Tag: Dakota Dozier

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3 Players The Vikings Should NOT Start On Offensive Line

Let’s Reid between the lines…

With free agency in full swing, the Vikings have signed one new offensive lineman (Mason Cole) and retained two others (Rashod Hill and Dakota Dozier). These players should make for good backups, but they do not belong in the starting five.

Rashod Hill is a known product. We’ve seen him many times as both an injury substitution, and a starting tackle. It’s hard to say what causes it, but Hill plays great as a backup only to struggle mightily as a starter. Fans can be glad to have him around again on a cheap one year deal, but he should not be considered a bookend for the O-line.

Mason Cole was acquired a couple weeks ago from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a sixth round pick. Social media can be deceiving when it comes to “analyzing” new players. Many fan accounts eagerly jumped to saying he would be the Vikings new starter at left guard, no questions asked. However, it’s important to quiet the hype and look at players objectively. 

Cole still has some upside as a 25 year old athlete, but Pro Football Focus gave him only a 46.1 pass blocking grade last year. The fact that it only took a sixth rough pick to trade for him says a lot too. Sadly, Mason Cole is not the starter Minnesota needs protecting Kirk Cousins at guard.

Dakota Dozier is in a similar situation to Cole. Dozier has been a guard in the league for a few years, but he continues to earn poor pass blocking grades from PFF. He is familiar with offensive line coach Rick Dennison’s run blocking scheme, but that isn’t enough to compensate for his suspect pass protection skills. Dozier will have to dig deep to even make the roster coming out of training camp.

As the draft approaches, it’s good that Minnesota has already made some moves on the offensive line. That said, the position group is still in dire need of upgrades via free agency or the draft.

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Bargain Blocker Performing Well For Vikings

Let me Reid between the lines…

Long before this season even started, I had concerns about the Vikings offensive line — namely the right and left guards.  My worry was warranted on the right side where a revolving door of players have performed poorly, but I’ve been dead wrong about Dakota Dozier on the left.

The Vikings signed the “Bull Dozier” in April of 2019 after he was released by the New York Jets.  The 6’4” 312 lb guard played periodically last year as a backup, and he has performed well  in a starting role this year.

As left guards go, Pro Football Focus gives Dozier an average rating of 50.5 overall. That rating looks particularly good when compared to Vikings right guards Dru Samia (33.3) and Ezra Cleveland (43.8). Dozier holds his own in pass protection and opens some nice holes for Cook in the run game. Thankfully, he hasn’t proven to be a liability like his predecessors (Tom Compton, Pat Elflein, etc.). 

Dozier’s performance has had a positive impact on the left side of the offensive line, as tackle Riley Reiff and center Garrett Bradbury are having career years. This is not the case on the right, where struggles at guard are putting added stress on tackle Brian O’Neill. In just six games, the normally exceptional O’Neill has already given up twice as many sacks as last year.

Considering Minnesota’s lack of cap space and disinterest in spending big money on offensive linemen, Dakota really fits the bill from a financial perspective.  He only makes $1,000,000 a year, which is a real bargain when compared to the league’s highest paid offensive linemen who make over $20,000,000.

Let’s take a look at some of Dozier’s best plays:

Dozier (78) helps center Garrett Bradbury with his block, before getting to the second level and clearing the way for Dalvin Cook.

Dozier starts the play with a good punch, and then executes a legal hold to pull Jarran Reid (90) out of Cook’s way.

Dozier works in tandem with left tackle Riley Reiff to redirect a Falcons defender away from Cousins.

Dozier stops a defensive end that tries to sneak inside of Reiff (71).

Dozier gets good leverage on Atlanta linebacker Bruce Carter (55), helping to create an excellent pocket for Cousins.

With his good production and low price tag, the Vikings are lucky to have Dozier at left guard.

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