NFL Power Rankings: Chiefs, Ravens remain hot as facilities begin to reopen

The Minnesota Vikings offense took a hit this offseason when they lost offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who signed with the Cleveland Browns as their new head coach. Stefanski was the coordinator for just over one season, but he had been with the team in some capacity since the 2006 season.

They will be able to turn to Gary Kubiak who worked closely with Stefanski, so there shouldn’t bee too drastic of a change, but they did still lose an up and coming star in the NFL. Of course, their bigger loss came with the departure of Stefon Diggs, but they did well in drafting Justin Jefferson as a replacement with the pick they acquired in exchange for Diggs.

Having said all that, their offense isn’t where the concern will come in for Minnesota this season as, for a change, their defense could have some problems.

Minnesota saw several big names leave in the offseason as they released defensive end Everson Griffen, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and defensive tackle Linval Joseph. They also saw cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander both join the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.

Head coach Mike Zimmer has always been a well-respected defensive mind, so the Vikings will likely still find a way to get things done on defense, but there could be a bit of a learning curve as they all get acclimated to the changes. Still, they should be in the NFC North mix when the season nears completion.