Now that Everson Griffen is gone, the Vikings will have to move on without one of their veterans starting from previous teams.
Danielle Hunter is a starting defensive end, barring anything unexpected. In front of Hunter, there is an open space, which has probable candidates who can fill the void.
The first that comes to mind is Ifeadi Odenigbo. He had seven sacks in limited reps last season. General wisdom would say that giving Odenigbo the representatives of a starter would lead to more production.
“I run faster. I think I’m going a lot faster, ”Odenigbo told the Star Tribune and other media. “I’m a starter now, more is expected of me. So I owe it to the team and everyone to make sure I play at a high level.
And that might still be true, but there’s the issue of Odenigbo being primarily a passer in the past. It remains to be seen if he can stop the race with plenty of playing time.
There is a strategy the Vikings could deploy in order to have a double threat defensive end, and that gives two players a lot of reps on the open defensive end. Jalyn Holmes, who has lost weight this offseason to return to the defense, could share the reps with Odenigbo.
Odenigbo has clearly prepared to be the starter, and he can probably play most of the time. However, Holmes would likely be more of a force in the racing game. Offensive linemen would have a harder time moving it off the line and out of the holes in racing situations.
I think if Minnesota is to be balanced they should give Odenigbo and Holmes a lot of reps. Indeed, Minnesota still needs Odenigbo to develop and produce. But Holmes would provide an interesting addition and add another dimension to the Vikings’ final defensive position.
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