The are coming off of a succe sful 2019 campaign in which improved, Mike Zimmer recorded his second double-digit win season in the last three years and the Vikings beat the in a postseason overtime thriller. Despite the fact that Minnesota took a clear step in the right direction last season, they are entering 2020 with several question marks.The Vikings parted ways with star wideout and also lost three of their top cornerbacks in free agency. Still, they rebounded in the 2020 to select several talented players who could come in and make an immediate impact. First-round pick out of LSU looks like a perfect candidate to replace Diggs at wideout, fellow first-round pick could be an instant starter at cornerback and the coaching staff could find somewhere for second-round pick to start along the offensive line. While the Vikings have plenty of young talent coming in, they are going to have to compete for playing time, just like everyone else on roster.Zimmer’s first goal during this unprecedented offseason will be to evaluate his talent and establish a rough depth chart. This task will be more difficult than usual since there is no preseason due to the ongoing COVID- Philadelphia 76Ers T-Shirts 19 pandemic. Minnesota has plenty of talent, but which players will rise above the others before the regular season? Let’s take a look at five of the most intriguing training camp battles for the Vikings. My colleague Cody Benjamin listed the cornerback as the for Minnesota earlier this offseason, and I couldn’t agree more. The Vikings lost , and all in one offseason, so they will be starting anew at cornerback. First-round pick Jeff Gladney figures to make a nice transition to the slot cornerback role, and former first-rounder Mike Hughes has the wherewithal to man an outside job. The depth, however, is a total unknown. Third-rounder Cameron Dantzler, fifth-rounder Harrison Hand and reserve holdover Holton Hill will be fighting for big roles this summer, especially considering the Vikings’ pa s rush took Lamine Diane Jersey a hit with the lo s of . This is the the key position to watch in training camp for the Vikings.When the Vikings signed Tajae Sharpe this offseason, he said he was since there was a starting position open due to the Diggs trade. Unfortunately, that spot appeared to be automatically filled when Minnesota selected Justin Jefferson with the No. 22 overall pick. The former LSU star caught 111 pa ses for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns last year as LSU defeated Clemson in the National Championship game. He also had an incredible performance against Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl, when he caught 14 pa ses for 227 yards and four touchdowns. All four of his receiving touchdowns came in the first half. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound receiver has the potential to be a premier wideout at the next level, and also ran a 4.43 40-yard-dash at the combine. A longtime NFL offensive coordinator/receivers coach even told told Bucky Brooks of NFL.com that . Jefferson is probably the favorite to start opposite of , but he will have to earn the starting spot in training camp. What happens next on the depth chart, however, is just as intriguing.Sharpe will have to battle with the likes of , po sibly and then K.J. Osborn — who is another talented rookie this coaching staff is excited about. The Buffalo transfer caught 50 pa ses for 547 yards and five touchdowns during his one season with Miami, and is a dependable hard worker who could have a future in the slot. It’s interesting how the Vikings went from having only four healthy wideouts on roster last year to hosting a legitimate competition at the position. Hopefully this just opens up the pa sing game even more for Cousins. While Ezra Cleveland was a succe sful tackle at Boise State, it’s unlikely the rookie will come in and immediately replace on the left side. If he impre ses enough in training camp, however, he could enter the competition for offensive guard.Pat Elflein and Dakota Dozier should be slated as the two starting guards if the season began today since was not re-signed, but that is subject Mike Scott Jersey to change before September. Both did not register impre sive seasons in 2019, and there is some youth ready to battle with them for playing time. Dru Samia, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, does have a ton of potential, but only played in two games during his rookie season. The former Big 12 Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year should at least be given a chance to compete, as should former undrafted free agent Aviante Collins — who made one start last year. Again, Elflein and Dozier should be the favorites to win this competition, but don’t count out the wildcard in Cleveland. The Vikings parted ways with this offseason, but tried to replace him with former defensive tackle , who they signed to a three-year deal. Unfortunately for Minnesota, he decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to Ryan Broekhoff Jersey COVID-19 concerns, so the Vikings will host a competition for two of the starting spots along the defensive line.Jaleel Johnson started three games last season and recorded a career-high 29 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks, so he should be considered a favorite to start the regular-season opener at nose tackle in place of Pierce. Shamar Stephen is a veteran who started 15 games for the Vikings last season, but Armon Watts is probably the more intriguing option that Zimmer will be paying close attention to. The former sixth-round pick played in just seven games and recorded 13 combined tackles along with 1.5 sacks in his rookie season, but is someone who has intrigued the coaching staff as of late.”Armon has played really well,” Zimmer said earlier this week, . “He’s done a nice job when he’s been in there. He played a fair amount towards the amount of last year.” According to Next Gen Stats, Watts recorded a disruption on just under 10 percent of his 41 pa s-rushing snaps from an interior defensive position in 2019, so there’s no doubt he has potential. Former undrafted free agent Hercules Mata’afa is another young guy who should get the chance to push both Stephen and Watts for the starting role, but he will likely play in a reserve role. Who doesn’t love a good backup quarterback battle? Sean Mannion should again be the favorite to make the 53-man roster, but he didn’t impre s in his one start last year. In the regular-season finale against the , Mannion completed 12 of 21 pa ses for 126 yards and two interceptions as the Vikings lost, 21-19. Minnesota kept undrafted free agent Jake Browning on its practice squad last season, and the former Pac-12 Offensive Allen Iverson Jersey Player of the Year could put up more of a fight in training camp this time around. The Vikings also drafted former Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he registered a strong senior season in which he went 10-3 as a starter while throwing for 2,951 yards, 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. During this very different offseason, Zimmer may feel more comfortable movin
