Do the Vikings Have a Leadership Void?
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
There were some massive changes this offseason for the Minnesota Vikings, and many of them look good for the future of the team. In the here and now, though, the turnover presents potential problems. One such concern heading into training camp is a new leadership void on offense, which someone will have to step into.
Although Kirk Cousins, better known as “Kirko Chainz” around these parts, didn’t always seem to be the most vocal, he was clearly a leader on the team. His teammates loved him. He clearly bought the best out of the players around him, and after wins, teammates loved to jump on his JC Penny style and give him bling for the plane ride home. Cousins is gone now to the Atlanta Falcons, where he will be a great leader for that young offense, and the Vikings are looking for a new leader to step up.
Not just a leader of the offense, either. Cousins brought the whole team together, and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips knows others need to step up.
“There’s gonna be a huge loss,” Phillips said. “Kirk Cousins as a person, as a leader, as a teammate, that’s a big void in your locker room. One of the most humble guys that I’ve ever been around. Servant leader, just a great motivator. He’s great. To ask one person to fill that void is probably not probable. So what we’re going to do is have a great leadership team, which we’ve already seen. There’s already guys that I’ve seen these last few seasons being on this roster — some are captains, some are not captains yet but will be in their careers — and so we’re going to pass that torch off and kind of division of labor. We’re going to all carry that load together, and maybe we can be a better football team for it.”
On defense, Phillips and Harrison Smith offer continuity in leadership roles, but the offense needs someone to step up, and that’s where the problems could be. The Vikings selected J.J. McCarthy as the 10th overall pick, and he should be the long-term answer as the leader, but will he be able to lead as the backup quarterback? McCarthy was praised as a leader of the Michigan Wolverines and helped them to a National Championship. At this time, the signs are pointing towards Sam Darnold being the starter in Week 1, and with McCarthy behind him, it’s hard to be a true leader on the bench.
Darnold will have some leadership role if he is the starter, but will the team be willing to latch onto him as a leader if he’s not going to be around long-term? Darnold signed only a one-year contract this offseason, and it’s hard to imagine he’s going to be the long-term starter for this team, which could give some reservations about some players following his leadership.
Justin Jefferson just signed an extension that makes him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, but as great as he is on the field, is he the kind of leader his team needs? He didn’t have to be much of a leader with Cousins leading the offense, and now that he is the undisputed face of the Vikings, he doesn’t have much of a choice anymore. After Jordan Addison and Jefferson, there are a lot of question marks in the wide receiver room. Even if he isn’t a complete leader of the offense, Jefferson has to at least be the leader of his position group.
One player who could make a lot of sense to step into the offensive leadership void, even if it’s just for a year or two, is former Green Bay Packer Aaron Jones. Jones is going to be the starting running back this season, and he was known as a vocal leader with the Packers. As a veteran, he should be a great presence in the locker room. Just like Darnold is a perfect bridge quarterback to McCarthy, Jones could be a perfect leadership bridge to McCarthy. Jones isn’t afraid to speak out, and that is something that a relatively young and inexperienced offense needs most right now.
It’s probably going to take a team leadership approach this season on offense for the Vikings, but they have some players in place that can step up and fill the void left by Cousins. The question is, will they?
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