Vikings Territory: A Theory On Vikings RDE Position Not Yet Widely Presented

Press release from Vikings Territory:

July 2, 2021

What pass rushers can the Minnesota Vikings sign with their remaining cap space?

per Pro Football Focus

As of early July, free-agent acquisition Stephen Weatherly is probably the presumed starter if the Vikings do not use the committee approach. But according to CBS Sports, that popular consensus should undergo a pumping of brakes. Contrary to the belief that Weatherly will likely start, CBS Sports’ Patrick Walker considers Weatherly a potential victim of a veteran “chopping block.” That is – he hints that Weatherly may not even make the team:

This theory is new.

The 2021 NFL Draft could have damaged Weatherly’s stock – according to Walker. While it is unusual for a Zimmer-led team to start a defensive lineman out of the gate, the working theory is that either Jones II or Robinson would escalate the depth chart, ending Weatherly’s stint with the Vikings in a premature fashion.

As for a rookie defensive end starting in 2021, Jones II or Robinson’s presence on the field at RDE1 would entail a paradigm shift. In Zimmer’s tenure with the Vikings, just two players have started at defensive end in their rookie seasons – Danielle Hunter for a single game in 2015 and D.J. Wonnum out of absolute others-are-injured necessity last year.

The silver lining? If it’s Jones II or Robinson early in the season instead of Weatherly – it will mean that a rookie has totally shined in training camp, causing Weatherly to be expendable. It’s a raw deal for Weatherly but exciting for the enterprise.

This press release was produced by Vikings Territory. The views expressed here are the author’s own.