikings will have to give Cook a lot of money.
Cook has had injury problems in the past, too. He has missed 19 games in three seasons with the Vikings. When he’s been healthy, though, he’s been good.