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3 Minnesota Vikings players who need to bounce back from a tough 2024 season
3 Minnesota Vikings players who need to bounce back from a tough 2024 season
The 2025 season for the Minnesota Vikings will be vital for the team as a whole and some specific players.
The Vikings are coming off a season in which they went 14-3 with a backup quarterback in Sam Darnold. Now in 2025, they will trot out their former top ten pick in J.J. McCarthy, as well as a roster that saw itself reinvented along the offensive line and on the defensive front. These three factors they hope are enough to tip the scales in their favor. They need more players to step up though, not just the new ones coming to the team.
As they are aware, so are we, which is why we wanted to point out some players who need to step up to help the Vikings secure a Super Bowl in 2025.
Ivan Pace Jr., Linebacker
Ivan Pace Jr. remained in a package-based usage for the most part in 2024, but did play meaningful snaps in two games that Blake Cashman missed. He proved to be a liability in the run game in those two games while thriving as a pass rusher. He needs to find a complete skillset while taking a major step in his development in 2025. If he can do that, it will go a long way for the Vikings to stop the Lions and go deep into the playoffs.
Mekhi Blackmon, Cornerback
Mekhi Blackmon is coming off a torn ACL, so saying he needs to bounce back may sound unfair, but it is more so that the team just needs him back. The secondary has some key pieces coming back in Byron Murphy Jr. and safeties Josh Metellus and Harrison Smith, getting Blackmon back would do wonders for the pass defense though. They need to be better at defending the pass outside of just reliably rushing the quarterback.
T.J. Hockenson, Tight End
Hockenson came back midway through the season from a torn ACL and he didn't quite look the same till later in the season. Thankfully, he has more time to recover, and he has a quarterback in J.J. McCarthy who likes to utilize his tight ends. Hockenson could be primed for a big season as a result and it could be the x-factor this offense needs to take the next step needed to make a Super Bowl run.
