Can Minnesota's Wide Receiver Group Block Well Enough To Help Their New QB?

The 2023 Minnesota Vikings’ offense was a solid group, ranking 10th in the league in total yards per game. However, the Vikings ranked 29th in total rushing yards and 29th in the league inred-zone TD percentage. The team will likely attempt to run the ball earlier and more often in 2024 with Kirk Cousins and his uber-efficient passing game gone to Atlanta and a new signal-caller at the helm.

Coach Kevin O'Connell’s desire to run the ball more efficiently is no secret.

“A main goal of mine,” O’Connell stated last March, "is to have some improvement in our running game."

O’Connell’s rushing attack can be better next year with improved blocking from Minnesota’s receivers. There is no doubt about the effectiveness of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison as elite route-runners and pass-catchers. Addison accounted for 10 TDs and 911 yards in his rookie campaign, while Jefferson found the end zone five times and added 1,074 receiving yards. In the passing game, it is crystal clear that they are an elite tandem.

Coach O’Connell and OC Wes Phillips’ offensive scheme often features run concepts in which WRs are asked to make critical blocks at the POA. The run blocking rates for Minnesota’s receivers varied last season statistically: Justin Jefferson is a complete WR and grades out well as a run blocker, ranking 44th amongst WRs last year with a respectable 56.8 run blocking grade. However, Jordan Addison and Brandon Powell didn’t have the same success, with Addison ranking 107th with a 45.9% success rate and Powell ranking 123rd with a 43.2% success rate.

It’s easy to understand why rookie Jordan Addison, who the Vikings list at a generous 175 lbs. on their depth chart, would struggle in the NFL when tasked with blocking linebackers and sealing edge defenders. Powell is a more compact physical WR and should be able to improve.

If one looks at the tree from which Coach O’Connell’s coaching career sprung, Sean McVay’s offense with the Los Angeles Rams indicates the impact of WR blocking. The Rams boast the top-ranked run-blocker in the NFL at the WR position in 2023, in Puka Nakua, and also can claim another top-10-ranked run blocker in Demarcus Robinson to go along with Cooper Kupp, a strong player in this regard as well.

That helped the Rams finish 11th in the league in rushing and eighth in NFL scoring efficiency in 2023. There is no doubt that O’Connell would love to see similar rankings for his Vikings offense in these categories in 2024, with a new or rookie QB, and much of this will depend upon whether the Viking’s talented WR group can become more two-dimensional in their excellence.

Below, we see Addison do a great job on Atlanta's corner. He's up at the line of scrimmage in a force position with deep safety behind him. Addison gets into him legally, keeps his legs driving after contact, and makes a good block. This springs his running back for a big gain.

[video width=1280" height="720" mp4="https://zonecoverage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Great-block-by-one-of-the-WRs.mp4]

In the clip below, you can see Atlanta in a five-man front with pressed corners on the outside in front of their 2 shell. Both receivers inside release on their corners (who have contain responsibilities) and stem up to block the safeties on an inside run. Jefferson takes a little time with his corner but then gets to his safety late. Addison gets a clean release and is on his safety early. This is solid blocking by Minnesota's star receivers.

[video width=1280" height="720" mp4="https://zonecoverage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2-good-again.mp4]

If Minnesota’s WR trio can improve in 2024-25 as run-blockers, it would help the offense tremendously. Opposing defenses would be less inclined to play two-high coverage schemes, their new QB would stay more comfortable, and their coaches could more easily find pathways for them to do what they do best.