Minnesota Vikings: 3 Early breakout candidates on defense in 2020

2. Ifeadi Odenigbo

Another player who could certainly step up and have himself a career year in 2020 is defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo. Odenigbo having a breakout year this season wouldn’t be a big surprise, since he has already become a nice option on the defensive line for Minnesota in his first two seasons in the league.

Odenigbo will enter his third season in the NFL and second with the Vikings in 2020 after being drafted by Minnesota in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Northwestern.

During the 2018 campaign, the 26-year-old appeared in just one game for the Arizona Cardinals, totaling one tackle. In his first year in Minnesota in 2019, however, Odenigbo played in all 16 regular-season contests in a backup role, finishing with one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, seven sacks and 23 combined tackles.

This season, Odenigbo will get an opportunity to continue to step up and expand his role, especially with the departure of veteran defensive end Everson Griffen this offseason. Odenigbo gives Minnesota a body that is able to defend well against the run as well as get to the opposing quarterback on the defensive line.

Griffen accounted for eleven sacks and was a big part of the Vikings defense alongside defensive end Danielle Hunter on the other side of the line, so Odenigbo will look to potentially step into that role and ultimately have a similar impact on the Minnesota defensive group.

There are plenty of new faces that will fill the Vikings defense in 2020 and that will result in multiple players having to step up and perform well in expanded roles. But Odenigbo will have the chance to have a breakout season this year in purple and gold.